by Annie Seaton
“Pick up, pick up.”
As quickly as he could, he limped along past the boats berthed beside his until he reached the turn to the last row of berths, the row the Midas had just vacated. Gracie’s phone rang without her picking up and Jake kept his eyes fixed ahead in case she was walking back along the path toward him.
But his instincts screamed at him and he knew Gracie was in trouble. As he limped toward the last berth, his knee locked and he stopped, catching his breath as the cruiser turned seaward toward Pioneer Bay. His throat closed and his heart skidded in his chest as he got a clear view of the windows at the front of the cruiser.
Fuck. Oh, sweet Jesus.
Gracie’s white face and hands were pressed against the side window of the main cabin at the front of the middle deck, and the last thing he saw before it disappeared between the high rock walls bordering the channel was Gracie calling out to him. He held up his phone and pointed to it, hoping she would pick up on his intent.
Chapter Nineteen
“Are you sure?” The deep voice of Cabal came through the locked door. Gracie pressed her ear against the smooth mahogany, straining to hear.
“Yes, I’ve seen her photo on Carla’s laptop. It’s definitely her sister.” Gracie recognized Clive’s voice. “I knew who she was as soon as she came snooping around the other day flashing her sister’s photo around.”
“Shit.”
“I told Paulie and Mick to frighten her away. They didn’t know she was her sister, but they knew something was suspect and then they ballsed it up”
“So she ends up working on my fucking boat?” Cabal’s accent became more pronounced as he raised his voice.
“I thought I could sort it out and keep an eye on her and convince her that her sister wasn’t on the boat but then she saw two of the bags yesterday when Paulie was in the bathroom.”
“Then why was she allowed to leave?” Cabal’s voice was cold and shivers rippled down Gracie’s spine. She’d scraped her fingers raw trying to open the cabin windows but they were key-locked. The feeling that had gripped her when she’d seen Jake limping down the boardwalk was indescribable and one she never wanted to experience again. The anguish and helplessness on his face had torn at her heart, and for a brief moment, concern for his frustration had overlaid her fears for her own safety and her worry about Regan.
“Mick and Shannon followed her but she gave them the slip.”
“That’s not good enough. I still don’t understand why you even gave her the job on the boat, Clive.” Cabal’s voice was hard. “Today, of all the days, to fuck it up just as the drop is about to be made.”
“But if she’d found out what happened to her sister she would have gone straight to the cops. This way we’ve got her now. So we take her the same place you took Carla. Okay?”
Their voices faded away, and Gracie could only hear snatches of the conversation. The blood was pounding in her ears and bile was rising in her throat as her stomach cramped.
“Cabin…island…fucking slack…” The words became faint and a door banged shut and then all was quiet. She moved across to the bed and dropped her head to her knees fighting the nausea and light-headedness.
The low throb of the motors increased in tempo and the front of the cruiser lifted as it passed the markers into Pioneer Bay and surged forward into the open waters of the Whitsunday Passage. Apart from the scattered islands and the reef, there was nothing ahead of them for thousands of miles. If they put her overboard, she would never be found. Fear hitched her breath in her throat as she thought of floating alone in the waters of the ocean.
Thoughts of Regan filled her mind as she sat on the side of the bed and she wondered what fate her sister had met. At least Jake knew where she was, although they knew she had been with him. Maybe, just maybe, that would save her. Mick had seen them together at the hotel last night, so they knew she was associated with him.
Raising her hands to her face, her shoulders shook with sobs as she admitted to herself that whatever they were up to was too big for them to care what an ex-cop and a schoolteacher knew.
Gracie concentrated on her breathing, determined to pull herself together. It was up to her to save herself. When her heartbeat had settled, she turned and looked around the room. Her bag was on the bed where she’d thrown it, and she picked it up and removed her phone. Her hands were shaking so much it took three attempts before she managed to slide the touch screen across the bottom of the phone.
