by Shelly West
Abigail held on to both sides of the rather small vessel, wondering if her high school swimming lessons would be enough for these choppy waves. “What’s the plan if we see the Lafayette?” she asked, thinking that maybe she should have pondered this before getting on the boat.
“The Lafayette has a secret entry point on her side. We can sneak in through there.”
“And if she’s sunk? I mean, they could have gotten what they needed and activated the trap.”
Dag paused breathlessly. “Let’s not consider that, all right?” He then lowered the sail, stating, “We’re getting close, if she is in the cape. Be ready. We’re going to be outnumbered.”
“What?”
“It’s a three-man operation, at the very least, sailing the Lafayette. And three skilled men at that.”
“Maybe we should’ve considered that before coming this far.”
“I count for two men, wouldn’t you say?”
Abigail considered it, concluding, “At least you have high self-esteem.”
“That, and I know the Lafayette better than anyone. We have the advantage. Still, be careful.”
“So three people, huh? I don’t even have three suspects in mind.”
“Whoever they are, they must be skilled sailors. That’s all I know.”
“Would you consider Lee skilled?”
Dag shrugged. “Average.”
“What about… Antonio?”
“Who?”
Abigail looked toward the sea, starting to get a hunch. “The guy who works for Lee. Fixing boats and yachts.”
“I don’t know him. Maybe.”
“He is new in town. That alone is something to suspect.”
Dag glanced over his shoulder at her. “Okay, but that’s only two men. It’s impossible to get this far without three. The Lafayette is a big lass, too big for two sailors to wrangle.”
Abigail grew suddenly quiet. So quiet, that Dag forgot to steer the ship for a moment and scraped a rock.
“What is it? The look on your face nearly made me crash!”
Abigail finally found her words. “I know who the third man is. Come on, we gotta hurry! If I’m right, Lee’s on that ship against his will, and they’ll probably throw him overboard once they get what they need!”
*
Dag made haste, and soon they cleared the foggy waters to find an unsettling sight: The Lafayette run aground among some rocks.
Dag let out an involuntary whimper, unfitting of a man his size. “That’s no way to treat her.”
Abigail knew they didn’t have time to lament. “At least she’s on ground and not about to sink. Come on, we gotta get closer.”
Dag steered The Little Kahuna around, coming up behind the Lafayette in complete silence. He pointed at a lighter colored section of wood. “That’s the secret entrance.”
They both held their breath when a sudden shouting erupted above on the Lafayette’s deck. Dag turned to Abigail and whispered, “Follow me. We’ll get the jump on them.”
Abigail opened her mouth to protest, but Dag didn’t waste a second more. He dropped anchor, opened the secret entrance, and jumped in. Abigail muffled a groan and followed, not about to be left behind.
Inside the ship, it was pitch black. Abigail grabbed Dag’s arm despite herself. “I’m about to have a heart attack.”
“Just follow me,” Dag whispered, navigating the dark interior with ease.
He stopped at a ladder and waited, listening. Once he pinpointed their location above deck, he hurried up, stopping to crack open the trapdoor and get a peek at the action.
Abigail watched from the bottom of the ladder, her heart pounding.
“Three men,” Dag whispered, confirming their suspicions. “They’re all facing away. This is our chance.”
He carefully opened the trap door and pulled himself up. Abigail followed, the only thing giving her any courage being that this guy was a modern-day Viking, and that this ship was the love of his life.
Once she pulled herself topside, she nearly gasped at what she saw. The three thieves all had their backs turned, facing a comically huge treasure chest. She felt oddly vindicated to have been right about who the three were, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.
The first two men were Lee and Antonio.
The other man was somebody Abigail had never seen before, but still, she knew who he was.
Even from behind, she could tell the stranger was related to Lee. He was an older man with a grim disposition, who Lee kept shrinking from.
The man was Lee’s supposedly dead father, Ernest.
And when she noticed the gun in Antonio’s hand, she knew for certain that Lee didn’t want to take any part in this. He had been forced to help them sail here, kidnapped from his own home, by his own father.
