Chapter Twenty-Nine - Justice
The Black Rum motored across Sugar Bay before six a.m. with a dozen people on board. She was loaded down with supplies along with hope and plenty of expectations.
Armed with a general location of where the U-boat had gone down, they knew they had at least a few days of underwater sonar searching ahead of them before things would start to pop. They’d dropped enough hints around town about their intentions. The information couldn’t help but make its way back to Sinclair and Baskin and the rest.
They watched the sunrise together with Raine standing next to Mitch on the bridge, the water glimmering around them like a sea of sapphire jewels. He could tell she was excited.
“You’re fidgeting like a nervous cat,” he noted. “And it’s too early for you to have swigged down that much caffeine.”
She grinned ear to ear. “I’m anxious to get out there and dive. How long will it take us to reach the general vicinity of where you think the sub went down?”
“If we sustain top speed at fourteen knots, we should be there by tomorrow midday. ETA around noon, in time to have a nice swim in the ocean and then a tasty supper on deck before the assholes come along and ruin it.”
Panic crept up her spine. “You don’t think they’ll show up that soon, do you?”
“Nah, they’ll let us do all the dirty work first before they sneak up on us. We’ll have to post guards and keep vigilant, though, just in case.”
“Jackson says he expects to take days to study the sonar images and magnetic readings before he has an optimal dive location pinpointed. And that’s including going over vast amounts of storm data from decades back.”
“That sounds like Jackson, and probably accurate,” Mitch muttered as he charted the course out of the mouth of the marina and steered the boat northward toward Georgia.
“I wonder if we’re prepared for just how different our lives will be after this hunt,” Raine pondered.
“You mean because of the gold?”
“Not that. Because we’re attempting to put a group of ruthless men behind bars who’ve run roughshod over the town for more than twenty years. Sometimes I wonder if we can pull it off.”
“Hey, no negative vibes allowed. We have to, otherwise who knows who they’ll go after next. It could be Mom or Dad. We have to plan on this being a success and that’s all there is to it.”
By nine a.m. Key Largo came into view, its pearly sand glistening in the early morning sun.
“God, I see why you love this so much,” Raine said, breathing in the sea air. “It’s magnificent out here. I feel like I’m on vacation and I’ve left all my worries in the dust. You’re so lucky to get to do this all the time.”
Mitch stared at her crop of golden hair fluttering in the wind. Emotions had his heart flipping in his chest. “You should see your face. It’s absolutely glowing.” He’d love to be able to keep her this happy.
Interrupting those thoughts, Garret stepped on deck. “Jackson’s driving me nuts poring over his maps and charts. Like it’ll make a difference. If we’re lucky enough to pinpoint the right area, it’s still a crapshoot whether or not we’ll be able to stumble on a sub from seventy years ago.”
“What is it with all these bad vibes all of a sudden?” Mitch snarled. “True, we have a vast ocean and a needle in a haystack to find, but with Klaus’s diary and Jackson’s obsessive calculations, have a little faith.”
“I guess we’re all a little on edge,” Garret admitted. “Knowing what we’re about to face is beginning to sink in.”
Walsh joined them, slapped Garret on the back. “If you’re nervous, I’m planning a little poker game later. Get your money ready and kiss it goodbye. I feel lucky.”
Garret elbowed him in the ribs. “Five-card draw? You’re on.”
Mitch recognized the tactic and had to give it to his crew chief for creativity. “Thanks for coming up with a way to break the tension. We’re used to dive spots getting dicey. They aren’t.”
“Not to this level, anyway. I thought it’d be better than sitting around staring at each other, keep their mind off the strain of the situation about to build up.”
It was several hours later when Raine pointed to the horizon and practically danced on deck as the skyline of Miami appeared in the distance. “We’re making good time,” she decided.
“Let’s celebrate. We should go below and fool around.”
“With all these people on the boat? No way.” Despite her protest, she suddenly turned to him and wadded up his T-shirt in her fists, yanked him to her. “Although the sea air does have a certain aphrodisiac quality about it.”