No bars.
No fucking service.
Forcing her stiff legs to bend, she slowly sat on the side of the bed and fought down the queasiness rising in her throat. She tried to tell herself it was the gentle up-and-down movement of the boat as it ploughed through the swell, but deep down she knew it was sheer terror that had a firm grip on her.
She was terrified. This was no pleasant jaunt out to the islands. And it was all because she’d seen those bags in the crew room yesterday. Regan must have seen drugs as well.
Cocaine. She knew what it was…in fact she’d known as soon as she’d dropped that small bag in the room she’d cleaned yesterday. If she had half a brain in her head, she should have gone straight to the police. But she’d ignored every shred of common sense and stayed loyal to Regan despite knowing it was wrong.
And she hadn’t even told Jake about them. If he’d known about the cocaine, he would never have agreed to her coming back to look for Regan and she wouldn’t be in this situation now. She raised shaking hands to her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. This was no game. She wasn’t going to be dropped off somewhere to be rescued. Jake would come after her…somehow…but it would take time.
“Oh, God, what am I going to do?” Wrapping her arms around her knees, she rocked back and forth as panic took over. She couldn’t understand it. In Jake’s photographs Regan was obviously in with that Cabal guy. So why did the other one say they’d got rid of her? This was way out of her league, and she couldn’t attempt to understand how their minds worked. All she could be certain of was they’d got rid of Regan, and she was next.
By the time Jake followed the Midas, it would be too late. He’d never catch up and she might be overboard. Pretty Lady would be too slow to catch this cruiser. It had taken half an hour just to get around the bay to his house that morning. Now that they were miles out into the ocean the Pretty Lady would never get to her in time.
In time for what?
In time to find her floating in the water, bloated and a feast for sea creatures? Visions of sharks and crocodiles and marine stingers filled her thoughts. Not to mention stonefish, sea snakes, and box jellyfish and all the other dangerous reef dwellers.
Jumping to her feet, she looked wildly around the room. Of course there was nowhere to hide. The bed was solid and built into the floor and the mahogany cupboards were all compact, divided into compartments too small for hiding. She ran into the bathroom, and pulled open the drawers and cupboards looking for something to use as a weapon.
But there was nothing. Not even a pair of scissors. Hysterical laughter bubbled into her chest. Not even a pair of nail clippers.
Her only chance was to get out through the window and hide somewhere on the boat. It was big, and she’d seen lots of cupboards and compartments big enough to hold her as she’d cleaned yesterday. There should be somewhere to hide and it would buy time while they searched.
The first problem was to break the window open, and she opened the cupboards looking for something heavy to smash the glass with. The bedside lights were secured to the wooden panels beside the bed and the large television screen was fixed to the ceiling. A couple of small green decorative vases sat on a shelf on an alcove between the wardrobes and she picked them up, weighing them, before throwing them back down. They were too light to be of any use.
She opened the wardrobe doors one by one and scanned the contents. Half a dozen men’s suits filled one wardrobe and matching leather shoes.
Nothing there.
&nb
sp; She opened the other side and caught her breath as she recognized some of Regan’s dresses. Gracie reached out and buried her face in the soft silk as she fought the tears springing to her eyes.
Oh God, Regan. Please be alive.
Gracie realized that the hospital story had been a ploy to get her on the boat. Maybe when they’d realized she’d seen the drugs they had decided she was too close to Regan and they’d done something to her?
The Midas hadn’t left the marina but he said they’d get rid of her in the same place.
Gracie groaned and the panic built in her chest again. There was nothing to do but sit and wait. Pulling her phone out again, her heart raced when a couple of bars registered a signal. She quickly pulled up Jake and typed Help me and pressed Send before the signal died.
Then she tried dialing his number but it didn’t ring before the signal cut out.
When she heard someone at the door, she pushed the phone down the back of her shorts, grabbed her bag, and clasped it to her chest. Fear ran like ice in her veins and she stood and moved across to the front of the suite against the window as the doorknob slowly turned.
