Sabers, Sails, and Murder

by Nola Robertson

  Another ghost was haunting me.

  “No, no, no,” I muttered. My knees no longer wanted to cooperate, and I grabbed for the railing between the two closest cannons to keep my rear from ending up on the hardwood deck beneath my feet.

  Was it possible I still had lingering effects from the spirit seeker, that somehow the shock I’d received from touching the saber had enabled me to see his ghost? Or was it possible that I’d pulled spirits from the afterlife, and would have to spend the rest of my life being careful what I touched?

  The thought of Cumberpatch overrun with spirits made my chest tighten and had me gulping air.

  As much as I avoided visiting the Classic Broom because of its scary interior and even spookier shop owners, I would need to make an exception and talk to the Haverston sisters again. Edith and Joyce had provided me with some answers shortly after my encounter with the spirit seeker. They were the only people I knew of who might be able to help me now.

  Even though I had my suspicions about the identity of the guy who’d just gotten me into trouble, I needed to be sure.

  “Are ye all right, Lass? Ye look as if ye have seen…well, me.” He chuckled heartily.

  Great, not only was I being haunted again, but this ghost liked to play tricks and found himself amusing. “My name is Rylee, not Lass. And speaking of names, would you mind telling me yours?”

  He removed his hat, then made an exaggerated bow. “I be Martin Cumberpatch, cap'n of the Renegade’s Revenge. 'Ave ye heard of me?”

  My excitement overruled my irritation. “Are you kidding? The town was named after you.” I tugged the strap of my purse back onto my shoulder. “I don’t think there’s anyone in the state who doesn’t know who you are. I just never expected to actually meet you, or be standing here talking to you.” Though I didn’t think haphazardly leaning on a water cannon could be considered standing.

  He puffed out his chest and proudly grinned throughout my rambling.

  I narrowed my eyes. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

  “Aye.”

  Curiosity and I were best friends, so when I could finally take a step without fear of falling, I moved closer to get a better look at Martin. “Not to be rude or anything, but do you mind if I touch you?”

  “Nah at all.” He seemed to be enjoying our encounter way more than I was and took a few steps closer.

  “Shouldn’t you be blue?” Except for the different hats that changed colors, Jessica’s ghost had always shimmered a single translucent shade. I waved my arm through the air, ignoring the chill I got when my hand passed through his chest. “And glowing. Why aren’t you glowing? Did something happen, and you didn’t get to cross over?” I wasn’t an expert on all things ghostly, but I had it on decent advice that moving onto the afterlife was a spirit’s primary goal.

  “No, I be likin' it here jus' fine.” Martin’s grin faltered slightly.

  “But why?” His revelation was not what I’d expected, and if I wanted to hurry him on his way, I’d need more information. “Don’t you want to be with your crew?” I assumed since they weren’t hanging out with him, they must have passed on.

  “What makes ye reckon I be wantin' to spend eternity wit' that scurvy lot?” He huffed. “They were nah much fun when they were alive, always wantin’ to plunder, drinkin’ too much ail, and searchin’ fer treasure.” His reflective look when he mentioned the latter made me wonder if it meant something personal to him.

  It was hard to tell if he was being serious or trying to be humorous. Before I could ask, heavy footsteps on the ramp filled the air along with Max’s voice. “Rylee.” It hadn’t reached the level of a shout but was loud enough to get my attention. My uncle’s arrival didn’t go unnoticed by Martin, either. The cowardly pirate vanished, leaving me to deal with my irate relative alone.

  “Yeah,” I said, pushing away from the railing. By the time Max reached the top of the ramp, he didn’t look nearly as angry as I’d expected.

  He crossed the deck, stopping a few feet away from me, then placed his hands on his hips. “Girl, I don’t know what possessed you to spray us with water, but…”

  “I can explain.” I wasn’t willing to tell him about Martin’s ghost and had already formulated an excuse about the water shooting being an accident or the result of a malfunctioning cannon.

