“Alex is not going to die.” Since we’re laying out ultimatums, I’ll place mine down.

“No one was ever supposed to get hurt. It was a simple plan. But they fucked it up.”

“Who?”

He lifts the gun away from Alex and points it below his chin. A much better place for him to aim.

He lets Alex go, and she slides down to the ground, unconscious. Motherfucker.

Glock still aimed at Wayne, I bend down and find Alex’s wrist. There’s a pulse. Thank god.

“Wayne. You don’t want to do that, do you? You’ve got a wife at home who loves you.”

His lips unfurl into a sick smile. “You ever met my wife?”

“Can’t say I have.” He’s never even used her name.

We’re headed out into the deep blue. The wrong direction to get Alex medical care. The sliding door remains open. I peer into the cabin. I don’t see anyone else. It’s a reasonable assumption we’re the last folks on the boat. The boat’s on autopilot.

“Everything went to hell.” Wayne slouches, legs splayed out, gun still planted under his chin.

“What’d you give Alex?” I’m pretty positive he’s not looking at me. “Wayne. What did you give Alex?”

His lower lip protrudes. He lost.

I won’t waste more time on this guy. Alex needs medical treatment.

I step forward with caution, my Glock trained on Wayne.

With one fluid movement, I snatch his gun. Send it over the side of the boat. The whites of his eyes seemingly expand. He holds a palm up.

A thick winding pile of white rope hangs off a hook on the side.

In under a minute, his arms are strapped to his sides. Thirty seconds later, and his feet are tied. Gotta love boats.

Chances are good more weapons are stored somewhere. To the right, I see a bathroom. It’s small. It’ll work.

I push him in and shut the door. The chairs are bolted down. There’s nothing to barricade him in. But he’s restrained. That’ll do.

I kneel to Alex and lift her gently off the deck. I lower her onto a sofa inside the cabin. A thin line of blood trickles along her hairline. There’s swelling on her right temple. She’s cold to the touch. Her heartrate is too slow.

I move to the CB and radio in. “Medical assistance needed. Repeat. Emergency medical assistance needed. El Capitan returning to Santa Barbara Harbor. Ambulance needed. Emergency assistance needed.”

CHAPTER 30

Alex

“Heartrate stable. Blood pressure ninety over sixty.”

“Is she going to be okay?” It’s Ryan. He’s here.

My eyelids are thick and heavy. Cotton fills my mouth. It’s hard to breathe. I gasp for air.

“Alex? Are you waking up? You’re okay. You’re going to be okay.”

I manage to get one eyelid cracked. The light is bright, but the light calms.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Warmth covers my hands. He’s here.

Bright light forces me to squint. There’s an IV taped to the back of my hand. Ryan’s arm lies heavily over my thighs, and his head rests beside my hip. He’s asleep. I’m in a hospital bed.