Page 100 of Hidden Depths

After checking the road for signs of the others returning, she hurried along the fence line and slipped into the warm ocean water, checking and rechecking the gate.

She’d seen Tom and Isla throw their weapons into the water, but it was too murky to see to the bottom.

When she reached the area where she thought they would be, she felt along the bottom with her feet, using the dock to guide her search area.

It was possible that guns wouldn’t work after being submerged, but this was her best shot. With any luck, she could bluff her way to saving them.

With no luck in the shallower water, she moved out to where it was over her head and dove to the ocean floor, patting her hands along the bottom as she searched, but came up with a hand full of sand and rocks.

“Come on, God. You know where the guns are. Show me.”

She moved closer to the shore again, where the water was up to her neck. Her toe dragged across a sharp rock, and she winced as it was sliced open.

“Please. They have to be here.” She grunted in frustration, then held her breath and dove again. She tried opening her eyes but couldn’t see a thing, so she let her hands guide her along until her fingers landed on something that wasn’t a rock. She picked it up and returned to the surface.

“Yes.” She examined the weapon as hope surged until she tilted the muzzle down and water drained from it. “That doesn’t look good.”

Next, she racked the slide and flinched when a bullet was ejected. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.” She racked it again, and another bullet was ejected.

“Does that mean it’s loaded?” She whimpered. She couldn’t remember that happening with the other gun.

“God, I sure hope you’re on my side with this, because this could go very wrong.”

Ducking under the dock, she waded to the far side of the shore where she was confident no one would see her get out of the water. Then she crept up to the shed and entered, holding the gun ready to shoot.

“Don’t move,” she said, out of breath from a mix of fear and exhilaration.

Blaze spun around, and Tom dove toward him, knocking the gun from his hand before shoving him into a table where he punched him.

Sara jumped back but kept the gun aimed their way, determined not to drop it. She looked at Isla, who struggled to stand.

“What do I do?” Sara asked, side-stepping closer to her. But by the time Isla had gotten to her feet, Tom was swinging a large wooden plank, connecting with Blaze’s head.

Sara dropped her arm to her side in relief. “Thank goodness. I don’t know if this thing would have fired.”

“Where’d you get it?” Tom asked as he tossed the plank aside and retrieved Blaze’s gun, securing it in his empty holster.

“It’s yours or Isla’s. I got it out of the water. I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You promised me you wouldn’t do anything dangerous.”

“And leave you two for dead?” Being scolded for saving their lives made her angry and confused until she saw Tom’s mouth slide up into a smile.

“Thank you,” he said. “That was smart thinking. I wasn’t sure we’d get out of here alive.”

“She’s certainly resourceful,” Isla said, leaning against the table. “That was brave. But we’d better get out of here before the others return.”

“Yeah,” Tom said. “Sara, can you help me drag this guy out of here? We’ll need to hide him so they don’t know we’ve been here.”

Isla stumbled back over to the pile of tarps she’d been laying on. It had her blood on it. “I’ll cover this up too and meet you out the back in a sec.”

* * *

The three of them were out of sight just as Lansky and his guys returned.

“That was good timing,” Tom said as he watched the men unload bags, which they carried to the boats.

“Why are they packing the boats now?” Isla said.

---