Wrath of the Sea Queen

by Cynthia Woods

  "I don't think you were meant to know."

  "What do you mean, Ben? You don't think this was intentional?" Salma could hardly believe that he would suggest such a thing.

  "Maybe; those threatening letters were not idle words. Someone wanted to see you suffer by hurting those closest to you. This does seem to fit the bill. I would be neglectful not to consider the possibility," Ben reminded Salma about the threats.

  "You must be mistaken, Ben. I don't think this has anything to do with me." Salma considered the notion, but dismissed it just as quickly.

  "I hope I'm wrong, but don't beat yourself up over this. You had not seen Caeli in weeks. If you had, you probably would have sensed the change sooner," Ben reassured Salma.

  "Ben, that's it! I did. I sensed something different about her at the hospital on Friday. I couldn't place it, but there was definitely something going on with her that day," Salma suddenly remembered.

  "Well, there is nothing we can do about it now. Let's get some lunch. You can come back with a fresh set of eyes."

  After verifying that Caeli's condition remained stable, Ben insisted that Salma join him. Though she was reluctant to leave, at first, Salma finally agreed.

  "Apela has our cell phone numbers. If anything changes, he will call us. We won't be that far away," Ben explained.

  CHAPTER 24

  Dr. Jacobs waited at the bar near the front of the small restaurant. The lunch crowd began to fill the tables. Most headed to the back to sit down and enjoy their meals; but several people joined him at the bar. They were near enough for Neal to tell this was not the first drink the men had enjoyed today.

  He listened to their meaningless conversations as he sipped on a mug of beer and nibbled on a turkey sandwich. Scott was running late, as usual. He should have been here fifteen minutes ago, but then, Scott never could do anything exactly as planned.

  "Don't look so glum, Uncle Neal. I'm not that late," Scott hopped onto the barstool next to Dr. Jacobs, and a dark-haired lady sat down on the stool to Scott's left.

  "Where is she?" Neal was impatient to get this plan underway. It was the best one he could think of on such short notice; but he didn't really trust the young men who were going to assist him. Scott vouched for them, of course, but if they were as careless as Scott, then this could get out of hand like the incident on the ship.

  "She is down at the old lighthouse. At least, that's where the tracker is. She has been there for about ten minutes. I would guess that she and the lady traveling with her are taking in the local scenery while her husband is laid up.

  "Good. That will be perfect. Now, who needs an explanation of the plan?" Neal wondered out loud.

  "These folks here at the bar, Neal," Lorrie replied, the first indication the dark-haired lady gave that she was paying attention to the exchange between Dr. Jacobs and Scott.

  "All of them?"

  "Yes. They already know that you are going to help them locate Dr. Erickson. All you have to do is tell them where to find her and when to go. They will show up, demand some sort of apology from her, and make her feel threatened. And before you even ask, the answer is no, they won't hurt her. They understand very well that they are not to harm the good doctor in any way. They are aware of the consequences they will face if anything happens to her," Lorrie assured him. She put her fingers to her lips and whistled just loud enough to draw the attention of the eight young men sitting at the bar.

  "Is it time, Lorrie?" The nearest one asked.

  "Almost; listen to Neal. He will give you the information you need. Don't screw this up."

  "On that note, we'll be off, Uncle. Lorrie has to get back to work, and I have to meet dad at the old airstrip outside of town. I have a special welcome gift for him."

  "Are you sure about this? I know you don't get along with him, but he could still be useful. I would hate to have you regret this three months from now," Neal inquired.

  "Oh, I'm certain. I will grant him his last wish by taking care of his former captain and Eyvindr's wife. Dad wanted retribution on both of them for sending him to prison. Since that coincides with our plans, it won't be a problem. Other than that, I have no remaining ties to him. He is another loose end that we need to tie up as soon as he makes good on the delivery. I have no desire to get reacquainted."

  Scott and Lorrie left the bar and got into a car parked out front. Lorrie drove off toward the hospital where Scott would pick up his car and head toward the fields about nine miles beyond the outskirts of town.

