The RX Factor Read Online Free Page B
Author: John Shaw
the drink. "A little something to calm your nerves."
She seemed grateful. They both sat, him in his favorite chair, she with her knees clamped together on the sofa, eyes distant.
As they sipped the coffee, Ryan said, "I'll set the alarm for five thirty to make sure we make it to the harbor by daybreak. Okay?"
She nodded. He looked into her eyes, but after a few seconds, she dropped her gaze.
She needs some time. A lot of time,
he thought.
Best to leave it alone for now.
He rose from his chair, leaned down, and hugged her. "You need anything, just yell."
She managed a weak smile that never quite made it to her eyes.
***
In the gray of predawn, Ryan awoke to the rattle of tambourines reverberating from his clock radio. He jumped out of bed and slammed down the off button, slipping into swim trunks and a T-shirt before staggering into the bathroom to splash water on his face.
In the living room, he found Jordan up and dressed. As she handed him a fresh cup of coffee, Ryan noticed she had changed into tan shorts and a black tank top, items evidently purchased on her shopping trip the day before. He noted her glazed expression. "Did you get any sleep?"
"Not much. I think I finally dozed off around three a.m."
He sipped the coffee while she paced. When she stopped, she raised a quizzical eyebrow. "It looks like you're going swimming," she said, gesturing toward his bright blue swim trunks.
"I'm a licensed diver," he explained. "I sometimes help Franklin out when extra divers are needed. I'm sure he'll have no objections." He threw back the last gulp. "I'll get my gear."
Ten minutes later, they were in his jeep and heading for the harbor. The sky was flushing out in a pink dawn. The blazing tropical sun wouldn't be far behind.
It was light when they got to the dock. Franklin and two divers were drinking orange juice from paper cups and chewing on buttery croissants.
"Morning, folks," Franklin said. "We made another surface sweep of da area about an hour ago." His tone told them they had found nothing.
"And I got some witness statements from a group of tourists on a neighboring yacht." He pursed his lips. "The explosion dey described sounds odd."
"Why's that?" Jordan asked.
"Well, boat explosions, while rare, can occur as a result of de build-up of fuel fumes combined with something to ignite it. Starting the engine could be enough to do it."
"And?" she questioned, waiting for more.
"From da eyewitness reports, it appears dat de explosion rippled through de boat from bow to stern."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know yet. But an accidental fuel explosion wouldn't go off like dat. It would most likely be a single massive blow without de rippling action. And if there were secondary explosions, dey would happen seconds, even minutes later, not like de chain reaction dat was described by da folks on da nearby yacht."
"I didn't notice a rippling explosion. From my vantage point, it was just one massive explosion."
"Yeah, I agree with Ryan. It was just one massive explosion."
"I'm sure dat is what it seemed like from da distance, but dese other folks were a lot closer and they all reported hearing a rippling of small explosions a second or two before da massive blast. We will of course check out all possible causes.
Nothing is being ruled out at dis point." Franklin glanced around and saw two more of his divers walking toward one of the BASRA boats. "Looks like everybody's ready to go."
Ryan swung his tank and gear onto the boat's deck and helped Jordan aboard. The boat skimmed straight to the scene. The four Bahamian divers completed their preparations and entered the water as Ryan made adjustments to his tank, checking his gauges and hose lines while Jordan watched. Ready, Ryan sat on the gunwale, his back to the water. He slipped on his mask, popped it a few times to get suction, and took one last look at Jordan before turning his face up to the pale blue morning sky and dropping backward over the side.
As
She seemed grateful. They both sat, him in his favorite chair, she with her knees clamped together on the sofa, eyes distant.
As they sipped the coffee, Ryan said, "I'll set the alarm for five thirty to make sure we make it to the harbor by daybreak. Okay?"
She nodded. He looked into her eyes, but after a few seconds, she dropped her gaze.
She needs some time. A lot of time,
he thought.
Best to leave it alone for now.
He rose from his chair, leaned down, and hugged her. "You need anything, just yell."
She managed a weak smile that never quite made it to her eyes.
***
In the gray of predawn, Ryan awoke to the rattle of tambourines reverberating from his clock radio. He jumped out of bed and slammed down the off button, slipping into swim trunks and a T-shirt before staggering into the bathroom to splash water on his face.
In the living room, he found Jordan up and dressed. As she handed him a fresh cup of coffee, Ryan noticed she had changed into tan shorts and a black tank top, items evidently purchased on her shopping trip the day before. He noted her glazed expression. "Did you get any sleep?"
"Not much. I think I finally dozed off around three a.m."
He sipped the coffee while she paced. When she stopped, she raised a quizzical eyebrow. "It looks like you're going swimming," she said, gesturing toward his bright blue swim trunks.
"I'm a licensed diver," he explained. "I sometimes help Franklin out when extra divers are needed. I'm sure he'll have no objections." He threw back the last gulp. "I'll get my gear."
Ten minutes later, they were in his jeep and heading for the harbor. The sky was flushing out in a pink dawn. The blazing tropical sun wouldn't be far behind.
It was light when they got to the dock. Franklin and two divers were drinking orange juice from paper cups and chewing on buttery croissants.
"Morning, folks," Franklin said. "We made another surface sweep of da area about an hour ago." His tone told them they had found nothing.
"And I got some witness statements from a group of tourists on a neighboring yacht." He pursed his lips. "The explosion dey described sounds odd."
"Why's that?" Jordan asked.
"Well, boat explosions, while rare, can occur as a result of de build-up of fuel fumes combined with something to ignite it. Starting the engine could be enough to do it."
"And?" she questioned, waiting for more.
"From da eyewitness reports, it appears dat de explosion rippled through de boat from bow to stern."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know yet. But an accidental fuel explosion wouldn't go off like dat. It would most likely be a single massive blow without de rippling action. And if there were secondary explosions, dey would happen seconds, even minutes later, not like de chain reaction dat was described by da folks on da nearby yacht."
"I didn't notice a rippling explosion. From my vantage point, it was just one massive explosion."
"Yeah, I agree with Ryan. It was just one massive explosion."
"I'm sure dat is what it seemed like from da distance, but dese other folks were a lot closer and they all reported hearing a rippling of small explosions a second or two before da massive blast. We will of course check out all possible causes.
Nothing is being ruled out at dis point." Franklin glanced around and saw two more of his divers walking toward one of the BASRA boats. "Looks like everybody's ready to go."
Ryan swung his tank and gear onto the boat's deck and helped Jordan aboard. The boat skimmed straight to the scene. The four Bahamian divers completed their preparations and entered the water as Ryan made adjustments to his tank, checking his gauges and hose lines while Jordan watched. Ready, Ryan sat on the gunwale, his back to the water. He slipped on his mask, popped it a few times to get suction, and took one last look at Jordan before turning his face up to the pale blue morning sky and dropping backward over the side.
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