Then he saw John Kilkenny. Slumped to his side. His eyes stared off fixated into a deep abyss.
‘Johnny Kill’ was dead.
Summer was officially over. Still, it was a pleasant evening. Nantucket Sound was placid and the boat sat idly in the water. If the weather was calm, turbulence and fear ran rampant for the four people occupying the boat. Vasco Gomes was at the wheel, Brick Cleary at his side, while Dan and Nola sat in the stern. There was little chatter. Dan was glad for that. All eyes were cast due south onto Naushon Island.
On the east side of the Island another boat lay anchored. “Stay alert,” Captain Mick Beckham scolded in a low growl. “We will be in for a fight. That type of treasure doesn’t sit unattended. Follow my lead and no bloodshed till I give an order. Hopefully, that order will not be needed. But, again, alert is the word of the day.”
A third boat, launched from Falmouth Harbor, quietly idled just to the west of the Island. Bess Chadwell wore a windbreaker and baseball cap each emblazoned with the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office insignia. Tonight was official business. Whatever nefarious activities that were alleged to be happening on Naushon would be shut down. If the claims of a murderous Freemason cell were true, as her Uncle claimed, then she and her team would need to act with legal precision. Any misstep could be a career killer. Bess Chadwell would be ready. She had encouraged Dan Burdett to bring the same sense of caution.
Chief Nickerson had no such concerns. His career was effectively over. But, he figured, if that curtain was closing, at least it would end on a high note. Freemasonry would continue to be a plague on society no matter the outcome of this night’s drama. Yet, if he was able to at least strike one blow, then his efforts in law enforcement would have been worth it.
Vasco Gomes was not surprised when he heard the first eruption. Then a man’s anguished cry could be heard. Mick Beckham, a third of the way up the dune, looked around. One of his men had triggered a mine. He hesitated. Then another loud explosion propelled a second man back into the surf. ‘Clever’, Beckham thought. Henry Sinclair had provided a perimeter defense to defend his treasure laden home. Too close to his objective, he readied his rifle and continued his ascent.
A solitary figure emerged at the top of the mound. A frail man but one who carried the strength of his beliefs hoisted the Templar crossbow onto his right shoulder. An invigorating thought settled into his mind. He, an academic, would make his final stand as a warrior. It was a fitting way to fulfill the vows he had made so many years ago. Sinclair locked onto his sight. Steady. He would only have one shot to fell his foe. Now! He unleashed the power of the mighty weapon and the arrow was launched on its deadly path. Another scream.
Captain Mick Beckham was dead.
“Burdett, you come with me!” Vasco Gomes gave the order while mooring his boat to the dock. “Brick, keep this engine running. We may need to make a quick getaway. Nola, man the mooring.”
Neither Dan nor Nola were in a position to disagree. “But be careful of the land mines,” Nola cautioned.
“Yeah,” Dan hesitated as he climbed onto the dock.
“Come on,” Gomes urged. “Those mines are planted along the ridge of the Island. Follow me along the path.”
It sounded reasonable. And Vasco Gomes had scoped out Naushon Island for quite some time. Coming up the gently sloped hill, they both saw Henry Sinclair standing rigidly, a weapon raised, then fired, and the elation he shouted as he felled his opponent. Neither Burdett nor Gomes needed any prodding. They rushed towards Sinclair. The skeletal figure of a man had no time to reload his weapon and was easily overwhelmed.
Vasco brandished his knife. “No!” Dan shouted. “He lives. I made a promise.”
Gomes grudgingly put away his knife but delivered a crashing blow into Sinclair’s abdomen. Dan tossed the crossbow down the slope towards the beach. He looked back to see Bess and Nickerson easing their boat ashore. The gate to the chamber lay open.
Vasco darted towards the entrance but was held back by Burdett. “Remember the trap Sinclair set with those mines,” Dan cautioned.
“Yeah, right,” Gomes agreed.
They both crept forward slowly. Looking down the stairway they could see the inside was lit. The wooden stairs were sturdy. As they descended Dan and Vasco did not know what to expect. Each had a weapon if only one knew how to use it. They expected a fight. What they did not expect is what they found.
