Fatal Tide (20 page)

She was coming.

Kelby’s grip tightened on the binoculars until the veins stood out on his hands as he saw Melis being lifted onto the ship. She had been limp while in the boat, but now she was stirring.

And by the time she reached the deck she was able to stand.

But only for a moment. Archer’s hand lashed out viciously and knocked her to the deck.

“Jed.” It was Nicholas behind him.

He didn’t lower the binoculars. “Not now, you bastard.” One of the men pulled Melis to her feet and was pushing her toward the stairs leading down to the cabins. She disappeared from view.

Kelby whirled on Nicholas. He could barely speak for the fury that was flaming through him. “You son of a bitch. What the hell are you doing?”

“What Melis wanted. It was her plan from the get-go. You wouldn’t let her help, so she went for it.”

“With your help, damn you.”

“She would have found a way to go alone. You made a mistake, Jed. There’s no way of keeping her out of it.”

“You didn’t give me a chance.”

“No, because I’d feel the same way in her shoes. She has to do this. She has a big payback coming. She was cheated at Cadora. Besides, we needed that distraction.”

The memory of Melis knocked to the deck came back to Kelby. “He’s
got
her.”

“Then let’s go get her before he does her much damage. I brought your wet suit and the equipment,” Nicholas said. “Melis is going to set off the explosive at one forty-five. That gives us a little over an hour to swim out there and get in position. When she blows, everyone should rush toward the galley area. That’s our opportunity to board. After that, it’s up to us. I told Melis to hide after she tosses the explosive and keep hidden.”

“If she’s still alive.”

“She’s smart, Jed. She’s not going to do anything dumb.”

Kelby knew that, but it didn’t stop the fear that was eating at him. He had to stop it or he wouldn’t be able to function. “Okay, where’s the explosive?”

“Her right deck shoe.” Nicholas smiled. “I put one of my favorite stilettos and a skeleton key in her left.”

“Easy to get at?”

“All she has to do is rip down the back tab and strip off the sole. She can do it with one hand.”

“Both hands are tied. Your idea?”

“I told you, it was all Melis. If he doesn’t untie her, she can use the stiletto. It will be awkward but doable.”

“If she has the chance.”

“Yeah. If she has the chance.”

“You could have stopped her.”

“I chose not to try.” He looked him in the eye. “Blame me all you please. It’s not going to change a damn thing. It’s done.”

He was right. It was done. And there was no way Kelby could turn back the clock.

Nicholas’s face softened as he saw the despair in Kelby’s expression. “I’m sorry it has to be this way. I don’t feel good about this either, Jed. I’m worried as hell.”

“Worried? You don’t have a clue.” He turned away. “Let’s get going. Where’s my wet suit?”

Golden fretwork panels hung on the cabin walls.

Velvet coverlet on the bed.

Melis leaned back against the wall, sick, after the crew member pushed her into Archer’s cabin. It was her nightmare come to life. There were even Moroccan lanterns sitting on the floor beside the bed.

Did she hear drums? No, that was her imagination. She closed her eyes to shut out the sight. But it didn’t shut out the memories.

Then use all her will and shut them out herself. This response was what Archer wanted from her. Don’t let him get anything he wanted.

What time was it? She forced herself to open her eyes and look at the gold-framed clock on the wall. Fifty minutes to go. Fifty minutes to stay in this hellhole of a room. If she stood very still and stared only at the ceiling she could stand it.

The door opened and Archer stood there, smiling at her. “You look like a cringing mouse. Where’s your dignity, Melis?”

She straightened with an effort. “You went to a lot of trouble. When did you do all this?”

“As soon as I arrived here from Miami. There was no doubt in my mind that you’d be in this cabin eventually. It was only a question of when. I took a good deal of pleasure out of choosing and matching. I’d listen to the tapes and then send for the merchandise. It kept me from being bored.” He shook his head. “I only wish I’d seen your face when you first caught sight of it. I was a little angry or I wouldn’t have forgotten I intended to do that.” He moved to stand before her and touched the bruise on her chin. “Kelby wasn’t as soft about you as you thought, was he?”

