Travis cocked his head sideways, studying the gesture. “I don’t care how small your wanker is, chum. Why doncha stick that back up your arse where it belongs?”
Neal’s face turned as red as the blood in the water when everyone laughed. “You know, you can be a real asshole, Travis!”
“Please don’t use stupid insults on me. I’ve got two hundred years of experience on you.”
“One day, Travis, I’m gonna—”
“Going to what, Mr. Gibbons?” Eleanor asked from behind us.
“Nothing,” he grumbled. “Listen, Eleanor, I want to move my yacht to the end of the dock. That way I can still have privacy. Has anyone claimed it yet?”
“No, but it will be awhile before any ships are pulled in.”
He looked confused. “Why’s that?”
“We haven’t figured out how to do it yet. Large vessels like yours will be more difficult because the keel will tear off if we try to drag it. Then there’s the matter of—”
“You don’t know how to bring the ships in?” he interrupted with a scowl. “Why are you building this in the first place?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t take that tone with me, Mr. Gibbons. We’ll find a way to bring nearby boats in, but it’ll take time.”
“Listen, bitch,” he spat, pointing at her. “I’ll talk to you in any tone I want. No one tells me what to do.”
He acted like the spoiled brat he was—a kid who’d always gotten what he wanted, whenever he wanted. He’d obviously never been taught the value of respect.
I jumped into the water and started toward his raft.
“Get away from me, Indian man!”
He raised an oar to swing, but I caught it and jerked it out of his hand, then punched him in the face. Travis laughed hysterically as I threw the oar back into the raft and growled, “Don’t you ever talk to her that way, you little bitch.”
Neal’s face was drenched in tears and blood. I doubted he could see anything, but he could hear me. I waded back to the beach, raising my chin to Eleanor, expecting a look of disgust, but she smiled.
“You bastard!” Neal screamed. “You didn’t have to break my nose!”
“I think you outta go now,” Carlton said. “You’re no longer welcome here.”
“To hell with you, old man. To hell with all of you!” he cried as he picked up the oar and rowed away.
Travis shouted, “Incoming!” He raised his rifle, aimed in Neal’s direction, and fired. A hole appeared in the raft and air wheezed from it. Neal scrambled to escape the deflating raft. As he leapt onto a plane’s wing, Travis cried, “Hoorah!”
The entire dock burst into applause as Neal screamed from the wing, “You’re all a bunch of assholes! There’s gonna be payback for this!”
As Neal slowly went into the water to wade back to his yacht, Carlton said, “With this kind of entertainment, I need to get out of the house more.”
* * *
That night, the villagers gathered to come up with a solution for bringing the ships to port. Some suggested a pulley system, while others recommended alternate ideas. The debate went on until everyone grew tired and left, leaving nothing solid established.
Eleanor was upset with the lack of results. I tried to comfort her as we lay in bed. “It’ll take some time, but we’ll figure it out.”
“I know,” she said, stroking my chest. “In a way, I’m glad we haven’t come up with anything. It’ll let the older folks feel useful again, offering ideas.”
I caught something in her statement. “You planned it this way, didn’t you?”
She rose a bit. “What do you mean?”
“This—the docks, the ships—it’s all going exactly how you want it to go. You want something for people to do, so you came up with the dock idea.”
There was a long silence, then she smiled coyly and slapped me playfully on the chest. “You know something, Mr. Sharp? You’re a very perceptive man.”
I snorted. “Why were you keeping it a secret?”
“I didn’t want anyone to think they were being pitied. I wanted to find something to occupy their minds. A lot of people suffer from depression after being here for a while and having nothing useful to do. Many have committed suicide as a means of escape.”
“If that’s true, where are all the bodies?”
“Some went out to sea, like seagulls do when it’s their time to die. Some go into the forest, and others just dug their own graves and laid in them before turning a gun on themselves.” She took a breath. “Most try one final escape attempt. It’s a joke that when someone goes missing, there’s no point looking for them because they’re probably already dead.”
“That’s crazy. I hope I never get like that.”
“Me too.”
I kissed her gently. “You’re really something, the way you watch over people around here. That’s awesome, especially when they don’t even know you’re doing it. You’re as clever as you are beautiful.”
She kissed me again. I looked deep into her eyes and said, “I love you.”
She ran her hand through my hair and whispered, “I love you too.”
Chapter Eighteen
It was afternoon when Eleanor and I went back out to assist with the docks. Nearly three dozen trees had been cut down and only a handful more were needed. We’d hardly made a dent in the dense forest.
I’d gone into the forest with the other lumberjacks to cut the last of the trees for the boardwalk. After chopping for a good half hour, I really began to miss gas-powered tools.
“Excuse me, sir,” a man said as he came up the hillside. “I’m looking for a Mr. Heath Sharp. Would that be you?”
His appearance was peculiar, dressed as he was in a long-sleeved shirt, vest, pinstriped trousers, and narrow-toed shoes. He looked like he’d just walked off an old southern plantation.
“Yeah,” I answered between pants.
“Um,” the man said, nearly slipping on the steep incline. His shoes weren’t right for the terrain. He stopped and swiped sweaty hair from his blue eyes. “So, you’re the new beau, eh? I just wanted to congratulate you, man to man.”
