26

 

Cal pulled into his parking spot and ran to the Ops room, not bothering to lock his truck.

Tom glanced up as he ran into the room. “Cal, what are you doing here?”

“I need to trace a boat. I have reason to believe Hattie’s been kidnapped.”

“I’m sorry? Say that again, only slower this time.”

“Hattie’s missing. No one’s seen her since she had dinner with Markus and Steve, day before yesterday. I’ve just seen Markus. Now, according to him, he’s leaving today on a cruise, with Hattie. He also said several other things that didn’t add up. The two of them getting married for one thing.”

“I thought Hattie was marrying you.”

“She is. However, I spoke to Dan, the harbor master on duty this morning. According to him and his records, Markus and a blonde woman left for France last night on the Cape of Good Hope and haven’t come back. And none of his other boats are scheduled to leave today. But he said the blonde woman was worse for wear.”

Tom pulled over the charts. “What was his course?”

“Dan was going to fax over some stills from the CCTV footage and the shipping…” He broke off. “Perfect timing. There it is.” He ran to the printer and ripped it off.

His stomach plummeted and his gut twisted as he took in the photos. Markus had his arm tightly around Hattie, who looked more than worse for wear. She was leaning against him, her head on his shoulder. He’d taken her.

He took the papers over to Tom. “He took her. We need…I need to find her.” The two of them poured over the map, comparing that to the shipping plan. Cal sighed. “This is hopeless. He left eighteen hours ago. The boat could be anywhere. Besides, Markus has kidnapped Hattie and then abandoned her. Would he really file a legitimate shipping plan?”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“Yes, I do. This photo proves he left on the boat with her. I spoke to him not more than an hour ago. He’s still on the island. And he said she was here, too.”

Tom reached for the phone. “I’ll request a helicopter to go up and look. Maybe the navy has seen them. I’ll ask.” Before he could call out, the phone rang.

“Penry Island Lifeboat Station.” He listened and then nodded. “Consider it done.” He hung up. “Fisherman spotted a boat adrift about twenty miles off the coast. They aren’t answering radio hails and it seems to be low in the water. Coastguard wants us to attend.” He paused. “It’s the Cape of Good Hope.”

Cal took a deep breath, his hands cold and numb. “Page the watch. I’ll go and change.”

“You’re not on duty. It’s white watch this week.”

“I don’t care. I’m here, page the rest of white watch, but I’m going as lead helm. You better get Laurie in. And the police.”

“Why?”

He headed to the stairs, calling over his shoulder. “Because Markus is not on that boat. And I’m betting that only Hattie is.”

 

****

 

The water had reached the upper decks now. Hattie splashed back to the bridge. Everything below was flooded, but she wouldn’t have been able to fix it even if she had the tools and the use of both arms. She’d gone below to check the pumps and not only were they smashed beyond repair; there were a series of small holes in the side of the boat. The boat would have taken it’s time to flood, but there was no stopping it, even if the pumps had been working.

She was going to drown.

It had to have been deliberate. But then she knew that as the radio and all the electrics had been torn out or removed. The boat had been ransacked, but she guessed that was also deliberate. The only thing she couldn’t work out was why. She went back on deck. The sun shone and the sea was flat calm. There just wasn’t anyone in sight apart from a few seagulls that swooped and cried mournfully overhead.

The boat was sinking by the head, so she clambered to the stern. Maybe someone would come if she could hang on long enough. She tripped over a wooden box. The lid slid to one side, displaying the flares. Sending up a prayer of thanks and a fervent wish that someone would see them and come to her aid, she lit one.

 

****

 

Jim from White Watch tapped him on the shoulder. “Cal. Flare. Nine o’clock. A long way off. If that’s her then she’s drifted a fair way.”

Cal turned the boat and sliced through the waves. “What if it’s not her?”

“It’s a boat in distress, we can’t ignore it.”

“I know that, Jim.”

“Cal, chill. If it’s not her, we call it in and they send out the other boat to search for her. Chances are Hattie won’t be on the boat anyway.”

“She was seen getting on it.”

“Aye,” Jim insisted. “But if Markus got off then perhaps she did, too. The boat appears abandoned.”

Cal tilted his head. “Maybe, but someone let off that flare. There’s another one.”

A huge explosion lit the sky in front of them. The sound roared across the water towards them, the waves rippling outwards tossing the small lifeboat high in the air. Ignoring the curses and exclamations around him, Cal increased speed, time now being of the essence. Oh, God, keep whoever it is out there safe just a few more minutes.

He hit the radio mic and called it in. “Penry Island ILS, this is Seagull. Large explosion approximately five miles ahead. Request helicopter support and police and fire service.”

“Roger that.”

Cal tried not to dwell on the fact it was most likely Hattie out there. But it was hard. No matter how firmly he told himself it didn’t matter who it was, he had a job to do, Hattie’s face swam before his vision. He could feel her arms around him, her lips on his.

Tears burned in his eyes. He couldn’t lose her, not now, not after all this. Was it wrong of him to hope it was a different boat?

As he reached the scene, pieces of wood and fiberglass floated on top of the water. Charred remains of what was once a boat. Some of it still burned. A piece of the hull bobbed on the surface of the water with the word Cape still visible.

His heart sank further, a pounding in his ears. He was dimly aware of Jim behind him confirming on the radio that it was the boat they were looking for and they were now searching the wreckage for bodies.

Tom’s voice came over the radio. “Markus just reported the boat stolen. He claims he wasn’t on it last night.”

Cal growled. “We know he’s lying. We’ve seen the pictures the Harbormaster sent over. He still has the original CCTV footage of him and Hattie taking her out last night.”

He scoured the water as he piloted the boat. Where was she?

Something caught his eye. A motionless figure floating face down a hundred yards away. There was too much debris to get the boat through fast enough. Jumping up he glanced behind. “Jim, take her.” He dived over the side, swimming as quickly as he could over to the figure. Definitely a woman. Was that Hattie?

He reached her and turned her over. His blood ran cold. Was she breathing? “Hattie…”

No reaction. He felt for a pulse. Slow, but there. He leaned down to start breathing for her. His lips covered her cold, blue ones, breathing deep into her lungs, his legs working to keep them afloat. One breath, two breaths…

“Come on Hattie, please…”

Her eyes flickered open.

Thank You, God. She can’t have been face down for long.

His hand ran down her face as he started back to the lifeboat. “Hattie…”

“Am I dreaming?” she whispered.

“I wish you were, love. Just hold on. I’m taking you home.”