The Keeper

by George C. Chesbro

  “Got it!” Roy shouted back over his shoulder. He felt her move around him, then watched as she leaned over and pressed a button on the steering post. He felt the engine come to life. “Hey, isn’t that cheating?! I thought we were supposed to be sailing!”

  Jade straightened up and put her face close to his. Her trembling, blue lips parted in a faint, exhausted smile. “Don’t worry about it! Nobody’s around to report this little breach of sailing etiquette! Having the engine on will help you steer the boat!”

  “What about the gas we’ll use up?!”

  “We’re not going to need gas, or anything else, if we broach, Roy! Remember that! Keep headed up into the waves!” She paused, squeezed his arm tightly. “You’re a very brave man!”

  Roy tried to smile but his smile became a grimace. “You’ve got to be kidding me! I’m scared out of my gourd!”

  “I know! That’s why you’re a very brave man! I’ll be back in a few minutes!”

  Roy watched Jade open the hatchway door and disappear down into the boat’s cabin. Almost immediately his fear spiked into panic. He felt Jade’s absence from the deck almost like a physical blow to his skull, stunning him, threatening to bleed away the last of his courage. He bit his lip as the boat slowly, for what seemed yet another eternity, climbed up the face of a mountainous wave that towered above his head and seemed ready to collapse over the boat at any moment. Then, suddenly, he was at the wave’s crest, seemingly suspended there, and he was looking out over an ocean of raging darkness. He cried out as he felt the boat begin to turn and he quickly wrestled the helm in the opposite direction. For one frozen, horrifying moment he thought the boat would turn sideways, but then the bow slowly straightened out and the boat plummeted down the back of the wave. The sailboat’s bow hit the trough with a force he could feel throughout his body, and he strained to hold the wheel steady as the bow disappeared under water. Then the boat righted itself and began to climb the face of the next wave.

  “Fuck you!” Roy screamed into the wind. “That’s one!”

  The boat reached the wave’s foaming crest, hovered, shot down into the trough, and then began to climb again.

  “That’s two! Bring on the next motherfucker!”

  After the tenth wave he stopped counting. Terror, he thought with a grim smile, could come in degrees; when it reached a certain point, as it had now when he was responsible for both their lives, it turned out to be a wondrous cure for seasickness.

  The few minutes Jade had said she’d be gone became an hour.

  To his considerable surprise, Roy found he was no longer afraid; his fear, like his body, had become numbed by paralyzing cold. His fingers felt as if they were frozen to the wheel, but his confidence had grown to the point where a certain kind of euphoria had settled over him, easing his discomfort. Not only had Jade been right about this boat being able to ride out the storm, but now he was riding out the storm, conquering it.

  The hour stretched into hours, and the cold settled deep down into Roy, into his bones like some giant, cruel parasite that was slowly but inexorably sucking the life from him. His entire body had become one great cramp, twisting him first in one direction and then another, but he endured, fighting back, struggling to maintain his concentration, willing his head to stay up and his stinging eyes open while keeping the wheel steady.

  He began to hallucinate, saw his life passing before him, not in flashes but in slow motion takes projected onto the faces of the towering waves as he climbed them. He suddenly realized that in the midst of the driving rain he was terribly thirsty. He put his head back and let the rain fall into his mouth. He could no longer feel his hands or arms below the elbows, and he had to squint in the darkness to make sure his fingers still gripped the wheel.

  Dawn was signaled not by the rising sun so much as as a gradual easing of the darkness from a marble black to a slate gray. It slowly came to him that the wind was no longer howling, and the waves, while still high, now seemed more like hills than mountains. He’d done it, he thought, and he would have smiled if his lips did not feel as if they were frozen solid.

  Jade suddenly emerged from the cabin, and Roy found that just the sight of this woman was enough to warm him. Her face twisted in alarm, Jade hurried to his side and clutched his left arm.

  “Oh God, Roy, I’m sorry! I fell asleep!”

