by Sharon Dunn
His stomach clenched in response to her inquiry. He took a french fry from the cardboard container it was in and then offered her one, which she took. “Not all of us have families we like to talk about.”
“David, I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, you deserve to know. I’ve worked really hard to be a better man than my father was. And I think that I am in many ways. But it is still a struggle to have a relationship with my mom and sister. You and I are from two very different places and I don’t just mean geographically.” He felt like he was pushing her away with his words at the same time that he wanted more than anything to hold her in his arms.
Maya finished munching on her cracker. She stared out at the fantastic show taking place through the window. “Look, David,” she said softly. “I know that the best we could hope for between us would be an infrequent friendship. All the same, I’m going to pray that you find community, a sort of replacement family, in whatever form that takes.”
Until she said something, he hadn’t viewed his life as lacking in any way. Maybe he did like his job because it meant he didn’t have to belong to one place or person. “I never turn down someone praying for me. But I’m not unhappy living this way. It suits me. And I do have friends. We meet for a church service and give each other prayer support.”
She studied him for a long moment. “I shouldn’t try to dictate what your life should look like. I just know if my home was moving all the time with a rotating cast of characters, I would feel lonely is all. But like we’ve been saying all along, we are two very different people.”
The storm in the distance intensified and drew their attention back to the window. They watched in silence as the sheet of gray moved across the water leaving a blue sky and clouds behind it.
David relished this time he had with Maya. It felt good just to sit beside her and watch the storm while rain splashed against their viewing window. Her suggestion that he might need a deeper connection to people bounced around his head. He’d always been kind of a loner and preferred it that way. But maybe he was shortchanging himself.
The storm shifted direction, now it looked like it might come closer to the ship. He signaled Glen to lower them to the deck. They’d just stepped out of the pod when his radio made a static noise. David pressed the talk button.
Hans’s voice came across the line. “We got our first drunk and disorderly of the day. Neptune’s Bar. Might need some back up.”
“On my way,” David said.
The time with Maya had been a brief reprieve. Back to real life.
ELEVEN
Maya and Sarge trotted along beside David as they headed toward wherever they needed to go. She had no idea which deck Neptune’s Bar was on.
They stepped into an elevator. David’s radio indicated someone was trying to reach him. He pulled it off his belt. “Yes.”
“Looks like I got it de-escalated. Wasn’t as bad as the bartender made it out to be.”
“Okay, thanks, Hans.” He took his hand off the talk button. Then addressed Maya. “It’s only late afternoon. I’m sure there’ll be more calls before the night is over. Since this is the last stretch of the cruise, you usually see a rise in alcohol-related incidents.”
The elevator doors slid open.
“So what now?” Maya wondered if she’d been out of line in suggesting that David needed more community in his life. She had no right to think that his life needed to look like hers. Maybe her thinking there was something lonely about the way he lived was just her not being able to let go of the attraction she felt toward him. She was projecting things onto him. Like she could somehow rescue him from a desolation he wasn’t even experiencing. Ridiculous.
They walked along a corridor that led to a solarium. “Are you getting tired of following me around?” David asked. “I know it’s a shame to spend a cruise in a cabin that has no windows, but that would be the only other option I would feel comfortable with.”
“Yeah, I think I would rather be with you than alone reading or watching TV.”
They stepped out into the solarium with its floor-to-ceiling windows. Though it was late afternoon, the storm had moved closer to the ship, darkening the sky, so it almost appeared to be nighttime. Lightning flashed.
The four people in lounge chairs made an awestruck noise. One of them, an older man, jumped out of his chair as though the lightning might hit him.
Maya stared at the sky. “I think I liked it better when the storm was farther away.”
“I’m going to have to do rounds on the outdoor viewing areas and decks to make sure no one is trying to get up close and personal with this storm. The ship’s PA system will make a general announcement. I’m sure the captain was watching and knew the storm would head in this direction even if it looked to me like we were going to miss it.”
“Yes, of course the captain is the one who makes the ultimate decisions about the ship.” Maya had seen the ship’s captain only at a distance when she had first boarded. She’d been so tuned into David’s job responsibilities she’d started to think that he was the one running the ship.
“Procedurally, we always have to check on the exposed outdoor areas, make sure everyone is safe inside. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to escort you back to your room.”
“Sarge and I will go with you. I would prefer it that way.”
David lifted a brow. “You sure?”
“I’m way better at being active and helpful than sitting in a room staring at the ceiling.”
“Let’s go then,” he said.
Maya felt like she was in her element as the two of them checked several of the exposed viewing areas. The announcement came over the PA system that the storm had turned severe enough that everyone needed to be inside.
David led her to the outdoor pool. The waves hitting the ship had become intense enough that water in the pool sloshed over the sides.
She and Sarge fought to maintain balance. David on the other hand seemed to have no problem staying upright. It must be a learned skill.
