first snapped her life jacket securely closed, then retrieved one for himself as the Silver Dollar settled deeper into the water.
“Where are they?” Aurora asked. “It should only take five minutes for the Coast Guard crew to respond, and another five to warm up the chopper and lift.”
Jordan felt the sluggishness of the boat beneath his feet. “Launch the Zodiac,” he said.
“Already? Surely we have a few more minutes.”
“Don’t be a fool, Aurora. Stay with this boat and you risk drowning,” Jordan protested. “It’s not even yours!”
“The Coast Guard will show up—give them time...”
“The boat could swamp—roll-pull you down with it. You’re no good to anyone dead. Launch the Zodiac, Collins. That’s an order.”
“Aye...Captain.” Aurora released the controls and undid the ties to the Zodiac. She made certain the inside engine was secured and launched the small craft. It was now attached to the Silver Dollar by a single line.
“Zodiac launched.”
“We’ll stay on deck as long as we can—but when I say abandon ship, you’d better heave to. Got it, lady?”
Aurora nodded, then fastened her eyes on the sky. “If only they’d hurry.” She knew the procedure. The chopper would drop a diver to do an emergency hull patch and a pump to help save the ship. Someone on board would catch the pump line and guide it down to the deck. At least Jordan was there to help. She didn’t know if she could’ve done it alone, and a sinking ship certainly wasn’t the place to experiment. The Silver Dollar listed heavily starboard. Both of them grabbed at the starboard deck rail to steady themselves. “Get off this boat or correct your ballast,” Jordan yelled. “Back away from me.”
Aurora made her way to the port rail and stood directly opposite him. The Silver Dollar slowly, sluggishly, righted herself.
“We’re running out of time. If you don’t get into the Zodiac in the next five minutes, the boat will drag it down, too. It won’t float with a puncture,” Jordan yelled.
“I’ll go—in five minutes. But the Coast Guard will be here before that,” Aurora insisted. Please, let them get here soon.
The Silver Dollar lurched even more awkwardly as a larger swell passed under her. They gazed at the shoreline sky, waiting for the noisy orange-and-white chopper that could mean rescue. A few more minutes passed.
Jordan calculated how many steps it would take him to reach Aurora’s side and drag her off the boat. But he couldn’t calculate how hard she might fight him. “The water’s coming higher. Abandon ship. Now!”
“I need this boat,” she said again, her face, like his, tilted back and watching for the Coast Guard.
“Aurora, you can’t use any boat if you’re dead!”
Aurora’s hand flew to her mouth, the radio mouthpiece still grasped tightly in her fingers. Jordan pressed his advantage.
“If we can save this ship, fine. If not, so be it. But Dorian needs you safe and sound. Abandon ship!”
Aurora checked her watch. She glanced up at the sky and then examined the waterline on the hull, her hair blowing every which way. “No. You said I had five minutes. I have two minutes left.”
“Do you know how fast a ship can sink?” he asked angrily. “Not minutes—seconds. I saw our fleet go down and take my family with it. I won’t watch that again.”
“I’m sorry, Jordan.”
“Doesn’t matter. You can’t win a fight with a sinking ship, Aurora. We’ll be under in five minutes, if that. Now, abandon ship.”
“Two more minutes,” she agreed. “Two more minutes, and we ditch.”
Jordan checked his own watch. “Two minutes it is, then ready or not, I drag you off this deck.”
Aurora closed her eyes for the briefest second; when she opened them, she stared up at the sky once more. Jordan kept his attention on the water level, his hands already working to loosen the single tie keeping the Zodiac attached.
He glanced at Aurora...and noted the determination—the stubbornness. But no fear. No panic. For the first time Jordan understood why she’d been able to find the San Rafael when no one else could. She never gives up—never. Not even when disaster stares her in the face. But strength of will won’t keep this ship floating.... Still, her strength of character had raised his already high opinion of her. He felt emotionally drawn to such a woman, despite being in the middle of an emergency. I’m falling in love with Aurora. He had to fight to keep his mind on the business at hand.