by Easton, Don
“Okay, gentlemen,” said Barfoot upon his return. “The first thing I’ll teach you from my experience, is fish like to feed more when the tide is going in. We’ll each get a rod. Last one to catch something does the supper dishes.”
“I thought your two crew members would do the dishes,” said Pike.
“Did you now?” replied Barfoot. “Well let me tell you something, right now I consider you part of the crew. If you don’t like it, I’ll have Razak and Khalid toss you overboard. Then you can swim to that island and try to find your own dinner to eat.”
Pike looked serious as he studied the distance to the island, then said, “Does seem a bit far to swim.”
“Not that far,” said Barfoot. “If the tide is going in, you’d show up there in about two and a half hours.”
“Actually, I don’t really mind washing dishes,” replied Pike.
Barfoot chuckled and called for Khalid, who soon handed a fishing rod to each of them.
They split up so Barfoot and Jack were on one side of the yacht, while Oskar and Pike were on the other. Barfoot gave them the option of being able to cast their line, or simply lower it in the water and jig. Jack decided the latter would work best for him.
The lines were barely in the water when Oskar caught a fish and reeled it to the side of the yacht where Khalid hauled it in with a fish gaff.
“Barracuda,” noted Barfoot. “Good eating.”
Barracuda on both ends of the line, thought Jack.
Khalid disappeared into the galley with the fish, but seconds later, Pike had a bite. Everyone watched as he pulled on the rod in short bursts while reeling madly. Seconds later, the reel malfunctioned and it was evident that the fish was no longer hooked.
Pike cursed and gestured to a mass of tangled line around the reel.
“Well, I’ll tell ya what,” drawled Barfoot. “I’ll blame that one on the reel. There’s a small plastic toolbox in the cubbyhole beside you. Cut the line and I’ll give you my rod. I have to use the head anyway.”
“Likewise,” said Jack, putting his fishing rod in a holder. “Where is it, by the way?”
“That’s right, I never did give you the tour,” replied Barfoot. “Come on. Once you do your thing, I’ll introduce you to the Princess.”
After Barfoot and Jack each used a washroom on the lower deck near the stern, Barfoot gave Jack a tour of the yacht.
One large guestroom was near the stern, complete with a king-size bed and private bathroom. Walking toward the bow, Jack passed a galley complete with Italian marble counters. Next came two smaller bedrooms on each side of a hallway.
“For Razak and Khalid,” said Barfoot.
“This is absolutely gorgeous,” said Jack. “I’m stunned by the beauty.”
“And my bedroom is here at the bow,” said Barfoot, opening up two French doors to reveal the largest bedroom.
Jack stared at the wall above the headboard, speechless.
Barfoot saw what Jack was looking at and gestured to the huge marlin mounted on the wall and said, “Caught that monster on a trip to Mexico. The guys still call me Mr. Marlin sometimes. It took me six hours to reel it in.”
Jack looked at Barfoot and knew he was looking at the real monster. A man capable of being a charming manipulator. It hid the fact that he was a psychopath.
Jack stared back at the marlin, stuffed and mounted on the wall. He felt like he had been reeled in himself.
Chapter Forty-One
Jack followed Barfoot back toward the stern. On the way he asked, “Where is my phone? I expect it should be charged by now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, that’s right,” replied Barfoot. “I forgot all about it. I think I left it up in the wheelhouse. I’ll go get it and put it in the charger right away.”
“It might not have been the battery,” replied Jack. “I’ve had trouble with it lately. Sometimes it cuts out when the battery is still good. Let me try it again.”
As soon as they went outside, Barfoot said, “Yup, I would say the tide is going in. I think it’s time to reel in the lines, guys. I’m going to move the Princess to a different position.”
“It’s time?” Pike asked, giving a sideways glance at Jack.
Barfoot nodded.
Jack knew then what was in store for him. The comment about the tide taking two and a half hours to float someone to shore was about him. Insurance companies were averse to paying out if they didn’t have a body for proof. He turned quickly and climbed the stairwell.
