Page 46 of Blood in the Water
Will stood next to him, holding onto one of the boat’srailings, his stance wide to keep from falling over as water poured into the boat. There was no sail to be a help or a hindrance. The yacht was a pleasure craft, ill-suited to rough seas, Nolan’s only tool the wheel in his hands and the power of the boat’s motor, at war with the sea.
Somewhere on the boat, Christophe, Farrell, and Luca were probably holding on for dear life. Nolan didn’t dare look away from the waves rising in front of them for even a second. He could only assume if someone had been tossed overboard he would have heard about it.
“How much longer?” Will shouted over the storm.
“I have no idea.”
Nolan had lost track of how many times he’d fought the wheel to keep the boat upright, had no idea how long they’d been on the water or how much longer they had to go. There was only the incessant beat of the waves, one after the other, against the hull, the compass steering him closer to Bridget.
His boat was more powerful than Seamus’s, but Seamus had a significant head start.
“Holy shit…”
Nolan looked ahead, following Will’s gaze as his eyes widened.
A monster wave rose up ahead, pulling the boat into a trench, the bow dipping sharply as the wave gathered into a wall of water.
Nolan tightened his grip on the wheel. “Tell everyone to hold on.”
She’d just gotten everyone into the back bedroom when adeafening pop sounded from the side of the house. The lights went out, and she froze, listening.
“What was that?” her mother asked.
“Generator blowing,” her father said.
“From the storm?”
Bridget looked toward the boarded up window as something thudded on the deck. “No.”
She moved toward the door. “Lock this when I leave.” She looked at her father and Maurice. “Push the wardrobe in front of the door. Don’t come out until I tell you it’s clear — me or Nolan, got it?”
Her mother shook her head. “What are you talking about Bridget? You’re not going out there!”
But she was. She was going out to keep them from coming in.
She removed the gun Nolan had given her from her pocket. “I need you to stay here and make sure Owen’s okay.” She handed her mother the fire poker. “Use this if you have to. Get them over the head when they come through the door, before they can get all the way in.”
Her mom blinked in shock as her dad kissed her forehead. “Do what she says Eileen.”
“What?” She shook her head. “No…”
He reached under his shirt and pulled a gun from the waistband. “I can’t let our girl go out there alone. You know that.”
Bridget’s mom swallowed hard, then nodded.
Her dad looked at Owen, sitting in his chair. “You okay, son?”
“I’m… fine,” Owen said. “Go get… those fuckers.”
Her dad smiled and started for the door. Bridget fell in behind him.
He opened the door and listened. A few seconds later, the sound of breaking glass made its way through the house.
“Ready?” her father asked.
She tightened her grip on the gun. “I’m ready.”
They stepped into the hall.