“I think James and his men took the road at the top thinking we were headed to Long Bay where we had the Adventurer docked before you moved it, Dad,” Jac said.
“I’m worried.” Abigail said. “They should have been here by now.” She was more than worried. Now that I found you, Jac Kidd, she thought, I don’t want to lose you. She had decided that enough time had passed since Reg’s death. It was time to work out the rest of her life. The guilt may never go away entirely, she told herself, but time heals. She knew she couldn’t love anyone else but Jac, and she didn’t want to lose him again.
“Listen, all of you,” Michael said, “you don’t know Jac, Mandrago, and my uncle the way I do. They’ve been in a lot tighter spots than this. They’ll find a way to get here.”
Mulee found his way out of Auntie Mick’s house through the front door. He ran down the driveway to the main road and hid behind a tree. The shirtsleeve tied around his forearm was drenched with blood. He looked for the men in the Mercedes, but after taking a minute to catch his breath he couldn’t wait any longer. He crossed the road and ran into the hotel through the front door. The lobby was empty. Then he saw Remy sitting on a couch in front of the elevators.
“What happened to you?” Remy said. “Where’s Kincaid?”
“The son of a bitch left me to bleed to death. I want him dead!”
“What happened to your arm?”
“Kidd stabbed me with a ballpoint pen.” Mulee scowled. “He drove it deep into my forearm.”
Remy didn’t really care about Mulee’s wound. He acted stupidly in trying to kill Kidd now, Remy thought. “Did you find the contents of my strongbox?”
“Yeah, it was on the kitchen table. Kincaid has it. And there was a map.”
Remy smiled.
“I need a painkiller … and an antibiotic,” Mulee said.
“There’s a first aid kit in James’s room, and I have some codeine.”
“Where the hell is James? He was supposed to pick me up.”
“Your men called us. They spotted a light in the woods above the house. James took off thinking it might be you and Kincaid.” Remy thought, It’s not time to take control.
“No! It was Kidd trying to get to his boat and escape the island!”
“I’ll call James and let him know,” Remy said. “But first we have to get you patched up.”
“Kincaid must have snuck in through the side door and taken the elevator,” Mulee said with a groan.
“It’s time we take care of Kincaid for good,” Remy said.
“His ass is mine!”
“I have a plan,” Remy said as they boarded the elevator.
Rain was falling as Jac, Peri, and Mandrago reached the road on the other side of the island. It was still and dark, and they couldn’t see any lights.
“This side of the island is pretty lonely,” Mandrago said.
“We have to keep going and cross back over when it gets light,” Jac said. His phone buzzed in his pocket.
Remy cleaned Mulee’s wound, bandaged his arm, and gave him a painkiller. He picked up the hotel phone, asked for the room he shared with Kincaid, and waited.
“Kincaid, are you okay?” Remy said.
“Yes, I just got back. I have the map and some papers.”
“Where’s Mulee?” Remy asked. “Is he with you?”
“No. He left me. I don’t know where he is,” Kincaid lied.
“Okay. I need you to come down to James’s room. I need your help to carry a couple of bags to our room. Leave the door open.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Remy hung up. He looked at Mulee and smiled. “He lied, said you left him.”
“Son of a bitch is dead!” Mulee opened the door and headed for the stairs.
A few minutes passed, and Remy heard a knock on the door. Remy showed Kincaid two pieces of luggage that they needed to take upstairs.
As they entered Kincaid and Remy’s room through the open door, Remy told Kincaid he’d forgotten something and would be right back.
As Remy reached the door to leave, they both heard a thud. “Did you hear that?” Kincaid said. “I think someone is in our bathroom.”
Damn it. Remy thought. Mulee is hiding in the bathroom. “Come on, Kincaid. You’re just nervous and a bit paranoid. Get us a drink and calm down.”
“You’re right. I may have left the window open this morning after my shower.”
As Remy took the stairs down to James’s room to wait for Mulee’s call, he knew he’d just seen the bumbling pastor alive for the last time.
