by Lisa Kessler
Flynn frowned, glaring at the cook. “Are you fucking with me, Cook?”
“Wasn’t me, C-Cap,” Bob stammered, gripping his tray tight with both hands.
Two more hushpuppies took flight, hitting Flynn’s chest. The snickers stopped. They all looked around. She needed something else, something a pirate could respect. She scanned the crew, stopping at Greyson Till. The master gunner had his handguns holstered at his waist, but she didn’t trust herself with a gun. Farther down, she noticed the cutlass. Perfect.
She focused all her energy on the dagger. The blade slid free and shot across the circle of men to land with the tip embedded in the wooden deck right between Flynn’s boots.
Colton shook his head. “It’s gotta be her.”
Good enough. Suddenly she was back in the bed, gulping down air as she sat up. Concern lined Keegan’s face. “All right, love?”
She nodded slowly, a grin tugging at her lips. “I did it.”
…
Keegan walked hand in hand with Char, surprised to see his crew applauding their approach. The only one not joining in the revelry was the captain. Keegan’s gaze shifted to Flynn’s boots. Greyson’s cutlass stood between the captain’s feet.
Keegan raised a brow, meeting Flynn’s cold blue eyes. “Good thing Char didn’t want you dead, mate.”
Flynn crossed his arms. “She still doesn’t have my vote.”
“Don’t be an asshole, Captain. You know she could help us get the Grail.” Colton pulled out his cell phone and frowned. He lifted his head to address the crew. “Agent Bale said the Grail will be back with the Serpent Society tomorrow night. Keegan knows the building. He wants us to make the grab, and he’ll meet us on the Sea Dog once the deed is done.”
“Fuck,” Flynn growled. “Then we need to find it tonight.”
“Why?” Keegan shook his head. “I’ve seen the building. It’ll be a simple job for us.”
“Have ye all forgotten how to think like pirates?” Flynn narrowed his eyes. “If we play the agent’s game, we’ll be at his mercy.”
“How so?” Colton crossed his arms. “He agreed to let us keep the cup.”
“Aye.” Flynn scanned the group. “And I say what better way to get us to do his dirty work? His ‘word’ is meaningless. He takes orders from men we’ve never met. And if they tell him to take the Grail before we’ve taken our swig, he has weapons and agents to do just that.”
Keegan hated to admit it, but the captain had a point. Agent Bale wasn’t crew. They had no way to know if he would follow through on his word. “If we screw him, he’ll come after us.”
Flynn nodded, meeting Keegan’s eyes. “That’s why we’ll get the cup tonight and take a drink before he knows we’ve retrieved it. Then we can let him know we altered the plan, but we have the Grail either way.”
Colton stepped into the center of the men. “First, we vote on adding a new member to the crew, then we’ll make our plans.”
Keegan raised his voice. “Adding Skye to our crew has helped us chase our treasure, and Char has the power to protect us while we bring it back.”
Cheers erupted from all but Flynn.
Colton quieted the crew. “I’ll count the votes, yay or nay.”
One by one, Keegan’s crew voted to make Char one of them. Finally, Colton reached Duke, Flynn’s first mate. The big man’s dark eyes flicked to the cutlass at the captain’s feet and then back up to his face. He turned to Colton, his deep voice rumbling as he nodded. “Yay.”
Keegan squeezed Char’s hand, waiting for the final vote.
Flynn plucked the cutlass from the wood, pointing the blade in Char’s direction. “One question for you. Are ye willing to spill blood to protect yer crew?”
She lifted her chin, her tone steady. “I already have.”
Flynn pulled in a slow breath, inspecting his reflection in the blade of the cutlass. He started to nod as he handed the blade back to Greyson. “Yay.”
Keegan laughed, pulling Char into his arms. She grinned up at him with a chuckle. “Never in a million years did I imagine I’d be part of the crew of the Sea Dog.”
“We’re lucky to have you, love.”
Keegan released her as Colton approached and offered her his hand. “Welcome to the family, Dr. Sinclair.”
“Call me Char.”
