The House Lost at Sea

by R. J. Blain

  I confirmed two months with the hotel, giving me all the time I needed to pursue my more nefarious affairs. It’d been far too long since I’d indulged in my true nature, and I almost wasn’t sure where to start.

  Almost.

  One convenience of modern times included the internet, and there were few women named Lucretta in the United States. It didn’t take me long to find out the Italian woman had a bit of an Irish heritage. Like me, she had an interest in the past, one that fell in line with Benny’s fascination with the Terrier and the Calico. Unlike him, her interest ran a bit deeper.

  I didn’t care much about the legacy of other pirates, but among enthusiasts, Lucretta held an interesting rank as the direct descendant of a pirate queen. I found it intriguing how many children Grace O’Malley had had before her death, especially with her reputation of being, like my captain, far more interested in the fairer sex than in men.

  Then again, the woman had been married, so I assumed Lucretta was descended from a child born prior to O’Malley’s time as a pirate queen.

  I wondered if my Captain Louisa would have partnered with O’Malley instead of the Black Scourge had we sailed the same seas. O’Malley’s final tide had washed out long before our first voyage. I sighed and gave the dumpster a glare before I turned and headed for the hotel’s basement garage.

  Some time with my Knucklehead would give me a chance to think and come up with a plan. I’d also find a bookstore and indulge in a leather journal, one I could use to log the important details on my hunt for revenge. Lucretta O’Malley would learn pirates of the old ways were cut from a different cloth, and my defeat would only serve as kindling for the fires of my triumph.

  It took me several hours to find a store with a leather-covered journal with a fold-over flap and strap ties. It wasn’t quite the same as what I had once used, but it came close—as close as a book with modern binding could. I hoped the pages wouldn’t fall out from heavy use. When I returned to my hotel, Benny was loitering in the lobby, and he straightened when he saw me.

  “You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?”

  “I’m really sorry about what happened on Halloween. I really have no idea how Lucretta got a hold of your pieces. I really don’t.”

  “Considering she hasn’t seen fit to give them back, I’m not really all that interested in hearing any of your excuses.”

  “She is having them molded so she can have a replica set made of them. They’ll be returned to you, I promise—and if there’s any restoration work that needs done on them, it’ll be done. She claims she bought them fair and square. Didn’t even want to believe they were stolen goods until I showed her the insurance documentation and police report of the theft. I… I took her to your property to show her what had been done to your home. They’re tearing it down tomorrow, did you know?”

  I hadn’t known the specifics. I shrugged. “They told me they’d have something new built in its place in the next month or two. Seems logical they’d have to tear down the old one.”

  “She seemed really bothered by how much damage had been done.”

  “That’s her problem, isn’t it? You’re wasting my time, Mr. Allen. I’m going out of town for a much needed vacation.”

  He blanched. “Is there anything I can do? I’d really like to do the photoshoot.”

  “I tossed the outfit, so no. Forget it. Lucretta has friends in the community. I’m sure she can find someone who can fit the role.”

  “You threw it out?” Paling several shades, he stared at me as though seeing me for the first time. “But why? You worked so hard on it.”

  “I worked so hard on it because you had asked me to. You threw that work in my face with this stunt. Letting her do what she wants with things you know are rightfully mine? Then you expect me to just happily accept this, because in her pretty, empty head, she thinks it’s all okay because she wants a replica? I’m not sure you could get more insulting even if you tried. Leave me alone. You assume your ramera bothers to do as she claims.”

  “You’ve used that term several times. What does it mean?”

  “It’s Spanish. You like to believe you’re so smart. I’m sure you can figure out what it means on your own. Didn’t you know, Mr. Allen? I am a Spaniard.”

  That couldn’t be taken from me, nor could my heritage and legacy.

  “Can’t you at least try to be reasonable about this?”

  I clenched my teeth. “I was. Instead of calling the police and my insurance company, notifying them I have located the possessor of my stolen property, I waited. I see no reason to continue extending either one of you that courtesy.”

