wrath of the Sea Queen (239 page)

"
Go inside.
"

"
Not without you.  I'll come get you.  If you need help, just tell me how to reach you.  Are you in the tunnel?
"

Vin got no further reply.
 
Maybe she
wait
ing
out the storm in the tunnel
.
  W
ould
she
be
safer
there
than if she risked the trek
across the open beach
to the hotel?  Vin didn't
like it
, but he h
ee
d
ed her request
.

"Come on, Vin.  You can't stay out here," Ben said.

"Take Salma inside
, Ben
.  I'm waiting for C
a
eli."  Vin had already planted his feet in the sand as he stared out into the storm.  It was almost as if he were daring the elements to try and make him move.  C
a
eli was out here somewhere.  Vin would not move
for shelter
until he
was certain
that she was all right
. 
If he
had
to do that from here, then that's what he would do
.

Ben
finally
got Salma settled into their room after declining several requests to take her to a hospital.  Ben did not want to take the chance of traveling in this weather, running into anyone else on Scott's payroll, or giving away the fact that Salma was already out of immediate danger. 

Instead, Ben made arrangements for Colonel Franks to have
one or two of
his men continue to
stand
guard
inside the
hotel.  This environment was much easier to control, especially now that they knew
their enemy
.  They
met
Maku in the lounge, and he followed them to their room.  Ben invited him inside, closing the door so that they could speak privately.

Maku first apologized for not protecting Salma.  Ben, feeling guilty himself
, more
than this man could possibly know, assured Maku that he was not to blame. 
Salma's
abduction
had
happened on Ben's watch.  Next,
Maku explained about the encounter with Lorrie and how she died.  Ben and Salma were relieved to hear
from
Mak
u
how he
was
able to help C
a
eli, though he could not tell them anything about what happened after he left her at the entrance to the tunnel.

"Where is
Mr. Harding
?  I think
he
will want to hear this, too," Maku inquired.

"He
is out
on the beach.  He refuses to come inside
until she returns
," Ben explained.

"Then I shall go
to
him.  Perhaps
, if the tunnel is not yet flooded,
I
can
take him
out
to the island.  Maybe we can
still reach her
," Maku offered.

"You can try. 
Vin
may
very well
want to
go with you.  Before you
leave
, what can you tell us about the blonde
lady in the lounge?"  Ben asked, surprising Salma with his inquiry.
 

Maku
explained about
Vicki
, her reason for being there, and why they were waiting.  Maku
had hoped
to find a way to prevent her from taking Max,
but the solution eluded him thus
far.
  The question reminded him that he would not be able to go out to Vin right away.

"
What did you say her name was
again
?
"
  Ben asked with a thoughtful look on his face.

"
Vicki.  Do you know her?
"

"
No.  Something about her seem
s
familiar, that's all.  I'm sure I
ha
ve never met her before.  I do think it
i
s a rather big coincidence that she is here today, in the middle of all this chaos.  It seems a bit unusual that child services would show up a year after Apela's wife died.  If I
were a gambling man
, I would say that she was sent here by the same folks who have been stirring up the rest of the trouble we
ha
ve seen this week. 
Yet another
distraction to divert our
attention
,
"
Ben shared his thoughts.

"
When you explain it like that, it does seem odd.  I will keep a close eye on
her.  I will watch for this red
headed fella, too.  I
know who he is
.  He will not slip
by
me if I see him again.
"
  With that, Maku left and returned to the lounge to sit with their guest.

Salma sat propped up in bed, and Ben
pulled up a chair to sit nearby.  He
kicked his
shoes off and
propped
his
feet on the edge of the
bed, rubbing his chin in silent contemplation
.

"
I'm worried about
her
, too, Ben,
"
Salma's voice interrupted his thoughts
after a few minutes
.

"
Is it t
hat obvious?
"

"
I'm afraid so.  If this weather is any indication, I
woul
d say
things are
not going well
for
C
a
eli
.  I
woul
d really like to help.  I know you are thinking along those same lines
. 
Knowing you
, you've already got a plan
.  So, do you
want to tell me what plot you'v
e cook
ed
up?
"
  Salma knew Ben would
already
be
several steps ahead of her.  His mind always worked that
way
.

"
I'm not sure that I can help, at least, not directly.  I
a
m more concerned about Scott, the
b
ook, and that social worker out in the lounge.  Besides, you are going to have to sit this one out
, Doll
,
"
Ben said.

Salma started to object, but Ben held his hand up to stop her protests. 

"
Sorry, but I won't hear it.  You
ha
ve already been hurt enough.  They
ha
ve
successfully
targeted you too many times
to ignore
.  C
a
eli
is not the only one
who
ha
s
been
in danger
this week
, though you refuse to acknowledge it
.  I won't risk your life again.  C
a
eli
isn't here to
help me save you a
second time
. 
W
hatever plan I m
ight
devise, I
wi
ll make sure Maku
or
Jeremy stay here to keep you safe.  I
wi
ll enlist
anyone else I run across
to guard you as well.
  Th
is
last
episode
was way too close
for comfort, and I'm not taking
any further chances.
"

"
Ben, be reasonable.  There has to be some way that I can help.  You can't ask me
to
watch from the sidelines.
"

"
I'm not asking.  I'm
truly
sorry, but I
won't
risk it.  You are a target in all this
, and you know it
.  Your
further
involvement would be like baiting the hook.  I
simply
won't do that,
"
Ben insisted.

Salma was quiet for a few minutes while she considered Ben's words. 
He w
as right.  Scott was likely to come after her again if
presented with
the opportunity
, even though h
e
had
fully intende
d for her to die in that cave. 
Since Vin
was preoccupied with
C
a
eli
's whereabouts
, the best way to resolve the remaining situation would be to capture Scott and get the
b
ook away from him.  How was Ben planning to do that?  And what did he know about the lady in the lounge?  As Salma thought about both of these, she could not see a way that her participation would benefit either task,
at least
not yet.