Ashley was with her two sons on the mainland, as a tropical storm raged at sea. The voicemail she got from her husband had her worried, but she knew he was safe. At the news that Lisa might be getting engaged to another merman, she was quite surprised. She was also happy. I'm going to get grandchildren at long last! Then she mused at what happened so far. The scuba diving lessons were fun. Douglas was complaining a bit, but that dissolved when he had a cigarette. I really wish he'd stop smoking those! Josh seemed to take to scuba diving like a pro, too. He really seemed to enjoy it. I think he even got the attention of a smaller group of divers that liked to go out on occasion. When her phone rang, she smiled at the ringtone.
"Hello?" Ashley said, as she answered her phone.
"Hey, hun," Joel said. "We're heading back now. I'm going to have to stop by the jewelry store. Lisa got engaged. Annie actually learned a few things. She's also being punished."
"Oh?" she blinked. On learning what happened, and what the punishment was, she found herself sighing. "Poor Annie. Well, at least she's coming back to me alive with only a sore face and hurt pride to show for it. Did Kilnak really try to stab her in the foot?!"
"He said that he missed. He did it on purpose as a warning. I'm also bringing back some cooked lobster. How were the scuba diving lessons?"
"They were fun! Lisa and Annie will have to go alone, but they'll enjoy it," she giggled.
"That's fine. We should be back in an hour or so. Call me, if anything happens," he chuckled. When she disconnected the line, she saw Josh running up to her.
"Mom!" he said. "I was just offered to do some exploring on the reefs! Can I go?"
"Why are you asking me? You're not a teenager!" she laughed and patted his shoulder. "Go on and have fun. I'll be at the hotel. You have your phone?"
"Dad didn't give me the battery back. I have the charger," he said.
"Can you keep it plugged in somewhere?"
"I can. There's a generator on the boat."
"Good. Your father will be back in an hour or so. Make sure to be back by then!"
"Awesome!" he grinned and trotted back over to the small group of people that were getting ready to leave. She saw that Doug was lounging by the hotel pool in the smoking area. Deciding to head up to the room to shower and rest, Josh was in a completely different mindset.
On the small charter boat, he was excited. He's been dying to try and look for something in the ocean. Ever since he saw the treasure drawings in Nichole's old room, he's been fascinated. The gold bug definitely bit him hard. As he glanced out at the choppy waves, he didn't even notice the two girls in the group eyeing him flirtatiously. He was focused on trying to see if he could find something. If he could, he would want to come out as often as he was able.
"Not sure what we'll find, but we'll have a blast!" one of the guys said.
"Yep!" Josh grinned and put on the scuba gear he was offered.
"So, are you doing anything after this?" a girl asked. "We know of an awesome party place!"
"I think my family was doing something. I'm here on vacation with them, so I have to go by what they want first. If they don't have anything planned, I'll definitely hit you up on that," he winked.
"Great! Um...can I give you my number?" she blushed. She was a pretty red-head with a decent enough body. He chuckled at her with a small shake of his head.
"Not right now. Let's wait until we head back, okay? I want to do this part of the trip first," he smiled. He was way too experienced to jump into this part of a possible relationship. He would rather feel the girl out first. Then, if he liked her enough, he would accept a phone number. Too many times he thought the girl was nice and sweet to realize that she was too overbearing later. Most of them weren't serious and wanted nothing to do with him after the first date.
She seemed to appear insulted, but she would have to agree. He was hoping she would forget she asked. The reef they came to was the same one that Nichole met Kilnak at. Josh was the first one in the water, and he swam down to take a good look at the reef system. Nothing seemed to catch his interest, but he spotted something on the ground. Making sure the others weren't in the water yet, he picked up what caught his interest. It was a left over Spanish doubloon from when Kilnak was luring Nichole to him. Josh couldn't believe his luck.
For another hour, he searched the reef and the floor, but found nothing else. I'll have to talk to my dad to let him know what I found. And it was mine! When he saw the signal to return to the boat, he tucked the coin under the scuba suit. It was done in such a way that it wouldn't fall out of his swimwear when he had to take off the suit.
