Fatal Tide (18 page)

“Some.” His body felt warm and strong and full of life against her. And, my God, Phil had coldly made a deal to snuff out that life. That was more terrible than all the torture Archer had put her through. He had to be punished. The anger would come, but now she was filled with sadness and loneliness. No, Kelby was gradually shutting out the desolation. How many times had he held her and comforted her like this in the short time they’d been together? She didn’t remember and she didn’t care. She didn’t want to be strong and independent right now. She’d take what she could get.

“But Lontana hurt you more,” Kelby said. “And that’s not a wound I can heal, dammit.”

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore.” Though she would probably live with that sense of betrayal for the rest of her life. “Are we near the dock?”

“Another five minutes,” Nicholas said.

“Good.” She wanted to get back to the ship and hide for a little while. There was still Archer to think about, but she couldn’t face it right now. She wanted to be away from this island.

Away from Phil in his little cottage overlooking the deep blue sea that held his dream.

It took Lontana three tries to get in touch with Archer. He tried to keep the panic from his voice when he finally reached him. “You promised me that you’d take Kelby out of the picture. You’ve got to do it now. I’ve got a ship waiting to take me out and claim salvage rights, but I can’t do it with him alive. He and the
Trina
have got to be destroyed right away.”

“Where’s the research, Lontana?”

“I’ve got it. Get rid of Kelby.”

There was a silence. “Why did you call me tonight?”

“Because you need to—” He drew a deep breath. “You tried to betray me. You tried to get my research from Melis tonight. That’s all right, I understand. But now you know that I’m the one who has it and you have to do what you promised.”

“How do you know what happened tonight?”

“Call me when you’ve done what we agreed upon and I’ll meet you and give you the research.” He hung up.

Archer stared thoughtfully at the phone after he’d hung up from Lontana.

The bastard was scared. And how the hell did he know Archer had tried to double-cross him tonight?

Unless Kelby or Melis had told him.

And how had they been able to tell him? Melis thought Lontana was dead. She certainly would not have his new phone number. Either he would have had to call her—not likely—or she would have had to talk to him in person.

On Cadora.

Yes.

He’d been trying to locate Lontana since they’d struck the deal, and now he had him in his sights. He should have known the elusive bastard would want to be close to Marinth.

Now he could go back to Cadora, scoop up Lontana and his damn research, and be home free.

Had Archer believed him? Lontana wondered. Jesus, he
had
to believe him. He couldn’t let Kelby have Marinth. If Archer got rid of Kelby right away, everything would still be fine. Lontana would find a way of evading Archer’s vengeance later. Everything would work out if he just had Marinth.

Marinth.

He left the cottage and walked to the edge of the cliff. He felt his anxiety ebbing away as he stood looking out at the sea. Of course Archer believed him. Marinth had always been his destiny, and fate would not allow him to be cheated. It was waiting for him. He could almost hear it call him.

“Lontana.”

He stiffened and looked behind him.

Black hair drawn back in a queue, dark eyes staring at him with implacable ferocity.

His heart leapt with terror.

He turned to run. An arm encircled his neck.

He was dead seconds later.

Kelby met Nicholas at the tender. “Would you like to tell me where you’ve been?”

“Maybe.” He came on board. “How’s Melis?”

“Asleep. She was exhausted. She almost fell unconscious when she hit the bed.” Kelby glanced toward the east. “Lontana?”

“The poor man fell off the cliff and broke his neck.”

“I see. You didn’t have to do that. It wasn’t your responsibility.”

“Melis didn’t want you to do it. If she decided later that Lontana should be punished, it would have hurt her to do it herself.” He shrugged. “I was the logical choice.”

“Why?”

“The crazy son of a bitch was always going to be a threat to you as long as you held on to Marinth.”

“But the threat was to me, Nicholas.”

“A threat to my friends is a threat to me.” He smiled faintly. “It’s an old shaman saying.” He turned away. “Good night, Jed. Sleep well.” He stopped and glanced over his shoulder. “Do we tell Melis about Lontana’s unfortunate demise?”

“Not right away. She’s had enough to face lately.” He hesitated and then said gruffly, “Thanks, Nicholas.”

