Fatal Tide

by Iris Johansen

  She’d come back afterward.

  “Just screw me and then get up and walk out the door.” Kelby watched lazily from the bed as she dressed. “I feel so used.”

  “You were.” She smiled. “Several times. You asked for it and you got it.”

  “And I couldn’t be more grateful. Unless you came back to bed and did it again.”

  She glanced out the window. It wasn’t twilight yet, but it was close. “I have to get back to the dolphins. Don’t you have something important to do?”

  “I just did it.” His smile faded. “You do know you’re something of a miracle, don’t you?”

  “Of course. I’m smart and I’m healthy and I know how to speak dolphinese—sometimes.”

  “And you’re more giving than any woman I’ve ever met, and that’s a miracle in itself.”

  “Because of my background”—she finished buttoning her shirt—“I’m finding it pretty much of a miracle too. I never expected to be this lusty. I never expected any of this.”

  “Do you suppose it could have anything to do with the fact that I’m the best lover in this hemisphere?”

  “No, it definitely doesn’t have anything to do with that.”

  “I’m crushed.” He paused. “Then why?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe it’s that everything Carolyn taught me suddenly sank in. Maybe it’s that I’ve become so accustomed to sex in nature that I realize that dirtiness isn’t in the act but the intent.” She tilted her head to gaze at him appraisingly. “And maybe it’s because you’re not the worst lover in this hemisphere.” She opened the door. “I’ll see you later, Kelby.”

  He nodded as he reached for his phone. “I’m calling Gary St. George. He’ll meet you at the gangplank. I’d go myself, but I’m expecting delivery of the imager.”

  “Good. That means I can get the dolphins out of that tank tomorrow.”

  “Or the next day. I have to make sure the imager is in good working order.” He raised a brow. “But you know red tape: The machine may not be delivered for an hour or so. Why don’t you come back to bed and keep me from being bored?”

  Good God, she was actually tempted.

  The dolphins.

  She shook her head. “I don’t want to wear you out, Kelby. I may have use for you later.”

  “You’re looking good, Melis,” Gary said as she came down the gangplank. “More relaxed.”

  She felt the warmth flood her face. Were he and the other crew members aware how she had become that relaxed? She had the weird feeling everyone must know, that she still wore the imprint of Kelby’s body.

  “I was worried about you when I put you on that plane in Athens. I’ve never seen you that tense.”

  She was jumping to conclusions. Gary hadn’t seen her since that awful day in Athens. Naturally he’d comment. “I’m better. How have you been, Gary?”

  “Good.” He smiled. “It’s a fine crew. Kelby hired Terry, and Charlie Collins, the first mate, is top-notch. Karl Brecht doesn’t talk much, but that’s not bad. I’d rather have quiet than a chatterbox. And I’m going to like working for Kelby. Everyone says he’s a hell-raiser but a straight shooter.”

  “I’m sure he’s both.”

  “I’m glad you gave in about the search.” He strolled beside her down the dock. “I never did understand why you were so set against it. Phil really wanted to find Marinth.”

  “I never stood in his way. I just refused to help him.”

  “It made him hot as a firecracker. Particularly those last months before he died.”

  “You’re not going to make me feel guilty, Gary. I made the right choice for me and the dolphins.”

  “I didn’t mean you were wrong, Melis. You had to do what you had to do. I’m just glad that you’re going ahead with it now. It’ll mean a fat bonus for the crew if we find it. Kelby’s very generous.”

  “Don’t get your hopes up. There are a lot of variables.”

  “Phil thought you could find it if you tried. He talked about it all the time. Toward the last it was all he could think about.”

  “I know, Gary.” A sudden thought occurred to her. “Phil was trying to get funding for an expedition. Did you meet the man who was negotiating with him?”

  He shook his head. “I knew there was someone. He went ashore five or six nights in a row to meet with him. The first few times he came back higher than a kite. But then I could tell it had fizzled out. The last time he came back in a hurry, weighed anchor, and we took off right away.”

