The Inside Passage (Ted Higuera Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

down at his knife.
    “I’m thinking that
you boys need a break, a long vacation. How about you take the Defiant on a cruise this summer? Up the Inside Passage. Princess Louisa Inlet,
Desolation Sound, the Queen Charlotte Strait. Who knows, maybe go all the way
to Alaska. I hear that Glacier Bay is incredible.”
    “What ees the Defiant ?”
Mama had a worried look on her face.
    “She’s my C&C
40,” Harry responded.
    Mama gave him a
blank stare.
    “She’s a
forty-foot sailboat.” Harry explained.
    Chris had told Ted
stories about growing up on the Defiant . Twenty-five years ago, he said,
she had been the scourge of the Puget Sound racing circuit. A fierce
competitor, Harry drove his crew to perfection. Ted deduced that sailing with
Harry was the only time Chris had ever felt close to his father.
    “We haven’t used
her much since Chris’ mom got sick.” Harry looked at Mama as he poured himself
a cup of coffee. “She used to be a great cruiser.”
    “So this ees a
boat trip?” Mama wrung her tiny hands.
    Ted could see the
gears spinning in Mama’s head. “Mama!” He needed for her not to interfere.
    “When Chris’ mom
was alive,” Harry told Mama, “we used to take an annual family cruise north
through the San Juan Islands and into the Canadian Gulf Islands. Once we even
went as far as Princess Louisa Inlet on the British Columbia coast.”
    “Ees it safe?”
Mama patted her dark hair in place. “How deep ees the water? You will wear life
jackets, no?”
    “I don’t know,
Dad.” Chris stared at the rigging knife in his hands. “I’ve taken her out for a
few day sails. But a big cruise? I don’t know if I can do it.”
    “You’ll be fine.”
Harry looked out over the bright waters of Puget Sound below them. “You know
everything you need to know to sail the boat.”
    “But, I don’t know
anything about navigation. . . I don’t know where we’d go. It’s been years
since I crossed the border”
    “You have to learn
sometime, Chris. We all started out that way once.”
    “What’s the
catch?” Chris looked up at his father. “What do we have to do?”
    A hurt look
flashed through Harry’s eyes. This was beginning to get uncomfortable. Ted
didn’t want to be caught in the cross-fire.
    “There’s no catch,
son.” Harry stared at Chris. “Take the boat, go north, blow off some steam.
Have a good time. Get yourself refreshed, then in the fall, you’ll be ready to
tackle law school.”
    “You know I
haven’t decided about that yet.” Chris snapped. “I don’t know what I’m going to
do.”
    “That’s OK, Chris.
I’m not pressuring you.” Harry leaned forward and patted Chris’ knee. Chris
stiffened at the contact. “Take the boat, have a good time. Sort things out.
When you get back, you’ll be ready for your next step.”
     
    ****
     
    Toronto, Canada
    Ahmad sat opposite
an exotic looking beauty at his neighborhood Starbucks. Things had not been
going smoothly. She refused to see the true path. Clearly she was not following
Mohammed’s way. Make-up, uncovered head, the latest fashions . . . He must save
her from herself.
    “I’m sorry, this
just isn’t working.” Bushra Dahir’s dark, mesmerizing eyes flitted from him to
the coffee cup in her hands.
    “Bushra,” Ahmad
gasped. “What’re you saying?”
    “You’re too
old-fashioned.” Bushra glanced at her watch. “You want to go back to the Middle
Ages.”
    “No, I just want
the world to return to its rightful order.” The coffee shop began to spin.
Ahmad fought to keep his mind focused.
    “Ahmad, I’m tired
of your criticism. We’re not living in Iran. This is Canada. Women have rights
here. We’re free to make a life of our own.” Bushra didn’t look him in the eyes.
    “But the Qur’an
says . . .” Beads of perspiration formed on Ahmad’s brow.
    “I don’t care what
the Qur’an says. I have a career. I have a life of my own. I’m not going back
to being a good little housewife because of