“He’s a bastard.” She stared him in the eye. “Like you.”

“Sticks and stones.” One finger stroked the pink satin ribbon in her hair. “But you mustn’t blame him. You told me yourself that he was nuts about that ship.”

“I didn’t think he’d sell me down the river for it.”

“Haven’t you learned that whores are dispensable? There’s always another one. But you’re rather special. I feel a certain bond with you.” He took a step back. “And you look so pretty. Turn around for me.”

“Go to hell.”

He slapped her. “Don’t you remember? Disobedience was always punished.” He tilted his head. “But they also used drugs on you, didn’t they? I don’t want you all bruised to begin with. Maybe I’ll go that route.”

“No!” She wouldn’t be able to function if she was drugged. Forty-five minutes.

She turned around in a circle.

“Again. Slower.”

She bit her lower lip and then obeyed.

“Good little girl.” He was looking down at her deck shoes. “But where are the shiny patent-leather shoes I sent you?”

She kept her expression from showing the panic she felt. “They had to hold me down to get me in this dress. After I kicked him in the nuts, Kelby decided not to try the shoes.”

He chuckled. “He obviously doesn’t know how to handle naughty little girls. It takes experience.” His smile faded. “But he didn’t send the chest with you.”

“He doesn’t have it. Do you think I’d share that with him? It’s
mine
.”

He studied her. “No, I can see how you’d need a little insurance. And, after all, he has Marinth.”

“And that damn boat.”

“Such bitterness. We’ll discuss you giving me the chest later. Now, come over to the bed and lie down.”

She shook her head.

“Why, you’ve turned pale. It’s such a soft, lovely bed. And do you know what we’re going to do in it? We’re going to lie together and listen to the tapes. And I’m going to watch your face. I can’t tell you how much I missed that when I was phoning you. I wanted to see every expression.”

“I . . . can’t do it.”

“Don’t make me use the drugs. It might dull your emotions. Look at the bed.”

Red velvet, heaped with cushions.

“Now, go over and sit on it. We’ll go slowly. I like slow.”

But every moment would be a century. She moved across the room and sat down on the side of the bed.

“You hate the feel of that velvet against you, don’t you?”

“Yes.” Only two minutes had passed. “I can’t
stand
it.”

“You’ll be surprised what you can stand. We’ll explore that after the tapes.” He lay down and patted the bed. “Lie down by Daddy, sweetheart. Isn’t that what a lot of them said to you?”

She nodded jerkily. “I’ll . . . give you the papers if you’ll just let me out of here.”

“In time. Lie down, Melis.”

Two minutes more had passed. “Take the ropes off me.”

“But I rather like them. Say please.”

“Please.”

He took out his pocketknife and cut the ropes. “Lie down or I’ll tie you again.”

She slowly lay back on the pillows.

Oh, God, it was happening again.

She was going to scream.

No, she could control it. It wouldn’t happen. She just had to hold on.

Deal with it.

Was that Carolyn’s voice?

“Your expression is priceless,” Archer said hoarsely, his gaze fixed hungrily on her face. “I wish I had a camera handy. I’ll have to remember the next time.” He reached over and turned on the tape recorder on the nightstand. “But I’m too eager right now. I have to watch you. . . .”

Then she heard her own voice on the tape.

Chapter Eighteen

Five minutes to go.

“Two men on the bridge,” Nicholas murmured. “One will probably stay at the helm even if the other runs to the explosion. You or me?”

“You do it. I’m heading for the cabins.”

“I thought as much.”

Kelby’s eyes strained as he stared up at the deck. God, he wanted to move now.

Four minutes.

Melis sat bolt upright on the bed and covered her mouth. “Jesus, I’m going to throw up.”

“How annoying.” Archer sat up in bed. “When we were just getting to the good part.”

