The Branson Beauty Read Online Free Page A

road and give the hovering TV cameras a statement before coming back. He hoped he hadn’t had frost on his eyebrows. If it was cold before, now it was almost unbearable. The temperature had to be near zero. And now the clouds were starting to roll in. There would be a storm before the night was over. He prayed they’d have the boat to shore by then.
    Tony must have seen them coming. He met them at the gate. Hank smiled at him and introduced the Pup.
    â€œThis is Deputy Samuel Karnes. He’s here to help out. You have a status report for me?”
    â€œYes, sir. Three more people in the main salon have had to go on oxygen. We’re almost completely out of food, but your guys did bring out a load of bottled water, which has helped. The, uh, facilities, um, are starting to back up. Not good, that. And we had an emergency in the showroom when a lady’s rosary broke, but we managed to string it back together with dental floss somebody had in her purse.”
    Well, thank God for that.
    â€œAnd your captain?”
    â€œYeah.” Tony stared at his feet again. “He’s about the same, sir, from what I hear. I haven’t actually gone back up there.”
    Hank didn’t blame the kid. It had been a pretty freaky sight.
    â€œWell, Tony, we should be off this boat within two or three hours. I need you to stay here and meet the folks who’ll be coming shortly. They’re Gallagher’s maintenance men, and they’ll be removing the paddlewheel.”
    Tony’s eyes got wide.“How are they going to do that?”
    â€œThat’s a very good question. I have no idea. You and Sam make sure they have what they need, though, okay?”
    Tony straightened. “You bet, sir.”
    Hank set off for the showroom, where he found a decidedly more cranky group than he’d seen earlier. Still, they weren’t doing too badly, considering. Several card games were going at different tables. The guy on the floor had awakened and was doing a series of yoga poses in a corner of the room. Hank gave the crowd the new timetable, which was met with scattered grumbles. He gave them his best smile and was turning to leave when an image of his wife’s yoga workout videos popped into his head. She was always happier after she did one of them. He walked over and spoke quietly to Sleepy Guy, then headed upstairs.
    The folks in the lounge were in better moods, but worse health. One of the teenagers was crying.
    â€œI’m glad you’re back.”
    Hank turned to see the commander walk in. “The medic is in the staff break room downstairs,” Ramrod said. “One of the waitresses collapsed.”
    Hank grunted. “Three hours, max, until we’re out of here.”
    â€œThank God,” the commander said. “I’ll go find Freedman and see what we can do down at the paddlewheel. Oh, and you, ah, might want to check in on your guy upstairs.”
    Hank nodded. That was definitely his next stop. He stepped into the pilothouse and was met with the sound of sobbing. Medic One, looking quite harassed, pointed at Albert.
    â€œHe started this about a half hour ago. Won’t stop. It’s driving me crazy.”
    Albert still had the sunglasses on, but he had hunched forward and was rocking back and forth. Hank pulled a piece of paper out of his inside coat pocket. Sheila the miracle worker had somehow gotten it down to the lake and into Sam’s hands before they’d come back out to the Beauty .
    â€œSir. I have here a court order that allows us to draw blood from your person. I need to ask for your cooperation now.”
    Medic One eagerly reached for a needle. Hank shot him a warning look, and he slowed down before maneuvering it into the captain’s arm. Albert stopped rocking, but the sobbing continued. Hank sighed and looked out the window. Someone had turned the big boat’s floodlights on, pushing back the darkness. He saw another small boat