A CRY FROM THE DEEP (9 page)

“You’re deep in thought.” Daniel’s warm hazel eyes were inquiring.

“Was it that obvious?” She sighed. “I’m going through culture shock. The city seems more intense than what I remember.”

“You must miss Provence.”

“This time of year, the fields are turning green almost overnight. And the air is so fresh, it’s almost magical.”

“One of these days, I’ll get over there.” He looked straight ahead as they passed a semi on the right.

She pulled the visor down to block the sun. “I think what I miss most is the quiet. It’s only broken by birds singing, and when they do, it’s like they’re serenading you.”

“Sounds peaceful. Like the ocean.”

“Yeah. Quiet like that.”

They drove without talking for a few minutes and then Daniel said, “Frank told me a little about your background, and from what he’s said, we’re not too far apart in our philosophies, when it comes to diving.”

“Checking up on me, huh?”

He laughed. “And you didn’t do the same?” His eyes sparkled as if they’d shared a secret.

“Busted,” she said, smiling. “I did look you up.” She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to drift for a few minutes. She wondered what his fiancée was like, as he was quite the catch.
She also wondered if he was happy with her. Opening her eyes, she read the Pennsylvania Welcomes You sign on I-78 West.

She cleared her throat. “Thanks again for doing this. Frank told me you had to bow out of a meeting at the museum in order to accommodate me. I didn’t expect you to disrupt your schedule.”

“Don’t worry about it. The chair of the group said she’d fill me in later.”

