Fatal Tide - Iris Johansen [59]
“He never really hit a big bonanza.” His brow furrowed in thought as he gazed at the tank on the pier just ahead. “Just that one galleon. He would have been famous and rich. Maybe it was something no one else had done. No one could take that away from—” He stiffened beside her. “Where's Cal? It was his turn for sentry duty at the tank.”
She stopped. “What?”
“He was complaining because he was always having to watch the dolphins. It was his turn to—”
His knees buckled and he was falling to the ground.
“Gary!”
A round hole had appeared in the center of his forehead. Blood . . .
A black sedan was barreling down the dock toward her. The back door swung open as it neared where she stood, frozen.
“No!” She started to run, her hand reaching into the tote. The gun. Get the gun.
The sedan was almost even with her. Someone was leaning out the back door.
Oh, my God. Cox.
Melis lifted the gun. She heard a curse and the back door slammed shut as she got off a shot. It ricocheted off the side of the door.
The driver. She tried to aim, but there was no way while she was running. She shot anyway.
The glass shattered and the car suddenly swerved toward a warehouse on the right. Then it swerved back and was coming directly toward her.
No time to run away. No time to think.
She dived off the dock into the water.
Kelby was angry. Every muscle in his body was breathing fury as he strode into the warehouse toward her. He handed her a canvas bag. “I brought you dry clothes.”
“Thank you.” She drew the blanket the police lieutenant had given her closer around her. “But I need to shower before I get into clean clothes. I feel like I'm coated in salt. I believe they're almost through with me. Lieutenant Lorenzo said he'd be back in a few minutes.”
“Are you okay?” he asked jerkily.
She nodded. “I'm not hurt. They didn't want to hurt me. They just wanted to get their hands on me.” She shivered. “They killed Gary.”
“I know.”
“And one of the students was struck on the head and has a concussion. It's Manuel.” She rubbed her forehead. “I think that's what they told me. Poor kid.”
“It's Manuel Jurez. He'll be okay.”
“Cal was shot too. But he's going to live. Archer and his men must have tried to hedge their bets by making sure I was vulnerable at the tanks if he couldn't get me while I was on my way there.” She moistened her lips. “Cal was shot in the shoulder, and Archer had him thrown into the dolphin tank to get rid of the body. He should have drowned, but Pete and Susie wedged him between them and kept him above water.”
“Hooray for Pete and Susie.”
She met his gaze. “Cal thinks so.”
He was silent a moment. “So do I.”
“Then why are you being sarcastic?”
“Because I came in this drafty warehouse and saw you sitting there looking like a drowned rat. Because all hell broke loose and I wasn't here to stop it. Because I had to have the police call me and tell me what happened. Why the hell didn't you do it?”
“I was busy, dammit.”
“Didn't it occur to you that I might want to help?”
“No.” Her voice was uneven. “I wasn't thinking very clearly.”
He stared at her for a moment and then muttered an oath. He fell to his knees beside her and took the edge of the blanket and dabbed at her cheek. “Why didn't you dry your hair? Water's running down your face. . . .”
“I have to wash it anyway. I stink from the seawater.” She tried to stop trembling. “You were right. The gun didn't do the job, Kelby. I tried to shoot them, but it didn't work out. After I jumped into the water and swam under the pier, they took off. The car was abandoned six blocks from the docks. Lieutenant Lorenzo thinks I wounded the driver. There was blood on the seat.”
“Good. I hope it was Archer.”
“No, Archer was in