He couldn’t allow someone to die in front of his eyes. Not again.
“Stay down,” he ordered Cat, fearing that she wouldn’t. He didn’t want her killed, too.
“Hey,” he shouted, waving his arms in the air. “Over here.”
“What are you doing?” Cat demanded, still in a crouch, hidden by the dinghy. She tugged on his shirt, trying to get him to sink out of sight.
“Providing a temporary distraction,” he said.
The pirates looked toward shore, Joan momentarily forgotten as he’d hoped. Raising their guns, both men moved to the side of the boat, aiming at the beach.
Tensing for the slam of a bullet, he dropped beside Cat, his focus still on Spree.
Both pirates stumbled backward, knocked off balance. One of the men fell on his ass. No shots sounded.
For a second, Javi thought Joan had done something crazy. Had she managed to push them? Brave girl.
No. The boat had slammed to a stop. The bow now pointed away from land.
Spree had finally run aground and listed to the right about fifteen degrees.
Javi grabbed Cat’s hand and jerked her to her feet.
“Time to take shelter in the mangroves.”
They bolted for the line of vegetation. He grabbed the dinghy’s line and pulled it higher onto the beach. He didn’t want to make it too easy for the bad guys.
“Stay in front of me,” he barked when Cat tried to assist, wanting to take the bullet if it came, although he now didn’t believe it would.
Right now the pirates were assessing what had gone wrong with the boat. They had bigger problems than him or Cat. Their hostages should also remain forgotten for a while. Surely the pirates had figured out Joan was no mechanic.
Javi dropped the dink twenty feet from the mangroves. He threw himself to the ground when they reached cover, scrambling to peer over a branch to see what was happening on Spree. Breathing hard, Cat crawled forward for a better vantage point beside him.
“Where’s Joan?” Cat asked between gasps for air. “Can you...see her?”
“Most likely they stashed her below again,” Javi said.
“Oh, God.” She sucked in oxygen. “Maybe they threw her overboard.” She took another deep breath. “While we were running.”
“She’d be swimming for shore if they did.”
“Unless they shot her. Maybe she drowned.”
“Did you hear a gun?”
Cat nibbled on her bottom lip and shook her head. “No.”
“She was of no use in the cockpit, so they shoved her back down in the cabin.”
“Right,” Cat said. “Okay.”
Out of nowhere, Cat punched his arm. Hard.
“What was that for?” he demanded.
“Why did you stand up like that? Were you trying to get yourself killed?”
“You’re the one who wanted to do something.”
“Well, not that. You made yourself a target.”
Shaking his head, Javi returned his focus to Spree. The pirates gunned the diesel over and over as they tried to dislodge the keel from where it had dug into the sandy bottom.
But without a prop, the engine had no effect on Spree’s position. These dudes weren’t going anywhere.
The dinghy was in full tempting view where he’d dragged it high onto the beach. When the pirates figured out Spree was hard aground, what would they do?
Set their sights on recovering the dinghy? They had to. What other option did they have?
The engine stopped, the sudden silence a balm to his ears.
“Thank goodness,” Cat murmured.
The pirates had given up, finally understanding that the diesel was malfunctioning.
Or at least he hoped so.
Across the water, he could hear angry voices on Spree.
“What now?” Cat asked.
“We wait and see what they do,” Javi said.
“I’ll bet they didn’t expect you to make that commotion,” she said.
“Not a bad thing to keep them off balance.”
The argument on Spree escalated in intensity. What were they saying? Dissention in the ranks put a new spin on an op. You never knew what would happen. One of the perps could go off on the other.
“They don’t seem to be getting along,” Cat said.
Javi nodded, struggling to understand what the conflict between the pirates was about. They were too far away to make out individual words, but a dispute was definitely in progress, one that included pointing fingers and threatening with a gun. Did one want to abandon Spree and swim ashore with their stolen goods?
Maybe one wanted to murder their hostages and be done with them. That was his biggest fear.
Maybe the pirates would shoot each other.
That was his greatest hope.
“Is it good or bad for us that they’re fighting?” Cat asked.
“I don’t know,” Javi admitted. “Could go either way.”
Still arguing, the pirates disappeared from the cockpit. Would they take out their frustration on Joan and Debbie?
“They’re getting ready to come ashore,” Cat said when they’d been below deck awhile. “Just like you thought.”
“They can’t remain on board Spree much longer,” Javi said. “And I think they know that.”
“Why not?”
Javi flopped onto his back. The sun was fully up now, the day growing lighter by the minute even inside the shade of the mangroves.
“The Bahamian authorities will cruise by again sometime this morning,” he said. “They’ll offer assistance. And since their fugitives are still at large, I suspect they’ll board Spree this time to make certain she’s clear.”
“And that’s bad because...?”
“There’ll be a shoot-out,” Javi said. “Or a standoff.”
“Maybe not,” Cat said.
