Surfacing

by Masters, Cate

All he knew was how amazing it felt to be with her. To feel her next to him. And her voice… he could listen to her sing forever. He closed his eyes, remembering how sweetly she’d sung. Rain pattered his head and arms.

  In a slow, sing-song tone, she called, “AJ.”

  He snapped his eyes open.

  Her giggles mixed with the sound of the raindrops, falling faster now. “You’re as wet as I am.”

  “Yeah.” He repressed the urge to look behind him, and the urge to go to her.

  “Don’t you like being wet?” She glanced up and down the shore as she moved toward him, then stopped. “There’s someone on the beach. Just standing there, looking this way.”

  “I know. He’s been there awhile. It’s not safe.” He stopped short of telling her why. And how he knew for sure.

  “And I have permission to stay later tonight.” She knit her brow. “What’s he doing?”

  AJ was afraid to look. To see the barrel of a gun pointed their way. “You should go.”

  “Why? Do you think he’s seen me?” She lowered herself behind the rocks.

  “Yes. Maybe. I don’t know.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “I have a feeling you’re not safe here.”

  “Will you come back tomorrow?” Her wide eyes sparkled even in the gloom.

  He ached to hold her. Wanted to run from her.

  Everything was all wrong.

  He heard himself say, “The bridge. Do you know where the bridge is?”

  “Where you played your guitar before?”

  She’d seen him. The noise he’d heard hadn’t been the turtle. Chaz sensed it that night, too, as if he had mermaid radar.

  “Yes.”

  A flicker of doubt crossed her face. “Are you all right, AJ?”

  “I only want you to be safe. Please go.” Don’t come back.

  “All right.” Slowly, she slid back into the water. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  He filled his eyes with her, burned her face into his memory. “Yeah.”

  Hesitating, she studied his face through the rain.

  “Go. Be safe.” As he stood, he turned away from her so she wouldn’t see his guilt.

  The outline of Chaz’s figure shone with the wetness on his jacket.

  Hate percolated within AJ as he walked closer, but out of earshot. “I will make you pay. Someday soon.” He cut down the beach away from Chaz, who backed into the shadows. AJ looked out over the Gulf, but the choppy waves made it impossible to tell whether she’d left, or whether she watched.

  When he crossed the last street to Shoal Line Boulevard, Chaz jogged toward him. “Did you tell her?”

  AJ jammed his hands in his pockets so he wouldn’t be tempted to cold-cock Chaz. “Yes.” Looking away, he shivered, though the air was warm.

  Chaz shifted into view. “She’s comin’ tomorrow night? To the bridge?”

  AJ hunched his shoulders against the rain. “Hey, I told her. Whether she comes or not is her decision.”

  Chaz narrowed his eyes and set his jaw. “If you pull anything…”

  A myriad of curse words flew to AJ’s mind, but he would save them. AJ pushed past him.

  Chaz’s voice echoed after him. “I’ll see you tomorrow, my man.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  AJ prayed for rain.

  Instead, the sun fried the wet parking lot like a sauna. The Wilderness Cruise was as damp as a rainforest jungle.

  At the end of the day, Chaz waited at the lockers. “Don’t be late.”

  AJ wanted to ask how, exactly, he would go about capturing her. But Chaz left in a hurry. Just as well. The less AJ knew, the better.

  Clouds skidded across the sky, hiding and revealing the moon, but not long enough to provide the cover AJ needed. He strummed his guitar on the bridge, wanting to lose his thoughts in a song, but lost track of the lyrics. Every song was a broken melody.

  Chaz’s truck sat in the same spot as last time, but where he was, AJ couldn’t tell. The canal and its banks were silent, giving away nothing.

  Even AJ’s fingers wouldn’t cooperate. Time and time again, he plucked a sequence of notes that wouldn’t gel into the right tune. With nerves so tight, it was no wonder, but frustration welled within him. “Ah, dammit!”

  “AJ?” A sweet voice echoed from below.

  Oh God. Cassiopeia, right there in the canal. It struck him then, that the canal wasn’t deep enough for her to escape the net Chaz would cast.

  He wiped his palm against his jeans. “Hey.”

  “What are you doing up there?” She sounded amused, as if he expected her to climb up.

