LC 04 - Skeleton Crew (29 page)

"Ouch," said Luke. "But how... ?"

"That's the question," said Lindsay. "But what if he was a pearl
diver? Would free diving cause bone necrosis, I wonder?"

"Is this the saturation diving question you asked about earlier?" John asked, and Lindsay nodded. "I wouldn't think he could
possibly go deep enough or hold his breath long enough-besides,
don't you have to be breathing compressed air at deep pressures to
contract that?"

"I believe so," Lindsay said. "It just all seems an interesting
coincidence."

"The diary gives no indication that the servant was ill," said
Bobbie.

"I know. I'm just speculating."

"I wish Harper would hurry and finish the translation," Bobbie
said. "I want to find out what happens."

"The ship sinks," Luke replied.

Bobbie turned to him, brows knitted together and eyes narrowed. "You had to ruin it for me."

"Why don't we get dessert to go and eat out on the ocean?"
Luke asked.

"Good idea." John picked up the tab the waitress left at the
table. "We can pick up a couple of six-packs of drinks to take along
with us."

The four of them, a six-pack each of Coke and Dr. Pepper, two
cheesecakes, one chocolate cake, and one pecan pie loaded into the
boat.

"Check the engine and the radio," Lindsay ordered.

"I did. They're fine." John kissed her cheek. "We won't get
stranded." John piloted the boat out into the silvery moonlit ocean
where he stopped and let it drift while they ate their dessert.

In the distance, Lindsay watched the lights of the boats on the
water and thought about the men who sailed the Estrella across the
water-the men whose bones she had touched. What a thing it
was to sail all the way across the ocean with no telephones or
radios, nothing but the things they were finding in the wreck. And
what a disappointment to have wrecked so close to land. Some
had to have survived-the diarist, of course. Who else? Lindsay
found herself hoping that Valerian made it. How hard it must have
been to be different in a time when differences were little tolerated.

"What do you see out there?" John asked.

"I suppose I was trying to see the Estrella-wondering who survived."

"I think about that, too," Bobbie said. She turned to Luke.
"Would you like to read my copy of the journal?"

"Yeah, sure. It sounds like something they could make a movie
out of."

"It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Lewis was trying to work it out
right now. What's that?" asked Lindsay.

They all followed the direction she pointed. A diffuse glow
under the water was traveling slowly toward their starboard side.

"It's a reflection-the moon," said Luke.

"No," said John. "It's not the moon." The glow passed behind
them and John hurriedly started the engine and began flipping
switches on the panel in front of him.

"What... ?" asked Lindsay.

"Sonar."

"You're kidding." Lindsay looked incredulously at John.

He grinned at her. "This is a fishing boat."

He slowly followed the glow. The small green screen on the
panel made dull pings as what looked like a glowing second hand
of a watch made a revolution. When he was over the light a blip
appeared on the screen. "What you think, Luke?" John asked.

Luke rose and looked at the screen. "Can't be."

"What?" asked Lindsay.

"A sub."

"As in submarine? You're joking." The blip disappeared off the
screen as they spoke.

"No. I believe it's a minisub."

"Doing what?" asked Bobbie.

"I'd say looking for ..." he hesitated, "artifacts."

"You mean, it's our pirate lady?" Bobbie asked.

"Don't know for sure," John replied, "but what else is there to
survey this close to shore in the dead of night?"

"Should we call someone?" asked Bobbie.

"They aren't breaking the law ... I don't think," John answered.
"However, I'm going in and report it to Lewis." He turned the boat
and sped toward the cofferdam.

"Damn," said Lewis, throwing down his pen. He sat in his cabin
behind a desk with an array of paperwork spread in front of him.
Lindsay sat on his bunk and John in a chair in front of the desk.

"You're sure that's what it was?"

"No," said John, "but what else?"

There was a knock on the door and Trey entered.

"It has to be her," said Lewis. He frowned and explained to Trey
what Lindsay and John had seen.

"Then they know," said Trey. "That sub's just too expensive to
be used on a mere hunch."

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Lindsay.

"Find the ship before she does," Lewis replied. He rose. "I'm
going to Nate's cabin to tell him to do nothing but try to find this
ship. Sarah can lead his diving team."

"You think he can find it with just the location of the coins I
found?" asked Lindsay.

"He has to," Lewis declared. Lindsay felt a pang of sympathy
for Nate.

"The two murders are related to this. I know it," she said. "Gold
is a compelling motive. I once worked on a skeleton that had all
the teeth removed. I thought it was a feeble attempt at hiding the
identity. It turned out the killer was after the gold caps on the
teeth." Everyone in the room winced.

"It doesn't have to be related," said Lewis. "Keith Teal led a suspect life. Anyone could have killed him. And Hardy Denton was a
man who made enemies."

"Both their bodies were found on the island where neither of
them should have been. It's related." Lindsay was certain.

Later, as Lindsay lay in her bunk, it occurred to her that Lewis
might have a strong motive for murder if he thought Teal or
Denton were trying to find a ship he claimed as his own. Lewis
was not a man who liked to have things taken from under his nose.
She did not like that scenario, but the last thing he had asked her
when she left his cabin was to try and find out what Ramirez knew.