Nicholas nodded and strode down the deck.

Melis slept for a solid eight hours. But when she woke she still felt drugged—and lonely. Kelby had held her until she’d fallen asleep, but he wasn’t with her now.

Well, what could she expect? He’d been kind, but he didn’t want her leaning on him forever.

And she didn’t want to lean. She’d taken a hard blow, but she had to get up and start swinging.

She got out of bed and headed for the shower. Twenty minutes later she was climbing the steps to the deck. Nicholas was throwing fish into the sea and he turned as she came toward him. “Good afternoon. You look a lot better. How do you feel?”

“A little weak and sore. Nothing that food and taking it easy for today won’t cure. How’s Pete?”

“Hungry.” He threw another fish down to Pete, who was hovering near the side of the ship. “He’ll hardly let Susie have any. She doesn’t seem to mind though.”

“I can see that.” Susie was rubbing sympathetically against Pete. “She knows he’s hurt.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t bring him aboard the ship to take care of him?”

“Not unless we want to kill him. Kelby took out the spear, and I stopped the bleeding and gave him an antibiotic. He’ll heal faster in the seawater.”

“I thought he was a goner when you brought him back.”

So had Melis. That blood had terrified her. It was only later that she’d realized the attack could be used to make Archer believe he’d finally broken her. “We were lucky. Archer’s man had to work fast. It was a glancing strike, or it could have done serious damage.”

“How soon do you think it will be before he’s his old self?”

“Soon. He’ll tell us. He knows his body. Nature is a wonderful thing.”

“That’s good. I like the guy. I like both of them. They kind of get to you.” He made a face. “Even though your blasted dolphins have turned me into a nursemaid.”

“It’s good for you,” Kelby said as he came toward them. “You need a little softening.”

“The pot calling the kettle,” Nicholas said. “One of you will have to do the next feeding. I need to jump in the tender and do a little reconnoitering.”

Kelby nodded. “To see if Archer’s taken off?”

“It’s a possibility.”

“He won’t go,” Melis said. “Even if he didn’t still want the papers, he’s furious. He’ll think we fooled him. We sent him running and he’ll want revenge.”

“Against you,” Kelby said. “This might be a good time for you to stay in your cabin and let us take care of business.”

“He’ll be just as angry with you. Are we all going to hide under the bed?” She shook her head. “We have to put an end to it.” She turned to Nicholas. “I’ll take care of Pete and Susie. You spend your time keeping an eye on Archer’s ship. We need to know what’s happening.”

“I agree.” Nicholas turned to Kelby. “When I wasn’t keeping an eye on the dolphins this morning, I did a little firepower assembly. Just in case.” He moved down the deck. “I’m going to catch a bite to eat before I take off. It might be a long night.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Melis asked Kelby.

“You needed the sleep. Besides that wound, Lontana gave you a knockout punch. And there wasn’t anything you could do. From now on it’s going to be a waiting game.”

She was afraid he was right, and she was going to hate that waiting. “I hoped it might end last night.”

“It should have. The plan was sound enough. It just went wrong.”

“Thanks to Phil.” She gazed in the direction of Cadora. Phil was out there in his cottage, probably still congratulating himself on his great success. “He was so proud of himself.”

“Stop thinking about him.”

“I will. It’s still new. I thought he was my friend.”

“It sounded like he still believed it. He’s a little wacko.”

“No. It’s only that we’re all just shadows to him. Marinth is the reality. I never realized that.” She forced herself to look away. “Are you going down today?”

“For one dive. And, no, you’re not going with me. I’ll take Charlie.”

“I wasn’t going. I can’t risk not getting this wound healed right away.”

“The doctor said nothing strenuous for a week.”

“I heal fast.” She smiled faintly. “I’m like Pete. I’ll know when I’m ready.”

He paused. “I don’t know if you’re going to be ready for this. We found a gift-wrapped package in the tender you took to Cadora.”

She stiffened. She’d completely forgotten the package Pennig had put in the tender. “Did you open it?”

“No, I wanted to chuck it, but I don’t have the right. It’s in your cabin.” He added roughly, “
You
chuck it. Don’t even open it.”

