Mystery in the Moonlight (29 page)

“Between the treasure and your testimony, they’ll go light on you, Ned,” Bryce told his brother, wishing that he could say the same for himself. His own crimes had been more serious, and he wondered how long he’d be locked away.

“I hope you’re right, Bryce,” Ned said, rising and leaving the cabin for the open deck. “It’s far too often that you’re mistaken about things that concern me.”

Following his brother with a heavy heart—for it seemed that in one day he’d alienated two of the people he loved most—Bryce was gratified to note that the fog seemed to be lifting. Unable to miss the way Caitlin turned away from him and immediately pretended absorption in Lars’s ramblings as he passed her, he strode directly toward Anselm, who held the submachine gun on Moreau and his smugglers.

“Round them up.” His order was followed by a nod in the general direction of the island, which was becoming visible little by little. “We’re marooning the bastards on the spit of land out there. If they want to leave before the authorities come pick them up, it’ll be on their own power. We’re taking their launches.”

“I’ll get you for this, Winslow,” Moreau swore, then looked from Bryce to Ned. “Both of you.”

“I don’t think you’ll be giving either of us much trouble where you’re going,” Ned assured the Frenchman while Bryce wondered if they’d all be going to the same jail.

In spite of the Frenchman’s threats Moreau and his men loaded into the launches docilely, not bothering to give the combined Winslow crews much trouble. If only the rest of the mission would go so easily, Bryce thought as the sun finally broke through the fog.

While both crews were busy transporting the smugglers Bryce, Ned, and Anselm formed their plans for Hibiscus. They’d take Moreau’s cabin cruiser as a decoy. Since the guards knew Ned and his men, they would lead the way into the cave on the pretext that Moreau had sent them. Then they’d overpower the guards and secure the treasure.

Having listened to the conversation, Caitlin insisted that they find Babs if she was still on the island and take her with them to St. Vincent. Bryce agreed. After staring at him for a moment she turned her back on him and went below. He’d never forget the way her vulnerable blue eyes had reflected her disenchantment.

After the men returned with the launches they headed for Hibiscus, the
Sea Devil
in the lead, Ned’s
Sea Sprite
following, and Moreau’s cruiser last.

Bryce hoped that Caitlin might seek him out, but she stayed out of sight. Making the break now was for the best, since he’d have to leave her, anyway, he told himself, but somehow the thought of leaving her at all left Bryce feeling hollow inside.

Chapter Fourteen

The sun hadn’t yet risen when the
Sea Devil
made her approach to St. Vincent, the
Sea Sprite
and Moreau’s hulking cabin cruiser following close behind. To take advantage of the strong, steady wind that had risen from the south, Bryce had ordered the square sails raised. Perhaps the passage had been rougher than usual, but with the addition of engine power they’d made excellent time. Now, seeing the first faint streaks of light gathering far out on the horizon, Caitlin wished she could hold back the dawn indefinitely.

How foolish. As if a few more hours could change the way things were between her and Bryce!

“My daddy always told me I was a good sailor,” Babs said with a yawn as she joined Caitlin at the rail. “But I declare, the last few hours have been so rough, my complexion must have turned green by now.” She laughed when she added, “I hope the damage isn’t permanent.”

“I’m sure your skin will return to its normal color once we get on land,” Caitlin assured her friend with a reluctant smile.

“Land! I’ll be so glad to put my head down on a nice, soft pillow that doesn’t rock. Although I shouldn’t complain, seeing as how Bryce was such a gentleman and all, generously giving up his cabin for us.

“He would have had no use for it last night, anyway.” Happy to have someone to talk to so that she could distract herself from more personal observations, Caitlin explained, “With Anselm on the cruiser Bryce had to take his mate’s watch as well as his own. He kept the ship on course, checking her position on radar and giving the helmsman his orders.”

“Seems you’ve learned a precious lot since you’ve been on this boat.” Babs gazed at her with new respect.

“Ship,” Caitlin automatically corrected.

