Wrath of the Sea Queen

by Cynthia Woods

  "Not exactly…" Caeli left the statement hanging in such a way that Ben knew she needed more than a joke.

  "Is there something you want to talk about? Want to tell me about that bad dream? Maybe I can help," he offered.

  "Where's Vin?"

  "Salma hauled him off to the kitchen about half an hour ago to find something to eat. Since he wouldn't leave you alone, I volunteered to keep you company. I can get him for you if you prefer."

  "No, that's ok. He needs to eat. He probably needs to sleep, too. Knowing Vin, he didn't sleep at all last night," Caeli voiced her concern for her husband.

  "No, he didn't, but his empty stomach was the more pressing issue. Don't worry about him. Vin's all right, and he will be back soon. So, do you want to tell me about that dream? What scared you bad enough to send you clinging to an old buzzard like me?"

  "Ben, you're not old, and Salma would never allow a buzzard in her home," Caeli looked up at Ben's laughter.

  "Lass, you certainly are a challenge. You do it with such sweetness, but the end result is the same. That is twice you have avoided my question. If you don't want to talk about it, all you have to do is say so. It won't hurt my feelings."

  "I'm sorry, Ben. That wasn't my intention. I don't seem to be able to do much of anything right lately."

  The guilt-laden words made Ben question whether or not he was up for this assignment after all. He didn't really know what to say to make Caeli feel better. That was Vin's area of expertise. Ben tried to think of what Salma would say, but he could not get away with her endearing brashness. Salma possessed a singular gift in that department. All Ben knew was how to observe details, finagle information out of the most stubborn of suspects, and sort out puzzles. Those were his strong suits. He needed to find a way to apply them to Caeli. Ben quickly devised a solution.

  "That won't do, Caeli Harding. You are going to have to do much better than that." Ben added a stern tone to his voice.

  "What do you mean?" Caeli's shocked response was exactly what Ben wanted.

  "I mean that I am not going to accept your apology unless you explain to me why you feel it is necessary. No, don't look at me like you don't understand. I know you do. I will make a deal with you. If you tell me exactly what you have done wrong, then I will try to help you set it right. Then, and only then, if necessary, will I accept your apology. Until then, I refuse. So then, what do you want to talk about now?"

  Caeli looked at him through pensive eyes. Ben could tell that she was measuring the amount of wiggle room he left her to sidestep his offer. She was quite good at it, and Ben had witnessed her accomplish it on several occasions. Fluidly changing the subject to avoid issues she preferred not to discuss was something Caeli did very well. But, Ben had experience dealing with people who didn't necessarily want to talk to him. He knew how to counter such maneuvers, and he did not leave Caeli any alternatives. He put her on the spot. Ben chose this method to solve two problems. First, it should take Caeli's mind off the scary part of her dream. Second, Ben truly believed that he might be able to help her sort through her concerns. Sometimes an outside perspective could completely change the way you view a situation that affects you personally. Ben hoped Caeli would tell him a little bit about the events of the past few days. If Caeli decided not to take him up on his offer, there was really only one other topic fresh on her mind. It was the question about her dream, which she had already twice avoided. Whichever topic Caeli chose, Ben would be making progress.

  It took several minutes before she answered him. Caeli chose the latter issue, but a few of her words in particular caught and held Ben's attention. Anything that involved Salma was a matter he would give his full consideration.

  "What do you think it means if a key person is absent from my dream? You weren't in either one. Yet, you helped me the first time. Maybe, if you could help Salma this time, then Vin would be all right, too. If I knew they would be all right, it wouldn't be so bad. It has to be possible to do both, doesn't it?"

  "Whoa! Back up, Lass. You aren't making any sense. Why don't you start by telling me about your dream?"

  Caeli suddenly realized that if she continued, she would have to tell Ben about the choice she faced. She wasn't sure if she should do that. What if she was mistaken and it was nothing more than a bad dream? No. Caeli was certain it was more than that. Though she would have preferred to discuss it with Vin, Caeli decided that Ben had a right to know. Caeli described her dream to Ben, who rubbed his chin as he listened.