  Roy willed his teeth to stop chattering, although he could not suppress a shudder so deep it made his joints crack and his bones ache. “You did, huh? I can’t imagine why.”

  “Roy, you’re wonderful!

  “Don’t try to sweet talk me into giving up this helm, lady. I’m just starting to get the hang of this sailing business.”

  “You’re a madman,” Jade said, shouldering him aside and taking the wheel. “You’re half frozen to death. Get down below and under the covers.”

  “I’ve still got two or three minutes left in me, and I’m going to spend them looking at you.”

  Jade glanced around her and up at the sky, then back at Roy. “I know how you’re hurting. Do you really have another couple of minutes left in you?”

  “I said I did.”

  “If you can take the wheel for just another two or three minutes, I can set sail and we’re out of here.”

  Roy stepped around Jade and once again put his hands firmly on the spoked helm. He was somewhat surprised—and relieved—to find that his fingers would close when he wanted them to. “Take your time,” he said.

  “All right, now I want you to keep steering directly into the wind, just a few more degrees to starboard—your right. Watch the ribbons up on those shrouds. Straighten out when they’re blowing directly back at you, but not too hard. Don’t oversteer. When you’re directly into the wind, just hold it there.”

  “Got it,” Roy replied through quivering lips.

  In order to turn the wheel Roy had to lean his entire body to the right. At first the boat did not respond, but then, ever so slowly, the bow began to turn in that direction. Jade leaped up on top of the cabin and dropped from sight into the gloom trying to become morning. Remembering Jade’s admonition not to oversteer, Roy leaned back to the left as the boat went directly into the wind and the streamers on the guy wires Jade had called shrouds began to blow directly back at him.

  He heard the pop of snaps being opened as Jade removed the canvas shroud covering the mainsail, and a few seconds later a great sheet of white sail began to rise into the sky above him, wildly flapping back and forth with a sound like the cracking of a whip. Then Jade reappeared, leaping down from the top of the cabin to land beside him. She had to pry his numb fingers from the helm as he had hers, and then he lurched backward to get out of her way.

  Jade took the helm, reached down on the steering post to turn off the engine, then pulled the wheel sharply to the left. The boat slowly began to turn in that direction. Suddenly there was a sound like the report of a rifle as the boom shot to the side, the sail filled with wind, and they began to move forward at a forty five degree angle to the wind and waves.

  “Jesus Christ!” Roy shouted, grabbing with his frozen fingers at the lifeline as the boat suddenly heeled over on its port side.

  “It’s all right, Roy. We’re not going to tip over. We’re under sail and on a good tack. Now get out of here. We’ll stay on this tack for some time, so you don’t have to worry about falling out of bed. Just snuggle up against the hull and go to sleep.”

  “You promise we’re not going to tip over?!”

  “If we do, you’ll be the second to know. Actually, this is great sailing.”

  “Shit,” Roy grumbled. “I do all the work, and you come back for the fun part.”

  “You can have fun later. Now get out of here. If this wind stays steady, and it feels that way, I can lock the wheel in place and come down to tuck you in. Sweet dreams. You’ve earned them.”

  Holding tightly to the handrails on either side of him, Roy climbed down into the cabin. Then he just managed to aim his body in the
general direction of a bunk as his legs collapsed under him and he lost consciousness.

  ii

  Jade was an excellent teacher. Roy truly did want to learn to handle the boat, and he mastered the fundamentals of sailing on the 57-foot Beneteau Oceanus through two days and nights on the open sea, with he and Jade spelling each other for brief periods of rest. The boat turned out to be well stocked with food, fresh water and warm clothing, and they were both comfortable once they had recovered from their initial exposure and exhaustion.

  On their third day at sea the wind died. Jade locked the helm in place, and they went below to make love, sleep, and then make love again.

  When Roy awoke after their third session of lovemaking he laid very still, savoring the smell and feel of Jade’s body beside him, the pleasant weight of her breasts pressing into his side., He was, he thought, ready to die, for he had never been happier or felt more at peace in his life. He would gladly give his life to save Jade’s, but if they both had to die, he was glad they would meet death together.

