Influence

Chapter 27

At a certain point on the spectrum of desperation, people adrift at sea often resort to drinking sea water. This would usually be the last mistake they'd make before the saltwater, quite opposite to their intentions, dehydrated them, eventually shutting down their entire system. You didn't need to drown to die in the ocean. It could poison you to death as well. As the world fell away from Jasper, as he and Aiden slipped below the water, he wondered which death he'd wish for this man. Drowning seemed almost too peaceful. Too quiet. Death by saltwater he deemed more fitting, but also more complicated to pull off.

In the end, it didn't matter. If he could push Aiden under the waves and hold him there, the result would be the same. Tam might disapprove, and he might go to jail for it, but Tam wouldn't suffer the same fate. She'd be freed by his actions. Aiden would be accused posthumously of Goldie's death and Tam could live the rest of her life however she wanted.

This fantasy lasted the length of time Jasper could hold his breath. He came up for air, positive he'd kept a grip on Aiden, but in the confusion of falling and flailing and gasping for breath, he'd surfaced with empty hands. He swiveled, orientating himself. Aiden's yacht with Tam at its edge screaming down at him. Movement, that red t-shirt, as Aiden swam back to the dock. Water and boats and far off people popping heads over boat rails to see what the commotion was.

He headed towards Aiden, calculating if he'd be able to reach him, push him under, keep him submerged until he stopped squirming.

He closed the space, but Aiden swam fast. It wasn't more than thirty feet between where they'd crashed into the water and the ladder that would save him from Jasper's wrath. Aiden climbed his way out of the water and Jasper followed. He was like an astronaut coming back to earth after spending a month in zero gravity, the weight of his waterlogged clothing and sneakers giving him grief as he pulled himself out. He wouldn't stop. Aiden assumed he could get away with what he'd done. The anger of such entitlement fueled him forward.

He wasn't more than ten seconds behind Aiden, but ten seconds was an advantage that Aiden didn't take for granted. Back on the boat, an empty deck led Jasper to the main cabin, and there he found Aiden standing behind Tam, a gun pressed to her head.

Fear surpassed anger and it ground him to a halt.

"Let's talk," Aiden said.

Tam studied Jasper with those deep, mournful eyes that he'd been trying without success to stop seeing every time he closed his own for the past three months. "He took the gun from me." The tremor in her voice matched the emotion in her eyes. "I'm sorry Jasper."

She'd tried to defend him, he realized. She'd grabbed Aiden's gun when they both went overboard and pointing it at Aiden when he'd gotten back on the boat. "It's not your fault." He nodded at Aiden. "I'm not going to talk to you while you have a gun pointed at her head."

Aiden lowered it a few inches. "I don't want to hurt either of you. Jesus, I'm trying to get the fuck out of here. It's not my fault you assholes showed up."

"Are we supposed to feel bad for you?" He held out his hand towards Tam. "Seriously, let her go and then if you want to talk, fine. That's what we came here for too. You're the one who pulled out a weapon."

Aiden lowered the gun to his side and Tam rushed towards Jasper, pressing herself against his chest. Her warmth sent a tingle up and down his spine. He let himself go so far as to rest his chin against the top of her head and then turned his attention back to Aiden, who had a perplexed look on his face.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd be so friendly with the person who murdered Goldie."

Tam turned to face him. "Excuse me?"