Pete nodded. “It’s a pretty good guess.”
“It’s not a guess,” I said. “I’m sure of it. Aldo was upset because he was going to miss his daughter’s birthday party on Sunday afternoon. He told me he’d promised her he’d be there, so he knew he’d be leaving Friday night. If Aldo had been an innocent guest, enjoying the judge’s weekend invitation, there was no way he could get to a birthday party in New Jersey on Sunday.”
The rest of it spilled out. “When I told Kurt I was suspicious that Aldo was mixed up with organized crime, he answered that if that were the case, Aldo could have just taken the artifact by force and left the island.”
Pete whistled. “And to do that he’d have to know about the boat. Kurt really gave that one away.”
I climbed to my feet. Pete got up, too, and said, “We’ve got to think fast. We’re running out of time. What are we going to do?”
“There seems to be only one thing to do,” I said. “I’m going to tell Kurt that I’ve got the artifact.”
Pete groaned and kicked at a tree root that curled up and into the sand. “You’re going to give it to Kurt? That’s crazy! That’s dumb!”
“Pete, listen to me.” I put my hands on his shoulders and looked into his eyes. “I’m going to tell you where I put the artifact. I hid it in a cave west of the house,” I said, and went on to give him a complete description of the limestone promontory and how to find it.
For a moment he was silent. Then “Thanks, Andy,” he said. The words were so soft I could hardly hear them, but the crinkle lines deepened around his eyes. I reached out and hugged him.
Pete hugged back, enthusiastically, then suddenly broke away. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s go back to your plan A, B, or whatever.”
“You mean my plan to tell Kurt I’ve got the artifact?”
“You can’t. What do you think he’ll do to you then?”
“He’ll wait for me, because that’s what I’ll tell him to do. I’ll tell him that I’ve hidden the artifact, but I won’t tell him where. And I’ll tell him to wait for me in the living room. That will keep him out of the way and give you the chance to do what you have to do.”
“Which is what?”
“Hot-wire the boat.”
His eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open.
“You once hot-wired a car to start it,” I said. “And you said a powerboat ran sort of like a car. So couldn’t you do the same thing with the motorboat?”
He thought a minute. “Yeah,” he said. “With a little luck I ought to be able to.”
“Then bring it around to the promontory near the cave. Were my directions enough? Do you think you can find it?”
“I can find it.”
“Watch the house, Pete. I’ll send Aunt Madelyn and Benita and Eliison to meet you before I talk to Kurt. As soon as they reach the woods, take them to the boat.”
“That would leave you alone with Kurt and Aldo,” he said.
“Only for a couple of minutes.” My hands were getting clammy again. I hoped Pete wouldn’t see how frightened I was.
But maybe he did, because he frowned. “I ought to stick around.”
“There won’t be time.”
“I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you, Andy.”
“It won’t.” My voice sounded a lot more positive than I felt. We looked at each other without speaking for a moment. Then I said, “That’s it. Are you ready?”
“Ready,” he said.
I kissed him quickly, turned, and ran down the beach toward the house.
Madelyn and Benita were seated once again on the veranda. I motioned to Madelyn to join me, and she hurried down the steps. She wasn’t the calm, collected person I was used to, and I hoped the others hadn’t noticed her trembling hands.
I made a show of hugging her, wondering who might be watching, and whispered, “Where’s Ellison?”
“In the kitchen.”
“Where are Kurt and Aldo?”
“In the living room. After what you told me about Aldo, I’m so thankful that Kurt is here to keep an eye on him.”
She had more to say, but I didn’t let her. “Take Benita with you right now,” I said. “Go around the house to the kitchen, get Ellison, and head straight toward the woods. Pete will take over then. Do what he tells you.”
“I’ll need more explanation than that,” she said.
“No. That’s it. There isn’t time. You’re going to have to trust Pete and me and cooperate, Aunt Madelyn. This may be the only chance we’ve got.”
