Read Online Payback by Keith Douglass - Free Book Online

the Pacific Ocean stream into his mouth and nose. He couldn’t fight it anymore. He felt his whole body relax, and he knew then that he was sinking. There was no light or dark, there was only the cool, serene waters of the ocean. Now at last he had returned to the ocean from which life had begun so many millions of years ago. He was one with the sea. Then a total, inescapable, deadly deep darkness engulfed him and he sank deeper and deeper into the Santa Barbara Channel.

4
NAVSPECWARGRUP-ONE
Coronado, California
    Murdock stared at the news story in the San Diego Union-Tribune. It had made the front page. “Former Coronado SEAL Murdered in Santa Barbara.” He read the item quickly.
    â€œSanta Barbara Deputy Sheriff Nevin Irwin . . .”
    â€œDamn, it’s Irwin, he’s dead,” Murdock blurted out. Lieutenant Ed DeWitt looked up from the training chart he was writing. “Irwin? Nevin Irwin, who used to be in Team Five?”
    â€œYeah. I interviewed him a couple of times to come to our platoon. Then he blew out a knee. I knew he was up at Santa Barbara with the Sheriff’s Department.” He read the article aloud.
    â€œThe body of missing former Navy SEAL Nevin Irwin, a county deputy sheriff, washed up on Goleta Beach this morning. The county coroner said the body had been in the water for up to a week. Irwin had been reported missing at the Sheriff’s Department six days ago when he failed to report to work.
    â€œHis vehicle, a late-model SUV, was found near Goleta Point, where many surfers and divers often park. Irwin wore a full wet suit and an underwater breathing device. The coroner said death was due to a deep knife wound through the side that penetrated the wet suit. There was also seawater in the victim’s lungs.
    â€œIrwin had been with the Sheriff’s Department for almost two years, had as his special assignment all water-related problems, and did whatever diving the sheriff needed doing.
    â€œSheriff Kirkendol expressed regrets at the death, andpraised Irwin as an ideal deputy. He said Irwin had not been on any specific assignment involving the beach or the channel and that he did little recreational diving. Sheriff Kirkendol said the murder of the deputy would be investigated thoroughly and the perpetrator would be brought to justice.”
    Murdock passed the paper to DeWitt, who read it and looked up. “Most SEALs don’t lose underwater knife fights.”
    â€œUnless he was outnumbered three or four to one.” Murdock stared at the paper. A former SEAL killed in the water. That was unusual. Who would be skillful enough to do that? Another SEAL or some other highly trained diver. Who and from where? He looked at DeWitt. “You have the training sked worked out for the rest of the week?”
    â€œNearly done, Commander.”
    â€œGood, you’ve got the con. I’m going to take three days leave and I’ll see you next Monday.”
    Ed looked up, then nodded. “My guess is you’re going up to Santa Barbara.”
    â€œThought I might, but you don’t need to tell anyone. I’ll tell the master chief. He can reach me on my cell phone if we get an alert.”
    Ed stood. “My guess is you’ll be needing your full wet suit and a Draegr.”
    â€œMight just need them at that, Ed. Thanks. You take care of the store.”
    Â 
Santa Barbara, California
    Just after noon that same day, Blake Murdock sat across the desk from Sheriff Kirkendol. He wore civilian clothes and had just shown the sheriff his military ID and his SEAL Special Duty Card.
    â€œSheriff, I knew Nevin Irwin. He wasn’t in my platoon, but I had interviewed him twice. If he hadn’t blown out his knee he would have been one of my men. It bothers me that a former SEAL was killed in a knife fight in the channel. Our men are highly trained in knife fighting in and out of the water. In the water there are few men in the