Before I Sleep
Page 32
“Get him up!” yelled the diver. “Get him up, he's … mask, for the love of God get him up!”
The tender slammed one of the winches to top speed. For Tom, a lifetime seemed to pass before the diver finally surfaced alongside the vessel. He was still flailing, making it difficult to winch him over the side. At least he'd lost his knife in his rapid ascent, so they only had to deal with his struggles as they hastened to unhook him from the safety line.
Helping hands were plentiful. As soon as they had the diver unhooked, they carried him as quickly as they could to the hyperbaric chamber that had been bolted onto the Hope's deck specifically for this deep dive. As if someone had known …
The thought crossed Tom's mind, then washed away on the tide of horror as he helped put the diver on the cot in the chamber.
Oh God, he thought as he glanced at the face inside the mask. Oh, God, it was Chase.
Chase, his friend of many years. Chase, a drinking buddy since their navy days. Oh, dear Mary, Mother of God…
He stood outside the chamber, watching through the small, thick window, as the compressor labored to raise the pressure to sixty feet below sea level. He wanted to steam full ahead for the shore, but they couldn't budge until they safely brought up the other diver. He watched as the bends gripped his friend and twisted his body into impossible shapes. He listened to the muffled screams.
“Skipper? Bill's aboard.”
Only then, with a heart as heavy as lead, did Tom order the Lady Hope to make full speed for port. Only then did the wind and waves return, carrying away the eerie haze.
The sea had exacted her toll.
RACHEL LEE has over four million books in print and has won numerous awards for her bestselling romantic fiction. The author of Silhouette's number-one miniseries, Conard County, Rachel Lee also writes lighthearted contemporary romances under the pseudonym Sue Civil-Brown. Now she joins Warner Books with this exciting tale of romantic suspense, filled with authenticity, sensuality, and unforgettable characters— all the reasons Romantic Times calls Rachel Lee “an author to treasure forever.”
Five years ago Carey Justice was a young prosecutor who helped convict an innocent man. Today she's the hottest talk show host on radio and won't rest until he is cleared— no matter what it costs her. She has exactly three weeks to save John William Otis from the electric chair … but first she must convince her old lover, Seamus Rourke, to join her in her crusade.
A detective on the Otis case, Seamus suspects Carey's motives. Wary and still hurt from their last encounter, he hesitates … until a copycat killer sets his sights on Carey. Now, as the days slip away, the countdown is on to save a blameless man from certain death—and give two passionate hearts their last chance for love.
Nationally bestselling author Rachel Lee keeps us on the edge of our seats with her signature style of nerve-shattering suspense … and, like no other author today, exposes the hidden passions, secret dreams, and unstoppable power of a woman's heart.