Chapter 49
Daniel
From the wheelhouse Daniel had watched Chuck, Mel and Ore disappear from view and head inside. He spent a moment worrying that Ore might push it on Klauparten with Chuck and then talked himself down. Ore was the professional after all; she knew what she was doing.
It hadn’t been until that morning when he’d practically seen the cogs turning in her head upon noticing the branding on the crate that the divers carried in, that he’d concluded that he really couldn’t keep the revelations from last night to himself. He resolved to tell her once they were safely back on board theThalassaand far from prying ears. He for one now knew how jeopardising careless conversation could be.
It was a short trip, and after twenty minutes, they arrived at the edge of the reef. There were already a few other boats around, all packed with tourists, eagerly gathered around diving instructors.
Daniel had cut the engine and was about to drop the anchor when he saw Chuck jog back out onto the lower deck and up the stairs towards him. He seemed agitated.
‘Hi, Dan, how are you?’ Chuck’s pleasantries were rushed. Daniel didn’t even have time to respond before he continued.‘Is there anywhere we can go? Somewhere that’s, I don’t know, a little less crowded?’
‘Less crowded, sir? On the Great Barrier Reef?’ Daniel tried to keep his tone even but Chuck picked up on the hint of sarcasm and bristled.
‘Yes, Dan, I understand that it’s a busy spot, but I was hoping that … Mel could have a more … unique experience and see a part of the reef that wasn’t plagued with daytrippers.’
Rich people really hated company it would seem. It wasn’t enough that they could spend three weeks of the year isolated in the middle of the ocean on their own private mega yacht, they also wanted one of the seven wonders of the world to themselves. It wouldn’t surprise Daniel if Chuck had already tried seeing if there was a private hire option.
‘Well we’re on the north side at the moment, which is one of the most popular sites.’
‘Well why have you brought us here!’ Chuck was incensed, and Daniel got the feeling this was far more to do with his plans for whatever dodgy stuff he had planned with Claude than it was about Mel.
‘Well, sir, it’s popular because it has the greatest variety of marine life on the site. I thought Melanie might enjoy—’
Chuck cut him off. ‘Let’s try the southern end instead.’
There was no room for discussion as Chuck marched out of the room and back down to the deck. Daniel watched as he approached Claude and the three divers who’d gathered outside. Chuck leant in to whisper in Claude’s ear.
Claude looked up suddenly and a shiver ran down Daniel’s back as the man’s grey eyes met his. It should have beenimpossible through the glare of the glass that separated them, and yet …
Claude nodded tersely, and looked away, huddling with the divers, who by now were wet-suited up, with neoprene arms dangling by their sides, muscled chests out and black swimming caps glinting in the sunlight. Each emblazoned with a bright white ‘k Inc’. It was hard to tell the three apart; all had an identical build.
Daniel set a new course for the other side of the reef. It would take them over an hour to get to the southern end. As the sun grew hotter in the sky, Daniel amused himself by considering that those wetsuits would be getting mighty sweaty.