John Smyth came over and shook her hand with a grin. “You still owe me a favor.”
She rolled her eyes. “I know, I know.”
Keegan rubbed his chest over his long-dormant heart. Damn, he loved this woman. As long as he’d lived, he never realized how much he could care for someone, and unlike Jess, this time the trust was a two-way street. He had no secrets from Char.
Flynn cleared his throat. “We have a long night ahead of us. Best we eat and lay our plans.” He turned to Duke, lowering his voice. “Save me some food. I need to send an email to reschedule my meeting with Aren Sloan. I want this connection with Sloan Consulting to work.”
Keegan assumed that must be the investor from Reno who Flynn had mentioned. He didn’t trust his captain when it came to business propositions, and he didn’t feel a trace of guilt for eavesdropping.
Duke raised a brow. “He already flew out to Atlanta today.”
“I’m well aware. I’ll have Carol give him a tour of our commercial properties in the city. She can buy some time.”
Duke crossed his arms. “If this deal is that important, you should go handle it. We don’t need your help to steal the Grail.”
“No.” Flynn gritted his teeth. “Sloan has investors lined up who are looking to expand on the east coast, yes, but his influx of cash isn’t going to buy me immortality. This is more important right now.”
Flynn got up, apparently finished discussing it. He took out his cell phone as he walked away toward the stern.
Keegan pulled his attention back to the rest of the crew, enjoying Bob’s shrimp and hushpuppies with Char. When Flynn returned, he laid out his plan for retrieving the Grail. Since they had no idea which package contained the Lord’s cup, they’d have to hit both Tubby’s River Street and Amick’s on Tybee Island at the same time. If they tripped alarms, the police would be busy at two locations while the crew brought both parcels back on board the ship.
Keegan shook his head. “One problem, mate. Tybee is a good half hour drive from River Street with only one way back here. If the police get involved and close the roads, we won’t be able to get to the Sea Dog.”
Flynn raised a brow. “Then you’ll have to find a place to lay low.”
Keegan rolled his eyes. Tybee Island wasn’t a big city like Atlanta. Hiding out wouldn’t be so simple.
Before he could explain it to the pompous ass, Colton spoke up. “Keegan’s right. Besides, Tubby’s isn’t far from here. It wouldn’t be safe to keep the stolen package on the Sea Dog.” Flynn opened his mouth, but Colton raised his hand to silence him. “I say we go in pairs to retrieve the packages. The rest of the crew will prepare the sails. When we get back from Tubby’s, we set sail for Tybee Island. We’ll pick up the other two and then take the packages out to sea.”
Keegan nodded slowly. “Good plan, mate.” He glanced at Flynn. The captain was staring at Char with a calculating smirk. Fuck. Flynn was going to nominate Char to go ashore. Keegan angled himself in front of her, blocking the captain’s view. “I’ll go ashore with Colton, and John and Greyson can head for Tybee Island.”
Colton crossed his arms. “We’ve got a skeleton crew as it is. I need to stay on deck. Someone’s got to pilot the ship over to Tybee.”
Like a shark smelling blood in the water, Flynn struck. “Keegan’s lady can go inside the building without setting off an alarm. Why aren’t we sending her? She’s no help on the ship anyway.”
Char groaned and nudged Keegan aside. “I’m standing right here, and I’m far from useless.” She turned to Colton. “But he might be right about me being more valuable on land.”
“You can’t teleport a box out of
a building.” Keegan tensed. “You’ve never stolen anything in your life. This is a bad idea.”
“You’re right, it is a bad idea. All of this is.” She rested her fist on her hip. “We should just wait until tomorrow night and pay the Serpent Society a visit like Agent Bale planned. There’s a much better chance of succeeding when we can focus on one location instead of two.”
Flynn bristled, shaking his head. “Then we take all the risk, and the government will claim our reward.”
“Fuck that.” Keegan raised his chin. “I’ll go.”
“And I’ll go with you.” Char slid her hand into his.
He frowned, looking down into her eyes. His voice softened. “Stay here. Be safe until I can bring you the cup.”