“Well, it’s very sweet of you.”
Sweet.
That sounded inane, something someone less confident might say. She’d need to find her footing if she was going to hold her own with Daniel and Hennesey. She’d been in situations before where she’d given up control to men on her team, and during one of those times, she’d almost lost her life. Maybe if she’d had the courage to insist on another safety check, she wouldn’t have had the accident or left her career. Maybe her marriage would still be intact. Those were the things she hated: all those regrets, all those maybes.

~~~

The former limestone quarry had been converted into one of the largest fresh-water scuba diving facilities in the country. With twenty to thirty feet of visibility—and an abundance of fish and sunken attractions, like replica airplanes, a fire truck, a school bus, and even a pier—Dutch Springs was an ideal place for Catherine to test her nerves and her gear. It was one thing to play around the pool, in ten feet of water; it was another to dive so deep she could get disoriented and lose her way back.

The artificial dive site wasn’t crowded, despite the clear skies and warm temperature. That was a bonus. Catherine didn’t have to worry about dodging a bunch of novice divers while she struggled to regain her form. But that worry was minor compared to how much her nerves were affected when she put on her scuba gear and faced the lake. She stood on the beach vacillating, unable to go any further. Even a family frolicking in the water nearby did nothing to ease her mind.

Daniel must have sensed her turmoil, because he came over and patted her on the shoulder. “Ready?”

She couldn’t help but knit her brow.

“You’ll be fine. Let’s check the seals on your suit first.”

She’d bought a new dry suit, one she’d use for her assignment. It was the latest in dry-core technology and loose enough for more layers underneath to ward off the cold. She wouldn’t need that assurance now, but in the north Atlantic, it could keep her from getting hypothermia.

“You want to make sure it’s tight enough at the neck and wrists and ankles to keep out the water but not too tight for circulation.”

“Daniel,” she snapped. “I’m not a beginner. I’ve worn dry suits before.”

“Hey!” His nose wrinkled as if he was the injured party. “You did say you wanted a review.”

She was immediately sorry. “You’re right. I’m just jumpy.”

“Fair enough.”

She fastened her camera and checked her buoyancy control device and rebreather. Daniel walked backward into the water with his flippers. She followed him slowly. The cool water lapped against her legs, and when it embraced her chest, she took long, slow breaths, the kind she’d learned in yoga. She fought the instinct to turn back, and told herself to just take a deep breath, in and out, in and out. It was working.
In and out. In and out
. When she turned to face the deeper waters, she gave Daniel a thumbs up, and dove.

Although her heart pounded as if it was about to burst, she swam behind Daniel towards a suspended helicopter fifty feet deep. The aircraft was open along its sides, allowing her to dive into its belly and see how well she could glide through a tight space. It was a test for claustrophobia. Would her fright win out? Would the time she almost died come flooding back? She could feel herself starting to panic, so she took a few deep breaths before following him through the hole. As she did, she kept reciting,
just focus on my breathing,
as if it was a mantra that would carry her onward, no matter what. She kept telling herself she was a competent scuba diver in a family park and that if anything went seriously wrong, there was help available. She checked her pressure gauge to reassure herself. She knew she had to ration her air—one-third for the descent, one-third for the exploration, and one-third for the ascent.
At the moment, she had more than enough left to complete her dive. Her self-talk kept her going and she could feel her heart rate return to normal.

When she glanced at her diver watch, she was surprised to see she’d been down for half an hour. Outside of her alarm before entering the sunken helicopter, Catherine had managed the swim through it without any major difficulty. They’d also kicked their way deeper to a sunken wooden cabin cruiser. Although it wasn’t a ship buried at sea—where she could become disoriented or lost—it posed its own challenges. It gave her a chance to work the dive operations with one hand and her camera with the other. And the sandy bottom was perfect for practicing her landing without clouding the water.

Catherine held herself steady on the lake floor as she peered through the lens. It was then she noticed she was still wearing her ring. Wearing jewelry was a no-no when it came to diving. Predators, like sharks or barracudas, could easily mistake a ring for sardines and attack. Luckily for her, there weren’t any aggressive fish in these waters. She hoped Daniel hadn’t noticed her slip-up, one only an amateur would make.

Relaxing, Catherine took a good look around the bottom. At first, she thought she spotted some tattered white material of some sort, but on closer examination, she recognized it as a dress, a bridal dress, billowing out like an unfurled flag. The woman who was wearing it climbed over the gunwale of the cabin cruiser with fear evident on her face. Startled, Catherine shut her eyes, thinking she was hallucinating or day-dreaming at best, but when she opened them, she saw the bride grab a man’s hand, while the vessel rolled from side to side. Catherine attempted to take a picture, but unfortunately with her rapid breathing she couldn’t hold the camera steady. She snapped anyway, figuring it was better to have a blurred image than no image at all. And then, hoping to get a different perspective, she took her eye off the viewfinder—for only a moment—but when she looked again, the woman and man had disappeared and the boat was immobile.

She turned to Daniel and saw him waving at her. Had he seen them, too? She didn’t want to ask. Maybe he’d say something, but if he didn’t, she wasn’t about to volunteer. It would sound too crazy. Whatever possessed her to try diving again?

She kicked her fins vigorously and swam around the boat. She checked her depth on her gauge—seventy feet deep. She could feel herself heating up. Was it because of the dive, or because she’d seen something unexpected? The man and woman resembled the people in her dreams
.
It was as if her nightmare was following her, but why? She didn’t want to bail, not now. Everything had been going so well.

Her breathing tightened, but fortunately Daniel soon gave the signal to go up. She released a sigh of relief and rose alongside of him, practicing the decompression stops most divers disliked, because it took too long at a time when they were too tired to do much more. This instance though, she didn’t mind, as it gave her a chance to gather her thoughts.

When she reached the surface, Daniel gave her a thumbs up. She’d made it back without any difficulty. Her confidence was returning, but she wasn’t so naïve to think this dive had solved her problem. In fact, this dive had underlined what was at stake. The visions could be a manifestation of her fears, ones she couldn’t afford to have. So distracting, they could be a hazard she hadn’t considered. But what if the man and woman she’d seen had nothing to do with that? As the alternative was too crazy to think about, she pushed that thought away.

EIGHT

On the drive back to Manhattan, a radio talk show host ranted about the latest scandal in Congress. Catherine said, “Do you want to listen to this?”

“No,” said Daniel. “It’s just more of the same.”

She shut the radio off. They were nearing the Lincoln Tunnel. The sun was low in the sky, and the city’s skyscraper windows dazzled like amber squares in a mosaic. It wasn’t the countryside, but it had its own beauty.

“Pretty, huh?” said Daniel. “I never get tired of looking at that view.”

“When I lived here, there was nowhere else I wanted to be.”

“And now you’re back.”

“Only until this assignment is over. I can’t believe we’re leaving for Ireland in five weeks.”

“Yeah.” He drove through the E-ZPass toll lane. “I never asked you, but did my name come up when you met with Hennesey?”

“No. He was probably too busy sizing me up to say anything about you.” She frowned. “I wonder if our presence will be much of a deterrent. Salvagers like Hennesey can easily cover up any theft, and there’s no sheriff to stop them.”

“You’re forgetting there are more rules and regulations now.”

“Ha. I don’t see Hennesey quaking in his sandals.” Her voice rose as she continued. “What’s the good of more rules if they’re impossible to enforce? The last time he was in court, he got nothing more than a hand slap. You call that progress?”

Daniel grinned. “Frank did say you can get pretty worked up. That could be a hazard on this voyage.”

She smiled. “I’ll try and keep it in check.” She looked at her watch. “Do you mind dropping me off in the Village by Washington Square?”

“Big date?”

“My ex and daughter. I’m meeting them at Monte’s Trattoria.”

“I can take you right there.”

“No, just drop me off at the park. I wouldn’t mind a walk after the drive.” They passed the marker in the tunnel under the Hudson River, showing where New Jersey ended and New York began. Seeing that boundary again was another reminder of how much she loved this city.

When they got out of the tunnel, Daniel said, “That’s pretty remarkable, both of you on good terms like that.”

“What?”

“You and your husband, I mean, your ex.”

“I don’t think it’s that unusual. He’s a decent guy. He’s been great about letting us stay at his apartment.”

Daniel’s eyes widened. “You’re staying with him?”

“That’s where you picked me up today.”

He let another driver cut in front of him. “It’s not awkward for you?”

“No. He’s not that kind of guy.”

Daniel teased. “What kind of guy is he?”

“Well, he’s intelligent, a good father, …kind, generous, and …he’s a great cook.”

“He sounds amazing. Maybe I should marry him.”

Catherine laughed but immediately regretted sharing anything about Richard. She’d revealed too much. When she’d told him about Richard’s qualities, she’d stumbled. It was as if she still cared. She wondered what Daniel thought. He was probably judging her for giving up on a guy she’d painted as Mr. Wonderful.

It wasn’t long before Daniel stopped near the triumphal arch in Washington Square Park. As she’d remembered, the park was full of young and old alike, walking through or sitting on benches, soaking up the sun. The magnolia trees were in their last stage of bloom; a pink carpet of petals covered the ground.

Catherine grabbed her bag from the back seat. “Thanks again for the day.”

“Glad you’re on board.”

There it was again. The way his eyes searched hers, as if he wanted to say something he’d been holding on to for a long time. It was disconcerting, not knowing what it meant, if anything.

Someone honked behind Daniel’s car, shutting off any further talk. She got out of the car, swung her sports bag over her shoulder, and watched Daniel drive off. He never looked back, and she was left feeling she’d put too much weight on the look in his eyes.~~~

When Catherine walked into the restaurant, Richard and Alex were sitting at a table in the corner—the one they’d always sat at when they were still a family.