Sunken Death: A Fin Fleming Sea Adventure Thriller, page 8
He startled awake when he heard our tanks clanging as we put them in the tank rack. “How was the dive?” he said, rubbing his eyes.
I gave him a hard stare. “We were lucky enough not to run into any problems, since our tender was taking a nap instead of paying attention.”
As usual, my words rolled off his back, but he was smart enough to know he needed to keep Maddy happy. He opened the cooler and brought my mother some orange slices and water, like she was a tourist on her first dive trip instead of one of the most famous ocean explorers in the world. The rest of us helped ourselves as we usually did.
We sat in the sunshine on the benches while our surface interval elapsed. A few minutes before it was safe for us to dive again, Liam started the boat and moved it about a quarter of a mile east. He re-anchored, and we all went to the boat’s transom to gear up for another dive.
I helped Oliver into his buoyancy control device and checked that his tank was secure, and the air was turned on. Then I handed him his fins and gave him an arm for balance while he put them on. He stepped into the water, and the rest of us followed within a few seconds.
We descended slowly along the anchor line, scanning the surface below for anything we thought might be a wreck. Once again, we saw no signs of any wreck during the dive, although the underwater landscape was spectacular and the sea life abundant. It was a pleasant dive, and I was sorry when Oliver ran low on air, and we had to return to the boat.
This time when we surfaced, Stewie was awake and helped us board by taking our fins and BCDs as we climbed the ladder. We decided to break for lunch before our next dive, even though it was still early in the day. Diving uses a lot of calories because your body works hard to stay warm underwater. And although it feels easy, a diver is using a lot of muscle power to move through water, which is much denser than air.
After lunch, Maddy and Oliver took our empty tanks back to the Omega for refilling. When they returned, Newton was in the Zodiac with them. As he came aboard, he tripped and lost his balance. Liam reached out to steady him. “Careful, Mate. We don’t want to have to rescue you out here. It’s a big ocean.”
Chapter 16
Finding The Wreck
The coordinates Ray had left us corresponded to an area of more than seventy square miles, so we knew it could take days or even weeks to cover it. All we could do was keep looking, so we moved the boat again, another quarter mile east and geared up to dive. Knowing Newton was aboard, Stewie was on his best behavior, helping everyone with their tanks and offering a steadying arm when we put on our fins. Except for Oliver, we were all experienced master divers and didn’t need this kind of help, but I was glad to see Stewie at least trying to be useful.
This time Liam and I buddied up and swam east, while Maddy and Oliver went west. We drifted along the reef top, swimming slowly, and examining anything that looked like it might once have been part of a ship. Although I’d checked to see if I could find out more about the wreck’s history, there were no records of a ship lost in the area, so we weren’t sure exactly how old it was, but from Ray’s description, we thought it was probably at least a hundred years old. In that length of time, a wooden boat could have deteriorated almost beyond recognition. With any luck, corals might have grown on it before it rotted away, helping it to retain a vestige of its original shape and making it easier for us to pick it out from the rest of the reef.
I was down at about eighty feet when I saw something up ahead. An arching triangular shape reminiscent of a boat’s hull protruding slightly from the wall. It was covered in lush coral growth, but still, I suspected we had found the wreck faster than we could have expected. I swam toward it.
Above me, Liam saw what I was heading for and swam down to join me. It didn’t take us long to be certain it was a boat. It looked as though the ship had sunk, landed upright in a crevice in the reef, and stayed there. Although the boat was completely encrusted by algae and coral, we could swim the boat’s length from bow to stern, because the coral had left a gap of about three feet along the sides, almost like an aisle. The coral had grown together over the boat, blocking out the light from above, so the wreck sat in what amounted to a cave in the reef.