Her eyes narrowed as she thought, and I could almost see her thoughts whirling behind them. Finally she looked up at me. “Is there something else you’re not telling me?”
“Yes,” I said. “And we’re talking about trust again.”
She took a deep breath and with it seemed to grow taller and straighter. “Very well,” she said. “I’ll do as you say.” She motioned to Benita, calling, “Come, dear. We must not sit and stagnate. We’re off for a stroll.”
Benita slowly joined her, grumbling about not wanting so much exercise, and I ran up the veranda steps and into the living room, where Kurt was slouched in an armchair, reading a magazine.
I looked around before I spoke. “Where’s Aldo?”
“In his room getting some aspirin. He has another headache.”
It took three long strides to reach his chair. I squatted next to it, gripping the arm, and tried to keep my voice from trembling. “I don’t want Aldo to overhear us, so keep your voice low. I know where the artifact is.”
For an instant I thought he was going to jump out of his chair. He poked his face almost into mine and hissed, “You found it? You’ve got it?”
“I know where it is,” I said, “and in a few minutes I’m going to get it and bring it to you.”
His gaze darted toward the stairs and back to me, then back and forth again. I glanced at the stairs, too, but Aldo wasn’t in sight. “Why don’t you just tell me where it is and I’ll get it?” he asked.
“Because you need to stay here with Aldo. You’re protecting us, and besides, we can’t take the chance that he’ll get his hands on it.”
“Yeah,” he said. “Right.” Then he squinted suspiciously at me. “How’d you find it?”
“Do you want me to get it or not?” I asked.
“You’re going to bring it to me?”
“That’s what you told me to do, isn’t it?”
“How long is this going to take?”
“Maybe twenty minutes.”
He scowled. “Come on. No one could have taken it out of the house.”
“Someone did,” I said.
“Do you know who that person was?”
I nodded. “Yes, I do. I’ll tell you later. Will you wait here? Shall I get it?” By this time I hoped that Pete had the others in tow and they were making their way through the woods toward the motorboat.
It was obvious that Kurt was trying out every option that came to his mind. He could force me to take him to where the artifact was hidden, but he wasn’t sure what Madelyn or Benita would do. He could call to Aldo, but that would give their connection away. As far as he knew, I had believed the story he’d given me. Here I was, offering to bring him the artifact. He suddenly shrugged and said, “Go ahead. Get it I’ll wait here for you.”
I raced out of the house and down to the pier, where I kicked off my sandals and dived into the water. There was no time to change into a bathing suit, but my shorts and T-shirt were easy to swim in.
I was glad for the swimming lessons, glad for the practice over the summers at the Y pool and at Galveston beach. I kept a strong, steady stroke until I reached the promontory. The tide was coming in, just as it had been before, so I dived deeply through the arch and twisted to enter the cave before I surfaced. I scrambled onto the ledge, scraping my knees and one elbow, and hopped over the rough limestone to the niche where the towel was still wedged.
With shaking fingers I unfolded the towel
and removed the topaz, which was even more spectacular than I had remembered. Even in the dim light of the cave it glowed with a blue fire. The golden monkey hovered over it, his eyes reflecting sparks from the stone. I felt as though he were staring directly at me.
It took only a minute to slip the ribbon over my head and tuck the topaz down inside my T-shirt, wedging it under my bra. But the monkey’s sharp little paws dug painfully into my skin.
I picked up the towel. Maybe I should replace it, just to mark the spot. The police would come to investigate the murders and, even though the artifact would be well on its way to Peru, I’d need to show them where it had been hidden. I folded the towel and tucked it back into the niche.
I walked to the edge of the ledge, ready to slide back into the water, hoping with all my heart that Pete and the motorboat would show up soon.
But the water beneath me exploded as Kurt shot through, his big hands grabbing the ledge. He pulled himself up, grinning, shouting at me, as I stumbled back.
