Read Online In Deep Waters by Melissa McClone - Free Book Online

pleasure vessel. And that fact alone gave her hope all was not lost. Hard work always paid off. Her father had shown her that.
    She stared at the cables lying on the deck until they disappeared into the water. Sonar devices were attached to the submerged end of the cables thousands of feet down. She'd spent her afternoon shift staring at monitors displaying images from the ocean bottom. Nothing but mud--make that sediment. Either way, she'd wasted four more hours. At least this section of the Pacific would be mapped. But that didn't make her feel better.
    How long before Ben realized the futility of his search?
    Kayla had to convince him to go to her coordinates. She wasn't a quitter, yet she was discouraged, frustrated and a whole lot of other things. Her gut told her to take charge. To forget about what Ben Mendoza might think and take over the expedition. It wasn't only her right, but her responsibility. She owed that much to the museum, the investors and, most important, her father.
    Touching the talisman around her neck, she stared at the shimmering water below. The dark blue contrasted with the whitecaps of the waves. The water called to her, beckoned her to jump in. She longed to feel the saltwater on her skin and swim like the dolphins she'd seen earlier. The impulse made little sense, but she believed people put too much weight on things that made sense. People like Ben.
    Something hissed behind her. Kayla turned from the railing.
    Ben stood next to a pump with a can of WD-40 in his hand. "Looking for anything in particular?"
    "Just the Isabella. "
    "You look tired." He sprayed a gear. "Long day?"
    The longer they searched Ben's grid, the longer the days would get. She nodded.
    "I thought about what you said earlier." Ben's gaze met hers. "About finding the Izzy."
    This was it. He was going to ask for her coordinates. She forced herself to remain calm, though her insides shook.
    "The most important thing is finding the ship," he said. "Not who's right. Or wrong."
    Kayla wanted to hug him. She smiled instead. "Exactly."
    "I want to make a deal."
    As he moved toward her, she stepped back and bumped into the rail. "Deal?"
    "I agree to follow your search coordinates if you agree to leave."
    "Leave?" Realization dawned and with it a hundred questions. She started with the two most obvious. "Leave the ship? The expedition?"
    He nodded.
    "But why?" Her voice cracked. She couldn't help herself. "Did I do something wrong?"
    He looked away. "Not really."
    "Not really?" Her blood pressure shot upward. "What's that supposed to mean?"
    He checked a cable but said nothing.
    She placed her hands on her hips. "I have a right to know."
    He stared at her, but she could read nothing in his dark eyes. "You do."
    She didn't feel any relief. Especially when he handed her the can of lubricant. "Hold this for me."
    Kayla did. She wasn't about to be told she didn't take orders well. Not like some people.
    Ben thanked her and adjusted the knobs on what she thought was a hydraulic pump.
    She stared at the equipment as if it were the most fascinating piece of machinery she'd ever seen. At least she wasn't staring at Ben and waiting for him to speak. Kayla wanted to hear what he had to say, but she didn't want to appear anxious. She ground the toe of her shoe into the deck.
    Finally he finished with the machine and gave it a loving pat. "Good as new."
    Well, she wasn't. Kayla was losing patience. "Tell me now."
    He pulled a rag from his pocket and wiped his hands. "I want you to leave."
    "You want me to leave?"
    He checked another gauge. "I do."
    "Why?"
    "Family."
    She shoved the can into his hand. "You've lost me."
    "Having you aboard is a distraction to my family."
    "Madison is a little girl." Kayla didn't understand what was going on. "She's distracted by everything."
    "She's getting attached to you."
    "I'm already attached to her."
    "She's highly impressionable."
    "I know that."
    "She doesn't understand the difference between reality and