"Pretty cool, huh?" one of the guys laughed.
"Oh, yes! I'll have to do that again soon," Josh grinned. "How far are we from the mainland?"
"About five miles out. It's pretty common for us to come out here. Good fishing, too!" another guy said. "We tend to do this once a week when we can."
"Very cool! I'd like to do this again tomorrow, honestly. I'll be going on the cruise ship in three more days. I'm not sure how much longer I'll have to do this again," Josh sighed.
"Maybe we can arrange something. It's doubtful, though. We'll have to see what happens," the guy frowned. He nodded and felt the coin pressed against his side under the swim trunks. The red-head had clearly forgotten about giving me her number. That made him grin, as the charter boat made it to shore. He grabbed his phone and noticed that his father was just coming off a boat with a cooler. He remembered that Nichole was given a boat by her husband. When he saw Annie come out next, he paused at the rather humble look on her face. That was new. Lisa showed up next, and she looked like she was walking on air. What happened to the two of them?!
"Josh?" Joel said when he saw him. "What are you doing out here?"
"Oh. Some people offered to take me out to the coral reefs. I accepted," he shrugged. "Um...I want to talk to you alone. Is that okay?"
"All right. Lisa? Annie? Just wait around here for a bit, okay? Or go back on the deck," Joel said. "Josh wants to talk to me."
"I'll go on the deck," Lisa smiled. Annie followed her to wait. He set the cooler filled with cooked lobster down for them to keep an eye on. He promised his wife lobster, and he made sure to bring it. Down in the small living quarters' area, Josh whistled at the size of the yacht.
"Yes, this is Nikki's boat. Now, what do you want to talk to me about?" Joel asked, as he sat down. "I'm exhausted enough, as it is."
"Dad, I found this at the reef," he grinned and took out the coin.
"Oh! A Spanish doubloon? Nice! Hmm. It's worth about fifteen grand, I think. Good job," Joel nodded. Now Josh looked at his father with confusion. Did he see it before?
"Aren't you excited? I found it! Me!" Josh said.
"And it's yours. What will you do with it?" he asked.
"I don't know. I kinda want to keep it," Josh shrugged.
"Then keep it. Hmm. I wonder..." Joel mused and reached for his phone. "Hey, Nikki. When your husband found you...did he give you other things before really meeting up with you? He did? He lured you with them? That's funny! Oh, that's when you were attacked? When you were away from the reef? Huh. Well, I think Josh found one. Yeah. Right. Okay. I'll probably be back out tomorrow. You want me to pick that up? I was going to the jewelry store first. Hmm. I'll have to look for a very basic gasoline generator. Oh! That would be a good idea! I'll see what I can find. I'm sure that laptops are cheap now. Love you, too. Tell Kilnak 'hi' for me. Right! What? He wants to talk to me? Okay."
"Joe," Kilnak said lightly. "Josh found a coin?"
"He did," Joel said. His son was clearly confused at what was going on.
"Did he find any others?" Kilnak asked carefully.
"No. Just the one," Joel said.
"Fine. He can have it. Nikki probably dropped it when she was attacked. Or it was not found when it happened. That is fine. Is Josh there?" he asked.
"He is. Do you want to talk to him?" Joel mused.
"Yes," Kilnak said.
"Josh, Nichole's husband wants to talk to you," Joel mused.
"Really?!" Josh blinked. "Hello?"
"Josh. The coin you found was one I was giving to Nikki. Since you found it, and she did not, you can have it. Yes, I find treasure. It is why I am rich," Kilnak said. Nichole was heard whispering to him, and he said, "I may as well say something in case he asks. No way around it."
"You're a real treasure hunter?!" Josh gaped.
"Yes. It is why I can get her things. Like the boat," Kilnak chuckled.
"You have more treasure?" he asked.
"I do. But, it is for Nikki. Most of it was used to get the island we live on. No, you will not see it. The coin is enough. Nice talking to you," Kilnak said. When the phone hung up, Josh was clearly in a state of surprise. Joel was looking at him curiously now.
