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She forced a jerky nod, getting hold of her knife and holding it the way he showed her. “Just…plunge it hard and fast.”
“That’s right,” he said. Dead center behind the skull.”
“What if I miss?”
“You won’t.”
“But…how do you know?” she wail-whispered.
He chuckled and shook his head, throwing something into the water next to the boat. “I know.”
“Is that the bait?” She watched the pieces of meat bob around in the water.
“Yep. Now be quiet and still.”
She did as told, sure her heartbeat could be heard by every animal in the near vicinity. Spook let out a low sound that reminded her of a gurgling growl and to her surprise Mr. Teeth slithered into the water.
“Oh God, he’s coming!” she whispered.
“He is.”
She watched the monster swim right up to the boat and chomp up the meat like he did it every day. Just feeding time, that’s all. Spook dumped another few chunks near the boat and got his noose looking rope ready. The moment Mr. Teeth got close enough he slipped the rope over his snout and yanked.
“There we go,” Spook said quietly. “All done.”
“It’s done? That’s it?”
Something moved out of the corner of her eye. “Oh God there’s more coming!”
“Yes, they smell the food. Go on and dispatch our wedding guest.”
She moved next to the edge of the boat and realized she’d have to reach to make the stab.
Spook grabbed hold of the back of her shirt. “I got you. Do it.”
She raised both arms and aimed for that spot and brought the blade down quickly. The alligator thrashed against the boat before she could pull back and she felt herself going over.
Spook pulled her back and the boat tipped and rocked wildly sending her jerking back too much. Spook lost his hold of her and she flailed her arms as she went over the other side of the boat. Spook was in the water before she even surfaced, grabbing and shoving her back in to safety.
Once in, she screamed as Spook went under water as an alligator snapped its jaws for him. Spook came up on the other side of the boat near Mr. Teeth. “The knife! Get the knife!” she screamed. It was still embedded in his spine and Spook lunged, yanking it out then going under water again.
“Oh God, oh God. Spook!” She searched the waters around the boat. He came up with a gasp and stabbed the thrashing alligator with snapping jaws. It went still like Mr. Teeth and Spook climbed back in the boat.
“You’re bleeding!”
“It’s just scratches,” he hurried as he took the paddle and worked a dead Mr. Teeth toward the boat. He reached in the water and lifted the rope and looked at her, winded. “That was kind of fun. You want to paddle us back or hold Monseur Bouchee while I do?”
She sat there in shock, unable to respond.
His brows furrowed a little before he wrapped the end of the rope several times around a hook on the top edge of the boat. “You catch your breath. I’ll paddle. We’ll get you back and I’ll return for our lagniappe catch.”
It wasn’t until they were back on land that Maggie could even think. She still couldn’t speak, she just paced around as he pulled the alligator onto shore. Then he started his happy whistling tune and her anger hit. “What thehell, Spook!That didnotgo like you said! And now you’re…happywhistlinglike you didn’t nearly get eaten by alligators! This isanythingbut funny!” She spotted the dark area on his t-shirt realizing what it was. She raced over and lifted it, gasping in shock. “Afuckingscratch!?” She eyed him in fury now. “That’s three gashes that need stitches!”
“I have a kit,” he said in light laughter. “I was going to let you see to it as soon as I fetch our surprise guest.”
She realized what he meant, and more fury poured in. “He canwait,” she said incredulous. “He’s already dead! You need to see about that before you bleed out! And I’m surely not touching it.” She raised both hands up to show the violent tremble happening in her. “Unless you want to be further gouged!”
He dropped everything and wrapped his arms around her tight. “Alright,” he conceded softly. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I’ve been swimming with gators since I was a little boy.”
