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    Kiss on the Bridge Three
    Kiss on the Bridge Three
    Kiss on the Bridge Three
    Ebook204 pages3 hours

    Kiss on the Bridge Three

    By Mark Stewart

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    About this ebook

    Kiss on the bridge three is set in 1976 near Green Island off the coast of Queensland. While enjoying the peaceful night and the calm sea onboard his small ship, ‘the Quasar’ the unthinkable happens. Meredith, Jordan Ashcombe’s new wife has gone missing. He believes she accidently fell overboard. Seeing the untimely storm approaching Jordan calls the Australian navy in for help. Moments before the storm hits Jordan and the navy abandon the search. Jordan is devastated over the loss. Wade, Anneli and Detective Poulton agree on one thing, Jordan must have murdered Meredith. If he didn’t then who did and why? After being given a chance to search Jordan’s ship the Quasar, Wade discovers a clue. They search the sea hoping to find more evidence. Landing on Green Island the whole mystery is revealed. Will love break through the turmoil and finally win?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMark Stewart
    Release dateJul 21, 2014
    ISBN9781311281685
    Kiss on the Bridge Three
    Author

    Mark Stewart

    Mark Stewart is an acclaimed author. He loves to write fiction right across the board from romance adventure to crime and onwards to science fiction. His fast paced novels will keep you on the edge of your seat from the first word to the last.Mark lives in Melbourne Australia and tries to keep to the Aussie lingo and customs. His only gripe is he never has enough time to feed the writing enthusiasm inside him.Mark lives in the picturesque region of the Mornington Peninsula, a full one hour drive from Melbourne.He has been married to his wonderful patient wife for over thirty years. He has four adult children and two grand children. Everywhere he looks there is a story waiting to be told.Contact Mark to leave a comment about one of his books or just to say gidday, (hi) he would love to hear from you.email: mark_stewart777@hotmail.comAll reviews are gratefully accepted.To all the readers who follow Mark's work. Thank you.

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      Book preview

      Kiss on the Bridge Three - Mark Stewart

      KISS ON THE BRIDGE

      THREE

      Mark Stewart

      Copyright © 2014 Kiss on the bridge three: Mark Stewart. All rights reserved.

      ISBN: 9781301272198

      No part of this story may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author. This story is fictitious and a product of the author’s imagination. Resemblance to any actual person living or dead is purely coincidental.

      Smashwords edition license notes.

      This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Edited by: Rosemary Cantala

      By Mark Stewart

      The Kendal chronicles

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      Kiss on the bridge two

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      Ladies’ Club

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      Kiss on the bridge three

      KISS ON THE BRIDGE

      THREE

      CHAPTER ONE

      13th April 1977 2:00am. AEST

      MAYDAY! MAYDAY! screamed Jordan Ashcombe into the CB radio. He ran his fingers through his thick dark hair. His handsome looks faded, replaced by a stressful expression. If anyone can hear me, please answer. I need urgent help.

      Jordan moved his finger off the button of the hand-held microphone. Several moments of static followed. He re-sent his urgent call. In fact, he re-sent the same mayday call several times before he finally heard a calm reply.

      This is the Australian coast guard. What seems to be the problem?

      I’m adrift forty miles off the coast of Brisbane Queensland. My wife fell overboard. I’ve been turning my small ship in circles searching for her all night. There’s a storm approaching. Please help. I’m now out of fuel. I’m grieving over losing my wife. If the calm sea begins to deteriorate, I’m afraid she might drown. Please, I need urgent help. Send helicopters, boats, hell I need the entire Australian naval fleet. She must be found.

      We’re on our way. We’ll be at your location in about twenty minutes, answered the gruff voice belonging to the officer in the Australian coast guard.

      Please hurry.

      Who am I talking to?

      My name’s Jordan Ashcombe. My wife’s name is Meredith. We’ve been married for only three months.

      Be advised, in precisely fifteen minutes send up a red flare so we can get an exact fix on your location.

      Shall do.

      Jordan set the alarm on his watch. He threw the CB radio microphone at the wall, swiped a large torch off the small navigational table and sprinted for the side of his ship. Jordan shone the beam of light across the surface of the dark water. Above him, the stars were rapidly blinking out due to the fast-moving clouds in front of the approaching storm. On the horizon, he saw a flash of lightning. Jordan knew to keep the panic emotion out of his mind if he was to succeed in finding Meredith alive. She’d gone through too much to drown in the ocean miles from anywhere.

      Jordan walked in slow circles lapping his fifty-foot small ship, desperately searching the surface for any faint splashes. A stiff wind brushed the front of his shirt open. The material slowly moved back and forth, scraping across his chest.