"Did you know that Nikki's husband was a treasure hunter? He just told me!" Josh said.
"Oh. So, he let it out. Yes, I knew," Joel nodded. "It's also why I didn't say anything. And, yes, I saw a good portion of the treasure he and his family find."
"I don't understand why he won't let me see it. Or the island," he frowned.
"He's afraid that the greed of gold may get to your head," Joel said calmly. "And, I think it has. Anyways, Lisa is now engaged to either his brother, or, I think, his cousin. Annie got the reality check of her life. As for me, I need to spend some quality time with your mother over a lobster dinner. Figure out what you want to do with the coin. Either use it for trade, give it to a pawn shop, or keep it. Personally, I'd say to keep it. It's got some nice markings on it!"
"How many coins did Nikki have?" Joel frowned, as he held the coin.
"She had a small chest of them. About fifty of them. More was found after that, and it was that treasure find that was used to secure the island. I didn't say anything, because I know how you are when it comes to money. You will always want more. I'm surprised that Kilnak told you about the treasure, but you would have likely found out from the coin you found. Or maybe not at all. But, it was his decision to tell you. Anyways, I'm going to have to find Bobby. Maybe he can help me set up something on the yacht for a portable battery. The jewelry store is next. Then I need to see your mother."
"He's that good at finding treasure?" Josh gaped.
"Yes. He is. Anyways, you can either tag along, or go back to the hotel. Those are your only two options. Decide now," Joel said and grabbed a beer to open and drink down. Tossing the beer can in the trash bin, he went up to the deck. "I need to talk to Bobby! You two come with me and bring that cooler. If I leave it behind, your mother will kill me."
"Okay, Dad," Lisa smiled and grabbed the lobster container. When Josh got up to the deck, he noticed the new ring on Lisa's finger, and he pointed at it. "Yeah. I got engaged!"
"Is that a real ring?" Josh blinked. "It looks kinda fake. Like it's not made well."
"Yep! My fiancée found it and gave it to me. Why?" she frowned.
"That's treasure, isn't it? Nikki's husband told me he finds treasure," he said.
"Oh! So, he told you? Well, then, yes. It's a part of the treasure. I may give it back to him when a different ring is given. It's just a gold band for now. Nothing fancy," she shrugged. "It's fine by me."
"What does he look like?" Josh asked.
"He's a native!" she beamed. Annie could only shrug and nod.
"Annie, what happened to you?" he asked her now.
"I saw Nikki. And, I got mad at her in front of Dad," Annie frowned.
"And Kilnak's family," Joel muttered.
"Oh. Did Nikki do anything to you to make you mad at her?" Josh asked.
"No," Annie moped. Josh only sighed and shook his head at her.
"She's punished. She has to pay her own way for everything for the remainder of this trip. If you want to help her, that's your deal. But, your mother and I aren't opening our wallets for her. She will learn to handle her money. Oh! Hey! I was about to look for you," Joel chuckled, as Bobby walked over.
"Good. I needed to see you, too. More kids?" Bobby grinned, and they shook hands.
"Yep. This is Josh, Lisa, and Annie. You met Lisa and Annie earlier. I'm glad I have two and not one that came back alive. Anyways, did you want to talk on the boat?" he asked.
"My office, actually. It's safer there," Bobby said lightly. That made Joel look at him cautiously.
"Fine. Do the kids come with?" he asked now.
"I would prefer it," Bobby frowned.
"Is the yacht safe?" Joel grimaced.
"Very. Don't worry about that. It's just some local gossip that came up about the island," he said. "You need to know this. Safer in my office."
"Fine. Come on, kids. And, whatever you do, don't touch anything!" Joel grinned.
"We're not ten!" Lisa scowled. Bobby started laughing, as he led them into his slightly intimidating office. Annie was in awe of the various wall decorations. Josh knew that this was a very respectable businessman right away, and he sat down in one of the chairs. Lisa set down the cooler and showed the lobster in it. That had Bobby chuckle with understanding.