  I left Benny in the lobby, aware of his attention on my back. Times had changed, and I would use the law against them.

  I smiled, pulled out my phone, and gave the insurance company a call to report I had seen one Lucretta O’Malley at a museum dedicated to pirates with my possessions in her custody, attending a gala hosted by one Benjamin Allen. If they were busy dealing with the police and my insurance company, they wouldn’t have time to bother me.

  Sixteen

  At least one of you has a single grain of common sense. It’s a miracle.

  It took a little over an hour to deal with the insurance company, and by the time I finished, I almost felt bad for Benny and what he’d have to do to talk his way out of a theft charge. If he didn’t understand my need to protect myself, he’d learn a valuable lesson. I also made a point of informing the insurance company of the pirate-related groups Lucretta O’Malley belonged to, which gave her motive to steal from me—or hire someone to steal from me.

  To add to the shit storm the pair would have to endure, I made a point of mentioning the uncanny resemblance my weapon and pocket watch had to the one in the captain’s case at Benny’s museum, which gave him motive to steal the pieces.

  My next step would be to take the keys to the House Lost at Sea and discover its secrets before the pair realized it wasn’t just a pendant. If Benny realized its worth, he’d want it back so he could have a mold made to replicate it. Without the second half of the key, it wouldn’t do him any good.

  Then again, considering the lengths the thieves had gone to to take my cutlass, flintlock, and pocket watch, I suspected they’d have no scruples about breaking into the manor. The building likely meant nothing to them.

  I grabbed my suitcase, called for a taxi, and headed for the airport. I’d have to take steps to reach the House Lost at Sea, and after what had happened in South Africa, I couldn’t afford to use the Cape of Good Hope as my base of operations. Instead, I’d head to South America, find a sea-worthy ship I could sail solo, and take it to the island. I’d visit my hoard first, hidden away on a neighboring isle, and I’d pick suitable replacements for what I’d lost, anticipating they wouldn’t be returned.

  If Lucretta adhered to pirate ways, what was in her possession counted as hers, and its history wouldn’t matter one bit to her. I could respect that, but I wouldn’t allow it to deter me from sinking her precious frigate in retaliation. Maybe I wouldn’t bother leading them to the Calico—I’d do them one better. I’d buy an underwater camera, record a video of my captain’s ship in the deeps, and send it to Benny anonymously, leaving him to wonder where she was and how to get to her.

  At the airport, I booked a flight to Brazil, where I would head to Suape to hunt down a ship suitable for my needs. It wasn’t the closet port to the islands, but it would serve me well enough.

  Unfortunately, the next flight to the airport I wanted left in two days. If I wanted to reach Brazil earlier, I’d have to head to a busier, larger airport and drive almost two hundred miles to Suape or leave from a different port.

  I considered my options and bought a ticket for a flight departing in three hours.

  Bensen called me twenty minutes before my flight was scheduled to board, its gate only a few feet away from where I waited in a cafe. I considered ignoring his call before answering, “Hello?”

  “
Are you all right?”

  Any other day, I would have found his concern gratifying, although I suspected he only cared because he knew I wouldn’t be the one handling his money anymore. “Do you want the pretty answer unlikely to offend your sensibilities, or would you rather have the truth?”

  “If you could give me the truth with training wheels, that would be ideal.”

  I almost laughed. He wanted me to soften the blow a little, but he acknowledged I would likely offend him and was prepared to accept my answer even if he didn’t like it. “Training wheels? How youthful of you, Bensen. Benny’s girlfriend has my flintlock, she has my cutlass, and it wouldn’t surprise me if she has my pocket watch, too. Because she wants to have them replicated, they weren’t returned to me, and Benny’s quite all right with this. So, I’m finished. I quit, I’m going to take some well-earned time off, and I really don’t want to be bothered. That about sums it up.”

