璇玑之心刃·冷血悍将-第106章

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Then　Springer　started　pitching；　up　and　down　three　or　four　feet　at　the　bow　as　Kelly　maneuvered　left　to　get　around　the　worst　of　it。　The　freighter　grew　before　them　like　a　cliff　as　they　overtook　her。
‘Is　there　someplace　I　can　change？‘
‘My　cabin　is　aft。　You　can　move　in　forward　if　you　want。‘
‘Oh；　really？‘　She　giggled。　‘Why　would　I　do　that？‘
‘Huh？‘　She‘d　done　it　to　him　again。
Pam　went　below；　careful　to　hold　on　to　the　rails　as　she　carried　her　backpack。　She　hadn‘t　been　wearing　much。　She　reappeared　in　a　few　minutes　wearing　even　less；　short…shorts　and　a　halter；　no　shoes；　and　perceptibly　more　relaxed。　She　had　dancer‘s　legs；　Kelly　noticed；　slim　and　very　feminine。　Also　very　pale；　which　surprised　him。　The　halter　was　loose　on　her；　and　frayed　at　the　edges。　Perhaps　she‘d　recently　lost　weight；　or　maybe　she‘d　deliberately　bought　it　overlarge。　Whatever　the　reason；　it　showed　quite　a　bit　of　her　chest。　Kelly　caught　himself　shifting　his　eyes；　and　chastised　himself　for　ogling　the　girl。　But　Pam　made　it　hard　not　to。　Now　she　grasped　his　upper　arm　and　sat　up　against　him。　Looking　over；　he　could　see　right　down　the　halter　just　as　far　as　he　wanted。
‘You　like　them？‘　she　asked。
Kelly‘s　brain　and　mouth　went　into　lock。　He　made　a　few　embarrassed　sounds；　and　before　he　could　decide　to　say　anything　she　was　laughing。　But　not　at　him。　She　was　waving　at　the　crew　of　the　freighter；　who　waved　back。　It　was　an　Italian　ship；　and　one　of　the　half　dozen　or　so　men　hanging　over　the　rail　at　the　stern　blew　Pam　a　kiss。　She　did　the　same　in　return。
It　made　Kelly　jealous。
He　turned　the　wheel　to　port　again；　taking　his　boat　across　the　bow　wave　of　the　freighter；　and　as　he　passed　the　vessel‘s　bridge　he　tooted　his　hom。　It　was　the　correct　thing　to　do；　though　few　small　boaters　ever　bothered。　By　this　time；　a　watch　officer　had　his　glasses　on　Kelly　…　actually　Pam；　of　course。　He　turned　and　shouted　something　to　the　wheelhouse。　A　moment　later　the　freighter‘s　enormous　‘whistle‘　sounded　its　own　bass　note；　nearly　causing　the　girl　to　leap　from　her　seat。
Kelly　laughed；　and　so　did　she；　and　then　she　wrapped　her　arms　tightly　around　his　bicep。　He　could　feel　a　finger　tracing　its　way　around　the　tattoo。
‘It　doesn‘t　feel　like…‘
Kelly　nodded。　‘I　know。　Most　people　expect　it　to　feel　like　paint　or　something。‘
‘Why　did…‘
‘　…I　get　it？　Everybody　in　the　outfit　did。　Even　the　officers。　It　was　something　to　do；　I　guess。　Pretty　dumb；　realty。‘
‘I　dunk　it‘s　cute。‘
‘Well；　I　think　you‘re　pretty　cute。‘
‘You　say　the　nicest　things。‘　She　moved　slightly；　rubbing　her　breast　against　his　upper　arm。
Kelly　settled　down　to　a　steady　cruising　speed　of　eighteen　knots　as　he　worked　his　way　out　of　Baltimore　harbor。　The　Italian　freighter　was　the　only　merchant　ship　in　view；　and　the　seas　were　flat；　with　one…foot　ripples。　He　kept　to　the　main　shipping　channel　all　the　way　out　into　the　Chesapeake　Bay。
‘You　thirsty？‘　she　asked　as　they　turned　south。
‘Yeah。　There‘s　a　fridge　in　the　kitchete　…　it‘s　in　the…‘
‘I　saw　it。　What　do　you　want？‘
‘Get　two　of　anything。‘