“Who the hell are you?”
“Just a friend. Good day.”
He turned and hurried down the hillside, onto the beach.
“Well, well,” Travis said, walking toward me. “Look who it is.”
“It’s Darwin, isn’t it?” I said.
“Aye. Come to see Eleanor, no doubt. What did he say?”
The acid in my gut bubbled with concern. “How the hell did he know my name?”
“We’ll investigate that together,” Travis said as he followed me down the slope.
On the beach, Eleanor stripped bark off a long tree trunk. When she looked up to wipe the sweat from her brow, she saw Darwin approaching—and she wasn’t pleased.
I felt a little like the insecure boyfriend spying on them, but I decided to stay out of the way. Travis and I hid behind a support beam under Miller’s Tavern to watch.
“What are you doing here, Darwin?” Eleanor asked hotly.
“Ah, Miss Houghton,” Darwin said with a formal bow, “it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“What do you want?” she snapped, folding her arms. “I’m very busy and I have no time for foolishness.”
Darwin rose to his full height and said nothing for a moment. Then, “You are looking well, my dear.”
“And you,” she said lethargically. “Now enough with the pleasantries, you’ve yet to indulge me with an answer.”
“I have come to say farewell, my darling. I am leaving.”
“Leaving?” she asked in confusion. “Did you find a way out? Are you going to try for the boundaries again?”
“No,” he said somberly. “But I am leaving, nonetheless. I just wanted to say goodbye to the loveliest person who ever came into my life.”
I rolled my eyes at his line.
“Goodbye, my dear.” He turned on his heel and walked away.
She ran after him. “Darwin, wait. Please.”
“Let him go,” I murmured.
As she ran to him, he smiled. But that quickly disappeared when he turned to face her.
“What are you talking about?” she asked with concern. “You’re not saying what I think you’re saying, are you?”
He turned his face away, hiding it from her. But I was in a position to see another sly grin.
“I don’t like the looks of this,” Travis said next to me.
Darwin faced Eleanor with a somber expression. “I cannot live like this any longer. Even if I could escape this God forsaken place, the world outside is not my world anymore. I wouldn’t be happy in it, any more than I am here.”
Judging by her wide expression and sharp gasp, she caught his meaning. “Before you do anything rash, let’s go to my place and talk.”
Darwin said nothing, only followed her to the pier. A sick feeling boiled inside my stomach. “Travis, distract them for a while, ‘kay?”
“Oi, no problem, mate.”
As Travis ran off, I rushed from under the pier and headed for the steps. By the time Eleanor and Darwin entered the house, I was already there.
“Honestly, I don’t know what’s gotten into Travis,” Eleanor said as they stepped onto the porch. “He’s been obsessing about his teeth lately.” They went into the house, where I awaited.
“Oh, Heath,” she said with a start. “I thought you were cutting trees.”
“I just came to use your first aid kit. I accidentally cut myself,” I lied. I showed her a small gash I’d made on my hand.
She rushed to me. “Oh, you poor thing, let me have a look.” She took my hand and studied it. “The wound isn’t deep but it’ll take a very long time to heal. Heath, you have to be more careful.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Wounds have to age in order to heal,” she explained. “And since we don’t age, neither do our injuries.”
Shit! I thought. I wish someone had told me that before I’d cut myself. I would’ve used another excuse to get into the house.
“Wrap your hand and I’ll get you something to put on it in a little while,” she said. “It’s a salve that comes from the island and will help.”
I smiled at her. “Thanks.” I caught a snarl on Darwin’s face. “What’s up, Darwin?”
“You two know each other?” Eleanor inquired.
“We met briefly,” Darwin replied. “I should be going. I see you’re busy.”
“Bye,” I said.
“No, wait,” Eleanor pleaded. “Don’t go.”
The alcohol I used to clean my injury no longer burned after she beckoned him back. She turned to me and pleaded with her eyes for me to leave.
“I’ll be out on the porch,” I said, picking up the first aid kit. I went outside and sat on the chair closest to the door, which I left partially open. I had no intention of leaving her alone with him.
“Would you like something to drink?” Eleanor asked Darwin.
“No, thank you, I’m fine.”
I peeked in to see what they did. Eleanor poured water into a ceramic mug.
“I remember that mug,” Darwin said.
“It’s a different one. You hated the other one, along with most of the china my mother gave me,” she spoke harshly, no doubt feeling the anger toward his oppressive ways.
“Yes, your mother,” he said slowly. “At least here I’m granted the small favor of never having to see that woman again. Honestly, I can’t believe this is the kind of person you’ve become. Living with people God himself wouldn’t spit on. Interacting with a man outside your race and wearing such revealing clothing.”
I now understood why she’d once been on the brink of killing herself.
“Let’s be civil,” she said in return.
I finished wrapping my wound and listened intently.
“I am civil. It’s you who’s become an animal.”
“Are you really planning on killing yourself?” she asked bluntly. “Have you finally become so disgusted with yourself that you feel the need to end your life?”
I smiled at her boldness.