  “And he started getting rid of the crew.” That must have been the point when Archer had started in pursuit. When he had failed with Phil, he eliminated the only man who knew about Marinth and that blasted sonic apparatus. Phil’s death would have had a double benefit because it would have drawn her to Athens and made her vulnerable. “Why couldn’t he have just forgotten about that damn city?”

  “He never really hit a big bonanza.” His brow furrowed in thought as he gazed at the tank on the pier just ahead. “Just that one galleon. He would have been famous and rich. Maybe it was something no one else had done. No one could take that away from—” He stiffened beside her. “Where’s Cal? It was his turn for sentry duty at the tank.”

  She stopped. “What?”

  “He was complaining because he was always having to watch the dolphins. It was his turn to—”

  His knees buckled and he was falling to the ground.

  “Gary!”

  A round hole had appeared in the center of his forehead. Blood . . .

  A black sedan was barreling down the dock toward her. The back door swung open as it neared where she stood, frozen.

  “No!” She started to run, her hand reaching into the tote. The gun. Get the gun.

  The sedan was almost even with her. Someone was leaning out the back door.

  Oh, my God. Cox.

  Melis lifted the gun. She heard a curse and the back door slammed shut as she got off a shot. It ricocheted off the side of the door.

  The driver. She tried to aim, but there was no way while she was running. She shot anyway.

  The glass shattered and the car suddenly swerved toward a warehouse on the right. Then it swerved back and was coming directly toward her.

  No time to run away. No time to think.

  She dived off the dock into the water.

  Kelby was angry. Every muscle in his body was breathing fury as he strode into the warehouse toward her. He handed her a canvas bag. “I brought you dry clothes.”

  “Thank you.” She drew the blanket the police lieutenant had given her closer around her. “But I need to shower before I get into clean clothes. I feel like I’m coated in salt. I believe they’re almost through with me. Lieutenant Lorenzo said he’d be back in a few minutes.”

  “Are you okay?” he asked jerkily.

  She nodded. “I’m not hurt. They didn’t want to hurt me. They just wanted to get their hands on me.” She shivered. “They killed Gary.”

  “I know.”

  “And one of the students was struck on the head and has a concussion. It’s Manuel.” She rubbed her forehead. “I think that’s what they told me. Poor kid.”

  “It’s Manuel Jurez. He’ll be okay.”

  “Cal was shot too. But he’s going to live. Archer and his men must have tried to hedge their bets by making sure I was vulnerable at the tanks if he couldn’t get me while I was on my way there.” She moistened her lips. “Cal was shot in the shoulder, and Archer had him thrown into the dolphin tank to get rid of the body. He should have drowned, but Pete and Susie wedged him between them and kept him above water.”

  “Hooray for Pete and Susie.”

  She met his gaze. “Cal thinks so.”

  He was silent a moment. “So do I.”

  “Then why are you being sarcastic?”

  “Because I came in this drafty warehouse and saw you sitting there looking like a drowned rat. Because all hell broke loose and I wasn’t here to stop it. Because I had to h
ave the police call me and tell me what happened. Why the hell didn’t you do it?”

  “I was busy, dammit.”

  “Didn’t it occur to you that I might want to help?”

  “No.” Her voice was uneven. “I wasn’t thinking very clearly.”

  He stared at her for a moment and then muttered an oath. He fell to his knees beside her and took the edge of the blanket and dabbed at her cheek. “Why didn’t you dry your hair? Water’s running down your face. . . .”

  “I have to wash it anyway. I stink from the seawater.” She tried to stop trembling. “You were right. The gun didn’t do the job, Kelby. I tried to shoot them, but it didn’t work out. After I jumped into the water and swam under the pier, they took off. The car was abandoned six blocks from the docks. Lieutenant Lorenzo thinks I wounded the driver. There was blood on the seat.”

  “Good. I hope it was Archer.”

  “No, Archer was in the backseat. He was the one who opened the door and was ready to pull me into the car.”

  “How do you know? We don’t have a photo yet.”

  “Cox.”

