Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [58]
Maybe Annja could have even helped if she knew what to do.
She frowned. Somehow Cole would have to figure this one out for himself. And Annja hoped he wouldn’t regret his decision.
Coming from some distance away, she thought she heard a splash. But it was a small sound compared to the wind that had suddenly whipped up around her and made her shiver despite the warm clothes she wore. I could have done with adding a sweater to my outfit, she realized.
The waves lapped against the ship and the Seeker lolled slightly in the current. They’d stayed at anchor, Hunter not willing to move off this particular stretch because of the proximity to the Fantome.
She wondered if their position had something to do with the shark’s interest in them. Where do sharks go when the sun sets? She knew that some sharks hunted at night, but otherwise, where did they go? Did they even sleep?
I don’t know enough about these things to even pretend I’m stupid, she thought with a grin. She decided to ask Cole about that when he got back topside.
Annja jerked her head around. Something else had splashed far out in the water beyond the range of Cole’s spotlight.
She’d definitely heard something.
She peered into the darkness. She couldn’t see a thing.
A quick glance down told her that Cole was still okay and, judging from his body movement and the way he floated in the ocean, that nothing had drawn his attention.
But something was out there.
Annja felt certain of it.
She tried getting Cole’s attention, but his mask wouldn’t give him much peripheral vision. He wouldn’t notice her unless he happened to look up and see her waving at him.
And that didn’t seem likely.
Dammit. Annja frowned and turned back to the direction where she’d heard the noise. It’s out there, she thought. Out there and waiting. Maybe it’s just toying with Cole. Maybe it will make a surprise attack.
I can’t let him down.
She heard a rush of movement from behind her and turned around. Jax was coming back down the stairs.
Fast.
“You back to make amends?” Annja said.
Jax shook her head. “No. That damned fish is. It’s on the scope. If Cole wants to have an encounter with that shark, he’s going to get his wish. Real soon.”
23
Annja looked down at Cole bobbing in the cage. She could tell that he’d seen the shark by how his body had stiffened. His spotlight was shooting straight behind the stern of the boat, tracking something in the water some distance away. Annja could just make out the slow-moving shape as it cruised in toward the cage and then broke away to the left.
She frowned and understood why Cole was puzzled with the shark itself. He was right that it seemed to behave unlike the other sharks she’d seen when she went diving with Cole off Montauk.
Cole tracked the shark with his light as it prowled the waters. It was still a good distance away and Annja had trouble making out any details.
As for Cole, Annja thought he seemed more relaxed now. She could see him floating and keeping himself locked on the shark. Every now and again, the dorsal fin would break the surface of the water and then it would submerge again. The effect reminded Annja of a seesaw and it was another difference that she found vaguely disturbing.
Jax came to stand next to Annja. “If he gets killed, Hunter is going to feed us both to the shark.”
Annja nodded. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Why in the world not? That thing’s huge. And it seems to be sizing him up, if I’m seeing it properly.”
But Annja shook her head. “I can’t place it, but something is not right. Cole knew there was something strange about it and that’s why he wanted to get back in there. I hope he’s getting his answers now.”
Jax looked at Annja. “I hope so, too, because Hunter’s on his way out here.”
Annja turned and saw Hunter running down the steps. “Is he out there with that thing?” he shouted.
Annja nodded. “It’s not what you think it is.”
“Suicide? No? Then tell me what it is, Annja. And tell me why you both felt the need to go behind my back