by Joyce
Bart smiled and kissed her hand. “Because you love me. That’s why I don’t mind when you bring a sword to bed at night.”
She kissed him and slapped his cheek a little. “That’s right.” She looked around at everyone watching the terrier. “What’s going on?”
Bart explained about the kids. “We have a problem. They need a place to stay since their house might be poisoned. Jessie thinks we should sneak them into the castle.”
“I agree with her.” Daisy tipped back her tankard and finished her ale. “That’s what I like best about you, Jessie. You think on your feet. Let’s go. The night’s not getting any younger.”
The eleven of us left the small crowd throwing coins for the terrier and his owner and started walking toward the castle. The fake snow was spewing out across the Village, maybe with a little less ferocity than the blizzard it had been.
“Why the hell are they wasting the snow at night when no one’s here?” Daisy demanded.
“Daisy!” Bart reprimanded. “The children. You can’t swear in front of children.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking.” Daisy put her hand to her mouth.
“What’s the plan?” Bart asked. “We’re like a small army trying to sneak into the castle. I don’t think it’s going to work.”
I hadn’t really considered how many of us there were. It might be easy to get one or two in without being noticed, but eleven was a lot. Besides, Joy and Star were tired and whiny. Merry Beth kept telling them they could go home soon, but the two little ones didn’t care.
“You’re right,” I admitted. “I’m ready to hear any and every plan on how we can do this. I just can’t think of anywhere else in the Village with the kind of room we need.”
Two pirates jumped out at us, ending our discussion. The Queen’s Revenge was tied up at the end of Mirror Lake near the Lady of the Lake Tavern. That meant mischief was afoot.
“We’re here to relieve you of any and all coins, tokens, or other important things you might have.” The first pirate was very young. He looked familiar. Then I realized it was Bucky from vegetable justice. This had to be his initiation.
“Out of my way,” Daisy said. “Do you know who I am? I’ll run you scallywags through if you’re not careful.”
“Look, we need tokens or something,” the second pirate explained. He was new, too, but not as young. “This is a pirate initiation. If we don’t come back with something, King Rafe won’t let us be pirates. And I’m not working at the frog catapult again.”
Having worked the frog catapult, I could sympathize. I started thinking about all the berths on the pirate ship. It would be just like Peter Pan for the kids.
“Belay that, Swordmaster,” I said to Daisy. “I think we have several things these two new pirates can bring back with them tonight.”
I stared pointedly at the kids, who were thrilled to be held up by pirates.
“Perhaps you’re right,” Daisy agreed with a smile. “I’m sure Rafe will be glad to see us. Lead on, young sirs!”
We convinced the two new wannabe pirates that Rafe would be very impressed by them bringing people to the ship. They could charge ransom. The other pirates would respect them.
The newbies could finally see how it could work for them, and being hungry and tired of waiting to jump out at stray residents, they agreed.
Daisy and Bart were reluctant to leave me and the kids, but I assured them it would be okay. I could see they wanted some intimate makeup time, not always easy to get around there.
We boarded the Queen’s Revenge to a raucous chorus of pirates congratulating their two new mates on bringing back something of value. It was a rite of passage for everyone who wanted to join the group.
The two new pirates basked in it, nodding, smiling, and accepting the accolades. At least until Rafe, the pirate king, came up on deck and took a good look at their booty. At that point, all the hardy well wishes came to an abrupt end.
“What’s this?” Rafe demanded, arms folded across his leather-clad chest. I noticed that the only holiday garb the pirates had agreed to wear were red and green scarves around their heads or necks. Not such a big change since the scarves were usually red anyway.
“We did as you bid us, King Rafe,” Bucky said with a respectful bow and a pretty good hand gesture of respect.
“This is not treasure, my boys.” Rafe made a point of walking around me, looking me over as though I were a horse he was about to purchase. “This is trouble.”