  "Ben, what am I going to do? I cannot make a decision like that, and I can't let either of them get hurt because of my choice. Why would Rika send him to hurt me again after she already took my child? Who would want to hurt Salma or Vin in such a way? Maybe I'm not seeing it correctly, but I can't think of any other explanation. Can you?" Caeli hung her hopes on Ben's insight. She prayed that he would tell her it was a mistake; that she was wrong, overreacting even. Caeli hoped that Ben could find the solution that eluded her.

  "Well, there is a lot happening in the scenes you described. There could be several possibilities, including your interpretation. However, there is one explanation that seems obvious to me, and it doesn't sound like you have considered it."

  "What's that?" Caeli was eager to hear it.

  "Maybe this dream is about events that have already taken place. You said it yourself. Salma has already been threatened, repeatedly. Vin has been injured twice. The man has already attacked you, causing you to lose your baby. Perhaps the dream is your mind's way of helping you deal with your grief and cope with all of the recent trouble. Maybe it is part of the healing process and nothing more," Ben suggested.

  "You're right, Ben. I hadn't considered that at all. It sounds much better than my explanation. It does seem to fit, though it doesn't exactly feel like the right answer. I think I will stick with your answer, at least for now. My head is already hurting trying to think about anything more complicated."

  "Don't set aside your instincts on my account, Caeli. I'm merely offering you one possibility. Why don't you get Vin's opinion, too? And, if you still don't feel right about it, close your eyes and try to recall more details. You probably saw more than you realize. Sometimes one little item can make all the difference."

  "I will do that. Besides, I really do need to talk to Vin. That's why I asked where he was, but it can wait until he is finished eating. I can always count on you to have an answer for me. Thank you, Uncle Ben."

  "Well, now that we've got that settled, would you answer a question or two for me? What did you mean when you were rattling on about me being able to help Salma this time? How do you think I can help her? And it also sounded like you knew who did this to you and why. I think you should definitely tell Vin, and I would like to know, too. Will you share that with me?" Ben asked.

  Ben did not overlook Caeli's suggestion that he might be able to help his wife. Even though Caeli avoided mentioning any specific details regarding the threat that Salma faced in her dream, she indicated that it definitely put Salma's life at risk. Ben was quite certain that Vin would want to know more about Rika sending someone to hurt Caeli after already forcing her to miscarry, if Ben was interpreting Caeli's words correctly. If Ben could learn more specific details about the dream, it might help him gain additional insight into the reason for the original attack.

  "I was just thinking out loud."

  "Yes, and I would like to follow your line of thought."

  "I remembered that you were not present in my last nightmare, but you still helped me. My dream was not all inclusive; it did not provide all of the details."

  "So you thought the same might hold true this time? Perhaps I could help Salma, so that you could help Vin; thereby entirely avoiding the need to make a choice between them. I do like the idea. Caeli, you know I will do everything in my power to protect Salma. I promise you that. Now that you have made me aware of a potential threat, I will be sure to keep an even closer watch on her."

  "I'm sure
she will like that," Caeli replied with the tiniest hint of a grin.

  Ben took it as a good sign that somewhere, beneath all of her hurt and confusion, Caeli was beginning to fight her way back.

  "What about the person responsible for hurting you? Why do you think someone sent him?" Ben asked.

  "She did send him. I realized he was trouble when Max and I first saw him on the beach, but I hoped I was wrong."

  "Salma said something about that. Why didn't you tell Vin about the encounter?"

  "He was asleep at the time, and there was really nothing to tell. Max and I came inside before the man got anywhere near us. I put it out of my mind. I was preoccupied with Vin's surprise. I didn't expect the man to show up again."

  "Caeli, that kind of behavior is very common when a criminal is casing a location. I suspect the man was gathering information so that he knew when you would be most vulnerable. In fact, he probably didn't even leave, but rather continued to watch you from a concealed location," Ben shared some of his years of police wisdom with her.