"What's going on?" Joel asked, and he sat in the offered chair.
"A group of researchers came by the island earlier, right?" Bobby asked.
"Fuck," Joel growled.
"I guess they have. No pictures were taken, but they are organizing themselves to go back there tomorrow. With or without your permission. They are very concerned about the dolphins being so aggressive. They think you and your family conditioned them to hurt others," Bobby sighed.
"WHAT?!" their father shouted. "Those lousy sons of bitches!"
"Easy," Bobby said with amusement. "I'm sure your extended family needs to know."
"You know I'm calling them!" he growled and grabbed his phone to dial his daughter.
"Dad?" Nichole asked.
"Bobby just told me that the researchers plan to come back without permission!" Joel hissed.
"They wouldn't dare!" she growled.
"What is it?" Kilnak asked over the phone to be heard.
"Divers are coming back tomorrow," she sighed.
"Give me the phone," Kilnak said. "Joe, who told you this?"
"Bobby did. I'm sitting across from him," he said.
"Let me talk to him," Kilnak said. Joel blinked and offered the phone to Bobby.
"I'm here. What do you have in mind?" Bobby asked.
"My family found a little more treasure. If you help keep the divers away, I will give you some. No cut. You help me, I help you. Sound good?" he asked.
"What kind?" Bobby asked with his interest caught.
"Um...another cup, ah...what was that Nikki? A candlestick holder, three necklaces of gold and sapphire, and, eh, more coins. We have been finding much. Loose gems, too," he said.
"Wow. I will take the cup, the candlestick holder, and one necklace. Will that be okay with you?" Bobby smiled. At the confirmation, the phone was handed over to Joel.
"Found more stuff?" Joel chuckled.
"Yes. Let Bobby help keep the divers away. I am giving him treasure for his help," Kilnak said.
"That's fine by me. I should be there tomorrow, okay?" he said.
"Okay. Bye," Kilnak said and hung up the phone. Josh was in shock at what he overheard. Nichole's husband was a natural at finding treasure, it seemed. He had to meet this guy.
"I'm sure you'll bring the goods tomorrow on your way back?" Bobby asked.
"I will. You'll do your share?" Joel asked and got up.
"That I will. Scout's honor!" Bobby grinned, and they shook hands again.
"Oh. My daughter, Lisa, got engaged to one of his family members. I need some jewelry," Joel said. "And, eh, Kilnak wants me to buy Nichole a few things, too."
"I'm heading over to Josue, myself," Bobby said. "I'll take you all there."
"Trip to the hotel included?" Joel laughed.
"As long as I get a tip," Bobby winked. That had them laughing at each other.
"I'll give you a dollar each way," he mused.
"Okay, that's going too far! I expect a nickel," the older man grinned, as they kept badgering each other. It was the most fun he ever had with anyone. He led them to his custom limousine. This had Annie gaping at the sight of the sleek, black car with genuine black leather seats. Bobby ushered them all in, and he got in last. Joel helped place the lobster container in the middle of the limousine floor easily. He didn't want that damaged. On looking at the driver, Bobby said, "I need to see Josue. Thanks."
"Of course, Sir," the driver said and started to drive off.
"Your car or the company car?" Joel mused.
"It's mine. The driver is on my payroll," he chuckled.
"Don't ask, don't tell?" Joel grinned.
"As always," Bobby nodded.
"What is it that you do, exactly?" Lisa asked.
"I sell boats. I'm a very popular guy. One of the best in the business," Bobby smiled.
"I see..." she frowned.
"I'll tell you later. It was because of her that I had to drop your name," Joel nodded.
"Right. That's fine," he agreed. "And, Lisa, did you get a pearl yet?"
"No. Lotisoo needs to find one for me. He just wanted to make sure that no one else would want to try and be with me. So, he decided to give me a ring," she chuckled. "Nichole said it was important that I get him a black pearl."