  Above him he heard the groan and clanking of the rigging as the boom, mainsail and jib swung back and forth in response to the boat’s motion in the ocean swells. He felt Jade stir beside him, and he asked quietly, “How long do you think this will last?”

  “Whatever could you be referring to?” Jade murmured, kissing his shoulder.

  Roy smiled. “The lull. How long do you think it will be before we get some wind?”

  Jade propped herself up on one elbow, kissed Roy on the mouth, then rolled on her back and sighed. “There’s no way to tell. It could be minutes, hours, or days. At least we’ve got the current, and we’re headed in the right direction. We’re out of the shipping lanes, so nobody’s going to spot us unless they come looking.”

  “You can tell where we are from the charts and electronic gizmos up front?”

  Jade nodded. “The most important gizmo is called a Loran; it determines our position from satellite signals. It’s very accurate. Right now we’re about a hundred and seventy five miles off the coast of the Carolinas.”

  “No shit?”

  “No shit.”

  “And where, exactly, are we headed?”

  “How about the Cairn Marina?”

  “You’re kidding.”

  “Nope. I’ve got all the charts I need, and the Loran, to get us there. We can step right onto the dock, walk to the station house and start getting our ducks in a row. We’ll at least be in friendly territory for a while. It’s important for us to make copies of all this stuff, and then get the originals into the hands of the F.B.I. without having it confiscated by intermediaries sympathetic to the Beowulf boys.”

  “How long will it take us to get there?”

  “Unclear. A couple of weeks, with decent wind. Maybe less. We’re going to have to put in soon for supplies—fresh water, food, and gas. One stop should do it. As soon as the wind comes up, I’ll put us on a long reach heading back in. There are marinas all along the coast, so we shouldn’t have trouble finding one quickly. We’ll stock up, and then head for New York Harbor and the Hudson.”

  “Why not just contact the F.B.I. when we go ashore?”

  “That’s an option. The problem is that the closest F.B.I. field office is probably in Atlanta, and a lot could happen between the time we put in a call to them and when agents come to meet us. I’m not sure I trust the F.B.I. to bring us in, and if we get picked up by the local authorities we’re finished. It turns out that the Beowulf Society is a C.I.A. asset, and the Company has big ears and long arms. We’ve both been made, and cops in a dozen states could be looking for us. I think our best choice is to stay at sea until we reach friendly and familiar territory where we’ll have allies and some wiggle room, but your vote is as good as mine.”

  Roy stared at the ceiling of the cabin for some time as he gently caressed Jade’s thigh. Finally he said, “We’re not going to make it, are we, lady?”

  Jade turned so that she could look into Roy’s face, raised one eyebrow slightly. “Well, now, aren’t you the cheerful, optimistic soul?”

  Roy brushed the back of his hand against Jade’s cheek. “I’m just trying to be realistic. I’m a cop and I know police work. My guess is that you’ve been trying to prop up my morale, and I think you know what the odds are against us breezing into Cairn Marina. Our chances are slim to none.”

  “Really? Tell me what you think has been happening ashore, Mr. Cop.”

  “First, there’s the small matter of the corpse you left behind. The hotel calls the cops, and the cops talk to the Beowulf head honchos. As you pointed out, the Miami cops are going to be very respectful of all those retired generals and admirals, so the Beowulf boys can tell them any story they want. The cops comb the city looking for us, but we’ve disappeared. Where could we have gone?”

  “Maybe into a safe house I’d prepared, someplace where we could hole up indefinitely. That’s what I’m hoping Beowulf will assume.”

  “That’s spythink.”

  “Beowulf knows I was a spy, so why shouldn’t they assume I’ll think and act like one? They don’t know how long I’ve known about them, or how much time I had to prepare for our visit. They could still be waiting for us to surface, rent a car, and try to make a run cross country or to the airport.”

  “The Miami cops will have sent out an APB to every other police force along the coast.”

