PARADISE COVE (PARADISE SERIES Book 1) by Patrice Wilton Read Free Book Online
Authors: Patrice Wilton
the open seas. He had no destination in mind, no interest in seeing anything but the beauty of a billion stars overhead and the fading sunset. There was something infinitely peaceful about being out alone on the water at night. The white sail billowed in the dark blue sky and he didn't set a course, but let the breeze take him where it chose.
Hours passed as he lay back watching the stars and the moon rise in the sky. He felt closer to Sara out here, almost as if he could reach out a hand and touch her. It was silly he knew, but he liked to think that she could see him too. Alone, on a sailboat, away from the crowded streets, the hospital that had been his life, the career that had stolen so many hours which should have been spent with his family.
He may have been sleeping for a couple of hours when the roar of an engine startled him awake. The sailboat rocked unsteadily as he watched a Coast Guard boat fly right on by.
His interest piqued, he decided to follow, and see what the rush was about. He got his binoculars out and saw a boat in the distance with too many people aboard, hanging perilously onto the sides and each other. He knew they were risking their lives to cross the ninety-mile Florida Strait. He watched as the Coast Guard approached and shouted a warning. The overcrowded vessel turned around, heading back to the land they came from.
He lowered his sail and ran his motor at a lazy pace, keeping well clear of the Cuban waterways. During that time he popped open a beer, ate some potato salad and two chicken legs. The moon was drifting in and out between the clouds and he couldn't see more than twenty feet in front of him.
Sean was heading back to the resort in the wee hours of the morning when he heard an unusual noise. He cut the engine. Something splashed in the distance. Probably a good size fish or a small shark. A cry split the night air.
What the hell? Goosebumps dotted his arms.
A seagull, he rationally decided, but then he heard it again. No bird made a sound like that.
Curiosity won out and he stood up, hoping to catch sight of a dolphin pod. If they had babies with them, that would explain the shrill noise. He reached for his binoculars again just as another piercing cry echoed over the still water. Louder this time. More urgent. Human, he’d bet his medical license on it.
" Socorro ! Help."
Good God! His eyes searched the dark water but he couldn't see anything. He set the binoculars down on the dash, and reached for the radio next to the wheel. The Coast Guard protected the waterway, and if someone was in danger they could assist far better than he.
Sean hesitated. What if these people were wiling to risk everything for a better life? Not that it was his concern, but he would hate to see them sent back, like the previous over-crowded boat closer to Cuba. He was a half-mile away from the Florida shore. They'd almost made it.
"Is someone out there?" he shouted.
"Help!" he heard again. Clearly. In English.
Sean dropped anchor and lowered the ladder on the outside of the boat. He grabbed a large flashlight, searching the water. Someone was out there, and they needed help. His help . As a surgeon used to working in emergency situations, he embraced the rush of adrenalin like a lost friend.
"Hold on! I'm coming to get you. Keep shouting so I can find you."
Now he heard more than one voice, and he ran around the boat from side to side shining the light on the water. Finally he saw some drift wood. Then he noticed the people clinging to it.
"I've spotted you." He cautiously turned the boat in their direction. Terror gripped him. One wrong wave and he could hit them. Fail them, as he had his daughter.
His hands shook and his stomach heaved. He had to save them. He was a damn doctor, and that's what he was trained to do.
"How many of you are there?" he shouted. "Can you swim to me?"
" Tres. Mi familia, " the man answered in broken tones. "My son—weak."
Sean heard another cry, a
Hours passed as he lay back watching the stars and the moon rise in the sky. He felt closer to Sara out here, almost as if he could reach out a hand and touch her. It was silly he knew, but he liked to think that she could see him too. Alone, on a sailboat, away from the crowded streets, the hospital that had been his life, the career that had stolen so many hours which should have been spent with his family.
He may have been sleeping for a couple of hours when the roar of an engine startled him awake. The sailboat rocked unsteadily as he watched a Coast Guard boat fly right on by.
His interest piqued, he decided to follow, and see what the rush was about. He got his binoculars out and saw a boat in the distance with too many people aboard, hanging perilously onto the sides and each other. He knew they were risking their lives to cross the ninety-mile Florida Strait. He watched as the Coast Guard approached and shouted a warning. The overcrowded vessel turned around, heading back to the land they came from.
He lowered his sail and ran his motor at a lazy pace, keeping well clear of the Cuban waterways. During that time he popped open a beer, ate some potato salad and two chicken legs. The moon was drifting in and out between the clouds and he couldn't see more than twenty feet in front of him.
Sean was heading back to the resort in the wee hours of the morning when he heard an unusual noise. He cut the engine. Something splashed in the distance. Probably a good size fish or a small shark. A cry split the night air.
What the hell? Goosebumps dotted his arms.
A seagull, he rationally decided, but then he heard it again. No bird made a sound like that.
Curiosity won out and he stood up, hoping to catch sight of a dolphin pod. If they had babies with them, that would explain the shrill noise. He reached for his binoculars again just as another piercing cry echoed over the still water. Louder this time. More urgent. Human, he’d bet his medical license on it.
" Socorro ! Help."
Good God! His eyes searched the dark water but he couldn't see anything. He set the binoculars down on the dash, and reached for the radio next to the wheel. The Coast Guard protected the waterway, and if someone was in danger they could assist far better than he.
Sean hesitated. What if these people were wiling to risk everything for a better life? Not that it was his concern, but he would hate to see them sent back, like the previous over-crowded boat closer to Cuba. He was a half-mile away from the Florida shore. They'd almost made it.
"Is someone out there?" he shouted.
"Help!" he heard again. Clearly. In English.
Sean dropped anchor and lowered the ladder on the outside of the boat. He grabbed a large flashlight, searching the water. Someone was out there, and they needed help. His help . As a surgeon used to working in emergency situations, he embraced the rush of adrenalin like a lost friend.
"Hold on! I'm coming to get you. Keep shouting so I can find you."
Now he heard more than one voice, and he ran around the boat from side to side shining the light on the water. Finally he saw some drift wood. Then he noticed the people clinging to it.
"I've spotted you." He cautiously turned the boat in their direction. Terror gripped him. One wrong wave and he could hit them. Fail them, as he had his daughter.
His hands shook and his stomach heaved. He had to save them. He was a damn doctor, and that's what he was trained to do.
"How many of you are there?" he shouted. "Can you swim to me?"
" Tres. Mi familia, " the man answered in broken tones. "My son—weak."
Sean heard another cry, a
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