The Pirate Vortex: Elizabeth Latimer, Pirate Hunter (Book One)

CHAPTER 14: We Are Not A Couple Of Players In A Video Game

Hot tears threatened to explode out of Liz’s eyes. She clenched her hands, almost yanked her thumb out of its socket. Parents, she thought. What good were they if they were never around?

     Well, this one wasn’t going to make her dislocate her thumb.

     There was nothing for Liz to do but fulfill her mother’s request. She relaxed her hands and watched Tess disappear around the corner of the alley. Was her dad alive? Liz swallowed. For Tess’s sake, she hoped so. Liz walked out of the alley and into the brightness of the main street.

     Where was she going to get a boat? With any luck, she wouldn’t have to hijack a ship. Captain Vane would be hot on her tail. Would he care that she had given him the slip? He was planning to strand her on a deserted island anyway. Turtle soup and seaweed she might get used to, but she didn’t relish chowing down on her own boots for dessert. By escaping, she had simply saved the captain the trouble of marooning her.

     Captain Vane wanted Cal to sign his pirate articles and join his company. If she knew pirates like she thought she did, Vane would seek revenge because she’d disrespected him and helped Cal to escape. Yeah, with any luck, she wouldn’t have to go hunting for Captain Vane. Vane would come after her.

     She only hoped that he had kept Calico Jack alive.

     Liz marched toward the waterfront. Cal grabbed her arm. “Where do you think you’re going?”

     “Don’t touch me,” Liz warned. “You are not my father.”

     “I’m the only adult guardian you have.”

     “Oh yeah?” She glared. “Since when?”

     Cal sighed, let go of her. “Listen, Liz, I’m only trying to look out for you in Tess’s absence.”

     “And you make just as fine a parent as she does.” Liz made no attempt to hide the sarcasm. “Exactly where were you when I had a cutlass at my throat?”

     Cal shrugged. “I had to take the opportunity to rescue Tess.”

     “How did you know she was on Vane’s ship?”

     Cal sucked in his cheeks, decided not to lie. “We’ve been keeping in touch.”

     Liz nodded. Of course. The same way Liz stayed in touch with Lu. No wonder Cal had tried to send them home to Victoria when they first arrived in Nassau. He knew exactly where Tess was all along. He’d only informed them that she was missing because he didn’t know how long she’d be gone.

     “What’s her secret screen name?” Liz asked. “I want to text her.”

     Cal threw her a suspicious look.

     “I know she has a screen name that you use to stay in touch with her. What is it?”

     “You can’t text her,” Cal said hotly. “She lost her iPocket when Vane caught her trespassing on his ship. She had no choice but to get rid of it. It’s swimming with the sharks now.”

     Liz rolled her eyes, sneered. “Was this before or after she asked you to come?”

     “After, of course.”

     Liz frowned. She had trouble believing him. What was Tess doing on Vane’s ship? Did she think he knew something about her father? “So did you bring an extra iPocket with you?”

     Cal shook his head. “It’s too dangerous. Remember, this is the eighteenth century. If you get caught with a gadget like that, there’s no telling what they will do. Burn you at the stake for a witch probably.”