Page 28 of Fire Island
T - 0
Now, I need the courage to use it.
Finishing up, I make sure the knife is secure before walking to the door and knocking softly. It opens, a hand grabbing for the chain between my cuffs. The gun is in his hand as we walk for the southern end of the island toward the hum of a boat engine. Toward god knows where.
A small cruiser bobs in the water off the rocky shoreline to the east. The water must be deeper here, because the boat hovers by the rocks, like a makeshift jetty.
Timothy hauls me toward it like the ground’s on fire. I struggle through the dense sand. When we reach the boat, a plank is resting on the rocks. We board, and Timothy turns back, crowding me as he removes the cuffs. “Our little secret.”
He rubs a sweaty, grimy hand over my swollen wrist before we board the boat proper.
“Sit the fuck down,” a big man around the same age as us says as he slips from the captain’s chair. A rough grip takes my chin, forcing it upward. Something deadly emanates from him.
“Here she is,” Timothy says with a smile, like he’s pleased with himself.Oh god.
I want to scream, but the way new guy’s gaze runs down my body and the look he gives his friend tell me all I need to know. I thought being abducted by a psycho fan was bad... Now he has backup that’s just as depraved as he is, by the look on his face. And huge.
Exhausted, I shake where I stand. Thirst burns, making my every breath an effort.
So I sink to my seat and cower against the side of the boat.
The big guy smirks. “Looks like she’s given up already. That’s no fun, T.”
Timothy shoots him a hard look. “Hands off, the last one was yours.”
He stands over Timothy. “Watch your mouth. Time to make ourselves scarce, the fucking Coast Guard is out here.”
I lift my head. The words register, just.
Em . . .
“Emmett,” I breathe.
I need to push through one more time. I search the cabin for some sort of escape. Everything is so blurry. I need a weapon. A?—
The cupboard to the left of the captain’s chair is open. Inside, the yellow EPIRB attached to the inner wall flashes.
Bingo.
The memory of the afternoon Cal and I were stranded on Firefly floods back in.
“They get wet,” Cal said.
“Like when you sink?” I had asked, and he responded, “Something like that.”
I can’t sink a boat, but I can jump overboard.
Cal always told potential rescues to attach the EPIRB to their person.
I need to get closer to that cupboard.
“Water,” I gasp.
Timothy turns back from where he stands by the other guy’s side.
“Please, I need water.” I hold my hands up in a plea.
“Water, you idiot, she’s no use dead,” the big guy mutters, not looking back.
