Love on Loch Ness Read Free Page A

buttons and put both hands on her hips like he'd just told her the tooth fairy would leave a coin under her pillow. "How do you know?"
    Flynn shrugged and gave her a wicked smile. His answer would rile her. "Just a hunch."
    "A hunch?"
    "Yup."
    Gail took a deep breath. "The first recorded sighting was in AD six hundred sixty-five by the Abbot of Iona who claimed to triumph over a water beast in the River Ness. Sightings have been recorded ever since; in nineteen thirty-three by a local water bailiff and from nineteen sixty to nineteen ninety-one on the British Waterways' converted icebreaker tug, Scott II , which carried tourists on cruises."
    "Yeah I've heard of all of 'em."
    "What I'm trying to say is, Nessie couldn't possibly be that old. It's more likely a species of undiscovered fish, or a large strain of pike or Atlantic salmon. Maybe there are a bunch of them swimming underwater right here, right now." She dropped the drop camera into the water and it disappeared almost immediately, swallowed by the inky surface.
    She'd done her homework, that was for sure. Too bad she was blinded by her scientific prejudices.
    "There's only one. I can feel it."
    "Well, I'm standing right next to you and I don't feel a thing."
    Ow. That hurt. Right like a jackhammer to the central aorta.
    Flynn must have cringed because Gail gave him an apologetic smile. "I'll turn the equipment on, and we'll see."
    They locked eyes. Did Gail hide her hopes as well under that tough scientific rigidity?
    "Got something here." The urgency in Tom's voice grabbed their attention and they rushed to the opposite end of the boat where he stood filming with a handheld video camera. He'd also positioned cameras all over the boat in each direction, taping them to the railing, the cabin, and secured tripods.
    Hope rushed through Flynn's chest. "What do you see?"
    "Waves." Tom pointed to the water. "No boat."
    Ripples, followed by larger waves, hit their boat and caused them to rock. All three of them grasped the front rail.
    Gail's face paled, and Flynn repressed the urge to comfort her. She wouldn't like that one bit.
    Her hands tightened on the rail. "Could be caused by the wind."
    Tom licked his finger and stuck it in the air. "What wind?"
    Gail scanned the horizon. "Or another boat."
    Tom spread his hand, indicating the water around them. "Do you see another boat?"
    "It's dark. In calm conditions like a lake, waves persist much longer than in the ocean."
    Tom gestured to Flynn. "Check the radar."
    Flynn ran back in the cabin. The radar was clear. Not a single canoe or kayak. Eager not to miss anything, he joined them back at the railing. "No boats."
    Gail swallowed stiffly. "The wake of a boat can persist for up to thirty minutes if it's crossing another wake, and the constructive interference produces a large hump of water."
    Tom took his eyes off his camera long enough to glare at her. "What? Are you an expert on waves?"
    "As a marine biologist, I've seen my fair share."
    Flynn held up his hands. "Okay, guys, let's break it up. Focus on the water. See if you can see anything."
    The waves smoothed back to the calm, glassy surface, reminding Flynn of black ice. His hopes disappeared along with the ripples. Tonight would be like every other night on the lake. Just enough hints to keep him going, but not enough to satisfy his curiosity or bring any evidence back to Tabitha.
    Tom settled into a plastic viewing seat and Gail sat on the opposite side. Flynn chose to sit with Gail. He leaned back in the chair as much as he could and stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles.
    So many questions sat on the tip of his tongue. He turned toward her. "What is it? Why don't you want to believe?"
    Gail crossed her arms. "It's not that I don't want to believe. I want the truth."
    Her eyes held fear. Fear of what, he wasn't sure.
    They sat on the stern for almost an hour, watching for any ripples in the water. Flynn wanted to ask Gail a few questions, but even a whisper