Ernest was impatiently trying to fit an oddly shaped key into the treasure box. Antonio shifted from one foot to the other, not looking too keen on sticking around here for long. “Let me try it.”
“Shut up!” Ernest snapped, resuming his sad attempt at shoving the key in.
Dag whispered to Abigail, “I’m grabbing the man with the gun. You stay behind cover in case things go south.”
Before Abigail could argue, Dag took off, taking careful steps as if he knew exactly which planks creaked.
Not a soul heard his approach.
When he snatched the pistol from behind Antonio, all three men just about jumped out of their boots.
“Haha!” Dag said with aplomb as the three of them gaped. “How nice of you to find the treasure for me. It’ll bring in a staggering amount of tourists, which might make up for the fact that you ran this old girl aground.”
“Idiot,” Antonio said, staring at the gun. “You don’t want to get involved in this mess. It runs deeper than you or this old boat.”
Dag snarled. “She’s not a boat. She’s a ship!”
Sirens gave them all pause, and as the fog started to clear, they saw the Coast Guard making a slow and careful approach.
Abigail decided to reveal herself, making Ernest and Antonio jump yet again. Lee gasped at the sight of her. “Abigail?”
“That’s right, Lee. I’ve got your back.” She then narrowed her eyes at Ernest and couldn’t help but chide him. “You should be ashamed.”
The man glared at her. “What?”
“You led your own son to believe you were dead, and why? Just to throw everyone off your tracks as you hunted this treasure down?”
“And just who are you?”
“I’m Lee’s friend.”
Lee’s face softened upon hearing that. “Really? Your friend?”
Abigail shot him a look. “Yeah, but don’t push it.” She then turned her attention back to her suspects. “You and Antonio went through a lot of trouble, and took advantage of your own son, all for what?”
“You’re wrong.” Ernest turned his gaze to Lee. “My son’s the one who held us at gunpoint. Isn’t that right, Antonio?”
Antonio nodded, but Abigail simply scoffed. “Nobody’s going to fall for that. Lee never even had the letters.”
“What letters?”
“The letters Reginald got from you. The ones found on his body.” Abigail crossed the deck to Lee’s side.
Ernest scoffed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on. Those letters were hardly a secret. You flaunted them to Piper, then sold them to an antique dealer she hated.”
“They were mine to do with as I wished. And what do the letters have to do with this?”
“The letters hinted at a map. You didn’t know it, but Reginald figured it out and in his excitement, he told a few people. Word of the map must’ve eventually gotten to you, which enticed you out of hiding.”
Ernest rolled his eyes. “That’d make me quite the mastermind, wouldn’t it?”
“It’s not a stretch. You’ve been after that map for years. Piper told me you hounded her for any hints about it. So when the man y
ou sold the letters to for a quick buck uncovered the answer, you decided to take your chances. You come from a pirate bloodline, after all. It’s made you quite the opportunist.”
Ernest’s chest swelled. Abigail wondered if it was swelling with pride, or with anxiety.
She continued, “Then, I assume, things went awry and Reginald ended up dead.”
She watched him closely. Ernest’s eyes shifted to Antonio, who suddenly grew rigid.
“I didn’t do it,” Ernest mumbled under his breath, his eyes still on Antonio.
Antonio’s face showed a mix of shock and anger. “You would sell me out? Seriously? This was all your plan. I didn’t even want to move to this no-name town!”
Ernest snapped, “Shut up, you moron. I’ll get us both a good lawyer, but you need to shut up!”
Abigail’s fists clenched. “Wow, a lawyer? You really are a coward. First you lie to your son about your death, then you’re happy to let Kirby, an innocent man, take the blame for Reginald’s murder?”
“I’m not saying anything else. Let the authorities handle this, girl. All your evidence is circumstantial at best.”
Dag’s demeanor was as disgusted as Abigail’s. “Yeah, until they do forensics on this gun and match it to the bullet that killed Reginald.”
Ernest stiffened, but before he could respond, a couple of Coast Guard officers managed to row their way up to the Lafayette and started boarding. “Guess your grand adventure’s over,” Abigail said, letting herself enjoy Ernest’s downfall. “Not many adventures to be had in jail, buddy.”
