Roni grasped Michael’s hand and said, “He’ll be all right, won’t he?”
“My son won’t hurt him, but that other guy—Remy—he’ll kill him,” Chauncey said.
“Damn it! I have to go with him,” Michael said. “You guys go back to the Zodiac and wait for us.” Michael leaned over and kissed Roni on her forehead before running after Mandrago.
“That’s bullshit. All of us should go. I’m going!” Abigail said.
“If she is, I am too,” Roni said. She turned to look at Chauncey.
“I was going no matter what. Let’s go.” Chauncey cocked a round into her weapon and followed behind Roni.
Up ahead, Mandrago and Michael had entered the path and had been swallowed up in the vegetation, but the women soon caught up with them.
The sounds of wind and waves slapping hard on the beach disappeared once they were in the jungle. It was quiet except for water dripping from the higher trees and hitting the elephant ears of large plants.
Suddenly a shot rang out.
Mandrago yelled, “Hit the ground!” But it was too late.
CHAPTER 48
Salt Cay, Turk and Caicos Islands
Auntie Mick looked out the window of the Castaway Hotel on Salt Cay. They had been heading for the island of Grand Turk when the storm struck and the helicopter was forced to land on the north end beach of the small island. Luckily there was a hotel nearby where they could wait out the storm. She noticed that a rickety wood building that had been in her line of sight the previous night had been leveled by the gale-force winds. The wood was scattered all over the beach. She hoped the helicopter wasn’t damaged.
That morning when the sun broke through the upper layer of clouds and the winds subsided, she reckoned it was time to leave and continue to search for Kidd and her niece. She and Inspector Townsend had ventured into Balfour town earlier in the morning looking for their helicopter pilot. He’d told them he would be easy to find—he would be staying with a friend who owned the most outrageous T-shirt shop along the main thoroughfare. She had to laugh since it was the only street. It was aptly named, Main. The rest of the town was laid out in a series of pathways that wound around Main.
When they found the pilot, he was getting over a night of binging and was in no shape to fly. He was also in no shape to walk, so Townsend hoisted the little man up over his shoulder, and the pilot puked. Luckily, he missed Townsend’s uniform. Townsend carried him to the hotel where they poured a pot of coffee into him. An hour later, the pilot was sober, and when his headache subsided, he went to check the helicopter for damage.
There was a soft knock on Auntie Mick’s door.
“Come in.”
“Well, it looks like we had some minor damage to a petrol line.” Townsend said. “And some sand got into the rotor assembly. My men are helping the pilot with the repairs. He says we can be on our way in an hour.”
“Good news.”
“We’ll have to stop at the airport to get petrol, but that shouldn’t take long. It’s less than ten minutes away. Can I see the treasure map?” Townsend said.
“Yes, of course.
“I secured a map of the Turk and Caicos islands from the hotel manager.” Townsend laid the maps out on the small kitchen table.
“Look. We are here.” Townsend pointed and rested his finger on Salt Cay. “We need to get here to Ambergris Cay to begin our search.” Townsend slid his finger to a group of unnamed dots on the map. “Just above Ambergris Cay is a large group of small islets. That’s the area that most closely matches.”
“I hope everyone is okay,” Auntie Mick said with a look of concern on her weathered face. “James and his men should have caught up with them by now.”
“I know you are worried, but Jac Kidd and his father are formidable adversaries for James and his men. Believe me, they will have concocted a plan to equalize the threat.”
“I sure hope so.”
James raised his pistol in the air and fired when he saw Mandrago and Michael move adjacent to where Mulee was hiding. He knew Mandrago would instinctively hit the ground for cover.
Before Mandrago and Michael could raise their weapons in defense, Mulee, Remy, and his man jumped from their cover and were upon them. Mulee hit Mandrago on the head with the butt of his weapon while Remy smacked Michael hard across his face. Both men fell to the ground.
The women heard the shots and came running. James moved out on the path and pointed his 9 mm squarely at Abigail’s head.
“Drop your weapons, and I promise you won’t be hurt.”
