Ghost Writer(83)

I was frozen now. I didn't want to stay, but I was too scared to go.

“I'll have the rescue sled brought down,” said Franchot.

He patted me on the shoulder.

“We just have to get you out of the station. It will take you the rest of the way.”

“Captain Campbell concurs. He wants Ms. Kirby to be taken to the Nottawasaga so she can be checked out by Dr. Stern.”

Mercuros took my hands in his and spoke gently, as if to a child. “Can you do this?”

I returned the clasp of his fingers. “Alex,” I croaked. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Alex, if you can help me get out of this damned station, I can swim to Churchill Falls if necessary.”

He grinned, and I knew he wanted to say “good girl” but he was smart enough to bite his tongue. Tim wasn't so smart, and I shot him a venomous glare.

We tried again, Tim leading the way, Mercuros sticking close to me, and Welland and Dippel bringing up the rear. Once the station was behind us, I felt like I could swim back to the émil Gagnan, but Mercuros insisted that we go to the Nottawasaga's boat instead. Sophie Briseau was waiting for me with a warm blanket and a blood-pressure cuff.

It was wonderful to breath fresh, un-canned air, and I didn't realize how cold I was until the blanket went around my shoulders, but I still wasn't crazy about going to the Nottawasaga.

“There's nothing wrong with me that Doc can fix. It's just situational anxiety and I'm out of the situation now.”

Sophie shook her head. “Sorry, Captain's orders. He guessed you'd balk. He told me to tell you that dinner's in the captain's wardroom tonight. I imagine it’s going to be quite a party.”

“Not dress uniform again,” said Alex.

“You'll have to ask the captain, sir.”

I huffed before asking, “Forget about what you're going to wear to dinner. What are we going to wear when we get out of our wetsuits? Our clothes are on the émil Gagnan.”

Tim and Alex exchanged shrugs. Dippel looked stoic.

“Welland and I will work something out,” Sophie said, grinning.

Barb concurred. “I'm sure I have something Jen can wear and we won't let you gentlemen run around half naked for long. Of course, you can go to the Scranton, Corporal Dippel. The boat can drop you off on its way back to the dive site. And you gentlemen could return to the èmil Gagnan.”

“Not on your life,” said Tim.

Alex's only answer was a shrug.

We reached the Nottawasaga. A cargo hatch was open, just above the waterline. Welland threw a line to the seaman handiest and practically threw herself after it. We passed our tanks to her. Alex helped me to board, offered Briseau a hand up, and her replacement a hand down. Then he lithely jumped onto the deck and threw the line to the coxswain.

“I'll see you later, gentlemen.”

“That was neatly done,” I said as we watched the hatch close.

“I got the impression that Tim wasn't your favourite person right now.”

“He just gets on my nerves sometimes.”

We continued to an equipment room where we removed shoulder cameras, radios, and stripped down to our thermal underwear. I buckled my utility belt back on since I didn't have any pockets for my phone and Minton's journal. Then everything had to be safely stowed. It was almost as lengthy a process as gearing up. It gave me a chance to think.

“I got along with Tim fine at the start. He was a bit pretentious. I chalked it up to his artistic temperament. He didn’t start annoying me until just after the Americans showed up. It seemed he was more on their side than ours. I also have a feeling he hung up on me when I was trapped in the galley.”

Barb stopped and stared at me.

“It was probably an accident. I kinda freaked him out.”

“Like you've been freaking everyone else out today?” she said, giving me a wry grimace.

“Maybe.”

“Wimp.”

“I better get you to Doc Stern now,” said Sophie.

I looked at my gear and then at my current bodyguard.

Barb nodded.

“Go ahead. I’ll finish up.”

“Thanks, Barb—for everything.”

I turned to Alex.

“Your watch now?”

He offered me his arm.

“Yes, until Gravell shows up.”

I reached for my phone. “I should…”

“Already taken care of,” he said, tapping the side of his head where his radio used to be.

“He'll be here as soon as he can, in the meantime, I have the pleasure of your company. I have it all planned out. While you're being checked out by the doctor, I'll shower and change. Then, when you're showering and changing, I'll get someone to procure a flask of hot cocoa and three cups.”

He threaded my hand through the crook of his proffered arm.

“With any luck, Gravell will join us by the time it arrives.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

With any luck, he’d find some rum too.





Chapter Thirty-Nine ~ Respite



Try as he might, Doc couldn't find anything wrong with me. When Alex returned, clean and dressed in Nottawasaga sweats, I was released into his custody, although no one quite put it that way. I was taken to what I was now thinking of as my cabin, and I finally got a moment to alone by locking myself in the head.