“Come on, you can make it.”
Determination flooded her features as she inched forward. Will reached for her at the same moment she grabbed on to the pontoon. She rested her head against it, catching her breath. Intelligent hazel eyes stared up, measuring him, her bluish lips quivering.
He thrust his hand out. “We need to get out of here.”
She grabbed his hand and held his gaze. “Thank you.”
Rifle fire exploded in the distance. They both instinctively ducked, but other than the plane itself, there was no cover.
“Hurry.” He assisted her up and into the plane, not missing that she was bleeding from a gash in her suit. She needed help in more ways than one.
When she was secured in the seat, he found a blanket and threw it over her, then quickly secured himself and headed away from land. Another chink let him know his plane had taken another hit.
A wonder the rifleman hadn’t succeeded in killing them already. But depending on the damage to the plane, the outcome remained to be seen. If he felt any trouble he could land them quickly enough, but he had to get them away from this place. He lifted off the water and glanced at her, noticing she visibly paled.
“You’re not going to get sick on me, are you?”
Shivering, she shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Well, which was it? But he wouldn’t give her a hard time.
“I need to get my diving gear.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
She stared at him, the gold flecks in her hazel eyes blazing. “Please. I appreciate your help, the risk to your life, everything you’ve done, but I might need to treat myself for decompression sickness.”
“You’re with me now. I’ll get you to Juneau where they can treat you.” Treating oneself was never a good idea.
“Can we just do a flyby to see if it’s safe or not?”
It didn’t sound as if she believed he would get her to Juneau. Will held back anything derogatory he might have said. “All right. Where is it?”
“I stashed it on the north side of the island where I’d been diving. There was a boat there last I saw, so that might mean trouble for us.”
“I don’t suppose now would be a good time for you to tell me what’s going on.”
“I would if I could. I don’t know exactly. I was scuba diving when another diver appeared and tried to kill me. I escaped and swam to the surface, but my boat was missing. I swam to the island and barely made it out of the water and stowed my gear when I saw the man with the rifle. I’d been running from him, well, until you came along.”
“And you believed you could trust me?” Now that almost had him grinning.
“When he shot at you, I knew you were here to help.”
Will banked to the right, flying around the island to the north, hoping the boat she’d mentioned would be long gone. He looked her over. She’d tugged the hood of her dry suit off and worked the blanket over her medium-length hair to dry it. He wouldn’t say she was pretty, in so many words, but she definitely had a presence about her that he might find compelling if he was looking to be compelled.
“There’s the boat. We might have a chance.” Will kept his disappointment in check. “But we need to make this quick. Where’s your gear?”
She pointed. “Over there along the shoreline in the trees. See that big, funny-looking boulder?”
“And you’re sure this is a good idea?”
“No.”
Just what he wanted to hear. “I like an honest woman.”
Will brought the plane down on the water and eased up against a sandbar. He pulled out his weapon. “You stay put. Tell me where exactly, and I’ll find it.”
Her eyes grew wide. “No, you don’t have to risk your life for me.”
A little late for that, but he didn’t say as much. Without another word he hopped from his plane. “Where?”
She pointed. “Just there, by that larger boulder.”
The rifleman was well on the other side of the island, but Will didn’t know who else he might have to contend with. Wary of his surroundings, weapon at the ready, he crept forward until he spotted her diving gear—double tanks. He hated the sight of them. Diving had killed his father. He grabbed the tanks but couldn’t get a grip on the fins as well as hold his weapon in case he needed to use it.
She appeared next to him and snatched up the rest. Regulator, mask, snorkel, fins and buoyancy vest. “It’s all important.”
Carrying her dive equipment, they hurried back to the plane. Will noticed the boat heading their way. “We’re out of time.”
He lugged the tanks into the back as she tossed in the rest of her gear. Then he started the plane, speeding away on the water as he waited for her to secure herself in the seat.
Once they were airborne again and flying safely away from the boat and the island, Will glanced over at her.
Eyes closed, she pressed her head against the seat. “You said you’re taking me to Juneau, right?”
“Unless you have a better idea.”
“As long as they have a hyperbaric chamber.” She opened her eyes, but squeezed the armrest.
“I’m flying low enough, the pressure shouldn’t cause you more DCS problems.” She didn’t seem to find that comforting.
The plane hit turbulence. Will had long ago learned to ride the waves in the air—better to flow with them than to fight them. But his passenger’s face went a shade whiter. These flights were rough on most others who weren’t accustomed.
He had to get her mind off it. “What’s your name?”
“Sylvie... Sylvie Masters.” She gripped the armrest so hard, he thought she might break it.
She didn’t ask for his name in return, but it was that moment when he should give it. Billy Pierson
