Wrath of the Sea Queen

by Cynthia Woods

  As Maku explained, Vin began to make a few connections of his own regarding Salma. Caeli's warning was beginning to make a little more sense. Scott would have learned about the Book of Elements from Antonius. If Scott wanted the power it contained, then Salma was a good target. Salma's research was based on one of the bloodlines that could access the Book, and Scott could easily have made that connection. He probably intended to get Salma to reveal the donor, not realizing that Salma herself was a member of that bloodline. That could be what Urim was referring to when he said Salma's work caught the attention of some very bad people; people unlike Maku and his brother. Of course, if Scott or Dr. Jacobs had tested Salma's blood, as Caeli suggested, then her heredity would not have remained a secret for long. Salma could, indeed, be in serious trouble for multiple reasons. No wonder Caeli was worried. Vin had already shared Urim's news with Ben, but Ben did not yet know about Scott. Currently, Ben's attention was focused on determining whether or not Maku posed a threat to Salma. Vin would mention Scott to him as soon as they had a moment alone.

  "My wife read both of your letters many times. Salma was in tears when she read that your father died, but she was not permitted to answer you. There are all sorts of rules and guidelines that she has to follow or her work will never reach the public. She is not allowed to assist with the trials or select recipients, otherwise the results could be considered biased. However, she did take copies of your letters to each of the selection committees and begged them to consider both your father and your brother. It was tearing her up not knowing if your brother had been selected. It will hurt her more when she finds out that he was not."

  "I am sorry, Mr. Erickson. I did not mean to cause your wife any distress. I can see that I was wrong to write to her."

  "No, Maku. It wasn't wrong. I never truly believed you meant her any harm or I would not have permitted you to get this close to her. I understand that there are times when such pleas as you made are necessary. Fighting for your family is definitely one of them. You have no need to apologize. I just wanted you to understand the full scope of Salma's situation. I am curious, though, how did you find our home address?" Ben smirked at him.

  "As you said, I am a resourceful guy," Maku replied with a grin.

  "Clearly. You were able to find an address for a house titled under her maiden name and not published in any public directories. She went to a lot of trouble to keep her personal information out of her patients' and colleagues' hands. Your success is no small feat."

  "Thank you, I think. If you will excuse me, I really must check on my brother. He is sitting at a table closer to the front. He will not believe that I have spoken with you. Thank you for understanding."

  "Before you go, if Apela is agreeable, I would like to invite you and your brother out to have dinner with us at his hotel. If you promise not to let anyone know where we are staying, that is."

  Maku grinned broadly.

  "Of course, yes, I mean, no. We would never betray your confidence. I can't wait to tell Pete. He will be thrilled. Thank you, Mr. Erickson." Maku vigorously shook Ben's hand before walking briskly toward the front of the room. Vin tracked him through the crowd until he sat down next to a thinner man at a table with eight other guests. The thin man's head started to turn toward the back of the room, but Maku quickly recalled the man's attention and kept him from looking in their direction.

  "Ben, I know that look on your face. What are you thinking?" Vin asked quietly.

  "I believe that you were right when we first started this journey. There is something larger brewing, and it is not the impending storm. I'm beginning to get a whiff of what it might be and, unfortunately, our wives are at the center of it."

  "Then we agree, somewhat. I think Caeli's part has already been played, but I think Salma's turn is yet to come; and I spotted the two people who might be instigating most, if not all, of this trouble," Vin indicated with a nod of his head, before ducking inconspicuously behind a seminar booklet that he snatched off the table.

  Dr. Jacobs, his nephew Scott, and a dark-haired young lady walked in twenty minutes late, and sat at a table directly in front of theirs. Thankfully, the guys' table was further back in the room, away from the main audience, behind even the main buffet and coffee tables. They were seated with the security detail, away from the primary guests.

