Osprey Reef by Annie Seaton

Author:Annie Seaton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2021-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

23

Cobham Reef, May 2019

Peter had gone back downstairs, still shaking his head, before Bethany called over the intercom for Matt to come up. They were approaching Cobham Reef and were only about fifteen minutes from their destination. It was thirty-eight nautical miles out to the reef from Hayman Island. The wind had dropped off and they’d caught up some time. She wasn’t exactly sure what to think about Peter’s enthusiasm earlier; she wondered if perhaps he was getting a bit overexcited about a couple of bowls. He was usually so precise and controlled, but his expression had been so animated, and his words had spilled over one another.

Peter had handled the old bowls so carefully, she’d agreed to wrap them up and store them safely in her cabin until he could investigate further.

Matt bounded up the stairs and through the door. ‘Almost there, skipper.’

‘Yes, Cobham Reef’s not far ahead. Can you just keep watch for a few minutes for me while I grab a coffee?’

‘No problem.’

‘You want me to bring a coffee up for you too?’

‘No thanks, I’ve just had one. The guys are around the bar already and keeping Lois busy.’

‘I guess they start work tomorrow,’ she replied. Bethany picked up the two bowls and carried them into her cabin. She’d never paid any attention to them before; they’d always been there, and they were a place to keep hair ties and paper clips. The bowls looked like something you would buy at a two-dollar shop, white with some pale blue drawings of flowers and birds on them. She doubted that they were worth anything, but still wrapped each of them carefully in a cotton T-shirt and put them in the bottom drawer. With a smile she reached over and flicked through the charts. Peter had been so excited he’d left without the chart he’d come up for.

She pulled out the chart of the area around Cobham Reef and hurried downstairs. Aaron was out on the deck talking to Jarrod at the galley door, and the fragrant aroma of one of the chef’s creations wafted out.

‘We’re almost there, Aaron. Can you go up to the bow when you finish there, please?’

The deckie nodded and headed along the deck as she turned into the saloon where Peter was staring at his laptop.

‘Here’s that chart you came up for before.’ Bethany put the cylinder on the end of the table.

‘Thank you. I didn’t want to bother you again when I realised I’d come down without it.’ He glanced around. ‘Did you put the bowls away safely?’

She nodded. ‘I did. They’re safe and secure in my cabin until we get back to Mackay.’

‘I’d like to apologise for my language before. I don’t usually lose control like that. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.’

Bethany waved a hand. ‘Peter, I hear worse on every day of a fishing charter.’ She rested her hand on his shoulder as he sat looking up at her. ‘Okay. We’ll talk about it in a few—’ She turned with a frown as an alarm sounded above.

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