  Bensen remained silent long enough I wondered if he had hung up on me, but a quick check of my display showed the call remained connected. When he was ready, he’d answer. It didn’t matter to me if he never spoke to me again.

  Perhaps considering him guilty by association did our relationship no justice, but I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice, not anytime soon. I sipped my coffee, wished I’d gotten a beer instead, and watched people hurry towards their gates so they wouldn’t miss their flights.

  “This must be what my mother meant when she warned me about scorned women.”

  “And since the three items were involved in a huge policy claim, he forced me to report I had seen the items at his gala. I even gave him a day to return the pieces. I’m not becoming the victim of an insurance fraud accusation because he prefers this woman’s friendship over mine. He made the bed, so he can sleep in it.”

  “Have you told him that?”

  “I’m sure he’ll figure it out when he and his girlfriend are visited by the police investigating my report. Since he has matching pieces in his exhibit, he’s going to have to do a lot of talking to convince the police he wasn’t involved. So, while I didn’t mention your name, you were involved in the alibi, so perhaps you should be prepared for questioning, too.”

  Bensen sighed. “I understand you’re angry, but was that truly necessary?”

  “The insurance claim was for over six hundred thousand, Bensen. First, I’m contractually obligated to report it if the items surface, where they were located, and the circumstances. So yes, it was truly necessary. You’re a businessman. I shouldn’t have to explain this to you. Second, my property could have been returned, and they could have asked if I would consent to a molding of the original being made. Had I been treated with even a hint of respect, I might have even agreed to it, especially knowing Benny had similar pieces in his exhibits. I wasn’t asked. I was told I might get my items back after the fact. I’m supposed to be happy with this?”

  “No, you’re right. You have no reason to be happy with that arrangement. If those were the terms of your policy, then it was unavoidable.”

  “At least one of you has a single grain of common sense. It’s a miracle.”

  “Why don’t you let me talk to Benny and see about making sure you have your things back. He really wanted you for that photoshoot for his museum.”

  I sighed. What the hell was so important about his photoshoot? Was it an eccentricity of the overly rich? Was there something I was missing? “No can do, Bensen. I tossed the outfit. It’s probably in a landfill by now, and if it isn’t, it’ll be there soon enough. I’m not recreating it, and I’m not getting dressed up for his pleasure again. That Lucretta O’Malley has the pedigree he wants, and I’m sure she can call in some of her friends to fill any roles he may need. He can have his photoshoot, but it won’t involve me.”

  “And knowing you, there’s no force on Earth capable of convincing you to make the costume again, is there?”

  I pinned my phone between my ear and shoulder and clapped loud enough for him to hear. “He made his decision. It seems only fair he pays the consequences for it. It’s not my fault she’s prettier than me, but it is his fault he chose to sacrifice his honor and my friendship for her. That’s the problem with the wealthy. They think money can fix anything. No amount of money on this Earth can buy my trust or respect. Without that, there’s no way I’m going out on a limb and inconveniencing myself for his benefit. I have nothing to gain out of this arrangement.”

  “I would suggest you’d have your property to gain, but that would imply that your material possessions are worth more than your principles, and I’m pretty certain that isn’t the case.”

  “Correct.”

  “At least let me talk to Benny and see what I can do. I can smooth feathers with your insurance company, too. I’ll make sure it works out for everyone.”

  I laughed loud enough to earn glares from the other travelers in the cafe. “What makes you think I want everything to work out? That implies I’m willing to forgive and forget. I have a long memory and a mean streak. I’ll leave you to figure out the rest from there.”

  “Still, give me a chance to talk to him. Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow?”

  “No can do, Bensen. I’m leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again.” I hung up, laughed at my own joke, and finished my coffee before heading for my departure gate.