“James, stop this madness now!” Chauncy yelled from behind Abigail.
“Mother, stop, and I promise no one will be hurt. Do it now. Drop your weapons.”
“Listen to him,” Chauncey said.
As the women dropped their weapons, Remy snuck up behind James and hit him hard on the back of his head at the base of his neck with the butt of his automatic weapon. James slumped forward and fell to the ground. Blood flowed from his wound.
“Oh, my God. James!” Chauncey screamed and ran to her son’s side.
Mulee raised his weapon and started moving toward Remy. Before he could fire, he was cut down with a barrage of shots from Samuel, the man James had placed up the path.
“Now you see who’s in charge here. Make a move and your dead!” Remy said.
“You bastard. I’ll give you nothing,” Abigail said.
The man who had shot Mulee collected the weapons that were scattered on the ground and ushered Abigail and Roni to sit on the trunk of a fallen palm tree. He handed Abigail a canteen and told them all to drink.
“Well, Miss Abigail, it’s time for us to finally get down to business,” Remy said in his Southern gentleman voice. “There will be no negotiation. You tell me now where the treasure is buried, or I will kill your precious sister.” He reached down, grabbed Roni by the hair, and yanked her toward him. He let go of her hair and pointed his 9 mm at her head. “You have ten seconds to make your choice: Ten … nine …”
CHAPTER 49
Jac and Peri entered the muddy pathway toward the beach as the rain stopped. The footing was treacherous. They came upon a large indentation on a flat surface where the constant rainfall had collected and created a four-foot-deep pond that fed a stream that ran in the middle of the path. It caused both men to take to the sides of the path and hold on to the outcropping of vegetation to maintain their balance. Jac noticed several broken branches that were probably caused by the descent of Michael, Mulee, James, and Remy.
“Jac, this is going to be a slow trip.”
“Hang on. Take your time. We have to get there in one piece or we won’t be able to help,” Jac said. He hoped they all were alive.
“How many do you think we are up against?”
“I think there are seven, and they are heavily armed.”
Suddenly, a shot rang out.
Both men froze in their tracks, listening and praying in silence.
“Let’s go!” Jac said.
Then they heard a burst of several rounds from an automatic weapon.
“Oh, God!” Peri said. “Jac, do you think …”
Jac was gone. He’d thrown caution to the wind and sprinted down the middle of the moving water. His feet sank an inch into the mud with each step, but if he didn’t hit any holes or impediments, he would be at the bottom in half the time.
Peri yelled, “I’ll catch up.” He watched Jac disappear into a plethora of vary-colored greenery.
Jac slipped and fell twice. Each time his fall was cushioned by water and soft mud.
He prayed that he would find his dad and the women safe. He hoped Abigail would not resist and force Remy to hurt her. Treasure was not worth any of their lives. He had started to think that maybe he and Abigail could have a future. Time may have healed old wounds, he hoped.
“Damn!” Jac yelled as his legs went out from under him. He came down hard on his back, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He stayed still for a couple of minutes trying to breathe and waiting for the pain to subside.
“Five … four …”
“Stop! I’ll give you the map. Please don’t hurt her,” Abigail said.
“I knew you were a reasonable person. And I honor my promises.” Remy lowered his gun and told Roni to join her sister. “Now give me the map.”
Abigail reached into her pocket and pulled out a plastic zipper bag containing neatly folded pieces of paper. She handed it to Remy.
Remy smiled as he opened the bag and took out the papers. He examined them and turned back to look at Abigail.
“You’re sure this is the real map? I’d hate it if you lied.”
“It’s a copy of the original two halves of the map.”
Remy studied the joined map. “How close is this island?” He showed the map to Abigail.
“It’s close.”
“Boss, we better go now. I tried calling Mauricio, but he didn’t answer. Somebody follow us,” Samuel said.
Remy put the map back into the plastic and ordered Samuel to assist Chauncey with dragging her son to the beach. The piece of Chauncey’s blouse she’d tied around James neck had slowed the steady flow of blood from his wound. If it wasn’t stopped soon, James would die.
