Page 68 of Sunburned

She palmed the walkie and pressed the button. “Moon Two,this isSea Ray,can you hear me?”

“Go forMoon Two,” crackled a male voice through the speaker. Marielle handed Laurent the walkie, and he spoke into it.

“This is Laurent. Divers should be up already. Any sign?”

“Nothing.”

“Do you have extra tanks on board?”

“Three, fully loaded,”came the reply.

“Is either of you ready to go in the water?”

“This is Evan,”came a second male voice.“I can suit up.”

Laurent released the button and looked at Marielle.“Take me over?”

She nodded, and he spoke into the walkie.“Headed to you,”he said.“Suit up, we’re going down.”

Laurent met my eye only briefly, but I could see the worry in his face as he turned to cut across the deck toward the stern with purpose, Marielle trailing in his wake.

Chapter 22

I stood at the railing for a moment, watchingMoon Twofor any sign of movement before I returned to the pool.

“Can I borrow that sunscreen?” I asked Samira and Gisèle.

I heard the motors of the dinghy fire to life as Gisèle tossed me the bottle and I squeezed a generous amount of coconut-scented cream into my hand.

“Where’s Laurent going?” Gisèle asked.

I cast a glance at Samira as I rubbed SPF50 into my face. I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily, but I also didn’t want to lie. “To the other dinghy.”

“Why?” Samira asked, picking up on my hesitation.

I squeezed more sunscreen into my hand, working it into my chest and arms. “To make sure the rest of the divers surface smoothly.”

“They’re not back yet?” Samira rose and crossed to the railing, squinting across the dazzling water at the bobbing tender.

Gisèle pulled on a loose crop top and we joined Samira, watching asMoon Oneskipped over the waves towardMoon Two. “They should be back by now,” Samira muttered.

When the boats were side by side, Laurent climbed intoMoon Two,and I could make out him and Evan shouldering their tanks while the others conferred. Then they splashed into the water on the far side of the dinghy.

“Shit.” Samira pressed her fingers into the bridge of her nose.

“It’s gonna be fine,” I said, willing my voice to sound more relaxed than I felt.

Gisèle glanced at me, understanding the need to calm her friend. “Tyson probably swam off and they had to make him come back.”

Samira was breathing more rapidly now, her knuckles white as she gripped the railing. “What if he got lost?”

“Laurent and Evan know the area and they have full tanks,” I assured her.

Samira took a gulp of her drink. “I told you I lost him. I couldn’t find him in the shipwreck.”

“I saw him,” Gisèle said. “And so did Jennifer.”

She leaned into Samira, whispering something in her ear too low for me to make out. Samira shot her a frown with a sharp shake of her head.

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