The Pirate Raiders (9 page)

  “There
’s no need to thank me,” I replied. 

She shook her head and walked over to me, placing a delicate hand on my shoulder.

  “Yes, there is,” she said.  “There is so little I know about my father.  His entire life is a giant puzzle to me.  What you just told me was a giant missing piece.”

She su
ddenly seemed emotional and the rollercoaster of emotions concerning her father was beginning to worry me.

  “Andrea, there is something I feel that we need to discuss,” I said.

She cocked her head in anticipation.

  “
If everything you’ve told me is true, we will soon be in New Providence so that you may visit your uncle and get something for me to use as leverage against your father.”

Her eyes narrowed.

  “Yes, of course,” she replied.  “I’m not lying to you.”

  “Okay, we
ll once you acquire this leverage for me, what happens then?”

She frowned, and shook her head.

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Sure you do,” I replied.  “I want to know what happens when you get me what I need to go after your father.
  You were awfully cooperative in coming up with a plan to find him.”

  “What are you saying?” she snapped.  “Are you trying to insinuate that I would betray you for my father?”

I stared at her.

  “We
ll, you know what they say, love…blood is thicker than water,” I answered.

She jabbed a finger into my chest wi
th enough force to inflict a sting of pain.

  “My father MAROONED me!” she yelled, tears beginning to flow.  “
He marooned his only daughter and left me to die!  I love him because he is my father, but do you
really
think I can just overlook the monster that he is?  I’ve seen him do things to other men that would give your nightmares, Redd.”

I suddenly felt a pang of shame and guilt for what I’d said.

  “Andrea, I—I did not mean to upset you,” I stammered.  “I just can’t imagine a young lass such as yourself basically handing your father a death sentence.  It’s not something you should have to endure.  If you’re not up to the task—

  “I’m up to the task,” she interrupted, wiping the moisture from her eyes.  “My father must receive the
death he deserves and I’ll bloody hand it to him myself if need be.”

She turned and marched away from me, disappearing into the cabin.  I stood there for a moment, dumbfounded and unsure what to make of what had just occurred. 
Andrea possessed a definite hatred for her father, but I’d seen glimpses of affection for him as well.  I supposed it must have been an incredibly difficult and confusing situation for the poor girl, yet…something just didn’t seem quite right.  I shook the thoughts from my head and turned my attention to the next task at hand.  I had to find my old friend, Ricardo La Salle, and I knew just where to find him.

The cooking establishment was known simply as
Jane’s
.  It was a stone-faced, two-story structure with a wooden porch jutting out from the front of the building on the upper level.  The interior revealed large oak beams that served as the building’s skeleton.  There were six tables, all roughly twenty feet long, arranged side by side.  Wooden benches flanked the tables and, at present, were covered with the rogues and cutthroats I’d grown accustomed to finding inside this particular establishment.

The men were having a jolly good time.  All of them seemed to be more interested in gambling instead of eating; every man present took his turn with dice or cards at some time or another.  The jingling sound of coin exchange rang rhythmically with the sound of a guitar strumming off the fingers of a musician in a darkened corner. 

I gazed across the motley lot of pirates until I caught sight of Ricardo.  He rested in his usual chair, which resembled a throne, at the head of the table nearest the center of the room. 

There was a beautiful woman seated upon his lap.  Long locks of hair the color of midnight cascaded down her back.  She threw her head back in laughter, apparently in response to something Ricar
do had said, and it was at that moment the feelings I had for her crept back into the forefront of my mind. 

I’d been secretly in love with Jane
Mitchell ever since the first moment I laid eyes upon her.  It just so happened that Ricardo and I met the lovely woman at exactly the same time.  Ricardo always had a way with women, and that particular day it proved most unfortunate for me.  There was no one to blame but myself.  It was I that pretended to look upon Jane as if she were an average woman of which I had no particular interest.  It was I that encouraged, and all but pushed, Ricardo into approaching her.  Knowing these things still did not make it any easier to see the two of them together now.

However difficult it was for me, I always put up an impressive display of indifference in regards to their relationship.  This particular time woul
d be no different.  Ricardo suddenly noticed my presence and his expression was a mixture of surprise and relief.  I suppose this was understandable, as the last time he saw me was during a hopeless situation.  He’d barely escaped himself and the truth was that he probably wouldn’t have, had it not been for the Royal Navy’s relentless pursuit of me.  I did not expect Ricardo to express guilt or remorse for leaving me to save his own skin, for it’s quite possible that I would have committed the same act.  However, what I
did
expect was an expression of unspoken gratitude by way of his willingness to assist me in what I was about to ask of him. 

Ricardo made no attempt to call out to me over the noisy pool of pirates that surrounded him.  Instead, he raised his arm and waved it back in forth
so I’d see him.  I locked eyes with him and smiled as I calmly strolled his direction.  When I reached him, he gave Jane a soft pat on the leg and when she rose, she immediately awarded me a warm embrace. 

  “Redd!” she exclaimed.  “It’s so good to see you again!  I have worried about you so much.”

She grabbed both my hands and took a step back to look me over.  I took a moment to do the same to her.  She wore a white, linen dress with ruffles on the end of each sleeve.  She was even more beautiful than I remembered.

  “Jane, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” I said playfully. 

Jane blushed and looked toward Ricardo.  He smiled at the both of us and then rose to give me a hug. 

  “I’m glad you’re alright old friend,” he said.
  “But, you can’t have my lady.”

We both laughed heartedly and Jane wiggled between us, placing one arm around
the neck of Ricardo, the other around my own. 