Jac listened for a minute on his phone and frowned. “That’s just great! James has these guys in his pocket. Anything you can do?”
“I’m on my way to Kingston to our high court,” Townsend said.
“We have a little problem. James and his men are chasing us. We’re trying to get to our boat, and if we do, we’re leaving. It’s too dangerous to stay here and wait.”
“Keep me informed about where you are. I’ll be there as soon as I can. And be careful.” Townsend hung up.
Jac tried to call Michael, but the battery was expended.
Jac had heard the frustration in Townsend’s voice. “We’re on our own for now,” he told the others. “Townsend can’t get the warrants in Montego Bay. The magistrate won’t sign them. Townsend suspects the guy’s on the take, so he’s going to Kingston to get them signed.”
“That’s great … and us without guns,” Mandrago said.
“We do have one gun. I took it away from Mulee,” Jac said. We have to get to the Adventurer.
Sweat ran down Peri’s face. “I’m worried about the women.”
Mandrago took off his hat and wiped his face with a handkerchief he had taken from his pocket. “Jac’s right. We have to get to the boat.”
They picked up the pace as the sky began to lighten.
“Keep looking,” said Jac. “There has to be another path that will take us up to the mountain road.”
Suddenly they heard a gunshot echoing in the distance. It seemed to come from where they were going.
CHAPTER 38
“Damn it! We lost them!” James screamed as he angrily pointed his 9 mm Glock in the air and squeezed off a single round.
James’s cell phone buzzed. It was Remy with news of Mulee and Kincaid’s mission into Auntie Mick’s house.
Remy informed James that Mulee had found the map lying on the kitchen table. He told him of Kidd’s attack on Mulee, and he said that Kincaid had taken the map, left Mulee, and run. Remy said he was tired of the bumbling pastor’s screw-ups and that it was time to get rid of him.
“Don’t do anything until I get there. You got that?”
“It’s too late. I couldn’t stop Mulee,” Remy lied.
“Mulee should have left the house when he got the map and not sought out Kidd to kill him.” James acted as if he was angry when he hung up. But he knew the trap had been sprung on Remy.
Back in Jamaica the day after James was shot at the hotel, Mulee had visited him in the hospital. Together they had devised a plan to test Remy. James had had a bad feeling after meeting with Remy at the hotel in Jamaica. He sensed that Remy would kill anyone who got in his way to get whatever was in the strongbox. James didn’t want his mother to get hurt. He knew the treasure was personal to Remy after hearing Remy’s story of his family searching for clues to the fabled treasure for two decades.
James also knew Kincaid was extra baggage. Remy would use him until he became useless and expendable.
James and Mulee decided to make it appear as if they were having problems. If it worked, they would dupe Remy into showing his true colors. And at an opportune time, Mulee would agree to or suggest a partnership with Remy to destroy James.
James smiled, thinking, I trust my uncle, Mulee.
“Let’s go back to the hotel and pick up our gear,” James said to his men. He felt something was seriously wrong. It was too easy to steal the map, he thought. Why would Kidd or my mother leave it out in plain sight? Unless they knew I would come and left out a phony to send us on a wild goose chase. It figures. Kidd is going to make a run for it. We have to find where his boat is docked and follow him.
Kincaid stood in the middle of his room, listening. When the noise didn’t repeat, he thought, It’s my paranoia. I guess Remy’s right. I’m overly obsessed. Kincaid smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s just a delusion!” he said aloud. He poured generous portions of vodka and tonic into two drinking glasses, and then unrolled the photographic copy of the map out across the desk, placing glasses on two corners to hold it open so Remy could see it when he returned.
Clunk. He heard another sound.