The chamber was empty with the exception of Papi. Dan rushed over to his friend. The once gregarious fisherman was but a shell of himself. Empty eyes stared up at Dan as he tried to unshackle the broken man. Vasco picked up an axe from the ground. He hoisted it up over his head and crashed it down tearing the chain in two. Dan helped Papi to his feet.
Vasco Gomes looked around to view the treasure which lay within his grasp. He saw a chest set off to the side. His hatchet easily unhinged the lock. Silver and gold, ancient coins, medallions, jewelry, lay piled to the top. Dan sat Papi down at the table. He looked in horror at the blood crusted rack. Papi weakly spoke. “Dan, over there,” he pointed.
Behind the partition, laying naked and debauched on the bed, a dirty ruddy faced Julia Beckham stared up at Dan with a mixture of fear and shame. He didn’t waste time with words. Dan covered her with a blanket, picked her up, and placed her on his shoulder.
“Vasco, enough, help Papi and we need to be out of here. Our mission is accomplished.”
Gomes took two more handfuls of treasure and stuffed it into his sack. He then rushed to Papi, lowered his shoulder, and put the bigger man on his back. “Ok, we are outta here,” Vasco said as he led the way out of the chamber.
Down to the side of the Island where Captain Mick Beckham had landed, the Barnstable County Police unit was taking what remained of his crew into custody. Bess looked up and was relieved to see Dan safe. And, it appeared, fortune had delivered Papi alive. Apparently the same could be said for Julia Beckham who lay limp over Dan’s shoulder.
Brick Cleary hopped over the boat’s rail and assisted Dan in helping Julia into the boat. Nola burst out in tears of joy as she recognized that Papi, though beaten and battered, was still alive. Dan gently laid Julia on the bench in the boat’s rear. He wanted to engage her in conversation, what exactly went on, but she looked up at him with lifeless eyes. The only sign of emotion was a solitary tear which began its sad journey. The look startled him. Wounds heal. The body recovers to fight another day. But, the deep abyss of emotional despair often lasts an eternity.
The engine roared. Vasco Gomes boat set course into the dark Atlantic waters and Naushon Island receded from view. “Brick, take the wheel,” Gomes commanded. “I want a closer look at this sack.”
Brick slid over into the captain’s chair. There was nothing he could do for Julia Beckham. She would need intense medical care. So Dan saddled up to Gomes’ side. Nola shot a look of disgust as she cradled her Uncle in her arms.
“Look at that, Burdett,” Gomes grumbled in a low yet excited voice.
It was remarkable Dan admitted to himself. A small solid gold candelabra, gold, silver, and copper coins of various sizes. Vasco Gomes detected something buried beneath the small mountain of treasure and pulled out a gold chain. Attached to it was an exquisitely carved image of Mother Mary. It was quite old judging from the Latin inscription. But it had been maintained well. Dan could only guess as to its worth. Priceless he assumed. Vasco Gomes clutched it to his heart and said a prayer in Portuguese.
He then went over to Nola and placed it around her neck. “This is too holy for a man like me, Daughter. Papi, when you are well, we shall begin to divvy up the treasure you have discovered. Finally, you are a rich man.”
It was risky to have not alerted the Coast Guard. But, it was within their rights, Bess Chadwell knew. The Elizabeth Islands, though privately owned by the Sinclair Family, were part of Barnstable County’s jurisdiction. Henry Sinclair had been put in a strait jacket and was now heading back to shore. There he would be placed
into the custody of his brother, Senator William Sinclair.
A private security firm had been enlisted by the Senator to keep guard over the Island until the next day. At that time an archeological and historical team, led by Professor Francis George, would begin cataloging the vast treasure and historical items which were found within the ancient Viking lair. A nice way for Anna Chase to begin her career in Medieval History. This brought a smile to Bess.
And, she thought, quite a way for her to begin her career as Barnstable County Sheriff. The smile grew even bigger.
Vinland: A Dan Burdett Mystery (The Cape Cod Mystery Series Book 1) Page 22