Blood Cruise: A Deep Sea Thriller Read Online Free Page B

asked. “What if it decides killing us all is what it really wants?” Wagner patted the semi-automatic rifle slung at his side. “Will this stop it?”
    “That depends,” Dr. Glouster said.
    “On what?”
    “On how much ammunition you have,” Dr. Glouster said and smiled. “Because you will need a lot to stop the creature if it doesn’t want to be stopped.”
    Wagner began to laugh then saw the look in the doctor’s eyes. He swallowed hard and gave the man a serious nod.
    “Fair enough, Doc,” Wagner said. “Good thing I have a lot of ammunition then, isn’t it?”
    “Yes,” Dr. Glouster said and nodded. “It is.”

 
    6.
     
    The ferry docked at the Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal and Ben waited patiently for the attendant to give him the signal that it was his turn to disembark. He nodded at the man, refrained from honking at a Prius that wouldn’t get out of his way, then maneuvered the minivan through the ferry traffic until he was on 305 and heading northwest.
    “I don’t get why we had to take the ferry over,” Maggie said from the passenger’s seat, lounging with her feet up on the dash.
    She looked perfectly at ease as if they hadn’t spent nearly an hour on a rocking ferry being jostled up and down by the less than calm waters of Puget Sound. Ben wasn’t so at ease. Not usually one to let nausea get to him, the ferry trip and seeing Nick for the first time in a very long time was doing a number on his digestive system.
    “Are you okay, babe?” Maggie asked. “You’re looking a little belchy.”
    “I’m good,” Ben said then did belch. “Better after that.”
    “Why didn’t we just take the Narrows Bridge if we’re going to Port Angeles?” Maggie asked. “This is kind of a weird way to go.”
    “We aren’t going to Port Angeles,” Ben said. “I thought I told you that I got a text from Nick that there was a change in plans.”
    “No, you did not tell me,” Maggie said. She paused for a couple seconds and Ben was about to look over at her when she said, “What change?”
    “We’re meeting at a marina in Hansville,” Ben said.
    “Hansville? What the hell is a Hansville?” Maggie asked.
    Ben shrugged and shook his head. “Not a clue. Never heard of it until I Googled it. Nick says he has a surprise for us there.”
    “Nick and a surprise? Great,” Maggie said. “What could go wrong?”
    “I’m hoping nothing,” Ben said. “He has screwed up a lot, but I don’t think he’ll screw this up. We’ve been friends our whole lives and I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
    “You think this new marina has anything to do with why he told me to pack more clothes?” Maggie asked. “You don’t think instead of his family’s cruiser we’re going to be sailing, do you?” She holds up her hands, fingers splayed. “This mani cost me a month’s groceries, Benjamin. I can sail like a pro, but I am not chipping these nails.”
    “You can sail like a pro?” Ben asked, giving her a surprised look. “I didn’t know that.”
    “Yes, you did,” Maggie said. “After our second date, back at my place? I was talking about how my grandfather taught me to sail and we always went out on the Sound in his sloop on his birthday.”
    “Yeah…our second date? When you wore that v-neck cashmere sweater and no bra?” Ben laughed. “You really thought I was paying attention to a story about your grandpa?”
    “I had a bra on,” Maggie replied.
    “No, you didn’t,” Ben said. “No bra. Trust me.”
    Maggie gave him a sly smile. “Okay, maybe I didn’t have a bra on.”
    “See? No bra on you means no brains in me,” Ben said. “That’s just the rules of life, Mags.”
    She grabbed his leg and gave it a squeeze. Ben jumped a little, causing the minivan to swerve, and someone behind him honked.
    “Really?” Ben shouted. “Bite me and go back to California!”
    “This better not be a sailboat,” Maggie said. “Even without the issue of my nails, I