She bent over the bed, gagging.

“No, you don’t. Not on this bed. I have too many plans for it.” He jumped up and jerked her out of bed. “The bathroom, bitch.” He dragged her over to the adjoining bathroom. “Hurry up. And don’t get anything on that dress.”

He pushed her into the room and slammed the door.

Alone.

She had been afraid he’d come in with her. But most people didn’t like to see others throw up. That didn’t mean he wasn’t probably right outside the door.

She made gagging sounds as she reached down and stripped the tab on the back of her right shoe. She carefully removed the slender explosive device and set it on the top of the commode. Then she retrieved the stiletto from her left shoe.

“Are you through?” Archer said.

She gagged again. “I guess so.”

“Then wash your face and rinse out your mouth like a good girl. You’ve made me a little angry. I may have to spank you.”

She started the water running in the sink. She took a few deep breaths to steady herself. Her hand tightened on the hilt of the stiletto. She had to move. Don’t turn off the water. It would give her a few seconds of surprise when she went through the door.

“Melis.”

She threw open the door and leapt forward. She had a fleeting impression of the shock on Archer’s face as the stiletto entered his upper chest. He started to fall.

Was the wound enough?

No time to check. It was a minute past time. She ran out of the cabin. She’d noticed when they’d brought her down that the galley was right down the hall. She ran toward it.

No one was there.

She armed the explosive.

“What are you doing here?” A man carrying an assault rifle was coming down the stairs behind her.

“I was looking for Archer. He told me to stay in the cabin, but I—”

She hurled the explosive with all her force into the galley, whirled, and hit the floor, covering her head.

The galley exploded with a force that shook the ship and blew the ceiling. She heard the man on the stairs grunt with pain.

Debris was flying like bullets in all directions. She felt a stinging on her leg but didn’t uncover her head to look. Better her leg than her skull. Seconds later she cautiously raised her head. The man on the stairs was lying in a heap on the floor, blood pouring from his forehead.

The shaking had stopped. The other crewmen would be coming to investigate. She had to hide or get out.

Out.

The galley was roaring with flames. She’d be cooked if she stayed down here.

But she could hear the shouts and orders of the men on the deck. She’d walk right into them as she climbed the steps. She was no commando and she wanted to live. Better to hide, as Nicholas had told her.

Okay, wait. She grabbed the assault rifle from the man lying on the floor and ducked behind the steps. Not that she could see what good the weapon would do her. Hell, she didn’t even know how to work an assault rifle.

Well, this was obviously the time to figure it out.

Two of Archer’s men were running toward the stairs leading to the lower deck.

Kelby aimed and fired. One man down. The other man whirled with a curse, his gun drawn.

Kelby shot him between the eyes.

There was one more crewman. Where the hell was he?

Jesus, black smoke was pouring out of the open door.

He ran toward the stairs.

He couldn’t see anything. Smoke stung his eyes. “Melis!”

No answer.

He started down the stairs. “Melis!”

“Don’t come down here. I’m coming up.”

“Thank God.” It wasn’t only smoke that was stinging his eyes. “Do you need help? Are you—”

“I need new lungs.” Melis was coughing as she came up the stairs. She tried to breathe. “Mine are burning up.”

“Archer?”

“Dead.”

“Stay here. There’s one more crew member to account for.”

She shook her head. “Down . . . there.”

“Are you sure?”

She nodded at the weapon in her hands. “I took this from him.”

“Get your breath. I’ve got to go see if Nicholas is okay.” He took off at a run for the bridge.

Get your breath?

That was easier said than done, Melis thought as she leaned against the rail. She felt as if her lungs were seared. She went to the rail and took several shallow breaths. That was better. Now try a deep breath—

“What a bad little girl.”

She whirled to see Archer leaning against the doorjamb. His face was blackened by smoke and he was covered with blood.

But there was a gun in his hand.

She jerked to the side as he pulled the trigger.