  “Oh.” He glanced around, as if uncertain. But he knew why. Chaz told him to stand here. To lure her closer. “I’ll come down.” To distract her.

  When Chaz had given the order as they climbed out of the truck earlier, he’d patted his rifle to reinforce it. The same gun he now held, probably pointed at his head as AJ slid down the embankment.

  As she lifted herself up the grassy bank, she spotted the truck. “Is that yours?”

  “What?” He knew his movements were too stiff, his answers too scattered. Like his thoughts. “Um, yes. That’s mine.” Why did he say such a thing? If she thought it was his, she’d feel too safe, wouldn’t be looking out for anyone else. “I mean, I came here in it.”

  She smiled. “You left your guitar.”

  “Oh.” He glanced up at the bridge. Of course he did. He wanted it out of harm’s way. “Should I go get it?”

  “Yes.” She pulled herself high on the bank. “I’m glad you thought of this. It is much more comfortable than those rocks.”

  His stomach churned. Comfortable. She wouldn’t think so in a few minutes. “I’ll be right back.”

  No sooner had he begun to climb the hill, footsteps thudded close, and she gasped.

  Chaz threw the net around her. “Don’t move.”

  With a squeal, she pushed against the roped net, her tail flailing.

  “I said don’t move.” Chaz waved the knife.

  Horrified, AJ stood watching. What had he done? Oh, God, Chaz was crazy.

  Chaz glared at him. “Get over here and help me.”

  AJ felt her eyes follow him as his feet slid down the incline moved closer.

  As Chaz pulled the net tighter, she struggled. “Hold still, I said.”

  AJ rushed him. “No, I can’t let you do this.”

  With a thrust of the rifle butt to AJ’s shoulder, Chaz knocked him to the ground, then pointed the barrel at him. “You move, and I’ll shoot you both. I’m done playin’ around.”

  AJ and Cassiopeia stilled.

  Thrusting his foot at her tail, Chaz shoved her away from the water. “Now you get over here and lift her head, and I’ll lift her tail. We’re goin’ to put her in the back of the truck. And make it quick.”

  The rifle followed AJ’s movements. He grasped her beneath her shoulders. “I’m sorry.”

  She hissed, “Don’t speak to me.”

  Chaz slid the knife into his belt buckle and the rifle beneath his arm. He bent toward her tail. With a quick thwack, the mermaid thrust it up, knocking Chaz down. The rifle discharged, and AJ threw himself atop her.

  Her hands pushed at the net. “Get off me. Get me out of this.”

  “Sonofabitch.” Chaz jumped to his feet, weapon in hand. “You try anythin’ like that again, you’ll both die quicker than…” He stammered, searching for the right metaphor. “You’ll both die.” He walked to AJ. “We have to hurry now, before someone comes. You take the tail.”

  When AJ had positioned himself, Chaz said, “Now.”

  Both struggled to lift her high enough to get her into the truck bed. Cassie remained still as a statue. AJ hoped the metal rings didn’t burn her. If metal guitar strings stung her fingers, the net must hurt. He regretted he’d never asked how, exactly.

  With her torso propped against the lowered truck gate, Chaz leapt into the truck bed and dragged her the rest of the way, grunting with her weight.


  “A little too much seafood, honey?” Chaz laughed as he slammed the gate shut.

  “She’s very muscular.” Immediately, AJ regretted saying it. Now Chaz would be more careful.

  “Yeah. No kiddin’.” He squatted and rubbed his chest, where her tail had landed. “You drive. I’ll ride in back with her.”

  AJ looked at the net, but couldn’t see her face.

  “Move it.” Chaz scanned the bridge and the canal banks. If anyone heard the shot, maybe they thought a vehicle had backfired.

  AJ got in and moved the seat back to accommodate his longer legs.

  Chaz slid the rear window open. “Get movin’.”

  He yelled directions as they rode down the highway. AJ’s hands gripped the wheel, imagining Chaz’s hands wandering. She wouldn’t be able to stop him, if he had the knife pointed at her. She was headstrong enough to try, though. He glanced in the rearview mirror every other second, praying neither would move.

