A Thousand Suns Read Online Free PDF Page B

have it. His boat, Mona Lisa , was booked in to Winston Macies Marine to have her refrigeration storage units overhauled soon for the first time in nearly ten years and that would take a week or more and cost a small fortune. He could really do with some extra greenbacks to cover that.
    ‘So?’ said Chris.
    Will donned an expression of painful reluctance. ‘Well, now. On the subject of hirin’. The Lisa here is a fishin’ vessel see . . . shrimps, herring, some cod when we can find it. That’s what we catch round here. We go out in the mornin’ and return late. Sometimes we’ll stay out overnight. I can’t take you out tomorrow, because I got men who work on this boat for the share they get on the sale of the catch. So they can’t afford to miss a day’s work. If you want to hire this boat . . . it’s gonna have to be at night.’
    Chris turned to Mark and spoke quietly. ‘At night, are we okay with that?’
    ‘No difference really. It’s virtually night seventy-five feet down anyway. The question is, are you going to be comfortable with doing that?’
    Chris took a long look up and down the wharf. There really wasn’t a great deal of choice in the matter.
    ‘Sure. If you’re happy it’s okay and safe, I guess I am. You’re the pro here,’ he replied.
    ‘You sure you don’t want to look around? Maybe go find a proper chartering agency?’ asked Mark.
    ‘Hmmm, that’s going to cost a shit load more dosh.’
    ‘Yes. Your call, Chris.’
    Will watched the two men talking quietly. He decided they needed a little extra nudge.
    ‘You’ll find it’s the same with any of the other workin’ boats in this area . . . ’cept I’m ready to sail.’
    He smiled for the first time and added, ‘ And I can give you the full ten-cents tour. A little local history, a few stories, eh?’
    ‘Okay. How much?’
    ‘Five hundred dollars should just about cover it.’
    ‘Five hundred!’
    ‘You gonna’ tell me how much you’re gettin’ paid to take them pictures? I bet it’s a lot more ’an five hundred. That’s the price . . . an’ if I hear back from some other skipper that they offered you cheaper, well, more fool them.’
    Chris looked up and down the wharf. There really was only Will’s boat that looked good to go.
    ‘Looks like a seller’s market. I don’t think you’re going to be able to haggle him down any,’ said Mark under his breath.
    Chris turned back to Will. ‘Four hundred and you got a deal.’
    The old man waved at Chris. ‘Been nice talkin’ to you.’ He headed back towards the hatch on the foredeck.
    ‘Bollocks,’ Chris muttered. ‘Five hundred, then.’
    Will turned back round to face them. ‘I’ll take that in bills, if you don’t mind. We don’t do American Express round here.’
    ‘Cash? Yeah, I guess I can do that. So what time can you set off tomorrow night? I’m pretty keen to get over and see the -’
    ‘Settin’ off tonight sound good to you boys?’
    Chris and Mark exchanged glances. ‘Sure.’
    ‘Be back here at nine o’clock then, and bring my five hundred dollars.’ Will winked at Chris. ‘Pleasure doin’ business with you.’

Chapter 3
    Heading Out
    At nine-thirty the trawler finally chugged noisily away from the wharf and passed Leonard’s Spur, a small rocky island about an acre in size and linked to the mainland by a sandy spit. A single flashing beacon on a tall metal spire marked it out.
    Will hugged the channel tightly and passed close by the wet rocks of the spur that seemed to twitch and move with the pulsing flicker of the beacon’s light.
    Chris watched Port Lawrence slowly recede, shuddering at the thought of the freezing dive ahead of him. He looked at his watch.
    Say, forty-five minutes out to the buoy marking the wreck, half an hour underwater and forty-five minutes back.
    He’d be soaking in a warm soapy bath in a little more than two hours’ time. Of course, it was never that easy. It would probably take a little longer to get