Stormcatcher by Colleen Rhoads Read Free Book Online Page A

was a mixture of terror and elation. The baby opened her eyes and looked at her uncle, then promptly went back to sleep.
    “You’re losing your touch,” Wynne said. “Women used to be wide-awake around you and your charm.”
    “It’s all Skye’s fault. She’s ruined me for any other woman.” Jake cradled the baby’s head in his big hands.
    “I have a feeling our new son will upstage me,” Skye said.
    “It’s a boy?” Wynne and Becca said at the same time.
    Jake and Skye burst into laughter. “If you could see the expression on your faces,” Skye said. “I had an ultrasound yesterday. It’s a boy!”
    “A nephew,” Wynne said. She should be elated, but a hollow feeling settled into her stomach and refused to go away. Soon her brother and sister would be caught up in their own lives. She’d be just a peripheral figure. While she was happy for them, she knew loneliness was going to become a constant companion.
    “Why aren’t you out scouring the deep for a Viking ship?” Jake’s eyes were mocking.
    Wynne made a face at him. “I know it sounds crazy. But we’re not really looking for the Vikings now. We’re searching for the Superior Lady that went down about three months ago.”
    “Not quite your style.”
    “Haven’t you heard about the bodies that surfaced?” Wynne asked.
    “I haven’t listened to the news today,” her brother said. He handed Isabelle to her mother when she started to fuss. “What’s up?”
    Wynne told him about the murder accusations. “So you see we need to find that boat.”
    “I’m not sure I like you getting involved in this,” Jake said. “I’m not suspicious of Simon, but if this really is murder, whoever did it is not going to like you poking around. He or she might decide to come after you.”
    “You think it could be a woman?” Wynne was intrigued with the idea. Most murders were committed by men, and she’d just assumed it was a man.
    “You never know. Did Jerry have a girlfriend?”
    “He’d had lots of them, from what I understand. Did you ever meet him?” Wynne decided she’d pump her brother while he was in a talkative mood.
    “Once. I ran into him with Simon in Turtle Town, and Simon introduced us. I can’t say I was impressed with him. He kept boasting about how his boats were the best out there. And he paid too much attention to Skye.”
    Skye laughed. “That’s his real objection. I liked Jerry.”
    Jake gave his wife a doting look. “I didn’t like it, that’s all. Some jealous girlfriend or husband could have decided he’d gone too far.”
    “Simon fits that category, too,” Wynne pointed out. She stood and stretched. “I’d better get to the dock.”
    “Talk to you later,” her siblings called.
    She walked down the hillside to the dock. An Ojibwa fisherman was putting away his gear when she arrived.
    He gave her a long, slow look from under his bushy brows. “You’re the woman who disturbs the boats,” he said.
    “I search for shipwrecks,” she corrected. She didn’t know whether to be alarmed or not. He seemed harmless.
    “It’s not wise to disturb the dead,” he said. “The Thunderbird will punish us all.” He stepped closer, and she took a step back. “You should leave this island. There is nothing for you here.”
    “I have a job to do,” she said.
    “You can’t do anything if you’re dead,” he said, taking up his fishing pole and bait box.
    He left her standing there with her mouth agape.

SIX
    W ynne glanced at Simon from the corner of her eye as he grappled with the anchor. The wind had freshened today, rocking the boat. It was going to be hard to keep it in the same area. The lake was deep here, deeper than their anchor could reach. They’d have to troll back and forth in the area to stay put.
    Joe tapped the sonar screen. “Something looks interesting down there,” he said, jabbing his finger at a mass on the screen. “What do you think?”
    “It might be something,” Simon conceded. He