Free Marked Masters by Ritter Ames

free hand to cover mine.
    "What is it, Jack?"
    "Nothing. Everything." He shrugged, then
pulled me aside as two workers came up lugging a huge piece of
plywood. We walked on to the front of the gallery, so we were well
away from the overtime setup.
    "Were you on the phone with the police? The
car rental place again?"
    He shook his head. "It's time to regroup,
and I think the best place to do that is on the yacht. Neither of
us has had enough sleep, we've almost been hijacked, and our car's
been stolen. We can't talk here, but we do need to talk, and I
think a luxury ship on the open water is where we need to begin our
conversation."
    Personally, I didn't like the reference to
open water, but he had a good point. If he had gotten any
information from Melanie, it wouldn't pay to tell me in so public a
setting. And the ride to the yacht, and whatever other activities
before our debriefing, would give me the chance to figure out what
I wanted to tell Jack about Tina and the snuffbox. I'd play fair if
he would, but past experience told me that wasn't going to happen
unless I had treasure to trade. Jack didn't outright lie. Well,
yes, he did, actually, but I was getting pretty good at spotting
when he tried. I didn't want to think about why that was probably
important, but I knew I needed to do so sometime soon. At this
moment, I shelved my concerns in the box marked Later.
    "Should I call a cab? Or do you have a
better idea?"
    "A brilliant idea that involves a hired car
sent by the yacht. I called, and the captain said he would dispatch
the vehicle right away." Jack looked down the street and took a
step closer to the curb. "In fact, I believe it is here now."
    Seconds later, a Lincoln Town Car slid
silently to a stop right in front of us. Jack had the back door
open before the driver could do his duty, and moments later we were
cruising again down the Miami streets, this time cocooned in
caramel smooth leather comfort and sipping the sparkling dry
prosecco I'd dreamed about hours before. It was tempting to believe
things were looking up, but every time I had thought that lately,
something unexpected fell from the sky instead.
    As we settled into the seats, I looked out
the tinted windows and saw again the tent Tina and I had escaped
to, and it reminded me about the eavesdropper. "Jack, when you were
on the phone and I was with Tina, did you notice a couple of guys
come out from the backside of the tent? One shouting at the
other?"
    "You're joking?"
    I shook my head.
    "Laurel, there were people yelling at each
other the entire time we were there. The place is a madhouse."
    "This would have probably been a foreman
yelling at a worker."
    "No…I…" He closed his eyes and shook his
head. "Why? What would have been different?"
    I could have told him then, but I knew the
harbor wasn't far, and I wasn't sure how much, if anything, I
presently wanted to tell Jack. So I hedged. "While we were in the
tent. It sounded like some kind of altercation on the other side of
the canvas. Just wanted to make sure no one was hurt."
    "Not your problem."
    "Yeah, I guess I have more than enough to
worry about already."
    The rhythm of the Town Car made me drowsy,
and that coupled with the wine was enough to push me over the edge
to sleep soon into our journey. I woke when Jack gently shook my
shoulder. "We're here."
    Jack offered a hand to help me out of the
car. It was near enough to full dark that the harbor was lit up
like Disneyland. The docks were full, every slip taken. Though
winter was approaching, the balmy Miami temps meant these hardy
crafts wouldn't have to wear winter covers through the season and
would be operational for all the upcoming Christmas and New Year's
blowouts. But in early fall, the scene only boasted a couple of
booze cruises starting up from their slips.
    I'd always loved sailing and had spent many
a sun-drenched day crewing for my father as soon as I was old
enough to tie a decent knot. A connection Simon and I had