  Ben looked over at the redhead he met on the ship. Now that the chance to get a better look at the younger man presented itself, he took full advantage of the opportunity and recognized something he missed before. It had been several years, but he was nearly certain of his recollection. If Ben was correct, it added yet another layer to the intrigue.

  "Oh, great! She is still with that weasel," Apela commented upon following Ben's gaze.

  "You know the couple with Dr. Jacobs?" Ben asked so that Vin would not have to blow his poorly crafted cover.

  "Yes, the redhead is his nephew, Scott Matthews. The lady is my sister, Lorrie."

  CHAPTER 33

  Caeli cleaned up her room and then the lounge. She and Max played card games and talked about baby names for nearly an hour. As they sat in the lounge reading one of Max's storybooks, Caeli suddenly had the unsettling feeling that she was being watched. She glanced out the screened window and saw a silhouette of a man standing on top of the circular ridge of Max's cave, near the water. Caeli could not discern any of the man's features, washed out by the glare of the sun. However, she had the impression that it was the same man that was on the beach during their walk. Who could he be? Why was he hanging around the hotel? Caeli did not like the idea of him returning now.

  She was alone with Max and, given her condition, did not want to risk a confrontation. Even though, under normal circumstances, Caeli had the skills to adequately defend herself against a single man. The week so far had been anything but normal, and she wanted to avoid such a situation. Nor did she want to scare Max or let him know that she was somewhat alarmed by the man's presence.

  "Max, how would you like to help me bake cookies in the kitchen?"

  "Yes!" Max thought found that to be a grand idea and raced ahead of her.

  Caeli gave one last glance in the man's direction before stepping into the kitchen, but she could no longer see him. The top of the ridge was deserted. She didn't know if that was a good or bad sign. As she followed Max toward the pantry, Caeli, slightly rattled, called to Vin through their link to get his opinion.

  "Vin?"

  "Hi, Honey. Everything ok with you and the baby? A baby!" Vin's excitement about the new development still danced near the forefront of his thoughts.

  "Yes, our baby."

  "I'm sorry for sounding so silly. I'm thrilled, and I'm still processing the reality of it. Is everything ok there? Max isn't pestering you too much is he?"

  "You don't sound silly at all. I am glad that you are so excited. It makes me that much happier. And Max is no bother at all. That's not why I called you," Caeli replied as she closed the kitchen door until only a two inch gap remained.

  "No? Why then?"

  "Vin, that man is out on the beach again. I'm not sure if I should be concerned about him or not."

  "What man?"

  "The one that Max and I saw during our walk this morning; the one with the undertaker's full black suit and black fedora. Oh, wait! You were still sleeping. I forgot to mention it with the other news on my mind."

  "Yes, you neglected to mention the man or your walk. I wish I had known about both before I left. What happened?"

  "Nothing really happened. He was walking toward us, and I got the strangest impression that we needed to get away from him, so I rushed Max inside."

  "What did he do?"

  "The man stopped where we had been by the water and stared up at the hotel. He didn't say or do anything, and he left after a few minutes. But , it sent chills down my spine, and Max did not care for the man either. It was creepy. Yet, I forgot about it until he showed up outside again."

  Vin was not surprised that a m
an would stare after Caeli. He was guilty of doing it the very first time they met. He had since seen it happen many times, though Caeli was genuinely unaware of that type of attention. It always made Vin smile to himself to know that he was not the only one who thought his wife was such a lovely lady. Each time, it reminded him how lucky he was that she had chosen to be with him. However, Caeli was his wife, and anyone who went out of the way for a deliberate second look was crossing a line. That was an entirely different matter; one of which Vin did not approve.

  "What is he doing?" Vin asked.

  "He is standing there again, looking up at the hotel. Now that I hear myself say it, I suppose I do sound a bit paranoid. Besides, he is actually gone now. I can't see him any longer. I guess I was being overly sensitive." Caeli reluctantly admitted, though her uneasiness persisted.

