Jessie Delacroix and the Sanctum of Shadows (Whispering Pines Mystery Series Book 2)

by Constance Barker

  “The King commands it,” Granny said.

  “We owe no allegiance to the King of Denmark,” Morgan declared in a contemptuous manner, and then spat.

  Granny leaned forward and raised her palm towards him. “Then I command it.”

  They didn’t want to test the powers of the witch, and they agreed.

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  Chapter Ten

  “Pacino, De Niro…come with me and Percival.”

  It struck me as amusing that these two ragged pirates had the names of two of today’s greatest actors – but they looked nothing like them. They were in their early to mid 40s. Pacino was quite tall and muscular, while De Niro was shorter and a little thick around the middle. Both had dirty blond hair that hadn’t been washed or combed in a while.

  “The rest of you slimy dogs – go find something to pillage. Be back at the Scoundrel of the Seas by sunset. What are you waitin’ for? Off you go!”

  “But…” One frightened little man seemed afraid to speak up.

  “But what?” Morgan replied with a threatening glare.

  “But…sir…it’s always sunset.”

  Morgan seemed a little flustered at his error but didn’t back down. “Just do as I say, and don’t be late!” The other men walked off, and the rest of us started on our journey. The three men Morgan had selected to come with us were the cleaner and quieter ones. Pacino and De Niro knew each other, but Percival seemed to be a loner. I could be wrong, but as we walked through the long shadows of the trees, I thought I saw a flicker of a shadow from each of them, but none from Morgan.

  Well, the good news was that we might find Bandersnatch and the ship – which may be our way out of here. The bad news was that we would be presented to Olivant as his own little harem. We would have to use the time before we got there to hatch our scheme.

  We never got tired as we followed the four pirates down the path. One of the perks of being a shadow, I guess. But I was feeling a little bit hungry.

  “At least I’ve got a bullet for each of them now,” Cammy whispered to me.

  “That might not hurt these guys,” Ginny suggested. “I mean, they’re already dead.”

  I wasn’t so sure.

  “Well, they might still be afraid of firearms,” I said, “but hopefully we won’t have to actually kill anyone – even if they are already dead. We’re smarter than these men…”

  “And,” Cammy Jo said with a sultry smile, “we’re women. We can get them to do whatever we want.”

  “What do you mean?” Ginny looked a little confused.

  “Dear child, if a man thinks he has a chance of getting lucky, he’ll do anything a woman asks.”

  “So…they think we’re good-luck charms or something?”

  Cammy was amused. “Something like that, Ginny.”

  “I know one thing for sure…” I stopped and looked solemnly at my two dearest friends who I had gotten into this mess. “We’re going to get back home safe and sound – with Bandersnatch and with our virtue intact. All we need is our wits.”

  “And maybe one rhyming body part,” Cammy added with a wink.

  Granny and Arthur were walking up ahead with the men, and that gave us girls a chance to work on a plan. We had to figure out a way to rescue Phineas, find the portal on the ship to get back to Whispering Pines, and close it once we returned – all before Olivant could get us into his bedchamber. And that will only take care of the kidnapping. We still had a murder to solve when we got back home.

  We could faintly hear the sounds of a large group of men talking and working far off in the distance as we approached a clearing near the bank of the river. It was definitely the Elvira. Now I could make out a large ship maybe a quarter mile upstream, near where the voices were coming from.

  “Come ’round here, me beauties.” Morgan waved us towards him as he carefully stepped his good foot down from the grassy clearing to the sand shore, following with his wooden stump. De Niro and Pacino stood with their hands clasped behind their backs while Percival took each of our hands to help us down the step. Ginny, Cammy, and Granny went first, and I followed.

  I took Percival’s strong hand in mine. It was the rugged hand of a hard-working man, with new callouses at the base of his fingers and thumb. His hand seemed impossibly large, and my delicate fingers seemed to be swallowed up like those of a helpless newborn in his firm but gentle grasp. I put my other hand on his sturdy bicep for support, brushing my fingers across his expansive chest as I stepped down. He held onto my hand longer than necessary, and I gently rubbed my fingers on his palm and gazed into his deep brown eyes as I released his hand. In that moment, an entire fantasy played out in my mind…but it was with Travis Yates from the riding ranch, and not with Percival. I’ll keep that story for my diary.