“Do you really think the pirates will surrender? They killed a police officer. And if they’ve sampled any of their stolen drugs, they’ll think they’re invincible. Believe me, Joan and Debbie will be hostages or else become collateral damage.”
Cat shook her head. “The authorities might talk them down.”
“Yeah, and maybe the Bahamians will give them a new boat and allow them to sail away with your friends. I doubt that, but either way, Joan and Deb would be done for.”
Cat remained silent for a long moment. He’d been blunt—maybe too blunt—but they both needed to face reality. Getting her friends out of this disaster whole would be a serious challenge.
“Okay. So we need to lure the pirates ashore,” she stated. “How can we do that?”
He stared at Cat, who nibbled on her bottom lip, still focused on Spree. She was obviously a glass-half-full type. Gotta love a woman who refused to give up without a fight. No matter how scared.
Time for phase two of the plan.
“Oh, my God,” she said in a breathless voice. “I don’t believe it.”
“What?” Javi raised up to look.
Behind Spree, at least a sixty-foot motor yacht had entered the channel and was chugging toward the anchorage, leaving behind puffs of smoke and a huge wake.
He heard a trace of laughter. A balding older man stood behind the wheel. Three other adults, one man and two women, stood in the huge covered cockpit, each sipping from a mug. Javi could almost taste their freshly brewed morning coffee.
Two retired couples cruising together through the Bahamas unaware they were motoring toward their doom.
* * *
CAT’S HEART THUMPED inside her chest as she watched the giant yacht move steadily toward Gun Cay’s anchorage. Could this boat be their savior?
Or would its owner get caught up in the web of danger
created by the pirates? Talk about the wrong place at the wrong time.
Javi cursed. “Our bad guys just got a new exit strategy.”
Cat nodded, thinking hard. She agreed with Javi that the pirates would definitely try to take over this new boat. From the looks of the occupants, who were at least twenty years older than her parents, the process wouldn’t be too difficult.
But if the pirates commandeered this new boat, they’d abandon Spree and their hostages. Maybe her friends would be safe.
Too bad for the newcomers, but Joan and Debbie would be rescued. That’s what mattered, right?
Wrong.
She cursed silently. Of course they had to alert these new cruisers, who were no doubt out for a peaceful holiday—just as she’d been a few hours ago—oblivious to the fact that their world was about to explode into chaos.
But how could she and Javi sound an alarm? What could they do to get their attention?
No cell phone or radio. No gun. No time to start a signal fire—as if that would do any good.
Cat tore her gaze from the approaching yacht and looked at Spree. The pirates hadn’t yet heard the new boat’s motor. Or anyway, they hadn’t come up on deck to check it out. Maybe they couldn’t hear the noise over the yelling inside the cabin.
She glanced at Javi. Eyes narrowed, he focused on the new yacht. That muscle in his jaw was working hard, and she knew he was figuring the angles just as she had.
“We have to warn them,” Cat said.
“Agreed,” Javi said with a short nod.
“How? We don’t have much time before they drop an anchor.”
“There’s only one sure way.”
She sighed, knowing what that was. “Run out on the beach and get the attention of the pirates.”
“Who will hopefully start shooting.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe I just said that.”
“But what if they don’t? What if they ignore us and let the new boat anchor?”
“I’ll keep yelling until the newcomers realize this won’t be a peaceful refuge.”
“They probably have binoculars, right?” she asked.
“From the size of that yacht, I’d say they have night-vision goggles.”
“Do you still have your gun?”
He patted a pocket. “For all the good it does us.”
“You could wave it around,” Cat suggested. “The new guys won’t know it doesn’t work and that might scare them off. For that matter, the pirates don’t know for certain.”
“Good idea.” He shot her look, hesitating.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“You understand this new arrival could provide an opportunity to save your friends.”
“You mean if we do nothing and allow those jerks to steal another boat?”
“Exactly. They’d leave Joan and Deb behind.”
“Maybe.” She shook her head. “But I couldn’t live with that. Could you?”
“No,” he said softly. He leaned forward and kissed her quickly. “You’re quite a woman, Irish.”
Her face warmed. But she didn’t deserve his praise. Could she actually run out on the beach to get shot?
“One other thing,” he said. “No matter how we manage to warn off the new people, or even if we don’t, they’ll get on the radio immediately to notify the Bahamian authorities there’s trouble in Gun Cay.”
“And the police will show up here.”
“Yeah.”
“I still say that could be a good thing,” Cat said.
“It poses more risk for your friends.”
She released a breath. Javi was the expert. He understood this danger business far better than she did. No matter what they did—or didn’t do—someone could get hurt. Or die.
Like the two of them. Maybe they should do nothing. Wait it out. As her resolve to do the right thing slipped away, laughter from the approaching yacht reached her ears.
“We can’t let those poor unsuspecting people get involved in this mess,” she said. “Not if we can help it.”
