Island Peril Read Online Free PDF Page A

toes to her scalp and back again, settling in the pit of her stomach like a calcium carbonate deposit. She clutched Paul’s shoulders and studied the cords in his neck, afraid to move, afraid to breathe.
    Pebbles rained down the cliff. The men exchanged a few words, probably in Spanish, their voices muffled.
    Then the footsteps retreated, and they were gone.
    At least, Ella thought they were gone. Who could tell? She certainly wasn’t going to stick her neck out to look.
    After a few minutes, Paul’s muscles relaxed, going from rock hard to merely firm. He put his knife away and turned his attention back to her. His expression was guarded. They were still in danger, obviously.
    She moistened her lips. “What should we do?”
    “Let’s stay here for awhile,” he murmured. “We can’t assume they gave up and went back to the harbor.”
    “What do they want?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Why didn’t they just take the pot and leave?”
    He had no answers, only regrets. “I shouldn’t have touched the bale. I should have just left it floating. I never thought this would happen.”
    “Of course not. This is crazy!”
    “I’m sorry, Ella.”
    Tears of stress and anxiety filled her eyes. She didn’t like this adventure anymore, but she still liked him. If not for his quick thinking, they’d be trapped on the exposed plateau at the mercy of the drug smugglers.
    His jaw clenched at the sight of her emotional distress. “Don’t cry.”
    “Where’s your radio?” she asking, wiping her cheek.
    “With the kayaks.”
    Her spirits sank further. They’d brought almost nothing on the hike. She’d left her bottled water somewhere. He had more in his day pack, along with a pair of binoculars.
    They endured salt spray, northerly gusts and cramped conditions as the sun dipped lower on the horizon. This side of the island offered little protection from the elements. She listened to waves crashing against the base of the cliff as she shivered in his arms. Although her legs were cold, he kept her upper body warm, his broad shoulders blocking the wind.
    A terrible thought occurred to her. “What if they circle around by boat?”
    “They can’t reach us.”
    “They can shoot at us.”
    He couldn’t deny the possibility. “We need another place to hide,” he agreed. “Are you ready to climb?”
    She didn’t want to, but moving on was the best option. He helped her with the ascent, following close behind in case she slipped. It was easier on the way up, and she worried less about falling. When she reached the top of the cliff, she searched the area for intruders. Seeing none, she scrambled over the edge.
    He joined her a second later, his gaze sweeping the deserted plateau.
    “Do you think they left the island?”
    “I don’t want to hike down to the beach and find out they didn’t.”
    Neither did Ella.
    “There’s a lookout point on the opposite side of the harbor, near the caves. We can get a better view from there.”
    They cautiously hiked the short distance, keeping their eyes peeled for the smugglers. At the lookout, he got down on his belly and army-crawled toward the edge of the plateau while she waited, crouched by a bush. He observed the area for several minutes, scanning every inch of space before rising.
    “It looks clear.”
    She walked toward the edge and glanced around. The harbor was deserted. Their kayaks lay abandoned on the sand.
    “I have to call Ramona and tell her what happened.”
    “Now?”
    He nodded. “You stay here. I’ll be right back.”
    “No way,” she said, clasping his hand. “Either I go with you, or you don’t go.”
    His brows rose at her vehemence. “I’d rather go alone.”
    “Why, because it’s dangerous?”
    He didn’t respond. Of course it was dangerous.
    “What’s the rush?”
    “It’s almost five,” he said, checking his watch. “We’re supposed to be back by six. When we don’t arrive on time, the Coast Guard will be notified. They’ll start