“Give it to me!” he yelled. “Give me the artifact!”
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It was like trying to wake from a bad dream when you want to scream but you can’t. I opened my mouth but only some croaking noises came out.
“Where is it?” he demanded.
I pointed at the towel.
Greedily, Kurt stumbled over the ledge and shoved a fist into the niche, grabbing for the towel. He was no longer between me and the entrance to the cave.
I ran and jumped, blindly. A sharp pain stabbed up my leg as my ankle scraped the rock, but I didn’t let it stop me. Down I went, swooping through the arch as though I were as fast and sleek as a fish. I didn’t look back. I didn’t dare to. I surfaced, swimming with all my might. I could hear Kurt splashing behind me. He wasn’t far away.
No boat. Not even the sound of the boat. Pete hadn’t been able to start it. He wouldn’t come. I was out here with Kurt, who was bigger and stronger than I was. There’d be no contest.
From the corner of one eye I caught a movement and automatically dived just as he lunged for me, leaving him off balance and flailing on the surface. The sea wasn’t deep this close to land, and I could see a cluster of conchs among the wavering sea plants below me. I came up behind Kurt, pulled on one leg to jerk him under, and twisted away.
When I came up for air I was about five feet from Kurt. He was coughing and spitting. Luckily, my maneuver had caused him to gulp a mouthful of salt water.
I dived again, this time with a purpose. I picked up one of the conchs, looked up to see Kurt’s position, and shot up behind him.
Raising the conch high in the air, I banged it down on the back of Kurt’s head. He went limp and slid under the water. I dropped the conch, pulled Kurt’s head up so that he could breathe, and treaded water.
I was so thankful when I heard the boat’s motor that I shouted and whooped. Around the promontory it came. Pete was steering and searching.
Madelyn, who was on her feet, too, screamed, “Andrea!” She picked up a thermos and held it over her head like a weapon.
“It’s all right!” I shouted. I realized that they couldn’t hear me, but I couldn’t let Kurt get bashed again, so I tried to vise sign language. I felt Kurt stirring. I was glad he was going to regain consciousness, but I didn’t want to be this close to him when he did. “Hurry!” I yelled.
Pete slowed to a stop, and the boat slid close to me.
“Kurt’s coming to,” I said as Kurt began to move his head up and down and mumble.
“Don’t worry,” Pete said. He dropped the ladder over the side.
I grabbed it with my free hand, but Kurt suddenly reached out and grabbed it too.
“Uh-uh,” Pete said. He leaned over the side and poked a small handgun into Kurt’s face. “You want to swim to shore,” he said. “There’s a nice little beach just a few yards away.”
Kurt looked at the gun. “I know,” Pete said. “It’s yours. I found it in the boat. Dirty trick, wasn’t it? Now, swim.”
Madelyn still held that threatening thermos in the air, and Ellison had picked up some kind of a tool. Benita sat with her hands over her eyes, but I hadn’t expected anything very helpful from her, so it wasn’t a surprise. Kurt stared at each of them in turn. It didn’t take long for him to make up his mind. He struck out for shore, and I scrambled aboard.
“Did you get it?” Pete asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“Could I see it?”
I looked at the gun, which he still held. He looked at it, too, as though he’d forgotten it was there, and quietly handed it to me.
Laughing with relief, I put the gun down on the bench beside me. “Here’s the artifact,” I said. I tugged on the ribbon, and the artifact slid from the neckline of my shirt. In the bright sunlight it was like a grand finale of fireworks, shooting glorious sparks of blue and gold.
Pete just stared at it, for once without words.
Kurt had reached the beach. He angrily yelled something at us, but I had no idea what it was, because Benita had picked up the gun, pointing it at each of us in turn. “Give that to me,” she said in a strange, tight voice.
“What are you doing, Benita? Put down that gun immediately. You don’t know what to do with a gun!” Madelyn demanded.
