The Reef Roamer (The Roamer Series Book 1)

by Deborah D. Moore

  The dive was quickly coming to an end. Daniel had allowed the Thomases to stay down much longer than Jayme had anticipated. Nearly forty-five minutes. She took her place by Marge as they made their leisurely way toward the shore. Near the surface, Jayme pulled the camera up barely below surface level and switched it on. She slowly brought it up and out of the water, like a surfacing submarine. Holding the camera steady while bobbing in the water was not easy, but she did capture the couple climbing out of the water and sprawling on the beach in satisfied exhaustion.

  “Good dive, people!” Daniel grinned. “I’m really proud of you, Marge. You handled that feeding like a veteran. Weren’t you scared at all?”

  “Well, I will admit I was a little startled at first, although it was so fascinating! All those fish, right there in front of me. I think I was too busy trying to see everything going on to be scared.” Marge stopped, her face shadowed in a mixture of profound feelings. She gave Daniel a smile. “Thank you, Daniel. This is an afternoon I’ll never forget,” she said, her voice thick with tender emotion. Jim stepped in close to enfold her tenderly in his arms.

  “It doesn’t have to end here, you know.” Daniel caught the movement when Jayme jerked her head toward him in puzzlement. “How would you like to go out again tomorrow?”

  Jayme’s heart pounded against her ribs like a jackhammer on a busy street. Was he really going to give them a second dive? She couldn’t believe it. How wonderful!

  “That is, if you don’t mind sharing the boat with them, Jayme.” Daniel grinned like he had a secret ready to divulge. “I did some asking around about Miguel. He’ll be here in the morning to take you back to Horseshoe Wall. Want some company?”

  Jayme stood stock-still. “I…I…I hope I’m ready for this, Daniel. How’d you find him so quickly?”

  Was she really going back to Horseshoe Wall? Back to the very spot Donald was attacked? Would she be able to face it without panic setting in and taking over?

  “Turns out your Miguel is one of my cousins. He remembers you. And he says he knows that you want to go there…and why. He also said he wonders why you’ve waited so long. Is there something you should tell me about this place, Jayme? As your dive master, I mean.” Daniel dusted the sand off his hands as he deflated the BC’s and stacked the air tanks, giving her much needed time to think.

  “What is this place, Jayme?” Marge’s gaze had shifted to one of genuine concern, her eyes darting back and forth between the two during their exchange. “Is it dangerous?” She hadn’t known Jayme long, though what she did know told her Jayme was oddly shaken.

  “No. No, not really.” Jayme tried to busy herself with packing her equipment while she collected her thoughts. “It’s the place where my husband was attacked by the shark five years ago. Miguel was our dive guide then. I’m sure he wouldn’t consent to go back if he felt it unsafe.” She tried to give them a confident smile, but it fell short of sincerity with her mind racing in all directions. “By the way, Daniel, why are you so willing to take Marge and Jim back out? Resort dives are usually a one-shot deal.”

  “That’s true, but I really was impressed with the way they handled themselves today. What harm would it do to give them an extra dive?” He turned to the two anxious elderly people and shook his finger at them good naturedly. “Now you two better get plenty of rest tonight. Tomorrow’s dive will be extra demanding. Oh, I forgot to ask. Do you want to go out on another dive tomorrow?”

  Marge and Jim beamed, nodding their heads, afraid to talk.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Horseshoe Wall. Am I really going back? Jayme wondered.

  She was stunned by the news Daniel had found Miguel. Examining her motives for the dive now that it was imminent, it was as if she had hoped Miguel was gone from the islands. That without him, the dive wouldn’t mean the same, and she could go back home and honestly tell herself she tried, without ever having to really do it. Was that what was really going on in her mind? Was she so afraid to face the past? To let it go, for once and for all? Jayme sighed. She’d never know now if she was trying to take the cowards way out by insisting Miguel be there. Tomorrow she would dive the wall again, and with Miguel.

  ***

  Jayme heaved her heavy dive bags onto the charter boat, silently comparing the two men eagerly taking her equipment. Cousins? Must be distant cousins. Where Daniel was blue eyed, sandy haired, and muscular, Miguel was much as she remembered him, trim, about her size, wiry, and dark.