“We’ve got one more deck to clear,” he told her. “The rest of the night will be spent in the security room watching the monitors ensuring no one decides to be a daredevil until this storm is over.”
Though the situation was serious, the thought of spending the night sipping hot tea or cocoa and being with David sounded appealing. Like the times she’d been on stakeouts with other members of the K-9 team. Bottom line, she liked working with David.
“Okay, let’s go.” she said.
As they hurried through the pool area, Maya peered back over her shoulder. No one was behind her, but there was a series of doors that led to other places. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. Still, this was not the time to search the area for the attacker. They needed to make sure all the passengers were safe from the storm.
The last deck they needed to clear was at the front of the ship on a lower level. When they got there, it looked like crew members had already removed the lounge chairs in preparation for the storm and the tumultuous waves.
“The deck wraps around.” David pointed one direction and then the other. “Don’t go far.”
“I’ll just check around the corner and come right back.”
She and Sarge trotted around to the other side of the deck. No one was there. She turned back around to go rejoin David. Hit by a heavy wave, the ship tilted to one side. She fell backwards landing on her bottom and sliding across the deck. Sarge rolled and slid as well. The ship continued to be rocked by the waves. Her heart beat faster. Even though David was not far away, she realized the difficulty in moving on the deck in the storm made her vulnerable.
She reached out for Sarge’s leash which she’d dropped when she fell. She saw a pair of boots. Sarge barked, but it was as if the wind picked it up and carried it away. Barely audible.
She got to her feet sti
ll unsteady from the motion of the ship. She looked into the green eyes of the masked man. The mouth hole of the mask revealed the sneer on his lips.
Fear shot through her as her heart raced.
There were half a dozen entrances to this deck. He could have taken one of them once he figured out where she and David were going and then he’d waited for the moment when she was isolated.
The man lunged toward her. She backed up toward the railing. The attacker held up a knife and swung it at Sarge which was enough intimidation to keep Sarge from advancing toward the attacker.
“That dog is in my way.” His voice held a menacing tone.
A second man emerged and grabbed Sarge’s leash, dragging him. The man was not wearing a mask, but he had a bandana across most of his face.
Her heart wrenched when she heard Sarge’s yelps of protest as the masked man came toward her. She doubted though that the sound would carry at all. Of course, they needed Sarge out of the way to get to her. He lifted the knife in the air. Her back pressed against the railing. “This time you’re going to die. No dog to protect you.” He swung again aiming to swipe across her stomach.
She rolled away before the blade could find its target, but the move put her in a vulnerable position. She was still having to deal with the motion of the ship. She turned sideways against the railing. The man lunged at her a third time, the knife cutting across her shoulder and tearing her jacket but not injuring her. A wave rocked the ship. The knife flew out of the attacker’s hand.
She moved to subdue him with a blow to the neck. But he grabbed her wrist. Then he secured her other hand. His grip was like iron.
She tried to lift her leg to drive a knee into him. His hand let go of her wrist and clamped on her neck. She struggled to breathe and could feel herself growing weaker. A wave of water washed over the deck. The man’s body slammed against her, but he kept his fingers pressed on her windpipe. He looked out toward the water, let go of her and stepped away. Another wave crashed against the boat. The attacker must have seen the wave coming and it could wash him overboard.
She lost her equilibrium and gasped for breath. She could feel herself being lifted up by the water. And then she was floating. She sucked in a ragged breath. She reached out. She was holding on to some part of the ship dangling in space. The ship rocked. She lost her grip. Then her body hit something solid and she saw the black dots that indicated she was about to lose consciousness.
Her last thought was that both she and Sarge were going to die.
* * *
David hurried around to the part of the deck where Maya and Sarge had gone. He’d been delayed when he had to usher a twenty-something couple off the deck who were filming the storm for their online travel channel. The man and woman had clearly had a couple of drinks and while the exchange was friendly their response in understanding the danger and heading inside had been slow.
He had assumed he would meet Maya at the front part of the wraparound deck. The storm was making the waves even more dangerous. They needed to get inside. He hurried to the side section of the deck. Fear took over when he didn’t see Maya there. He checked the first door where she might be standing on a stair landing waiting for him out of the storm. No one was there. But that didn’t make any sense. Why didn’t she and Sarge just come and find him if she’d seen that no one was on that side of the deck? He never should have been separated from her even for a short time.
Fear overtook him as he ran toward the railing. He could see the rescue boats down below still hooked to the side of the ship. Maya had fallen into one of them. Her body was twisted at an unnatural angle. Was she even alive?
He raced toward the stairs. Despite how rocky the seas were, he took the stairs two at a time to get to the deck where the rescue boats were attached.
