Devil and the Deep (The Ceruleans Book 4) - Julie Ann Walker Page 0,48

beside Bran.

When she reached for his hand, Mason saw Bran stiffen. But that only lasted a split second. Then it was like something inside Bran broke loose and he curled his fingers through Maddy’s, dragging her close to his side. The look on Maddy’s face when she glanced at Bran was one Mason recognized. Longing and hero-worship and…something more.

It was the something more that worried him.

Bran didn’t believe in happily-ever-afters. Which meant at some point in the near future, that bouquet of heart-shaped balloons flying above Maddy’s head would inevitably meet the sharp pins of Bran’s unshakeable resolve.

This’ll get ugly, Mason thought as he lowered his weapon and swung the strap of his rifle over his shoulder. The metal of the weapon was cool where it rested against his bare back, the weight comforting.

“While I was in the surf, watching and waiting to see what the masked assholes were getting up to,” Bran said, “Mason snuck aboard their fishing boat to disable their radio and satellite phone. Rule number one for any successful battle is knock out the enemy’s communications. While he was there, he cut a hole in their fuel line. Rule number two for any successful battle is to block any avenue of escape. They’ll make it maybe a mile or two before they run outta gas. You didn’t really think I was serious when I told them they could leave the island no questions asked, did you?”

“Well…I…” Maddy blinked. “I reckon I did.”

“Much to learn you still have,” Bran said, doing a pretty spot-on impression of Yoda.

A smile more radiant than the lighthouse’s glow spread across Maddy’s face.

Going to get so fuckin’ ugly, Mason thought again. Aloud he asked, “So what now?”

“Now, Maddy and I go get the girls,” Bran said, just as the sound of an outboard engine sputtered to life. Fuckheads One and Two were on their way to nowhere fast. “You still got that flare handy?”

Mason reached into his pocket to remove the flare stick.

“Good.” Bran dipped his chin. “If Alex is still out there, it’s time to bring her in.”

Mason was overcome by the urge to run up to the parapets and fire off the flare, but he managed to keep his cool. They had a plan to make. “If she is still out there, you think we should load everyone up on the catamaran and sail back to Wayfarer Island?” He’d seen just about all he’d wanted to see of Garden Key and Fort Jefferson, thanks.

“Not sure that’s a good idea.” A concerned line sliced between Bran’s eyebrows. “Bum Knee kept calling this a job. Which means this wasn’t their brainiac scheme but someone else’s. They won’t be able to call that someone else with their coms down. But the thought that there are others involved makes my asshole pinch. Being out on the open ocean when we aren’t sure who else might be skulking about…” He trailed off.

“Ya-huh.” Mason nodded. “Better to be inside a fuckin’ fort should whoever hired them get tired of waiting on their call and decide to come investigate.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Bran agreed. “Hopefully the marine radio on the catamaran will be able to reach Wayfarer Island. If so, we’ll have LT make a satphone call to the Coast Guard on Key West and tell ’em to get their asses here ASAP.” Before Mason could raise the issue of the wrench that might get thrown into that plan, Bran addressed it himself. “Sure, whoever those asswipes are working for might hear our call over the marine channels, but so what? Again, we’ll have the high ground, we’ll be inside a fort, and we’re not lacking in weapons. I think the odds are in our favor should anyone attempt to make landfall here on Garden Key.”

“Agreed,” Mason said. “And if Alex isn’t out there, then hopefully she’s well on her way back home and the end result will be the same. A satphone call back to Key West and Coast Guard to the rescue.”

“You got it, paisano.” Bran dipped his chin.

But there was one last hitch. And even though the flare stick was burning a hole in Mason’s hand, he forced calm and asked the final question. “What if the marine radio isn’t strong enough to reach home?”

“Then we stay holed up in the fort until the fast ferry or a floatplane arrives tomorrow.”

“Right.” Mason nodded. And then he couldn’t stand it a second longer. He turned and ran for the nearest casemate and the stairs that led