The bullet went past her cheek.

She lifted the assault rifle. Aimed quickly but carefully. Fired.

He screamed as the bullets tore into his groin. The gun fell from his hand as he fell.

She kept firing. And firing. And firing.

“I think he’s out of commission, Melis,” Kelby said gently. He was standing beside her and holding out his hand. “And you’re ricocheting a hell of a lot of bullets off everything around him.”

She had run out of bullets anyway, but she didn’t give up the weapon. “I didn’t know how to shoot it. So I just held down the trigger.”

“It was effective enough,” Nicholas said. “My God, I think you’ve blown his nuts off.”

“It’s what I intended. I couldn’t think of anything more fitting. Are you sure he’s dead?”

Kelby went over and looked down at him. “I’ll be damned, he’s still alive.”

Archer’s eyes opened and blazed at Melis. “Bitch. Whore.”

Kelby lifted his gun. “But I think it’s time he said
sayonara
.”

“No,” Melis said. “Is he in pain?”

“Big time.”

“The wounds are fatal?”

“Yes, some of those bullets tore into his stomach.”

“How long will it take him to die?”

“Could be thirty minutes. Could be hours.”

Melis slowly walked toward Archer.

“Bitch,” he whispered. “Bitch.”

“Are you hurting, Archer?” She bent down and whispered, “Do you think it’s as bad as the pain Carolyn felt? Do you think it’s as horrible as what those little girls felt when you raped them? I hope so.”

“Whore. You’ll always be a whore.” His voice dripped malice. “And I’ve made you realize it. Everything your Carolyn did for you, I destroyed. I could see it in your face tonight.”

“You’re wrong. You provided the final cure. If I could go through that nightmare, I’m strong enough for anything.”

Doubt flickered over his face. “You’re lying.”

She shook her head. “Carolyn always said that the way to get rid of a nightmare was to deal with it.” She looked down at his bleeding groin. “I dealt with it.”

She turned and walked away.

Kelby and Nicholas caught up with her before she was halfway down the deck.

“You’re sure you don’t want us to put him down?” Nicholas asked. “It would be a pleasure.”

“I want him to die slowly. It’s not enough, but it will have to do.” She looked back at the fire that had broken from belowdeck and was now eating at the timbers of the main deck. “I hope the ship doesn’t sink too soon.”

“I think we’ll get off it just in case.” Kelby moved toward the tender. “Let’s go.”

“One more thing.” She stripped off the organdy dress, leaving her in bra and panties. Then she took the pink ribbon from her hair. She tossed both of them on the deck where the fire was creeping toward them. “I’m ready now.” She jumped into the tender.

“Jed, drop me off at the island and I’ll stick around until the ship sinks,” Nicholas said. “We don’t want any last-minute slipups.” He tossed Melis an emergency blanket. “Wrap up. You might get cold.”

“I won’t get cold.” She felt strong, complete, and . . . free.

Archer was screaming in pain.

Kelby started the engine, and the tender moved slowly away from the ship.

Archer was still screaming.

The first tendrils of fire had reached the white organdy dress. The delicate fabric was curling and blackening. Then it was completely aflame.

In a few short minutes the dress and ribbon were gone.

Ashes.

Two hours later, from the deck of the
Trina,
Melis and Kelby saw a flash of light in the east.

“That’s it,” Kelby said. “The fire reached the arms. It took longer than I thought.”

“I wish it had taken even longer.”

“Bloodthirsty wench.”

“Yes, I am.”

“Will you go down and hit the shower now? You’ve been glued to this rail since we came back.”

“Not yet. I’ll wait for Nicholas. I have to be sure. You can go.”

He shook his head and leaned on the rail, his gaze on the east.

Nicholas arrived thirty minutes later.

“The big boom,” he said as he climbed on board. “He was carrying some mega firepower.” He turned to Melis. “No last-minute rescues. The bastard’s dead, Melis. Blown to hell.”

She gazed out to the east.

