The Wager Read Online Free Page B

moved into the water. He swam rapidly toward Malcolm. The others watched Turks right arm rhythmically appearing out of the water.
    The muscular, Paul Newman lookalike, reached Malcolm just as the wake generated by a freighter moving through the ocean past the sandbar crashed over his head and he sank beneath the waves. Turks dived down, grabbed hold of Malcolm from behind and brought him to the surface. He held Malcolm's head above the waves with one arm and pounded him on the back with the other. Malcolm coughed and sputtered as the water retched out of his lungs. The pain in every part of his body faded as he lost consciousness. The frigid water had finally numbed him completely.
    Turk pushed his powerful body to swim rapidly to shore towing Malcolm behind him. As he reached dry land Turk slung Malcolm over his back and deposited him in amongst his friends and their dogs on the soft sand around the logs near the walkway. Trump howled and tried to break free from the bench he was tied to. Malcolm was ominously still and silent.
    "It's hypothermia," Linda stated, her mind frantic with worry about Malcolm.
    "I've called the paramedics," Gloria held up her cell phone. Linda bent over Malcolm and tried for a pulse in his wrist.
    "He's still breathing but the pulse is faint."
    Turk grabbed hold of Gus's Malemute, Inuvik, and freed him from the bench. He dragged the dog over to Malcolm and motioned for him to lie down. The dog spread himself over Malcolm's chest and lower body.
    "Inuvik will warm the bastard up," he explained.
    "Good idea." Linda removed a scarf from her around her throat and motioned for Esther to give her the bottle of water she was carrying in a pouch. Esther passed the water over.
    Linda poured some of the water onto the scarf and cleaned off the sand and blood from Malcolm's face and nose. She lifted his eyelids and poured some of the water into his eyes. Sand and particles of barnacles washed out. Malcolm groaned.
    By the time the siren signalled the arrival of the paramedics Malcolm was starting to reach consciousness again.
    "What's he saying?" Gus Gustafson demanded.
    "I think he's calling Trump."
    "Don't worry about Trump, Malcolm," Gloria assured him. "Gus will take him home with Gigi and Inuvik."
    "Thanks," Gus groaned.
    Malcolm seemed to be able to use his eyes as the paramedics arrived. The eyes were open as the emergency workers checked out his vital signs and transferred him onto a stretcher.
    "One of us should go with him," Frank Simpson insisted.
    "I'll go if someone will look after Cleo," Linda felt anxiety forming as she took in Malcolm's condition. Tyler Thompson signalled he would take care of Cleo. Linda followed Malcolm into the ambulance.
    Inside the ambulance Linda found herself seated next to Malcolm's stretcher. He groaned and she placed her hand on his. His eyes opened wide and he seemed to be staring at her as if he recognized her.
    "Blanche?" he questioned. Linda went into shock.
    "No Malcolm. It's Linda. Linda Daniels."
    A look of great disappointment filled Malcolm's face. He slipped into unconsciousness again.
    "God," Linda realised. "He's still missing his divorced wife and it's been twenty years, they tell me. And all those young women. Maybe, he's getting even for Blanche leaving him."
    Linda felt her heartbeat increase as she stared around
    the ambulance. It reminded her of all her mothers' transfer ambulances. She had accompanied her to all her cancer treatments.
    "I wonder if now I'm going to lose my best friend?" The ambulances always reminded her of the impermanence of life.
    "My tranquillizers," Linda reached into her jacket pocket and pulled one of her prescription pills out of its case. "I really should stop using these, they're becoming addictive," she warned herself again.

CHAPTER 4.
Musical Chairs.
    L ying in his hospital bed Malcolm Brooks decided he must look like one of those disaster photos of a skier who has gone over a cliff and has broken every bone in his