The other man pulled a groggy Mandrago to his feet and told Abigail to help him.
They were not far from the Zodiac. “What we gonna do with them?” Samuel asked as he lifted James into the boat.
“Take them with us and dump them at sea. Right now I need them to help us find the treasure.”
Robert found twine in the Zodiac and tied Abigail, Roni, and James’s hands behind their backs and secured their legs. They also tied Chauncey and Mandrago’s hands.
Remy tore up a large rag he found in a chest on the Zodiac. He gave Abi and Roni a drink from a flask he had in his pocket before tying gags on them.
As the Zodiac headed out to the Adventurer, Remy noticed sea caves along the shoreline below the sheer cliffs that bordered the beach. He ordered his men to turn and head for the largest cave.
CHAPTER 50
Jac stayed off the path but kept it in sight as he quickly moved through the foliage. He knew he had lost the element of surprise when he blew up their boat. He heard the surf and the distant sound of a motor. It must be the Zodiac. He moved onto the path and saw a man’s body lying face down in the short grass. From the bandage on the man’s arm, Jac knew it was Mulee. He turned Mulee’s body over and checked the carotid artery on his neck. No pulse. Jac counted five bullet holes. That explained the machine gun fire but not the single shot.
James would not have killed Mulee. Remy must be in charge now. Jac suspected that Remy must have enlisted Mulee’s men with a promise of a share in the treasure. And he would kill Abigail, Dad, or Michael if it would get him to the treasure.
When Jac came to the end of the path onto the beach, he ran to the shoreline. He saw the Adventurer sitting several hundred yards off shore. There was no one on board. The railing was down where the Zodiac usually sat. Where is the Zodiac? he thought. I heard the motor. Why would Remy leave the beach and not board the Adventurer? Then he heard the noise from its engine way off to the left of the beach two hundred yards away. It was speeding toward the Adventurer. On board Jac saw his dad, Chauncey, two men, and Remy. Where are Abigail, Roni, and Michael? Where’s James? If they left the beach, why would they go that far away to get to the Adventurer? I’ve got to stop them. But how?
Remy smiled when he looked back and saw Jac standing helplessly on the beach. He thought about heading in to kill him, but decided he had what he needed to find the treasure. I have Kidd’s boat, the maps, James’s mother, and Mandrago Kidd. Jac Kidd is marooned. Then he thought, Why do I need Mandrago Kidd? I’ll give Jac Kidd something to do. He motioned for Robert, who was driving the Zodiac, to stop. Remy moved forward next to where Mandrago was tied up. He told Samuel to lift Mandrago’s legs. Remy reached down and grabbed Mandrago under his arms and lifted. They swung him as Remy counted, and when Remy yelled “three!” they tossed Mandrago into the water.
“Shit!” Jac yelled. He saw Remy and Mullee’s man throw his father into the water bound with his hands behind his back. Jac dove into the water as the Zodiac sped off toward the Adventurer.
Jac suddenly heard a familiar sound. It was the thump-thump-thump of rotor blades. He looked up and saw a large Coast Guard–type helicopter hovering over the spot where his father was struggling to stay afloat. A man at the door of the helicopter jumped into the water. A moment later, another man threw down a rescue cable. The man in the water dove below the surface, and seconds later Jac spotted two heads bobbing in the waves.
After his father and the man who had saved him were safely aboard, the helicopter moved over Jac, and the cable was lowered again. Minutes later, Jac was looking into the faces of Auntie Mick, Inspector Townsend, and his father.
“Are you all right, Dad?”
“Yes, Jac. But we have to get to those sea caves over there.” Mandrago pointed. “That son of a bitch dumped Abigail, Roni, Michael, and James, and the tide is coming in. If we don’t hurry, they’ll drown.”
“Look,” Townsend said. “They left the Zodiac floating and took off in your boat.”
“Get me to the Zodiac,” Jac yelled to the pilot.