Chapter Twenty
Ben was standing beside his pickup truck with his boat trailer and boat hooked on to the tow bar when Jake slammed the Jeep around the corner of the street and onto Ben’s footpath. He jumped out of the Jeep and limped across to the old pickup truck.
Ben threw him the keys. “Give me the keys to your Jeep. I have to get to the marina straightaway. The police launch is following the Midas and I’m on it.”
“Did you tell them about Gracie?”
“Yes, but they were already tracking the cruiser. The police helicopter is out in the passage and they’re tracking the Midas from a distance.” Ben looked across at Jake. “Christ, man, I told you to stay out of it. If you go anywhere near the operation, my job is on the line.”
“I’ll stay out of it. I’m after Gracie, and the rest of you, the whole fucking police force can do whatever else needs to be done.” Jake passed his keys to Ben. “I owe you one for the loan of the boat, mate. Appreciate it.”
“At least she picked the right day to get kidnapped. I can tell you that now, because it will all be over before we get there.”
“What do you mean ‘over’?”
“We’ve got someone on the inside, and we know there is a big drop scheduled for today. A Columbian cargo ship is about eighty miles off the coast, just past Hardy Reef and the Midas is going out for a pickup. That’s why the helicopters are around.
“Coke?” Jake shook his head. If it was, Gracie was in big trouble.
Ben nodded. “Two hundred kilos.”
“Sweet Jesus.” Jake’s stomach roiled. It was a big operation. “Who’s on the Midas? What’s the involvement? Who’s the cop on the inside?”
“I don’t know. I’m only part of the local command, mate, you know that. The whole sting has been top secret. But I do know the two principals are on the boat and they’ve been under surveillance for a while, speaking of which—”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already figured it out. There was no insurance job, was there?” Jake looked directly at Ben as he opened the door of the pickup truck.
“No, mate. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you, but your photos really nailed a couple of the big players. It’s been a huge operation. Customs and Border Protection were given a heads-up when the container ship left South America and the US drug feds tracked it for the first week. Then it was handed over to the Aussie Feds as well as the Customs and Border Patrol service. We’ve been doing surveillance under the local command as part of the international operation.”
“What about Gracie’s sister?”
“As far as we know, she’s not involved. We’re not sure what’s going on there.”
“So is she on the boat?” If Regan was on the boat, it might provide a bit more security for Gracie.
“We don’t think so. Cabal came back by himself late last night—we’re not sure where she is. They went out yesterday and the tail lost them.”
“Shit. So she’s missing too?” Jake fired the ignition and backed the car and boat trailer down Ben’s driveway on to the road.” Don’t worry. I’ll keep a low profile. If anything is said, I’m out on the water for a day’s fishing. Call me on the boat radio if there’s any news.” Jake floored the accelerator and the boat trailer bounced nosily on the paved road toward the boat ramp on the other side of the peninsula from the marina. It was the closest boat ramp to where he was heading.
Jake backed the boat trailer onto the boat ramp and hit the brakes so the boat slid off the back of the trailer into the shallow water. He jumped out, secured it, and parked the car before running back and climbing into the boat. The thirty-foot SouthWind had a two hundred horsepower motor. Many weekends had been spent fishing in it with Ben on the outer reef. It would get him out much quicker than the Pretty Lady and it had a narrow enough draft to get into the shallow waters around the islands even if the tide was low.
Just as he turned the key to start the boat, Jake’s phone beeped and he pulled it out of his pocket. He read the message and closed his eyes.
“Oh God, Gracie. I’m on my way.”
At lease he knew she was still alive.
…
Mick and Paulie stood in the doorway and looked at Gracie. She stood straight, determined not to let them see how frightened she was.
“Why the hell am I locked up in here?” Gracie went into attack mode, determined to hide her fear. She walked over to the doorway and poked Mick in the chest. “And where’s my sister?”