Rafe and I have a long history. We were once lovers on this very pirate ship for a long summer. But that was years ago during my pre-Chase, love-’em-and-leave-’em days. Since then, we’d pranked each other a few times (the last being the portable toilet incident) but mostly didn’t encourage contact. I could understand his hesitancy. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to help out. I figured he just needed to understand the situation.
“We seek asylum on your vessel, Captain Rafe,” I explained.
He puffed up like a peacock and glared at me. “That’s King Rafe,” he reminded me. His dark eyes looked at me with contempt. “We don’t grant asylum to nonpirates on the Queen’s Revenge. Seek the bailiff if you want protection.”
I looked at my eight charges, wishing I hadn’t told Bart and Daisy that I could handle this on my own. I could have used their backup right about now. Certainly Bart just being himself was enough to scare anyone into submission.
But it was already done. I couldn’t let the kids down.
“I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to be a pirate, right, kids?” I asked them.
I wasn’t sure what their response would be, but apparently they had spent enough time in the Village to know what they should say. They all said “Arr!” at the same time.
That seriously broke the tension. All the pirates started laughing and slapping each other on the back. It was still hard for Rafe to take in what was happening on his ship. I could see the deer-in-the-headlights look on his lean, handsome face.
The two new pirates, Bucky and Stanly, played up how tough they were, spinning an incredible yarn about kidnapping all of us to hold us for ransom. It made the whole affair take on a different aspect. The pirates were victorious and had proven themselves.
Rafe shouted for quiet. He wasn’t through complaining. “I have not sanctioned this action as yet. I have yet to see how this serves us. The Lady Jessie, while a good ransom bet, will be difficult and will not serve my needs.” He spit on the deck, which caused all the other pirates to begin spitting, too. Before I knew it, all eight kids had joined in. The two smallest ones had the hardest time trying to do what everyone else was doing. But it further endeared them to the crew.
“That may be true,” I agreed. “And I’ll be glad to leave if you agree to harbor these children. They need you. They’ll be safe here. You can protect them. You might be the only ones in the Village who can.”
Rafe liked that. I knew he would. He’d had a supersized ego ever since Crystal the Pirate Queen left to reconcile with her husband. Rafe needed his pirates to look up to him and not question his authority. Otherwise there might be mutiny—the old-fashioned way, of course—by throwing him off the plank and into Mirror Lake—and a new pirate king.
I saw Grigg lurking in the shadows by the main mast. I knew he’d tried to do exactly that when Crystal had left. It just didn’t work out for him. But he could challenge Rafe again at any time. It was part of the pirate way of life.
I could see Rafe was thinking the same thing. Throwing the kids off the ship would be unpopular with the crew. He’d risk mutiny if he didn’t pledge to protect them.
Finally he gave in with a loud “Arr!” and a raising of his saber. “Let them stay. Let them be pirates.”
The pirates arred and huzzahed for a while, then they lifted the kids on their shoulders and took them below deck to the living quarters. There would be hammocks for everyone.
I started to follow them, but Rafe put his hand on my shoulder. �
�You and I have some unfinished business. Come to my quarters. The men will take care of your precious cargo.”
While I’d said I would leave if he wanted me to, I didn’t really mean it. I wasn’t looking forward to sleeping on the pirate ship again, but I didn’t want to leave the kids either. I hoped that wasn’t what he wanted to parlay about. Even more, I hoped he didn’t think this was some scheme to get his attention and make him want to make out with me in his quarters.
The captain’s cabin was exactly as I remembered it. It was like a pirate man-cave, with all kinds of souvenirs from battles he’d fought and treasures he’d found. He was one of the only pirates who slept in a bed—an enormous four-poster covered with black velvet.
“Sit down,” he commanded. “Would you like some brandy? I recall you have a fondness for peach brandy.”
“No thanks.” I sat in one of the ladder-back chairs as far away from the bed as I could. “I’ll take some wine if you have it.”
