Page 37 of Hearts on the Line (The Maverick Key #1)

Scott

“We’re all set,” Jamie calls from the aft deck, adjusting the straps on his gear. He’s full of nervous energy. “You ready to make history, boss?”

My mind is on the dive ahead. “Let’s aim for the kind of history we walk away from.

” Jamie tries to laugh, but it’s hollow.

He hastens away to grab his reel without a quip or joke.

The whole crew dynamic has changed these last few weeks without Maddie in my life.

We’re all walking around like shells of the people we were, and we miss her sweet face.

After Maddie’s visit yesterday, I went home and tried to make peace with it.

My love for her is still strong, but it’s tainted.

I wanted to tell her I don’t want to be her friend and I want to marry her, but I forced myself to tell her the truth.

It wasn’t possible to go back. I can’t get past the distrust. To heal this wound, I’d have to open my heart enough to give her everything she needs. I can’t do that. It’s better this way.

The sharp trill of the satellite phone cuts through the morning stillness. Margaret picks it up, rolling her eyes as she hands it to me.

“Garrett,” she mutters.

I sigh, pressing the phone to my ear. “Rickter.”

“Update,” Garrett snaps.

“We’re at the descent point. Jamie and I are about to go in. Margaret and Liam are topside.”

“You’re running out of time, Rickter. Don’t waste it.”

I tighten my grip on the phone. “You’ll get results when we have them. We’re not cutting corners.” I pause, considering whether it’s worth stirring the pot. Yeah. If I can piss Garrett off, it’s a good thing.

“Talk to your partner, Dr. Fischer. I think she’ll be happy to share she’s negotiated more time with the university.”

I don’t wait for his reply. Hanging up, I hand the phone back to Margaret. “Let’s get this done,” I say.

I turn to Jamie. “Stay sharp. We’re going down the tunnel that Nathan marked. And it’s going to be a wicked trip.”

“Got it, man.”

I’d stayed up late last night with the crew, studying the maps Maddie had given me.

Nathan had been doing extensive solo cave dives deep into the system for weeks.

It looks like dozens of dives. If this wasn’t Dr. Nathan Carter, I’d say he was insane—and just plain stupid.

The stakes had to be high to drive him to push forward with solo cave diving, especially in a system as challenging as Carter’s Drop.

But this makes me think of the obvious. What he was doing wasn’t exactly solo.

He had to have a boat captain. Who the hell were they?

I couldn’t remember all the details of Nathan’s disappearance or who may have been questioned.

The captain had to be someone he trusted. I’ll look into it when we get back.

From the main cavern, we trace Nathan’s old dive line, following the path on the map that seems to be the one Nathan took last. He’s still down there.

Dread seeps through me from the thought of what we may find today.

All our movements are careful. At the first junction, I pause to check my slate that has the copy of Nathan’s map.

His notations point us toward an even tighter passage.

“We’re taking the left.” I shine my light into the tunnel.

Jamie lets out a low whistle. “Whoa. That’s a tight squeeze. You sure about this?”

“Positive. Watch your equipment. Let’s go.”

The tunnel narrows to where the rock brushes against my shoulders. The walls are alive as they squeeze. They’re trying to strangle us. Halfway through, my light catches another line. To follow, it will require a squeeze through an even tighter pinch point. This one is vertical. Shit.

Jamie’s the thinner man, so he goes first. He doesn’t say a word as he concentrates. I follow.

Turning sideways, I’m able to push through.

Thankfully, this tunnel opens into another chamber with some breathing room, the ceiling rising two feet above us.

There are over a dozen more passages. My light sweeps the space, and faint imprints of disturbed sediment trail into the distance, proof that someone’s been here before.

“Incredible,” Jamie whispers. “I’ve never seen anything like this. There’s the next tunnel over there. Are we going to take it?”

I’m drawn to a cluster of objects buried in the silt. Kneeling, I brush away the debris and uncover dive weights, a rusted carabiner, a cracked flashlight, and a waterproof video camera—evidence of an emergency ascent.

“Jamie, over here.” I hold up the camera.

Jamie’s eyes widen behind his mask. “That’s got to be Nathan’s.”

As I examine it, a knot forms in my stomach. The casing is scratched, but the seals are intact. If this is Nathan’s, it might hold answers—answers I’m not sure Maddie is ready for. But where is Nathan’s body? My dive monitor beeps. We’re at 45 percent gas. We need to get back.

“Let’s go.” I give the thumbs-up to signal we’re ending the dive. Jamie’s surprised by the gauge. We should have calculated the effort it was going to take to get through restrictions better. It took a lot out of us and used up more oxygen. We need to plan better next time.

The return journey is grueling. Our hands grip the dive line, and we take each meter forward cautiously.

“We’re almost there.”

When we break into open water, it’s like I’m surfacing after holding my breath too long. Margaret and Liam help us onto the boat, their faces tight with concern. We pushed too far this time.

“That was the hardest shit I’ve ever done.” Jamie shakes the water out of his hair.

“What’d you find?” Margaret asks, her gaze flicking to the camera in my hand.

I hesitate, my mind racing. “Debris from Nathan’s dive.”

Margaret frowns but doesn’t push.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.”