Ernest laughed and put his hands in the air as the officers surrounded him. “We’ll see.”
Sheriff Wilson managed to climb up the ladder to the ship. He had on an inflatable life vest, and looked anything but comfortable as he tried to keep his balance in the light sway of the water. “I told you to stay with Mrs. Lane,” he said pointedly to Abigail.
“She told me to go get ‘em.”
Sheriff Wilson sighed. “Of course she did.”
One of the Coast Guard officers confiscated the key from Ernest, turning it over as he cocked his head. “What’s this?”
“A key,” Abigail answered. “Sheriff, do you mind if I open the treasure box?”
Sheriff Wilson nodded. “Of course. Let’s see what this whole circus was about.”
The Coast Guard officer handed her the key, then Abigail walked over to the treasure box, kneeled, and fit the wooden piece inside the lock. Dag walked over to her side, helping her lift the heavy lid, and they both stared in awe at the ancient relics inside.
Sheriff Wilson gave an impressed whistle from behind Abigail. “I’m no historian, but that stuff looks mighty old.”
Dag hazarded, “That cat statue looks Egyptian; the coins look Roman or Greek. And that dagger… an ancient medieval weapon, perhaps?” He shrugged. “I was expecting gold, but these must still be pretty valuable.”
“All right,” Sheriff Wilson began. “Let’s start clearing this ship out.” He then nodded at the rest of the officers to take the thieves into custody.
Abigail noticed they were cuffing Lee. “Wait a minute. He had nothing to do with any of this. They had him at gunpoint when we first sneaked on board.”
“Is that right?” Sheriff Wilson looked over at Dag for confirmation, then nodded, ordering to one of his men, “All right, uncuff him. Lee, I still need a statement though.”
Lee nodded and said, “Okay, Sheriff.” He looked rather glum, watching in silence as the officers took his father away.
Sheriff Wilson waited until Ernest and Antonio were secure on the Coast Guard boat, then he ordered, “Take Abigail, Dag, and Lee separately. I don’t want them interacting with each other until I get their statements.”
Abigail cooperated as a couple of Coast Guard officers guided her to a rowboat. It wasn’t quite the hero’s treatment she thought she’d get for solving the case, but then again, she understood why Sheriff Wilson was being cautious. She was merely a citizen, after all, an out-of-towner who got caught up in probably the biggest heist this town had ever seen.
Chapter 28
That afternoon, Abigail sat on the rocking chair, rocking in rhythm to the ticking clocks as she idly pet Thor. Grandma stood at the checkout counter and sighed, having tried everything to calm Abigail’s nerves.
“How about I bake you a fresh batch of cookies? Think that’ll make you feel better, dear?”
Abigail looked up. “I’m fine. I’m just processing everything is all. I mean, I just re-commandeered a whaling ship with the help of a Viking. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to top that. I’ve peaked.”
Grandma chuckled. “You’d be surprised what kind of excitement this town experiences daily. So no cookies, then?”
Abigail politely shook her head. “I don’t like sweets that much. I mean, they’re fine in moderation, just not for every meal.”
Grandma looked like she was about to have a heart attack. She mumbled to herself, “Was she switched at birth, perhaps? There’s no other explanation.”
Abigail began, “I do know a couple of people who could use some cookies though.”
Grandma straightened up. “Oh?”
“Kirby and Lee. Lee’s probably still busy dealing with the fallout of everything that happened, but I can at least pay Kirby a visit and apologize.”
A sparkle returned to Grandma’s eyes. “Just give me fifteen minutes, and I’ll have a fresh batch ready to go!”
She hurried off to the kitchen, leaving Abigail to wonder how one could make homemade cookies that quickly. Abigail looked over at Thor, and they both shared a silent moment before she said, “I can’t stand the mystery any longer. I gotta know what’s in her secret recipe.”
Thor wagged his tail in agreement.
“I’m gonna take a peek. You stay here.”
