Chapter Twenty-One
Charlotte leaned on the railing, gripping the thick rope in both hands as they neared the dock. She examined the heavy knot at the end. The diameter was about eight inches, and it weighed a good five pounds.
“I’ve never thrown a rope before.”
“Line,” Keegan corrected with a wink.
She grinned at him. “This is a lot heftier than the monkey’s fist key rings we sell in the museum gift shop.”
He focused his attention on the dock again. “It’s a tough knot. I still haven’t mastered it.”
She raised a brow at his admission. “Who tied this one?”
“Caleb.” He glanced her way. “Our navigator has busy hands when he’s thinking. He ties a mean knot.”
She nodded, bouncing the weight in her hand. “He does nice work.”
“Aye.” Keegan moved behind her, his body warm against her back. “Ready, love? Duke is a big target over there. You need to toss the monkey’s fist hard enough to reach him but not to knock him out.”
His hand covered hers on the knot. “Grip it tight and swing it underhand. Let gravity do the work for you.”
He released her, and she focused on the hulking first mate waiting on the dock. At first, she swung her arm without releasing it. One, two, three… She let go of the line. The monkey’s fist sailed through the night air while she held her breath. Duke raised his large hands and caught it.
She wanted to cheer but bit back her excitement. It was late, and the last thing they wanted to do was attract attention.
Drake and Duke hustled around the dock, tying down the ship. The rest happened so fast, it was tough to see all the moving parts. More lines slid down the main one she’d thrown across, and Duke and Drake rushed to wrap them around the dock cleats.
Once the ship was tied down, Drake, the ship’s carpenter, carried the wooden gangplank over all by himself. Strong guy.
Keegan took Char’s hand. “Ready, love?”
She looked up into his green eyes, adrenaline lacing her bloodstream. Was she seriously going to help him break into a building and steal a package?
Not just any package. If everything went according to plan, she’d be holding the fabled Holy Grail in her hands. For a second, she felt like Indiana Jones without the hat and whip. When did she turn from a bookworm into an adventurer?
Staring up into his eyes, she answered her own question.
The moment she fell in love with a pirate. Her lips curved into a soft smile. “Aye.”
…
David woke with a start. The police scanner was always on, but the business name the dispatcher repeated pulled him from a deep sleep and had his full attention. Police were rolling units up to Tubby’s River Street. For a moment, exhaustion and sleep fogged his mind. Why was Tubby’s important?
Oh shit. It was one of the businesses the Serpent Society used to keep the Grail moving, shipping from one place to the other.
He frowned, turning to place his feet on the floor. He needed coffee. His mind was mush. While he got dressed, he sorted his thoughts. The police scanner rambled in the background. He’d sent Colton a text earlier to let the crew know that tomorrow night they would be reclaiming the Grail from the Serpent Society’s building next to the Brotherhood Apartments.
The society’s leader had mentioned retrieving the packages from Tubby’s and Amick’s on Tybee Island, but there was no reason for the society members to break in. The packages belonged to them. They could end the forwarding orders and pick them up anytime.
Why risk getting the police involved?
He slid his arm through his shoulder holster as an officer’s voice came through the scanner.
Two male suspects on foot. Heading toward River Street.
No mention of robes or hoods. And the Serpent Society headquarters was inland. They wouldn’t be headed for the river. He grabbed his sports coat, checking the pockets. Could the break-in be teenagers? The report on the scanner didn’t reference a missing cash register, so whoever hit the place, money wasn’t the motivator…
He froze for a second. The pirates.
“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath as he jogged to the car.
His own fault for trusting an immortal band of pirates, but the relationship seemed mutually beneficial. He already promised them another sip. Why would they go behind his back and potentially get the local authorities involved?
Because they must’ve thought David wouldn’t keep his word.
He got to his car and hit the road. If his hunch was right, and the pirates were stealing the packages, they’d be taking them back to the Sea Dog. He gunned the engine, watching his rearview mirror for flashing lights.
When he made the final turn down the hill to go to River Street, the cobblestone street rattled his fillings and probably beat the shit out of the sedan’s suspension and shocks. He pulled over by the dock just in time to see the wind filling the giant sails of the Sea Dog. In the moonlight, it looked like a ghost ship.
The spell was broken by the shouts of the captain and the crew.
“Fuck.” David yanked out his cell phone and looked for Colton’s number.
The quartermaster answered. “This is Colton.”
“This is Agent Bale. Going for a moonlit sail tonight?”
“Nah. Catching up on television. Why?”
“I’m watching your fucking ship.” David’s voice dropped to a feral growl. “We had a deal.”
“Aye.” Colton sobered. “And we’re fulfilling our end. We’re procuring the Lord’s cup just as we agreed.”
“I told you where it would be tomorrow night.” David kept his voice low and controlled as he scanned the street for lights and sirens. “Now local law enforcement is digging around.”
“Not sure if we mentioned it before, but we’re experienced thieves. They won’t find anything missing except for three packages from their shipping area. I’m sure you’ve got connections.” He shouted something to his crew before focusing on the call again. “I’m turning off my phone now. Don’t waste time with your GPS. This was the only one still on.”
David rolled his eyes. “This wasn’t our bargain, Colton.”
“Aye. See you soon, Agent Bale. You can handle this, mate.”
“I’m not your mate, and this new plan is reckless… Hello? Shit!” David jammed his phone back into his pocket as he paced the waterfront. The ship was headed for the Atlantic.
He shoved the anger aside as the sails shrank in the moonlight. If they grabbed the package from Tubby’s, there was no guarantee the Grail would be inside it. They’d have to hit Amick’s on Tybee Island, too.
Maybe they already had, and it just hadn’t been called in yet.
He needed to get on that damn ship.
David went to his car, trusting that Colton had been right about his crew being experienced enough not to leave any evidence behind. He didn’t have time to deal with the local police. Not right now.
He didn’t have any magic to fly him out to the Sea Dog, but he did have access to a fucking helicopter.