  Jayme jumped down into the rocking boat from the wooden dock with practiced agility.

  “Hi, Jayme!” Miguel said, giving her a warm hug. “At first I was going to say you haven’t changed a bit,” Miguel looked at her, his white teeth gleaming in the morning sun, “but you have.”

  “Oh? In what way?” Jayme was curious. It had been five years. What could he possibly remember of her to know if she’d changed or not? She and Donald had been with him daily for two weeks, sure; it was still five years ago.

  “I’m not quite sure…” He drew the words out, examining her bronzed face in minute detail. “It’s not your face,” he finally said, “or the rest of you.” Miguel’s eyes followed the slim contours of her figure down to her trim ankles and back up and then grinned. “No, all of that is as if time has stood still for you. You have an ageless beauty, Jayme; I bet no one ever guesses your real age!”

  “Well, if I’m so unchanging, Miguel, what’s different about me?” Jayme was enjoying his honesty.

  “Your eyes.”

  “My eyes? What about my eyes?” Jayme wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear the rest of this.

  “They’ve aged, not you. They’re wise, yet sad, lonely and lost. They’re…haunted. You hide it well from others I bet, but not from yourself.” Miguel’s black eyes searched her green ones for a flicker of denial.

  Jayme stared at him, not knowing what to say, her heart beating erratically. Miguel was right, though she could never fully admit to that.

  “I guess that’s why I’m here, isn’t it, Jayme? To help you exorcise whatever ghosts you feel are still out there on that wall. That’s okay. I don’t mind. I have a few to deal with myself. You see, Donald is the only diver I’ve ever lost. I’ve known all these years that I wouldn’t be able to put that behind me…until you did. I’ve been waiting for you to return, Jayme. Welcome back.” Miguel reached out for Jayme and gave her another friendly hug. A sob caught in her throat as she returned the embrace.

  “Let’s do it,” she whispered.

  ***

  The day was as perfect as only a Caribbean morning could be. The cloudless sky promised an endless abundance of sunshine as the fiery sun crept by overhead. Jayme stretched her arms out behind her, bracing herself against the easy jolts as the boat skimmed across the gentle waves.

  She reached for her sunscreen. Deeply bronzed though she may be, Jayme knew it was still easy to burn out on the water. Applying a generous coating of #25 block, she watched the Thomases through lowered lashes.

  They had arrived on the docks at the agreed upon time, anxious and ready for another dive. Everyone laughed as Jim told how Marge had kept him up until midnight talking about the different fish they’d seen. “Overnight, she becomes an expert!”

  Now, they sat hand in hand, reviewing procedures with Daniel. Since Daniel had suggested they come along, he readily accepted responsibility for them. Daniel knew there was something special happening today. This was Jayme’s dive; the rest of them were merely bystanders.

  ***

  “A private charter is expensive, Jayme. You could have booked on one of my regular runs. I would have brought you out here.” Miguel gazed out over the ocean, not really expecting a reply.

  “Let’s just say I have a rather generous expense account,” Jayme mused. “And even if I didn’t, I can afford it. Money is only a means to get what you want and need, right? Right here and now, I need to dive that wall. Something is waiting for me out there, Miguel; I can feel it. It’s kind of ha
rd to explain, whatever it is…” Jayme trailed off, her sea green eyes reflecting the ocean blue.

  “Destiny.”

  “What?”

  “Destiny. Your destiny waits for you, Jayme. All you have to do is be ready to seize it.” Miguel pushed off from his seat and started toward the boat captain.

  “Wait,” Jayme pleaded, grabbing his arm. “Were you always so prophetic?”

  Miguel’s mouth tilted in a knowing smile. “Islanders have always been able to look beyond the obvious, Jayme. Just wait, you’ll see I’m right. Are you filming today?” When she shook her head, the smile broadened. “See, this dive is for you. You don’t need to hide behind the camera. Time to suit up. We’re almost there.” He turned then to give directions to the boat captain.