  “But we’re on a boat, not in a car. We just might be able to sneak in and out of a marina without raising suspicions.”

  “Maybe. But the owner of the boat comes down after the storm and finds his baby missing. He calls the Coast Guard, because he figures the boat must have popped its mooring lines; there are probably a lot of boats missing or damaged as a result of the storm. The Coast Guard does a routine look-see along the coast for a wreck or floater, but by then we’re long gone.”

  “Gee. Aren’t we the clever ones?”

  Roy laughed. “You certainly are. Keep this up and you’re likely to make me believe that we can actually slip into Cairn, walk up the street to my office and start the copying machine while we make some calls.”

  “I never said we didn’t have to get real lucky. We’ll grunge up good before we go ashore. How’s your morale now?”

  “Improving. But there are still—literally—a couple of loose ends. Somebody will have noticed that neither of the mooring lines had snapped or taken any hardware with them; they’re floating nicely in the water, just like somebody had slipped them off. Maybe the boat didn’t break loose at all; maybe it was stolen.”

  “Really? Who would be crazy or stupid enough to steal a boat and try to sail off in the middle of a tropical storm?”

  “Beowulf will know you’re good enough to do it.”

  “Maybe. But they’re not going to discuss my background with the Coast Guard, and the Coast Guard won’t give that theory any credence. They’re not going to be looking for us out here.”

  “But Beowulf may. They have the resources to mount their own air-sea search.”

  “Yes, they do, but that doesn’t mean they will. Even if it does occur to them that we may have gotten away in a stolen boat, I’m hoping they’ll assume we died in the storm.”

  “Jesus. You had this all figured out by the time we hit the street, didn’t you?”

  “All figured out isn’t the phrase I’d use.”

  “The bottom line is that we’re still more likely to be killed than arrested.”

  “Until we reach a safe harbor, being arrested could amount to being killed. We’re going to be at risk all the way back to Cairn. After we make a quick stop for gas and supplies, we’re going to take a very circuitous route back home, and we’ll take our time. When we go ashore, we’ll get paint and stickers to change the boat’s name and registration number on the sails.”

  Roy again touched Jade’s cheek, then her hair. “Hey, I don’t care how long it takes to get home; the more time I spend alone with you, the better. By the way, how did a
desert creature like you learn to sail so well?”

  Jade laughed. “Desert creature? That’s good, Roy. You consider Brooklyn a desert country?”

  “I’m serious. I’m not talking about the Arab thing. From the very little you’ve told me about your Navy career, you spent most of your time in the kinds of hot, dry places that aren’t the usual habitat of a sailor.”

  “That’s true, sweetie, but this Palestinian went to Annapolis, remember? Learning to sail is required. I was on their racing team. And I would have leaves, just like everyone else. Max and I both loved to sail. He used to crew for me in races. One of those sailboats in the Cairn marina is mine, and I’m on it every free moment I get.”

  “You really are remarkable.”

  “So are you.”

  “No, I’m not. I’ve found myself doing remarkable things because of you, but the fact of the matter is that I’m just another burned out cop and recovering alcoholic with two broken marriages behind me.”

  “Now, now, Roy let’s not have any false modesty.”

  “Before you came along, Jade, I hadn’t loved anything or anybody in years. I thought I’d lost the capacity to love. Now I know that’s not true. I not only can love, but I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life.”

  Jade sat up, looked into Roy’s face as she placed her hand on his chest. “Detective Roy Mannes, that’s the most outrageous line I’ve ever heard. Are you trying to seduce me?”

  Roy grinned as he cupped her full breasts. “Well, sweetie, there are plenty more lines where that came from, and since it looks like we have a long voyage ahead of us-”

  Roy stopped speaking and they both started when the faint thwop-thwop sound of an approaching helicopter drifted through the cabin walls. The sound rapidly increased in volume, and then the helicopter passed directly overhead, flying so low that the backwash from its rotors raised swells in the water that caused the boat to rock. Jade leaped out of bed and began pulling on her jeans and sweatshirt.