She turned out to be far more understanding than he deserved.
He found Amanda and Corey standing next to a pair of sixteenth-century cannons sitting outside the entrance to the museum. She looked fabulous in her pleated white shorts and sleeveless pale-orange top opened to the second button allowing an ample amount of cleavage to show. Corey wore tan slacks and a white, short-sleeved knit shirt that made him look like a pro golfer.
Jack felt appropriately dressed in his aloha shirt, khaki shorts, and sneakers. Key West daywear.
He waved and walked toward them, relieved to have received a text from Robert letting him know Ned wasn’t working.
She strode up to him when he was still ten feet away from where she had been standing, and wrapped her arm around his. “You’re late.”
He checked his watch. Straight up ten. “You said ten o’clock.”
“I figured you for a man who is five minutes early everywhere he goes.”
“Normally. But I had an excuse this morning.”
“I can’t imagine.”
He’d play the game. “You’re not mad, are you?”
“You can make it up to me.”
He doubted she intended to give him the chance. “How about a kiss right now, for starters?”
“Later.”
Exactly what he figured.
The carrot is in play.
She led him back to her brother and kept hold of the arm. “Shall we?”
To Jack, Corey said, “I believe you will find what I’m going to show you extremely interesting.”
“I look forward to it.” He motioned at the building. “After you.”
“I haven’t forgotten how you feel about gold,” Corey said over his shoulder. “You’re in for a treat.”
Jack didn’t reply. He followed Amanda and her brother inside the museum and paid his fifteen-dollar admission. To no surprise, Corey did not appear the least bit disturbed by his sister’s late-night sex games. His focus was obviously on whatever lay inside.
Jack saw no reason to speculate. That time had come and gone.
He would find out shortly.
Though he had viewed the exhibit several times, as far as Corey and Amanda knew, this was his first visit to the museum. He needed to keep that in mind.
Or the game would end here.
With Corey leading the way, they entered the 1622 Treasure Fleet Exhibition and walked past the seventeenth-century cannon to an illuminated display case where a jewel-studded gold cross, at least ten inches tall, lay draped with gold chains. Several pieces of gold jewelry were included in the display. Among them, a familiar-looking idol. Gold. Three inches tall.
Small in comparison to the ones Sam King bought.
Sitting among the jewelry and especially the cross, the figurine appeared oddly out of place. He leaned close, aimed the camera in his watch, and stared at the crude little man. Strangely, he hadn’t remembered seeing it during one of his prior visits. But then, he hadn’t entered the museum looking for Mayan artifacts.
“Interesting, isn’t it?” Corey said.
“Very.” Jack straightened. “What did you want to show me?”
“You’re looking at it.”
Jack pointed at the idol. “That?”
“Amazing, right?”
“Is it Aztec?”
“Mayan, I believe. From the Yucatan.”
Jack touched his fingertips to the glass, feigning a desire to caress the treasure. “Odd the Spaniards didn’t melt it into one of those gold bars.”
“Perhaps they believed it had some religious significance. Who can say? What’s important is they didn’t. Which brings me to why I brought—” He stopped talking and stepped back from a young couple who approached the display.
Jack made no attempt to probe.
When Corey motioned for him to follow, Amanda linked arms with him and they walked into the heat of the day. The Old Town Trolley slowed to a stop and let off a dozen people who sauntered toward the museum.
Jack looked at Corey. “You were saying?”
“It’s hot out here in the sun,” Amanda interrupted. And Jack watched her eyes focus on him. “You’ll make me much happier if you take me somewhere and buy me a cool drink. Then you and my brother can talk.”
Jack wondered about the maximum range of the microphone and camera inside his watch. Cherise, unfortunately, had failed to provide him with what had turned out to be vital need-to-know information. He would have to hope for the best.
He and Robert had spent too much time in Sloppy Joe’s the prior week to chance being recognized by one of the staff. And the Pier House was out of the question for the same reason.
There weren’t too many bars they hadn’t spent at least some time in.
“Captain Tony’s is only a couple of blocks from here,” he said. “We can try that place if you don’t mind walking.”
CHAPTER 56
Jack walked into the bar, mildly surprised to see a few empty tables. He half expected to find the place hopping since the Caribbean Sensation had added a flood of cruise ship passengers to the usual flock of tourists already in town.
He scanned the room. Seeing no one he recognized, he led Amanda and Corey to the most remote table available.
Amanda patted him on the arm. “Do be a dear and order me a Rum Collins.”
“But of course,” he said, and ordered three.
Their waiter returned with their drinks and Amanda went to work on hers. Corey let his sit. Jack took a sip and waited.
More customers walked in and took seats at the empty tables. Business had picked up. So had the noise from the customers’ chatter.
“It’s interesting,” Corey began. “Take that idol I showed you. What do you have? Three or four ounces of twenty-karat gold. Worth what? Even at today’s prices, three thousand dollars . . . four thousand at the most. Sink it to the bottom of the ocean along with a King’s fortune and it’s worth ten times that much.”
Jack rested his forearms on the table. “That’s what makes us treasure hunters. I assume you’re going somewhere with this?”