      On Jordan’s second lap of the boat, he snatched a pair of binoculars out of the wheelhouse and lifted them to his eyes. For what seemed like hours he watched the water.

      He saw and heard nothing.

      At the rear of the ship, something thumped the side of the hull directly under him. Jordan dropped the binoculars on the deck and shone his powerful torch at the water. Seeing nothing, he squatted. Again, he searched the water directly under him. Still seeing nothing he leaned his torso over the side aiming the torch beam along the side of the ship. Making sure his feet were securely wedged, he leaned still further out. Shining the torch, the entire length of the hull toward the front, he detected nothing.

      The thud happened again.

      Arching his back away from the water he groped for the side of his ship. In a desperate move to get away from the water he dropped the torch. The object that thumped the side of the ship was a shark. Its body thumped the hull several times as it fed on the small fish. Fearful of the light in the water the shark dived for the safety of the ocean depths.

      Jordan lay on the deck for a short time facing the stars. His chest heaving from the panic he’d endured over the shark scene. Slowly his pupils returned to normal, so too his breathing. Exhaling the last of the fright, he again took up his position at the low wall staring out over the water.

      Jordan’s watch vibrated four seconds before he heard its high-pitched alarm. He sprinted across the deck to a side cupboard in front of the wheelhouse. His million-dollar boat, the ‘Quasar’ still sparkled in what light came from the sinking moon.

      Jordan threw open the door to the waterproof cupboard, swiped one of the few remaining red flares off the single shelf, pointed it skywards and pulled the cord. In the light made by the flare, he again searched further away from his boat.

      Jordan Ashcombe seemed to have everything; millions of dollars in the bank and countless businesses to his name. He married Meredith after bringing her back from the dark recesses of her mind and helped her save the multi-million-dollar company her ex-husband created. After his death which Jordan alone proved to be an accident, Meredith said ‘yes’ to his marriage proposal. They enjoyed a simple wedding ceremony in Darwin. In front of a priest and a witness they exchanged their solemn vows. Now on their return trip to Melbourne and the waiting arms of Meredith’s sister, Anneli, and her husband Wade Mackenzie, his former lawyer partner, Jordan felt devastated he hadn’t lived up to his promise to look after Meredith. He assured her father and Anneli he will.

      Searching the water on the other side of the ship, Jordan didn’t know the coast guard had arrived until he saw the beam from a searchlight sweeping the deck.

      Ahoy there on the ship, yelled the voice of a coast guard officer through a megaphone. Jordan Ashcombe, this is the Australian coast guard. We’re here to help.

      Jordan waved at the light. Come onboard.

      The coast guard’s large engines were silenced. Fifty feet of water separated the two ships. Jordan spied a rubber dingy full of men being lowered into the water. A few moments later he heard the sound of a motor. He watched the small rubber dingy bearing down on him. Ten feet out, the boat made a sharp turn and headed for the other side.

      Jordan ran over to the aft side of his ship. Pushing the small black button on the side of the ship he heard the sound of a small motor. The stainless-steel dive ladder slowly lowered into the water up to its bottom rung. Jordan glued his gaze on the dingy. When it closed to arm’s length, he dropped a rope so the dingy could be tied to the ladder. Four men scrambled up the ladder and onto the deck.

      Thanks for coming so fast, stated Jordan.

      No problem, answered the first coast guard officer to step onto the deck. He shook Jordan’s hand.

      You reported searching for your wife all night? questioned a tall straight-backed navy man. His black outfit and machine gun looked threatening.

      Jordan deduced not much got past the man.

      Yes. We haven’t been married long. We were in Darwin taking photos of the state’s rebuild after Cyclone Tracy blew it off the map. We were using the trip for a honeymoon. Please, I don’t want to chat, can’t you begin a search grid?

      Don’t worry, we’ll find her. First thing on the agenda, do I have your permission for my men to search this ship?

      Please, feel free. Jordan watched three men fan out in separate directions. When they disappeared below, he focused on the remaining officer.

      I’m officer Baker. I’m in charge of this exercise. Do you have any idea where your wife fell overboard?

      No, not exactly. What I can ascertain, Meredith should be around this area.

      What do you do for a career Mr. Ashcombe?

      I’m the best defense lawyer in Australia.

      So, this small ship belongs to you?

      Yes. Please, forget the questions, find my wife. I’ve been going back and forth and around in circles for hours. I’m out of fuel. I’m concerned for Meredith’s well-being. Every second we stand here chatting the closer she gets to drowning. I couldn’t stand to lose her.

