Fatal Tide Read Online Free Page A

He went below and he was—”
    “Lie down.” He was pushing her back onto the pillows. “There’s nothing you can do. The ship was destroyed over twenty-four hours ago. The coast guard hasn’t given up looking yet. If he’s alive, they’ll find him.”
    Twenty-four hours. She gazed at him dazedly. “They didn’t find him?”
    He shook his head. “Not yet.”
    “They can’t give up. Don’t let them give up.”
    “I won’t. Will you go back to sleep now? The nurses are going to kick me out if they think I’ve upset you. I just thought you should know. I have an idea you’re like me. You want to know the truth even if it hurts.”
    “Phil . . .” She closed her eyes as pain washed over her. “Hurts. I wish I could cry.”
    “Then do it.”
    “I can’t. I haven’t—I can’t ever— Go away. I don’t want anyone to see me like this.”
    “But I’ve already seen you. So I think I’ll just stick around and make sure you’re going to be okay.”
    She opened her eyes and studied him. Hard . . . so hard. “You don’t care if I’m okay. Who the hell are you?”
    “Jed Kelby.”
    That’s where she’d seen him. Newspapers, magazines, TV . . . “I should have known. The Golden Boy.”
    “I used to hate that nickname and everything that went with it. It’s one of the reasons I became so damn belligerent with the media.” He smiled. “But I got over it. I’m not a boy any longer. I’m a man. And I am what I am. You might find that what I am can be very useful to you.”
    “Go away.”
    He hesitated and then stood up. “I’ll be back. In the meantime, I’ll try to make sure the coast guard continues to look for Lontana.”
    “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome. Shall I ask the nurse to come in and give you a sedative?”
    “No drugs! I don’t take—”
    “Fine. Whatever you say.”
    She watched the door close behind him. He had been very agreeable, some might have even said kind. She was too hazy and hurting to know what to think of him. She’d only been aware of that air of calm confidence and physical strength—and it disturbed her.
    Don’t think of him.
    And try not to think of Phil. Twenty-four hours was a long time, but he could still be out there.
    If he’d grabbed a life vest.
    If he hadn’t been blown up before he hit the water.
    Jesus, she wished she could cry.
     
    “Should you be up?” Gary frowned with concern as he saw Melis sitting in the chair by the window the next morning. “The nurse told me you regained consciousness only last evening.”
    “I’m fine. And I have to show them I don’t need to stay here.” Her hands tightened on the arms of the chair. “They want me to wait and talk to the police.”
    “Yeah, I’ve already given them my statement. They won’t hassle you, Melis.”
    “They’re already hassling me. The police can’t get here till later this afternoon and I won’t wait. But the hospital is tying me up with such a string of red tape I can’t make a move. I think it’s just an excuse. They say I shouldn’t leave until tomorrow anyway.”
    “The doctors probably know best.”
    “The hell they do. I have to go back to where the ship sank. I have to find Phil.”
    “Melis . . .” Gary hesitated before he said gently, “I was out there with the coast guard. You’re not going to find Phil. We’ve lost him.”
    “I don’t want to hear that. I have to see for myself.” Her glance shifted to the well-manicured lawns outside the window. “What was Kelby doing here?”
    “Mainly turning the hospital upside down. They wouldn’t even let me into your room, but Kelby had no problem. And before he came here, he was out helping the coast guard with the search. You don’t know him, do you?”
    “I never met him. But Phil told me he was trying to contact him. Do you know why?”
    Gary shook his head. “Maybe Cal knows.”
    Melis doubted it. Whatever business Phil had with Kelby was evidently part of this deadly scenario that had taken his