Corey took hold of his drink and leaned close. “As you probably know, there are collectors lining up to buy that stuff. And not just gold and silver from sunken galleons. The best part is they’re willing to pay top dollar. I’ve made a few contacts over the years, particularly in Central and South America, and occasionally I’m given the opportunity to buy artifacts that, let’s say . . . have been found. I don’t normally invite someone in on the deal. But my sister begged me to make an exception with you. Which I’m doing now. I think it will make her very happy.”
Amanda set down her Rum Collins and gripped Jack’s arm with a cold hand. “Isn’t that wonderful, dear? Just think . . .”
He could think. And he doubted she’d like the thoughts running through his mind.
“What kind of deal are we talking about?”
Corey glanced at the customers closest to them and lowered his voice. “Three idols similar to the one I showed you. Only larger. And worth considerably more money.”
Three?
Jack began to get the picture.
“How much are we talking about?”
Corey grinned. “At least two hundred and fifty thousand to the right buyer.”
Jack looked at Amanda and saw her smiling. He added his grin to the mix. “And you know who this buyer is?”
“Someone I’ve dealt with on numerous occasions.”
“You got my interest. What’s the buy-in?”
“Your part, a hundred grand.”
“That’s a lot of money.”
“And you’ll double it.”
“The man selling the idols,” Jack said, “he knows he’s being cheated?”
“Does it really matter?”
“To me, no. You’re sure the artifacts are genuine?”
“They are. Trust me.”
Jack took a sip of his drink and returned the glass to the table. “Not that I don’t
appreciate your offer, but if this is such a sweet deal, how come you’re letting me in on it when you could have all the money?”
“I told you my sister asked me to. And since the two of you are hitting it off so well, I agreed.”
“There has to be more to it.”
Corey stared at his drink. Jack watched him turn the glass with his fingers as though hesitant to speak his mind.
He knows how to play the game.
“You got me there.” He glanced at Amanda, playing the role to the hilt. “My sister is part of the reason. Plus, I’m a little tapped out at the moment. I planned to try and negotiate a deal on one of the idols. Beat the price down. If you buy in, I won’t have to. You’ll end up with a tidy profit, which will make my sister happy. And I’ll make fifteen percent for brokering the deal.”
Her hand was back on his arm. She didn’t have to say a word. He could imagine the thoughts swirling in her mind. And how she’d play the game right up to the moment Corey dumped him overboard.
The carrot.
He covered her hand with his and gave it a pat. They had made their move and he didn’t intend to let them off easy. He said, “So you had a plan all worked out. Where are these idols?”
“In Cozumel. My contact is waiting for me there. That’s why Amanda and I are on this cruise.”
“You’re sure you have a buyer?”
“Several. And they don’t ask questions.”
“What about customs? The feds frown on this sort of stuff.”
“Not to worry.”
Amanda watched, lips slightly parted, moist. Her brother made the deal sound too simple to turn down.
A perfect one-two punch.
Jack couldn’t resist. “You’ve done this before?”
Corey cracked a smile.
Amanda eased her hand from his and protruded her bottom lip in an obvious pouty face. “You’re going to do it, aren’t you? For me?”
He let the questions hang for an appropriate few seconds to further the ruse.
His silence proved to be too much for her.
She leaned forward, offering maximum exposure of ample cleavage, and peered into his eyes. The final springing of the trap.
She asked, “You can get the money, right?”
He hesitated, only for effect. “I’ll need to have it wired from my bank.”
“Then we have a deal.” Corey lifted his drink. “Take care of your business and we’ll meet back aboard the ship.”
“You’ve made me so happy, dear.” That word again. She added, “You have no idea how happy. I promise, you won’t regret this.”
But you will.
He sucked down half of his drink, and stood up. Staring at her cleavage, he said, “I’ll hold you to that.”
CHAPTER 57
In preparation for contingencies, Jack had already made arrangements on both ends for a wire transfer up to a hundred and fifty thousand. He stopped by the bank and put in the request for a hundred. The money had been previously cleared and would be available for withdrawal in a couple of hours.
There had been no sign of Corey or Amanda. He took a chance and walked to the Pier House hoping to meet up with his friends. If they had been out of range and unable to listen in on his conversation, they’d be anxious to hear how it went.
When he got to the dock where he and Robert had left the Boston Whaler tied, he found the dinghy gone. Stolen or moved, or more likely Robert had used the tender to ferry the women out to the Adeona. Rather than talking into his wristwatch like Dick Tracy, he called his friend’s cell.
“I’m at the dock,” he said, when Robert answered.
“And I suppose you want me to pick you up?”
“I’d appreciate it. Did Cherise like the boat?”
“So did Lindsey.”
“Did you order lunch?”
“We were just discussing that.”
“Is there beer in the refrigerator or did you drink it all?”
“Don’t be an asshole.”
Jack laughed. “I’ll order sandwiches. The food should be ready by the time you get here.”
Robert motored up to the dock at the same time Jack arrived with a bag of takeout. He handed the paper sack to Robert. “Feels good being away from those two jerk-wads for a while.”