“Good to know. Does that translate to you and me—?”
Tessa wandered in with lunch, thick grilled ham slices topped with melted, gooey cheese on huge brioche buns. That’s when it hit Mitch. How could he expect any alone time with Raine when the boat was jam-packed stem to stern with people? He’d have to remember that for later.
Chatting away, Tessa turned in a circle to take in the view. “Sorry I didn’t cook, but the time got away from me. I spent the morning helping Jackson organize his storm charts and enter the data into a spreadsheet for analysis. Funny how tracking old storms leads to figuring out how the bottom of the ocean floor shifted and slid the sunken ship into its resting place.”
“Usually we’d be able to dig into a set of manifests or archives for optimum position, but in this case, all we have is one man’s journal.” Mitch picked up one of the warm hoagies and dug in. “Thanks for the food.”
“No problem. I’m happy to kick off this expedition taking my turn in the galley, even if it’s just sandwiches. It’s handy how you’ve already listed whose responsibility it is.”
“Learned that the hard way,” Mitch said in between bites.
Raine noticed Tessa gnawing on her lip, obviously hanging around with something else on her mind. She poked Mitch in the belly and said, “I think someone is staring at your digital screens for a reason.”
Tessa’s lips bowed up. “She’s right. Would it be possible to take a turn at the helm? I’ve always wanted to man the controls.”
“Sure. Put your hand on the wheel and I’ll give you a tour of how everything works. This is the digital chart display, the GDPS...” He proudly ticked off the features, explaining to her how each contributed to the overall safety of the boatthe Doppler satellite, the echo sounder, and the depth finder.
“Cool. I’ve always wanted to take one of those trips on a cruise ship.”
Mitch laughed but something else occurred to him. “You know we should get everyone else up here for a quick how-to guide. You never know when that info might come in handy.”
“I’ll go round everyone up,” Tessa offered.
Fifteen minutes later, Tessa had dragged Sebastian and Dominka, Anniston and Garret, up to the bridge for a tutorial.
While Anniston stood at the helm, they cruised past the West Palm Beach coastline and waved merrily at beachgoers from the railing.
At mid-afternoon, Walsh took over at the bridge, offering a breather for Mitch. Raine had already disappeared into the galley to start her shift at preparing supper.
Mitch stepped in to get coffee and was blown away at the sight. She stood at the counter putting on a pot roast, piled high with potatoes and carrots. “I’m not sure our oven is big enough for that,” he pointed out.
“Sure it is. I already measured. I’m just hoping I didn’t wait too long to get it going. How is it you have such a state-of-the-art kitchen?”
“Two things a crew truly appreciates—good pay with benefits and the ability to fix a great meal. If you don’t believe me just sit back and watch how they devour that meal.”
Mitch was right about his crew. At mealtime, Raine was delighted when the pot roast disappeared.
“I didn’t think anyone could cook better than my mom,” Prentiss declared as he chowed down.
Blaine agreed. “Best pot roast I ever ate. I don’t
even mind cleaning up. It’s my turn on the roster.”
“Save room for dessert,” Raine prompted.
Jenkins blinked in surprise. “Dessert? You’re kidding? We usually just have store-bought cookies or ice cream.”
Raine smiled at their enthusiasm. “Not tonight. I made chocolate mousse tarts with whipped cream.”
Anniston glanced around the table. “How am I supposed to follow this in the morning? I’d planned on making oatmeal.”
Walsh made a face. “We’re not big on cereal around here,” he pointed out, wiping his plate clean. “Although truth be told, on my last checkup the doctor suggested I eat more oatmeal to bring down my cholesterol.”
Raine brought out the tray of chocolate pastries and watched Mitch’s eyes bug out.
“These have fresh strawberry slices on top.”
“Garnish,” she stated.
“I don’t remember buying berries at the store,” Prentiss said.
“I brought my own,” Raine explained, sporting a smug grin. “I made Mitch lug it down the pier and up the ramp.”