“You’re not bulletproof right now.” She squeezed his hand. “I saved you once already. I won’t get in your way, but if you’re in danger, I’ll be right there.”
Again, his heart stuttered. No one had ever cared so much for him. He brought his other hand up to caress her soft cheek. “You’ll stay behind me?”
“Until I need to be in front.” Rebellion gleamed in her eyes as her mouth turned up into a playful smile.
Keegan winked and looked at the others. “Settled, then. Char and I will head for Tybee Island.”
“Good.” Colton glanced at their master gunner. “Greyson, you and our clever boatswain will go to Tubby’s and get your asses back here as fast as you can. And keep your phones off. If the agent suspects anything, he has the resources to track our GPS. I’ll have the Sea Dog ready to sail for Tybee when you two get back.” Colton focused on Keegan and Char. “Then we’ll drop anchor by the lighthouse. We’ll send a dingy out to the shore. Meet us there.”
“Aye.” Keegan nodded.
“We just entered the mouth of the Savannah River.” Caleb interrupted the meeting. “If we don’t let out the sails and dump some of this wind, none of your plans is going to work.”
Keegan hustled to the helm, while Colton barked out orders and the others shot up the ratlines. Char took it all in, drawing a smile from him.
He called over to Colton. “Quartermaster, who is rowing in to the dock?”
The dingy would be lowered to the river with two men, who would climb up to wait on the dock and catch the lines to tie the Sea Dog in place.
Colton shouted over the wind. “Duke and Drake are manning the boat ashore. Why?”
Keegan replied, “If you take the helm, I’ll help Char toss them the monkey’s fist.”
“Aye.” Colton chuckled, turning to Char. “You’re officially crew now.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Charlotte leaned on the railing, gripping the thick rope in both hands as they neared the dock. She examined the heavy knot at the end. The diameter was about eight inches, and it weighed a good five pounds.
“I’ve never thrown a rope before.”
“Line,” Keegan corrected with a wink.
She grinned at him. “This is a lot heftier than the monkey’s fist key rings we sell in the museum gift shop.”
He focused his attention on the dock again. “It’s a tough knot. I still haven’t mastered it.”
She raised a brow at his admission. “Who tied this one?”
“Caleb.” He glanced her way. “Our navigator has busy hands when he’s thinking. He ties a mean knot.”
She nodded, bouncing the weight in her hand. “He does nice work.”
“Aye.” Keegan moved behind her, his body warm against her back. “Ready, love? Duke is a big target over there. You need to toss the monkey’s fist hard enough to reach him but not to knock him out.”
His hand covered hers on the knot. “Grip it tight and swing it underhand. Let gravity do the work for you.”
He released her, and she focused on the hulking first mate waiting on the dock. At first, she swung her arm without releasing it. One, two, three… She let go of the line. The monkey’s fist sailed through the night air while she held her breath. Duke raised his large hands and caught it.
She wanted to cheer but bit back her excitement. It was late, and the last thing they wanted to do was attract attention.
Drake and Duke hustled around the dock, tying down the ship. The rest happened so fast, it was tough to see all the moving parts. More lines slid down the main one she’d thrown across, and Duke and Drake rushed to wrap them around the dock cleats.
Once the ship was tied down, Drake, the ship’s carpenter, carried the wooden gangplank over all by himself. Strong guy.
Keegan took Char’s hand. “Ready, love?”
She looked up into his green eyes, adrenaline lacing her bloodstream. Was she seriously going to help him break into a building and steal a package?
Not just any package. If everything went according to plan, she’d be holding the fabled Holy Grail in her hands. For a second, she felt like Indiana Jones without the hat and whip. When did she turn from a bookworm into an adventurer?
Staring up into his eyes, she answered her own question.
The moment she fell in love with a pirate. Her lips curved into a soft smile. “Aye.”
…
David woke with a start. The police scanner was always on, but the business name the dispatcher repeated pulled him from a deep sleep and had his full attention. Police were rolling units up to Tubby’s River Street. For a moment, exhaustion and sleep fogged his mind. Why was Tubby’s important?
