Mac’s eyes widened in fear when she saw the mouth full of teeth, opened and waiting for her.She was falling right straight for it.At the last second, another shark came up and bumped into it, and Mac hit the side of his body instead and sank into the water.She felt like a pinball in a machine as she was tossed about.Or better yet, on the spin cycle in the washer.
Her body twisted and was pushed around as dozens of sharks clamored over her to get to the food.They weren’t as interested in her as they were getting through her, but it wouldn’t stop them from biting her.She needed to get out of the danger zone.
Mac kicked her legs, trying to dive down below them.With her hands tied behind her back, it wasn’t easy.She grimaced in pain when a tail fin smacked into her side, and she felt air rush out of her lungs she couldn’t afford to lose.Another fin hit her from the other side when she was pushed back.She finally broke from the group and came back up along the side of the boat taking in a lungful of air.
She couldn’t keep herself upright without the use of her hands, so she floated onto her back, kicking her legs and making her way toward shore.Her hands throbbed from the tightening of the wet rope.
She tried wiggling her fingers through the pinpricks of pain.The rope was now cutting off circulation.
No one on the boat seemed to notice her.All of their focus was on the back of the boat as another shark was dragged onto it.
If only Mac had use of her hands, she’d get back on the boat and make them pay for their cruelty.Instead she was alone in the middle of the ocean and miles from shore and help.She should have called the coast guard when she had the chance.Or at least let someone know where she was.If she drowned out here, no one would ever find her.Not only that, but no one could save the sharks.Her sharks.
She and Barry had assumed it was overfishing to control the island.No one had guessed the sharks were being pulled on purpose.If she died out here, no one would know.She had to survive.
Mac kicked her legs harder when suddenly something grabbed her under her arms, and she was pulled out of the water.
“Burt?”she gasped in shock, standing on the back of his boat.“What are you doing here?”How was he even here?
“I ti e I hid ur ba,” he explained, turning her around to cut the rope that bound her.Mac rubbed her wrists, trying to get the circulation back into them.“U her.”He tilted her chin to the side and touched a sensitive spot on her temple she hadn’t noticed until now.
“I’ll be fine.”Her ribs were bruised, but nothing felt broken or cracked.
“Bes, der a cud in yur aim.”
Mac looked down to see a gash across her bicep.One of the shark teeth must have gotten her.She moved past him into the galley and grabbed the first aid kit.Burt assisted her with cleaning and dressing the wound since it was awkward with one hand.“Thanks, Burt, but how?”How did he know where she was?
“I folled u,” he said, as if that answered everything.
“From the bar?”
Burt shook his head.“Bey tat.I be kep’n in eye n u sin u reded ta bo fri, Jac.I wan te prote u.”
“I appreciate that, Burt.I really do.”She should have known she couldn’t keep her investigation quiet.She should have suspected Burt was looking after her since she’d rented the boat from Jacques.It was sweet that he had her back like this.She hadn’t wanted to involve anyone from her team because of Miles, but it turned out, she needed the backup.
As sweet as this moment was, they had to move.“We need to call coast guard.They are dragging the sharks out of the water with hooked meat.I don’t know what they are doing with them, but it can’t be anything good.”
“Aledy on id.”He stood up and pointed behind her through the window.
Mac turned around to see two coast guard boats coming toward them, but they were still a little way out.Carver could get away if he saw them.She turned back to Burt.“We can’t let Carver get away.”
Burt nodded and ran back into the quarterdeck and drove the boat alongside Carver’s.Mac jumped onto Carver’s and looked around for him.Several of the crewmen noticed the coast guard coming and were raising the alarm.
Carver cried out, “Get the boat started!”He turned to the crewman who were dragging a shark onto the boat.“That’s the last one.Close the doors.We’re getting out of here.”
“No, you’re not,” she whispered under her breath.Burt jumped onto the deck next to her with a baseball bat in his hands.She hadn’t even thought to grab a weapon.“Burt, get to the quarterdeck; don’t let them turn this boat on.”
“On id.”He nodded and took off toward the front of the boat.
Mac ran for the back.Carver was marching that direction with determined steps, but she wasn’t letting him escape.“Not so fast, Carver.”Mac braced her feet apart and planted her fists on her hips, glaring at him like an impenetrable force.
The color drained from Carver’s face.“Impossible.”
“You’re not going anywhere.You will pay for your crimes.”
Carver glared at her with a look of determination.He wasn’t going to go down without a fight.His other crewmen saw their stand-off and abandoned their duties to give Carver aid.
“Finish tying everything off.”He waved them away.“I can handle one little woman.”He smirked at her.