  "I'm sorry, Uncle Ben. I wish that had occurred to me, but it didn't."

  "Well, maybe it seems obvious to me because I'm used to dealing with suspicious characters. For now, let's put this whole thing on a back burner, okay?" Ben patted her hand reassuringly.

  "It's probably just as well. I will add it to my list of unsolved mysteries," Caeli said with a heavy sigh.

  "Is there something else troubling you? My ears are all yours."

  "Yes, unfortunately, there is way too much on my mind. But, I really need to talk to Vin. No offense, Ben, but it involves my gift. It is something that only Vin can help me understand. Besides, what I need more than anything right now is not exactly an ear."

  As anticipated, all of the water finally caught up with her, and Caeli needed to use the bathroom. Ben offered to escort her to the bathroom door, but she politely declined. She was determined not to be a burden any longer. Caeli wanted to make this trip on her own. She was tired of feeling like an invalid.

  "Vin and Salma are not going to be happy about this. Salma does not want you up at all, and Vin will insist that you should not be walking around on your own. You are going to get me into a world of trouble, Lass. Maybe I should get Vin. He could lend you some of his special support. I can tell you firsthand that it works wonders. Do you think you could wait a minute?"

  "Well, I certainly wouldn't want you in trouble with those two," Caeli half smiled at him.

  Ben hurried over to the door, leaving it open behind him as he stepped out. He called for Vin, who was turning in that direction with Salma beside him. Ben looked back into the room and discovered that Caeli had taken two steps away from the bed. Ben rushed inside and caught her by the arm as she became unsteady on her feet.

  "Caeli, where are you going? I thought you were going to wait."

  Vin arrived in the room a few moments later. When he reached Caeli's other side, Ben stepped away.

  "Sorry, but when nature calls… Oww!" Caeli was suddenly falling to her knees in pain. Vin lowered her gently to sit on the bed. Caeli was forced to admit that it had probably been a bad idea to try and walk on her own so soon. She could imagine herself as a blanket hung on a clothesline, beaten by a broomstick, and then placed in a shredder.

  "You are stubborn, aren't you?" Vin smiled and asked the question to which he already knew the answer. He was secretly pleased to see that her determined spirit was still intact and attempting to resurface.

  However, Vin's description stirred an unpleasant feeling in Caeli, though she could not say why.

  "I prefer to think of myself as independent and self-sufficient," Caeli replied through harsh gasps as she waited for the pain to subside. Ben, Salma, and Vin all looked at each other and then back at Caeli, responding simultaneously.

  "Stubborn."

  This time, the word struck Caeli's mind as if she had been hit, and her head began to throb.

  "Your stubbornness left me no choice…"

  Caeli squeezed her eyes shut and pressed her thumbs into her temples. There was an answer, literally, at her fingertips. It was trying to force its way to the front of her mind. It took a few minutes before her head cleared and the acute pain subsided.

  Vin picked her up, much to her chagrin, and carried her into the bathroom. Caeli insisted that she did not need any further help, but Vin would only leave when Salma took his place in order to give Caeli a quick exam. Even then, Vin waited right outside the door, ready to carry her back to bed. He was not about to let her injure herself any further. No matter what Caeli said, Vin knew that she was not well.

  As they waited, Vin described to Ben how Max rescued him from Salma. Ben chuckled at the boy's bravery. Vin also mentioned the photo of Max's mother and showed it to Ben. Vin thought it was odd that Max didn't look anything like Apela and very little like his mother.

  "It's not that unusual. Sometimes kids pick up traits from their grandparents, aunts, uncles, or other family members. Typically, you see the parents in the child, but not always."

  "True. Though it made me wonder about something Max said when we were out on the beach. He said that Caeli told this man that he could not take Max in payment for her," Vin started to explain.