“Where you going?” asked Oskar.
“To the wheelhouse to get my phone,” replied Jack.
A quick scan of the wheelhouse told him his phone was not there. He looked at the island off in the distance. A good swimmer might be able to cover the distance easily enough. The trouble was, if they saw him swimming, he would not be given that option.
He slipped out one of the side doors leading onto the bow of the boat, where a rope used for moorage lay curled neatly on the deck. Jack tossed it into the water and hurried back to the wheelhouse as Pike and Barfoot arrived.
“What are you doing?” asked Barfoot.
“Couldn’t find my phone and got distracted by the beauty. It feels so wonderful, especially when you are out on the bow. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“It certainly is,” Barfoot said, smiling. “Oh, and I remember, I did bring your phone downstairs. It’s on the counter in the galley. In the meantime, go reel in your rod. I’m going to move to another location.”
Jack made his way back down to the lower deck. When he arrived he saw that his rod had already been taken in and heard the yacht power up.
Oskar looked at him and said, “Jack, did I ever tell you what an asset I think you are to the company?”
Before Jack could reply, he was grabbed on each arm by Razak and Khalid.
“Hey, guys! What —”
Pike buried his fist deep into Jack’s stomach, doubling him over.
Seconds later, Jack was tossed off the back of the yacht. The ocean water surged over his head before he flapped madly to the surface, screaming for help as the yacht pulled slightly away from him, before cutting power.
“I can’t swim!” he cried. “Throw me the life preserver!”
Oskar picked up a life preserver ring hanging on a hook at the back of the yacht and shouted back to him. “You mean this one?”
“Throw it, quick!” spluttered Jack, going under the surface momentarily, before sticking his head out of the water again. The Malaysian Princess had coasted to about the length of two swimming pools away.
“Sorry,” Oskar yelled back at him. “I would like to, but you’re too far.” He tossed it at Pike who laughed and tossed the preserver back on the hook.
Had the yacht been closer, Jack would have swum underwater to the far side where the bowline dangled in the water, but the distance was too great. Even with the choppy waves, he would be seen if he popped his head up partway.
Jack floundered in the water for a moment more, taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling to build up his stamina, before slipping beneath the surface. When he did, he swam underwater at a right angle to the yacht.
When his lungs screamed for air, he surfaced with only his mouth above water, before continuing. This time he went parallel to the yacht.
The second time Jack surfaced for air, he risked sticking his head out of the water for a peek. He was midway along the yacht and caught a glimpse of the men still at the stern, gazing out to where he had been thrown in.
Moments later, Jack made his way to the far side of the yacht and held on to the bowline. The sleek curvature of the bow kept him hidden if someone looked down from above or from the stern.
Jack thought his plan was relatively simple. He presumed they would move closer to the island and wait for the tide to bring him in. He would then swim to shore and remain hidden. He figured that eventually they would give up looking for his body and leave. The small island was deserted, but sooner or later someone would find him.
; Jack could hear the murmur of voices, but was too far away to hear what they were saying. A splash in the water, followed by another splash, told him that something was up and he risked peeking around the bow.
Razak and Khalid had each donned bathing suits, swim fins, and goggles and were swimming out to look for his body.
Half an hour passed before they returned to the yacht. Moments later, the vessel powered up and headed towards the island. It did not go at a high speed, but Jack was forced to pull himself waist-high out of the water to avoid being dragged like a lure and drowned.
Minutes later, the yacht powered down and Jack felt a brief moment of panic from the sudden noise of the electric anchor as it rumbled past him.
Jack studied the island. There was a sandy beach backed by coconut trees facing him. One end of the beach could be walked to the other within ten minutes. The beach itself was bordered with boulders and rock cliffs.
Jack could swim to the island in about twenty minutes, but didn’t want to risk it in daylight hours. The sun was low in the horizon and he knew it would be dark enough in another hour.