‘Okay；　‘　she　replied　brightly。　When　she　stood；　the　soft　feeling　worked　its　way　straight　up　his　arm；　finally　departing　at　the　shoulder。
‘What‘s　that？‘　she　asked　on　returning。　Kelly　turned　and　winced。　He‘d　been　so　content　with　the　girl　on　his　arm　that　he‘d　neglected　to　pay　attention　to　the　weather。　‘That‘　was　a　thunderstorm；　a　towering　mass　of　cumulonimbus　clouds　that　reached　eight　or　ten　miles　skyward。
‘Looks　like　we‘re　going　to　get　some　rain；‘　he　told　her　as　he　took　the　beer　from　her　hand。
‘When　I　was　a　little　girl；　that　meant　a　tornado。‘
‘Well；　not　here；　it　doesn‘t；‘　Kelly　replied；　looking　around　the　boat　to　make　sure　that　there　was　no　loose　gear。　Below；　he　knew；　everything　was　in　its　proper　place；　because　it　always　was；　ennui　or　not。　Then　he　switched　on　his　marine　radio。　He　caught　a　weather　forecast　at　once；　one　that　ended　with　the　usual　warning。
‘Is　this　a　small　craft？‘　Pam　asked。
‘Technically　it　is；　but　you　can　relax。　I　know　what　I‘m　doing。　I　used　to　be　a　chief　bosun‘s　mate。‘
‘What‘s　that？‘
‘A　sailor。　In　the　Navy；　that　is。　Besides；　this　is　a　pretty　big　boat。　The　ride　might　get　a　little　bumpy；　is　all。　If　you‘re　worried；　there　are　life　jackets　under　the　seat　you‘re　on。‘
‘Are　you　worried？‘　Pam　asked。　Kelly　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　‘Okay。‘　She　resumed　her　previous　position；　her　chest　against　his　arm；　her　head　on　his　shoulder；　a　dreamy　expression　in　her　eyes；　as　though　anticipating　something　that　was　to　be；　storm　or　no　storm。
Kelly　wasn‘t　worried　…　at　least　not　about　the　storm　…　but　he　wasn‘t　casual　about　things　either。　Passing　Bodkin　Point；　he　continued　east　across　the　shipping　channel。　He　didn‘t　turn　south　until　he　was　in　water　he　knew　to　be　too　shallow　for　anything　large　enough　to　run　him　down。　Every　few　minutes　he　turned　to　keep　an　eye　on　the　storm；　which　was　charging　right　in　at　twenty　knots　or　so。　It　had　already　blotted　out　the　sun。　A　fast…moving　storm　most　often　meant　a　violent　one；　and　his　new　southerly　course　meant　that　he　wasn‘t　outrunning　it　any　longer。　Kelly　finished　off　his　beer　and　decided　against　another。　Visibility　would　drop　fast。　He　pulled　out　a　plastic…coated　chart　and　fixed　it　in　place　on　the　table　to　the　right　of　the　instrument　panel；　marked　his　position　with　a　grease　pencil；　and　then　checked；　to　make　sure　that　his　course　didn‘t　take　him　into　shallows　…　Springer　drew　four　and　a　half　feet　of　water；　and　for　Kelly　anything　less　than　eight　feet　constituted　shallow　water。　Satisfied；　he　set　his　pass　course　and　relaxed　again。　His　training　was　his　buffer　against　both　danger　and　placency。
‘Won‘t　be　long　now；‘　Pam　observed；　just　a　trace　of　unease　in　her　voice　as　she　held　on　to　him。
‘You　can　head　below　if　you　want；‘　Kelly　said。　‘It‘s　gonna　get　rainy　and　windy。　And　bumpy。‘
‘But　not　dangerous。‘
‘No；　unless　I　do　something　really　dumb。　I‘ll　try　not　to；‘　he　promised。
‘Can　I　stay　here　and　see　what　it‘s　like？‘　she　asked；　dearly　unwilling　to　leave　his　side；　though　Kelly　did　not　know　why。
‘It‘s　going　to　get　wet；‘　he　warned　her　again。
‘That‘s　okay。‘　She　smiled　brightly；　fixing　even　more　tightly　to　his　arm。