  "I doubt it was anything to worry about. He probably lives nearby. But, if he shows up again, let me know. I will get back there right away."

  "Thanks, Vin. I think I just needed to hear your voice. You know how easily I get spooked."

  "Yes, I know. Hey, I've got to go. We have company at our table. Are you going to be all right?"

  "Yes, thanks. I promised Max we would bake cookies, and he is waiting patiently. I love you, Vin."

  "I love you, too. We'll be home shortly after lunch."

  It did not take long for her and Max to get involved with the cookies. Caeli soon forgot about the man and exchanged childish jokes with Max. When his turn came around again, Max's joke startled her.

  "Knock knock, pretty Caeli."

  "Who's there?" She gave the customary response.

  "The man in black."

  "The man in black, who?"

  "Who is the man in black is standing in the lounge?"

  Caeli dropped the ball of cookie dough she was forming onto the counter and quietly ran to peep out of the kitchen door. Sure enough, the man stood inside the lounge. He was not quite as tall as Vin and unusually thin. His skin was pale white and appeared as if it might be clammy to the touch. He was dressed in a solid black business suit, still wearing the black fedora. The man displayed no discernible expression on his face. For a split second, Caeli thought the man looked disturbingly familiar. Then again, Caeli believed that she would remember if she had met this man before. He made an unforgettable impression. Thankfully, at the moment she peeked out, he was looking toward her room and did not see her. Caeli moved silently back into the kitchen and pulled Max close to her. She put her finger over her lips, indicating for Max not to make any noise.

  "Vin. Vin, can you hear me?"

  "No. Of course he can't hear you. I can't allow your man to interfere."

  Damn! Rika was interfering again. Caeli had to fend for herself and Max. She looked around and discovered a small door at the rear, left of the kitchen. She picked Max up and carried him with her as quickly and quietly as she could. Caeli was not sure where she was going, but at least she would not be standing in plain sight. She crept silently through the door and closed it behind her with no sound other than the small squeak of the hinges.

  The room was tiny, barely large enough to hold the stacked washer and dryer to her right and the kitchen chair that sat beside them. Caeli stood Max on the chair and looked around. There was a large cabinet hanging on the wall directly across from the door. She opened the single door and found several blankets neatly folded and stacked inside. Caeli then looked at the wall to her left. It appeared as if it might once have been an open arch or doorway, but was now covered by several planks of wood nailed across the opening.

  Caeli made up her mind. The only way she could protect Max from this stranger would be to draw the man away. She leaned close and whispered to Max.

  "Max, I am going to lift you up into the cabinet and cover you with the blankets. Once I hide you from that man, I am going to lead him away. I need you to be very quiet. Don't make a sound, no matter what you hear. I don't want you to come out of that cabinet for anybody except your Papa, ok? When your Papa opens the door, if you happen to see the bad man anywhere at all, don't come out. Stay hidden. Wait for the bad man to leave. Can you do that, Max?"

  Max started crying, but bit his trembling bottom lip. He tried not to make noise as tears rolled down his frightened cheeks. Caeli had scared him after all, but it could not be helped. She reached over and hugged him tightly.

  "Please, Max. I need you to be strong and be safe. Will you do that for me, Max?"

  "Yes, pretty Caeli," he whispered between sobs and nodded his head. He reached out a small hand and placed it on her cheek.

  "Will you be strong, too? My mama was not strong when the man in black visited her. I don't want you to be sad, pretty Caeli."

  Caeli looked at Max with a puzzled expression. Something unusually bad must have happened to Max's mother, and he most certainly witnessed at least part of it. Caeli already suspected that Max's mother must have been a gifted woman, though Caeli did not know if she was descendant of one of the bloodlines or had acquired her skill. She definitely wanted to sit down and talk to Apela about it. Maybe he could shed some light on Max's keen insight, but that would have to wait. Right now, she needed to focus on the situation at hand. Caeli's goal was to get this man out of the hotel and away from Max. She wasn't sure why, but Caeli had the distinct impression that the man was after Max.