  “What?”

  “Carolyn said that name on the phone. I think she was trying to help me identify Archer. She was a big fan of late-night TV and classic sitcoms. She even had tapes of her favorite shows that never went into reruns. We used to stay up until all hours eating popcorn and talking and watching Nick at Nite.”

  “And?”

  “She had a tape of a show called Mr. Peepers with Wally Cox. He played the quintessential meek, scrawny, milquetoast character. Archer looks like Wally Cox.”

  “Milquetoast doesn’t jibe with Archer’s reputation.”

  “But an appearance of weakness might have fueled that sadistic streak. When we get the photo, I’ll bet it looks like Wally Cox.”

  “No bet. It makes sense.” He got to his feet. “We’re not waiting any longer on your lieutenant. You need a hot shower and a change of clothes. He can just come to the Trina if he has any more questions.”

  She nodded. “Right after I go check Pete and Susie. The lieutenant said they were okay, but I need to see for myself.”

  “I knew you’d be concerned, so I sent Terry and Karl to the tank to stand guard. Nothing is going to—” He stopped. “I’m wasting my breath. Come on. We’ll see your lieutenant and then go to the tank.”

  Susie clicked excitedly the minute she saw Melis. It was as if she was trying to tell her what had happened. Pete was silent, but his tail switched nervously as he swam around the tank.

  “See, I told you they were fine,” Kelby said. “Maybe a little upset, but what else can you expect?”

  “Yes, they’re fine,” she said softly. “More than fine.”

  “They really saved Cal’s life?”

  “No doubt about it. He was unconscious when the medics went into the tank after him. It’s not that unusual. There are stories through history about dolphins saving swimmers.” She called softly to the dolphins, “You did good, guys. I’m proud of you.”

  Pete suddenly rose to the surface in a high jump that splashed water out of the tank.

  “Is that a reply?” Kelby asked.

  “It could be.” She nodded. “Yes, I think he’s proud of himself too.”

  “Then can we go back to the Trina? You haven’t stopped shaking since we left the warehouse.”

  She didn’t want to go. Danger had come too close. She had lost Gary and had come close to losing Cal. She couldn’t stand the thought of losing the dolphins.

  “Archer’s not about to come back tonight,” Kelby said. “Besides the guards I put on the dolphins, the entire dock is crawling with police. He’d be nuts to come back.”

  “He is nuts. You saw what he did to Carolyn.” She waved her hand as he opened his mouth. “I know. I know. There’s a difference. I don’t believe he’d come back tonight either.” She turned and started up the pier. “We’ll go back to the ship.”

  Kelby was sitting in a chair in her cabin when she came out of the shower. “Feel better?”

  “Warmer. Cleaner. Not better.” She sat down on the bed and started towel-drying her hair. “I didn’t expect this to happen. I thought I’d fooled him. I thought he’d wait until I gave in and turned the research over to him.”

  “Maybe he got impatient.”

  “I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have taken for granted that he was predictable. Maybe Gary would be alive if we’d been more careful.”

  “Your Carolyn would say that you’re coming pretty close to blaming yourself. She wouldn’t like it.”

  “No, she wouldn’t. She’d hate it.” She tried to smile. “You seem to know how Carolyn would react better than I do.”

  “I’m getting to know you. And she’s a big part of you.”

  “I guess you’re right. Okay, no blame.” She tossed the towel aside. “But I’m not staying around here and running any more risks. The dolphins are sitting ducks in that tank. Archer could have killed them after he got rid of Manuel and Cal. I don’t care if the ship is fully outfitted or not. I have to go to the police station and give the lieutenant a statement tomorrow morning, but after that we leave Las Palmas. We have to find Marinth fast and then go after Archer. He’s getting too close.”

  He nodded. “I’m not arguing. No one could want to be under way more than I do.”

  “No, of course not.” She smiled with an effort. “Marinth is on the horizon.”

  “You’re damn right. Did you expect me to deny I still want it? But first we’d better address the matter of Lontana’s research and the tablets. You said they were here?”