  “No need.” Max grinned, then pulled me into a breath-stealing soggy hug. “I wanted to say thank you.”

  I narrowed my gaze, afraid I’d been wrong about the strength of the blast, that the water had hit him in the head and caused some damage. “Thank you for what?”

  “For doing to Jake what I’ve wanted to do for years.”

  Chapter Two

  “No way, Martin Cumberpatch, really?” Shawna plopped down next to me on the couch in the living room of the apartment she shared with Jade.

  Her reaction was pretty much what I’d expected after sharing the details of my encounter with the feisty pirate.

  “Does he look anything like the pictures in our high school history books?” She tucked several dark brown strands streaked with vibrant blue behind both ears.

  I had gotten used to the bright purple streaks she’d been wearing since the beginning of summer. Apparently, she’d decided it was time to change after finding out that shade of blue was Nate’s favorite color.

  He’d been Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, and we’d met him, or rather Shawna had tackled him to the ground, the night we decided to break into the cemetery to revisit her crime scene for clues. The interaction between them always seemed strained, so I was surprised by her recent interest in the guy.

  Jade and I had a bet going on whether or not they’d actually start dating. There wasn’t any money involved because we agreed that if they did get together, the relationship would only last a few months, the break-up occurring right around the New Year.

  “I’d say they’re fairly accurate. Martin didn’t glow, not like Jessica had, so at first, I thought he was a tourist.”

  “If he’d been trapped in this world all these years, maybe his spirit’s luster faded.” Jade shared her speculation as she handed me a mug of freshly brewed coffee before settling with her favorite teal cup in the cushioned chair across from us. She slipped off her shoes, then smoothed the fabric of her jeans as she tucked her legs beside her.

  “It might also explain why he can move objects.” Shawna tapped her chin, then answered my inquiring glance. “He’s had lots of time to practice.”

  “I would say so,” I said. “I still can’t believe Martin shot Max and Jake with a water cannon.”

  Jade giggled. “I’ll bet that went over well.”

  “Oh yeah.” I bobbed my head. “Jake was furious, but surprisingly, Max was happy about it afterward. I guess he’d wanted to do it for years, or so he said.” I didn’t need to explain the feud between the two men to my friends. They’d spent a lot of time with my family and had heard plenty of my uncle’s rants.

  “Did Martin happen to tell you why he was still hanging around?” Shawna reached for the cup she had sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

  “He said something about not wanting to spend eternity with his crew, but I got the impression he might be joking.” I took a sip of my drink. “I didn’t get a chance to ask him anything else because he poofed out when Max came on the boat.”

  “I take it you haven’t seen him since yesterday, then?” Shawna asked.

  “No.” I kept the part about hoping I wouldn’t see him again to myself. It might be selfish, but I wasn’t looking forward to my life being complicated by a ghost again.

  “Do you think he can do that pop in and out thing that Jessica used to do?” Jade asked.

  “More importantly, do you think Martin will show up here?” Shawna excitedly glanced around the room as if the ghost would magically appear at the mention of his name.

  “No, and I hope not.” I sighed, glancing at both of them in turn.

  “Oooh, you know wha
t this means, don’t you?” Shawna asked.

  “That I’m cursed.” My sarcasm sounded harsher than I’d intended.

  “Nooo.” Shawna rolled her eyes. “It means you’re destined to help ghosts in need.”

  “Great, so now you think the spirit seeker made me some sort of beacon for ghosts in trouble.” If I was a magical guiding light, then finding out for sure was another reason I needed to visit the Haverston sisters. And soon.

  “Exactly, which is why we need to find out why Martin’s here so we can help him like we did Jessica,” Shawna said.

  “Martin didn’t seem like he wanted any help.” Going out and purposely looking for another sleuthing adventure was definitely not on my to-do list, especially now that my life had returned to what I considered to be as normal as it was going to get.

  “Did you ask him, or even offer your services?” Jade asked.

  “What services?”