Oh shit. It was one of the businesses the Serpent Society used to keep the Grail moving, shipping from one place to the other.
He frowned, turning to place his feet on the floor. He needed coffee. His mind was mush. While he got dressed, he sorted his thoughts. The police scanner rambled in the background. He’d sent Colton a text earlier to let the crew know that tomorrow night they would be reclaiming the Grail from the Serpent Society’s building next to the Brotherhood Apartments.
The society’s leader had mentioned retrieving the packages from Tubby’s and Amick’s on Tybee Island, but there was no reason for the society members to break in. The packages belonged to them. They could end the forwarding orders and pick them up anytime.
Why risk getting the police involved?
He slid his arm through his shoulder holster as an officer’s voice came through the scanner.
Two male suspects on foot. Heading toward River Street.
No mention of robes or hoods. And the Serpent Society headquarters was inland. They wouldn’t be headed for the river. He grabbed his sports coat, checking the pockets. Could the break-in be teenagers? The report on the scanner didn’t reference a missing cash register, so whoever hit the place, money wasn’t the motivator…
He froze for a second. The pirates.
“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath as he jogged to the car.
His own fault for trusting an immortal band of pirates, but the relationship seemed mutually beneficial. He already promised them another sip. Why would they go behind his back and potentially get the local authorities involved?
Because they must’ve thought David wouldn’t keep his word.
He got to his car and hit the road. If his hunch was right, and the pirates were stealing the packages, they’d be taking them back to the Sea Dog. He gunned the engine, watching his rearview mirror for flashing lights.
When he made the final turn down the hill to go to River Street, the cobblestone street rattled his fillings and probably beat the shit out of the sedan’s suspension and shocks. He pulled over by the dock just in time to see the wind filling the giant sails of the Sea Dog. In the moonlight, it looked like a ghost ship.
The spell was broken by the shouts of the captain and the crew.
“Fuck.” David yanked out his cell phone and looked for Colton’s number.
The quartermaster answered. “This is Colton.”
“This is Agent Bale. Going for a moonlit sail tonight?”
“Nah. Catching up on television. Why?”
“I’m watching your fucking ship
.” David’s voice dropped to a feral growl. “We had a deal.”
“Aye.” Colton sobered. “And we’re fulfilling our end. We’re procuring the Lord’s cup just as we agreed.”
“I told you where it would be tomorrow night.” David kept his voice low and controlled as he scanned the street for lights and sirens. “Now local law enforcement is digging around.”
“Not sure if we mentioned it before, but we’re experienced thieves. They won’t find anything missing except for three packages from their shipping area. I’m sure you’ve got connections.” He shouted something to his crew before focusing on the call again. “I’m turning off my phone now. Don’t waste time with your GPS. This was the only one still on.”
David rolled his eyes. “This wasn’t our bargain, Colton.”
“Aye. See you soon, Agent Bale. You can handle this, mate.”
“I’m not your mate, and this new plan is reckless… Hello? Shit!” David jammed his phone back into his pocket as he paced the waterfront. The ship was headed for the Atlantic.
He shoved the anger aside as the sails shrank in the moonlight. If they grabbed the package from Tubby’s, there was no guarantee the Grail would be inside it. They’d have to hit Amick’s on Tybee Island, too.
Maybe they already had, and it just hadn’t been called in yet.
He needed to get on that damn ship.
David went to his car, trusting that Colton had been right about his crew being experienced enough not to leave any evidence behind. He didn’t have time to deal with the local police. Not right now.
He didn’t have any magic to fly him out to the Sea Dog, but he did have access to a fucking helicopter.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Keegan crept around the perimeter, checking for open doors. No sense risking an alarm if they could slip through another way. He twisted the final doorknob. Locked. Shit.
He circled back to Char.
She flinched, letting out a pent-up breath when she realized it was him. “Find anything?”
“No.” He took the crowbar from her. “I’m going to have to break a window. Stay close. Good chance this will have the police rolling our way. We need to make this quick.”