Kincaid’s eyes turned toward the bathroom door. He picked up the Glock 9 mm Remy had given him. Oh God! he thought. He did what Remy had shown him—he put his hand over the barrel and slowly pulled back on the receiver to cock a round into the chamber. With his heart pounding, he sucked in a breath and held it, straining to hear. Maybe I should get out of here, he thought. No, damn it! There I go again—paranoid. He realized Remy would be back soon and slowly let out his breath. He remembered opening the bathroom window this morning when he showered. It’s probably just the wind, he thought. I’ll take a look to be sure.
Kincaid cautiously moved to the door. He reached down with his left hand while, in his other hand, the weapon remained pointed at the door. Sweat rolled from his forehead and burned his eyes. He gripped the doorknob tightly and turned it slowly, very slowly.
All of a sudden he was yanked and pulled, stumbling head first out of control, into the small room. “Ahhh!” He screamed as a strong hand grasped his arm and stopped his forward motion. He dropped his gun and watched it bounce and slide across the tile floor. He lashed out with his free arm, scratching the smooth surface of the beast’s head behind him. But then he was lifted and turned to face the black eyes and snarling face of his assassin. Kincaid struck the man’s face, punching and scratching. The creature laughed. The killer’s muscular arm reached up and enveloped Kincaid’s neck to cut off his breathing. Kincaid scratched at the bandage on his attacker’s arm. Gagging with the pressure increasing, his eyes went wide with recognition. “Mu … le … e … Ahh! I’m … sorry.” Mulee’s grip lessened as Kincaid sucked hard to draw in a small breath. Maybe, he thought—and hoped—Mulee would make a mistake. But as Mulee’s arm readjusted, Kincaid knew that Lucifer, the first fallen angel, had sent his most vile demon to fetch another fallen angel to burn with him in hell.
Like a predator about to eat an easy kill, Mulee laughed. Kincaid felt drool running from Mulee’s open mouth onto his neck.
One last burst from Kincaid’s survival instinct drained the remaining strength in his body. He kicked as hard as he could. The legs behind him absorbed the blows like pillars of stone. Kincaid shuddered. He felt an icy freeze rising from his toes numbing his body as it crept toward his neck. Oh, God! Forgive me, forgive me, forgiv … Starbursts appeared, dancing in and out of his vision. He heard a crack, like a dry tree branch snapped in half, and his life’s water and excrement released.
In the dimming light, his eyes flickered and he floated like a bubble to the floor.
Then Mulee was above him looking down into his frozen stare and saying something. But the sound was like a distant echo. And as the image continued to pale, Kincaid’s thoughts began a fade out toward oblivion. He saw an aperture that began to close. Then shadows, twilight, and darkness as he moved forward into a faraway light—the end of existence.
Remy looked around the room and spotted the map rolled out on the desk with two freshly poured drinks holding down the edges. He picked up one drink and sniffed. “Vodka and tonic! How nice.” He handed the other drink to Mulee.
Mulee smiled as he and Remy looked down at Kincaid’s body on the floor.
“Sorry, Reverend. I’m going to hell anyway. I want you to know that I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” Remy felt giddy, almost euphoric. It had been weeks since he had been on a kill, and this one felt especially good because he’d planned it. He wouldn’t have to listen to all the negatives from Kincaid anymore. And he now had an ally who wanted something as bad as he did.
On the trip from Jamaica, Remy had elicited the story from Mulee of how James had assumed control of the theft syndicate. Mulee reluctantly admitted he had lost control of the men, and that the men were more at ease with James since he was about their age.
Remy surmised the real reason was that the men were tired of Mulee’s method of dominating them as if he was their king. It really had been simple—all James had to do was promise the men a bigger cut of the profits. Remy knew it well, the old adage: money talks and bullshit walks. Mulee had been kept on, but reduced to James’s lieutenant, and he didn’t like it.
Remy poured another drink for Mulee and filled his own glass. He remembered the conversation they’d had late one night on the way to Tortola. Remy found the opportunity he was waiting for. It happened after another ass chewing by James. Mulee stormed away to his cabin and was sucking down a bottle of rum. Opportunity just knocked again, Remy had thought. Mulee was ripe.
