Red Death

Red Death – Free Preview They turned and left, stopping long enough in the galley freezer to take the bag of Plague antidote before leaving the yacht. They were back on the dock when they heard a shot. It was followed moments later by another. Gordon spoke to one of the deputies who came running down the dock. “It’s over. Is Virgil ready?” “He’s casting off with the tide in a half hour.” “Good; tell him we have two more bodies for Avalon.” 29- Doreen So that was that, said Milton as he continued telling his story. Dan Schulman and Fred Hawk were history and Jack had his brief moment of grim satisfaction. Justice was done. But the plague was now in full swing and he had to make some cool moves fast. He also needed to see Doreen before her condition worsened. It was late that evening when Gordon left Jack off where Archangel was docked. Jack hoped to find Chico on board but the deckhand was apparently gone for the night. That was fine for Jack. He was tired and wanted to get some sleep. He called Ginny and told her that Fred Hawk and Dan Schulman were dead, and she replied that Gordon had already called Clarence who called her. But there was something else, she said. Hamilton Graves died of Plague on his yacht at dinner time along with his entire crew. The vessel was bound for Marsh Harbor from Nassau when the incident happened. By chance, one of Lance’s cutters found the big yacht and towed it out to sea to be destroyed after siphoning the fuel from its tanks. “Shelly?” “Yes?” “I think we need to leave the islands, at least for a while.” “I think so too, but let me get back to the Borders first.” Jack went to sleep and awoke at dawn on Saturday, the tenth of June. Chico was still away. He washed, shaved, dressed, waited a half hour and then walked over to the marina cantina. He had just poured himself coffee into a Styrofoam cup when Milton showed up sobbing. At first, Jack thought he was still grief stricken by the loss of his family, and he probably was, but now to add to his distress, he had more bad news to convey. “Chico is dead,” he said, choking on his words; and he went on to explain as best as he could that Chico had fallen ill, wandered in a delirium about Marsh Harbor until he finally fell and died. I was there, and I did nothing, Jake. I stood there and watched him die. And I kept standing there when a mob poured fuel over his body and torched it on the spot.” Gordon showed up as Milton was talking and reconfirmed his story. “There was nothing that could be done, Jake, nothing.” Jack crushed the Styrofoam coffee cup in his hand and looked up at the clear blue sky. “I spoke to Ginny last night,” he said. “She told me Hamilton Graves is gone.” “She’s right,” Gordon confirmed. “He’s dead and Lance is doubling as acting commissioner,” Gordon answered. “What about BASRA? Who is taking over for Malcolm Harding?” “Lance has Reggie Mayhew standing in for him.” replied Gordon. “I also spoke to Clarence. He needs to deputize every able bodied person in the Borders to keep the peace and essential services going.” Jack sighed. “I’ve lost Tom, Emile and his wife and kids, Melvin and Chico since I’ve been back in the islands. I can’t even remember the others besides Dan and Fred. Who’s next? When does this thing end? What the hell are we going to do?” “We have Dan Schulman’s Plague vaccine,” said Gordon. “So, I know what I’m going to do. I’m going to inoculate every kid here, and I’m going to ask Clarence to call a meeting in the Borders to make a decision on the shots there.” “Well, you do that, Tully. I’m going to see Doreen,” Jack declared suddenly. “Do you have that medicine Dan gave us that’s supposed to make her better?” “I gave it to Henry,” answered Gordon. “He wants to examine her. Can you get her to leave her condo?” “I’m going to do that.” Turning to Milton, Jack asked, “Care to join me? I could use help on Archangel.” They were well on their way to Treasure Cay a half hour later, passing Dundee to their left. Milton knew boats as well if not better than Jack who was comfortable with the accountant at the helm. Archangel picked up the wind and it was soon barreling north over the flat water to cover the twenty miles or so to Treasure Cay. “I’m scared, Jake,” Milton said suddenly out of the blue. “Try the power of prayer,” Jack suggested. “Your dad believes in it.” “It’s not about me,” he continued. “Avalon will be busy in the Borders, so Tully impounded Dan’s yacht and asked me to run bodies out to sea on it. I don’t mind pitching in for a while, but I don’t want to die here, Jake. You need to help me.” “I’ve got Ginny with one kid and another cooking,” said Jack. “And I can’t make a move without taking them along, aside from the fact that we would probably be shot out of the sea or air if we tried to escape. Do you have any great ideas?” “I’m thinking of trying to make a run on Kitten if I can get it fueled up,” Milton suggested. “I can make it in less than two days; I know I can.” “Good luck,” said Jack. “You’re gutsier than I am. Maybe you can work a deal with Bob Byrne to let you get through the blockade.” “How am I going to do that?” “I can give you his secure call numbers. Reach him and tell him that you’re bringing in a shipload of heroin. He may be greedy enough to let you through,” “That might work,” Milton acknowledged. “How long will we be in Treasure Cay?” “Not more than a day.” “I don’t have much money,” said Milton. “Do you think Kyle might lend me some if I spoke to him about his tank farm?” Jack read his mind. “He might. Why do you ask?” “Because sea or air traffic hasn’t increased since I’ve been here, but two years ago he put in an extra tank at the marina. I did some poking around and the new tank carries no fuel. It is used to store drugs.” Jack was not listening. He was thinking about Doreen and how things could have been different had he tried harder to be a better husband when the ancient legend of Gilgamesh’s and Ishtar’s love affair flashed across his mind. It was the part where the goddess offered herself in marriage to Gilgamesh who refused her advances. “Be my lover, be my husband,” said Ishtar to Gilgamesh. “Give me the seed of your body and abundance will follow with riches beyond riches.” To which Gilgamesh replied, “What could I offer the queen of love, who lacks nothing at all? I have nothing to give to her who lacks nothing at all. You are the door through which the cold gets in. You are the fire that goes out. You are the pitch that sticks to the hands of the one who carries the bucket. You are the house that falls down. You are the shoe that pinches the foot of the wearer. You are the ill-made wall that buckles when time has gone by. You are the leaky water skin soaking the water skin carrier. You are the feast that turns to famine and the rain that brings the storm. You are the breeze that brings disease, killing all it touches. Where are your husbands, your bridegrooms and your lovers? They moan and wail as they walk in the land of the dead, as soon will I if I stay with you. Why should I eat rotten food when wholesome food beckons? Why should I live with you in fear and sorrow if I can laugh and live without you?” In retrospect, this was no way to treat or to talk to a woman. Treasure Cay lay on a flat spit of land. It had a hotel, a marina, a tiny strip mall with an ice cream parlor, a telephone center, a health clinic and a row of condos along the beach. It was close to sundown when Archangel tied up at the marina. Jack called Doreen. He detected a slight hoarseness in her voice but otherwise she sounded delighted to hear from him. “Come on over,” she said lightly. “It’s the duplex at the end of the point.”