Read Online Stranded by Dani Pettrey - Free Book Online

Abby?”
    â€œYou don’t understand. I’m getting nothing but resistance, and they believe I’m only an adventure journalist. If—”
    â€œOnly?”
    â€œYou know what I mean.”
    â€œSounds like you think being an adventure journalist somehow isn’t enough.”
    â€œThat’s not the point.” She exhaled. How did he turn heraround like that? “The point is, I’m barely getting anything now. If they find out that I’m investigating Abby’s disappearance, I’ll get a one-way ticket off this ship.”
    â€œYou sound awfully confident about the ineffectiveness of something you haven’t tried.”
    â€œI believe someone aboard the Bering found out the truth of who Abby was—that she was a reporter—and now she’s missing. Do you really think whoever made her disappear wouldn’t come after me?”
    He sank back, concern marring his brow. “I don’t like it. It’s a dangerous game you’re playing.”
    â€œI don’t have a choice.”
    â€œYou keep saying that.”
    â€œBecause it’s the truth.” Why couldn’t he see that? “Look, just fill me in on tomorrow’s excursion and we can both call it a night.”
    â€œFine.” He exhaled with a grunt. “We’re taking a group of fourteen passengers on an overnight kayak excursion.”
    â€œOvernight?” He was kidding, right?
    â€œThe Bering ’s docking in Eagle Cove for the night. It’s part of the new adventure angle. Instead of giving folks only a few hours, they get chartered from spot to spot to enjoy overnight camping experiences.”
    â€œCamping?”
    â€œWe’ll be spending the night on Kesuk, a small island off the southwest coast of Aukaneck.”
    â€œAukaneck?”
    â€œThe island where the community of Eagle Cove is located, where the Bering will be docked. We’ll take off by kayak from there.”
    â€œBy kayak?” Her eyes widened, her pulse skittering.
    â€œYou really weren’t paying any attention, were you? Kesuk,the island where we’ll be camping, is only reachable by boat or floatplane. There are no facilities there. That’s why Mullins put Ted and George with us. They’re in charge of the passengers’ accommodations and will be bringing them by supply ship.”
    Supply ship . Her heart settled. She’d be transported by supply ship—no need to panic.
    â€œIt’s apparently their job as activities engineers to cater to the passengers while they’re ‘roughing it.’” He used air quotes, clearly finding the entire notion of activities engineers absurd.
    â€œWait, did you say there are no facilities?” Meaning no bathroom? No running water? Things just kept getting better and better.
    â€œAfraid not.” He smiled.
    Of course he’d enjoy this. She squared her shoulders, refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much she hated the prospect of spending the night with no facilities. “I’m sure if the Bering is providing accommodations, they’ll be far above what one can expect with traditional camping.”
    â€œThe Bering is providing the passengers’ accommodations.” A smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. “LFA is providing the staffs’.”
    â€œCharming.” She could just picture the rustic tents now.
    â€œYou sure you don’t want to make up an excuse to stay behind? We both know you aren’t the ‘roughing-it’ type.”
    â€œNeed I remind you that I’m an adventure -athlete reporter?” She spent plenty of time outdoors and loved it, but when the day was done she wanted a hot shower and a comfy bed.
    His smirk widened into a grin. “First time I met you, you were wearing three-inch heels in Yancey. In the middle of winter .”
    â€œThey were boots.”
    â€œ With three-inch heels.”
    She shrugged a