Chapter 10 - Beneath the Black Water
The cold was absolute, knocking the breath from Eleanor’s lungs in a burst of silver bubbles. Blood plumed from her shoulder into the dark brackish water, dulling the pain into a heavy, numbing ache. As she sank, the chaotic sounds of gunshots and screaming faded into a muffled, aquatic silence.
Let go, a treacherous voice whispered in the dark depths. You kept him safe. He's with Caleb now.
Then, through the dark surface above, a shimmering brass glint caught her fading sight. Liam's pocket watch, detached during the leap, was sinking slowly toward her, twirling through the water like a falling leaf. Inside its open face, the faint image of herself holding the baby seemed to glow against the darkness.
No.
Maternal instinct ignited like wildfire through her veins. Eleanor kicked her legs with desperate fury, ignoring the tearing pain in her shoulder, and reached upward. Her fingers closed around the pocket watch's chain. She fought the relentless current, pulling herself toward the pale green light filtering through the surface.
Her head broke the water with a desperate, choking gasp.
""Over here! Ellie!"" Caleb’s booming voice cut through the fog. A life preserver splashed down inches from her face.
Eleanor grabbed the canvas ring with her good arm. Caleb hauled her upward with weathered, calloused hands, dragging her over the gunwale onto the wooden deck. She collapsed onto the wet boards, coughing up brine and blood.
Liam threw himself onto her chest, weeping uncontrollably. ""Mommy! Mommy, wake up!""
""I’m here... I’m here, baby,"" she wheezed, curling her right arm around his shaking back.
Clara was already on the deck, dripping wet and shivering, wrapping a rough wool blanket around Eleanor’s bleeding shoulder. ""The guard drowned, and Julian ran out of ammunition,"" Clara said grimly, looking toward the shore. ""He’s retreating to his car. He knows he can’t pursue us on the water.""
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""He doesn't need to pursue us,"" Eleanor whispered, her teeth chattering violently as Caleb pushed the trawler's throttle to full speed, cutting out toward the open Atlantic. ""He will go straight to the Vance Trust Vault in downtown Boston. The emergency executive clause... if I am declared deceased or incapacitated, he can liquidate the entire estate within twelve hours.""
Caleb stepped out of the wheelhouse, his face grim. ""We have four hours of fuel, Ellie. And the Coast Guard just received a bulletin from state police to intercept this vessel on sight.""
