I was breathing hard, already moving toward Dutch. “Leave the women alone. Understand?”
To my left, Clovis was backing away, saying, “I’ve got nothing to do with what they was planning, mister, you can believe me on that.. .” Then, his voice changed as my head swiveled toward him; sounded like he was scared shitless, saying, “Ritchie… Jesus Christ, you see that? He’s… he’s only got one eye, man,” talking about the glow from the monocular.
When I got to Dutch, he was moaning, saying he thought his back was broken, and asking, “What the hell happened? Am I dreaming this?” sounding like he was going into shock. I’d hurt him.
I picked up the second knife, tried to fold it closed, but couldn’t find the lock, so I held both knives in my left hand as I holstered the Colt.
Clovis was still looking at me, backing away, whispering, “This here person ain’t no man, man. You see? He’s got one eye in the middle of his damn head… it’s glowing. Just like the old people say-got an eye that glows like a cat.”
He turned to Dutch, yelling to make sure I heard. “You see what you done, saying those nasty things about the Widow? It wasn’t us that did it… it was you that talked bad about that good lady.”
Islanders believed it.
I nudged Dutch with my foot as I said to Clovis and Ritchie, “Get this guy on his feet, and don’t come back. Move.”
I didn’t stomp my foot like with the pit bull, but the reaction was similar.
17
Carol said to me, “Our hero. Just in the nick of time,” being sarcastic as Mattie led me into the kitchen of the beach house where one of the twins was boiling water for tea as the other held a bag of ice to Carol’s cheek, which was swollen, already turning purple.
The twin making tea gave Mattie a pointed look and said, “Why would you bring another stranger into this house after what just happened?”
Mattie was a sobbing, shaky wreck, still paranoid from the drug they’d slipped into the margaritas. It had taken me several minutes to talk my way into the house. Now this.
Mattie said, “We need help, that’s why. Carol should go to the hospital. And we’ve got to tell the police-”
“No hospital!” Carol snapped. “No police! We are getting off this fucking island tomorrow and no one-no one-is ever going to mention what happened tonight again.”
The twin holding the ice began stroking the woman’s hair, calming her. Carol was wearing a bathrobe now, her yellow dress nearby on the tile floor. It was ripped and missing buttons.
I said, “Mattie’s right. I’ve got a boat. I can take all of you to Saint Lucia-it’s only a few miles. You’ll be safe, and the place I’m staying will know a good doctor.”
Carol yelled, “No,” as the twin making tea focused on me, sounding like an attorney as she asked, “Safe from what? Mattie, what did you tell this man?”
Mattie said, “Nothing. He’s only trying to help, can’t you see that?”
The twin was staring at me. “Answer my question-safe from what? Our friend slipped getting out of the pool and hit her face. So why would you think we’re in some kind of danger?”
I said, “Because I passed three guys when I was coming up the road. They looked suspicious, like they were in a hurry to get away.”
“Did you speak to them?”
I took too long to respond. “No.”
“If they looked suspicious, and you were concerned about our safety, why didn’t you at least speak to them?”
I pointed to the dress. “Because I hadn’t seen that yet. Or Carol’s face.”
Carol said, “He didn’t speak to them because he’s a coward. Now he wants to play the hero, but what he really wants to do is get in Mattie’s pants. I knew it the first moment I saw him. For all we know, he’s one of them.”
Mattie began to cry harder, disconsolate as I squeezed her shoulder and said, “You’re wrong. I should’ve said something to the men, I agree, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. What I can do is find a doctor and bring him here. But I think Saint Lucia is a better idea. Saint Lucia isn’t corrupt like Saint Arc. You’d be safe, and it’s not far. We’ll come back for your things tomorrow. My boat’s anchored just around the point.”
Maybe both twins were attorneys, because the one holding ice to Carol’s face asked, “Why did you park your boat on the other side of the point if you came to visit us?”
I was crossing the room to the sink, where dishes were piled, including the blender Ritchie had used-a few inches of margarita left. I opened the lid and sniffed as I said, “If you had company when I got here, I was going to walk to the resort and have a drink. I didn’t want to anchor twice.”
I sniffed the blender again and made a face. “Did one of you make this?”
The twins could converse without speaking. Their eyes met, as if confirming something. “Why do you ask?”
“It smells odd.”
“You warned us earlier, didn’t you, about resorts where the drinks are drugged?”
I said, “That’s right, I did.”
“What a coincidence. And why do you have sand all over your clothes? Those scratches on your face and the back of your hands-they weren’t there yesterday. It looks to me like you’ve been sneaking around in the bushes. Now I suppose you want to take the blender, so you can test it in your little portable lab?” More sarcasm.
I knew what the answer would be before I replied. “As a matter of fact, I’d like a sample. Half-a-test-tube full, that’s all.”
The twins locked eyes, discussing it in silence, before they stopped what they were doing, then came around the counter to face me, standing side by side. “We’ve decided it’s time for you to leave, Dr. North-or whatever your name is. If you want to argue the point or continue your silly little act, you should know we began studying the martial arts when we were in grade school… and we both played field hockey at Smith. You won’t be the first man we’ve tossed out of a room.”
Mattie had recovered enough to say, “I’m sorry, Doc. But I think you’d better go,” looking at me, a nice woman with sad, aching eyes.
I squeezed Mattie’s arm, gave her a wink, and said, “Don’t be sorry. You’re safe now, in good hands. That’s all that matters.”
I shouldered my backpack as I started for the door, but then stopped, unzipped the bag, and tossed the two knives I’d taken from the men onto a chair. I’d already inspected them-cheap, no inscriptions on the blades.
I said, “Keep these, just in case there’s trouble.”
The twins were escorting me, only a step behind. “Where’d those come from?”
I said, “The three guys I passed coming on the trail? They dropped them.”
“They dropped them. Just like that, huh?”
I said, “That’s right. Like I told you, they were in a hurry. I don’t think they’ll be back.”
The twins’ eyes moved from the scratches on my hands to my face, and then they exchanged looks again with a new awareness-reappraisal time. “You took these knives from them, that’s what happened.” I smiled and said, “I hope your grooms realize how damn lucky they are. It’s like tonight-sometimes luck’s just on your side.”
I got to Saint Lucia around eleven and walked into my luxury suite with its infinity pool, ceiling fans, a room with only three walls open to the sea, to find that someone had slipped an envelope under the door.
Dr. M. North
Personal
Expensive stationery embossed with the initials JHM on the seal. Heavy, masculine hand with a slight tremor, suggesting age. I opened the envelope.
Dr. North, I am having a nightcap on the upper terrace of the Jade Club. I’ve had staff organize a midnight tea if you’re interested. I realize I’m being presumptuous in advance of an introduction, but it concerns a matter of mutual interest, I believe, and of grave importance.
Cordially,
Col. James H. Montbard RM (ret.) GBE DMC FIEC
Written with British syntax and formality, as were the postnominal letters associated with the British Honours System. I had never heard of the man, but understood it was from Sir James Montbard, recipient of the Knight Grande Cross, the Distinguished Military Cross, a retired colonel in the British Royal Marines, and an International Fellow of the Explorers Club.