“The way you speak to me crosses many lines,” he returned. “Just look at how you hold yourself.”
I peered through the window again. Eleanor leaned against the counter, her arms folded over her chest. Not a big deal in my book, but I guess Darwin didn’t view her as being ladylike.
“You look like a whore on a street corner waiting for her next John to lift her skirt.”
I was about to go in and stop his verbal bashing when she yelled, “Answer my question!”
“Yes, I’ve decided to take my life,” he said, approaching her. “Life means nothing to me now.” He turned his back on her and poured himself a glass of water. “I heard you were in love.”
“Who told you that?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, bowing his head. He sank his hand into his pocket. “Is it true?”
“Yes, it’s true. And we’ve slept together, if that’s your next question.”
“I must confess, although I no longer wish to live, I want nothing more than to be with you.”
His dark tone turned my blood to ice water. He took something out of his pocket and placed it on the counter top. I didn’t catch what it was as I reached for the door.
“I’d hoped we could talk like human beings,” she said, “but I was wrong. I think you should go now. Go back to your village and do your best to stay afloat.”
“Stay afloat?” he said, his voice growing louder. “I’m drowning! All I wanted was a respectable life with you, and you had to leave me!”
When I entered the house, he turned on me. I didn’t expect him to charge me like he did, but I suspect he’d spoken the way he had just so he could lure me back in. I raised my fists for a bare-knuckle fight, but he pulled a knife from his other pocket.
“Get away from him!” Eleanor shouted as Darwin and I fell onto the back porch.
“I’ll cut your eyes out,” he cursed, putting the tip of the blade to my face.
I held his wrist, trying to push the knife away, but for a short man, he had power behind him, backed by anger. Blood seeped through the gauze on my hand and slid down my arm. Sharp, hot pain bolted through my forearm. It weakened me as the blade sank into my cheekbone. I screamed so loud I felt the vibrations in my chest.
“Get off him!” Eleanor demanded from inside the house.
Blood spurted from the side of Darwin’s head as a shot rang out. He fell on top of me and I pushed him off.
Eleanor was quiet. The smoke from the flintlock pistol she held hovered around her in a hazy whiteness. The smell of gunpowder was overwhelming.
“Oh, no,” she said, dropping the weapon.
I got to my feet when I noticed what she’d done. “Eleanor,” I said in a whisper.
She looked up at me with teary eyes. “Quick, help me get rid of it,” she said in a panic.
“Get rid of what?”
She went to Darwin’s feet and lifted them. “Hurry, before he comes. Out of sight, out of mind, right?”
I knew what she meant but I didn’t see how hiding the body would help.
“It just happened,” she said timidly. “Maybe if we get rid of the body, he won’t be able to come back.”
She wasn’t making sense. Shock and panic screwed up her thinking. But I was in just as much shock and almost agreed with her so-called logic.
Before I could help lug the body out, she dropped Darwin’s feet. “No, we won’t be together forever. Leave me alone!”
“Eleanor?”
She started pacing with her hands over her ears. “Stop it! Shut up! Leave me alone!”
Darwin’s spirit was with her. I could only imagine what he was doing to her.
“Heath,” she said, her face soaked with tears. “Help me, he’s here.”
I approached her when she screamed, “No!” She retreated from me. “Stop
it, please. I never wanted to spend my life with you!”
“What’s going on?” Travis asked, running into the house. “We heard a gunshot.”
“She was protecting me,” I said, pointing to the body.
“Bloody hell,” he said. He took a step toward Eleanor. “Ellie, darling, it’s all right, love. It’s me, Travis. Everything is going to be fine.”
“He keeps saying I belong to him and that I won’t be able to get away from him now. Tell him to stop! Tell him to go away!”
“Ignore him,” Travis said. “He has no power over you.”
Her eyes turned in my direction but she wasn’t staring at me. She was staring at the spirit of her ex when she said angrily, “Leave me be, Darwin. There’s nothing left between us.”
“Eleanor, I’m here,” I said soothingly. “He can’t drive me away. We’ll get through this together.”
I approached her again to take her into my arms. She stepped forward, shaking, wanting so badly to fall into my embrace. Then she covered her ears and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Shut up! You bastard, you planned this, didn’t you?”
The pieces came together then. Darwin had somehow found out about us and come here to force her to do him in so his soul would attach itself to her. Even if I hadn’t been here, he would have somehow provoked her to use the pistol he’d placed on the counter top.
Eleanor began hyperventilating.
“Jesus, what’s he saying to you?” Travis said.
“He says as long as I’m alive, we’ll always be together,” she said somberly.
I took hold of her and whispered, “It’s going to be all right. Whatever we have to do to get through this, we’ll do it. You won’t be alone in this.”
“There’s nothing you can do to help me,” she said. “Things will only get worse as long as he’s around.” She shut her eyes tightly before more tears slid down her face. “His words hurt so much. He won’t ever leave me in peace.”
She fell on my chest and I held her. Her body trembled against me for a long while, jolting once or twice. I imagined what that bastard said to her. Then she relaxed and said softly, “He’s gone.”
“What?” Travis asked. “He’s gone?”
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