  Jayme had prepared her gear earlier, leaving only her dive skins and neoprene suit to put on. The dive skins were a light, full body ‘bathing suit,’ meant to protect the diver from coral abrasions. The slightly heavier neoprene suit would keep her from losing too much body heat at the deep depths they would be going. Although Caribbean diving was warm, the water was still ten degrees cooler than the average human body temperature, and the body tended to lose heat quickly in the water, especially after repeated exposure. Her lightweight suit now hung loosely around her thin waist, waiting for the final shutdown of the boat engines.

  “Okay. Listen up. We have a real simple dive plan today. Marge and Jim, you two will stay with Daniel on the upper edge of the reef in about forty feet of water. Whatever he says, goes. Understand?” They nodded silently. “Jayme and I will do the wall. Any questions? Let’s go!”

  ***

  Jayme slid down into the warm water, allowing herself to be captivated by the sunlight dancing on the surface, flickering like a million diamonds scattered in the wind. As the pressure began to build in her ears, Jayme absentmindedly held her nose and equalized the pressure. Down she drifted, building distance between her and the rippling surface. She focused her attention toward Miguel. He hovered slightly below her, asking a question with his thumb and forefinger touching. Jayme mimicked the sign, indicating she was okay.

  Settling down on the sandy bottom next to the coral heads, Jayme and Miguel waited for Daniel to arrive with Jim and Marge. Blue wrasse flickered in the sunlight, darting in and around the sea fans, catching bits of food floating in the mild currents. Daniel slowly descended, giving the two older divers plenty of time to equalize the pressure in their ears and to acclimate to the gentle pressure on their bodies. A surge of vertigo was common with new divers in open water where the visibility was unlimited. The patient dive master kept careful watch on his charges as they came to a stop in the milky white sand near the other two. Jayme glanced over at the Thomases. Marge waved at her and then gave her the okay sign, which Jayme returned. She then turned back to a waiting Miguel, and together they glided over the corals where the wall began. With one last look at the trio, Jayme signaled to Miguel then jackknifed her body and dove for the deeper blue depths.

  The coral structures became more profound the deeper they went, and the aquatic life thinned out. Fascinated by the intricate structure of the corals, time slipped by the duo. Pressing ever downward, Jayme felt a gentle tug on her arm. Looking back, she saw Miguel, gauges in hand, shaking his finger at her. She picked up her computer console and only then realized she had descended to 110 feet. They would have to ascend to a shallower depth, and soon, to escape a lengthy decompression stop. Jayme noted too that she was down to 1200 pounds of air. She indicated as such to Miguel, and they started upward to start their multi-level decompression. Jayme glanced longingly at the underwater wall, realizing how much she missed seeing when she was busy behind a camera.

  The threesome was still in the same general area as expected, inspecting the coral tunnels at thirty-five feet. Jayme reached into one of her BC pockets and brought out more ham strips, handing the baggie to Daniel. As the couple was lost in a veil of yellow jacks, Jayme backed away to watch.

  ***

  The pain struck hard and fast, jerking her off balance and sending her mind reeling in agony toward blackness. When she turned, confused, she saw a rising cloud coming from her arm. Blood. No! Her mind screamed. This can’t be happening! This is just like The Dream. Only Jayme knew she wasn’t dreaming this time.

  ***

  Her eyes frantically searched for the shark she thought had struck. She twisted to the left, held fast. Her eyes sought out and found the cause. A fishing line! She’d been snared by a fishing lure. Jayme struggled with the increasing pain in her arm. By ingrained response, she reached for the knife attached to her right ankle to cut herself loose as Miguel came up to her side, his knife already in hand and reaching for the line. He hooked the notch in the backside of the knife over the heavy test cable. Knowing time was short before Jayme was jerked away again, he pulled the sharp knife downward, severing the line as the tension began to increase. His body was tense with unspoken anger. No one was supposed to fish around a dive boat, not ever.

  Jayme looked up at her dive master with pain in her eyes and took a steadying pull on her regulator. The agony was tearing at the delicate fabric of her mind as easily as a light breeze would shred a wet tissue. Miguel eased her down to kneel in the sand on the ocean floor while he examined her arm.

  ***

  Daniel looked up, the curtain of fish having already begun to clear. Jayme and Miguel were too far away. And why was she sitting on the bottom? When his eyes adjusted to the distance, he saw the growing cloud around Jayme. Daniel motioned for the Thomases to stay where they were and propelled through the water, away from them.