“You’ve gone soft living at the Dungeon with the bailiff,” he remarked as he poured the wine. “So what’s up with the kids?”
I explained the situation. “The killer is still here, Rafe. She’s targeting Christine now. But what if she goes after the kids? They have no other family nearby. Their father is dead, and their mother may be in the hospital for a few days. No one else has enough room for them, or people to protect them. She wouldn’t try and get on the Queen’s Revenge.”
“I suppose that makes some sense. I don’t mind helping out. You know I couldn’t just let them stay without making a big deal out of it for the men.”
“I understand and I expected it.”
“I was just kidding about you leaving.” He handed me my wine, sliding his fingers across mine. “I can’t think of anything I’d like better than to have you here again.”
We were officially in treacherous waters. I sipped my wine and tried not to look at the big bed. “Thank you for helping them. I’ll be glad to stay.”
“What about Chase?”
“I’m sure he’d be glad to stay, too.” I smiled at him and let the chips fall where they may.
He looked a little uncertain about that and stopped hovering over me, trying to peer down my bodice. “I don’t think it’s necessary for the bailiff to stay, Jessie. You and the children will be perfectly fine here. We can protect them. Surely you two lovebirds can spend a night apart.”
“Actually, Chase will probably be at the hospital most of the night with Christine. She needs someone there with her.”
He smiled in a lecherous fashion once he knew Chase wasn’t in the Village. It was stupid of me to tell him.
“We’ll have to make do without him then, my lady. I would be honored to share my bed with you. No need for you to sleep in a hammock below deck. A woman of your cunning and beauty deserves special attention.”
I really wanted to help the children, but if it meant spending the night in Rafe’s bed, we’d have to find another way. I hoped I could circumvent that problem, but it might not be possible.
“I appreciate the offer, King Rafe.” I got up and put my wineglass on the table. “But I can’t leave the kids alone. Imagine what they’re going through after their father’s murder and finding their mother poisoned. They need me with them.”
I thought for one long moment that he would lose his cool and forget his compassion. To his credit, he did neither. He bowed handsomely to me and smiled. “Then I wish you well, Lady Jessie. Sleep sweet. I shall see you on the morrow.”
I curtsied deeply. “We are in your debt. Good night.”
Rafe stayed in his cabin while I crossed the deck to the stairs that led below. I breathed a sigh of relief. That problem was narrowly averted. I was surprised how much he’d matured since becoming king.
The night was crystal clear with a small crescent moon hanging above us in the dark sky. The Village slept in holiday splendor while the castle rose stately behind us.
As I started down the stairs into the interior of the ship, I glanced toward the manor houses at Squire’s Lane, wishing I’d brought the note I’d found on the refrigerator with me. If I hadn’t been so worried about the kids and Christine, I would’ve remembered it. I wasn’t going down there this late. It was just going to have to wait until morning.
The light caught on a dark figure gliding between the shops and attractions. It seemed the black widow was on the prowl again.
Twenty-six
Was she checking to see if Christine was at the manor house so she could finish the job she’d started? I wished I’d thought about it sooner. I could’ve set myself up, pretended to be Christine, and caught her in the act. Obviously she hadn’t been able to replace her gun, so she’d resorted to poison. I’d be safe taking her on. Too bad the time had passed for that deception.
I watched her as she slid up the stairs to the manor house where Christine and the kids were staying. It made my blood run cold to think we could have all been asleep in there, waiting for her to come and do her worst. What kind of person hurt kids anyway? Hurting her ex-husband—I might be able to understand that even though they’d been divorced twenty years. Even Christine. Of course, I had no hard proof that she wanted to hurt the kids—
Enough! No more speculation. It was time to end this. No one was going to distract me from catching Alice.
I looked at my cell phone in the torchlight. There was no point in bothering to put it on silent mode. The battery was dead. Chase wasn’t going to be able to get in touch with me.