Remy had joined Mulee in his cabin to console him. But Remy’s real mission was to plant the seeds of conspiracy, let them germinate a while, and pick an opportune time to harvest.
“Why do you let him treat you like that?” Remy said.
“I don’t know …”
“You should be in charge! This is your boat—and your son’s. You run this operation.” Remy paused to let his words sink in. “All James does is take your money.”
“You’re right!” Mulee agreed. He was drunk. He stared at Remy, and after a minute his face brightened.
The seeds of doubt had been planted. It took only two more shots of rum for Mulee to suggest they make a deal. Easily harvested! Remy thought. Remy was confident now that Mulee was committed. He wanted to take back what was his, and now he had proven his allegiance by taking care of Kincaid.
Both men raised their glasses in a salute to the next step. “Nostrovia,” they echoed and downed the last of the rum in one gulp.
Remy now had a collaborator.
Remy thought it curious that Mulee was looking at him with a devious smirk on his face. Blinded by his conquest, Remy thought, I’m in control now. But he didn’t recognize the fact that blood is thicker than water. Or in this instance, thicker than rum.
CHAPTER 39
A slight breeze felt pleasant on Jac’s face as he peeked out from the foliage behind the village of Long Bay.
They had found a path that took them to the top of the mountain and down the other side without a confrontation with James or his men. Jac thought it odd, and it worried him. He told Mandrago and Peri his thoughts. “James may have given up on the others and will be looking for the Adventurer. And if he finds it, he and his men will either lie in wait and try and capture us, or they’ll try to take Abigail and the real contents of the strongbox.”
Mandrago suggested a third option. “James will know that the map they found in the Auntie Mick’s house was a phony. I think he may try to find the Adventurer and follow us. He can lie off shore and scan with their radar for any boat leaving the island.”
“I agree, Dad. That way they could try to take us at sea—and leave no evidence,” Jac said.
“If they decide to take the Adventurer,” said Peri, “without a doubt my nephew, Michael, will defend the women. He won’t give up. If he’s overwhelmed by James’ men, he’ll die trying to win. He’s all I have left of family. I don’t want to lose him.”
“You’re right, Peri. We need to get to the boat.” Jac led the way.
Staying hidden in the scrub brush, Jac led them around the vi
llage. They climbed through tall banana palms and brush. On the other side of a small rise, they could see the road. They sensed the ocean was nearby. The smell of brine pervaded the air. Jac was wary. James could have posted some of his men at strategic points. He carefully pushed back a large leaf that hid him from view and looked each way, watching for any movement in the foliage that bordered the road. When he felt secure that they were safe, he whispered, “Let’s go.” And one by one they darted across the road into more heavy foliage. Ten yards in they were confronted with a large sand berm. Before crossing over, Jac stopped to allow Peri to catch his breath.
“I think we’re close, son, ” Mandrago said. We crossed a berm to get to the hidden dock that Auntie Mick showed me.
James opened the door to his room at the hotel and found Mulee waiting for him. He was alone.
Mulee got up from the sofa and gave James a hug, “You were right about Remy. He has his own agenda, and he thinks I am part of it.”
“I take it his plan is to kill me?” James said as he took a change of clothes from his suitcase.
“Yeah, he wants to kill you, which would put me back in charge of the operation.”
“And I’m sure your days are numbered as well,” James scoffed.
“No doubt. Oh, I took care of Kincaid’s body. I had the men put him in one of the large duffel bags. We can dump his body at sea.”
“Good. Uncle, you do know that, when you went after Kidd, it spoiled our plan. Now we have to get back to the boat and track them on radar when they leave. I don’t trust the map you found. I think it’s a phony they planted to send us in another direction.”
“I’m sorry, James. I thought we could cripple them. I made a mistake. But I’m glad I took care of Kincaid. That son of a bitch left me to die.”
“What’s done is done. Call Remy and tell him we’re going to leave for the boat. He’s in for a big surprise when he finds himself feeding the fishes instead of me.”
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