“I’m with you, Jac,” Mandrago said. “I know which cave Remy left them in.”
“I’m coming too,” Townsend yelled over the noise of the rotor blades.
“Where’s my niece?” Auntie Mick yelled.
Mandrago reached out and enveloped Auntie Mick in his arms. “She’s with Remy. He took her as insurance to find the treasure. I promise we’ll get her back.”
“After you drop us on the Zodiac, take the helicopter to the beach and pick up Peri. Wait for us,” Jac said. “Remy won’t get far. The maps indicate that, if anything is buried, it’s on an islet about a mile from here.”
The helicopter hovered ten feet above the Zodiac. Jac jumped. Townsend, Mandrago, and two of Townsend’s men followed.
Jac gunned the engine and sped toward the caves.
CHAPTER 51
Face down, her hands tied behind her back, feet bound at the ankles, and a cloth rag in her mouth, Roni fluttered her eyes and snapped them open. She tasted blood and felt pain—burning pain—all over her body. Where am I? Where’s Abi? Mandrago? She strained her neck to look around in the dim light and forced herself to roll over on her back. She struggled to sit up. Her breathing was limited by the ropes that were tightly wound around her chest. It felt as if a boa constrictor had wrapped itself around her. She shook her head to clear the fuzz and absorb the information her senses perceived. Close by—water, surf, walls, rock, gray, soft sand … it’s a cave! Those bastards … left me to die in a sea cave! Abi, Michael! Jac?
Panic!
Breathe, breathe, breathe … easy, easy. She closed her eyes and blanked her mind while she sucked in several calming breaths.
To give herself breathing room from the tight rope, she flattened her body. Be calm, she told herself. Concentrate, think, breathe. I must be calm … calm … Think! After a few minutes, calm and reason set in. She opened her eyes and remembered.
The men had come out of the heavy foliage, grabbed Mandrago, and knocked him on the head. James had subdued Chauncey, taken away the gun she was carrying, and yelled out that no harm was to come to any of the prisoners. Remy and the big man he called Mulee had caught all of them as they tried to get away. Oh my god! She remembered Remy moving behind James and swinging his rifle, hitting James hard on his head. James had crumpled to the ground, his head bleeding. Another man had shot Mulee several times as he ran at Remy! It had all happened so fast.
Roni felt dizzy. Then she remembered being herded to the beach and getting shoved into the Zodiac along with Abi. Both of them had their hands tied behind their backs. Mullee’s two men had tied up Mandrago and Michael before dragging them to the Zodiac. When both men went back to fetch James, Remy had pulled out a flask from his pocket and given the two women a drink. That was the last thing she remembered. That son of a bitch drugged us!
Suddenly, she heard a hollow noise. It sounded like what she heard when she put her ear at the opening in a conch shell and listened for sea sounds. She turned her head, strained her neck, and looked behind her. She saw Abi tied up like her, lying face down near the wall, and … What’s that? Another body lying in the deep shadows. Who? It looks like … a man. Please be alive. Please, God, please. She winced, trying to scream, but the gag dug deeper into the corners of her mouth. Then she saw another figure. It was Michael, also unconscious and tied up with a gag in his mouth.
Her feet felt something touching them, cold?
Water!
Roni heard the echoing sounds of surf crashing against rock and watched as water from the waves forced its way through the opening. With each wave the water rose and spread out, filling cavities in the sand. Oh, God! The tide is coming in.
She heard a moan behind her, deeper in the cave. She turned and saw a man in the dim light forcing himself to turn over and face her.
Oh my god! It can’t be—Jac? No, no. The scar on his face … it was James.
James groaned.
She heard his labored breathing.
He murmured, “Tell your friend that Remy killed her mother, and the priest. And … please tell my mother … I’m sorry … I … love her …”
Roni twisted her head back and forth. The gag loosened and fell down around her neck. “James!” He did not answer. She saw that his eyes were in a fixed stare. “Oh, God …”
“Roni, where are we?” Abigail said. She didn’t have a gag in her mouth.
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