The Solomon Curse Read Online Free PDF

with a pidgin accent.
    â€œWhat’s your name?” Remi asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.
    â€œRicky.”
    Sam slid behind the wheel. Leonid moved to the door and handed him the keys. “I’ll be right behind you in the orange truck.”
    â€œFine.” Sam looked at Ricky. “Get in the back with your uncle and make sure the belt stays tight. How far are we from the hospital?”
    â€œMaybe forty-five minutes . . .” Ricky said doubtfully.
    Sam frowned. “Buckle up. We’ll see if we can make it in fifteen.”
    Remi and Ricky strapped in as Sam cranked the engine. He dropped the transmission into gear and they roared off, bouncing down the track that was little more than a thinning passageway through the encroaching jungle. The big motor labored on the mushy terrain, and it took what seemed like forever to reach the ragged pavement strip of the coastal road that ringed the island. Once on the asphalt, Sam floored the gas, his gaze intent, his concentration absolute, and the SUV surged forward, tires screeching as he took the curves at double any sane speed.
    Remi’s knuckles whitened as she gripped the armrest. “It won’t help him very much if they have to send an ambulance to scrape us off a rock.”
    â€œDon’t worry. I used to own a Ferrari.”
    They drifted around a bend, all four tires protesting as they lost traction. Sam gunned the engine and downshifted to regain control. After a glance at Remi, he shrugged and slowed a few miles per hour, still pushing the limit of what the heavy vehicle could manage.
    Remi twisted to look at the injured man, who was soaked in blood and laboring for breath. Ricky had his hand clenched on the belt, a frightened expression on his young face. His eyes met Remi’s and he swallowed hard.
    â€œYou think he’ll make it?” he asked.
    â€œWe’ll do everything we can to see that he does. What’s the hospital like? How advanced is it?” she asked.
    He shook his head. “I guess it’s okay. I’ve never been anywhere else, so I don’t know what others are like.”
    â€œDo they deal with a lot of injuries?”
    â€œI think so.” He sounded doubtful.
    Sam accelerated on a relatively straight stretch and called over his shoulder. “Are there many crocodile attacks here?”
    Another shrug. “A few. Mostly, people just disappear, so we don’t know for sure the crocs got them.” His tone was matter-of-fact, like he was describing the regular rainstorms or the onset of old age.
    Remi fixed him with a hard stare. “Why didn’t anyone help him?”
    Ricky scowled. “They’re superstitious. They were so busy talking about how the area is cursed, nobody could decide what to do. It’s like that a lot when there’s any sort of disagreement.”
    â€œCursed?” Remi repeated.
    â€œOne of the older divers was saying there were rumors that it’s haunted. Damned. Like I said, superstition.” He regarded his uncle. “At least I think so.”
    â€œThat was a huge crocodile. Weighed at least a couple thousand pounds,” Sam said. “No superstition required, just a hungry croc and a couple of guys not watching what they were doing.”
    â€œIs Leonid going to have a hard time getting anyone to help him now?” Remi asked.
    Ricky looked away. “Not a lot of people want to push their luck in crocodile territory for a few dollars a day,” he explained.
    Sam caught Remi’s expression and dared a glance in the rearview mirror.
    â€œNo, I don’t suppose they would.” It was obvious to everyone that Leonid’s exploration had just hit a major obstacle, if not a wall. “I can’t believe that nobody had a rifle if there are crocodiles around this area.”
    Ricky shook his head. “Guns are illegal here. Ever since the Australian peacekeeping force took