I pulled Liam back out along the wall and indicated I wanted to photograph him as he “discovered” the boat and swam along its length in the crevice. I turned on my camera’s strobe lights to film him. He understood what I wanted, and slowly swam along first one side of the boat, then the other. He stopped to peer into each of the open portholes as he passed, but he didn’t try to enter, even when he came to a large open spot in what had once been the boat’s hull. He was camera savvy enough to hover outside the opening long enough for me to get several shots of him there. I needed plenty of pictures for the photo montage contract with Your World.
I mapped the location on my underwater slate and fastened a florescent yellow plastic tie to the nearby coral, so I’d be able to easily find the wreck again. I also swam up above it to take pictures from other angles, so I’d know what it looked like if I approached from a different direction.
I was excited. Now that we’d found a wreck, we had to take the time to explore it. It was possible it might not even be the same wreck that Ray had found so long ago.
In any case, I needed to take a lot of pictures to flesh out both the Your World story and the RIO documentary before we could bring back the Queen’s Tiara and the rest of the treasure. I’d heard stories about these items for most of my life, and I couldn’t wait to see the fabulous piece and the rest of the legendary lost fortune.
By now we were at the turnaround point for air, so Liam and I headed back to the anchor line. We met Maddy and Oliver at the bottom and the four of us ascended as a group. I was so eager to tell Maddy the news that I could hardly wait out the obligatory three-minute safety stop.
I was bursting with excitement by the time we were all on board and had removed our gear. While Stewie was passing out orange slices and water, I breathlessly told Maddy and Oliver what Liam and I had found.
I was practically jumping up and down. “This must be it,” I said. “At long last we get to see the treasure. I never understood why Ray didn’t want to talk about it, but now we’ll find out.”
Maddy was quiet for a minute, pensively sliding the solid gold doubloon pendant she wore long its chain. Ray had given her the necklace instead of a ring when they’d married. “This coin was the one thing Ray brought back from the treasure. He always said it was better if it stayed lost. He said the tiara was cursed. It would bring only sorrow, betrayal, and death by drowning to anyone who tried to claim it. When people kept after him to retrieve it, he started telling them the treasure was just a tall tale he’d made up. After a while, even I forgot it was real. Maybe we should respect his wishes and leave it where it is. I never thought we’d actually find it, and I wonder if we should abandon the recovery effort in deference to Ray’s wishes.”
Newton chimed in. “It’s a little late for second thoughts, Maddy. You’re under contract to Your World. So is Fin, for that matter, and even if you think RIO can weather the scandal of reneging on the terms of the deal, at this point in her career, Fin can’t afford to be in breach.”
Maddy glared at him, and even though they were both astute businesspeople, for the first time I could see how her spiritual nature would clash with his lawyerly thought processes—leading inevitably to their divorce so long ago. They were the best of friends and respected each other, but they weren’t soul mates the way Ray and Maddy had been.
I bit my lip, unsure what to do. I was counting on support from Maddy’s team and resources and supplies from the Omega for my expedition. If she withdrew now, I’d be unable to continue working to raise the treasure even if I chose not to drop the project. I didn’t have the upfront money to pay the crew, or the resources to keep them fed and comfortable.
“Don’t worry, Fin. If RIO pulls out, I’ll provide whatever you need to complete the terms of your contract.” One thing about Newton—he was never afraid to throw his considerable wealth at a problem. He didn’t realize how annoying this habit could be.
Maddy glared at him. “I didn’t say I was pulling RIO out. I said I had some concerns.” She drew herself up to her full five feet of height. “Oliver, would you run me back to the Omega, please?”
I knew she hated confrontations, and she hated it even more when Newton stepped on her authority. Retreat was her usual first step when dealing with anger, but she always came back to address the issues after she’d had a chance to cool down. Surprisingly, her laid-back approach usually ended with her getting her own way, even if she had to restart the discussion two or three times before it was resolved to her satisfaction.
Oliver jumped to his feet to help her onto the small runabout he’d been using to ferry people and equipment between the various boats. “Let me just grab the empty tanks.”