"It is. So, we will do more black pearl shopping, get a few pearl and diamond pieces for Nikki, and, maybe, more pearls for her, too. Maybe we can just find you a ring and have him give it to you. I don't think it would be the same, though. I need to get some cage settings to put the pearls in," Joel sighed. "I'm just glad there's enough cash to do all of this!"
"How much was left over after the island purchase?" Bobby asked.
"Roughly three hundred grand. It's enough to put me to retirement, but I'll use it on Nikki. It's her money, in a sense," he grinned.
"Wait..." Josh said.
"No, you aren't getting a piece of it!" Joel growled. "It's not even Nikki's money. It's her husband's money. I'm doing various deals for him, so he can remain incognito. I think he's happy that I came along. If anything, I'm just the one able to hold and distribute what he finds."
"Would I be able to talk to him again? But...face to face?" he asked.
"No," Joel said curtly. "Annie shouldn't have come with me and Lisa this morning, as it was. She got Nikki so pissed off that she threw up. Kilnak almost stabbed her in the foot, as a warning shot. He was ready to skewer her. If it wasn't for Lisa slapping Annie's face to make him laugh, I'd probably be investing in a funeral coffin. That dolphin of his splashed her, too, to cheer up Nichole."
"What do you plan to do about the researchers?" Lisa asked.
"One of my guys is recruited by them. Mainly to help figure out what the best form of navigational tech can be found for my boats. He was stuck on the boat when they went out to the island. He found it rather strange for seaweed to be tangled up in the propeller. No signs on the radar, either, which was even stranger. I didn't say anything to him. Anyways, we're at the jewelry store. What did you want to do about the cooler? Want to put it in the trunk?" Bobby asked.
"It's fine where it is. I'll give you a couple of lobsters in thanks for all of this," Joel smiled.
"Really? That's something better than a tip! Free dinner, I'll take any day," Bobby grinned.
"Maybe we can start up an exotic seafood business on the side," he mused.
"If you do that, I'll support it!" Bobby said quickly.
"Good. I'll bring up the idea to Nikki. Oh, how are you on design ideas for housing?" he asked, as they got out of the limousine.
"I know a few people," Bobby winked and opened the door to the store. He waved to the associate, and she nodded before moving to get Josue. The portly Caribbean native came out and grinned.
"Your earrings are ready," Josue nodded to Bobby. Then he recognized Joel and looked at Bobby curiously. "You know each other?"
"Yes. We do business and trade," Bobby nodded. "He needs some jewelry."
"No trade, but real business," Joel chuckled.
"Okay. What do you need?" Josue asked.
"Remember the pearls I got from you? I need a cage for one. Like a pendant. I can't bring the pearls with me, and I need the cage done for the white pearl. I'd prefer the cage to be gold and set with diamonds. I also have another loose white pearl that needs a cage, too, but I think I need it in the base of a ring. Same gold and diamond set up as the pendant. On top of that, I need another black pearl, loose. Maybe more. How many other loose pearls do you have?" Joel asked, as he went straight into the reason he came over. "And how soon can the cages be done?"
"I see," Josue nodded. "I can make something, but it will take a few days. You will be in town?"
"I will. I was supposed to go on a cruise, but I have to cancel my ticket. I'm needed here a bit more. I just hope I can cancel it," he sighed.
"Dad, can you cancel my ticket, too?" Lisa asked with a small smile. "As much as I want to go, I really want to get to know Lotisoo a bit more. I think I may go with you whenever you plan to see Nikki, too. I don't need to be around him as much as she does with Kilnak, but I do want to see him when I can. Do you think it's possible to do that?"
"Ugh," Joel grimaced. "I may not be able to cancel the tickets. It's too close to the deadline. Hmm. Actually, maybe you and your wife can go in our stead, Bobby. You may have to get your own rooms, though. I'm not sure how it would work out."
"If I know the Captain on the cruise line, I can work something out with him," Bobby thought. "It would be tough, though. And, with the cruise being so close, I doubt we can change anything. It was a good thought. They're also pretty strict on the names that the tickets are under."
