The Lost Bones (Widow's Island #8)(29)

Rich looked behind him, and Cate read the panic in his eyes.

He turned back to the wheel and suddenly jerked hard. The front end of his boat hit something and left the water. Cate caught her breath. Rich’s boat launched into the air and landed on its side, flinging its passengers into the air.

A log.

The long gray wood culprit crested a wave, moving closer to the island, unaware that it’d been hit full speed by a boat. The boat righted itself and slowed, its engine suddenly silent.

Rich and Ashlee were in the water, but Cate could see only Rich. Keeping her eyes locked on the man, she slipped off her shoes. Beside her Henry did the same. Ashlee’s head suddenly bobbed up in the rough waves, and Rich lunged for her, pushing her back under the water.

Cate stared, stunned by the man’s brutality toward his pregnant wife.

“How . . .” Henry couldn’t finish, his gaze also locked on the struggling couple as Tessa sped in their direction.

“He’s going to kill her,” Cate stated, fear filling her. Both boats were now within a hundred feet of the shore. She stepped up on the edge of the boat and balanced, letting her body move with the up-and-down motion of the water, gripping the post to the boat’s canopy. Tessa slowed the boat, turning it so Cate’s side would soon be close to the couple in the water. Cate was a strong swimmer, but the Pacific Ocean was icy cold year round. Its chill would take her breath away.

Ashlee came up for air, terror on her face, and Rich dived at her again, shoving her out of sight. Cate held her breath, mentally begging Tessa to get the boat closer. Henry slipped a life jacket over Cate’s free arm, pulling it up to her shoulder. She maneuvered her other arm into it, never taking her eyes off Ashlee, who had bobbed to the surface, as he zipped it up.

“Be careful,” Henry said. He already wore a life jacket, and Logan was putting one on. Cate nodded.

Ten more seconds, and we’ll be in position.

Henry grabbed a life preserver and flung it at Ashlee. A wave immediately carried it out of her reach. Rich dived under the water in her direction, and suddenly Ashlee was yanked straight down; her head and waving hands vanished.

Cate searched the waves.

There she is.

Ashlee had surfaced a few yards away from Rich, who was now thrashing in the water, spinning in a circle, trying to spot his wife.

Henry threw another life preserver, and again the ocean interfered. He cursed and dug a life jacket out from under a cushion and flung it at the woman. Rescue pole in hand, Logan leaned over the edge, ready for the moment Ashlee was in reach.

Ashlee stretched and got one hand on the thick floating jacket. Determination filled her face as she pulled the jacket to her chest. She rolled onto her back, her stomach rising out of the water as she gasped for air. A wave had further separated her from Rich, but now he swam toward her with a powerful stroke.

Two seconds.

Cate wanted to leap in as close to Ashlee as possible.

Rich got there first and grabbed one of his wife’s feet. Ashlee jerked it out of his grasp, rolled to her side, and kicked him with her other foot. The toe of her shoe connected with his jaw in front of his ear, knocking his head to the side. Rich sank underwater, and Cate jumped.

The slap of cold water thrust the air out of her lungs, and Cate struggled to catch her breath as salty waves slapped her in the face. She grabbed for Ashlee and caught the edge of the life jacket that Ashlee clung to and pulled her close. Henry jumped in the water far to the left of the two women. He disappeared between the waves as Cate realized he’d removed his life jacket.

What is he doing?

“You okay?” Cate asked as Tessa cut the engine. Ashlee was soaking wet and nodded, her eyes wide. Something hit Cate in the head, and she turned, expecting to see Rich, but it was Logan’s rescue pole. Cate grabbed it and hooked it to the life jacket that Ashlee held in a death grip. Logan pulled, guiding Ashlee to the rear of the boat, where he could help her in.

“Can you see Henry?” Cate asked as Logan and Tessa helped Ashlee onto the low step at the back of the boat. Cate kept her head above the water, spinning in circles, trying to spot Henry or Rich.

Henry’s not wearing a life jacket.

“He went after Rich,” said Logan. “He sank. I think Ashlee hit him hard with that kick to the jaw.”

“Good.” Ashlee’s teeth chattered as she forced out the word. “Asshole.”

“Are you okay, Ashlee?” Tessa asked as she wrapped a blanket around the woman. “Is the baby okay?”

With someone else looking after Ashlee, Cate continued to search for the men still in the water. A few dozen feet closer to the shoreline, Henry’s head broke through the surface, and he sucked in a deep breath.

Thank God.

“Henry! Where’s Rich?” Cate shouted across the water.

He shook his head at her and ducked under again.

Shit.

Cate swam toward where Henry had vanished, her life jacket making her strokes awkward and clumsy.

At least I’m moving with the waves now.

Henry surfaced again. He had Rich in a rescue hold, and the man’s head lolled against Henry, his eyes closed. Henry looked at the boat and then at the shoreline. The shore was slightly closer, and he broke into a sidestroke, towing Rich alongside him. Cate swam after them, alarmed at Rich’s passive state.

It’ll be easier to do CPR on shore.