Page 17 of Uncharted

“Your way isn’t always the right way, Calvin.” I turn to Easton for a little help.

“I don’t know, Haley. He’s got some valid points.” Easton comes back.

“I swear, sometimes I liked it better when the two of you were at each other’s throats.”

“You like when we’re down your throat better,” Easton says. Easton. I’m doomed. Every day, they’re a little more alike.

I glare at him.

But Calvin’s laughing, and I can’t keep a straight face. “Tomorrow, damn you both.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s already happened.” Calvin wiggles his eyebrows at me.

Chapter8

Warning Shot

Dante

She’s down there—my favorite knife. I guess the captain too. Spices. Fuck, clean clothes, chocolate for Sassy. I’m drooling like a culinary student at their first Michelin star meal. Damn, the Rock Candy looks like shit. Even from here, I can see the mildew over her. It takes a full deck crew to keep a mega yacht looking like a mega yacht. And right now, she looks more like something that’s ready to sink and make an artificial reef. There are lines tied up to her, keeping her aft from swinging. One rogue wave, and I’m not betting on them.

Thyme. No, chili powder. No, pepper. If I only had like five minutes, what would I grab? I tilt my head to the left. “Sam.” I project with as much South Side attitude as I can. This boy who grew up with nothing knew how to yell. That’s for sure. Haley’s right. I can hear Penny barking. But she’s inside somewhere. And it’s just a faint yap. If I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t be able to hear anything at all.

“Sam.” It doesn’t even feel like it’s coming out of my body. Haley’s jacket is waving in the breeze. “Treat,” I call out. I’m pretty sure the barking gets more intent. “Treat.” I wait. I twitch my leg. Zane’s sweaty grip is giving me an itch. It’s taking a Herculean effort to not kick the Brit in the head. I’m not jumping or slipping. I’ll give it one more try. “Cheese.”

Fucking hell, that did it. It’s like the dog has gone feral. I still can’t see her, but she’s making more noise than the five accountant passengers I had for my last cruise last season. Fucking accountants. It’s the quiet ones who cause the most problems.

“Cheese.”

The dog howls, long. But Sam doesn’t appear. And the dog quiets down.

I want to bang my head against the wall. This isn’t happening. Whatever Sam is working on has got him completely occupied.

I crawl back to Zane.

“Any luck?” he asks.

“I got the dog to bark. But nothing else.”

I blink as we come out into the sun. Haley’s eyes are wide. “Did you get his attention?”

“No, but if you say cheese, the dog goes nuts.”

“That tracks.” Calvin nods.

“Damn, your leg looks like shit, Green.” I nod at Calvin.

“Thanks.” He cocks his eyebrows at me.

I look around the group. “Now what’s the plan?”

“Back home. We’ll try again tomorrow.” Calvin picks up the pack.

It takes us longer than it should to get back. And I’m definitely not used to being the fast one in a hike. It is not that I’m not fit. I go to the gym. I run on a treadmill like God intended. Not outside. But the way we are now, I’m the least fucked up. And that’s only because they don’t know I’m still getting dizzy spells. Which is fine. There’s nothing they can do about them. So there’s no reason to talk about them. And that’s how I’m going to leave it.

The stove is cold when we get back, but Pepper is sitting waiting. She’s got a dead mouse that she trots over to Haley and leaves at her feet. “Thank you?” Haley pets the cat behind its ears, and Pepper purrs and climbs up the tree.

“Someone’s happy we’re home.” I give Haley a hug around her shoulder.

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