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The world around her seemed to spin, to disappear, and yet to become achingly real. She was fascinated by his touch. His hair, the wicked movement of his muscles. She arched and writhed against him until the fire within her seemed to explode. She felt him explode within her as well, and for a moment, she simply luxuriated in the sensation of winding down. When she did, she felt the coolness of the air around them and she smiled. Sex wasn’t new; it was as old as life on earth. And yet she couldn’t help feeling that they had somehow reinvented the wonder of it all that night.
She smoothed back a lock of her hair and curled up against his chest. “Is. . . was that allowed?” she asked.
She saw the curve of his lips. “I didn’t ask anyone’s permission. ”
“Yes, but. . . ”
“I think it’s okay. Jackson is with Angela. Will is with Kat. We have two other couples in the teams. Maybe it has to do with our unique talents. ” He rolled so that they faced each other. “And maybe it’s because, somehow, these situations just bring us together with the most fascinating people in the country. ”
She smiled again and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. “I’m fascinating?”
“Entirely. ”
“You’re a bit unusual yourself, you know. ”
“I certainly hope so. ”
“I’d never have imagined. . . ”
He rose up on one elbow, gazing down at her. “Actually, I’d never imagined any of this. I made a rather awkward start of it. My social graces may be a bit. . . lacking. ”
“That’s okay,” she said. “Your other skills aren’t. ”
He leaned down and kissed her once more. She’d never, ever believed a kiss could be so deep, do so much, enter her every cell.
That kiss. . .
They began making love again, more slowly at first, and then more frantically, and when they’d finished she lay in his arms. She thought they’d talk afterward, but they didn’t. Exhaustion must have overwhelmed her. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
She didn’t hear when the kitchen crew arrived in the morning.
She didn’t awaken until she felt Malachi bolt up and go running out to the living area. Then she became aware of the sound of a ringing phone.
A minute later, he returned to the bedroom, pausing naked and perfect in the doorway. His tone was strange—anxiety combined with regret. “We’ve got to get moving,” he told her. “Helen Long is conscious and talking. We have to get to the hospital. ”
* * *
Jackson was there to meet them when they arrived.
“How is she?” Abby asked.
“She’s doing all right. She’s suffering from dehydration more than anything else. ”
“What has she said so far?” Malachi asked.
“Very little. She’s only been conscious for a couple of hours, and David asked her what she remembered, who hurt her, but she still seemed disoriented. David thought she might be better once Abby got here,” Jackson said. “And she might have had enough time now to reorient and remember at least some of what happened. ”
“Let’s hope so,” Abby said.
Malachi nodded and looked at Jackson. “Was I right about what I saw? She was bleeding in the water. I figured she had to be alive but I couldn’t see the injury. Was her ring finger taken?”
“Yes. She cried for a while when she realized that. In fact, the hospital staff had to sedate her. She’s calmer now, but still lucid,” Jackson told them. “There was a plastic surgeon on duty and he explained that they could do a prosthetic that she’d hardly notice. Then, of course, she cried because she’s grateful to be alive. ” He turned to Abby. “She knows you saved her, although she can’t figure out how you knew she’d be in the middle of the river. ”
“I saw movement,” Abby murmured.
Jackson didn’t question that. “Did you notice what she was wearing?” he asked.
“A lot of fabric,” Malachi said. “Let me guess—she was dressed as a wench?”
Jackson nodded. “She was wearing a costume like the one she wears when she works on the Black Swan. ”
“Let’s see if we can get her to tell us anything,” Malachi said.
Helen Long’s hospital room was fairly large, which was a good thing since David Caswell, Jackson Crow, Abby and Malachi were all huddled in it, trying to be mindful of the patient but eager to hear what she had to say.
Malachi was aware of the hum of the IV monitors, of the hospital staff tending to the sick and injured. Outside the door was a chair; an officer would sit there day and night. They feared that whoever had wanted Helen dead would know where she was—and come back to finish the job.
Helen looked pale as she lay against the pillows. She was weak, but her eyes were bright and her mind seemed to be clear.
“Helen, Abby is here now. She’d like to talk to you. I know you can do it,” Jackson said gently.
Helen looked at Abby and tried to smile. “Thank you!” she whispered.
“Helen, thank you. You made it,” Abby said.