“I’ll help you, Mate.” Liam picked up a couple of tanks by their valves and handed them down to Oliver, who secured them in the small inflatable’s tank racks. When all the tanks were on the tender, Oliver took off for the Omega.
Stewie pulled a can from his personal cooler and quickly stuffed it into a koozie before I could see the label.
“I’m done for the day.” He walked along the gunwales to sit on the bow where he couldn’t hear our conversation.
I sat on the nearby bench, head down, thinking about how I could pull this off without the Omega’s support. Liam sat beside me. “Don’t worry. I’m with you,” he said, taking my hand. “One hundred percent. Whatever it takes—even if I lose my new job.” He grinned wryly.
“I know you don’t need a job, but if it comes to it, you’ll have a spot at Fleming Environmental Investments anytime you want,” Newton said.
“Thanks. I’m happy at RIO, and I think Maddy will get over this if we don’t make a big deal about it. She’s just feeling disloyal to Ray’s memory, that’s all. She’ll come around.”
The sound of a boat’s engine nearly drowned out his last words. I stood and saw a sixty-five-foot catamaran approaching at a rapid clip. I crossed my fingers that it was just a sport fisherman coming home after a day at sea, but the boat slowed down as it neared our position and came to a stop about a half mile away.
I heard the clink and rattle of an anchor, and I groaned. “We’ve been found.”
But it was worse than I had feared. Once the catamaran’s pilot was convinced the boat was secure, he stood on the bow and waved his hat in the air. It couldn’t be.
But it was.
Alec Stone, my ex-husband, was here.
Chapter 17
Betrayal
Newton turned to me. “What’s he doing here?”
I shrugged and watched in dismay as Alec dove in the water and began swimming toward the Sea Princess.
At a half mile away, his boat wasn’t very close to us, but he was a strong swimmer. As a dive instructor, he was required to be able to swim a mile in about twenty-five minutes, so it wasn’t long before he was standing on the transom. “Got a towel?” he asked me?
“Nope. Sorry,” I said. “What are you doing here? And how soon will you be leaving?” Then we all watched in disbelief as, without being asked, Stewie brought Alec a warm, fluffy towel and some ice water.
“Thanks, Stewie.” Alec dried his face and took a sip of water. “Wow. I needed that.”
Stewie must have noticed the thunderous expressions on our faces because he turned and hurried back to his perch on the bow before we could confront him with our suspicion that he had given Alec the coordinates of our position. Otherwise, how could Alec possibly have found us so quickly and so precisely?
Alec smiled, perfectly comfortable with our discomfort.
“Well?” I said when it became apparent that he had no intention of telling me why he was here.
“I was just cruising, heading for a few days of dives in the Great Blue Hole. Imagine my surprise when I saw your little expedition anchored here. Is this where the treasure’s been all along? Or are you still looking for the wreck’s site?”
“None of your business what we’re doing. And you’re still miles from the Great Blue Hole. You’d better get a move on.” I suspected Alec was trying to find a way to use me to further his own career again.
“I’ll take that.” Newton took the towel from the bench where Alec had dropped it and threw it down the stairs into the cabin. He divested Alec of his water, dumped the contents into the ocean, and carried the cup below.
Liam took Alec’s arm and pulled him to his feet. “Sorry we don’t have a boat to ferry you back. But you got here on your own, so I’m sure you’ll be okay on the way back. Ocean’s that way, Buddy.” He flicked his thumb over his shoulder toward the boat’s transom.
Alec’s behavior had been unpredictable for the last several months, and he’d thrown tantrums and had violent outbursts unlike anything I had seen while we were married. He scowled at Liam, and for a minute I thought he would resort to violence here on the boat. The two men glared into each other’s eyes until at last, Alec turned away and dove off the side. I sighed with relief that he was gone.
It was obvious to everyone that Stewie had contacted Alec and leaked our location. When Alec had swum out of earshot, Liam jumped up on the gunwales and headed for the bow. “Stewie. A word please.”
