He slid back the chair and settled onto the cushion. To Corey he asked, “You’re interested in marine biology?”
“I’m interested in really big fish. Grouper, tuna, marlin, sharks, barracuda—I’ve caught them all. Until recently, I had my own reality program where I traveled the world catching monster fish. Another network has expressed interest in picking up the show but they’re still in negotiations. In the meantime, I make appearances at outdoor fishing and camping shows, as well as doing TV advertisements for sports equipment.”
“How interesting.” Jack had the feeling of being appraised. “If I’m ever in need of a new rod and reel I’ll know who to ask. But why do I have a sneaky suspicion that’s not all you’re interested in?”
That brought a long look and a sly smile. “Because I’m a treasure hunter, of sorts, myself. I thought we might talk about that.”
Amanda not only took the bait, Corey had grabbed hold and was running with it.
Jack grinned. “Now you’ve peaked my interest.”
“You ever do any treasure hunting in the Yucatan?”
“For Mayan artifacts, no? It’s my understanding the Mexican government frowns on that sort of thing.”
“If you get caught.”
“And you don’t get caught?”
Corey let the question hang and scanned the room. “Let’s order dinner. I’m starved.”
Jack sipped his beer. He had no idea if Corey was playing him as much as he played Corey. Kind of like hooking a thousand-pound marlin. Who ends up playing whom? The hunter or the hunted?
He let the subject drop and waited for Corey to make his move.
Halfway through the meal, Corey said, “What part of treasure hunting do you enjoy most? The challenge of sorting through all the clues and finding it? Or the treasure, itself?”
Jack carved a bite of lamb chop and forked the meat into his mouth. He chewed longer than needed and washed the tender morsel down with a sip of beer. “Interesting question. I suppose the answer depends on the treasure. If we’re talking gold, that’s a subject all its own. There’s nothing like the weight of it in your hands.”
“That’s always been my opinion.” Corey went back to his steak.
Jack didn’t push. He sliced another bite of lamb and forked the meat, along with a sprig of roasted asparagus, into his mouth.
Amanda broke the silence. “Tell me about some of the treasure you’ve found? I’m sure you have some amazing stories.”
He finished chewing and swallowed. “I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Meaning you’ve been quite successful.”
To tell her about every adventure he had been on and the details of the treasure he found, wasn’t what they were interested in.
They were talking about gold.
He said, “They weren’t always gold coins and trinkets. Certainly nothing like what’s been salvaged around here.”
“Did they make you rich?”
“Not once the government took their share off the top. But I still managed to turn a tidy profit.”
“You don’t think Uncle Sam deserves his share?”
He noticed Corey watching him.
And keeping quiet.
They had been sizing him up all through dinner . . . her from the moment he sat down next to her at the bar. Nothing had changed. This was part of the game.
And he knew the answer she fished for.
“Maybe if the IRS was reasonable about it. Which they aren’t.”
“You don’t have to report everything you find.”
“Who said I did? I pretty much believe a person should be able to keep what they find and any money they make off it.”
He thought he saw her smile ever so slightly as she went back to her lobster.
Another roll of the dice and another win.
He finished off his last bite of lamb and downed his beer. “This treasure talk has made me thirsty. I think it’s time for a real drink.”
“Have you ever seen the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum,” Corey asked.
“I haven’t had the pleasure,” he lied.
“The ship docks in Key West in the morning. Why don’t you accompany me to the museum? There’s something I want to show you.”
CHAPTER 52
Jack remained at the table a couple of minutes longer before excusing himself. Amanda and her brother had enough to chew on for the time being.
And he’d be seeing Corey in the morning.
Under different circumstances, he would have wanted that drink. Knob Creek on ice, a double. He grabbed a couple of St. Pauli Girls from the lounge, raised his watch to his mouth, mumbled his destination, and carried the beers back to his cabin.
Robert stood at the door waiting. Cherise and Lindsey disguised in their blonde wigs, hovered behind him. They had left the sunglasses behind.
“I should have brought a couple more beers,” he said, using his card key on the door.
“Lindsey and I won’t be staying long,” Cherise assured him. “You and Robert enjoy them. We’re going to the Cadillac Diner for pizza. I’m sure we won’t be running into Amanda there.”
He let them inside and latched the door behind him. Cherise walked directly to the door leading to the balcony and pulled it open. A cool ocean breeze curled back a lock of her blonde wig. She turned to the group and let the salt air into the cabin.
He saw resignation in her expression.
“You were listening,” he said. “Quite a performance, I have to say.”
“Hers or yours?”
A tone of jealousy?
“Both of ours.”
She took a deep breath. “Amanda’s going to be all over you, Jack. You better be ready.”
Was she telling him that for his benefit . . . or hers?
“You’re saying she’ll want to up the stakes right out of the gate?” He looked away long enough to hand Robert his Pauli Girl, and opened his own.
She crossed her arms. “That’s how those two operate.”
