Authors: Iris Johansen
“That’s cryptic.”
“Is it?” He suddenly turned to face Wilson. “Then, by God, we’d better get everything clear and aboveboard, hadn’t we?”
Shock rippled through Wilson as he saw the recklessness and excitement in Kelby’s expression. The aggressive energy he was emitting was almost tangible. “Then I take it you want me to contact Lontana.”
“Oh, yes. In fact, we’re going to go see him.”
“We’re?
I have to get back to New York.”
Kelby shook his head. “I may need you.”
“You know I don’t know anything about all this oceanography stuff, Jed. And, dammit, I don’t want to know. I have degrees in law and accounting. I wouldn’t be of any use to you.”
“You never can tell. I may need all the help I can get. A little more sea air will do you good.” He glanced down at the envelope again, and Wilson was once more aware of the undercurrent of excitement that was electrifying Kelby. “But maybe we should give Lontana a little advance warning that he shouldn’t dangle a carrot unless he expects me to gobble it with one swallow. Give me his telephone number.”
She was being followed.
It wasn’t paranoia, dammit. She could
feel
it.
Melis glanced over her shoulder. It was an exercise in futility. She wouldn’t have known who she was looking for on the crowded dock behind her. It could be anyone. A thief, a sailor eager for a lay … or someone who was hoping she’d lead him to Phil. Anything was possible.
Now that Marinth was involved.
Lose him.
She darted down the next street, ran one short block, ducked into an alcove, and waited. Making sure you weren’t being paranoid was always the first rule. The second was to know your enemy.
A gray-haired man in khakis and a short-sleeved plaid shirt came around the corner and stopped. He looked like any casual tourist who frequented Athens this time of year. Except that his annoyed attitude didn’t match his appearance. He was definitely irritated as his gaze searched the people streaming down the street.
She was not paranoid. And now she would remember this man, whoever he was.
She darted out of the alcove and took off running. She turned left, cut into an alley, and then turned right at the next street.
She glanced behind her in time to see a glimpse of a plaid shirt. He was no longer trying to blend in with the crowd. He was moving fast and with purpose.
Five minutes later she stopped, breathing hard.
She had lost him. Maybe.
Christ, Phil, what have you gotten us into?
She waited another ten minutes to make sure and then reversed her path and cut back toward the dock. According to her street map, the Delphi Hotel should be on the next block.
There it was. A narrow, three-story building whose facade was old, paint-chipped, stained by smog, and yet breathing atmosphere as everything did in this town. It wasn’t a hotel Phil would have ordinarily tolerated. He liked old and atmospheric, but decay wasn’t his forte. He enjoyed his comforts too much. Another mystery that—
“Melis?”
She turned to see a small, graying man in jeans and T-shirt sitting at a café table. “Gary? Where’s Phil?”
He nodded at the water. “On the
Last Home.”
“Without you? I don’t believe it.” First Cal and now Gary St. George?
“Neither did I.” He took a sip of his ouzo. “I figure I’ll stick around for a few days and he’ll come back and get me. What can he do without me? He’d have real trouble sailing the
Last Home
by himself.”
“What about Terry?”
“Fired him in Rome right after he sent Cal away. Told him to go to you and you’d find him work. Told me the same thing.” He grinned. “You ready to become a head-hunter for us, Melis?”
“How long has he been gone?”
“An hour maybe. Took off right after he talked to you.”
“Where was he going?”
“Southeast, toward the Greek Islands.”
She moved toward the dock. “Come on, let’s go.”
He jumped to his feet. “Where?”
“I’m going to rent a speedboat and go after the idiot. I may need someone to run it while I look out for the
Last Home.”
“It’s still daylight.” He tried to catch up with her. “We’ve got a chance.”
“No chance about it. We’re going to find him.”
They caught up with the
Last Home
just before darkness fell. The two-masted schooner looked like a ship from another age in the soft light. Melis had always told Phil that the ship reminded her of pictures of the
Flying Dutchman
, and in the hazy golden twilight it appeared even more mystical.
And, like the
Dutchman
, deserted.
She felt a ripple of fear. No, it couldn’t be deserted. Phil had to be below deck.
“Spooky, huh?” Gary said as he gunned the motorboat toward the ship. “He’s turned the engines off. What the hell is he doing?”
“Maybe he’s having trouble. He deserves it. Getting rid of his crew and taking off like—” She broke off to steady her voice. “Get as close as you can. I’m going to board her.”
“I don’t think he’s going to roll out the welcome mat.” Gary squinted at the ship. “He didn’t want you here, Melis. He didn’t want any of us on this trip.”
“Too bad. I can’t help what he wants. You know Phil sometimes doesn’t make the best choices. He sees what he wants to see and then goes full speed ahead. I can’t let—There he is!”
Phil had appeared from below and was frowning as he gazed at them over the expanse of water.
“Phil, dammit, what are you doing?” she shouted. “I’m coming aboard.”
Phil shook his head. “Something’s wrong with the ship. The engine just stopped. I can’t be sure—”
“What’s wrong?”
“I should have known. I should have been more careful.”
“You’re talking crazy.”
“And I don’t have time to talk anymore. I have to go and see if I can find where he—Go home, Melis. Take care of the dolphins. It’s important that you do your job.”
“We need to talk. I’m not going to—” She was talking to air. Phil had turned and gone back down below.
“Get me closer.”
“He won’t let you board her, Melis.”
“Yes, he will. Even if I have to hang on to the anchor all the way to—”
The
Last Home
exploded into a thousand fiery pieces
.
Phil!
“No!” She didn’t realize she’d screamed the word in an agony of rejection. The ship was burning, half of it gone. “Get closer! We have to—”
Another explosion.
Pain.
Her head was splintering, exploding like the ship.
Darkness.