Mick’s smile was enough to send the shivers back down her spine again, but she ignored her shaking limbs and stared him down. He took a step toward her, but the older man held him back by placing a hand on his arm.
“Not now, Mick.” He turned to Gracie and his smile was even colder. “You can do what you like once we get her on the island.”
“What island?” She put her hands on her hips to stop them shaking.
“Give me your bag.” He ignored her question.
“No.”
“Tut-tut. Being a brave little girl isn’t going to get you anywhere, sweetheart. Look where it’s got you already.” He grabbed the edge of her T-shirt with stubby fingers and pulled her against him so they were chest to chest. “Give me your bag.”
She handed it to him without a word and he scrabbled through it.
“Where’s your phone.”
“I didn’t bring it,” she lied.
His gaze was glacial and he shook his head, turning to Mick. “Pat her down.”
Before Mick could touch her, she whipped her phone out of her shorts and threw it at him. The phone hit his cheek and bounced to the floor. He bent to pick it up and pushed his head into her groin on the way up, and she fought the bile that rose in her throat.
“You’ll pay for that later.”
Paulie nodded, and Mick pulled a roll of duct tape from his pocket.
“Hold your hands out,” he said.
A moment later he had secured her hands behind her back with the wide silver tape. Taking a breath, she closed her eyes and prayed she didn’t end up in the water because if she did there was no way she would be able to float with her hands tied behind her back.
Mick shoved her through the doorway ahead of him as the drumming of the diesel motor slowed. The boat stopped moving forward and began to rock gently in the long, lazy swells of the Whitsunday Passage. Gracie had taken notice of the direction as they’d traveled and figured they were somewhere northeast of Hayman Island. Fear rippled through her body as they each held an arm and pushed her through the doorway into the salon. Cabal sat on the lounge still clad in his white trousers but now a loose, dark blue shirt was unbuttoned over his chest.
“Where’s my sister?”
Cabal looked back at her, and for a fleeting moment she sensed sympathy in his gaze before his face hardened.
“She’s all right. No need to worry
your pretty little head about her.” His voice was cold and he turned away, pointing outside.
“Lock her in the cabin…and make sure she can’t get away. I’ll decide what to do with her after the pickup is safe.”
For a moment, Gracie assumed she was going back to the main cabin she’d just come from but realization dawned as Paulie opened the door to the outside deck and Mick pushed her down the stairs ahead of them. A small rubber tender floated behind the cruiser and Clive held the ropes securing it to the silver post. Rough hands from behind shoved her into the boat, and she landed face-first onto the soft inflated side. She kicked her leg out at Mick as he grabbed her leg and tried to roll her over.
“Feisty little cow. That’s two I owe you…and I’m really going to enjoy giving it back.”
Paulie jumped into the rubber dinghy, and Clive threw him the rope as Mick pulled the cord on a small outboard. Gracie turned and looked over her shoulder. A large island, heavily timbered and with a high peak in the center was about a kilometer away. She looked back at the cruiser. Cabal and Clive stood and watched as the small tender moved away from the Midas. They were deep in conversation and as the front of the Midas lifted, she began to pull away to the north, and they disappeared inside.
Mick pushed the rudder of the small dinghy and they headed in the other direction toward a small mangrove bay on the eastern side of the island. Waves slapped the front of the small boat as a stiff northeasterly breeze blew against the direction of the tide. Gracie’s clothes were soon soaking wet and salt water ran down her face, stinging her eyes. She dropped her head and tried to wipe her face on her shoulder, but had no success with her hands tied behind her back.
Paulie sat at the front of the boat, looking at her, his gaze unblinking and his face set in a frown. As they came closer to the shore, a small sandy strip appeared at the northern end of the beach, and Mick turned the dinghy toward it.
“Haven’t been out this way for months,” he said. “Do you know where the cabin is?”