A very vivid image of silky thigh and garter belt came to mind.
“So it’s the logical next step.”
She huffed. “And Amanda won’t hesitate for even a second. I guarantee you, she believes that once she gets her hooks into you, there’s no way you’ll pass on whatever scam they have planned.”
Into the spider’s web . . .
Bright and cunning and beautiful. A woman so perfectly put together no man can refuse her.
He regretted needing to have this conversation.
Robert and Lindsey seemed content to watch. All they lacked was a box of Milk Duds and a bag of popcorn.
He sighed, realizing he had to say what he dreaded saying. “Money’s in the pot. Time to call the bet or fold.”
She held him in her gaze. Her brown eyes doing a job on him.
“We talked about this.” Her voice had a clinical sound to it. “We do what we have to do.”
And you’ll be listening.
He tried to not think about that, and said, “That was before reality stared me in the face.”
She didn’t talk for a moment. A deafening silence. Finally, “There is no room in this plan for dime-store morality shit. Turn her down when she comes on to you and walk away from her and what we’re attempting to pull off, if that’s what you want to do. We’ll come up with some other plan to stop them.”
Some other plan . . .
The lethal blow that brought to mind the men who had been lured to their death. And those who would die if Amanda and Corey weren’t stopped now.
“You know I can’t do that.”
“I just needed to hear you say it.”
“To sort of remind myself?”
“Perhaps it would be easier for you if you shrugged off that air of idealism you carry around and accept the fact that Man is basically despicable.”
“Despicable me.” He laughed.
CHAPTER 53
Jack found Amanda and Corey sitting in the Caribbean
Lounge, the open-air bar located at the stern of the ship three decks up from his cabin.
The sun had already set, leaving only a hint of pale blue on the western horizon. Stars were out, and a crescent moon shone bright overhead. The air retained much of its balminess with only a slight breeze from the movement of the ship. A fine evening to be on a cruise, the travel brochures would say.
He sidled up to the bar and ordered a beer on draft. A Michelob Light he could nurse while maintaining his wits. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Amanda look in his direction. Barely more than a glance, but enough for him to know she had watched him walk in. Had seen him scan the tables. And in spite of his attempt to not appear overly obvious, had noticed his gaze settle on her.
She looked gorgeous in the evening lights.
And she knew it.
Her superb beauty did not remove all his qualms, but those eyes, those full lips, that fabulous all-woman body made the potential of having to go to bed with her much less distasteful.
The word ‘despicable’ came to mind.
This time he carried his beer over to their table without invitation. She did not appear to mind.
“This is a surprise,” he said. He glanced at Corey but clearly directed his comment at Amanda. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
She smiled. “Are you disappointed?”
Corey settled back in his chair. He paid attention, but kept quiet. Clearly, Amanda sat in the driver’s seat.
“Not at all,” Jack said. “Actually, I hoped I’d run into you.”
“I’m glad you did. Please, have a seat.”
He looked at Corey, then back at her. “I don’t want to intrude.”
“I don’t mind at all. And he was just leaving.”
Convenient.
Corey stood as if on cue. “You two enjoy the evening. I have a date waiting.”
“Have fun,” Jack said.
Corey’s expression registered mild approval. He held it a second, looked at his sister, then strode away in a long limber stride.
Jack watched him leave, then slid a chair close to Amanda and sat down. “You’re sure I didn’t interrupt something?”
“Not at all.”
“I take it his date isn’t traveling with you. He moves fast.”
“As you can imagine, Corey never lacks female companionship.” She leaned in and kissed him on the corner of the mouth. “Let’s talk about you.”
“I’ve been thinking how it would be to kiss you,” he said. “But I imagined more than a peck.”
“That was for starters.” She stood and offered her hand.
Jack rose and took her in his arms. She still wore her heels and had to lean down a couple of inches in order to fully embrace the kiss.
“Better?” she asked when they separated.
“Much,” he said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been kissed like that.”
Of course what he said was a lie. The part about it having been a while, anyway. But the remark worked because she leaned into him a second time and covered his mouth with her rich, full lips. His hands found her hips. Then her butt. And this time the kiss went on forever.
She nibbled his lower lip as they unglued themselves from the embrace. With no desire to let go of her, he slid his hands to the small of her back. And, pressed tight against her mound of breast, he felt a tingle of arousal.
She had to feel it too.
“It must be the tropical air,” he said, feigning embarrassment.
She smiled. “I’m sure it is.”
Two drinks and a ton of playful talk later she had his back pressed to his cabin door. She kissed him so vigorously, he had to squirm to free himself long enough to work the card key and turn the latch.
She groped her way back into his arms and they stumbled inside.
With great effort, he eased her away from him. He had become suddenly aware his three friends, especially Cherise, could see and hear everything going on. She had cautioned him about that, and he kept her warning in mind while he stripped off the watch and dropped it in the dresser drawer.