“Oh, yes I do,” Benita said, and the gun shook in her hands. I wished she wasn’t pointing it at us. “You don’t know how badly I need that artifact.”
“Enough to kill us for it?” My voice trembled too. I’d never been so frightened. It was horrifying to see that gun pointed at us and know that she might pull the trigger.
“Be quiet,” she demanded.
Aunt Madelyn tried to move in front of me, but Benita shoved her aside with such force that Madelyn fell against the seat.
“Benita!” Madelyn said, and rubbed her arm, wincing at the pain. “This is foolish! You can’t just take possession of the artifact. How will you manage to keep us all at gunpoint all the way to Grand Bahama Island?”
“I won’t have to try,” Benita said. “You can all swim to shore, just as Kurt did. I know how to pilot this boat myself. But first …” She waved the gun in my direction. “Give me the artifact, Andrea.”
I shook my head. “No. It’s not fair.”
“Fair?” she screeched. “Don’t talk nonsense! You’re old enough to know that life isn’t fair. You heard me! Give me that artifact!”
“I won’t do it,” I told her.
She raised the gun and pointed it at my head. I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.
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“That’s enough,” I heard Pete saying. “She’s not going to hurt you, Andy.”
I opened my eyes to see him reach out and grab the barrel of the gun.
Benita screeched in panic and pulled the trigger, but there was only an empty click.
“I took the bullets out,” Pete explained to me. “Loaded guns make me nervous.” He examined it. “We don’t need this thing. Let’s get rid of it,” he said, and pitched it into the ocean.
Benita flopped to the bench and sobbed.
“What should we do with Mrs. Robley?” Ellison asked.
Madelyn’s expression softened, and she put an arm around Benita’s shoulders. “We’ll take her home,” she said.
“Aunt Madelyn,” I murmured, and when she looked up—a question in her eyes—I grinned at her. “I love you,” I said.
Pete turned up the motor with a roar, and off we went into a sweeping circle.
Benita staggered down the steps into the cabin, still crying and tugging Madelyn with her. Ellison stretched out on the cushions on one side and closed his eyes. I stood close to Pete, my arms around him—for support of course. The boat bounced over the water, and I lifted my face to catch the sting of salt spray.
“As long as we’re going to Freeport, I’ll pick up my boat and tow it in,” he said.
“When we’re in Freeport will you help me contact the auth
orities in Peru?”
“I’ve got a much better idea,” Pete said. “How about if I drop our passengers off in Freeport and take you straight to Peru?” he asked.
“A nice thought, but impractical,” I said.
“It will be hard to say good-bye.”
“We don’t have to for a while, not if you don’t mind hanging around Palm Beach for the next couple of weeks. I’ll even buy you a tie.”
He smiled. “You want to see me?”
“Do you think I should roll with the punches and accept things the way they are and admit that life isn’t fair? In other words, should I grow up?” I asked him.
“I don’t believe that’s what growing up means,” he said. “Do you?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t.”
“Good,” Pete said. “Because I like you the way you are, and I hope you’ll stay that way all your life.”
The boat made a wide swing as Pete let go of the wheel and planted a kiss somewhere near my chin. “Let’s compromise,” he said. “If you don’t want Peru, how about the Panama Canal? Acapulco? Puerto Vallarta?”
“Will you let me steer the boat?”
“Sure,” he said. “Cozumel? Cancun? Key West?”
“I mean now.”
“Oh,” he said. “Do you think you’ll know the way?”
I laughed. “Yes,” I said. “I’m sure of it.”
JOAN LOWERY NIXON has been called the grande dame of young adult mysteries. She is the author of more than 130 books for young readers and is the only four-time winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young Adult Novel. She received the award for The Kidnapping of Christina Lattimore, The Séance, The Name of the Game Is Murder, and The Other Side of Dark, which also won the California Young Reader Medal.
The Island of Dangerous Dreams Page 14
