Page 19 of Until Presley

EIGHT

PRESLEY

Iwatch in the distance as a boat leaves the area where the tracking locator is registering. I hope they didn’t mess with our sharks. Leah didn’t show up today, and I left her another message, letting her know Dr. Miller wasn’t happy.

I offered to help remove the transmitters from the dolphins. We’ve collected them and are now going to collect the ones from the sharks. They were set to remove from the sharks today automatically.

I see the floats in the distance, but there is a large group of sharks attacking something in the water before them.

Margo screams from the bow of the boat.

Rushing out of the cabin, I look down, and that’s when I see a shark swim off with a human arm in their mouth. Dr. Miller pushes past us and shoots a flare gun at the group of sharks, and they disperse but not far.

Margo holds on to me as they fish the body out of the water, and I’m in shock as I look down at the dead woman. When they roll her, my legs buckle, and I fall to the deck.

Coming to, I look up from my position on the bench at George. He’s smiling down at me and brushing a cool cloth against my forehead.

“There you are.” He chuckles. “Dr. Miller wants to talk to you.” He steps back, and I glance to where the body is lying, now covered.

I know who it is, and I wonder if anyone else has figured it out. Her face is still intact, but her abdomen is shredded. She hadn’t been in the water very long.

“Oh, by the way, your phone went off a couple of times.” George hands me my cell phone.

I must have dropped it when I passed out. I look at it, but I can’t focus on it. I still see her eyes staring back at me. I choke and turn to find a bucket being shoved in front of me. I vomit until I’m dry heaving, and tears roll down my face.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Dr. Miller asks me as he pats my back.

I look up at him, trying to focus on his face, but all I can see are her sightless blue eyes staring back at me. I see the damage to her body and pray she was dead before they attacked her.

“Presley,” Dr. Miller says with a bite in his tone, and it snaps me out of my head.

“It’s her,” I cry, and he nods before moving away from me. I see the tears in his eyes before he turns his back.

The whole way back to the docks, I can’t tear my eyes from her tarp-covered body, her blood staining the floor of the boat. My heart aches, and my chest constricts at the thought of never talking to her again. Never go out dancing with her again.

We pull into our slip, and I still don’t move. I just stare as the police and coroner come to claim her body.

“I’ll call her family,” Dr. Miller says, and I still don’t look up.

Tanned legs appear in my view, blocking her from my sight, and I’m lifted into arms I know. His smell engulfs me, and for just a moment, I’m glad I’m still alive.

“Come on, sprite.” His deep voice rumbles against my cheek as I lay my head against his chest.

He steps off the boat, and that’s when it hits me.

“I can’t leave. She’s my best friend.” I start to fight him, but he holds me tight.

“They already took her, Presley.” He points to a gurney being pushed up the dock to the pier.

“I didn’t say goodbye,” I cry, and he buries my face into his neck as clicking sounds and flashing lights explode around us.

“Stay back.” I hear another voice, but I keep my face against his skin. His beard brushing against the side of my head. I cry into his neck. Holding on to him for dear life.

Leah is gone.

Ham

Icouldn’t wait to see her, but I never expected what I found when I arrived at the dock. As more police officers showed up, followed by a coroner’s crew, I knew something bad had happened. Walker sent Otto to wait with me, clearly concerned after I started yelling at a police officer while I was on the phone with him.

---