by Cathy Marie Hake, Lynn A. Coleman, Mary Davis, Susan Page Davis
Hollan grabbed his sleeve. “And if we catch them off guard, maybe we can just slip away with one of the boats. David didn’t seem to hire the brightest of men for his crew.”
“That’s because anyone with a lick of sense would have stayed far away from him.”
“Jonathon actually has a heart,” Hollan disagreed. “I don’t know why he’s with them.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Jacob … Papa …”
Both men answered in unison. “What?”
“What if Jonathon volunteered for the watch?”
Jacob thought for a moment. “The odds are against that, Hollan.”
“I know. But just think. God has protected us so far. What if He’s put the next step into place by giving us Jonathon as a guard?”
“It could happen. And if not, I’m sure He has a plan for us to get out of here to safety.”
“We won’t know until we get there.”
“You want to go now?”
“Why not? What better time? We’ve all slept. We’ll sleep better if we get to the mainland. They won’t expect us to act until morning. And they have to be exhausted, too. They worked hard all day trying to unload the ship. David told me he wanted to go up the inland canal because officials were looking for him. He won’t want to stay around very long.”
Gunter exchanged a look with Jacob. “I think the lady is on to something.”
She smiled with relief. “So we act tonight? Now? I think I’ll go crazy if we have to sit here any longer.”
“You’ll be okay walking through the area in the dark? I know you aren’t real fond of it here, even in the daylight.”
“I’m fonder of the thought of walking away than I am of spending the night here in that shack. And I have my boots on this time.”
Jacob stood and pulled her to her feet. She dusted off her skirt. Gunter joined them.
“Let’s get something to eat then see what the shoreline holds.”
Chapter 14
The moon barely provided enough light through all the foliage for them to see as they walked down the overgrown path. Hollan stayed close to Jacob and clutched the hem of his shirt. Gunter followed close behind.
They neared the shore and walked quietly along the trees. Even Samson seemed to understand the gravity of the situation as he kept pace beside Hollan. She appreciated the solid warmth of his body as he pressed against her leg. She kept a firm hand on the nape of his neck. If anything lurked in the bushes, Samson would warn them in plenty of time.
They’d debated leaving him behind, but with no way to secure the shack’s door, he’d break free and end up tagging along anyway. At least this way they had a semblance of control over the situation.
The large outline of David’s ship loomed high against the horizon, its features eerie in the moonlight. The smaller boats were pulled up on shore, just as they’d hoped, and Hollan didn’t see any sign of a watchman.
“No one seems to be around,” Hollan whispered. “Maybe they’re so cocky they don’t expect us to steal—I mean, borrow—one.”
“If so, it’s more likely they were too tired or too drunk and they didn’t give it a thought,” Jacob interjected.
“Perhaps it’s a mixture of both,” her father agreed.
Jacob glanced back at Hollan, the moonlight highlighting the smirk on his face. “And surely my dear brother wouldn’t have an issue with us borrowing one of his boats.”
“Yes, he’s so accommodating and thoughtful.” The sarcasm rolled off Hollan’s tongue.
They huddled at the edge of the trees.
“I’ve been wondering. How did David get a boat so quickly?” Hollan asked. “If you followed him here …?”
“I told you I had to argue with God a bit before I headed back. David had time to secure the vessel. As to how, I’m sure it wasn’t by legal means. The crew might belong to the ship—and it’s a skeleton crew at that—but I doubt the ship belongs to my brother.”
“Well said.” Hollan was ready to leave the island. “Let’s keep going.”
They slowly crept along the edge of the curved beach that contained the rowboats. “If no one is here, we’ll just hop in and go, is that the plan?” Hollan asked. “The area appears to be deserted.” She couldn’t wait to get out of there.
Samson let out a low growl.
“Then again, we could be wrong,” Hollan hissed as the dark form of a man rose up from where he’d apparently been sleeping on the bottom of one of the boats.
They all ducked in unison.
“Who’s out there?”
“It’s Jonathon!” Hollan whispered, then stood and started to answer.
Jacob yanked her back down and shook his head then put a finger to his lips. Hollan nodded.
“We need to make sure he’s alone.”
“Of course. I’m sorry.”
They waited in silence. No one else moved or answered. Jonathon stood and stepped out of the beached boat and headed for the trees. Samson growled again, and Hollan returned her hand to the nape of his neck.
“He’s coming this way!” she hissed.
Jacob held up a hand. Hollan quieted. Her heart beat quickly in her chest as she watched her husband’s actions. He crouched in the shadows and followed Jonathon’s movements with scrutinizing eyes.
When Jonathon stood within reach of them, Jacob lunged forward and grabbed the man around the neck. He pulled him close against his chest.
“Jonathon. Don’t make a sound. Is there anyone else here with you?” Jacob asked in a quiet voice.
“No, I’m in charge of the boats.” Jonathon sounded rattled.
Hollan’s heart went out to the man. “It’s okay, Jonathon. It’s just us.”
Jacob loosened his grip, but Jonathon didn’t move.
“You shouldn’t oughta sneak up on a man like that,” he groused. “A man could drop dead from fright. I didn’t want to stay out here in the first place. It’s spooky.”
