Marissa’s eyes went to the cage. The door was ajar; she could see that it did indeed open out.
Marissa turned to Rafe.
“Who were those men who threw the chum into the water?” she demanded.
“Two blokes who had wanted to go fishing,” Rafe said.
“It was the Asian fellow who hired the Oz. He’d stayed in his cabin until the powerboat arrived. I don’t know why they had it. Guess they decided against fishing after all and just dumped their bait.
I wouldn’t have let them do that if I’d known.”
“It was the bait that brought the sharks,” Marissa said.
“Undoubtedly,” Rafe said.
Marissa didn’t know what to think. She was still trembling. An hour passed. Still the patrol boat was nowhere to be seen. The water around the boat cleared. Even the waves calmed. Looking off the stern, Marissa could no longer see any fish.
“My arm is starting to bleed again,” Wynn announced anxiously.
Rafe examined the bandage.
“A little,” he agreed.
“It’s not bad. But let’s head in. To hell with that patrol boat.”
“We’re not going until we look for Wendy,” Marissa said.
“It’s no use,” Rafe said.
“She would have appeared by now if there was any chance.”
“If you refuse to look,” Marissa said, “then I’ll go myself.”
She walked over to the bank of scuba tanks and pulled one free.
Then she picked up her flippers, which were still on the bow deck.
When Marissa returned, Rafe grabbed her arm.
“You’re crazy if you go in that water.”
Marissa indignantly pulled her arm from his grasp.
“At least I’m not a coward.”
“I’ll go,” Wynn said, standing up unsteadily.
“You’re not going anywhere!” Rafe yelled.
“All right! I’ll go have a look.”
Clearly fuming, Rafe went below, then came back wearing his swimming togs. He suited up in a buoyancy vest and tank, then grabbed a pair of flippers, a mask, and a three-foot steel rod.
“I want you to lower me in the cage,” he told Wynn.
All three went forward. For a moment they eyed the bent bars on the front of the cage.
“I can’t believe a living thing could do that,” Rafe said. Then he climbed inside and put on his flippers and mask.
“Lower away,” Rafe called.
Wynn went to the winch and lifted Rafe and the cage about a foot off the deck. Using only his good arm, he maneuvered the cage out over the water. Marissa helped steady it. Then he lowered the cage until he felt a tug on a rope he had in his hand.
Peering over the side, Marissa and Wynn watched Rafe as he eventually swam out of the cage. He disappeared under the boat.
In another minute or two he popped up on the dive platform.
“All’s quiet down here,” he said.
“Now, where was Wendy when you last saw her?”
“I’ll come with you,” Marissa said. Despite her fears, Marissa felt she owed that much to Wendy. She swiftly suited up. Wynn helped her with her tank. In another minute she was on the platform next to Rafe.
“I’m impressed,” Rafe said.
“I really am. Aren’t you seared to go back into the water after what happened?”
“I’m terrified,” Marissa said.
“Let’s go before I change my mind.”
Instead of jumping far from the boat, Marissa eased herself into the water, scanning in all directions. But Rafe was right: the water was as peaceful and serene as when she’d first entered it that morning. A few butterfly and angel fish swam by. She glanced back at the shark cage, determined to be ready to make a swim for it should the need arise.
Turning to Rafe, Marissa motioned toward the mouth of the channel
There was less of a current than there had been earlier.
Where the channel opened into the ocean, they hesitated. Even in the distance they couldn’t see anything larger than a few parrot fish nestled along the wall of the reef. The monster that had terrorized her not an hour before was nowhere to be seen.
Marissa’s heart skipped a beat when she felt something touch her arm. Turning, she saw it was only Rafe. He signaled to her, asking which way they should go. Marissa pointed. Together, they headed in that direction.