Carter raised a sarcastic eyebrow. “Whatever you say, boss.”
He thought that Plan Gwen would achieve similar results as JP’s genius idea to break into Jones’ house. So he offered what he thought was a better solution, which would be to just kill Jones and hide the body. But he got outvoted-confirming his belief that democracy was overrated.
JP added his own amendment to Gwen’s plan by sending Carter as her personal bodyguard to shadow her. A change that Gwen knew nothing about, and if they wanted to continue to live, it was best it remain that way. It was clear to Carter that Cupid’s crossbow had delivered a direct hit so far up JP’s ass that he couldn’t think straight.
They’d departed Connecticut over twenty-four hours ago with the cover-story of going to visit Byron. They were pretty sure Gwen bought it. They stopped Friday evening in Washington DC, before continuing on the next morning.
“Let’s go over the plan one more time,” JP said.
Carter sighed. “I got it. Take the ferry over and hitch a ride to the village. Spy on Gwen and her boyfriend until Sunday. Then we meet up Monday night over there.” He pointed at the small, replica sloop pirate ship that was anchored to the dock. It had been converted into a restaurant/bar called Sloopy Joe’s.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?”
“Never been more sure about anything in my life. Besides, they’ll probably spend the whole weekend cozying up in his bedroom.” Carter took pleasure in his friend’s wince, then mercifully-for JP-changed the subject, “I can’t believe you’ve never been to Charleston.”
“I think it’s the only place on the planet I haven’t been to. I’m looking forward to my first Mama Jasper’s meal. Although, I’m not sure it could ever live up to the hype that Byron has bestowed on it.”
“Like myself, Mama Jasper’s is one of the few things in this world that lives up to the hype.” Carter began to drool just thinking about it. “And so does Charleston. My dad, rest his soul, used to take me down there all the time-a lot of military history in those parts. We used to always go to Fort Sumter, and tour the aircraft carrier the Yorktown.”
JP slid over to the driver’s side, while Carter exited the vehicle into a drenching Saturday sun and the smell of low tide.
“And be inconspicuous,” JP yelled last instructions.
“Is that a fancy French word for Carter gets to kill someone?”
“No, stay hidden-camouflaged-concealed.”
“In other words, don’t let Gwen find out, or our balls will be on the chopping block.”
“Just make sure she is safe, okay?”
He gave JP a thumbs-up sign and headed for the ferry docking station. JP backed up the Humvee, beginning his journey to Charleston so that Byron could babysit him. Carter thought he should take a detour and head straight to the loony bin.
Carter hid behind the ticket booth as he waited for the ferry, playing a hunch. The first ferry came and went, but he remained. Moments later, his instincts proved correct. When the man came around the corner, Carter drove his forearm into his larynx, dropping him to the pavement. “Where do you think you’re going?”
JP looked dazed. He tried to talk, but nothing came out.
Carter picked him up by his hair. “Maybe my directions weren’t clear-my bad-Charleston is the other way.”
JP returned to the Humvee. This time Carter was sure he was on his way.
The Hatteras Ferry took forty-five minutes to arrive on Ocracoke. Once on the island, Carter found a taxi to take him to the village. They drove along a two-lane road lined with dunes and marshland grasses.
According to the driver, the hub of activity was in the Silver Lake Village. That’s where Carter began his reconnaissance mission, and worked his way to the north shore beach, where Jones owned a home.
He doubted Gwen was in danger. He knew a few things about men and women, one of which was that a man doesn’t kill a woman like Gwen Delaney as long as he thinks she’s his. It’s when the man finds out his woman is with another man that she’s in trouble. He got the feeling that Gwen was smart enough to realize that.
He also doubted Jones was stupid enough to bring a journalist into his home if he had incriminating evidence spread out on the coffee table. So he was skeptical as to whether he would find anything inside. But the other thing he knew, was that hot women make guys do stupid things. So anything was possible.
Carter waited at a distance for someone to show. He’d never bought into the whole ‘patience was a virtue’ thing-he thought it was a waste of time, literally. He was tempted to open up one of the Coronas he had brought along, knowing this job had death-by-boredom written all over it.
As dusk settled over the island, Jones finally showed up with Gwen. They arrived by foot from the beach, walked under the house, and ascended stairs to a front entrance.
Carter smiled. Let the games begin.
Chapter 54
When Jones opened the door, his eyes popped out of his head-mission accomplished. Score one for the over thirty crowd, Gwen thought. Actually the way over thirty crowd.
She’d been suspicious of the long silence coming from his room. The reporter in her knew he was up to something, while intuition told her it would be an ideal time to catch him off guard. So she stepped into his room.
“Wow,” was all he was able to stammer. But while she’d like to take all the credit for his nervousness, she believed it had begun before her entrance.
Gwen gritted her teeth and played the sex kitten. “I thought I’d give you a little surprise for our boat trip. I hope you like it.”
He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I like it, but where’s the rest of it?”
She walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek that she held for a couple extra seconds. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Now I think you owe me a romantic night on the lake.”
Before he could protest, she was pulling him toward the door.
Once outside, the cool night air made her re-think wearing just the bikini. Fortunately, she’d brought along her lucky Columbia sweatshirt-she could use all the good luck she could get-and slipped it on. The bikini was no longer visible, but she felt it was still quite vivid in the mind of Kyle Jones. She had softened him up, and now it was time to get answers.
They drove in his pickup truck, pulling the boat. Gwen inched closer and nuzzled up next to him, which made her feel queasy. The salty breeze swirled through the open window of the truck. Part of her wanted the wind to whisk her away like Dorothy.
Jones launched the sailboat from a commercial marina. Not a soul in sight, which further frayed Gwen’s nerves. He navigated the dark harbor until he found a spot to drop anchor. No other boats were in the area and she was questioning her wisdom, along with her sanity. But the show must go on. “This is beautiful, Kyle-absolutely beautiful!”
“A lot of history in these waters.”
“Really, like what?” she acted enthused.
“We are over the exact spot that legend says the pirate Blackbeard was sent to his death.”
Gwen had heard of Blackbeard, but she was no expert, as most of her knowledge had come from those Johnny Depp movies.
He continued, “He was beheaded by Lieutenant Robert Maynard of the Royal Navy. Some people think he still lives on the bottom of the lake, and haunts it.”
Gwen felt woozy. She fought off thoughts of Jones using similar methods to rid himself of his victims. “I’m so happy, Kyle. To be in such a beautiful spot with the man I love. Thank you for such a great day.”
He turned serious. “Are you sure I’m the only man in your life?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m talking about JP Warner.”
“JP and I are just friends.”
“What about when I saw the two of you off the other night in your van? I checked with the hospital and nobody on the staff could validate that you were there that night. I’m not stupid, Gwen!”