  “This way, ma’am.” His speech seemed like that of a more educated man, and his voice was tender and mellow. I really wanted to know his whole story – who he was and how he came to be here – but there was no time for that now.

  “I saw that foreplay with your hands, girl,” Cammy whispered to me with a knowing smile.

  It wasn’t like that, but I didn’t argue with her.

  “There he be,” Morgan said. “It’s the prisoner you asked for. Ya got five minutes.”

  The pirates left us, and we looked at two men in a cave that had been carved out of a bluff along the swampy edge of the river. There were iron bars in front of their secure cell and 30 yards of swamp between them and the river.

  “Phineas?”

  His head bolted up, and he looked at me with incredulous and hollow eyes. His white shirt and dress pants were torn and dirty, and the other man seemed to be dressed in clothes from an earlier era.

  “I’m Jessie Delacroix – from the Inn in Whispering Pines. Olivia is there now.”

  His jaw opened, but he had to search for the words. “I…how did you get here? Where am I? Am I…dead?”

  Granny reached through the bars and pulled his arm out into the hazy light. “You’ve got a shadow, so you’re alive, Dr. Bandersnatch.” She did the same to the tall red-haired fellow next to him. “It looks like you’re alive too, stranger.”

  The other man looked at Ginny. “My girlfriend has green eyes, just like yours,” he said to her. “Her name is Virginia.”

  “Hey!” Ginny smiled and shook his hand. My name is Virginia too! Don’t worry – we’re gonna get you outa here and back to your sweetheart, Mister.”

  A single tear ran down his cheek. “I was planning to propose to her on Christmas, and then ring in the new century with her as my wife. Start off the 1700s with a new purpose in life, you know.”

  Great. Now I have to get him back to 1699. Cammy and I leaned in, and she whispered to Phineas. The other man listened intently too.

  “We have to go to the ship with these men in a while, but we will be back. Maybe in an hour, maybe two; I’m not sure. Be ready. We’re going to take you home.”

  “But, we’re locked in this cage. How…”

  “If we can’t get our hands on the key, I’ll use this to open the lock.” She slid her hand down her leg and pulled her .38 just slightly out of her boot.

  Bandersnatch looked at us and nodded.

  I needed to know all I could find out about the location of the portal on the ship. “Do either of you know where you entered and exited the ship to get here?”

  Phineas shook his head. “I’m afraid I was too agitated to notice –and I had a sack over my head. I do remember being pushed into a smelly room in the ship and then coming up some stairs when I got here, though.”

  “I know,” the other man said. “I was digging a hole to bury my lifelong companion, Spartacus. Poor old dog just woke up dead one day. Well, four filthy criminal sailors came along and decided they wanted to use my hole to bury their treasure chest instead. They beat me up pretty bad, but after I woke up, I looked and saw that their chest was in my hole with the top
open – but it was empty. There was nothing in it. I heard them coming, so I jumped into the chest to hide – which was pretty stupid since they were coming back to load up the chest. Anyway, when I jumped in, I went right through the chest and came out in a pile of grain in the belly of the ship. I know you probably think I’m crazy, but…”

  “Nope. That sounds pretty normal to us right about now,” Ginny said…and she was right.

  “Could you find your way back there?” I asked him.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “All right now, wenches, it’s time to go and see the Captain.” Morgan and Percival came back and pointed us toward the ship, and the other two pirates followed.

  We could see there were perhaps two-dozen or more salty pirates in the area around the Scoundrel of the Seas. Some were sitting and drinking, some were tending to the fire, and others were carrying sacks on their shoulders and going about their business. The ship had run aground next to their little settlement and was listing to the port side, just like the replica ship near the ferry landing.

  We were still hidden by trees in the wooded area, a hundred feet from the pirates, when a commanding figure in a three-cornered hat hollered down at his men from the bow of the ship.