Mitch ate the mini pie in four bites, wiping his hands with a napkin. “I’m not complaining now.”
After supper was done with, since she wasn’t on the roster slated for cleanup, Raine decided to take a stroll around the deck. It was a beautiful evening as she stared up at the cascade of stars spread out overhead.
“Enjoy them now because there’s a marine layer moving in before morning,” Mitch said as he slid an arm around her waist.
“You’d be able to tell that for sure with all that fancy equipment.”
“There’s a benefit to having you on board.”
“I like the idea of bunking with you tonight. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
Not as much I have, he thought. “I was actually referring to your culinary skills. Told you that meal would be a big hit.”
She batted his roaming hands away as they tried to slip under her little cropped blouse. “Come on, Mitch, someone could walk around that corner and see us making out.”
“So what if they did? Besides, everyone’s back inside anteing up for five-card draw except for Sebastian and Prentiss who are pulling guard duty in the tower.”
Embarrassment rolled through her. She cut her eyes toward the signal mast, then over to the wheelhouse. “They could be staring at us right now.”
Mitch let out a laugh. “Relax. Sebastian doesn’t strike me as a voyeur and Prentiss might have a little crush on you since supper, but I don’t think it’s serious. Besides, I’m sure they have more important things to do than watch us do a little stargazing.”
“I suppose. If there’s a game, then why aren’t you there? You love playing cards.”
“Not tonight I don’t. For me, we’re the only two people in the world tonight. Those stars you see above are glittering just for us.”
He took out his iPod from his pocket, found his playlist and queued the music. The song leaned to soulful, the singer’s lilting voice smooth as honeyed cognac. “Dance with me, Raine?”
She sent him a bemused smile. “I’d forgotten this side of you, a definite romantic bent when you’re on the water.” The tune, soft and dreamy, spoke of light and love. “How could I not dance with you when you’ve come prepared like this?”
Their fingers touched, linked. His arms went around her, drawing her close. He held her lush little body tight against his, so the moonlit shadows on the deck had them merging as one. His chin rested on the top of her head as they circled and swayed. Dipping her the way he used to, he let the lyrics lead them into time-honored mood and magic.
His hands roamed up her back and under her shirt until he felt skin, dewy soft and smooth. He captured her mouth, and relished her sweet taste until he drew out a low moan from her.
Intent on giving her the tenderness she deserved, he led her down the passageway to his cabin. When he flipped on the light and held the door open for her, she let out a surprised intake of breath.
Somehow he’d managed to buy every pink and red flower in town before the trip, or so it seemed. Every kind of blossom—from rose to dogwood and daisy—covered every inch of wall space like he’d papered the room in spring just for her. The long stems of tulips shared space in clear vases, jars, or whatever container or canister could hold dozens of blooming irises and fragrant lilies—as long as they were red or pink.
“So this is why you made me stow my gear in the galley?”
“Temporarily.” He angled his head and pressed his lips to hers. “I wanted to surprise you. Not long ago I read this blog that said pink means affection and caring. Red stands for true love. I feel all those things for you…and more. You’re my true love, Raine.”
“Oh Mitch. You are such a romantic. They’re beautiful.”
“So are you.” His hand reached to touch her hair. He wanted more, so he pulled her to him, lifting her off her feet. Their willing mouths came together in a torrent of heat.
Within those four walls, at that moment in time, it was just the two of them. The world, uncertain and dangerous, was somewhere else.
Awash in soft fluttering candlelight, they tore at each other’s clothes, shedding jeans and shorts, T-shirts and buttoned tops. Getting rid of any barrier, and down to skin, they both stood naked. He sunk his teeth, nipping into silky flesh. As he moved down her body, she smelled of moonlight and magnolia and tasted like sweet orange blossoms.
Diving at each other, they rolled on the sheets, going after what they wanted, what they needed.
Arousal battered her senses. He smelled of musk and man. His hard body moved over hers. Wherever his sailor’s hands touched and lingered, she burst to life in pockets of pleasure.