She nodded and moved slowly toward her cabin.

What do you have for me now, Archer? What cruel little whimsy?

The box was sitting on her bed. A note was taped to the top. She opened the envelope.

Melis,

I hope I don’t have to dispose of you tonight and that we’re opening this together. I desperately want to see your face.

She hesitated and then tore off the gold wrappings.

She lifted one corner of the box.

White. Delicate as a moonbeam.

She slammed the lid of the box down.

Damn him. Damn him.

She picked up the box and headed for the door. Destroy it. Throw it overboard.

She stopped and drew a deep breath. She wasn’t thinking. Everything had changed. They had no weapons against Archer right now. They might have to turn his weapons against him.

Not this one. Oh, God, not this one.

She forced herself to stride to the closet, tossed the box out of sight, and slammed the door.

She didn’t even know if she could live in the same room with it. It would be like knowing a cobra was coiled in that closet.

But she didn’t have to live in this room. She had Kelby, and she’d be safe wherever he was. She was welcome in his cabin, welcome in his bed. It didn’t matter that it was only for now. What a good thing to know he was there for her.

Nicholas came back after nine o’clock that night. “It took me an hour or two to locate the ship. Archer up-anchored and sailed ten miles to the east. I was afraid we’d lost him.”

“Is he still on board?”

“I didn’t find the ship until almost sunset. I didn’t stay long and I had to keep far back so that I wouldn’t be seen. I don’t think he was on deck.”

“He’s on the ship,” Melis said. “He’s hovering. Like a bad dream.”

“I’d bet he’s doing more than forming a black cloud over your head,” Kelby said. “He’s getting reinforcements. We took out four of his men. It might take a little time to call up more help and weapons.”

“Makes sense,” Nicholas said. “I’ll be able to get a better look at any comings and goings tomorrow. There’s a chain of deserted islands about four miles away from where Archer’s anchored. I can set up surveillance from one of them.”

“What kind of weapons?” Melis asked.

“He has access to some nasty firepower,” Kelby said grimly. “Maybe rocket launchers. No maybe if he decides to come after the
Trina.
”

“You think he will?”

“I imagine he’s mad enough to do almost anything. There’s a possibility.”

“Then maybe we shouldn’t wait until he gets reinforcements,” Nicholas said.

“If he’s as angry as I think he is, we might be able to use it,” Melis said.

Kelby gave her a wary look. “How?”

“I’m not sure.”

“You don’t mean use his anger, you mean use you.” Kelby added flatly, “No.”

“How do you know he hasn’t already got those weapons on board his ship? Maybe he’s just waiting for more men,” Melis said. “Do you want to chance him blowing the
Trina
out of the water?”

“No, and I don’t want him to blow you out of the water either.”

“We need to know what he’s thinking. Let’s give him another day.”

“And you think we’ll know then?”

“Yes. He’ll call me. He won’t be able to resist. He’s only waiting until he thinks he has the upper hand. He’s probably seething to do it now, but he can’t feel like a failure when he talks to me.” She smiled crookedly. “It has to be slave and master.”

Kelby gazed at her for a moment. “Okay, one day. That’s all.” His eyes narrowed on her face. “What are you thinking about? You can’t pull the same trick on him again.”

“I know. He’ll want me now as much as he does the papers. Before I was just a little something extra.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m thinking. There has to be a way. . . .”

They didn’t have to wait a day for Archer to call. Her phone rang two hours later.

“Are you feeling smug?” Archer asked. “Nothing’s changed, Melis. I’m alive and you’re alive and you still have to give me the papers.”

“Some things have changed. Pennig’s dead.”

“He’s replaceable.” He paused. “But you’re right, there has been one change. I took a little trip to Cadora. You’re my only source for those reference papers now. You took them from Lontana, didn’t you?”

“What did you expect?”

“You’ve made it very inconvenient for me. I’m afraid there will be a price to pay. Shall I tell you how?”

“Do you expect me to quiver and weep? That was an act, Archer. I made a fool of you.” She paused before adding mockingly, “Mr. Peepers.”