“I’ve got you,” he murmured low, for her alone.
“Can’t we just…”
“Toss him now!” the ringleader said, cutting off Cap’s words.
Jonathan kicked at the man who tried to pull him from the deck. The leader flew down the ladder and grabbed Jonathan by his arms. His helper grabbed Jonathan’s feet, and they threw the flailing man over the side of the boat.
With as much as it pained him, Cap did nothing but hold Emma. He knew he would have lost the fight, and ending up dead, too, wouldn’t help these ladies out of this horrid situation. Emma tried to pull away from him, but he gripped her harder.
Jonathan bobbed up and down. Cap already knew from the first time he saw this guy swim that he wasn’t a strong swimmer. He’d never make it the mile to shore. Even if he had the use of his hands.
Hailey pulled a life ring from the hook next to the cabin door, but before she could toss it to the drowning man, the ringleader snatched it from her.
“Next person who tries to help him dies.”
The ladies were silent as Jonathan begged for help.
This was one of the most horrifying things Cap had ever seen, and he’d seen a lot of shit during his drug investigating days.
Cap moved the boat away from Jonathan. The cigarette boat followed.
He risked a glance back. Jonathan had flipped himself onto his back. How long could he float among the low rolling waves? If he stayed calm and floated, maybe the wind would carry him to shore. There was a chance he could make it, but all the stars would have to line up right.
Cap shifted his gaze to Hailey and Morgan, who clung to one another. The sidekick Colombian stood just a couple of feet from them. Eyes on them. Gun in hand.
He hoped to hell that Mick picked up on his hint and contacted the authorities. A standoff on the water could certainly be dangerous, but it was their best shot.
“What’s that?” the ringleader asked as he pointed to the fish finder.
Cap fixed his gaze on the screen. “Hard to tell, but it looks round. Maybe a big tire.”
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only piece of garbage lying on the bottom of Lake Michigan. There was an assortment of items, including a small boat nearby.
A school of fish popped onto the screen. Fishing. They should be fishing. That’s what they’d set out to do. Never did he imagine he’d be looking for a bag of drugs.
Cap looked over his shoulder. He could no longer see Jonathan. He hoped he was surfacing and that he just couldn’t see him among the rolling waves. The chilly waters of Lake Michigan wouldn’t do Jonathan any favors, and without the use of his hands, this was a recipe for disaster.
Cap was about to return his gaze forward when he glimpsed a spot of red near the shore. Kayaker? For Jonathan’s sake, he hoped so. Maybe the kayaker would see him.
He turned forward.
Emma stared at the surface of the water. She sobbed. The other girls were hysterical. He could even hear Carly sobbing on the other boat. They cried so loud he couldn’t think, but he needed to.
Hold on, ladies, he thought. Just hold on.
Chapter Six
Emma’s eyes flooded with tears. She brushed them away with the back of her hand, hoping to clear her vision and get her sights on her ex. Even with how furious she was at him; she didn’t want him to die. Not like this.
Watching to her left, between the boat and the shore, Jonathan bounced up, breaking the surface of the water, then slipped out of her sight again. She kept her gaze glued to where she’d last seen him. Nothing. A few more beats. Nothing. The beats went on for a couple of minutes. Then nothing.
No. No. No.
Cap turned the boat in the opposite direction, away from where she’d last seen Jonathan. Then he straightened out.
He leaned toward her.
“Keep your eyes forward. You need to concentrate on finding the bag,” Cap said, then added, “I’m sorry, Emma.”