“See what I mean? I never have understood the difference between a boat and a ship.” Babs yawned again. “More importantly, I don’t understand why you never came to bed. Surely I don’t take up that much room.”

“It was a nice night,” Caitlin said evasively. “I preferred bedding down on deck.”

“What? You slept on that hard ole wooden deck, prey to the whims of the elements?”

Caitlin grinned at her friend’s horrified tone. “I did have a pad between me and the deck, Babs. And the sea air is so refreshing that it makes me sleep like a baby.”

She didn’t add that she hadn’t actually slept at all throughout the night but had spent the time watching the star-filled heavens and listening to Bryce’s quiet orders as he guided the
Sea Devil
to her destination. It probably had been the last opportunity she’d ever have to do so, she thought morosely, even now glancing toward the bowsprit where her now clean-shaven lover stood, staring out at the island and signaling his men to take their places to lower the sails. Why had Bryce removed his beard? Not that the change made him any less handsome. It was just that his new clean-cut appearance, combined with the dress pants and knit shirt he had donned instead of his usual jeans, made him look like a different person. Well, the two of them might as well be complete strangers anyway.

“Did I tell you how glad I was to see you, Caitlin, honey?”

Already feeling desperately alone, Caitlin tore her gaze away from the man she loved as several crew members moved, into position. “Several times. And I was glad to see you too.”

“I was so worried. Well, not at first, because I thought you’d gone off with that handsome Bryce, which, of course, you had, although not in the manner I had imagined.” Babs sighed. “You must have had the most exciting adventures, while I was simply bored.”

“You couldn’t convince Trent to stick around, huh?”

“Actually, when I found you’d gone, I did sail with him and his friends for a few more days.” Eyeing Perry, who seemed to be listening to their conversation, Babs lowered her voice. “But the situation got a little sticky. He said that since you weren’t sharing my cabin, there was no good reason why he shouldn’t. Imagine, thinking that I’d sleep with him when I didn’t care for him. I mean, I like Trent because he’s charming and fun. But he just doesn’t make bells ring, if you know what I mean.”

Although Caitlin knew exactly what her friend meant, she wasn’t prepared to talk about Bryce. Not yet. “So you asked him to bring you back?”

“Yes, and I was horrified to realize that you were still gone. It wasn’t like you, so I spoke to Moreau. He assured me that you were merely making the most of your romantic vacation.”

“And convinced you that there was no reason to alert the authorities?”

Babs nodded. “Of course, I did, anyway, but that was only several days ago when you didn’t show up in time for our scheduled departure. I was feeling so guilty. If something had happened to you, it would have been my fault for leaving you alone. The authorities over on Harmony said they’d see what they could do but that I might as well return to North Carolina. I just couldn’t leave, not until I was sure you were all right.” Babs paused and touched Caitlin’s arm. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

‘Of course,” Caitlin lied, reaching out to squeeze Babs’s hand. She wasn’t going to let her personal tragedy affect her friend. Babs had already been through enough on her account.

And a broken heart never killed anyone, did it? She’d get over Bryce Prescott Winslow, would have to, since he didn’t want anything to do with her now that he’d found Ned. She didn’t even know why she’d walked out on him in the midst of their argument and then ignored him. Perhaps it was because she’d wanted some kind of reassurance that he cared about her, even if she was an impractical dreamer like his brother. But he hadn’t even tried to make up with her, proving how very little he did care.

“I’m glad
you
cared enough to be concerned,” she told Babs sincerely.

“Well, of course. Why, you’re the best friend I ever had, Caitlin O’Connor.” The two women hugged.

It was then that Bryce ordered his crew to lower the sails. Caitlin automatically moved to help, taking her place behind Perry.

“Caitlin, honey, what do you think you’re doin’?”

“Working. We’re shorthanded, since some of the crew had to go with Anselm.”

“You’ll break your nails,” Babs murmured.

But even as she carefully uncoiled the line and fed it to Perry, Caitlin was deaf to her friend’s protest. The sounds of working pulleys, flapping sails, and the straining anchor cable seemed to seal her fate. It was here that she would leave the
Sea Devil
; here that she would leave Bryce.

