Eyes of Fire

He didn’t deny it. He merely asked quietly, “And don’t you want to know why?”

She shook her head stubbornly. “I do know why! The sea is a vengeful mistress.”

“What about Hank?” Adam demanded. “Didn’t he disappear just the same damned way—without a trace?”

She threw up her hands. “They both went out alone in small boats. Adam, the sea doesn’t always give up her dead.”

“Yeah, well, if I understand things correctly, she didn’t give up so much as a jagged piece of lumber after the disappearance of either man.”

“Adam, you know that massive ships have disappeared completely. The ocean is huge.”

“Sam, you’re being blind. And things are getting worse. There’s more to this picture than you realize. People have been dropping like flies all around you.”

She swung around, staring at him. “What are you talking about?”

He leaned forward. “Three different sets of divers—ostensibly sports divers—out from Key Largo, Coconut Grove and Fort Lauderdale—have disappeared entirely in the past year.”

“But we’re not in South Florida—”

“Oh, right. We’re on an island not far from it. In all three cases, they were headed for the waters right around Seafire Isle.”

“You just said you weren’t a cop anymore.”

“I’m not.”

“Then…”

“I’m working for private concerns,” he told her.

She lifted a hand in exasperation. “Okay, so your divers were heading for these waters. They could have disappeared anywhere. We’re within the boundaries of the so-called Devil’s Triangle out here. Pay attention to me. Ships have disappeared. Whole fleets of airplanes. I’m sorry about the divers, but I don’t understand why that should suddenly make you show up on Seafire Isle. Especially on the night I just happen to be attacked in my bathroom. Then again, it’s incredibly good luck that you just happened to be at hand, ready to come through my window after the intruder.”

He smiled then, lifting the beer, swallowing. “I heard your scream. I couldn’t get in the front door—it was locked. I came around the house. Found the window. No great mystery.”

“Okay, then. The great mystery is why someone would suddenly want to attack me because you’ve come to the island.”

“I’m sure I had nothing to do with someone attacking you.”

“I’ve never been attacked before.”

“There’s a first time for everything, isn’t there?”

“I’m still convinced that this first time has something to do with you.”

He shook his head, finishing the beer. “Nice attitude. God knows what might have happened to you if I hadn’t been here, and I still haven’t heard a ‘Thank you, Adam, for saving my life.”’

“But what if I was attacked because of you being on the island? Am I supposed to thank you for having put my life in danger?”

He leaned forward suddenly, with startling speed and agility that reminded her how dangerous he could be when he chose, that any time he gave the impression of casual relaxation it was just that—an impression.

“Samantha, use some damned sense, will you? Your father disappeared because he got close to something. And then Hank disappeared.”

She swallowed hard. “My father knew that no matter how good you were, it was never safe to dive alone. A dozen things might have happened. He could have had a heart attack. He might have gotten excited about a discovery and tried to come up too quickly. I’ve had to accept the fact that he probably drowned.”

“Where’s the body? Where’s the damned body?”

“You’re not listening. You’re refusing to see the obvious! The sea doesn’t always give back her dead, you know that!”

“Oh, Sam, come on! You’re trying to say that your father and Hank both disappeared because of some Devil’s Triangle bullshit.”

“It doesn’t have to be anything strange or mystical! People have disappeared—”

“Yes, and there were sea monsters before men discovered the truth about giant squids and whales. There’s an explanation for everything. You know it, and I know it.”

“Right. Like there might be a real explanation for the fact that you’re here.”

“You are persistent.”

“I’m in danger, or so you say.” Sam waited for him to say something reassuring. He didn’t.

“I just told you that three groups of divers—”

“Disappeared during the last year. Hank disappeared just over a year ago. So that’s four disappearances. I have an older gentleman here right now who can quote you statistics regarding all the disappearances here. Even some scientific experts believe that there might be magnetic poles or something like that in the waters around here. Why should your missing divers have anything to do with my island?”

His silver eyes were sharp, and he groaned in exasperation. “Pay attention, Sam. They were all heading for waters just north of Seafire Isle.”

“I head for waters just north of Seafire Isle almost every day.”

“Yes, I know.”

“I haven’t seen or heard a single thing that was the least bit strange.”

“I’d say your father did.”

“My father has been gone for years.”

“A long time, yes. But we’ve just agreed that Hank and the other divers all disappeared within the past year.”

“So what the hell do you know about Hank?”

“He was looking for the Beldona, wasn’t he?” Adam demanded.

“He—he…”

“Well?”

“I don’t know exactly what he was doing. I had already gone the day he disappeared. He took one of the little motorboats and his diving equipment, and he never came back. Neither did the boat.”

“Are you trying to tell me that Hank Jennings just decided to motor away?”

She stared at him, folding her arms over her chest. “No, I don’t believe that he just motored away.”

“Was he looking for the Beldona?”

“I just told you—”

“What was he doing on the island?”

“He—he was a researcher. He studied the Steps and everything beneath the sea.”

“The wrecks?”

“Of course.”

“The Beldona?”

Samantha let out a frustrated cry. “Yes, yes! He was as fascinated by the stories of that stupid ghost ship as my father was! She’s sunk beneath the sea, hidden, exactly where she belongs, and I wish to hell that people— especially people around me—would leave her alone where she lies!”

“You probably know more about that ship than anyone else on earth. You know that, don’t you?”

“I’m not a researcher or a marine biologist. I run a resort, and I don’t know everything there is to know about that ship, and I don’t want to know anything more than I do about her.”

“No one knows everything. But I imagine a lot of people consider you to be the current expert on her. You are your father’s daughter, after all.”

Sam sighed in complete exasperation. “When did this conversation start being about me? I want to know what you’re doing here, and you’re switching everything around so that you’re questioning me! It’s not going to happen. If you’d just tell me—”

He stood up suddenly, impatiently. Almost violently. She took a step back, but he didn’t even seem to notice.