“Get in. Cherise is anxious to see you.”
“Really?” Jack smiled.
Robert kept the speed down, taking his time it seemed.
“We were lucky,” he said. “Amanda and Corey were walking up to the museum as I was leaving.”
“I’m just glad Ned wasn’t working.”
They didn’t have far to go, and Jack took advantage of the couple extra minutes to savor the rich odor of the harbor at low tide. He would miss the quirky little town and its unique aroma when it came time to leave Key West behind and return to Oahu and new sea smells.
When they neared the boat he saw Cherise, wearing a short sundress, that silly blonde wig, and sunglasses, stand and wave from the sundeck. Lindsey, looking every bit as ridiculous in her blonde wig, sat waving from a deck chair.
“I see you rigged the sunshade,” he said to Robert.
“Too hot otherwise. And the inside is still cooling off.” Robert cut the engine and drifted the last few feet to the boarding ladder. Jack climbed up and Robert handed him the bag of food.
“It’s nice up here,” Cherise yelled down.
Jack looked up at the sound of her voice. She stood leaning over with both hands on the safety rail. He’d taken a chance joining them. Seeing her smiling down at him made him glad he did.
“I’ll be right up with lunch,” he said. “Either of you want a beer?”
Lindsey appeared at the rail. “Bring a couple, if you can manage.”
Jack tied off the Boston Whaler and said to Robert, “Grab a cold one for you and Lindsey. I’ll take Cherise one.”
They all sat around the cocktail table up top and waded into the fish sandwiches and curly fries. A breeze off the Gulf helped keep the temperature under the canvas tarp comfortable.
Cherise asked, “Did your meeting with Corey and Amanda go the way we expected?”
Jack washed down a bite with a swig of Red Stripe. Robert and Lindsey set their sandwiches on their plates and looked at him.
They hadn’t heard.
He said, “I take it you weren’t able to listen in on my conversation with those two?”
Cherise shook her head. “Not after you left the museum. Too much background noise.”
“So you were close by?”
“Close enough to see you walk out with Amanda hanging onto your arm.”
He chuckled at her jealousy. “For king and country, my dear. For king and country.”
Cherise didn’t laugh. “If you say so. What’s the setup?”
“One hundred thousand in cash,” he said. “For three gold idols. That’s what it will cost me. Corey made up a phony excuse about being tapped out and inviting me in on the deal only because Amanda begged him to. Supposedly, he stands to make fifteen percent brokering the sale. Which is okay with him.”
Cherise pursed her lips. “Three gold idols. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”
Lindsey furrowed her brow. “You’re not thinking—”
“Too much of a coincidence not to,” Jack said.
“And you’re putting up the cash?” Cherise asked.
Jack met her gaze. “Unless you have a hundred grand in your purse?”
“It’s not right.” Lindsey glanced back and forth at Cherise and Jack. “I should be the one putting up the money.”
Cherise didn’t blink. “Do you have that much cash at your disposal?”
Lindsey’s gaze dropped. After a moment, she dabbed the corner of her eye with her napkin and took a second to answer. “I don’t know what to say. You . . . all of you, have done so much for me. But that’s too much money . . . ”
“And let Amanda and Corey keep on killing?”
Lindsey sniffled. �
�But everything is getting too crazy.”
“You and I have talked about this.” Cherise’s expression firmed with resolve. “It’s Jack’s decision whether he puts up the money or not. Personally, I plan on finishing what we started. Those two won’t get away with murder again.”
Lindsey looked at Jack. He saw the question in her eyes.
“I’ll figure out a way to get the money back,” he said. “And if not, you can pay me when you hit the lottery.”
CHAPTER 58
The Caribbean Sensation was scheduled to leave port at four. At two-thirty, Jack helped Robert button up the Adeona. When they were done, all four of them overloaded the eleven foot Whaler by a couple hundred pounds and Jack motored them with care to the dock at the Pier House.
“I’m going to the bank to pick up the cash,” he said. “You three board the ship and I’ll be along in a few minutes.”
“I know you told me you want to go alone,” Robert said. “But are you sure you don’t want me to tag along at a discrete distance to step in if some undesirable character tries to relieve you of your money?”
“I’ll be okay.” Jack waved and walked off in the direction of town.
On the way to the bank, he stopped at a dive shop and bought a small, red, nylon bag the size of a man’s shaving kit. He knew the thickness of a ten-thousand-dollar packet of hundred dollar bills measured roughly half an inch. He’d have ten such bundles or five inches of currency that would never fit in his wallet.
The transaction at the bank went off without a hitch. But the manager, a friendly middle-aged woman, did not act at all happy to know he planned to walk out of the place with that much cash on him instead of a cashier’s check. He assured her there wouldn’t be a problem, and stepped into the heat of the afternoon with the bundles tucked into the bag.
It took him ten minutes to power walk the five blocks to the port. He boarded the ship with a crowd of other passengers. Got a raised brow from security when he ran his bag through the scanner, and blew it off with a smile. Once he made it into his cabin and had the door bolted, he relaxed.
Hostile Waters Page 19