The ship was still listing side to side at intense angles. When he looked out, Maya’s body rolled like a rag doll. He pressed the button that opened the automatic door that gave him access to the rescue boat. Climbing out to get to her proved a challenge on the unsteady sea. David fell into the rescue boat, landing on his knees, then crawled toward Maya praying that she wasn’t dead. He cradled her head in his arms and held her, checking for a pulse. She was still alive.
Her eyes fluttered open.
“David.” Her voice was weak and her gaze unfocused.
“Yes, I came for you.” He looked all around. “Did you fall?”
“The man with the knife...he came after me.”
David clenched his jaw. Mad at himself for letting her out of his sight. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Where is Sarge?”
She shook her head. She opened her mouth as if to explain, but no words came out.
Something was seriously wrong, but she was still in too much shock to explain.
He’d have to deal with finding Sarge second. First, he needed to get Maya to a safe place. “I got you now, Maya. You’re going to be okay.”
He wrapped one arm around her. “Can you get up?”
She turned her head and stared at him as though she didn’t understand what he was saying. Water sprayed against the side of the ship.
“We need to get inside, Maya.”
When she looked at him, it was clear the paralysis of shock had set in. He wondered too if she might have some physical injury. “Are you hurt?”
Again, her response time was slow. She shook her head. “I don’t think anything is broken.”
Maya bent her head. Long strands of wet hair hid her face. The rescue boat creaked. He wrapped his arm around her back, cupping her shoulder and drawing her close.
She whispered the same words over and over. He wasn’t sure what she was saying until he bent his head close to her mouth.
“Thank you, David,” she said several times.
He wasn’t sure if he could trust her judgment about any injuries Her back might be broken. While he still held her, David drew out his radio and called for the EMTs. “Help is on the way.”
Within minutes the EMTs arrived. They crawled through and strapped Maya to a rescue backboard working together to get her on the ship and placed on a gurney.
David crawled back onto the ship as well. Before they could wheel her away, she grabbed his hand and squeezed. Her eyes had cleared, which was a good sign.
“I’m worried about Sarge. This attack was mostly about getting him out of the picture. There were two men this time. I’m afraid something may have happened to my dog.”
Now he understood why she’d been unable to explain before what had happened to Sarge. “I’ll do what I can.” David watched as they took Maya to the infirmary to be checked out. He wasn’t sure where to start the search for Sarge. So, the attacker was getting some help. Including someone else in your crime was risky. It suggested a level of desperation.
He walked a little faster. The first step would be to post a missing service dog report. The ship had its own “news” channel with viewing screens posted in strategic places. Any sale at stores, or special events on the ship were highlighted as well as weather warnings, and changes in arrival times for ports of call. If Sarge was still on the ship maybe someone had seen him with his abductor.
His biggest fear though was that Sarge had simply been tossed overboard.
TWELVE
Maya watched the ceiling clip by as the EMTs wheeled her to the infirmary. At her request, they had undone the straps on the backboard. They’d taken her vitals right away, which they said were okay. The confusion and disorientation from the shock was lifting which was the most important thing. That meant she was getting better, not worse.
As she watched the designs on the ceiling and the light fixtures change, the thing foremost on her mind was Sarge. Could she even hope that he was still alive?
One of the EMTs put his head in her field of vision. “You doing okay, ma’am?”
“Better than okay.” She sat up on the stretcher. If she had broken any bones it would have been obvious by now.
“Please lie back down. You’ve suffered a terrible shock...at the very least.”
“You said it yourself. My vitals looked impressive.” She jumped off the stretcher and moved from a walk to a trot.
The EMT came after her. “We need to have the doctor say you’re okay.”
She spoke over her shoulder as she moved into a jog. “Later. Right now, I need to talk to the head security officer, David Garrison.”
Her jog turned into a sprint. She had to do everything to find Sarge. And she refused to let go of the hope that he was still alive.
She slowed a bit in her pace. She’d lost her phone in the struggle. How was she going to find David? He might be at the security office. She headed in that direction.
She passed one of the news monitors when Sarge’s picture, which David must have taken when they were in the play area, came on the screen with info about a missing service dog. That had to have been David’s doing. He’d gotten the word out pretty fast.
As she came to a more crowded part of the ship, she spotted Noah dressed in plain clothes. She ran toward him.
His eyes grew wide when he saw her. “Heard you had a bit of excitement.”
“Can you phone David and find out where he is? I lost my phone. I need to get another one.”
Noah took his phone out. “Sure, I can call him. What’s the urgency?”
“Sarge is missing.”
“Yeah that came across the boards. I take it you’re not really a journalist?”
Now that she knew Noah could be trusted, she was fine with him knowing. “I’m a state trooper with the Alaskan K-9 Unit that works cases all over the state.”
Noah nodded and then clicked the numbers on his phone screen. He addressed his comment to her while the call was being placed. “The security office can loan you a phone.” Then he spoke into the phone. “Hello, David? I have Maya here.”
