Free Barbara Silkstone - Wendy Darlin 01 - Wendy and the Lost Boys by Barbara Silkstone Page A

attacked.”
    I stared at her. “So that’s what you meant about the switches being turned off?”
    “I’m pretty sure it was him. I know he ordered the crew into the safe room to get them out of the way.”
    Jaxbee studied the ocean for a long, silent moment. “The water’s getting crappy now. Better go below. I have to get back to the bridge.” She squeezed my shoulder and stood up. “It won’t be so bad being here on the Predator. Think about a few flying lessons to pass the time.”
    She slipped away as quietly as she had arrived.
    I realized she hadn’t said why we were going to Savannah.
    The waves started to swell; an eerie phosphorescence came vomiting from the dark sea. Holding Tink, I made my way down to the next deck. The world had turned toxic and I hated it. Roscoe was standing at the railing as I passed. He’d been kind to me the few times we’d exchanged words. I wanted thank him. “Hey guy, what are you thinking?” I smiled as I stood next to him.
    A whoosh of air escaped his lips; his shoulders slumped. Each of his arms was wider than my whole body. He could flip me over the side in a heartbeat. His black eyes held great sadness. “I’m thinking about Miss Marni.”
    A gigantic manta ray leaped from the water and skimmed the surface in slow motion. “A devilfish,” Roscoe said as he pulled out a pistol and shot the ray. The innocent creature stopped in flight and lay still on the water for long minutes. Then it circled around. I could swear it was memorizing Roscoe. The hate was palpable. I was freaked out by the chef’s random act of violence.
    Easing away from the fullback-sized Haitian, I dashed through the lounge, and raced to my suite. I locked the door and made sure it clicked. Tossing Tinkerbelle onto the bed, I lay on top of the grungy sheets. The cowardly housekeepers hadn’t surfaced since the invasion. They were probably hiding in the laundry room. I had no reason to believe the linens were changed. Yup… they still smelled like Kit.
    “Alone, at last.” It was Roger coming out of my bathroom. He plopped down next to me.

Chapter Eighteen
    “Get out of my bed. How’d you get in here?”
    “SEC trains us to pick any lock. I’m a wiz.”
    “Go take one,” I snipped.
    “I just did. Thanks for the use of your bathroom.”
    I stood up and swung a pillow at his head. He blocked it.
    Tinkerbelle scrambled off the bed and hid under a chair.
    “Is that any way to treat someone who’s trying to protect you?”
    “Are you? Really? You were pretty quick to run off and stick me with Hook.”
    He smirked. “And you… left me holding his dick.”
    “You make a perfect dick-doctor.”
    “So I got even. You were never in any danger. In Hook’s condition you could have clocked him with one fist.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve been investigating.”
    His eyes were so Johnny Depp-ish and his lips curved down slightly just like Johnny’s. I decided to listen.
    “We are headed for Hook’s loot.”
    “How’d you find out?” I asked.
    “Dale’s a little man with a big need to brag, and I am a professional investigator.”
    He was so irritating. The smart ass lay back on my bed.
    “Bet you don’t know we’re headed to Savannah,” I said.
    “Thank you. I didn’t. Now I do.”
    “Nuts.”
    He grinned. “That’s probably where the treasure van is. You help me bring it in, and you’ll be a hero. Might even get a reward.”
    “What kind of reward? An evening with you?”
    He grinned a sexy grin.
    I felt myself blush. “I thought I was a suspect.”
    He smiled. “You’ve slipped on my list.”
    Was that an insult? “Don’t get any crazy ideas,” I said. “I’m not interested in you.”
    “Not yet,” he said.
    I answered a light knock on the door. Kit entered, tripped over the threshold, and fell down on the bed next to Roger.
    Mr. Brown-Shoes bolted to his feet. “Don’t do that!”
    “Fear not, Doctor Doolittle. You are so not my type,” Kit said as he