Minutes after the engines were shut off, Jack heard the sound of the tender being lowered in the water where it soon roared to life. He quickly positioned himself directly in front of the bow so he could hide on one side of the yacht or the other, depending upon where the tender was driven. The incoming tide had caused the yacht to slowly swing around so that the bow was facing out to sea.
Jack watched as Razak and Khalid roared back out to sea on the tender, where they drove around in circles searching for his body. Jack then heard Barfoot and Oskar on the bow above. It was evident that they were watching the tender, as well.
“If they don’t find him, we’ll go to shore and wait,” said Barfoot.
Jack swam farther back along the bow where the curvature would still hide him, but in a position where he was directly below the two men. He noticed that the bowline he had left dangling over the side was being hauled back on board.
“The trouble with hiring soldiers and not sailors,” joked Barfoot, from above.
“Doesn’t look like they’re having much luck out there,” commented Oskar.
“No problem. We’ll wait and let nature do its thing. Tell you what, I’ll call them back and get them to take us to shore. You up for a little target practice? It’ll be fun.”
“Target practice?”
“I’ve got a stash of weapons hidden on board. You never know when you’ll need them in these waters.”
Jack heard the squelch from a walkie-talkie as Barfoot ordered his men to return. When the tender came closer, Jack held his breath and went under the water until he knew which side of the yacht the tender would pass on as it made its way to the stern.
A few minutes later, the tender headed to shore with Barfoot, Oskar, Pike, and Khalid. Jack watched as several items were unloaded, including folding chairs, a cooler, and a large duffel bag. Khalid then got back in the tender and slowly cruised back out to sea, scanning the ocean with binoculars as he went.
It was getting dark when Pike lined up several coconuts on a piece of driftwood on the beach. The sound of gunfire erupted moments later as the three men took turns with pistols. This was later followed by the sound of fully automatic machine-gun fire.
Jack decided the distraction would be a good time for him to swim to shore. He took a deep breath and swam as much of the distance underwater as he could. Despite the darkness, he did not want to chance Razak spotting him from above, who would no doubt also be scanning the ocean for his body.
By the time Jack had reached a rocky outcrop at the far end of the beach, the men had stopped firing and he could see Pike collecting driftwood to make a bonfire.
Jack settled in amongst the rocks and waited while Barfoot, Oskar, and Pike sat in their folding chairs around the fire. It was dark enough that he knew they would be able to see little beyond the fire and he felt comfortable in his position.
He knew Razak was somewhere on board the yacht and Khalid was using a spotlight mounted on the front of the tender as he cruised back and forth.
I’m safe. Just sit tight until I’m rescued. As Jack waited, he went over the evidence in his mind and the horrible reality of the situation hit him.
What can I prove about Barfoot? He was in the wheelhouse when I was tossed overboard. Defence will claim it was a prank. The guys were just horsing around and didn’t realize he couldn’t swim until it was too late. Barfoot even sent his men out in fins and goggles to look for him …
Jack stared at the men around the bonfire. If he was going to convict Barfoot, he knew he needed more evidence.
Chapter Forty-Two
Jack climbed around a few boulders at the end of the beach and made his way to the edge of the trees before heading down the beach toward the fire. Soon he got to a point where he crept on his hands and knees.
The shadows from the flames flickered on the men’s faces as they sat in a circle around the fire while talking and drinking beer. Jack watched their faces carefully for any sign that they would detect him as he squirmed on his belly close enough to hear.
The first conversation he overheard was Oskar talking about buying a home in the same area as Barfoot.
“I’d recommend it,” replied Barfoot. “I’ve already done all the work when it comes to paying off the right people. If things ever went sideways, we’d be safe there.”
“No extradition?” asked Pike.
“Malaysia does have sort of a gentleman’s agreement for extradition, but nothing concrete and they can be picky on who they decide to send back and who they don’t.”
“Nothing we have to worry about, regardless,” said Oskar.
