"Woods, Stuart - White Cargo" - читать интересную книгу автора (Woods Stuart)

"If you're sure you don't need the rest."

He slid from behind the wheel and relinquished the helm.

"I'd rather pull the watch," Denny replied.

"Sleep well."

Below, Cat got out of his harness, shucked off his jeans and T-shirt,
and crawled into the double berth with Katie.

She stirred as he snuggled close.

"My watch?" she asked, sleepily.

"Denny's taking it," Cat said, cupping a breast in his hand.

"Oh, good," she said, turning toward him.

"I get you in the middle of the night, for a change."

He kissed her, then they made love, gently, slowly, lying facing each
other, coming quietly after a few minutes, together, as they usually
did. Years of practice. Cat thought. Then he fell asleep.

A change in the motion of the yacht woke him. There was light against
the curtains in the after cabin. Cat glanced at the gold-and-steel Rolex
wristwatch Katie and Jinx had given him as a launching present: not
quite 6 a.m.

Why had the motion changed? Then the yacht, which had been heeled to
port, rolled to starboard and seemed to settle.

They were have to; stopped. Then came a muffled, slithering sound and
the thumps of footsteps on deck. The mainsail was coming down. Why? Had
something broken?

A halyard, maybe. The actions on deck seemed to fit that scenario. The
main halyard had broken, and Denny had, quite properly, put the boat on
the opposite tack, with the headsail backed while he got the mainsail in
hand.

Cat rolled out of the berth, naked, got into his jeans, and felt for his
Topsiders with his feet. He didn't like to go on deck barefooted; he had
once nearly broken a toe, tripping on a deck fitting. He moved slowly,
sleepily into the saloon; there didn't seem to be any great urgency;
Denny was not calling for him. He climbed halfway up the companionway
ladder and stopped, puzzled. The wheel was locked; Denny was standing on
the stern of the boat, looking aft, shielding his eyes from a rising,