“All’s quiet down here,” he said. “Now, where was Wendy when you last saw her?”

“I’ll come with you,” Marissa said. Despite her fears, Marissa felt she owed that much to Wendy. She swiftly suited up. Wynn helped her with her tank. In another minute she was on the platform next to Rafe.

“I’m impressed,” Rafe said. “I really am. Aren’t you scared to go back into the water after what happened?”

“I’m terrified,” Marissa said. “Let’s go before I change my mind.”

Instead of jumping far from the boat, Marissa eased herself into the water, scanning in all directions. But Rafe was right: the water was as peaceful and serene as when she’d first entered it that morning. A few butterfly and angel fish swam by. She glanced back at the shark cage, determined to be ready to make a swim for it should the need arise.

Turning to Rafe, Marissa motioned toward the mouth of the channel. There was less of a current than there had been earlier. Where the channel opened into the ocean, they hesitated. Even in the distance they couldn’t see anything larger than a few parrot fish nestled along the wall of the reef. The monster that had terrorized her not an hour before was nowhere to be seen.

Marissa’s heart skipped a beat when she felt something touch her arm. Turning, she saw it was only Rafe. He signaled to her, asking which way they should go. Marissa pointed. Together, they headed in that direction.

After they’d gone about thirty feet, Marissa stopped Rafe with her hand. She signaled that they were now where she last saw Wendy. They began to scour the sandy floor, but they discovered nothing, not even a piece of diving gear.

Finally, Rafe motioned for them to return to the boat.

Climbing onto the dive platform, Marissa felt crushed. Wendy was truly gone. Not a trace was left of her. It seemed too incredible to be true. For the moment Marissa couldn’t even cry anymore.

“Really sorry, luv,” Rafe said. He slipped out of his gear. “Wynn and I feel terribly about all this, we do. Never happened on the Oz before, I can assure you of that. Terrible accident, it was.” Then he went forward and had Wynn pull up the shark cage while he used the radio.

Rafe told the shore patrol that the patrol boat had yet to appear. He gave them their position again and told them that although a diver was still missing, they were coming in to get medical attention for the injured first mate.

Once the diesels were started, Rafe had Wynn hoist up the anchor. Then they started back for Hamilton Island.

“You say you actually saw the shark seize the poor woman around the chest?” Mr. Griffiths, the Royal Australian police inspector, asked.