  “Not exactly here. They’re on a tiny island some distance from Lanzarote.”

  “What island?”

  “Cadora. It’s hidden on the slope of an extinct volcano on the north side of the island. Cadora has only a few thousand people living there, and most of them are on the coast. It’s a pretty place. Phil and I rented a cottage there for a while.” She made a face. “Of course, when we needed supplies we had to go to Lanzarote. Cadora wasn’t a shopping mecca.”

  “Hidden? I’d think Lontana would have had them under lock and key in a bank vault somewhere.”

  “You didn’t know Phil. He didn’t trust banks. He put everything in a large chest and buried it. He always told me that pirates buried treasures that weren’t found for centuries.”

  “The world was a bit less crowded then.”

  “His world wasn’t. It was full of dreams.” She felt a sudden sadness. “So many dreams.”

  “Will you trust me to go get the tablets and research and place them somewhere safe?”

  “No.” She saw him stiffen and quickly said, “It’s not a question of trust. I may need them as bait for Archer. They stay where they are. I don’t want them buried in a vault where they won’t be accessible.”

  “And you don’t trust anyone but yourself.”

  “I don’t think you’re interested in his research.”

  “But the tablets and translation are a draw for me. And you know it.”

  “Naturally. You can have them—after we get Archer.” She turned to the bed. “I need to rest. I have to get up early tomorrow. Good night.”

  “I’m dismissed?”

  “I’m not going to your cabin. I don’t feel like sex right now.”

  “Do tell.” He stood up. “No, you’re hurting and hollow and feeling a little scared.” He took a step closer. “And you’re not going to admit any of it.” He took her in his arms. “Jesus, you’re difficult as hell. Stop stiffening up on me. I’m not trying to jump you. I’m just trying to show you that sex isn’t the only thing I value in you.” He pushed her down on the bed and drew the sheet over her. “Though I have to admit it’s way up there.” He lay down beside her and wrapped his arms around her. “Now, relax and go to sleep. You’re safe.”

  Safe. She let her breath out in a shaky sigh as her muscles gradually went limp. She hadn’t realized she’d been afraid until this moment.
She’d been pushing the fear away since the moment she’d seen Archer in that car. “Gary’s dead, Kelby,” she whispered. “I was talking to him and the next minute he was dead. I didn’t even hear the shot. The lieutenant said the gun must have had a silencer. Gary was saying how excited he was about Marinth and talking about Phil and then he fell and—”

  “I know.” His fingers were making soothing spirals on her back. “The first time I saw a friend die, when I was in the SEALs, I couldn’t believe it happened so fast. It didn’t seem right that he didn’t have any chance to prepare. Later, I thought maybe it was a mercy. He didn’t see it coming and it was over in a heartbeat. Try to think of Gary that way.”

  “Archer killed him because he was in the way to me. He took all his years and just snuffed them out. Phil, Carolyn, Maria, and now Gary. I can’t let him go on.”

  “We’ll get him.”

  “He doesn’t care. . . . He’ll do anything. He’s like Irmak. He even said he’d like to put me back in Kafas. He’d like to watch me being hurt and used and— That scares me. He knows it. He knows about the dreams.”

  “You dream about Kafas?”

  “Yes, but in them I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m back there, but it’s happening now.”

  “It won’t happen.” His arms tightened around her. “I won’t let it happen.”

  In this moment she could believe he was telling the truth. That there would never be another Kafas, that Archer would not be allowed to destroy her. “It’s not your responsibility. I have to deal with it. Carolyn would say I had to—”

  “Shh. I have the greatest respect for Carolyn, but she was a hard-liner. It’s okay to lean a little.”

  She was leaning. She felt enveloped, absorbed in his strength. It probably wasn’t good for her. She should push him away.

  Not now. She needed to recover a little of her own strength. Tomorrow would be soon enough. “Thank you. You’re being very kind. I’m . . . grateful.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to collect.”

  “Marinth?”

  His lips gently brushed her temple. “No, not Marinth.”