A CRY FROM THE DEEP by Unknown

time. I need you to convince her to put on that scuba gear again. The two of you on this project would be a match made in heaven.”
    “Now you are being dramatic,” said Catherine, shaking her head
    Daniel grinned, “I take it you’ve known one another a long time.”
    Catherine smiled back. “Frank was there at the beginning of my career. And at the end.”
    A family walked by, arguing about where they were going to go next. Frank waited until the family had moved on before saying, “Catherine was doing an assignment for me nine years ago. She was out in the Mediterranean, thirty fathoms deep, and got caught in a crevice. Her hose was severed, she nearly drowned. It was a freak accident.”
    “It was more than an accident,” said, Catherine, feeling her body tense up.
    Daniel’s eyes were sympathetic. “I’ve had some close calls myself.”
    “There are more precautions now,” said Frank, clearing his throat. “You’d buddy with Daniel, and with a decent crew, you’d be in good hands.”
    Daniel sat down on the bench beside her, so close that she couldn’t help but catch a whiff of his lime scent. It was enough to stir her desire once more, and she squeezed her thighs to suppress it. Silently reprimanding herself for being so weak, she placed her bag between them hoping he wouldn’t notice her move. She also told herself that men who used scent could be full of themselves.
    “I’ve worked with divers who’ve lost their nerve. A few lessons and they’re back to form. I can get you up to speed, if you’re willing to give it a go.”
    “That’s very generous of you.”
    He smiled broadly. “A one-time offer. It expires at midnight, like Cinderella’s ball gown.”
    She couldn’t help but laugh. Stealing a look at Frank, she could see him beaming. He’d known that meeting Daniel would weaken her resolve. The man inspired confidence, and with his help, maybe she could conquer her fears. “You guys are making this hard...” She said to Frank, “You mentioned Hennesey hopes to find a ship as rich as the Atocha . Would he be able to keep any Spanish treasure he finds? I read the Government of Ireland can lay claim to any shipwrecks fifty meters from shore.”
    “I think he’s hoping the ship he salvages will be outside Ireland’s limits. Does your question mean you’re interested?”
    “I’m working on it.”
    Daniel regarded her as if there were only the two of them in the room. “Like I said, the offer expires at midnight.”
    She looked away, hiding her jelly-like feelings. She’d been fooled before. Attraction was like icing. It wasn’t enough to make a cake delicious.
    A crowd of boisterous students entered the main hall. Daniel said, “Let’s go upstairs. It’ll be quieter.”
     
    ~~~
     
    The office on the upper level had a high ceiling and wide windows overlooking Central Park. It was a welcome change from the throngs on the main floor.
    When they were seated at a round table, Daniel asked Frank, “What does Hennesey understand about your proposal?”
    “He knows we want to do a feature on his next expedition, but that’s about all.”
    “Interesting. What makes you so sure he’ll have me along?”
    “With your expertise in maritime history, you’ll be able to help with any location problems and with the identification of any Spanish artifacts he might find. He also needs our funding, so he’ll go along with any recommendations I make.”
    Daniel guffawed. “Don’t be so sure about that. I didn’t exactly do him any favors when I testified against him in court last year.”
    Catherine was stunned to learn it was Daniel who’d succeeded in getting Hennesey to finally pay for some of his crimes. She’d read about the case in a maritime news journal. The fine for illegally plundering a site off the shore of Spain had been hefty. It had looked as if Hennesey was going to be stopped once and for all, but in the end, his lawyer found a loophole and Hennesey’s fine was