I didn’t need it, or him, for this anyway. All I had to do was follow her long enough to see where she went to roost. After that, I could call in the police from someone else’s phone.
For a brief moment, I considered that I could be wrong. This might be some innocent resident of the Village who had been happier with Halloween than Christmas. But if that was the case, I’d just end up feeling stupid. No harm, no foul.
I managed to get off of the ship without being caught by the watch. I still felt safe leaving the kids, even though their security wasn’t as good as I’d thought, since I’d managed to sneak out. There were still a lot of pirates to get through if anyone tried to get onboard and mess with them. Besides, I knew the Queen’s Revenge well. It was doubtful that Alice had spent time there, too.
I tried not to worry about the kids and focused on the black widow. If I lost her again, it might be for the last time.
I sneaked past Eve’s Garden and the bright lights the maintenance crew had on to clean out the fountain near Our Lady’s Gemstones. I didn’t want her to see me and get spooked again.
I moved stealthily past the privies and around the Treasure Trove and Leather and Lace. There was no sign of my quarry. She could still be inside the manor house.
I decided to wait near the first aid station. It was only a hunch that she’d want to avoid the bright lights illuminating the King’s Highway, too. She had kept away from the residents there when I’d tracked her earlier.
That meant she would have to backtrack, going toward the Main Gate and back up to the castle.
Of course, that would mean she was going to the castle, as it had appeared when I’d followed her the first time. If she had other ideas, she could come out of Squire’s Lane and head down toward the Field of Honor. If that happened, I’d lose her. But I stuck with my hunch and waited where I was.
I listened to the sound of sweet harp music, probably coming from the Merry Mynstrel’s Stage where Susan Halifax was practicing. Beyond that, I heard the trumpeting of a restless elephant at the other end of the Village. Though very few lights were on in the shops and resident housing, the Village certainly wasn’t quiet.
I was getting restless and bored, wishing something would happen. I didn’t exactly relish the thought of spending the night below deck in a hammock with a bunch of snoring pirates, but standing out here waiting wasn’t a picnic either.
Maybe I was kidding myself that I had any idea at all about who’d killed Chris or how
it had happened, or who had hurt Christine. For all I knew, she had taken too many sleeping pills—maybe she just couldn’t deal with everything anymore. Not everyone could face what she was facing.
I was just about to talk myself out of waiting any longer when the Lady in Black glided right by me on the cobblestones. If I’d sneezed, she would’ve been close enough to bless me.
I held my breath and didn’t move. My heart was pounding so hard, I was afraid she’d hear it.
Her veil was so heavy that I couldn’t possibly guess whose face was under it, even that close. I had a feeling that she’d be hidden by it even in daylight.
I waited after she passed, counting to one hundred (something I saw a private detective do once in a movie), then stepped carefully out of my hiding place.
I felt the thrill of excitement tinged with fear when I saw that my hunch was correct. She was making her way toward the castle, slipping to the side of the climbing wall and up close to Mirror Lake.
I held back and caught my breath as she slowed down close to where the Queen’s Revenge was rocking gently at anchor. It wasn’t possible that she already knew where the kids were staying. Even if she did, she was one woman against a large troupe of crazy pirates. They’d protect the kids. Everything would be okay.
The pep talk worked and I started breathing again as she edged up along the lake, past the Lady of the Lake Tavern and the Feathered Shaft.
I was right behind her, hugging the shadows, almost scared to move, my gaze glued on her.
I was surprised when she bypassed the castle gate. Where is she going? There was nothing on the far side of the castle except for trees and shrubs. Chase had told me once that the only addition the Village had made to this wilderness area was holly bushes. The spiky leaf bushes would deter most visitors from straying here. The wall that surrounded the Village continued behind the castle, but it was reinforced with barbed wire.
There was nothing back there. I’d gone that way once with Chase when he was looking for a missing child. The back of the castle was a solid concrete wall with no entrances. I wasn’t sure if there was even a window.