  "That doesn't quite fit, Vin. If you think Max might not be Apela's child, I could follow that logic. Perhaps this man was trying to kidnap Max, and might be his real father, but it doesn't connect with the rest of the story. Why would Caeli be paying for that? Besides, she said the man was sent not only to retrieve Max, but also to punish her." Ben was quick to see where Vin's thoughts were headed, but there were still some holes in the theory.

  "She told you that? I haven't talked to Caeli about everything that happened yesterday. I wanted to give her some time before I asked about the worst parts of it. If the man was sent to hurt her specifically, there are only a few who could have sent him. Could Chief Matthews have sent him or Lorrie or even Rika? There are several possibilities, and I think only Caeli can tell us which one is true. We caught up on much of what happened before she was too tired to continue. However, we are going to need to finish that conversation very soon."

  "I think that would be wise," Ben said.

  "Ben, if you don't mind, I would like you to sit with us when Caeli is ready to talk again. I don't want to make her repeat any of this, and I would rather you hear the details directly from her. Your insight would be much appreciated. I know she has some of the answers; and there is a connection between her and Max, but I have yet to discover what it is."

  "I would very much like to hear the details. It might help me understand something else she told me," Ben said.

  "What did she say?" Vin was incredibly eager for any piece of information that might explain why this happened to Caeli.

  "Caeli had a nightmare while you were out of the room, Vin. I had to wake her to prevent her from hurting herself. I believe it was one of those dreams of hers that plays out in reality. It really scared her. I think you should definitely talk to her about it." Ben proceeded to give Vin a synopsis of everything he and Caeli discussed.

  "Thanks, Ben. I know a handy trick that might help me see what's troubling her. I will let you know what else I find out about the danger to Salma, too."

  Salma helped Caeli change out of Vin's shirt and into a pair of thin, cotton, pale blue pants, and a white blouse. It was a slow process because Caeli found that herself extremely tired once again and every movement hurt. She kept closing her eyes every few minutes and drifting off. Even a few steps and the small movements made Caeli feel like she had run a marathon. As she was getting dressed, Caeli noticed that she was bleeding again, though very lightly this time.

  "This is not a good sign. You could still have internal bleeding, but at least it's not heavy. I will run the ultrasound over you again to see if I can locate the source. If I can't find anything, I am going to get you moved to a hospital where I can examine you with proper equipment. It's long overdue. I really should ha
ve admitted you Sunday night. In the meantime, you are going to have to stay off your feet the rest of the day. No more stunts like this. Absolutely no exceptions! Do you understand, Caeli? Good. Now, sit down while I get Vin for you."

  Caeli did as she was told. Though she was not happy about it, she was simply too tired to argue.

  When the door opened, Vin was right there. He almost laughed when he saw Caeli sitting in the chair beside the sink, elbow on her knee, head resting in her hand. If he didn't know any better, Vin might have mistaken her weariness for pouting. In addition, Caeli was wearing the expression of someone who just lost an argument. Regardless of the reasons, Caeli was waiting patiently.

  "Vin, I need you to do me a favor. Clear a spot on the floor where we can lay Caeli down. Spread a blanket out so it will be a little more comfortable for her. Ben, please roll that machine over next to the blanket."

  The perplexed look on both their faces told Salma that she would have to give them more information to get them moving.

  "Caeli is bleeding again. Don't worry. It's only a little. I want to see if I can locate the source. Now come on! Get a move on and help me out."

  Both men quickly did as Salma requested. Vin returned to the door and carried Caeli to the waiting blanket.

  "You know, Vin, this is getting old. I feel like a sack of laundry being lugged around like this," Caeli whispered.

  Vin grinned and placed her gently on the floor. No amount of fussing was going to persuade him otherwise. She was in no shape to be walking around and, whether she would admit it openly or not, Caeli knew it, too. Vin could see that she was already having trouble keeping her eyes open.

  "Thanks, Vin." She received his special smile in response; the one he wore only for her.

  "Do you want me to leave the room?" Ben asked.