“Says the man who kidnapped me from a beach,” Hollan pointed out.
“Fair enough.” Jonathon shifted on his feet. He didn’t exude any of the cockiness that David liked to portray. “I do apologize for that. But I couldn’t go against the other men. They’d have killed me on the spot.”
“I’m glad they didn’t.” Hollan’s voice softened. She didn’t blame Jonathon for not helping. But she did hope he’d help them now. “You can make it up to me, though.”
“How’s that?” His voice held a hint of distrust.
“You can let us have a boat, let us get away.”
“Oh, I don’t know. David would be so angry.”
“Then go with us. We’ll take you to safety.”
“I don’t think there’s a place safe enough to get away from David.”
“If we can get to the authorities, David will be captured by the law. You’ll be safe. Think about it, Jonathon! Won’t you feel good knowing you’re on the right side of the law for a change?”
“I ain’t never been on that side that I can remember….” Jonathon sounded dubious.
“Jonathon. God put you here to help us. I’m sure of it. If you help us, we can help you.”
“No offense, ma’am, but David’s the one who put me here, not God.”
“That’s how it might look to you”—Hollan reached for his arm—“but I feel sure God put you here to help us. We can help each other. Come with us, help us paddle through the channel, and we’ll hide you in a safe place when we get to town.”
“I didn’t know there was a town nearby.”
“It isn’t exactly a town, per se, but there’s a small church and a building that’s used as a general store. There’s an acting sheriff. The townsfolk look out for each other. You’d be welcome there.”
He hesitated.
“You don’t want to let God down, do you? We need you to help us.”
“You’re sure I’ll be safe?”
“Yes. But we need to leave right now.”
>
“On the open water, at night? With a woman on board?”
“You can’t possibly still blame me for all the problems after you kidnapped me. There’s no such thing as bad luck. Everything that happened to you, Paxton, and Nate was caused by your own actions. And as for nighttime travel, there’s enough moonlight to see pretty well. We know the waters, and this stretch won’t be difficult at all. It’s just a little ways away.”
Jonathon didn’t answer. Hollan didn’t know what they’d do if he refused. She didn’t want to see the man hurt and didn’t know that Jacob and her father even had it in them to hurt a man. She had a feeling, though, that if pushed into a corner, when it came to her safety against Jonathon’s, Jacob’s protective instinct would kick in.
“Please? This would more than make up for the kidnapping.” Hollan prayed for the right words. “If you help us escape now, the law will see that you assisted us. Otherwise, you might be charged with kidnapping along with the others when they’re caught. And they will be caught, if not right now, then soon. David said the officials were after him.”
“You’re sure we’ll get away?”
“Do you expect David or any of his men to come check on you tonight?”
“No, they won’t be coming around till morning.”
“Then we need to go now.”
Jonathon nodded and led the way to the farthest boat. “If they catch us, I’ll tell them you threatened me with that shotgun Jacob’s carrying.”
“Nice to know you have our backs,” Hollan muttered.
Jacob bent down to help push the boat into the water. “I don’t intend to let them catch us.”
Hollan settled into the seat at the bow, the same place she’d sat when David’s men first took her from shore. She patted the seat and with a whine Samson climbed in with her. He settled at Hollan’s feet on the floor.
Jacob and Gunter took the middle seat, and Jonathon took the rear.
“Wait,” Hollan hissed. “What about the men in the hold?”
“None of them made it,” Jonathon said. “If it makes you feel better, they weren’t much better than David and his crew. They were privateers during and after the war.”
Hollan shuddered. “I’m not sure that makes me feel better, but thank you.”
“Hollan, you’ll have to watch for debris and sandbars,” Jacob instructed. “We’ll stay close to shore, but you’ll have to guide us if you see anything coming our way.”
Hollan shifted in her seat so she could see where they were going.
They traveled slowly. The gentle current worked with them. Hollan was glad Jonathon had come along. Though he wasn’t a large man, he was burly, and his added strength as they rowed didn’t hurt as they made progress.
“I have a confession to make.” Jonathon’s hesitant voice sounded loud in the silence. He laid his oar across his lap.
Jacob and her father stopped rowing, but they continued to drift along. They all stared at the man as they waited.
“We ran into a man on our way over this afternoon.”
A chill passed through Hollan. “A man?”
“Yes. He came across on a flatboat just as we neared your island in our rowboats.”
“A flatboat … like a supply boat?”
“Yes’m.” Jonathon shifted nervously in his seat and set the boat to rocking.
“Sit still!” Jacob commanded. “What happened to this man?”
“David … um … well, he and some of the men sort of took advantage of him.”
“Took advantage?” Hollan asked, confused.
“They beat him and stole his load from the boat.”
Hollan’s heart pounded. “Where is he?”
“I don’t know. After stealing the supplies, they left him aboard his boat and sent it downstream. Last I saw him, the supply boat was floating this way.”
“If the current caught Fletcher, he could be well on his way out to sea.” The anger in Jacob’s voice was palpable.
“I didn’t do it,” Jonathon defended.
