was still alive, but he’d seen too many people die to have much confidence in his own chances of survival.
Williams fiddled with the engine for a few minutes while Schuler kept watch on Culann. Then Williams gave up, and the two switched roles. After a few more minutes of futility, Schuler plopped down in the shotgun seat and stared out across the ocean.
“We’re dead in the water,” she said.
“May I say something?” Culann asked.
73
“You know, Mr. Riordan,” Williams said, “I’m really not interested in the child molester’s opinion. So why don’t you just sit there quietly while we wait for someone to find us?”
“With all due respect, sir, it would be better if no one finds us.”
Williams turned his head and spit into the water.
“Okay, Mr. Riordan,” Schuler said, swiveling around to face him. “Why is that?”
“Because anyone who finds us is going to die.”
“Because of the virus, right?” she replied with a wry smile.
“I don’t know what it is, but it seems to act like a virus. And I might be a carrier.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Williams said to Schuler. “I really don’t want to hear any more of his bullshit.”
“Sir, please just think about it for a second. Isn’t it an amazing coincidence that your radios and your engine would go out at the same time you found me? Not to mention the dead bodies.”
“There’s nothing coincidental about the dead bodies, you creep,” Williams
snapped. “There’s not a doubt in mind that you are responsible, and I’m going to make sure you fry for this. You understand?”
“Okay,” Culann responded. “Let’s say I did kill them. That I somehow convinced four people to get in two separate rowboats and row halfway out to sea. Then they all died at once. I’m unarmed, and there is no blood. How did I do it? It would have to be something biological, something you wouldn’t want innocent people exposed to.”
“Four people?” Schuler asked.
“There’s one more, but she fell out of the boat.”
“Enough,” Williams shouted. “If you say another word, I’m tossing you over the side.”
“Lighten up, Williams,” Schuler said. “We’ve got an hour or two to kill before someone finds us. Just humor the guy.”
“I’m sorry, Schuler. I just don’t find mass-murdering child rapists all that funny.”
“Fine, but I’m going to talk to him. Like I said, we’re going to be here for a while.”
“Suit yourself,” Williams said, turning his back to Culann.
“So, Mr. Riordan,” Schuler said, “you think you’ve been exposed to something biological? Something that has also disabled our boat?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but you’ve got to believe me that there is something serious going on here. It’s not just these four people who are dead, it’s the whole town.”
Williams raised his binoculars to his eyes and stared across the water.
“Take a look at this.”
74
Schuler turned away from Culann and peered through her binoculars. She rose slowly without taking her gaze from Pyrite’s shoreline.
“That’s definitely another body,” she said. “What’s with all the dogs?”
“This thing doesn’t seem to affect them,” Culann replied. “But it killed all of the other animals on the island.”
“All right, you crazy son of a bitch,” Williams said, whirling around, “what did you do to these people?”
“I didn’t do anything, at least not on purpose. I think it was the orb.”
“The orb?” Williams said with a snort. “This guy’s nuts.”
“You can believe that if you want to,” Culann said, “but you have to understand that it would be very dangerous to bring anyone near me.”
Schuler turned slowly back towards him.
“What about us?” she asked. “Are we in danger?”
Culann sighed and said, “You’ll probably be dead by morning.”
“Is that so?” Williams said, drawing his gun. “Then what’s to stop me from killing you right now?”
“Put it away,
Williams fiddled with the engine for a few minutes while Schuler kept watch on Culann. Then Williams gave up, and the two switched roles. After a few more minutes of futility, Schuler plopped down in the shotgun seat and stared out across the ocean.
“We’re dead in the water,” she said.
“May I say something?” Culann asked.
73
“You know, Mr. Riordan,” Williams said, “I’m really not interested in the child molester’s opinion. So why don’t you just sit there quietly while we wait for someone to find us?”
“With all due respect, sir, it would be better if no one finds us.”
Williams turned his head and spit into the water.
“Okay, Mr. Riordan,” Schuler said, swiveling around to face him. “Why is that?”
“Because anyone who finds us is going to die.”
“Because of the virus, right?” she replied with a wry smile.
“I don’t know what it is, but it seems to act like a virus. And I might be a carrier.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Williams said to Schuler. “I really don’t want to hear any more of his bullshit.”
“Sir, please just think about it for a second. Isn’t it an amazing coincidence that your radios and your engine would go out at the same time you found me? Not to mention the dead bodies.”
“There’s nothing coincidental about the dead bodies, you creep,” Williams
snapped. “There’s not a doubt in mind that you are responsible, and I’m going to make sure you fry for this. You understand?”
“Okay,” Culann responded. “Let’s say I did kill them. That I somehow convinced four people to get in two separate rowboats and row halfway out to sea. Then they all died at once. I’m unarmed, and there is no blood. How did I do it? It would have to be something biological, something you wouldn’t want innocent people exposed to.”
“Four people?” Schuler asked.
“There’s one more, but she fell out of the boat.”
“Enough,” Williams shouted. “If you say another word, I’m tossing you over the side.”
“Lighten up, Williams,” Schuler said. “We’ve got an hour or two to kill before someone finds us. Just humor the guy.”
“I’m sorry, Schuler. I just don’t find mass-murdering child rapists all that funny.”
“Fine, but I’m going to talk to him. Like I said, we’re going to be here for a while.”
“Suit yourself,” Williams said, turning his back to Culann.
“So, Mr. Riordan,” Schuler said, “you think you’ve been exposed to something biological? Something that has also disabled our boat?”
“I know it sounds crazy, but you’ve got to believe me that there is something serious going on here. It’s not just these four people who are dead, it’s the whole town.”
Williams raised his binoculars to his eyes and stared across the water.
“Take a look at this.”
74
Schuler turned away from Culann and peered through her binoculars. She rose slowly without taking her gaze from Pyrite’s shoreline.
“That’s definitely another body,” she said. “What’s with all the dogs?”
“This thing doesn’t seem to affect them,” Culann replied. “But it killed all of the other animals on the island.”
“All right, you crazy son of a bitch,” Williams said, whirling around, “what did you do to these people?”
“I didn’t do anything, at least not on purpose. I think it was the orb.”
“The orb?” Williams said with a snort. “This guy’s nuts.”
“You can believe that if you want to,” Culann said, “but you have to understand that it would be very dangerous to bring anyone near me.”
Schuler turned slowly back towards him.
“What about us?” she asked. “Are we in danger?”
Culann sighed and said, “You’ll probably be dead by morning.”
“Is that so?” Williams said, drawing his gun. “Then what’s to stop me from killing you right now?”
“Put it away,
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