  "So, gentlemen, let's get moving, shall we?" Neal addressed the inebriated men at the bar.

  "Where are we going, Pops?"

  "I am going to the lighthouse. You are going to finish your drinks and follow me in ten minutes. You know what to do once you get there. Raise a ruckus, but don't actually go near her. When I fire my gun that is when you should leave. If you don't scatter, you will get arrested. Nobody will be coming to bail you out if you get caught. Got it?

  "Sure thing, Pops. We will be there after one last drink."

  Dr. Jacobs paid his tab and those of the men at the bar. He informed the bartender that the men were out of money and should not be served any additional drinks. That should ensure their punctual arrival at the lighthouse. As he walked out of the restaurant and got into his gray truck, Neal reviewed the plan in his mind.

  It was a simple notion. He wanted Dr. Erickson to trust him enough to turn to him as trouble brewed. This was going to be a test run as well as a chance to secure his relationship as a trusted colleague. With Salma inside the lighthouse, he could run in and lock the door. He would explain about the protestors he overheard while eating lunch and offer to call the sheriff. Of course, he would stay with her until it was safe to go outside again. It didn't matter if her female traveling companion joined them or not.

  In the meantime, Scott's hired help would show up and make demands of Dr. Erickson. She should apologize for her work or stop her work entirely, things like that. It would keep Salma off balance and feeling insecure. She would lean on Neal for support. He and his trusty handgun would save the day. With Salma's husband injured, it would also encourage her to look to Neal at the conference as a friendly face. The plan seemed virtually flawless. There wasn't much that could go wrong unless the young men were late or didn't play their roles well. If that happened, Neal would adjust his plan to whatever the situation demanded. Dr. Jacobs smiled as he turned onto the road leading up to the lighthouse and floored the gas pedal.

  CHAPTER 25

  The small plane touched down briefly, but did not stop in the middle of the muddy, overgrown lane. It began to sink even as the wheels came in contact with the ground of this seldom used runway. The makeshift airport had been shut down two years ago after a police raid.

  A side door on the plane opened as it rolled quickly toward the encroaching tree line. A man in dark pants and a floral patterned shirt was pushed out. He clung tightly to a large object as he fell the short distance to the soggy ground below. The plane accelerated and took off again, before it became permanently entrenched in the mud.

  The ousted man picked himself up and grabbed the handle of a large black suitcase, which had been jarred from his hands as he hit the ground. He didn't bother to attempt to clean himself off. The mud he would have to walk through wasn't going to get any cleaner, so there was no need to worry about it yet. He looked around and spotted his destination off to the left.

  Sam headed toward a small building about eighty yards away, nearly hidden by the surrounding trees. When he reached it, he found the door unlocked and stepped inside, out of the wind and spitting rain. This is where he was supposed to meet his partner and former brother-in-law, Neal. He waited inside the single-room, wooden structure.

  Looking around, Sam noted a loft covering half of the ceiling. From the few contents hanging on the wall and scattered around the room, he concluded that it must be a storage building for one of the local farmers. The dimly lit interior received its only ligh
t from a window spanning a section of the roof over the loft.

  There was no one else inside. Sam glanced at his watch; fifteen minutes before noon. He was early. So, he sat the suitcase on a crate and moved over to the utility sink to clean himself up while he waited. He found a rag and a gallon bottle of water to help wash the mud from his skin, but his clothes were beyond hope. Thankfully, he had a change of attire in the suitcase and quickly donned the clean outfit, tossing the soiled clothes into a corner.

  As Sam finished wiping the last of the grime from his shoes, the door opened to the sound of laughter, and two people entered the building. A red-haired man, looking a bit disheveled and wearing a broad grin, stepped inside first. He was followed by a younger woman, carrying a picnic basket in one hand and an unopened bottle of wine in the other.

  "Scott! What are you doing here? I was expecting your uncle. Is everything all right?" Sam asked, with both surprise and nervousness edging his voice.