  “Gather ’round, mateys! It’s time for a meetin’!”

  He threw some kind of belt over a rope that was tied to the mast on one end and staked into the ground near the encampment on the other. Holding both ends of the belt, he zip-lined down and stepped in front of the crowd of gathering pirates. He strode confidently in tall leather boots that were folded down at the top and put his hands on his hips. This was the same man I had seen that night when the ship came ashore with the hanged men.

  “It be just three times 13 hours till the uprising, me hearties. Gather up all the poor souls of our mates ye can find. Then we will finish our revenge on the ones who’ve been diggin’ up our precious treasures and stealin’ our bones.”

  I felt a shudder run through me. It was Arthur and Granny who dug up Olivant’s hook hand to start this whole mess, so all of us are in danger when they come looking for revenge. I wondered what the hours meant. The first time he said 88 hours. That was Thurday night when we were waiting for the 8 o’clock ferry, and now it’s Saturday. We left at 8:00, so it must be 9:00. It’s 49 hours later – 39 hours are left – 3 times 13. I did a little math in my head – Monday morning at 9:00 would be 36 hours, and three more hours means that they will stage their uprising at noon. Monday at noon something terrible would happen if we didn’t stop it.

  Just before we emerged from the forested area where the others would be able to see us, our four pirate escorts stopped and huddled for a conference. Pacino and De Niro seemed to have a plan they were trying to sell to Mr. Morgan, and the old salt was listening intently. Percival towered above the others, and he seemed to be in firm disagreement to whatever they were talking about.

  Morgan turned and faced us. “We’ve decided to keep you ladies for ourselves, since the captain doesn’t seem to be expectin’ ya.”

  “No, Mr. Morgan!” Percival protested. “These are fine aristocratic ladies, and they must not be subjected to your cruel schemes.”

  “Shut up, you fool! Pacino and De Niro wanted me to slit their throats, but I suggested a better use for ’em. A man has needs, and these wenches are just what the doctor ordered.”

  Arthur was starting to growl, so with all the men facing Percival, Granny entered his body to keep the feisty and protective beagle quiet for the moment.

  The gruff pirate turned on his peg leg and faced us with a hideous grin. “Come with us, this way, wenches.”

  I looked at him defiantly. “Parlay!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. It was just loud enough to get the attention of the crowd and the Captain, who all turned toward us. “I have invoked the right of ‘Parlay,’ and you must allow me a conference with your captain.”

  Percival stepped forward and took my arm. “And so it shall be. Pirate law requires that we honor your Parlay.”

  Finally, watching all those pirate movies had paid off. He was leading us toward the Captain. My female voice had gotten the attention of the entire group, who stood to await us.

  “Where is the witch?” Percivcal asked as Morgan and the others disappeared into the forest.

  Arthur growled at Percival, our protector.

  “Her job is done,” I said. “We have been delivered, and so she has returned to her King in Denmark.” That seemed to satisfy the other girls too. Our guide disappeared just as quickly as she showed up.

  Such teleporting witchcraft made the big man smile, which made me a little suspicious.

  “Who are these prisoners, invoking the ‘Parlay’?” The captain asked, looking us over as we strode up next to the campfire.

  “Captain,” Percival responded, “These are no prisoners. These are living noble ladies, sent to you as a gift by the King of Denmark, sir.”

  “I see,” he said with a big, ravenous smile. “Very nice. So, then, we shall not attack his ships in the new year.”

  His eyes stopped on Ginny, and he walked up to her, eying her from head to toe. “Why, this is the loveliest creature I have ever seen in my life. He put his hands on her shoulders to gauge her sturdiness and then grabbed her chin, turning her head to either side and then upwards. “Good breeding stock, I should think.”

  The rest of the men looked like the monkeys at the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey, very curious and interested, but afraid to touch the monolith – thank goodness.

  “Percival, get these lovely creatures some sustenance, and then bring them to my chamber.”