“You might as well have if you just stood by and let it happen,”
Jacob accused. Jonathon looked down and didn’t say anything more.
Jacob ran a hand through his golden hair. “I’m sorry. You didn’t have a choice. They would have just beaten you and added you to the boat with Fletcher or worse.”
“We need to find him.” Her father’s voice was full of resolve. His comment was a command.
“We need to get closer to the other side. We’ve been fighting the same current his boat would have. It keeps pushing us to the east. The shapes of the vessels are different, so his boat would have flowed more smoothly across the water. There’s a chance we’ll pass him on the far side.”
“If he didn’t capsize or fall off.”
“He was pretty well centered when they sent his boat off,” Jonathon said quietly.
They crossed the channel and headed toward land. Hollan felt vulnerable out in the open, even though she knew no one could possibly be nearby. The moon glistened off the top of the water. She prayed Fletcher would be all right and that they would find him.
Though Hollan longed to dangle her fingers in the water, she knew better than to do it at night. She rested her elbow on her knee and put her chin on her fist as she watched the water for obstacles. She searched the shore for any sign of the supply boat. The lateness of the hour caught up with her, and she struggled to stay awake.
Lord, help me to focus and do my part. I’m so tired. I don’t want to let the men down or fall asleep in my seat.
Just as she finished the prayer, a large shape rose up from the water and then rolled back down in front of her. Hollan smiled. A dolphin! She hadn’t seen one in three years, and here this one was swimming in front of them as if directing their boat across the waters. Any thoughts of sleep drifted away as she watched the magnificent creature. Each time he ducked below, she hoped he’d surface again. As long as she could see him, she’d know there wasn’t anything in front of them.
Finally the dolphin did a half turn and swam away from the boat. Hollan wanted to beg him to return. But as she looked up, she noticed a structure ahead of them.
“I see the dock! And Fletcher’s boat is there.” Hollan all but bounced on her seat as they neared their destination.
“Sit still, girl, before you swamp us,” her father’s good-natured voice called from the middle seat. “Looks like Fletcher made it back.”
“What a relief.”
“Strange,” Jonathon said. “It looked like they did him in.”
“Fletcher is a very strong man. He must have recovered from the blows and made his way back home,” Jacob stated.
“I sure hope so. I’d feel a lot better.”
“We’ll know soon. We’ll check on him as soon as we get in.” Jacob dragged his oar in the water, spinning them around. The current pushed them closer to shore.
“Now to see how the town has fared.”
They pulled the boat up against the dock. Jacob jumped out to secure it. He helped Hollan from the boat, and the other two men joined them. Samson ran happily from one end of the dock to the other.
Fletcher’s boat was tied securely to the pier. There was no sign of the man on the dock or in the water nearby.
“Where do we go from here?” Jonathon asked nervously.
“We don’t have far to go,” Hollan assured him. “We’ll go to my uncle’s house. It’s just up the road from here.”
“It’s the middle of the night. Will he be upset to find all of us at his door?”
Hollan grimaced. “He’s the reverend of the church. He’s used to late-night calls.”
They trudged along the sandy path, the moonlight leading the way. Samson ran ahead. Every so often he’d return to check on them, and then off he’d go again. An alligator bellowed from the marsh to their right, and Hollan shivered. Jacob wrapped a reassuring arm around her shoulders.
Hollan let out a sigh of relief when they reached
civilization, though the houses they passed were all dark. As they neared the row of buildings that composed the town, Jacob stopped. “I want to alert the sheriff. I doubt David would be so brass as to come here in the morning, but it’s best not to take a chance.”
“I’ll head up the road. I’ll wait for you there.” Jonathon backed away.
“Nonsense.” Hollan grabbed his arm. “You’ll stay here with us.”
She could feel his muscles tense when the sheriff opened the door.
“What’s going on?” The gruff voice made her want to run, too, but she stood firm.
Jacob nodded toward Hollan. “Pastor Edward’s niece here was kidnapped from the beach yesterday by my brother and his crew of men. They met with some misfortune and ran their boat ashore and have now moved into the cottage at the lighthouse.”
“I see.” The sheriff looked at each of them in turn. “Fletcher apparently met up with the same group on his way to your place. He made it back, but he’s in pretty bad shape.”
“Where is he?” Hollan asked.
“They took him to Doc when they first found him, but he’s at his mother’s now. We were going to put together a posse at first light and go over to check on you. At least now we can concentrate on the hurricane repairs. Where are you all headed?”
“We’re headed for Edward’s place, and we’ll stay there for the night.”
“I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for anything suspicious.”
“Thank you.” Jacob reached out his hand, and the sheriff shook it. “When do you think you’ll be able to secure the island? David said they were wanted. That’s the reason he attempted the channel as it was.”
“You said no one’s in harm’s way?”
“No, and David and his men aren’t going anywhere fast. They’re stuck there. Unless they decide to come over here.”
“I’ll set up watch, but I doubt David will come here. He’s still a wanted man. We’re still repairing damage from the storm. We need to secure the homes that are open to the elements. I’d guess we have about two to three more days, and then we’ll gather up a posse.”