He’s dead, Carolyn. He won’t hurt anyone anymore.

“Melis.” Kelby’s hand was gentle on her arm. “Time to let it go.”

She nodded and turned away. It was over. Done.

Time to let it go.

Pete and Susie were gone when she came on deck the next morning.

“Is it okay?” Kelby had come to stand beside her. “You said Pete would know when he was well enough.”

“I think it’s okay.” Melis shrugged. “There’s so much about dolphins that is a mystery to me. Sometimes I feel I don’t know Pete and Susie at all.”

“And other times you know damn well you’re learning every day. They’ll be back, Melis.”

She nodded as she sat down on the deck. “And I’ll be here. Are you going to dive today?”

He shook his head. “I’m going to pay a visit to the coast guard. You can’t sink a ship without repercussions, even if it’s one used for criminal activities. But if they were willing to take a bribe from Archer, then they’ll take one from me.”

“Money is the answer to everything.”

“No, but it’s very useful. Call me if there’s a problem with Pete.”

“I can handle it.”

He hesitated as he looked at her. “You’re a million miles away today.”

“I feel . . . subdued. Maybe a little empty.” She smiled faintly. “For weeks I’ve had only one purpose, and it’s not there anymore. I’ll be fine once I adjust. When will you be back?”

“It depends on how long and how much money it takes to convince them that Archer’s ship accidentally blew up because of the arms he was carrying. The wages of sin.” He moved toward the tender. “I’ll let you know if I run into any snags.”

“You don’t have to report in to me.” She looked out at the water. “I promised you I wouldn’t tie you down.”

“It’s courtesy, dammit.” He frowned. “I
want
to call you.”

“Then do it.”

“Melis, I can’t—” He shook his head. “Screw it. I don’t think I could get through to you now.” He jumped in the tender. “I’ll see you later.”

She watched him speed away from the
Trina
. Then her gaze shifted back to the ocean and she waited for Pete and Susie to come back.

They surfaced near the ship two hours later.

Pete looked fine, she thought with relief. Better than fine. He and Susie were cavorting and clicking as usual.

“Hi, guys,” she said softly. “You could have waited until I was here before you decided to take a little trip.” She stripped off her T-shirt. “I’m coming in. It’ll be like old times. I need it to be good today.”

She dove into the water. It was cold and clean and familiar. When she surfaced, it was to see Nicholas at the rail. She waved.

“You don’t have your air tank,” he called. “And you shouldn’t be in the water alone.”

“I’m not diving. I’m just going for a little swim with the dolphins. It always clears my mind.”

“Jed won’t like it. He nearly went bananas when he saw you taken aboard Archer’s boat. He’s still mad as hell at me.”

“I’m sorry, Nicholas.” But she struck out in a breaststroke with Pete and Susie on either side of her. That formation lasted for only a moment before they grew impatient and, as usual, swam ahead, coming back to her periodically.

It was different swimming with them today. Since they had arrived here in the Canaries, there had always been a purpose when they were in the water together. Now it was almost like swimming with them at the island.

No, that wasn’t true. They had another life now. Before they had been hers. Now they gave her time and affection, but they had joined with their own kind. They had the choice. She shouldn’t be sad. It was right and natural.

So was life at this moment. Right and natural and everything coming into focus.

And becoming more crystal clear with every passing minute.

Kelby cut the engine as he neared the
Trina
.

The other tender was gone.

Don’t panic. Nicholas could have gone to Lanzarote to get supplies or—or what, dammit?

Nicholas hadn’t taken the tender. He was walking down the deck toward Kelby.

“Where’s the other tender?” Kelby asked as he came on board. “And where’s Melis?”

“The tender is sitting at a dock in Lanzarote. And Melis is probably boarding a plane at Las Palmas.”

“What?”

“Pete came back. She went for a swim with the dolphins, and when she came back she packed and took off.”

“She didn’t call me. You didn’t call me either.”

“She asked me not to.”