Evangeline Jones's schooner, Painted Lady, was beautiful. The sails
were furled, and she was anchored ten miles out from the cofferdam. Eva, dressed in white slacks and blouse, greeted Lindsay and John as they boarded the ship and led them to a table near the bow,
where the man Lindsay had seen at the restaurant was seated. He
was pouring wine into four glasses.

"So nice of you to visit," Eva Jones said. "I was surprised when
you called my ship. But you really didn't need to bring your fleet.
You're quite safe here."

"Thank you for having us." Lindsay introduced John West.

Eva Jones gestured to a chair. "Please, I've had the cook bake
bread and slice some fresh fruit. It really is nice to have visitors,
isn't it, Carson?"

The man had an amused expression on his face. "Yes, it is."

He was, thought Lindsay, Eva's lawyer. He looked like a
lawyer, from the cut of his wavy hair to his Rolex watch, to his
smug countenance. Eva confirmed it.

,,By the way, this is Carson MacMillan, my attorney."

Lindsay took the glass of wine he handed her. John declined.
"I'm driving the boat," he said.

"This is the man who escorted me down into the cofferdam,
Carson. I didn't know at the time that you built it," she said to
John. "It's quite wonderful." Eva passed John and Lindsay a plate
of fruit, cheese, and bread.

"Thank you. We think so," he said and took the gold-rimmed,
bone china plate from her hand.

"I'm very sorry about your friend Hardy Denton," said
Lindsay.

"We didn't know him well. Odd, his dying virtually on your
doorstep."

"Yes, it is. Do you know if he had any enemies?"

Eva looked amused for a moment. She took a bite of bread and
a drink of wine. "You people are the only ones I know of."

Lindsay laughed. "If we counted as enemies everyone who lost
a bid at UGA, well-we let many bids, and there's only one winner each."

"I think he felt it was rigged against him," said the lawyer. "He
was planning on suing."

"He would have wasted his money," said Lindsay.

The lawyer shrugged. "That's a matter of opinion. In court,
anything can happen."

"It was both a matter of physics and the laws of economics. Not
only would he have lost, but his reputation would have been ruined, as his proposal would have received close public scrutiny.
I really don't think he was planning on suing. I'm sure it was only
bluster."

Lindsay pointed to a large canvas-covered object near the stern
of the ship. "We saw your little minisub last night. I'll bet that's
fun. Do you drive it?"

Evangeline Jones and her lawyer sat silently for a moment,
stunned. A surprise hit between the eyes. Lindsay concentrated on
keeping an innocent smile on her face. Eva recovered first.

"I, uh, it belongs to my half sister, Marcella. A little project of
hers. You remember she was with us at the restaurant? She's sort
of a-what can I call her? Anyway, nautical engineering is her
hobby."

"What does she do for a living?" asked John.

"What? Oh, I get it, that's funny." Eva laughed. "Marcella is one
of those fortunate people born rich and smart. She's sleeping right
now, or she'd be here with us. Where'd you see her?"

"Cruising the bottom of the sea," said Lindsay.

"Where were you?" asked Carson.

"We were cruising, too." Lindsay didn't mention that they were
above the water.

"Really? I don't think she mentioned seeing anyone, did she,
Carson?"

"Probably didn't see us," said John. "What with the stealth and
black light."

Eva and her lawyer glanced at each other, wide-eyed. "Well,"
began Eva. "That-what-"

"They're putting you on."

A woman came from behind Lindsay, apparently up from the
living area, wearing a bathing suit covered by a thin white gauzy
shell. Her small valentine face and short dark hair gave her a pixy
look, very different from Eva. She picked up an apple off the tray,
sat down, and bit into it.

"There's no such thing. They were above me. I felt you ping
me." She smiled at John.

Eva threw back her head and laughed. "Tell me, why didn't
Lewis or Marcus come with you? Are they out there circling my
ship?"

"No. They're probably at the dam," said Lindsay. "I really only
came to see if you can tell me anything about Hardy Denton. We are naturally concerned about his getting killed, as you say, on our
doorstep."

"We really don't know anything about him," said Carson
MacMillan.

"What was your association with him?"

Eva shrugged. "Just acquaintances. He had a boat out here sailing around. You know, it becomes like a small community here on
the water. We went out to dinner a few times. That's the extent of
it. He wasn't very pleasant, really. Got drunk one too many times
at the restaurant. We had decided to decline the next time he asked
us to go out."

"Did you know Keith Teal?" asked Lindsay.

"Why are you asking us all these questions?" Carson asked,
leaning forward, putting his forearms on the table.

"Like Eva said, we are a community out here, and a couple of
members have been murdered." Lindsay turned back to Eva. "Did
you or Denton know him?"

Eva patted Carson's hand. "She's right. Carson never stops
being an attorney." She gave him an indulgent smile. "I didn't
know him," said Eva. "I really don't know if Hardy did or not."

"What about you and Marcella?" asked Lindsay. Marcella
shook her head.

"The reason I ask is that Keith's father said he mentioned you
often. Talked about your expensive equipment."

"We didn't know him," said Eva.

"Had Hardy ever mentioned the name of Keith or Boote Teal?"

"No," said Eva. "Not to me." She turned to Carson and
Marcella. "Did he say anything to you?"

They shook their heads.

"We only read about you girls getting hysterical and screaming
over him." Carson grinned broadly and popped a slice of pineapple in his mouth. "I assume, even in death, he had a way about
him."