The Reef

little busy saving her life.” Ray squeezed his eyes tight and absorbed the relief. When Matthew had dragged Tate from the water, he’d been sure his only child was dead.
    “What happened?” Tate finally found the strength to open her eyes. Overhead was a circle of pale, concerned faces. “God, I hurt all over.”
    “Just be quiet for a minute. Her pupils look normal. She’s not shaking.”
    “There could be delayed shock. I think we should get her out of those wet clothes and into bed.” Marla bit her lip, and though she knew it was foolish, checked Tate’s brow for fever. “I’ll make you some nice chamomile tea.”
    “Okay.” A little woozy, Tate smiled. “Can I get up now?”
    Muttering an oath, Matthew picked her up, blanket and all. “I’ll put her in bed.” He paused briefly for a last glance at VanDyke. “LaRue, you and Buck better get what’s left of him over to Nevis, give him to the cops.”
    Vaguely curious, Tate stared. “Why is he laughing?”
    “That’s all he’s done since Ray hauled him in. He laughs and mutters about witches burning in water. Let’s get you in a hot bath.”
    “Oh, let’s.”
    He was patient. Matthew drew her bath, massaged her shoulders. He even washed her hair himself. Then he dried her, tucked her into a nightshirt and robe and put her to bed.
    “I could get used to this,” she murmured, letting herstill light head rest against plumped pillows while she sipped the tea her mother had brought in.
    “You stay put,” Marla ordered, fussing with the blanket. She glanced up at Matthew. “Ray went along to Nevis. He didn’t want to let VanDyke out of his sight until he was in a cell. Do you want me to let you know when they get back?”
    “I’ll come up shortly.”
    Marla only lifted a brow. She had a feeling Tate had one more crisis to deal with. “I think I’ll go brew a big pot of coffee. You rest, honey.” She kissed Tate’s forehead and closed the door quietly behind her.
    “Isn’t she the best?” Tate began. “Nothing ever shakes that wonderful Southern panache.”
    “You’re about to find out what shakes a Yankee temperament. What the hell did you think you were doing?”
    She winced at the volume. “I don’t know, exactly. It all happened so fast.”
    “You weren’t breathing.” He caught her chin in fingers tensed and trembling like plucked wires. “You weren’t breathing when I pulled you out.”
    “I don’t remember. Everything after I dived in after him is jumbled and kind of surreal.”
    “You dived in after him,” Matthew repeated, spacing each word.
    “I didn’t mean to,” she said quickly. “I threw the amulet into the water. I had to take the chance that he’d go after it instead of shooting me.”
    His heart, which had already suffered violently, stopped again. “He had a gun?”
    “Yes.” She could feel her mind begin to float again and struggled to concentrate. “He must have lost it in the water. I was coming inside.” Gently she took his hand in hers. “He was just there. Just there behind me, Matthew, with the gun jammed into my back. He must have come over from starboard. His gear’s probably still there on the ladder. I couldn’t call for you, Matthew. He’d have killed all of us.”
    As calmly as she could, she told him what had happened on deck.
    “I took the necklace off,” she murmured and closed her eyes to try to see it all again.
    The play of light, the shifting shadows. The way the stone seemed to throb like a heart in her hand.
    “I didn’t even have to think about it. I just threw it. He ran past me; he never even looked at me. Just went in.”
    “Why the hell did you go after him? I was right here, Red.”
    “I know. I can’t explain it. One minute I was thinking I’ll get Matthew, and the next I was in the water. Even as I was diving I was thinking it didn’t make sense. But I couldn’t stop myself. I caught him, and we struggled.”
    To bring the picture clearer, she closed her eyes again. “I remember thrashing around with him on the surface, under it. I remember losing air, knowing he would drown me. Then there was this light.”
    “Christ.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “You’re telling me you had a near-death experience? The white light, the tunnel, the works?”
    As puzzled as he, she opened her eyes again. “No, but it was just as odd. I must have been hallucinating. I saw this glow, and the glow was the necklace. The sand was perfectly white, and I