Кеllу　throttled　back　some；　taking　the　boat　down　off　plane。　There　was　no　reason　to　hurry。　With　the　throttles　eased　back；　there　was　no　longer　a　need　for　two　hands　on　the　controls　either。　He　wrapped　his　arm　around　the　girl；　her　head　came　automatically　down　on　his　shoulder　again；　and　despite　the　approaching　storm　everything　was　suddenly　right　with　the　world。　Or　that‘s　what　Kelly‘s　emotions　told　him。　His　reason　said　something　else；　and　the　two　views　would　not　reconcile　themselves。　His　reason　reminded　him　that　the　girl　at　his　side　was　…　what？　He　didn‘t　know。　His　emotions　told　him　that　it　didn‘t　matter　a　damn。　She　was　what　he　needed。　But　Kelly　was　not　a　man　ruled　by　emotions；　and　the　conflict　made　him　glower　at　the　horizon。
‘Something　wrong？‘　Pam　asked。
Kelly　started　to　say　something；　then　stopped；　and　reminded　himself　that　he　was　alone　on　his　yacht　with　a　pretty　girl。　He　let　emotion　win　this　round　for　a　change。
‘I’m　a　little　confused；　but；　no；　nothing　is　wrong　that　I　know　about。‘
‘I　can　tell　that　you　…‘
Kelly　shook　his　head。　‘Don‘t　bother。　Whatever　it　is；　it　can　wait。　Just　relax　and　enjoy　the　ride。‘
The　first　gust　of　wind　arrived　a　moment　later；　heeling　the　boat　a　few　degrees　to　port。　Kelly　adjusted　his　rudder　to　pensate。　The　rain　arrived　quickly。　The　first　few　warning　sprinkles　were　rapidly　followed　by　solid　sheets　that　marched　like　curtains　across　the　surface　of　the　Chesapeake　Bay。　Within　a　minute　visibility　was　down　to　only　a　few　hundred　yards；　and　the　sky　was　as　dark　as　late　twilight。　Kelly　made　sure　his　running　lights　were　on。　The　waves　started　kicking　up　in　earnest；　driven　by　what　felt　like　thirty　knots　of　wind。　Weather　and　seas　were　directly　on　the　beam。　He　decided　that　he　could　keep　going；　but　he　was　in　a　good　anchoring　place　now；　and　wouldn‘t　be　in　another　for　five　hours。　Kelly　took　another　look　at　the　chart；　then　switched　on　his　radar　to　verify　his　position。　Ten　feet　of　water；　a　sand　bottom　that　the　chart　called　HRD　and　was　therefore　good　holding　ground。　He　brought　Springer　into　the　wind　and　eased　the　throttles　until　the　propellers　were　providing　just　enough　thrust　to　overe　the　driving　force　of　the　wind。
‘Take　the　wheel；‘　he　told　Pam。
‘But　I　don‘t　know　what　to　do！‘
‘It‘s　all　right。　Just　hold　her　steady　and　steer　the　way　I　tell　you　to。　I　have　to　go　forward　to　set　the　anchors。　‘Kay？‘
‘You　be　careful！‘　she　shouted　over　the　gusting　wind。　The　waves　were　about　five　feet　now；　and　the　bow　of　the　boat　was　leaping　up　and　down。　Kelly　gave　her　shoulder　a　squeeze　and　went　forward。
He　had　to　watch　himself；　of　course；　but　his　shoes　had　no…skid　soles；　and　Kelly　knew　his　business。　He　kept　his　hands　on　the　grab　rail　all　the　way　around　the　superstructure；　and　in　a　minute　he　was　on　the　foredeck。　Two　anchors　were　clipped　to　the　deck；　a　Danforth　and　a　CQR　plow…type；　both　slightly　oversized。　He　tossed　the　Danforth　over　first；　then　signaled　for　Pam　to　ease　the　wheel　to　port。　When　the　boat　had　moved　perhaps　fifty　feet　south；　he　dropped　the　CQR　over　the　side　as　well。　Both　ropes　were　already　set　to　the　proper　lengths；　and　after　checking　that　all　wa