Jack Book Two in the Trilogy: Murder on the High Seas

The Midnight Raider Part 34

As we walked toward the cabin I asked Jack what he would do if the captain refused to go.

"Either we shoot him or push 'em off the ship. Trouble is, if we push 'em in the drink, he'll have them pirates after us a lot sooner," said Jack.

"Why would the pirates want to come after us? They'll have no idea where we sailed off?"

"Fool! Pirates know everythin' and it'll be a miracle if they don't come after us," said Jack. "There's more than $100,000 in gold in those darkies if they can get their slippery hands on 'em. So they won't give up easy. Let's just hope the captain plays along."

Jack knocked three loud ones on the captain's door.

"Enter mates," the captain said. Jack placed the pistol into the back of his trousers and we entered.

So mates, I thought it was you," said Captain Pendleton, pointing a pistol at us. "Have a seat seamen," he said, pointing to the cot. "Well mates, I hope you have something real important to tell me because I just cleared the decks and I've got an important meeting coming up. So, what's going on, misters?"

The captain let the pistol rest by itself on the table at which he was seated, one leg up on a chair and he started a'polishin' his boots with some blackstrap. I instinctually made my move.

"Here captain, let me do that for you sir," I said, suddenly a'kneelin' on one knee and a'grabbin his boot. Jack, I knew, would take the cue. When you're together so much with one person, you sometimes know exactly what they're goin' to say or do. And this was one of those moments.

"What the ...no, get out...leave it alone..." the captain said as I gave the boot a swift push and backwards he fell, he and his captain's chair with the thick arm rests crashing to the floor. Jack wasted no time and grabbed the pistol on the table and reached behind and took out his own pistol, aiming it at the captain's face as the captain looked up at him from the deck.

"The game's up captain. I'm relieving you of command of this here ship and am arresting you for the murder of Master Whittemore and for trafficking in slaves on the high seas. Don't make a move sir or I'll blow out your brains!"

"Why you deceitful, good-for-nothing little son-of-a-bitch of a conniving sea snake!" said the captain.

"Never mind that captain," said Jack. "You're under my command now and you'll do exactly as I say and I say getup, and move slowly out of the cabin now. Get!"

"You dare strike your captain!" said Pendleton.

"Move your ass or I'll start to give you some real payback for what you did to master," said Jack placing the pistol at the captain's head. "Move! Now!" Jack said yelling, menacingly in a tone I had never heard him use. "And you thought we were just a pair off green whippersnappers. You're such a fool," Jack taunted. "A fool who sold his soul to the devil. You're going to find out real soon, Captain, just who you are dealin' with - when you play with me there Captain Pendleton, the you're playin' with the big boys and you, sir, aren't fit to lick my boots on that score. You're going to jail man. That is, unless you give me a hard time upon which I will turn your ass over to the darkies below. You know what I'm talkin' about there, captain. Yes, you know. You do everythin' I say when I say or else I'll open the door to the hold and shove you inside with a good kick in the ass! Then you'll discover you good-for-nothin' slave tradin' murderer of one of my best friends in this life - you'll discover what my kind of justice is!" Jack removed the spare set of keys to the hold that he knew were inside of the desk.

"So 'twas you who broke into my desk," said Pendleton.

"That's right," said Jack. "And all of those creeps you had arrested and executed, there was no plot that we knew for certain other than ours. You're just not very smart," said Jack."

Outside on the deck, there was a slight breeze, and it was a beautiful Caribbean day, perfect for sailing or should I say, for learnin' how to sail. We made the captain go down into the hold. Jack opened the small hold and forced the captain inside. "Once we ship outta here," Jack told him, "you're gonna be the new ship's cook and you're gonna make sure all the darkies get all the food and drink they want and then you'll get your grub after them. You need to learn yourself an important lesson about how to treat fellow human beings. So you better get it in your head to do what you're told. Many of them would just love to snuff your life out and one word from me and that'll be it," said Jack, moving his index finger across his throat. "By the way," Jack said. "We're renaming the ship. It's now called, "The Midnight Raider."

He slammed the door shut and locked it with the big iron key,