  Maybe he could cause the truck to tilt, to tip Chaz out. But Cassiopeia might fall out first. She had no way to hold on, and Chaz did. And the gun might go off accidentally again.

  Chaz’s voice came through the back window. “Turn right at the next lane.”

  AJ nearly missed it. With no marker and no street light, it appeared as a black space between dense trees. The truck bounced down the unpaved road to a trailer set in a tight clearing.

  “Pull around back,” Chaz said.

  The headlights showed an above-ground pool in a small opening between the trees.

  Clever. Anyone flying overhead wouldn’t be able to spot it.

  AJ wondered what other precautions Chaz had made.

  “Back it up to the pool. Pull in there and turn around.”

  As AJ did so, spotlights shone on the truck.

  Motion detector lights.

  Chaz moved to the back of the truck bed. “A little more… little more. All right, whoa, whoa whoa. Right here.”

  AJ killed the engine.

  Footsteps tromped across the truck bed. Chaz’s hand came through the back window. “Keys.” The dude wasn’t going to cut him any slack.

  AJ pulled the key from the ignition and dropped them into his palm.

  As he stood, rifle in hand, Chaz said, “Help me get her in the pool.” He jumped out and unlatched the truck gate. It fell with a clang against the pool. “Let’s go. Help me slide her in.”

  AJ rested his hands on his hips. “Take the net off first.”

  Chaz fixed his gaze on him. “No, I’ll take the net off in the water.”

  “Do you really want to get in the water with her? Where she’ll have the advantage?” Again, he should have kept his mouth shut. But as much as Chaz deserved to be drowned, AJ couldn’t let it happen. He’d think of another way to free her.

  After a tense moment, Chaz gave a nod. “You do it. I’ll supervise.”

  Swinging his foot onto the gate, AJ hoisted himself up. He crouched next to her, looking for the ends of the net. He murmured, “Are you all right?”

  Chaz shouldered the rifle. “No conversin’ between the two of youse. Just take the net off.”

  “I’m trying, but I can’t find the opening.” The net twisted in knots, caught on the metal rings. “We need to cut it off.”

  “Any place you cut it, you’ll have to mend it.” He laid the knife on the edge of the truck, then pointed the rifle at him. “And don’t try anythin’.”

  AJ slid the knife from the ledge. Cassie squealed.

  “Hold still and it’ll be fine. I won’t hurt you.” Under his breath, he added, “You know that.”

  He scoured the net for a place that might loosen more than one tangle. There wasn’t one. She tensed as he moved the knife against the rope.

  “I’ll be done as soon as I can.” He glanced at her rope-covered head. The ends of her hair twined around the rope. “Maybe you could work your hair loose. I don’t want to have to cut it.”

  Something like a hiss came from her. The net rippled as her hands moved beneath it. Her hair slipped inside, strand by strand, as AJ worked a straight line free, upwards from her tail.

  “Can you slide down through this?” He stretched the opening wide.

  Her tail fluttered through, and she inched her way out until she sat at the edge of the gate.

  Chaz’s eyes blazed as he looked her over. “Nice.”

  AJ pointed at him. “Shut up, man. You touch her, and…”

  “And what?” Chaz held the rifle to his chest with a smirk.

  There was nothing to be done. AJ stepped behind her helplessly. “Do you need help getting in?”

  She opened her mouth and narrowed her eyes as she looked up at him with pure hatred.

  With a flip of her tail, she went underwater, then burst through the surface, gasping.

  In two long steps, he leaned over the edge. “Are you all right?”

  Her nostrils flared, she slipped beneath and circled the edge of the pool, faster and faster until a downward cone of water formed at the center.

  Chaz walked over and laid an elbow on the side. “She’s pissed.” He laughed.

  Her tail came out of the water and landed against the side of Chaz’s head. The smack knocked him backward to the ground.

  Groaning, he held his head, shook it and sat up. He reached for his rifle and jumped up. “I’ll kill that fish bitch.”

  AJ jumped from the truck. “No.” He shoved the gun barrel to the sky as it went off. “What are you, crazy?” He trembled as the shot echoed in his head.

  Chaz yanked the gun away. Even in this dim light, half of his face appeared red from her slap.

  AJ thought fast. “After all this hard work getting her here?”

