The Sparks Broker by Vicki Hinze

Author:Vicki Hinze [Hinze, Vicki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Magnolia Leaf Press
Published: 2019-04-11T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Nathan grabbed Kate’s shoulder, pulling her behind him. Endearing gesture, but totally unnecessary. “Nathan.” His gaze fixed on the darkness, he didn’t seem to hear her. “Nathan, I think it’s okay,” she whispered again, a smile tugging at her lips.

He darted her a glance, saw her smile, and looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“The voice,” she said. “He sounds like Douglas!”

Shock widened his eyes, then his Adam’s apple bobbed hard and the fear to believe settled on his face. “Douglas?” Nathan whispered loudly. “Is that you?”

“Commander?”

“Yes!”

Douglas moved out of the darkness through a deep shadow and stepped into the beam of Nathan’s light. “It’s me. Don’t move. You’re about to trigger a heat sensor in the warning system. It’ll let them know you’re here.”

Nathan let out a sigh so full of relief it warmed Kate’s chilled body. She felt it down to her toes. Douglas moved closer, walking in the beam of light.

Nathan gave his back a healthy whack, the sound lightly echoing. “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

“Me, too.” Douglas grinned. “Did you find my tank?”

“Yes,” Kate answered, considering that an odd question. How did you find me? That would have been a more typical thing to ask. Him asking about the tank set her teeth on edge. “What happened?”

“High tide. Knocked me right off my feet and into the rocks. I hit my head. I’m fuzzy from there, but I wasn’t knocked out. Anyway, the next thing I knew, I was stuck on a rock ledge over there—” he pointed into the darkness from which he’d come “—with no oxygen tank. I knew it had to be too far to swim out without one, so I waited for Search and Rescue to come get me.” He smiled. “I don’t suppose you have a cold beer or a cheeseburger in that fanny pack.”

That smile had Kate examining him closely. It seemed too cheerful and, well, too rested. “Afraid not.” Suspicion seeped deeper into Kate. Douglas didn’t look dehydrated or half-starved. He didn’t look haggard. If he’d spent the better part of three days in this cave, wouldn’t he look all those things and more? And Douglas had been bringing up the rear, diving with his team. He hadn’t been on the surface swimming, susceptible to the tide and rocks, and he hadn’t been inside the cave exploring, he’d been outside of it, still with the team.

Too many inconsistencies. Too many aspects of his story just didn’t fit the facts. A hollow pit formed in her stomach and fear filled it. And the inevitable question smothered the joy she’d felt on seeing him and replaced it with doubt. Doubt that carried regret because it would soon sink its hateful talons into Nathan, too.

Was Douglas really Douglas?

She had to know the truth—the sooner the better. “We need to get out of here and get you some food and water.” She sent Nathan a pointed look, silently insisting he go along with her suggestion. “We should get his report now, while it’s fresh in his mind.

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