I put my hand out and caught his arm. “Let me. I’ve known him longer, and he’s part of my team.”
As RIO’s new CFO, Liam outranked me, so it was within his right to be the one to chastise Stewie for the breach of security protocol. But he stepped down and let me pass.
I sat down beside Stewie on the bow. “Did you tell Alec our position?”
Stewie’s struggle between self-preservation and honor showed in his eyes. Eventually, honor won out. “Yes,” was all he said.
“You knew we wanted to keep the wreck’s location secret, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then why shouldn’t I fire you right now? Send you back to Grand Cayman without a job?”
Stewie looked taken aback by my question and tone of voice. Even I was surprised.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to be part of the team, and since Ray’s death, you all treat me like dirt.” Stewie’s voice cracked.
“That’s because we can’t trust you to keep your word,” I said. “This latest betrayal makes it even harder.”
He looked at me, tears in his eyes. “Don’t you think I hate myself for the part I played in Ray’s death? It eats at me every day. Please let me stay on. I’ll earn your trust again. I swear it.”
Against my better judgement, I said. “Last chance, Stewie. Your very last chance.” Then I left the bow and rejoined Newton on the rear deck.
While I’d been talking to Stewie, Liam had climbed the ladder to the flying bridge. Our eyes met, and I nodded to him. He nodded back and picked up the radio, but I couldn’t hear what he said.
A few minutes later, Oliver headed our way in the Omega’s tender. As soon as Oliver had tied up to the boat, Liam said, “Stewie, your ride’s here. Are you going back to the Omega, or will you be joining your buddy Alec?”
Stewie didn’t look at Liam as he shuffled past. “Omega. At least then I can be with Lauren.”
I could see Liam wasn’t happy with the answer, and neither was I. Stewie had a long history of betraying everyone around him—everyone except for Ray. He’d never knowingly have done anything to hurt his oldest friend, although we all knew his irresponsibility had contributed to the tragedy of Ray’s death.
Leaving Stewie loose on the Omega wasn’t a good idea at all, especially if he’d be hanging out with Lauren. She was a key member of the crew, and he had a way of overhearing things he wasn’t meant to hear. Being on the Omega meant he might have access to information he could feed to Alec. If Alec was paying him for inside info, we had no hope that Stewie would keep anything he learned to himself.
But we had hired him on for the expedition and although we might have liked to, we couldn’t just leave him in the middle of the ocean either. We were stuck.
Then I had an idea. “Hold up a minute, Oliver, will you?” I turned to Liam and Newton. “Let’s put Stewie in solitary on the Tranquility. I’ll stay with Maddy on the Omega, and you—Liam and Newton—can keep sharing the Sea Princess. That way we can isolate Stewie and maybe keep him from doing any more damage.”
“Are you sure you want him alone on your boat, Fin? Who knows what mischief he could get into?” Newton looked worried, and I couldn’t blame him. He’d dropped big bucks on refurbishing the boat after it had been trashed not too long ago.
“I’ll keep the keys with me,” I said. “And we’ll bring him prepared food, so he won’t have to cook or make a mess. He’ll be happy as a clam to have us waiting on him. Nothing to do but sit in the sun.” I looked at Liam. “When this is over, we need to talk to Maddy about putting some conditions around Stewie’s continued employment.”
“Agreed.” Liam said. “But in my opinion, he belongs in the brig, not on your boat.” His face looked like thunder.
Newton stepped forward. “Why don’t I stay on the Tranquility with him? That way I can keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t step out of line.”
That was a surprise. My father liked his alone time, losing himself in quiet contemplation. He hated noisy environments, especially while he was trying to work, and Stewie chattered non-stop about nothing. And Newton was a neat freak. Even more than random noise, he hated it when things were out of place.
Liam gave Newton an approving nod. “Thanks, Mate.” Then he turned to Oliver. “Please take Stewie to the Tranquility and leave him there. And if you would, bring the keys here to Fin. Both sets please.”