  His chest heaving, Chaz glared at him, then at the pool. “It better be the last time.” He marched to the truck. “I’m pulling this around front. I’ll be right back.”

  Too late, AJ remembered the knife. He’d left it in the back of the truck. “Shit.”

  The truck rounded the trailer.

  He ran a hand through his hair, trying to sort his thoughts. He had to make her understand the danger he faced–they both faced. He had to tell her how sorry he was. Had to devise a plan to get her out. To keep Chaz away.

  In the pool, Cassiopeia still circled its circumference, but slower.

  AJ ran to the pool and leaned over. “Hey. Come up, listen to me. Quick, before he comes back.”

  She rushed to the side, burst up in his face and grabbed his arms tight, but didn’t pull him in. Her brows knit, her eyes were like green flame.

  He talked fast. “I don’t blame you for hating me. But he said he’d kill us both. He found out about you and—”

  With a cry, she released him and swam away.

  A light winked on inside the trailer.

  “Cassie, come back. Quick. Let me explain.”

  A sound came from underwater, like garbled speech.

  He could only imagine what she said. His insides ached, knowing the pain she must be in. Leaning his elbows against the top, he stood at the pool and watched her. How long could she swim in circles? With her muscles, probably a long time.

  Not speak to him? Probably forever.

  He couldn’t blame her. But he’d find a way to get her out of here, get her back to the Gulf, and maybe, just maybe, she’d forgive him. Someday.

  A jaundiced light came on by the back door of the trailer. A creak, then a slam, and Chaz walked down the three crooked steps. “Time for you to go, my man.” He held his gun in one hand, a beer in the other. The knife stuck through his belt.

  “Go? How? You expect me to walk? It’s got to be five miles back to town.”

  “Oh, you’re so smart. Five and a half. If you start walkin’ now, you’ll be home in time for beddy-bye.”

  As if AJ hadn’t checked the odometer. “I’m not leaving you alone with her.”

  Chaz chuckled. “I won’t hurt your girlfriend. If she cooperates.”

  “She’
s not my girlfriend.” AJ had to play both sides of the fence. She was already mad at him. She’d have to understand. Later. “I got close to her so we could go through with the plan. Like you wanted.”

  Chaz drew in his chin and clucked his tongue. “You ain’t a very good liar, my man.”

  AJ mimicked Chaz’s mobster tone. “How else was I supposed to do it? I made her think I liked her so we could get her here.”

  “You’re so full of it.” Chaz chuckled as he walked toward the trailer.

  “You think I could be interested in a fish? I’m no freak.” Like you, he wanted to add.

  The pool became still.

  Cold and calculating, Chaz narrowed his eyes as he glanced back. “Careful, or she’ll let you have it next.”

  AJ moved away from the pool. After what he’d said, she might drag him below and drown him. “What are you going to feed her?”

  “Beats me. What does she like?”

  Chaz carried the rifle expertly, ready to shoot.

  “How should I know?” AJ kept the shame from his voice. He didn’t know. He knew none of the important details. Only how she made him feel. Not how she felt. Or what she liked. Or what her life was like, every day, deep beneath the ocean.

  He needed time, so much more time, to get to know everything about her.

  Chaz teased, “Oh right. You’re not her boyfriend, so you never asked.”

  “Exactly.” AJ glanced at the pool. The water was too calm.

  Chaz paused at the steps outside the trailer door. “I think I’ll let her get hungry. She’ll be easier to work with then.”

  AJ strode toward him. “You can’t starve her.”

  A smile twitched across Chaz’s face. “I’m not going to starve her. Much.”

  AJ set his hands on his hips. “I think I should stay here tonight.”

  “I said you’re leaving. And I have the gun, so I win.” Chaz waved the rifle at him.

  “You’re not cutting me out of this.” AJ didn’t even know what he was saying, but he kept talking as an excuse to stay.

  His tone matter of fact, Chaz said, “No. I need you so I can train her. But you’re goin’ home tonight.”

  Not a ripple in the surface of the pool. What was she doing? God, she must hate him.

  “Nighty night.” Chaz jerked his head, stepped to the door and paused. “Oh, and you should walk straight down the lane. Don’t cut through the trees.”