Abigail tiptoed toward the kitchen, avoiding the spots of the floor she knew creaked. She held her breath and peered around the doorway, seeing Grandma rummaging around in the fridge. That made enough sense. Cookies required eggs to make, and the eggs were in the fridge.
But then Grandma pulled out something unspeakable: a tub of premade cookie dough!
Abigail couldn’t help herself. She gasped, “Grandma!”
Grandma spun around, the tub in her arms as she squeaked, “A-Abigail!” She shot a glance at an open window before hurling the tub through it with the precision of a professional quarterback.
What followed was silence as Grandma stared tight-lipped at Abigail. Eventually Abigail managed to ask, “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“The thing you just threw out the—”
“You saw nothing!” Grandma said with a stamp of her foot. “Now, if you wouldn’t mind, I need to head outside for some fresh air.”
Abigail moved aside as Grandma headed out for some ‘fresh air’ that just so happened to be in the general area as the thrown tub. Once Abigail was alone, she told Thor, “This might be the scandal of the century, boy. Grandma’s famous cookies… are store-bought!”
Thor let out a horrific howl, as if to say, “Hush! Such secrets could get a fellow killed!”
*
‘Fresh’ cookies in hand, Abigail stood in front of the Madsen Candlepin Lanes. She took in a deep breath and entered.
She found Kirby by himself, leaning over the counter, watching the news on a wall-mounted TV. He glanced at her curiously.
“Hi,” Abigail managed to say. She lifted the tray of cookies, which piqued Kirby’s interest.
“Well, this is unexpected. The lady of the hour.”
“I feel like I owe you an apology.” She set the tray down next to him.
“Why would that be?” Kirby asked, his accent still a bit intimidating, as innocent as he might have been.
“I think I’m the one who might’ve sent Sheriff Wilson your way.”
Kirby frowned.
“I had heard about your confrontation with Reginald, and
thought maybe that was relevant to his murder.”
Kirby’s frown deepened and deepened… then he burst out laughing. “Me, murder him? Why would I need to murder someone when I can simply stare them down?”
Abigail nodded. Kirby’s stare was indeed terrifying. “I heard he made threats about the Lafayette, asking why you had donated so much to its preservation. Though now I understand why: You’re just supporting your brother.”
Kirby nodded. “Yes, but I’m thinking I won’t need to support him much longer. Look.” He turned the volume up on the TV.
Abigail watched. On screen was footage of the Lafayette and Dag, along with the treasure chest.
Dag demonstrated to the reporter how to open the intricate treasure chest using the oddly shaped key found on the wheel. Inside was plunder from ancient tombs of various origin. The reporter identified each piece of treasure, starting with a small Egyptian figure of a cat, a Viking dagger, and a pile of ancient Roman coins.
The footage cut to Bobby Kent, with the words ‘Bobby’s Big Bingo Host’ below him. “That’s right, it was my Little Kahuna that saved the Lafayette! It may not be tourist season, but there’s no better time to come on down to Wallace Point and see a real life treasure chest!” He aimed two finger guns at the camera and flashed a brilliant smile, holding the pose until the footage finally cut.
Kirby muted the TV and turned to Abigail. “Thanks to you, I have a feeling business is about to pick up. And who knows, maybe with this new treasure chest attraction, the Lafayette will have enough visitors that she won’t need my donations anymore.”
Abigail gasped. “I didn’t think of that. I guess there’s an upside to this whole thing then.”
Kirby smiled. “One night in custody wasn’t such a bad price to pay. And I get a tray of Mrs. Lane’s famous cookies to top it all off.”
Abigail forced a smile. “Yup!” She worried what might happen if Grandma’s cookie secret ever got out. “Well, I ought to go. Nice seeing you!” she said, hurrying to leave before she spilled any beans.
Kirby waved her off with a smile, none the wiser.
Chapter 29
Sunday morning arrived all too fast. Abigail looked around her mother’s childhood room, wondering when she’d get to visit this town again. She forced herself out of bed and reluctantly put on the final outfit she had packed. Had it really been a week since she first got here? She could hardly believe it.