“You’re right.”
Javi jumped to his feet, and Cat’s heart pounded. She took a deep breath to calm herself. It didn’t seem real that she was about to deliberately make herself a target. Could she go through with it?
Javi withdrew his handgun from a pocket and raised the weapon as if it worked just fine. “Wait here.”
She hesitated. Why not do as he said, stay hidden in the shadows as usual? She was no superhero. A voice floated across the water, and she shook her head. She was afraid, but she had to try to save those people, no matter the consequences to herself.
“Stay out of sight,” Javi added.
“You have to stop ordering me to stay behind. Whatever you do, I’m in on it, too.”
He glared at her. “There’s no reason for us both to be shot.”
“Two people can make more noise.”
“Cat—”
“There’s no time to argue. Look.”
The vessel had cleared the channel and turned toward them, revealing the name Serenity written large on its hull. The two men stood by the wheel, one pointing toward an area beyond Spree. Likely the spot where they intended to drop anchor.
A woman peered toward shore through binoculars.
“Let’s go,” Cat said, and started running toward the beach, waving her arms in the air. She had to do this.
“Stop,” she screamed as loud as her lungs would allow. “Go back.”
* * *
JAVI CHARGED DOWN the beach after Cat, terrified she’d be shot. What had gotten into her?
“Not safe here,” he yelled toward Serenity, displaying his gun.
“Go back,” Cat shouted over and over, windmilling her arms.
By the time they arrived at the dinghy, all four occupants of Serenity were looking toward land. One pointed their direction. The captain raised his binoculars and focused on the beach. Questioning voices floated across the still water.
Excellent. He had their attention.
Both pirates emerged from below deck into Spree’s cockpit.
One shouted and pointed toward Serenity.
The second pirate raised a gun aimed toward land.
Javi jerked on Cat’s arm and pulled her to cover behind the dinghy.
Two rounds whizzed around them. A third thudded into the side of the dinghy.
Beside him, Cat sucked in a quick breath.
Terrified female screams from Serenity cut through the quiet morning.
Three more rounds sounded, but not aimed their direction. More screams from the yacht.
Cat made a pained sound.
Swiveling his head, he found her clutching her right arm.
“Are you hit?” he demanded.
“Maybe,” she said, her voice tight.
“Where?”
“My right arm. I’m okay.”
“Bleeding?”
She pulled her hand away. His breath caught at the sight of the bright red blood on her fingers.
“Only a little,” she said. “As they say in the old Westerns, I think they just winged me.”
She managed a faint smile, which was like a knife in his gut. God, but this woman had grit.
“Can you maneuver to your back without rising up so I can see?”
She twisted around, and he cursed at the angry wound on her upper arm. Yeah, the bullet had only grazed her and wasn’t serious, but it had to hurt like a son of a bitch.
An inch or two to the left, and she’d be dead.
His fury rose like bile in his throat. He’d kill the bastard who’d shot her.
“It surprised me more than anything,” she said. “It stings, like road rash, maybe.
I’m okay.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. What’s going on with Serenity?” she asked, jerking her chin toward the ocean.
Javi exhaled harshly and offered a quick silent prayer. Time to refocus on the op. This is why he didn’t like to work with a partner. He didn’t like the responsibility that came along with protecting someone besides himself.
And their situation wasn’t good. They both lay in the sand under cover of a dinghy, which turned out not to be safe at all since a projectile had passed through its hull. If it hit below the waterline, the dink wouldn’t even float now. At least, not for long.
The pirates didn’t know it, but they’d just lost another exit strategy.
“Stay low,” he instructed Cat, then carefully raised his head to peek at what was happening in the water.
Serenity had taken the hint and was motoring swiftly away from Spree. Only the captain remained on deck and it sounded as if he had his engine wide open, giving it all the gas he could. Good plan, pal.
His friends were below, likely already on the radio. Unless one of them was injured and their focus was on staunching the blood.
The men on Spree were arguing again, but their attention remained on Serenity.
He guessed the pirates’ dispute was over whether or not to keep shooting at the fleeing yacht. A stray bullet could pierce its hull, rendering it useless for their escape. However, if they managed to shoot the captain, the boat might run aground and allow them to take control.
“What’s going on?” Cat asked.
Wanting to see better, Javi came to his hands and knees, keeping his head low. “Serenity is getting the hell out of Dodge.”
“Good. What about our pirates?”
“Damn. One of them just took aim at the captain.” And there’s nothing I can do to stop him.
“What?” Cat rose to all fours beside him.
Maybe he’d miss. From the evidence so far, neither of the pirates were that good of a shot. Likely high, even.
A flare burst from a forward hatch on Serenity, clearly visible as it streamed through the morning sky.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
HOLDING HER BREATH, Cat watched the glowing projectile arch through the sky in the direction of Spree. The pirates shouted and ducked.
Stranded with the Captain Page 19