  Shawna joined Jade in staring at me as if it was obvious, pausing a few seconds before saying, “You know, the spirit whisperer thing.”

  Even if being a ghost whisperer was a legitimate profession, I was sure it wouldn’t look good on my resume, or assist with paying my bills.

  Shawna patting the armrest and staring off into space made me nervous because it usually meant she was devising a plan that would get us into trouble. “Max’s first tour doesn’t usually leave until eleven in the morning, right?”

  “As far as I know.” A tightening in my chest compounded my wariness.

  “Then I say we go down to the Buccaneer’s Delight to see if Martin is still there and find out why he hasn’t moved on yet,” Shawna said.

  “I think it’s a great idea.” Jade shot Shawna a supportive grin.

  “No, it’s not a great idea,” I said when Jade lowered her feet to the floor and reached for her shoes. “In fact, it’s a bad idea. One ghost in my lifetime was enough, thank you.” Since I hadn’t seen Martin after our conversation the day before, I was hoping I’d gotten lucky, and there was some cosmic rule that kept him from leaving the boat. If that was the case, I already had plenty of excuses to tell my uncle why I’d be leaving my deliveries in his shop from now on.

  “But Rylee, what if he really does need our help and was too proud to ask for it?” Shawna’s pleading voice was getting close to whining.

  “He’s a pirate. You do remember the stories about pillaging and taking what they wanted, right?” If anything, I was more worried the locals would need some help protecting themselves from Martin and his prankster antics.

  “Yes, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t at least discuss it with him,” Jade said.

  Glaring at my friends wasn’t doing me any good. They were equally determined, and there was no way I was going to win a two against one battle of wills. “You’re not going to stop pestering me until we go, are you?”

  Jade shook her head. “Nope.”

  “Probably not,” Shawna said.

  “Fine. We’ll go and ask your questions.” I held up my hand. “But if he doesn’t want our help, then that’s the last time we go looking for him.” I gave them both an unwavering glare.

  Jade and Shawna glanced at each other, shared a smirk, then said, “Agreed.”

  My friends were in a hurry to go and rushed around the apartment in search of jackets and whatever else they thought they needed to take with them. I drained the last of my drink, wishing I’d had time for at least two more cups of the caffeine-infused liquid before having to deal with Martin.

  ***

  My family’s shop, along with quite a few other businesses, was located on Swashbuckler Boulevard, the town’s main street. Taking the road that circled through town was the quickest way to reach the harbor and Max’s boat.

  Weekends were usually the busiest, and in a few days, tourists would fill the sidewalks, and the traffic would be a lot heavier. After parking in one of the lots designated for the surrounding shopping areas, Shawna, Jade, and I decided to stop by Max’s store first to make sure no one would be on the Buccaneer’s Delight while we were looking for Martin.

  Chloe Carter, one of my uncle’s employees, was unlocking the door to the blue building where they sold a variety of souvenirs and tickets for the tours. There were several seagulls perched on the roof next to a long rectangular sign painted a bright yellow with the words “Pirate Cruises” in large red letters centered along the middle.

  All of Max’s employees were required to dress like pirates. Chloe’s uniform consisted of a white blouse that gathered across the bodice, a long dark skirt with ruffles along the hem, and a matching vest with his company’s logo.

  As soon as she saw us, she waved. “Hey, Rylee, if you’re looking for Max, he hasn’t arrived yet, but I’m sure he’ll be here shortly.”

  If Max and the other employees who worked the tour were due to arrive soon, it didn’t give my friends and me much time to go onboard and find Martin.

  “Thanks, but I only stopped by to pick up something I left below deck when I was here yesterday. If it’s okay with you…” I motioned toward the boat.

  “Not a problem. Go ahead, but please make sure you latch the rope at the bottom of the ramp when you’re through.” After shoving a plastic wedge under the door with her foot to keep it open, Chloe turned to go back inside.

  Shawna only made it a few steps before asking, “What did you forget yesterday? I thought we came here to talk to Martin.”