When he turned his attention back on Amanda, she was naked. Her evening gown lay in a heap at her feet. No garter belt. No stockings. Only a nothing-pair of white lace panties lay on top of the dress. She stood looking at him, obviously pleased with herself.
And for good reason.
Her body had an even shade of all-over tan. Her breasts—more magnificent than he imagined—accentuated a firm, flat belly and narrow waist that broadened into smooth, powerful hips and superb roundness of butt before surrendering to a pair of long, athletic legs.
He tore his eyes away from her and set the dead bolt.
There’d be no distractions.
CHAPTER 54
The night passed in a haze of wild sex. No act seemed too outlandish or completely out of the question: standing, sitting, kneeling, on her belly and on her back with miles of leg drawing him deep into her. Liberal use of the mouth. All the expected sounds. And when they were both exhausted in the wee hours of the morning, she lay cuddled up next to him drawing lazy circles in his chest hair.
“I hope you don’t think I’m this way with everyone I meet,” she said. “I’m not. Really I’m not.”
He hugged her tight against him, feigning affection, knowing all the time she was a murderer. Sex for the sake of the sex act alone, void of caring, no sincerity of any kind, had been a fragmenting experience that left him with an almost overwhelming feeling of self-disgust. But he had played the game. And for what it was worth, she was fantastic in bed.
“Honestly,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking anything other than how wonderful you are.”
“So I was okay?”
“Are you kidding? You were fantastic.” And she was.
She carefully slipped out of bed and pulled on her panties and dress. “I hate to do this to you, dear, but I need to go. We have a long day ahead of us.”
He watched her slide her heels on and straighten her hair. She had called him dear so casually that it implied a degree of ownership. He wondered if this would be their last night in bed together. Would the lure of more sex become the carrot dangling from the string at the end of the pole?
The black widow spider came to mind. And what she did to her mate.
He could easily see how Amanda’s web of deceit and lust could ensnare men and lure them to their death.
* * *
Jack managed to get two hours sleep before being awakened by a change in the motion of the ship. During the night, the Caribbean Sensation had made the run to Key West. The first port of call. He felt strange having traveled full circle.
A flurry of activity in the companionway outside his door, suggested passengers were hurrying to be among the first to disembark the ship.
He slid his legs off the edge of the mattress, buried his face in his hands, and did his best to rub away the fog. Feeling marginally better, he started to reach for the dresser and stopped, having remembered moving his watch to the bedside table after Amanda left his cabin. He picked up the Doxa, checked the time, and groaned. Seven fifteen felt way too early to be getting up.
His cell phone was vibrating on the counter when he stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and answered the call.
“Do me a favor,” he said to Robert. “Please spare me your usual repertoire of pointed comments. I had a rough night.”
“So I gathered.”
“Have you talked to the women?”
“Do you want to know what Cherise thinks about your tryst last night?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Truth is, she didn’t have much to say. I think she accepted it as something that had to be done.”
Jack wondered.
Now he felt even more disgusted with himself. He would rather have been told she had stomped and swore like a sailor. Had threatened to kick in the door and drag Amanda out by her hair. Toss her overboard.
Shark bait.
&
nbsp; He sighed inwardly and asked, “Has she made plans for today?”
“She talked about staying aboard. With the three of you ashore, she doesn’t want to chance being seen.”
“With four thousand people crowding the sidewalks, I don’t think there is much chance of that.”
“Maybe she’s afraid of what she’ll do if she sees Amanda.”
“Nice thought. But she’ll have to wait. After all, this is her idea.”
“I’m sure she hasn’t forgotten.”
“Why don’t you drop by my cabin and pick up the keys to the Adeona. She’d probably love to see it. You can give her and Lindsey the nickel tour. Besides, you’ll have a chance to open the boat up and dry her out a little. You can even pick up something tasty and have lunch aboard.”
“That’s a great idea. But don’t you think it would be a good idea for me to hang close to you in case . . . you know?”
“There shouldn’t be any problem. Not yet.”
Silence.
After a moment, “Feels strange, doesn’t it? Us being back in Key West.”
“Déjà vu,” Jack said. “Have you given any more thought to Hemingway’s manuscript?”
“I can show Cherise the diary. Maybe there’s a clue in there I missed. I’m sure her Italian is better than mine.”
“Either way, she’ll be interested to have a look at what we found.”
“When are you supposed to meet up with Amanda and her brother?”
“Ten o’clock. At the Mel Fisher museum.”
“What about Ned? You’re not forgetting about him?”
“I couldn’t very well tell Corey no. I’m thinking you can go ahead of me and make sure he isn’t working.”
“And if he is?”
“I’m confident you’ll come up with something.”
“You think they’ll make their move?”
Jack considered what Cherise had said about Amanda having her tenterhooks in him.
She had called him dear.
“Can’t say. But I’m sure curious about what Corey wants to show me.”
CHAPTER 55
Jack left the ship feeling a little better about himself, having talked to Cherise on her cell and made all the necessary apologies and assurances.
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