The reality of the situation was that Bryce left her. He had one of the launches lowered and boarded it without so much as a glance in her direction. She heard him tell Perry to make sure that the women were ready to go when he returned. It was then that exhaustion and disappointment caught up to her, making Caitlin want to crumple to the deck and have a good cry. But she wouldn’t allow herself that weakness, not in front of Babs and the crew.

Surprisingly it was Lars who was crying. “You’re going to leave just like the others,” he mumbled, hugging her awkwardly with one hand, taking a swig out of a bottle Caitlin hadn’t been able to find and confiscate with the other. Tears dribbled down into his beaded white beard. “Probably will marry some landlubber who won’t appreciate your fine talents. You’re one of the best…pest, crest, nest…natural sailors I ever met.” He took another swig. “Captain Flint’s gonna miss you. Calico Jack will too. He might not be able to find his new coat without you.”

“And I’m going to miss them,” Caitlin admitted. “And you can help Jack dress in the mornings, can’t you? Babs, make sure our things are ready to go while I get Lars down to his bunk. He’s had a little too much to drink.”

“Sure, Caitlin, honey.”

Caitlin didn’t have time to wonder why Babs stared at her so queerly as she led the old man to the companionway. Surprisingly Lars allowed her to take the bottle from him without more than a cursory protest.

“Come on, Lars, let’s go below.”

As they started to descend, he blubbered, “Why do you want to leave us?”

“I don’t, Lars,” she whispered softly, not really intending the words for his ears. “I want to stay with Bryce, but he isn’t giving me that choice”

It was true. She didn’t want to leave. She’d miss the cat. She’d even miss the nasty parrot. But most of all she’d miss the brave men who’d gone from her captors to her friends in the last couple of weeks.

Though she’d tried not to think of it directly, Caitlin had secretly hoped that Bryce loved her and would refuse to let her go. But this wasn’t a fantasy they were playing out, as they had in their lovemaking. It was real life. And whether or not she’d leave her heart behind, it was time for her to go home.

No, to North Carolina, Caitlin thought, feeling as if the ship and the sea and the magical West Indies were now her home.

“I thought I’d teach you to make sails by hand, missy. To pass the craft on to someone who appreciates it. Now I won’t have anyone…”

“I’m sorry.” After helping Lars into his bunk she kissed the old man’s wet cheek. “I’ll miss you too.”

She left quickly before she did cry, but she stopped in the galley to pull herself together.

By the time she got up to the deck, which was now illuminated by early-morning light, the
Sea Sprite
and Moreau’s cruiser were anchored a short distance away. Ned’s men were in the process of lowering a launch.

And only a few yards away, Babs, with Perry’s help, was busy stacking their luggage near the rail. How had her friend gotten things together so quickly? Caitlin wondered. When they’d stopped to pick her up on Hibiscus, it had seemed to take Babs hours to get ready. But before she could jokingly compliment her friend on her newfound speed, Caitlin heard an outboard motor in the distance. Turning toward the sound, she saw the launch heading back from the island toward the ship, and she steeled herself for the coming encounter with Bryce.

The sun was already rising in the hazy sky, sending shots of pastel color through the morning mists surrounding the island. Gulls screeched overhead, dipping low, dropping to the water’s surface to catch their prey. Caitlin watched until Bryce rose from the launch.

Their eyes met and locked. Was his sea-green gaze filled with longing and regret? Caitlin blinked away the burning sensation at the back of her lids. Had Bryce’s lips quivered once, as though he were about to speak? She held her breath, silently willing the man to tell her that he loved her. Instinctively she felt it was his last chance.

Use it. Don’t let me go.

But she’d seen too many romantic movies, she told herself when he finally did speak.

“I see you’re ready. Good. Perry will take you to a friend’s house. Name’s William Mansfield.” Bryce looked away and cleared his throat before gruffly adding, “He’ll make arrangements to get you back to the States on the next available flight. Maybe tomorrow.”