Free Beautiful Lies by Emilie Richards Page A

be there when we return.”
    â€œHow do you know that, Juan?”
    â€œCrew makes bet. Every man want her.”
    Tom grinned. He wondered if Lian knew she had a boatload of admirers. “The nice thing about Broome is that if a man was shunned by his own people, there would be plenty of others who would be his friends.”
    Juan got up and went to get his guitar. He came back to sit beside Tom and strum. “’Nother lugger in distance. Riding light there.” Juan pointed out to sea.
    Tom followed the direction of Juan’s finger and squinted into the darkness. Finally, after a moment of total concentration, he saw a tiny dot of light from a lantern at the top of a distant masthead.
    Since leaving Broome the crew had seen other luggers. Although there were many miles of ocean, the pearling boats worked the same grounds. Several times they had even gotten close enough to spend an evening in each other’s company.
    â€œToo bad they’re so far away,” Tom said. “It would liven up our night if they were closer.”
    Juan put down his guitar and sidled to the railing. He stared for a long moment. Archer and the others, sensing that something was up, abandoned their game and joined him.
    â€œDinghy coming,” Juan said at last.
    â€œReally?” Tom joined them. “So we’ll have company after all.” Juan’s eyes were sharper than his, and moments passed before he saw the rowboat approaching.
    Juan stepped back. “Nakanishi, the diver. From the Sophia. One of Somerset’s fleet. Two others in boat.”
    â€œSomerset’s fleet?” Archer asked, interest in his voice.
    â€œBig camp down on coast at Pikuwa Creek.” Juan pointed to the east. “Mother ship comes to pearling grounds when month begins and brings supplies.”
    Archer grinned at Tom and rubbed his hands together. “A night of gambling for me. With Somerset’s men, yet. Maybe I’ll own the company before I’m finished.”
    â€œBetter watch it, Archer. I don’t know those men. I can’t stop them from throwing you overboard if you win everything they bring with them.”
    Archer laughed and gazed back out at the water where the dinghy was now just a hundred yards away. “I don’t know, they look—” Archer stopped, leaning forward. “Good God!” Then, before anyone could ask him what was wrong, he stepped up on the railing and made a clean dive into the water.
    He surfaced several yards from the lugger. “Launch the dinghy!” he yelled. Then he put his head down and started to swim.
    â€œJesus, what’s he doing?” Tom yelled. “Archer, turn around!”
    â€œMan fall in.” Juan pointed at the dinghy, which hadstopped now. Only two men were left inside. Tom could just see a head bobbing in the water many yards from it. “He stands up and falls in,” Juan said. “Nakanishi.”
    â€œWell, why aren’t they trying to get him?”
    â€œWaves picking up and pushing boat toward us, away from him.”
    â€œJuan, that water’s freezing. Archer’s not that good a swimmer. He’s not going to make it.”
    Juan didn’t seem perturbed. Tom glanced at the diver’s face and saw the truth. If Archer rescued Nakanishi, that would be fine. If he went down, that would be fine, too.
    Tom readied himself to dive, but strong arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back to the deck. “Boat belong boat, he go long. You-me, stay.”
    Tom tried to push Bernard away, but the man’s massive arms tightened. “You-me stay.”
    Behind him, Tom heard the others launching the dinghy to help rescue the two men.
    â€œHe makes it,” Juan said, as if he were talking about something of no consequence. “Archer, he swims better than you think. Nakanishi, he find drink tonight and have too much. Or he got touch of diver’s sickness.”
    Tom saw that