  "I will be strong, Max. We will both be strong, won't we? Ready? Up you go."

  Caeli lifted him into the cabinet and adjusted the blankets to cover him. As she shut the door, she prayed that he would be safe. Next, she moved the chair over to the door and tilted it so that it propped tightly beneath the doorknob. She wanted to buy herself some time. Caeli was aware that her efforts to dislodge a few of the planks covering the former opening would likely alert the man to her location. The barricade would slow him down and, hopefully, give her a chance to escape through the wall.

  Caeli kicked at one of the thin boards, trying to nudge it loose. After several attempts, the first board cracked and broke free. She ignored the pounding that began on the door behind her. Finally, another board broke loose and, after a total of five long minutes, she had a large enough hole to climb through. When she emerged from the little room and came unsteadily to her feet on the opposite side of the wall, Caeli turned and stumbled directly up against the man in black. He was waiting for her in Ben and Salma's room, which happened to be opposite the laundry room wall. Caeli regretted not thinking of the possibility that, in hindsight, seemed rather obvious.

  Caeli tried to reverse direction, but her momentum carried her forward, directly into his outstretched palms. His clammy touch seeped through the thin material of her blouse as he caught hold of her below her ribs. Time seemed to stand still and their eyes locked. Caeli looked into the blackness in those orbs that reflected nothing. That gaze scared her to her core. Caeli looked down when a pulling near the bottom of her shirt, that coincided with a ripping sound heard as if from a distance, begged her attention. The long and pointed fingernails on one of the man's hands ripped through the fabric at the bottom of her blouse and slashed against the bare skin of her stomach. Her mind slowly registered the fact that he struck her. Caeli instinctively realized that the strike had been deliberately placed, aimed with specific intent. Then the pain of it jolted her back to full awareness.

  She reacted impulsively to pull away from the man, but was not quick enough to completely avoid the strike. Three red lines, each approximately four inches long, could be seen where his fingers had raked across the left side of her abdomen. As he made a move to hit her again, Caeli managed to break free of the man's grasp, knocking him aside in the process. She ran by him, out of her aunt's room, through the lounge, and down the beach. She only looked back once to make sure he was following her rather than going after Max. The man gave chase, and he was quick.

  By the time Caeli crossed the sand and reached the edge of the water, the man had nearly caught up with her. His bone-like fingers reached for her as
the cool water rushed over her feet and lower legs. Caeli turned to make a stand and try to fight him off, hoping to make use of her gift against him. To her astonishment, he vanished. Not running away, but nowhere in sight. She scanned the water around her, but he had not gone under. Alarmingly, there were no footprints in the sand other than her own as she looked back the way she had come.

  Caeli put her hand down on her stomach and felt the wetness of the blood he drew along with the pain of the injury. She saw the red smear on her hand. At least there was some trace of him, and Caeli knew she was not losing her mind. Fighting her directly apparently wasn't part of the man's plan. But where did he go? How did he disappear so quickly? In her panic, did Caeli merely imagine that he was so close to her? No. She was certain that he had been right behind her.

  "Max!"

  She sprinted up the beach. He must have gone after Max once she reached the safety of the water. But how could he know about her gift? That wasn't important at the moment. She had to get back to Max. He could not defend himself. Caeli ran about fifty feet when she caught movement off to her right and saw the man in black again. She was horrified to see that Max was with him. They were both standing on top of the circular ridges of the cave.

  Caeli changed direction and ran toward them. She made her way up the side of the cave wall and moved forward until she was about five feet away from them. There, she stopped cold. They were nearly at the end of the cave and were standing within jumping distance of the water. Max's tears flowed unfettered as the man held him by the throat, but the boy did not make a sound. He looked up at Caeli, and she could see that he was trying to be brave despite being terribly frightened.