Evelina and the Reef Hag Part 17

"Meet you back at the bar," she called over the noise.

Frankie nodded, veering right.

Evelina headed for the stairs.

Upstairs appeared to be a bar with cafe tables out on a veranda and a small polished dance floor where half naked people danced like maniacs.

She did a quick tour, but there wasn't much to investigate.

"Find anything?" Frankie said when she finally made it back downstairs.

She shook her head.

"Look at this." He handed her a copy of one of the paper placemats from a tray at the end of the bar. "It says the Six Doubloons was named after a ship."

"Wow."

"A Spanish frigate." Frankie echoed what she read. "The English captured it in the harbor by the fountain."

"It was renamed The Coral Belle."

"We saw that ship at the wharf by the fort."

"Yes." Evelina remembered it bobbing in the harbor. "It's some kind of floating museum."

"Maybe this isn't the Six Doubloons the Wave Wire was talking about."

Evelina scanned the advertis.e.m.e.nt. "Looks like they do fancy dinner cruises or something."

"There's a midnight cruise." Frankie pointed at the list. "Tonight."

"It leaves at eight." Evelina glanced at her watch. "It's ten to." She groaned. "c.r.a.p! We'll never make it."

"Come on!" He grabbed her by the hand.

A shiver raced up her back.

Was he planning what she thought he was planning?

G.o.d! She hoped so.

Frankie yanked her around the side of the building, into the inky shadows. "Hang on!"

Evelina raised her arms around his neck. A bubble of excitement rose in her chest as his arms slid around her waist. Her skin tingled against the warmth of his sun-kissed flesh.

They shot up into the night sky, rising higher and higher, until the Old City melted into a spray of twinkling lights.

A thrill rushed through her.

There was nothing better than this!

Flying made every molecule of her sing!

She wanted it to last forever.

But before she knew it, it was over.

They zoomed back to Earth much too fast.

The ocean came into focus, growing larger and larger, until the ship and the wharf materialized before them.

They landed in a gush of swirling wind.

She gave a sigh as her feet hit the ground.

It was never long enough-the heady excitement of flying. Or the feel of Frankie's arms wrapped tightly around her. It was enough to make your head spin. Gooseb.u.mps remained long after his arms fell away.

Evelina followed him down the wharf in a mixture of elation and disappointment-a familiar condition whenever Frankie Holler was near. You'd think she'd be used to it by now.

"Two tickets, please." Frankie's voice broke into her thoughts.

"We're full up." A helium voice replied from the crow's nest shaped booth. "Next boat, nine a.m. sharp."

"Are you sure?"

The tiny pirate scowled under his lemon crown of hedgehog hair. "Of course I'm sure!"

"Couldn't you make an exception?" Frankie slipped his arm around Evelina's waist, pulling her close. "It would mean a lot to us. It's our anniversary tonight."

Evelina gulped down her surprise, attempting a casual smile-harder than it seemed with Frankie's cheek pressed to hers-lips inches away. "We'd be very grateful."

They must have appeared sincere. The pirate's frown faded to a half smile. "What the h.e.l.l!" He handed them two tickets. "It's on the house."

Frankie pulled her close pressed his mouth to hers, kissing her soundly. Not a quick peck like last time, but long and deep, sending a shock snaking through her.

When the kiss ended she melted into a blissful fog. "What did you do that for?" she whispered when she finally came to her senses.

Frankie shrugged. "Just wanted to make it authentic."

"We already had the tickets."

Frankie smiled. "Did we?"

As they headed for the gangplank the pirate called after them, "Keep it under your hat! This ain't no charity!"

The ship's deck was littered with tourists. Tropical cotton prints created a carnival of color under the twinkling lights, high along the mast. Their shiny new sandals turned the p.o.o.p deck blinding white.

The welcoming scents of salt and sea tickled pa.s.sed Evelina's nose. She'd never tired of that smell. She drew a deep breath as they halted at the rail to watch the crew work.

In minutes, they'd pulled up the gangway and cast off.

Soon the white sails flapped and billowed above their heads.

They had one hour before the ship returned to port. Not much time to scour the ship in the dark for clues. They'd have to split up to cover more area. It would take too long dragging each other around like anchors.

"Above deck or below?" she called over the music and laughter.

"Below."

"Perfect."

She wasn't partial to confined s.p.a.ces.

Besides, Frankie had the powers to extract himself from dangerous situations-she didn't.

She felt much safer above deck, lost in the crowd.

Evelina made her way to the stern of the ship, dodging dancing tourists and waiters, balancing silver trays of sparkling champagne.

She climbed the steps to the quarterdeck, only to find it as sardine-packed as the rest of the ship.

She squeezed her way to the tiller where the crush seemed to clear out.

A scruffy man in a pirate costume manned it. He was missing half of his teeth. His eyes lit up as though he knew her.

But that wasn't the most surprising thing about him.

Her breath caught in her throat.

He was wearing her ring.

"That's mine!" Evelina pointed at his hand on the tiller.

"Is it now?" The man's pale blue eyes flashed silver in the moonlight. "She said you'd be comin' to claim it."

"Who?"

"The old doll at the market. Down at the pier." His leering gazed crawled down the length of her. "She described you perfectly."

"Psycho Sally?"

He shrugged. "Don't know."

"But how did she know I'd be here?"

"She said you'd find me."

"How would she know that?"

His dark brows drew together. "How should I know?" He snarled. "Here!" He wrenched the ring from his finger. "I'm glad to be rid of it. It's caused me nothing but grief from the moment I clamped eyes on it. Haven't slept a wink."

"What about the gold chain?"

His scowl deepened. "I saw no chain."

She pulled aside his collar to examine his neck. "It was on a chain."

He s.n.a.t.c.hed away from her. "Are you calling me a liar?"

She took a step back from the heat of his glower. "No! No. Thanks very much." She did an about face. He was lying, of course, but there was nothing she could do about it, short of frisking him on the spot. Which might end in her walking the plank, or being flogged, or some similar retribution. Pirates were very fond of torture, if she remembered correctly-something to avoid if at all possible.

She stalked away.

Only to come face to face with another pirate, smoking a fat cigar by the railing.

She spotted her gold chain encircling his skinny neck.

"Hand it over!"

His brown eyes popped, while his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "What?"

"That gold chain around your neck!" Anger bubbled in her veins. "It's mine! Hand it over!"

A sly smile spread over his rat face, revealing crocodile teeth. He whipped the chain off over his head. "Come and get it!"

Evelina rushed forward to make a grab for it.

The pirate stuck out his foot.

She tripped, skidding across the slick deck just as the ship pitched and rolled.

"Whoops!" He let go a squeal of laughter as she hit the stern.

She made a wild grab for the ship as another wave swept her overboard.

She plummeted through the salty spray to the ocean below, sinking down and down-until her lungs burned and her chest felt like it would burst, until her paddling stalled her progress and she began to rise.

A ghostly form circled her, igniting her with panic.

She pushed her way up faster, breaking the surface like a bobber on a fishing line.

She gulped in air-heart pounding fast.

"Filthy pirates!" She gasped when she caught her breath.

She was starting to sound like Udora.

If she wasn't careful this Water Witch thing might take hold before the famous artist emerged.