Silent Waters

Chapter 41

Shoved back around a bend in the passageway, Amy held her pistol where she could hand it to McCann if he ran out of bullets.

She’d fired down at the hijacker standing at the bottom of the stairs to the torpedo room, but she wasn’t about to risk shooting McCann in the back. Luckily, the firefight didn’t last long. She didn’t see it happen, but she knew their attacker was killed by one of the commander’s bullets.

“Follow me,” he told her.

She didn’t have to be asked twice. McCann was a lifeline and she wasn’t going to let more than a couple of steps come between them. At the top of the stairs to the torpedo room, he paused.

“How are you holding up, Brody?”

“I’m fine, Skipper. The bastard dead?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want me up there, yet?”

“Not yet.”

“I’m ready, Skip.”

Amy could only make out the top of Brody’s head from the angle she was looking. His voice sounded very weak.

“This is the ship super, Amy Russell,” McCann said quickly to his man. “I told you about her before. She’s been watching my back.”

Amy could have laughed, but she was afraid that her laugh might sound a little hysterical at the moment. Brody moved enough to the side just until he and Amy each saw the other. The young man saluted. She returned the gesture. He looked very pale and there was a bloody footprint on the deck where he’d stepped.

“Stay alert, Brody.” McCann turned and looked past the bodies down the passageway.

“How badly is he hurt?” she whispered.

“He’s got a bullet in the knee.”

“How’s your shoulder?” she asked him, glancing at his blood-soaked shirt.

“What shoulder?” he asked, still looking down the passageway, ready to go again.

“Listen…” she started. She wanted to stay with McCann, but her common sense was nagging at her.

“What’s the matter?”

“Could I do anything for Brody if I stayed with him?” She shook her head. “What I mean is, tell me where I can be the most help to you.”

“How squeamish are you about blood?”

“I have two active kids, and I’ve seen plenty of shipyard accidents.” She looked at his shirt again. “I’ve been watching you bleed to death, and I haven’t passed out yet, have I?”

“No.” He started to tell her where the closest first aid kit was. “I’ve got one down there, but you might want more gauze and tape to bind the wound tighter. I’ll be needing both you and Brody before we’re done.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” she told him as she headed forward to find the first aid kit.

As he disappeared toward the engine room, she had a moment’s regret. She’d just cut the lifeline, and now she was roaming around Hartford alone. She could run into a hijacker anywhere and get her brains blown out.

Amy focused on what she was doing. She’d stayed alive this long.