Saving Tara Goodwin (Mystery Book 1) (49 page)

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The shrieking of the gulls brought Frank awake at seven o’clock, and looking around, saw
the day was one of blue skies and sunshine, but on the horizon there was a turbulence of scudding clouds and all the tell-tale signs that a storm was brewing far out to sea.

So the old sailor was right, and he hoped
Polyvotis
wasn’t anchored too far out.

Swimming in a choppy sea with unknown currents could be a dangerous game.

Making breakfast of pork pies and orange juice, he gazed out to the hazy shoreline of Tresco, and there was only three hours before the ten o’clock boat cast off from St Mary’s.

Taking the black inflatable bag from the Bergen, he wrapped the brass alarm clock carefully inside the wetsuit and packed it along with the flippers, helmet, mask, catapult and ammunition, then enough money, a torch, food and the binoculars, and satisfied, pushed the Bergen up tight under the ledge.

Dressed in shorts, tee shirt and strong canvas deck shoes, he took the black bag and scrambled up the steep grassy slope, and climbing over the gun emplacement, started off down Garrison Hill.

Walking into town, he saw everything was already bustling, and when the aroma of freshly baked Cornish pasties came wafting out from the little cake shop, he bought three and a large bottle of fruit juice. After landing on Tresco, he would disappear and stay hidden while he waited for the darkness of night - and then destiny would take its course.

Sitting by the sea wall, he waited for the ticket office to open, and couldn’t help wondering what his future might be after this time tomorrow.

Luigi dreamily awoke, and it took a moment to realise he was in madam’s bed, but his happiness soon slipped away when the bad memories came jostling back into his mind.

Making love with her had been wonderful, but then she had suddenly cried her heart out, and asking why, she’d said her husband was a cruel, jealous man who beat her savagely. That’s why she’d run away to the islands, but now he’d found her, and although she had her pistol under the pillow, she was afraid Luigi might be hurt, so she would have to leave, never see him again, and run away once more.

For Luigi, it would be unbearable to lose her, and madam loved him, not cruel husband, so he would take pistola, and kill him.

Turning, he saw she’d been watching him, her bright eyes shining like dark fire, and reaching over, she played with him, but when his erection stiffened, she pulled away.

‘No, we mustn’t. You have to go to work or we’ll both be in trouble.’

He frowned, his emotions churning, ‘Si, work, but no amore?’

Gazing into his wild eyes, she sighed, ‘Oh, alright. But quickly, there isn’t much time.’

Spreading her legs, she felt his hard young body, urgently slide down between her thighs.

‘Oh boy. Well it didn’t take you long to learn, now did it.’

He smiled as he mounted her, for he loved this woman more than anything in the world.

‘‘Usband not hurt. I kill with pistola. I kill ‘im for you.’

As he began, her thoughts turned to
Polyvotis
and the Harbour Master’s Office.

With the ticket office open, Frank bought a return ticket to Tresco, and now it was only a few short hours before Glenndenning would face retribution, and not only because of the file but the abuse he’d inflicted on little Tara Goodwin.

Waiting to board the boat, he looked around, and through the milling passengers, saw a tall, beautiful, dark haired woman coming into view along the busy quay, and just for a moment, thought she reminded him of someone, but who could it be?

Watching her, their eyes met through the crowd before he had to look away and follow the queue of passengers moving down the steps to board the boat.

Stepping aboard, he settled himself at a seat in the prow, and gazing back up to the high quay, was surprised when standing at the railings was that tall, dark haired woman, and she was coldly staring down, directly into his eyes - and the way she was staring, made him think of that old expression.

‘If looks could kill.’

Casting off, the skipper edged his boat away from the high quay, but Frank couldn’t take his eyes off that woman.

And now he remembered why she’d seemed so familiar, and yet looked so different without her half-moon, platinum glasses.

So why was Mrs Sheverill here at St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly? A pure coincidence?

Well whatever the reason might be, she was still staring viciously down from the quay and it was too late to find out why.

Lucinda watched the boat sail away, and asking a passing workman, was told the boat was going to Tresco, and if she wanted to go there as well, she didn’t have much time as the next boat left the quay in fifteen minutes.

Standing quietly at the railings, she felt confused.

She had originally assumed that Angela had sent him here for some purpose against her, but now she was beginning to wonder.

If he was here to catch her out, why had he taken the first boat to Tresco?

Turning thoughtfully away, she saw the Harbour Master’s office, and with a shrug, walked across the cobbles and stepped inside, and hearing voices from above, began to climb the stairs.

The Harbour Master’s office was a busy looking room, busy in the way that some rooms which carry responsibility, can appear to be busy even when empty, as this room was.

Looking around, she saw it was alive with all manner of things, along with a huge map of the islands with trace marks of shipping while the broad window had a commanding view of the wide expanse of the harbour, and it suddenly occurred to her, that here, the Harbour Master had the power of authority, and as she was intending to kill Rattenegger, who was possibly on board
Polyvotis
, questions in this office might not be a good idea.

Stepping back out onto the quay, she saw a line of tourists clambering down the steps to a waiting boat, and it made her wonder what Lewis was up to, and seeing a crew member on board, called down to him, ‘Excuse me, but are you going to Tresco?’

‘That’s right, but you’d better be quick, we’re leaving soon.’

‘But I haven’t got a ticket.’

‘Don’t worry, you can pay on board.’

Checking her bag, she saw her purse, the pistol, miniature camera and binoculars.

‘Oh, what the hell. Let’s go for it.’

Arriving at Tresco, the skipper expertly brought his boat alongside the quay at New Grimsby and Frank let the tourists wander away before stepping ashore, and in no time at all, the area was totally deserted, as if the boat had never arrived.