  That’s not going to happen. “Captain,” I said firmly but with my best smile, “please break bread with us and join us for a sip of…rum. It has been a long journey, and we should like to get acquainted with the man we will be pleasuring.” I lowered my eyes demurely, and the Captain sat.

  “Bring the grog and the ale, Liam, and a loaf of yesterday’s bread.”

  Cammy, whose mind for sleuthing never took a rest, looked at me as she motioned towards Olivant and tapped her hand. For the first time I noticed that Olivant did not have a hook hand. The other pirates with missing eyes and appendages still had patches and peg legs and hooks. So this hook must not belong to the Captain, I thought. Maybe Arthur’s discovery of the hook isn’t what set this whole fiasco in motion.

  “Captain…” I pulled the hook and map from my bag. “We found this on the way and thought it might belong to you. It has your initials on it…but I see you have no need for such an appliance.”

  He took the hook. “Hmm…pretty good craftsmanship. But this is the kind of hook we use to hoist cargo onto the ship and lower it down into the hold. I be thinkin’ somebody just put this collar on it and scratched in my initials to make it look like it might be property of mine. Fraud and forgery is an unfortunate reality these days, especially for the likes of celebrities such as me-self.”

  I wonder what he’d think of eBay.

  He handed it back and took the map. “What’s this you got here, now…hmm…”

  “That’s the map we used to find you, Captain.”

  “Well, then, I should sign that for you. You can hang it on your chamber wall and pine for me on days that I’m takin’ my turn with the other girls – which will probably be most of the time.” He winked at Ginny and she blushed, more with fear than awkward discomfort. “Percy, get me a quill and some India ink.” His eyes settled on Ginny again. “I’m gonna call this one with the red hair Flame. We’ll be spendin’ a lot o’ time together, me pretty one.”

  The bread was edible, and the grog was disgusting. But it was nice to relax and have a little food to replenish our strength. Now it was time to put our plot into action. Cammy looked at me, and I gave her a nod.

  “Captain,” Cammy said, “Thank you for your food and hospitality. Now it is time to make preparations for our evening of conjugal festivities.”

  He clapped his hands twice. �
�Men, lower the gangplank so the ladies don’t have to climb the rope ladder.”

  I looked at Ginny and nodded for her to make the next move, since she was his favorite. She went to the Captain and took his hand.

  “Cap’n, sir…first we have to bathe you. Everything’s gotta be just right for an important Captain and us high-falootin’ ladies. Allow me to escort you down yonder to the river.”

  “Oo-ooh! A bath sounds nice – though it’s not yet been a month. Yes…let’s bathe together, shall we? Men! Disappear…I don’t want to see any of you.”

  We fawned over Olivant like giggly handmaidens all the way down to the bank of the river, in the shadow of the great ship.

  “Sit, sit!” we told the delighted man, who sat happily near the water.

  Cammy and I each pulled off one of his boots, and then his disgustingly filthy and holey socks. The odor was horrendous.

  “Ooh, you have such manly feet!” I lied. They were long and boney with twisted toes and gnarled nails.

  Ginny removed his tattered vest and unbuttoned his shirt while Cammy went bravely for his belt buckle. His belt was a long lavender scarf cinched with a piece of bone.

  He stood naked to the world in the eternal dusk and extended his arms straight out to his sides.

  “Okay, me lovely wenches, now it’s yer turn!”

  We all knew that one of us had to get him into the water, and we both looked at Ginny. She gave us a sour look, pulled off her pants and shirt, and pushed Olivant into the river. She jumped in after the gleeful pirate, wearing a one-piece swimsuit or bodysuit that looked like it was from the 90s – the 1890s, that is. It was beige with legs that came to her knees and half sleeves, and it fit her slim body tightly. It might not have been stylish, but she actually looked surprisingly good. Ginny put her hands on the Captain’s head and submerged him completely – with his total approval and eager compliance. I had a small bottle of shampoo from the Inn in my shoulder bag, which I must have left in there on my last overnight trip, and I tossed it to her.

  “Here we go, Captain. This will get you clean and smelling fresh as a daisy.”