      We have four boats and a helicopter scouring the ocean as we speak. In about an hour, we’ll be forced to abandon the search; the weather is against us. Why didn’t you call us earlier?

      I felt confident I could find her. I threw two lifebuoys overboard the moment I discovered she went missing. When the wind strengthened, I knew I needed help. It costs a lot of money to have you guys join the search. Have it recorded I’m more than willing to pay the bill. I can’t thank you enough for coming to the rescue so fast.

      Jordan eyeballed the tough sounding man. He looked like he ate, drank and slept the navy defense force. Judging him by his tanned face, Jordan decided he’d seen a lot of years out at sea.

      Why have you run out of fuel? questioned Baker.

      Let me ask you something? If your wife fell overboard, what would you do?

      I’d never be out in the middle of the ocean knowing a storm is bearing down on me. I’d have made sure the weather remained fine. The minute I knew the weather might change I’d be plotting a course for the safety of land. There’s no way I’d want my wife to fall overboard.

      You didn’t answer my question, said Jordan.

      Circle the ocean searching for her.

      I have already stated I’ve been crisscrossing this area for hours. I have switched on all the floodlights. I’ve let off an entire box of flares. I’ve even sounded the fog horn. I can’t think of anything else I can do? If I couldn’t see Meredith in the dark, I’m still hoping she’ll be able to see the bright lights of the ‘Quasar.’ Meredith is a strong confident swimmer. If she could see the lights, I’m certain Meredith will swim this way.

      If you’re so keen to find her, why aren’t you holding a large torch? questioned Baker.

      I lost it overboard.

      If I was searching for my wife, I’d never lose the torch I held overboard.

      I’m not navy minded, groaned Jordan.

      Losing two precious items overboard is untimely.

      What are you implying?

      Jordan Ashcombe I’m not implying anything. I’m merely stating the run of back luck you’re having today.

      Bad luck usually runs in threes.

      So, they say. I’m not superstitious.

      Same here, echoed Jordan.

      Good. If you were, I’d say the approaching storm is the third strike.

      Jordan nodded slowly, staring at the sky.

      How long ago did the incident happen? asked Baker. Seeing how you’re not navy minded I’m referring to the loss of the torch.

      The incident happened just before I let off the flare for you to see my exact location. I heard a thumping noise against the hull. I leaned over the wall to take a closer look. Instead of seeing my beautiful wife I saw a shark. In the half dark, I couldn’t tell how big it was. I panicked. As I groped for the wall to haul myself back onboard, I dropped the torch. Please, enough delay. Find my wife.

      We’re doing all we can.

      Jordan paced the deck. He covered his face with his hands. Above the sound of the increasing wind, he sobbed uncontrollably. Without warning, he sprinted for the rear of the ship. In front of two navy officers, Jordan jumped high over the wall, landing face first in the water.

      The leader of the navy landing party whistled for someone to dive over the side.

      The two navy men instinctively jumped into the water. They swam at speed toward Jordan. Baker threw the last life buoy into the sea and watched the entire scene unfold.

      Slowly the navy men dragged Jordan back to his ship. When the swimmers got to the dive ladder the navy men forced Jordan to climb.

      At the small round table near the rear of the ship Jordan sat watching Baker march over. Uninvited he sat on the chair opposite Jordan. For a long moment, he didn’t say a word. Finally, he leaned forward across the table.

      Why on earth did you jump overboard?

      It’s too much to bear knowing Meredith has drowned.

      You have to hold on to hope.

      Jordan stared at Baker’s brown eyes. How can I keep going when I know Meredith’s out there somewhere?

      I’ve never been in your predicament, so I don’t have any ideas. The only thing I can suggest is; you must keep on hoping we’ll find her.

      Jordan switched his attention to a man carrying two jerry cans as he walked across the deck to the dive ladder. After placing the empty cans into the dingy, he walked back. Hovering over Jordan, he said his report military style.

      Sir, we’ve given you enough fuel to get your boat back to the mainland.

      What about filling up the tanks?

      It’ll take my men too long, said Baker breaking into the conversation. Already the sea is choppy. The storm I told you about is bearing down on us extremely fast. I doubt whether I’ll be able to extend the search for too much longer.

      You have to keep searching. I’m not leaving until I’ve found Meredith. If my ship sinks, so be it.

      It’s advisable to start the engines and head back to the mainland immediately. This storm is set to be a real kicker. Baker placed his hand on Jordan’s shoulder. Let’s take a walk.

      Baker led Jordan into the wheelhouse. Out of the strengthening wind, Jordan sat. The officer crossed his arms.

      "I know what I’m about to say might sound like I don’t care. Let me begin by saying I do. It’s why I joined the navy. Helping people in your predicament

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