Ark

Chapter 21

Maddock rose early the next morning and sat down on the deck with a strong cup of coffee and waited to watch the sunrise. He took a sip of the hot, bitter brew and gazed out at the horizon. A thin gray line painted across the ocean portended the sun’s arrival. Any day at sea was a good day for him, but mornings were special. He closed his eyes and allowed the cool breeze to wash over him. He was a patient man, especially compared to Bones, but he couldn’t deny his eagerness to find the sunken ship and its lost cargo. He wanted to solve the mystery. The thought of locating these so-called Noah Stones and perhaps the legendary ark itself set his heart racing, but the real drive was to make sure Bones’ family, and Angel in particular, was safe. Though she was not the target of the Trident, he knew she would not hesitate to put herself in harm’s way to protect her grandfather, should the men come after him again.

“That smells good. Have you got a cup for me?” Dima, clad in track pants and a tight-fitting tank top, padded up on bare feet and sat down beside him.

“No, but you’re welcome to share this one if you take it black.” He handed her the mug.

“It’s coffee. I take it any way it comes.” She raised the mug to her lips, took a sip, and grimaced. “My God, that is strong.” She took another sip and handed it back.

“You’re up early,” Maddock said.

“I’m a light sleeper. It’s gotten even worse since Robert sent me that document. I just can’t slow my mind down and I imagine I see those guys around every corner, coming after me.”

“I hope you feel safe with us,” he said.

“I do. At least, as safe as I’m capable of feeling. I grew up in the Middle East so I’ve always walked on eggshells.” She let out a small sigh. “So, what is the deal with you and Bones? You two make an odd pair.”

“He’s my best friend. It wasn’t always that way. We hated each other at first, but we got over it. I guess you could say we are yen and yang.”

“I can believe that. You definitely seem like opposites.” She tilted her head and looked at him thoughtfully. “Are you as big a ladies man as he seems to be?”

Maddock grinned and shook his head. “Not me. I’m engaged. To his sister, in fact.” He felt a touch of amusement as the lines creasing Dima’s face betrayed the same confusion so many others had felt when trying to picture Bones’ sister. “Don’t worry. She’s not his twin or anything.” He took out his phone and showed her a picture of Angel.

“She’s beautiful. Is she a model or an actress, something like that?”

“Professional fighter.” He said, pocketing the phone.

“A fighter. Are you winding me up?”

Maddock shook his head. “Dead serious. She’s one-of-a-kind. Kind of like Bones in that way.”

“He is unique.” Dima bit her lip. “So, what is his deal? I mean, is he in a relationship? Does he even have relationships?”

Maddock always found these questions awkward. The truth was, Bones had never stayed with one woman for any length of time, but there were reasons for that. Reasons his friend would not want shared. “Sure he does. It’s just taking him longer to find the right girl.” Maddock looked her in the eye. “But I can tell you he’s a good man. Maybe the best I’ve ever known.”

Dima turned and looked thoughtfully out at the water. The morning breeze ruffled her long, dark hair, and she brushed a strand from her face. Maddock decided he liked her— she was smart, sincere, and lovely. Bones could do much worse. They sat there in contemplative silence until she spoke again.

“What if Bones is right? What if the wreck really isn’t here? Or what if something did happen to it?”

“Doubtful. I did a lot of research and I haven’t found any accounts of a Templar ship being found anywhere in this area.”

“What if… I don’t know, what if it washed away or something? Could that happen?”

Maddock froze. Something had just clicked into place.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, climbing to his feet, “you just reminded me of something I need to check out. You want the rest of this?” He handed her the coffee and hurried back into the cabin. He hoped his hunch was right.

“So, explain to us again this hunch of yours.” Willis stood, leaning against the cabin wall, with his muscular arms folded across his chest. The man was a top-notch soldier when he believed in what he was doing, but he always required convincing first.

“It’s pretty simple, actually,” Maddock said. “The water here is shallower than we had hoped, so the wreck is more likely to have been affected by tides and the like than would a wreck in deeper water. This area has been hit by some major hurricanes and all of them have followed the same path.” He traced the point of a pencil in a line running north by northwest. “The prevailing currents run the same way. Since we believe the ship went down southeast of the island, it’s possible that the wreckage was pushed ashore.”

“The island is boomerang-shaped.” Corey took up the explanation. “The wreckage could have been driven right into the center of the V, if you will, and trapped there. The Templar’s story indicated that the ship foundered very close to the island so it’s possible that we’ll find its cargo somewhere in this area. That’s one of the pluses of this being a deserted island. No one’s been around to stumble upon any wreckage.”

“And there are no records of any such cargo being recovered in the vicinity of the island,” Maddock added. “At least, not that I could find.”

The others appear doubtful. “What if it’s buried in the sand?” Matt asked.

“Then we’ll find it with metal detectors,” Maddock said. “But I doubt that’s the case.” He took out another chart. “Right here, just offshore of the island, is a deep hole. It’s not as large as the blue holes you find in other parts of the world, but it’s large enough to suck in a sailing ship.”

Bones raised his eyebrows. “That could explain why the wreckage has never been discovered.”

“My thoughts exactly.” Maddock knew that if he won Bones over, the others would follow suit. “I know the dive could be dangerous but you can’t tell me it’s not worth a try.”

“Come on, Maddock. You think we’re scared of a dangerous dive?” Willis asked. “I’ll race you to the bottom.”

“Excellent.” Maddock smiled and nodded. “Let’s do it.”