“No, but consider it insurance,” said Barfoot, bringing laughter to the group.
Their conversation was interrupted by the roar of the tender as Khalid slowly cruised along the waves near the beach, while scanning the water with the spotlight.
“Bet that thing can really move,” said Pike.
“It can do up to forty knots,” said Barfoot. “Faster than the Princess.”
“Wouldn’t mind taking it for a spin sometime,” commented Pike.
“Go ahead, be my guest,” replied Barfoot, reaching for the walkie-talkie.
Moments later, Khalid came ashore and Pike roared off in the tender. When Khalid approached the fire, he walked around a little and put his hands on his hips to stretch his muscles.
Jack hesitated, wondering whether to creep back toward the treeline, but decided that Khalid had no reason to venture his way.
Khalid stood for a moment, looking toward the piece of driftwood where the others had been target-practising earlier. The shape of three coconuts remained and were barely visible in the darkness. He then bent over and tossed another piece of wood into the fire and the flames crackled and momentarily shot higher.
Jack put his face into the sand so that it would not reflect the light. Three shots barked out in rapid succession and he felt the nerves in his body twitch. His impulse was to flee, but when he looked up, he realized Khalid was shooting at the coconuts.
Jack took a deep breath and slowly exhaled to calm himself. Khalid had used a pistol and all three shots had found their mark. With a rifle, it may have been easy, but considering that Khalid had opted to use a pistol at that distance, Jack was impressed with his ability.
“Khalid, hand me your binos,” said Barfoot. “I want to take a look at that.”
Jack saw that Barfoot was looking at the lights of another boat farther out to sea.
“What is it?” asked Oskar. “Squid boat?”
“No,” replied Barfoot. “Luxury boat. Probably about a fifty-footer. Lights on and barely moving. My guess is a romantic dinner cruise,” he said, handing the binoculars back to Khalid. “Maybe somebody else enjoying their corporate asset,” he joked.
“Think they will have heard the shots?” asked Oskar.
“Probably, but nobody ever pays attention.
They sell so many fireworks in Thailand that people don’t even bother to look up at stuff like this.” Barfoot glanced at Khalid and added, “That being said, that was nice shooting, but we are trying to relax. I want you to walk the beach and see if the tide has brought him in yet.”
Barfoot and Oskar were relatively quiet for a few minutes while Khalid wandered down the beach. Eventually Oskar stood and stretched for a moment, gazing out at the ocean before saying, “Speaking of corporate assets, where the hell is our floater?”
“I don’t know,” replied Barfoot. “He should have rolled in by now. I had Razak toss a pig carcass over the side yesterday around the same time. It washed up in about two and a half hours.”
Jack felt pleased with what he had heard. Barfoot had clearly implicated himself.
“We’ve already been here three hours, replied Oskar, looking at his watch.
“Hope he didn’t get tangled in some kelp, or something,” muttered Barfoot. “It would make me feel better to know we have the body. Insurance companies can be a little sticky otherwise.”
Oskar sat back down and the men were silent for a moment, watching Pike roar around on the tender. Eventually Pike returned to the yacht. The Princess had most of its lights on and from shore, they could see Razak helping Pike step aboard.
“What’s Pike up to?” wondered Barfoot.
“He was doing a little bit of the Mexican two-step earlier,” replied Oskar. “Probably a trip to the head.”
“Hope he doesn’t have what Stew Potter has,” replied Barfoot.
“Speaking of that idiot,” chuckled Oskar, “wouldn’t it be funny if after all this planning, that he died on his own?”
“That would be hilarious, as long as he does it when we still have insurance on him,” noted Barfoot.
“I’m going to give the hospital a call,” said Oskar. “Maybe our ship already came in, so to speak.”
Moments later, Jack heard Oskar connect with the hospital. “Yes, I’m calling about Stewart Potter. I’m worried about him. Is he okay?” Seconds later, Oskar jumped to his feet, knocking his chair over backwards. “Say that again!”