Setting off, he followed the path that led along the shore to Cromwell’s Castle, but he wanted to find higher ground because he had no idea where
Polyvotis
might be, and arriving at the Castle, looked across the narrow channel to Bryher, and realised the small island between, was Hangman Island, which could be useful.

Turning away, he climbed the path towards the ancient ruin of King Charles’ Castle, but there were tourists everywhere, so he struck off north to a place called Gun Hill, where it was said that just about everything could be seen, and he hoped it would include the yacht,
Polyvotis
.

Following the high path through the rock strewn landscape, more and more of New Grimsby Sound became revealed, and quite suddenly, he saw a large and beautiful, four masted sailing ship basking in the sunshine, and then the rocky expanse of Gun Hill came into view.

Looking around, he quickly realised that the rugged terrain was against him, for although it was perfect to keep an eye on
Polyvotis
, the weather beaten rocks stood out bare as they fell to the water’s edge and there seemed nowhere at all to hide.

Taking the binoculars, he looked more closely, and not too far below him, saw an outcrop of jagged rock, and although it wasn’t large, it might be just enough.

Clambering down over the rocks, he found that by lying beneath the jutting edge, he could watch
Polyvotis
without being easily seen, and laying the binoculars on the bag, took the time and care to memorise every nook and cranny of that huge old Barque, because tonight, in the windy, cloudy darkness, he would only get one chance, and this had to go right, the first and only time.

Lucinda stepped onto the quay at New Grimsby, her senses soon caught by the picturesque tranquillity of everything around her, and just at this moment in time, her chaotic life on the mainland might easily be a million miles away.

Wandering happily along in the warming sun, she let the throng of passengers melt away, and further on, saw a shop cum café with postcards and all kinds of curiosities, and stepping inside, browsed for a while before ordering a cream cake and coffee, and later, when a woman came round to clean and tidy, asked if there was anywhere here that a large yacht could be anchored.

‘Well, my dear, I reckon the best place for a large yacht would be New Grimsby Sound, and if you went up onto Gun Hill, you’d see it all from there.’

Lucinda smiled, ‘That sounds perfect. But is it far? Will I need a taxi?’

The woman laughed, ‘Oh you poor thing, there’s no taxis here, not on Tresco, but it’s a nice walk, and it isn’t too far.’

‘I see. So how do I get there?’

‘Just follow the signpost for the Castles, then take the path to the ruin, and follow it till it brings you to the headland, that’s Gun Hill, and after you’ve seen what you want, you can carry on round past Gimble Porth and have a nice cup of tea at the hotel.’

Lucinda was thinking of having several large gin and tonics, and then remembered being told to go to the low water quay, Carn Near, because that’s where the boat left Tresco to get back to St Mary’s.

‘Thanks, and how far would it be from the hotel, to the quay at Carn Near.’

‘Ah, so you’re going back to St Mary’s, are you. Well, my dear, I’d allow plenty of time ‘cos it’s a good two mile walk, and don’t forget, the last boat leaves the quay at 4.45, so if you don’t want to spend the night here, don’t miss it.’

But Lucinda didn’t know which boat Lewis might take, which made it awkward.

‘Right. So what time does the first boat leave?’

‘That’s around 2.15, then there’s another at four o'clock, and the last one at 4.45.’

‘Thanks. Well I’d better have my snack and get moving.’

The air was still and balmy when she walked out and found the signpost to the Castle, and taking a map from the information board, set off with a brisk stride.

She intended to arrive at the low water quay in time for the first sailing, and whichever boat he took back to St Mary’s, she would follow him, and having found where he was staying, would decide what to do.

Making her way along the path to the castles, saw the rugged shoreline was almost entirely of boulders, and when Cromwell’s Castle finally came into view, climbed up the rough path that led to the ancient ruins of King Charles Castle.

Pressing on through the low heather, she came to the wide open expanse of Gun Hill, and looking down, instantly recognised that beautiful four-masted Barque.

Taking the miniature binoculars, she looked down to
Polyvotis
, and what she saw, confirmed everything.

On the deck was the most hideous and revolting woman she had ever seen, a gargantuan creature who seemed to have no feminine attributes whatsoever, in fact, she looked more like the Devil’s spawn.

As her gaze came back up the rocky slope, she stopped, and looking carefully, saw the clear figure of a man laying deep in the cleft of an outcrop of jagged rocks.

He was a large man with brown hair, and laying perfectly still as he watched
Polyvotis
through army style binoculars.

Well, well. So why would the honourable Mr Frank Lewis be watching a yacht here at the Isles of Scilly, but more importantly, why would Angela send two assassins against the same target? She would never do that.

But on the other hand, it was beginning to look as if Lewis had been sent against that yacht,
Polyvotis
, or rather against the owner, Glenndenning, when she herself had been sent against Rattenegger.

So hadn’t Angela realised that the huge ugly cow would run straight to Glenndenning?

Had it slipped through her thinking?

Well if Lewis did stay here tonight, it would prove that Angela had sent two assassins against two separate targets.

Taking out the small camera, she moved along until her view of him was much better, and when he looked up, she took a photo of her cruel husband, for Luigi.

Frank had watched
Polyvotis
all through the day, and now he knew no mercy would be given, not from himself, or from the crew, because when they came up to smoke cigarettes on the forward deck, their fun was throwing daggers at a makeshift target, and then an ugly, swarthy man joined them, and from his side, took a submachine gun that was held in place by retractable straps, and laughing, pretended to spray the target with ammunition, and having enjoyed his little joke, let the machinegun snap back to his side.