  “Nothing,” I whispered, heading along the concrete walkway leading to the boat.

  “Then what was that all about?” Shawna asked.

  “Covert operation, remember?” Jade latched onto Shawna’s elbow and hurried her along so Chloe wouldn’t overhear our conversation if she came back outside. “Did you expect Rylee to tell her we came here looking for a ghost? Because if she had, it wouldn’t take long before everybody in town found out and was out here trying to find him.”

  “Not to mention the hounding I’d get if Troy Duncan ever found out.” Troy was a local reporter who worked for his father’s newspaper, the Swashbuckler Gazette. The last time I’d refused to be interviewed by him was at Jessica’s crime scene. The last time there’d been a murder, which happened to be Jessica’s, he’d hounded me for an interview at the cemetery.

  Shawna was a thoughtful person whose consistent plan of helping others almost always landed the three of us in trouble. She was also notorious for losing sight of the goal and needed numerous reminders about the objective. “If that happens, we can forget about being able to help Martin.”

  “Good point.” Shawna pulled free of Jade’s hand to follow me up the ramp.

  As soon as I reached the deck, I walked over to the area near the water cannons where I’d last seen Martin’s ghost.

  “Anything?” After glancing around, Jade pushed her blonde bangs off her forehead, then placed her sunglasses on top of her head.

  I shook my head. “Nothing, not even a chill. Maybe what happened yesterday had been a fluke.” Not that I believed it, but I could always hope.

  Shawna did a slow spin. “It’s been a while since I’ve been on board, but the boat hasn’t changed a bit.”

  “Do you guys remember that summer we all worked on the tours with Max?” Jade asked.

  Shawna wrinkled her nose. “Yes, and I also remember wanting to throw a kid over the railing for sticking bubblegum in my hair.”

  The child she’d mentioned was an eleven-year-old boy whose mother had let him and his friends run wild during the entire trip. He was a rambunctious brat who kept trying to lift my skirt, and I’d come close to helping Shawna fulfill her threat.

  Jade bobbed her head. “I remember that too. Didn’t I have to cut the chewed up wad out for you?”

  “You tried, but I still ended up at the hairdresser's,” Shawna said. It was the first and last time I ever wore my hair that short.”

  As much as I enjoyed reminiscing with my friends about our misadventures, I didn’t want to be here when Max
or any of his crew arrived to set up for the next tour.

  “Martin, are you here?” I walked across the deck half-listening to Jade and Shawna’s conversation wishing he’d hurry up and appear. I ended up in front of the display case, noticed the empty spot where I’d seen Max mount the saber, and groaned. “Unbelievable.”

  “What’s the matter? What did you find?” Jade headed in my direction, the click of her heels filling the air.

  “It’s not what I found.” I tipped my chin at the empty spot behind the glass. “It’s what’s missing.”

  “Hey guys,” Shawna interrupted before I got a chance to tell Jade I thought we should do a thorough search of the boat and find the artifact before we left, or at the very least, let Max know it had disappeared again.

  Shawna leaned against the railing at the far end of the deck and was looking down at the water. Frowning, she glanced at us over her shoulder. “You know the sword thingy or whatever the heck it was that Max said he thought belonged to Martin?”

  “You mean his saber?” Jade asked.

  “Yeah, that.” Shawna went back to staring at the water.

  “Why?” I warily followed Jade to see what our friend was looking at, unsure if I was going to like what she had to say.

  “Because I think I found it.” Shawna leaned farther over the edge and pointed.

  Since the surrounding water was deep and metal was too heavy to float, she wouldn’t be able to see the blade if it sank to the darkened depths. I peered over the side, expecting to see the blade stuck somewhere in the wooden hull, not protruding from someone’s chest.

  My inhaled squeak was followed by a gasp when Jade took the spot next to me and got a glimpse of what Shawna found. “That’s, that’s…”

  “A dead body,” Shawna stated in a matter-of-fact tone.