"Time's up! All men, on deck!" Alejandro called as he stepped from the hallway. He moved to the main mast with a calculated tread, his eyes searching the depths of every man they met. Once there he paused to contemplate the intimidating display the tails of his cat-o-nine staged as they spun at the end of a free line when caught in the wind. Pulling the leather wrapped handle free from the line, Alejandro shook out the nine leather tails that were decorated with filed shark’s teeth and fishing hooks. Crewmen began to gather around and Alejandro began to search their faces. And yet he did not see the face he sought. Harry George was not among the crewmen. Where was George?
Hensley stood behind two men and avoided the first mate's piercing stare over their shoulders. Harry George would not be found. Hensley had no fear of being caught now. He had broken George's neck and toppled him overboard after breakfast, nearly an hour ago.
No one could tie him to the voodoo witch's murder now.
No one.
Alejandro called out for George, but no answer came. The crewmen simply glanced about, just now noticing that George was not present.
"I ain't seen 'im since tha mornin' meal." One crewman called out.
"I seen 'im after that!" Another yelled. "'e went up on deck wit' Hensley."
"Hensley! Front and center!" Alejandro boomed with new fire lighting his dark eyes.
Bloody Hell. Hensley moved through the opening that appeared between him and the first mate.
"When did you last see George?"
Hensley answered quickly. "I bummed a smoke off'a 'im after the mornin' chow, sir. I smoked wit' 'im at the bow 'n' then left 'im there ta see ter my own duties, sir. I ain't seen 'im since." Hensley met Alejandro's stare. He was calm, collected. Alejandro's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Hensley almost seemed too calm.
Alejandro shook out the whip in his hands, he was pleased to see Hensley's eyes fall to it, as well as his skin tone lighten a degree, while he gulped hard.
"You signed on in St. Thomas correct?"
A confused frown took over Hensley's face. "Aye, sir."
"Did you break your fast with George this morn?"
Hensley's expression remained. "Aye, sir."
"And you were the last to see him?"
"I su'pose I was, sir."
"Why did you kill the doctor?" This sounded more of a purr from Alejandro's throat than the brisk tone that had accompanied his previous questions. Alejandro stepped forward until he was but inches from Hensley. Alejandro stood nearly head and shoulders above the shorter man, Hensley had to tilt his head back to see into the gleaming, black fire in the Spaniard's eyes.
"I didn't kill nobody!" Hensley shouted as he turned to run. Where to? Alejandro surely did not know.
Wherever he intended to run to, he did not make it far as Alejandro swung the whip. The evil barbed tails of the cat-o-nine snaked around the fleeing Hensley and bit into the flesh of his chest.
A horrible, pain laced scream erupted from Hensley as he fell to the deck and lay writhing in pain.
Alejandro stepped close and bent beside Hensley, speaking softly in his ear. "Had you not lied, that strike would have been to your neck and you would be at your end now. As it is, you murderous scum, I am going to beat you to chum and feed you to the sharks. Mayhap you can tell Georgie goodbye for the rest of us."
Hensley's vision clouded with red fear before his world went dark. But in his unconscious mind, one thought remained clear.
This Spaniard meant every word he said and would take pleasure in the act.
***********
Arianna and Derek sat in the captain's cabin breaking their fast together. The cabin boy had returned, as the commotion on deck began to quiet. He appeared with a tray laden with enough food to feed Arianna for the next three days. Three mugs of coffee had been sent, along with sugar.
The fare was a gruel with canned fruits and berries to add to it. They both took hearty portions and sat speaking of their favorite dishes. Derek told Arianna of different delicacies he had encountered all over the world.
She expressed interest in trying a few of the odd dishes he spoke of, and yet, some disgusted her with the gruesome mental picture his words created. She had only made him change topics once, however. She found his knowledge of different lands and their customs impressive. The things he spoke of had not been read in some book, but gained through actual first hand experiences.
Derek did not know why he felt the need to recall some of the more disturbing things he had seen, or tried, especially while the lady was eating. Mayhap he tested her. Mayhap he tested himself. What he did know, was that he was impressed with her ability to stomach the gruel before her while he spoke of roasted brain, broiled tongue, as well as raw hearts... She had begged him to divert the conversation at that one.
In truth, it had taken him a few minutes to be able to bring his spoon to his own mouth, as he had remembered watching the people, a young girl in particular, bit into said pig's organ while it quite literally, was still beating. The little girl in his memory had smiled at him. A sweet smile, had it not been for the warm blood that had still ran down her chin.
There was knock at the cabin door and Alejandro swept in at Derek’s call. Alejandro shut the door behind him and moved to the table, straddling the chair he had previously occupied. It was then that Arianna noticed his bandaged hand.
"Señior, were you injured?"
Alejandro looked down at his hand as if he had forgotten. "Oh, no, Señorita. I was demonstrating the cat-o-nines bite for the crew."
The color partially drained from her face. "You struck yourself with a deadly whip?"
"Nay, merely slapped it over my hand. It looks much worse than it is, my lady. I only caught three barbs. However, our murderer caught quite a few more."
"You found him out then?" Derek joined the conversation, setting his gruel aside, he leaned forward in his chair. He was much more in need of the truth than nourishment at the moment.
"Yes, Hensley, one of the seven men we took on in St. Thomas, he was the one who dined with Harry George this morn. George is now missing, I believe Hensley murdered him as well, and dropped him in the drink."
"Surely he could have simply pushed him overboard?" The thought of the poor man's fate sent a shiver across Arianna's skin.
"Nay, Señorita, someone would have heard George had he been conscious." Alejandro smiled across the table at her as if they were not speaking of a dead man. Well, an allegedly dead man. "Though I will concede the point that he may not have been dead before he tumbled into the sea, he may merely have been unconscious. Either way, 'tis murder."
"Aye," Derek agreed with his first mate. "And murder is punishable by death. What have you done with him, Alejandro?"
"Me?" Alejandro sent his captain a wounded look, "I have not done anything yet. He fell unconscious after the first lash of the whip. He is locked in the brig." Alejandro's eyes locked onto his captain's once more and an almost childlike smile curved his lips. "I did promise to flay him into chum and feed him to the sharks."
A gasp sounded from Arianna's direction, Alejandro looked to her and visibly winced. "I told him he could say goodbye to George for the rest of us."
Derek laughed, "You sometimes get carried away, my friend."
Alejandro huffed at that and the three sat in silence for a few moments. Alejandro sipped his coffee and Derek retrieved his fare. Arianna sat contemplating the situation. She still wondered if there was any relation between her likeness in the hallway, the doctors murder, and now the missing crewman.
"I want to question him."
She was just as surprised at the words that she spoke as the men were.
"I do not think.." Alejandro began, but Derek cut him short.
"Why?"
She took a deep breath, "I found my likeness in the same hallway that a murder occurred in. There must be a connection and I have to discover it. I will not live my life constantly glancing over my shoulder." She stood, her teeth pulled her bottom lip between them in the corner. "And if I do need to be looking over my shoulder, I at least need to know what I am looking for."
Alejandro's head dipped in understanding. Derek simply stared at her. She could not read his thoughts. Would he deny her this? Did she even truly want to do this? No, but she had to.
"Alright." Arianna beamed at his answer, the dimple in her left cheek winked at him.
"On one condition." Her smile died slightly, but she waited for him to continue. "I... We, will be there with you."
"You have yourself a deal, captain." Arianna stuck her hand out to shake his and complete their negotiations. But when he took her hand, he did not shake it. He lifted it and brought her knuckles to his lips for a warm kiss.