Read If Angels Fall for Free Online

lanes. It was upwelling season and he kept a
lookout for blooms of plankton. He could just make out the shape of the Farallons
twenty-odd miles away, slicing through the hazy mist like shark fins.
    That’s where it happened. Out there.
    Think of other things, Reimer told himself, like the work on his
three other charter boats waiting back at the marina. Just think of other
things. He watched a trio of Dall’s porpoises leaping along port side. He took
mental stock of the gallery—he knew he’d be hungry by the time they arrived.
They might make good time, the lack of wind made for a smooth surface, over the
navy’s submarine playground, which swept southeast of the islands. Reimer knew
the region, her history, her mysteries, and her secrets. He looked at Keller
again. Ed there was a tragic story. Look at him. Sitting stonelike, clutching
that package and staring at nothing. Somebody ought to tell him they are never
coming back. Let go, friend, let go. How many years has it been? Let go.
     
    Keller would never let go.
    Staring at the churning wake, the white foam against the jade
waters, he heard them. He saw them.
    Pierce. His eldest. Nine years old. Hair lifting in the wind.
Squinting at the horizon, scanning the islands. Pierce. Quiet. Resolute. Like
Keller. The motor grumbling. Pierce gripping his seat with one hand. The other
around his sister, Alisha Keller. Like her mother. Brilliant, beautiful,
unyielding. Alisha. Six. Hugging Joshua. The baby. Three years old. The wooden
boat. An old speedboat. The last rental. Hammering over the choppy water. Going
to spend the day alone looking for whales. Just him and the kids. Joan demanded
it. “They have everything but a father.” He was furious. He’d juggled meetings.
This would likely cost him contracts.
    They started late in the afternoon. Had to stop for burgers before
they would get in the boat. Couldn’t wait until they got to the islands to eat
the lunch Joan had packed. Wouldn’t wear the life jackets. “Babies wear them,”
Pierce said. Josh crying when Keller put it on him. To hell with it. Let’s get
this over with.
    Wouldn’t go out too far today, sir, squalls comin’, the kid at the
marina telling him—the pimple-faced grease monkey giving advice to him. Edward
Keller, a self-made millionaire. Keller ignoring him, ramming the throttle
down. Keller didn’t understand the buoys. Where is north? Damn. Couldn’t read
the chart. Hell with it, you could practically see the Farallones. One hundred
fifty goddamn dollars. The boat was slow. He hated to waste money.
    Spotting a few gray whales on the way temporarily impressed them.
    We want to go back.
    The hell we will. He would circle the islands, and they would eat
their picnic lunch. He would complete his fatherly duty. The skies darkening.
Thunder. It came up so fast.
    Lightening and rain. The children huddled. Their wet shiny faces. Time
to head back. Maybe they should wait it out on the islands. They were at least
a mile off the southern-most island. It seemed close. Hard to say. Some boats
far off. Thunder. Rain. Head for the islands. The boat rising. Dipping. A
rollercoaster. Something scraping under them, a fantastic thud. A rock?
    Then he saw the huge tail and his heart nearly burst from fear.
    A whale! Right under them! Cracked the hull!
    The children screamed. Water came through his shoes, ice cold.
Alisha screaming. Water rushing in! Josh crying.
    “Pierce! Alisha! Life jackets! Get them on! Hurry!”
    Water crashing over the side now. Cold. The boat yawing. The water
rising fast over his ankles. Alisha screaming. The jackets. Can’t get them on!
Kill the motor. Standing to help Josh. A wave smashing over the gunwale.
Something hard hitting his face. Airborne. He was flying. Wet. Freezing. Black.
Nothing. Silence.
    He was in the water.
    Spitting out water. The boat was on its side. The children were in
the water. Pierce. Hanging on to the hull. Josh’s head bobbing near the stern.
Alisha was