  By the time Daniel joined the two other divers, his anger had mounted, realizing what had happened. Jayme had already pulled a plastic tube of Vaseline from her BC pocket. It was a standard piece of equipment for her, to keep the sometimes stinging saltwater off her delicate face. Today it may save their lives. She thrust the tube at Daniel and pointed to her bleeding arm.

  Daniel knew the jelly would be a temporary seal and began applying it around the large lure that had penetrated her soft flesh. Miguel held her elbow as gently as he could yet firmly enough so Daniel could do what needed to be done. This had to hurt, big time. His admiration for her grew. Jayme closed her eyes while Daniel worked quickly; time was of the essence.

  Daniel tapped Jayme’s mask to get her to open her tortured eyes. He pointed his finger at her, then made a circle with finger and thumb, asking ‘you okay?’ Jayme held her right hand flat in front of her, palm down, and tilted it side to side, replying ‘not good - not bad’. He nodded in understanding. Daniel and Miguel exchanged looks, and then Daniel motioned toward her arm and pointed his thumb downward, meaning ‘not good’. This was not the time to be evasive. Jayme was an experienced diver; he knew she could handle the truth. The Reef Roamer insisted on the truth.

  Jayme nodded in understanding. Again, she reached for a pocket in her BC, this time retrieving a slate with an attached pencil, which she handed to Daniel to hold while she wrote. She grasped the floating pencil and printed:

  Don’t alarm them.

  He nodded; it would only create panic if the Thomases knew Jayme was badly hurt. However, Daniel also knew they had to surface, and soon, before Jayme passed out from the pain. Besides keeping the blood in, the coating of jelly would keep the saltwater out of the wound and that part of the pain at bay for a short time. Daniel had no idea how long her endorphins would hold out or even if they had kicked in yet. Under the circumstances, they probably had, but this woman was full of surprises. He could tell the lure was imbedded deeply and would require prompt medical attention. Any pain she may be feeling was only the beginning. He had to move them and fast. Daniel and Miguel exchanged another knowing look, unspoken priorities understood by the two dive masters.

  Jayme took a couple more deep breaths with her eyes closed, focusing her concentration. Daniel returned to the waiting couple, while Miguel began a slow ascent with the injured J
ayme. A few moments later, all five divers broke the surface not ten feet from their boat.

  “Get them out first,” Jayme whispered to Miguel as he thumbed the control valve, adding air to her BC to keep her afloat. “I’ll be alright. Just get them out.” Miguel nodded and then waved his arm at the boat crew, the sign for distress. He pointed at the novice divers and jerked his thumb, meaning to get them out of the water.

  The crew helped the Thomases off with their equipment while Daniel turned his attention back to helping his cousin get Jayme out of the water and safely on board.

  “How’re you doing?” he asked gently, taking her fins and weight belt.

  “I’ll live, but I think my diving may be over for the day,” she joked with a grimace.

  “We’re lucky you’ve got the new style BC, Jayme.” Miguel unclipped her shoulder straps first to free her arm, then the chest straps and cumber bun.

  “Forget about the BC, Jayme. Miguel will get it. Give me your right hand and let me pull you up.” Free of all her equipment, Jayme lifted out of the water easily. She collapsed at Daniel’s feet, exhausted.

  “What’s the matter with Jayme, Daniel?” Marge asked in concern. Even to a novice, it was obvious something was terribly amiss.

  “She’s been snared by a fishing lure,” Daniel replied, appreciating the older woman’s genuine concern. “She’ll be fine, Marge, honestly. This is far from life threatening,” he reassured her as he helped Jayme to her feet.

  “It’s a forty-minute ride to Marsh Harbor, isn’t it?” Jayme’s wet face was clouded with pain and memories.

  “Yes,” Daniel replied, “but we’re not going to Marsh Harbor. It’s only twenty minutes back to Holm Cay, and we’ve got a pretty good clinic there. One of the doctors thought it would be a good idea to have a series of small clinics throughout the islands for emergencies—like this. The one in Holm Cay is the first. Marsh Harbor can be a long way off if you need a doctor in a hurry.”