  Airplane mode spared me from having to talk to anyone for several long, blissful hours. Unfortunately, I ended up crammed between a teenager so frightened of flying he looked ready to cry and a businessman who looked ready to kill the poor kid if he cracked. Maybe I had a skewed moral compass, but kids always struck a nerve with me. I’d killed for far less than making a kid cry, and since gouging out someone’s eyes with my nails on a plane would land me in a lot of trouble, I went with my second plan, which involved distracting the teenager from his fear.

  “Hey, kid. First flight?”

  The teenager jerked and stared at me, his brown eyes widening as he realized I was talking to him. At first he hesitated, but when I didn’t jump down his throat and showed no sign of impatience, he nodded once, so subtly I wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been watching him carefully.

  “It’s safer and faster than driving, although the security lines are not my idea of a good time. You know what the best part of flying is?”

  The teen looked at me like I’d grown a second head, but his shoulders relaxed, and I got the feeling he’d grow into a handsome man given a few years and some confidence. “No. What?”

  “It’s when you land. You can end up anywhere in the world. One flight could take you to somewhere warm, somewhere cold, somewhere far from civilization, or right into the heart of a big city. Everything’s different. Every flight could take you on an adventure.”

  “An adventure,” he echoed, and his tone was so full of skepticism I laughed.

  “I’m going to purchase a yacht and set sail for a few weeks. It should be an interesting trip this time of year.”

  Depending on how far north I went, I could run the risk of making the acquaintance of a hurricane, which would be a good way to ensure spending the rest of my trip as a shark.

  “By yourself?” he blurted.

  “Solo,” I confirmed. “I wanted an adventure, so I’m making one.”

  “On a yacht. By yourself.”

  “Is it really so unbelievable?”

  “You’re a lady.”

  I shouldn’t have laughed so hard, but I couldn’t help it. Me? A lady? While I sometimes wore skirts for work, especially if I wanted to distract a businessman so the bank benefited from his carelessness, I couldn’t imagine myself as a lady.

  Hell would truly freeze over first.

  Seventeen

  Sometimes, I even went to their funerals.

  I didn’t learn the kid’s name, but after the plane landed, an older man and woman met him at the airport. After watching them for a while, I wondered what it would be like to have a family. How would my life be d
ifferent if I had someone who cried when they saw me, caught me in a hug, and acted like they never wanted to let me go?

  Ricardo might have become that for me; I’d never know. When I’d held him as my most prized captive, I’d never let him out of my sight. He’d enjoyed my affections enough, and he’d sought out hugs after the first few weeks.

  I’d refused to allow anyone else that sort of intimacy. I’d taken men to bed, but I’d never cuddled with them after we both took what we wanted from our shallow relationships.

  Perhaps worse than Captain Maritza’s curse was how relentlessly he haunted me.

  That someone who resembled him, right down to his shorter stature, dark hair, sun-kissed skin, and Spanish flair, kept Lucretta O’Malley company served as a reminder of why I was better off vanishing and reappearing after a few decades.

  What would it be like if I had someone who cared for me, not for what I could do for them or what I owned? What would it be like if I found someone I didn’t want to live without?

  I doubted I could ever have children even if I wanted them. Birth control and protection had been uncommon when I’d been cursed, but I had been promiscuous enough to have earned at least a few brats during my life as a pirate. After three hundred years of partners, if I could have children, I would have by now.

  In a way, my infertility was far more of a blessing than just another facet of my curse. I wouldn’t have to watch my children grow old and die around me, taken away from me one by one. I’d seen too many friends age, and my circumstances forced me to drift out of their lives so they wouldn’t suspect there was something unusual about me.

  Sometimes, I even went to their funerals, wearing a low-brimmed, veiled hat so I could wish them well on their journey to the next life.

  Melancholy settled over me, and I made my way from Sao Paulo to Santos so I could find a seaworthy vessel. I hired a cabbie for the trip, and he treated the roads as challenges and ignored speed limits in favor of ditching me in the port as quickly as possible. I tipped him for breaking records and not getting me killed along the way before hunting for the first respectable marina I could find.