And when my knife came to stab upward, through her belly and into her chest, I saw that face I had kissed so often distort in agony. And the body I had made love to so many times writhe convulsively, shudder, and then suddenly go limp with the passivity of death.
I sheathed my knife, grabbed her body under the arms, and started to swim slowly upward. When I broke the surface of the water, the Lady Day was only a few yards away, and I saw Li Chin lowering a rope ladder, gesturing frantically, shouting.
Then I heard what she was shouting: "Sharks, Carter! Sharks!"
I had no choice. I let go of Michelle's body, wrenched the oxygen tank harness off my back, and swam for the Lady Day like an Olympic star. I grabbed hold of the rope ladder and yanked myself out of the water bare seconds before a row of razor-sharp teeth took away half of one of my fins.
Then I was on deck, seeing the two guards from the sailboat sitting near Sweets, tied hand and foot, their faces sullen with defeat. And seeing Fernand Duroche staring over the rail, wide-eyed with horror, at the boiling red turmoil where the sharks were ripping apart Michelle's body.
Wearily, I pulled off my fins and walked over to him.
"I know it's small comfort," I said, "but she was dead before the sharks hit her."
Duroche slowly turned away. His shoulders slumped even further. He shook his head.
"Perhaps," he said brokenly, "it is best. She would have been proclaimed a traitor — tried — sent to prison…"
I nodded silently.
"Carter," said Li Chin softly, "do the authorities have to know about Michelle? I mean, what difference does it make now?"
I thought about it.
"All right, Duroche," I said finally, "that's one thing I can do for you. As far as the world is going to know, your daughter died a heroine, fighting for your freedom, and for her country, against the OAS."
Duroche looked up. The gratitude on his face was almost painful.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you."
Slowly, wearily, but with a certain tired dignity, he walked away, to stand by himself in the stern.
"Hey, Carter," said Sweets, from the helm, "I just got a little message for you on the radio. From a cat named Gonzalez. He says old Mr. Hawk is flying down from Washington to debrief you. He also says the French Government has flown in an Army regiment to take over those ships in the Lorrain and Marigot harbors, and to get rid of the OAS sympathizers in the Martinique administration."
"Yeah," said Li Chin. "He was even saying something about a letter of gratitude from the French Government for breaking the back of the OAS and their takeover scheme."
Sweets chuckled and gestured toward the two bound guards.
"These particular OAS men don't have much fight left in them. They surrendered to us the minute Michelle jumped off the boat."
"What happened to the torpedo?" asked Li Chin.
"It's down there, about twenty yards away," I said. "Later, when the sharks have left the area, we can bring it up. Until then, we stay right here to make sure nobody else does."
"Well look, man," said Sweets, "this has been a groove and all, but I've just about run out of my supply of fudge. If you folks don't mind, I'm going to run into town."
"Take the sailboat," I said. "And while you're at it, turn these two OAS punks over to the authorities."
"Mr. Carter?" said Fernand Duroche.
I turned.
"I am grateful to you for rescuing me, and for…"
I nodded.
"But now, I should return to my own people. The Deuxieme Bureau will want to talk with me."
"Go with Sweets," I said. "He'll make sure you get to the right people."
He nodded, then held out his hand. I shook it, and he turned and walked to where Sweets was hauling the sailboat alongside.
"See you later, man," called out Sweets, after the two OAS men, and Duroche and himself, had jumped aboard. "Maybe I'll wait around a bit and bring back old Mr. Hawk with me."
"You do that," suggested Li Chin. "Don't hurry. Carter and I have plenty to do."
"Exactly what did you mean by that?" I asked, when the sailboat had pulled away.
Li Chin moved closer to me. Much closer.
"Well, you see, Carter," she said, "there's an old Chinese proverb that goes, 'There's a time to work, and a time to play. »
"Yes?"
"Un-hunh." She was so close now that her small, firm breasts were pressing against my chest. "And now's the time to play."
"Yes?" I said. It was about all I could say.
"I mean, you don't believe all that junk about French women being the best lovers, do you?"
"Are there better?"
"Un-hunh. Much better. Want to find out?"
"Why not?" I said.
I found out. She was right. I mean, she was right!