When his mouth latched onto a breast, she hovered at the brink. But when his fingers dipped into the center, slick and hot, it was like dropping into a fountain of molten lava. It erupted in waves of fiery reds.
The buildup came again as he plunged, this time with her matching him rhythm and beat. Deeper and deeper they went toward the edge. The fall from the cliff was like catching a soaring tsunami as it barreled its way to shore. There was lightning, quick and blinding. And then the sea, all blue, exploding and spilling over into a tempest of light and love.
As he caught his breath, he dipped his head and kissed her mouth, a brief show of warmth, a touch of lips to seal the intimate moment.
Rolling to his back, he captured her hand, brought it to his lips. “We have a lot of time to make up for, that should give you some idea of what we missed.”
It gave her a lot of ideas. And for the rest of the night, they just kept coming.
Chapter Thirty - Justice
At dawn Mitch crawled out of bed and took over the wheel from Garret, grateful when his brother handed him a steaming cup of coffee, strong and black.
“Marine layer’s so thick I turned to instrumentation around three. The fog forced me to reduce speed down to twelve knots.”
“Good call. You could’ve woken me up sooner.”
Garret smiled that wry grin of his. “I figured you needed the…uh…sleep.”
“Thanks. It was our first night together on the boat. I wanted to make it special.”
“And did you?”
He grinned back and decided to change the topic. “How much did you lose last night?”
“Ten bucks. Walsh went on a winning streak and I never caught up. Neither did anyone else.”
“You played cards till midnight and still took your turn at the helm? Get out of here. Go get some sleep. At least try. You have until noon.”
“Such a taskmaster.” Suddenly he turned serious. “Are we prepared for this, Mitch? I mean for real? Can we handle Duarte and the other snakes? We brought Anniston, Raine, and Tessa into this. Hell, even Sebastian couldn’t talk Dominka out of staying put at the hotel. This is unlike anything we’ve ever faced before. I’m not so much worried about myself as Anniston. It’s certainly not about the gold.”
“I know.
What if we lose? They’ll kill us all and then go back to what they were doing beforehand somewhere else. And that’s if they don’t head back to town at the first opportunity and go after Mom and Dad before they leave for another part of the world. We can’t let that happen.”
“They have more personnel than we do. We’re outmanned,” Garret pointed out.
Mitch shook his head. “Doesn’t matter if Duarte has fifty. It doesn’t change our game plan.”
Garret slapped him on the back. “I’m proud as hell to be your brother.”
“You say that now, but if things go south...”
“No, we can’t think like that. Won’t.”
“That’s right. Now get out of here. Get some shuteye.”
Even at the slower pace, Mitch managed to bring them to their target within an hour of their timeframe.
By the time the haze wore off and the sun broke through the clouds, he could make out Fort Clinch State Park and the beach to the west.
Mitch shut the engines, dropped anchor. “This is the longitude and latitude Klaus wrote down. In my calculations to get us here, I’ve allowed for the strong currents, the decades of storms, and a shift in the sea bottom. Now it’s up to sheer luck.”
Jackson wasted no time getting the sonar equipment in the water along with the magnetometer sensors.
“Using the magnetometer like a giant metal detector is the most efficient way to pick up man-made anomalies like the metals from a sub. But feel free to dive to get an eye for the surrounding area.”
That sounded like a good idea to Raine. “I figure while we’re waiting for your scans and readings, I’d better practice my diving.”
Walsh reached over and patted her head. “Not a bad idea, Blondie. Since we’ve been sitting for weeks in port, the crew could use a string of ’em, call it refresher courses.”
“We should pair up and dive with partners,” Mitch suggested. “But we’ll need to maintain a certain force on board at all times to keep a watchful eye on the horizon.”
They paired up in teams, and took turns diving for two hours at a time, at depths of thirty-five meters, which was the depth Klaus had written down in his journal.
The Indigo Brothers Trilogy Boxed Set Page 92