  "Of course, and Uncle Neal would have been here, but he is taking care of another matter. Besides, it has been such a long time. I thought you might have missed me, Dad." Only a slight hint of resentment could be heard in Scott's voice as he spoke to his father.

  "I have missed a lot of things these past six months, Scott. I came here to make sure the people responsible pay dearly."

  "Well, that goes without saying. I promise you they will suffer. None of this is going to be pleasant for them. Just make sure that your plans don't endanger Dr. Erickson. Uncle Neal has already berated me once for my own carelessness. I got a bit overzealous when I arranged to have her husband shot," Scott explained.

  "Ben was shot? Is he dead then?" Sam hoped.

  "No, but he will be laid up for a while. However, it so happened that the doctor was standing nearby when it occurred. Uncle Neal was furious. I would hate to see you make the same mistake and have Uncle Neal throw you back in jail. After all, he worked very hard to arrange your escape so that you could bring us the book. Who would have thought the esteemed, former chief of police would become a hunted fugitive and petty thief?" Scott laughed.

  "Yes. That is quite amusing, Scott. I will try to remember your advice. How badly was Ben injured?"

  "The bullet hit his lower back. He will likely be spending a day or two in bed and a good while in rehab, given what I could see of his injury. But, he will survive, for now," Scott informed him.

  "So, what's the plan from here, and who is your guest?" Sam asked, appreciatively eyeing the low cut top and short skirt of the woman who arrived with Scott.

  "It is always straight to business with you. Ok, then. I'm going to take that case off your hands, assuming you were successful in locating the book. Your money is in the basket Jenny is carrying. And, being the thoughtful son that I am, I brought you two of those things you missed while you were in jail. First, I have your favorite wine. Second, Jenny is paid up for the afternoon. So enjoy yourself. She will drive you into town when you're done."

  With that, Scott picked up the case from its place on the crate and walked out of the barn, leaving Sam alone with the young lady. Scott always did have a flair for the dramatic and an appetite for the fairer sex. The former chief never spent much time with the boy in his younger years. He divorced Scott's mother when the child was seven. She moved away to live near her brother, Neal. Scott always resented Sam for deserting them and blamed him for the misfortunes in his life. Scott didn't care about the numerous times that Sam used his police influence to get him out of serious trouble. Sam, on the other hand, certainly did not trust his son's motivations for being nice to him now.

  "Well, let's see what you've brought me, Jenny," Sam said to the lady standing a few feet away. He walked over and took the basket from her hand. He removed the blanket laced through the handles and tossed it back to Jenny. Looking inside the basket, Sam saw a few sandwiches, two wine glasses, a corkscrew, and several bundles of money. He pulled out a few of the money stacks and stuffed them into his pant and shirt pockets. He smiled and sat the basket aside, reaching out to take the bottle of wine from Jenny's other hand. It was, indeed, his favorite. Scott seemed determined to please him with these gifts. Sam grabbed the corkscrew out of the basket and worked at opening the bottle.

  While he did this, Jenny spread the blanket on the floor. She then sat down and kicked off her shoes. Sam, after getting the bottle open, sat down beside her. He offered her a drink straight from the bottle. At first, she refused, but Sam's insistence soon won out, and he watched her enjoy a few drinks. Sam moved closer to her on the blanket. It had been a long six months in jail.

  "So, Jenny, what exactly do you get paid to do?"

  Scott waited outside for about thirty minutes. When he no longer heard any sound coming from the interior of the building, he chanced a quick peek through the door before going inside. Sam and Jenny lay on the blanket as if they were sleeping, the wine bottle between them. Scott walked over to the basket, careful not to disturb anything else, and removed the money from within.

  "Sorry, Dad, I can't have you getting in the way. This is too important."

  CHAPTER 26

  "Really, Ben, I don't see why I need a jacket to eat lunch," Salma protested. She and Ben returned to their room after leaving Caeli resting. Ben had stopped briefly to speak quietly with Apela before following Salma into their room. Now he insisted that she bring a jacket, and he pulled a blanket down from the closet shelf as well. Salma knew Ben was up to something, but hadn't quite figured out the mystery.