Helen’s eyes touched Malachi’s for a minute. “And thank you. ”
“My pleasure,” he told her. “You’re a survivor, Helen. And we believe in your strength. You’re going to help us catch him. ”
“Maybe. ” Helen glanced down at her bandaged hand. It looked as if tears were welling in her eyes again but she blinked them furiously away.
Abby said, “Please, Helen, tell us—how did he get you? Or how did they get you? Please, help us catch him. ”
“I don’t think you can catch him,” she whispered.
“Tell us what happened,” Malachi urged.
Helen took a deep breath and began. “I met a man on the Black Swan one day. He told me he wanted to bring a tourist attraction to Savannah. He wanted to open a haunted house. A pirate-themed haunted house. He was nice—just pleasant, not lecherous—and when we spoke, he was easy to talk to. He asked me if I could make any suggestions about properties that might be available and would work for a haunted house. I told him I knew the best guide in the city—Roger, of course—and that I knew where he might find the perfect spot. I said he’d have to follow certain historical guidelines, especially since it’s owned by a private restoration society. But the society hasn’t had the funds to restore it. Anyway, I got one of Roger’s maps and I remembered what I’d learned about the old church. Roger and I had talked about it. I had his map, I walked around, using it, and I was going to get together with the man I met on the Black Swan. It was. . . before Gus’s funeral, after we were all talking one afternoon—at the Dragonslayer. ”
“Everyone remembers that day,” Abby said.
“Well, I thought we were meeting in the parking lot at the tavern, but I didn’t see him. Instead, there was a note on my car, along with his business card. He said to meet him at the church. ”
“Helen,” Malachi asked urgently, “what did this man look like?”
“I. . . I don’t know. He was just a businessman. Maybe about six feet tall? I guess he was getting started early on his whole pirate-theme thing. He had long hair and a beard and mustache. Dark. You could barely see his face. ”
“Did you know him? Had you ever seen him before?”
Helen frowned. “There was something familiar about him. . . I feel I should have known him, but I didn’t. Or maybe he reminded me of someone I knew, but I couldn’t place who it was. ”
“What was his name?” Malachi asked.
Helen frowned. “Chris. . . Chris Condent. Christopher on the card, I think. He told me to call him Chris. ”
Malachi didn’t allow a flicker of change on his face but his mind was racing. Chris. . . Christopher Condent. Christopher Condent had been a pirate, active from about 1718 to 1720. After taking a great prize, he retired from the sea and lived in France until a ripe old age. He’d become very rich by taking his ill-gotten gains and
investing them in a career as a merchant.
“So,” Malachi said, “you found the note on your car with the man’s business card, telling you to go to the church. What then?”
“I went there—and I was surprised. The church door was open. I figured the man had gotten hold of the owners or one of the owner’s representatives and been given a key,” Helen explained.
“And then?” Abby asked.
Helen let out a long breath. “I went in. ” She stopped speaking and just stared ahead.
“Helen?” Malachi said quietly.
She didn’t move; she didn’t seem to hear.
Abby moved closer and squeezed her hand. “Helen, please, go on. ”
Helen shook her head. Tears gathered in her eyes.
“What?” Abby said very softly. “What happened then?”
“I don’t know,” Helen said. “I walked in and suddenly I felt a searing pain in my head. Someone or something had hit me. I didn’t see anything, anything at all. ”
She fell silent again, her expression anguished.
Malachi nodded at Abby, and she understood what he meant. Helen knew her, trusted her. She was the one who could probe where the rest of them couldn’t.
“You were hit—and you were unconscious. But. . . you came to?”
“I was tied up. My wrists were bound. And I was in a cabin. A ship’s cabin. At least, I think it was a ship’s cabin. It seemed like I could hear water. . . and whistles and ships’ horns. It was dark, really dark. There were portholes or windows but they were covered and I couldn’t move to try to see out. ”
Abby sat on the bed next to Helen. “I know this is hard, but it’s important. What happened next?”
“He came in,” Helen said. “He came in. . . and he was horrible. ”
“I’m so sorry, Helen,” Abby murmured.
“He. . . told me I was a captive. A pirate’s captive. So I’d better be good. Captives who caused problems didn’t live very long. He said he’d put out the call for my ransom, but if I gave him any trouble, if I tried to escape. . . he’d kill me. ”