  “Ricardo, I only have eyes for you, my sweet,” she assured him.  Then she looked
at me with sparkling green eyes and gave me a light kiss on the cheek.  “
But
, Redd may have the rest of me,” she said, a little
too
seductively. 

I must have turned
a dark shade of red because the two of them began roaring with laughter.  I joined in the laughter, doing my best not to sound embarrassed.  Jane finally let out a yawn, and let her head rest upon my shoulder. 

  “I am so tired,” she said. 

  “So go to bed,” Ricardo suggested.

  “I can’t,” she replied sleepily.

  “Why can’t you?” Ricardo asked.  “You had a long night, go get some rest.”

  “Redd just got here,” she replied, still resting her head upon my shoulder.  “I can’t go to bed now, it would be rude.”

  “No, it’s quite alright,” I chirped.  “I know how busy the nights are for you here.  By all means, do not let me keep you from your sleep.”

She rose her head up and gave me a sweet look.

  “Do not leave without saying goodbye to me,” she commanded.

I smiled.

  “No, of course not…get some sleep lass,” I said.  “I’ll still be around when you wake.  I’ve got matters to discuss with Ricardo.”

  “Alright,” she said, suddenly yawning again.  She turned to Ricardo and kissed him hard on the lips. 

The display of affection made me cringe as I’d almost forgotten that Ricardo was still standing there.  Jane had the ability to enchant me that way and I silently cursed myself for letting my guard down.  I hoped Ricardo didn’t notice.

  “She is a fine woman, yes?” Ricardo stated after she left the room.

  “Aye, that she is,” I replied.

  “She is very fond of you, Redd.  Always has been,” Ricardo said.  “Perhaps you should’ve pursued her yourself.”

He eyed me closely to see how I’d react.  The conversation was making me quite uncomfortable and when he realized this, Ricardo erupted in laughter.

  “Señor
, I am only teasing you—relax, my friend!”

I decided my best course of action was to laugh in return, but in truth there was nothing funny about any of it to me. 

  “Ricardo, there is an important matter I need to discuss with you…” I said, looking around at the crowded room.  “…privately, if at all possible.”

Ricardo led me to a staircase in a darkened corner of the dining hall.  On
ce on the second level, I followed him through a doorway that led into a corridor with a great balcony attached.  I approached the edge of the balcony and peered over the edge.  I saw what I’d come accustomed to seeing in the vast fenced in area behind Jane’s kitchen. 

Ricardo was a collector of large cats and it was here that he kept the menagerie of—at last count—thirteen animals, most
of which were lions and tigers.  His personal favorite, a massive lion named Samson, glared up at me with large yellow eyes from the grassy field below.  The large cat was seated, its tail twitching slightly, and suddenly opened its large maw in a frightening yawn of white, pointy death.  I shuddered at the sight.

  “Have a seat, señor,” Ricardo said, motioning toward a
small round table with two cushioned chairs. 

Once seated, I quickly caught him up on everything that had happened since I’d last seen him.  I began with the meeting with Governor Winters and ended with the arrest of Gordon Littleton.  I held back nothing regarding the signet ring in Captain Trimble’s possession, for I knew that Ricardo was a believer in such things.  I guessed that he would be more apt to help me if I included the magical elements of the story.  My assumptions proved correct.

  “The signet ring of King Solomon is a story I’ve heard of, and it surprises me that an Englishmen like yourself had not,” Ricardo quipped. 

  “I’m not a well-educated man,” I admitted.  “However, the sea is something I
do
know and I know of the frightening creatures that exist within its depths.  No pirate I know of—and especially a vile scallywag such as Trimble—should have that sort of power at his disposal.  The seas—no, the world—will be his!  Men like you and me cannot sit idly by and let it happen!”

  “And we won’t,” Ricardo growled, slamming his fist onto the table.  “
My men and I will assist you on this quest.  I’m sure the
Sea Witch
has countless treasures within her as well as charts and maps that will lead us to more!  My men will not cower at the name of Trimble if there is gold and jewels involved.”

I could hardly contain my smile, but I managed to stifle one to keep the mood serious. 

  “It is not only your muscle and ships that I need, mate, but your mind as well,’ I said.

Ricardo’s eyes narrowed and his face twisted into an expression of bewilderment. 

  “My mind?  I’m afraid I do not understand, señor,” he replied.

“For me and my crew to c
omplete this quest, in addition to you and your lot, I need your wits so that I may devise a plan to overtake the Royal Navy ship
Neptune’s Castle.
I must rescue Gordon Littleton and take the ship as my own.”

Ricardo sighed and for a moment I feared I’d asked too much of my old friend. 

  “What sort of ship is this
Neptune’s Castle
?” he asked finally.

  “English galleon,” I replied.  “Forty guns on her.”

Ricardo nodded, his jaw clenched. 

  “Any treasure on board?”

I shook my head.

  “I do not believe that there is, but I am not sure,” I answered.

  “I see,” he said, sounding somewhat disappointed with that.  “Give me time to go and speak to my crew.  I must get them behind me or they will be no good to us.”

He rose from his chair and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

  “Wait here for a moment, I will go downstairs and speak to them now.”

I nodded, and tried to flash a confident smile.  Suddenly, I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me as I thought of the possibility that his crew would be unanimously against the dangerous mission. 

I waited for what seemed like an hour when I heard the sound of boot steps approaching from behind.  I turned and as expected it was Ricardo, his face looking somewhat tired.  This was not a good sign to me.