  "Take my word for it. You will want the jacket, especially if we get caught in the rain. Are you ready?" Ben smiled at her.

  "I don't know. You haven't told me where we're going, so I don't know if I'm ready or not," Salma answered, hoping to pry a few more details out of him.

  "Oh, did I neglect to mention that?" Ben's smile remained.

  "Yes, you know very well that you did." Salma enjoyed the game.

  "I'm sorry. How inconsiderate of me. Shall we go?" Ben laughed this time, relishing the surprise Apela helped him prepare for her. It was the first time since their arrival that they were going to get to spend some quality time alone.

  "All right, then. Wherever we're going, I hope the food is good. I'm starving," Salma finally gave up. She grabbed her jacket and her purse, and walked out of the room with Ben. He succeeded at keeping his secret.

  Apela met them in the hall and handed Ben a backpack and a set of keys. Ben thanked him and quickly ushered Salma away before she could pester the man about either of the items. Ben pocketed the keys. Then he hung the backpack over one shoulder and led Salma out of the lounge and into the damp afternoon.

  Salma glanced over at the porch entrance to Caeli's room. Nothing noticeable had changed. Salma started to walk over in that direction, but Ben's hand on her arm held her back.

  "Leave her alone. You were in there twenty minutes ago. You can check on her when we get back," Ben said kindly. He sympathized with the fact that Salma was worried about Caeli. He was too, but Salma needed a break.

  "But what if she wakes up like she did before?" Salma argued meekly.

  "You said the medicine would knock her out for hours. She will be fine, and we won't be gone that long. Apela will keep an eye on her. Come on, you are off the clock for a while. It is time for you to relax and enjoy your vacation. Since your original tour guide is temporarily indisposed, you will have to settle for me," Ben insisted as they walked along the beach.

  "I don't think of you as settling, Ben. I held out for you, and you were well worth the wait. Do you want to tell me where we're going now?" Salma gave Ben her full attention. He was right, of course. There was nothing more she could do for Caeli. She should enjoy whatever special outing Ben had planned. Though, when Ben found the time to devise this adventure, Salma did not know. He was quite resourceful.

  "You will find out soon enough. What I want right now is for my wife to take a walk along the beach with me. It's not exactly a beautiful day, but at least it's not
raining. Apela told me about this great place not too far away, and I would like to take you there. I think you are going to like it," Ben explained without giving any specific details.

  "This sounds interesting." Salma held on to Ben's arm as they walked along the water's edge looking at the buildings in the distance. They only encountered a few people as they walked. The first man was a bit creepy. His pale skin was covered by a full black suit and black fedora. He strolled by Max's cave and walked in the direction of the hotel when they passed him. They continued on. One young couple reminded Salma of Vin and Caeli. They were so enamored with each other that they seemed to float through the world around them. Another man jogged along with his dog.

  They strolled along peacefully for about half a mile, enjoying the scenery. The walk was relaxing, and Salma was glad that Ben thought of it. As they came around a bend, they entered an inlet where a lighthouse sat at the top of a tall, rocky hill. It was painted white with thick, red stripes, and topped with a bright, red cap. There was a small, two story building attached to the lighthouse where the fulltime caretaker had lived for many years. After his death, the building became a makeshift museum and occasional destination for grade school fieldtrips.

  "Here we go. This is the place," Ben said as they walked toward the lighthouse.

  "The lighthouse? Do they serve lunch here?" Salma asked, puzzled.

  They took a circuitous route to reach the top of the hill and walked up to the door of the lighthouse. Ben pulled out the keys Apela gave him and unlocked the door. He gestured for Salma to go inside. Ben closed and locked the door behind him as he followed her. Apela warned him that sudden, strong winds could pull the door off its hinges if he didn't keep it locked. Ben took Salma's hand and led her up the winding staircase as he explained.