"Ashley's gonna kill me, if I tell her that she's doing that cruise on her own," Joel sighed. "But, I have to help Nichole. She needs building plans, and I'm her main link to helping her get it done. She wants to set up feeding tanks in the house. Like they have for most restaurants to guarantee fresh food."
"That would make a lot of sense," Bobby nodded.
"And, she wants to start Kilnak off on watching nature videos, so he understands more of our culture and animal life. He wants her to teach him everything she can. I may have to invest in a full encyclopedia set, too. That's gonna be pricey. But, it needs to be done," he muttered. "I need the yacht outfitted with a portable generator. Or even to simply purchase one that can be moved around safely. The yacht might be able to have a wireless transmitter for a laptop to work. I really need to get the paperwork signed off, and I fear that Nichole may have to be present for it."
"She can't leave his side for that long, right?" Bobby frowned.
"No. She can't. He's the same way. From what I was told, they have a very intricate bond. They can't be without each other for too long. It's different for Lisa and her new fiancée, so that's fine. But, when it comes to Nichole and Kilnak, I pity the person that tries to separate them for any amount of time," he said seriously. "He was ready to kill Annie the moment she started to piss him off."
"Wow," Bobby said with a slight bit of amazement. Annie was simply looking away. She did feel bad about everything, but she would never admit it. As Josue started to bring out some selections of loose pearls and various pearl jewelry, Josh went over to his youngest sister to whisper to her.
"How did you sneak over with them?" he asked with a frown.
"Lisa's phone went off in the morning. Dad texted her to meet with him. I...woke up and faked being asleep with a pillow. Um, I crept out, as she showered, and I waited outside the hotel lobby," she said with a hard sigh. "I just wanted to know what was going on. Why I wasn't invited and all that. Dad gave me three rules. The one I broke was keeping quiet on not making anyone mad. I can't talk about what I saw to anyone, and pictures aren't allowed, either. As if anyone would believe me, anyways. I'm not gonna talk about what I saw, though. You wouldn't believe me, if I told you."
"Try me," Josh grinned.
"I don't know. I don't want to break my promise to Dad. I'm in enough trouble, as it is. If you want to know about Nikki's husband, you'll need to find out for yourself," she mumbled. That made him look at her with shock. She always bragged about things that she saw. If she can't talk about it, it had to be really hard to swallow. Thinking of what he could do, he had an idea.
"Dad," he said, as he walked over to his father. "I was invited to a small party when I went out scuba diving. I was told the location. Do you think I can go? I won't drink too much, and I'll keep my phone on me. It won't be until later tonight."
"Well, I guess. Just make sure you meet your mother in the morning. You know how she worries. She just doesn't show it," Joel advised. "Oh, grab your battery when you get to the hotel. This way you don't need to keep it plugged in somewhere."
"Okay," Josh nodded. He had another plan in mind. If I made it to the party, it would kill time, but that was if I could find it. From how he saw it, he wasn't in a partying mood. I want answers. If there was one thing he inherited from his father, it was his need to solve problems in a logical manner.
"I like this one," Lisa said, and she pointed to a very elegant pearl and diamond ring. It wasn't as expensive as the other pieces, and all of the detail was done for the pearl to enhance its color and size. The diamonds were just accents, but they circled the pearl in a very delicate manner.
"That's a very pretty ring. How much?" Joel asked.
"Six hundred dollars," Josue said.
"Sold. I'll take that large, loose black pearl, too," he said, as he noticed the inch-round pearl in the white foam protective case.
"That one is two thousand dollars," Josue said calmly.
"It's fine. I have the money now. I also want that pearl and diamond necklace strand," he said and pointed to a display case. All of the pearls were evenly matched at half an inch around. It was the way they were encased that he liked. All of them seemed to be held together with thin strands of gold in a lace-like way. They didn't look drilled through, and it was what he liked about it the most. Small, half karat diamonds were set between each pearl in the strand. The necklace, itself, was a foot long, and would loop just above Nichole's bust line when worn.
"Nine thousand dollars," Josue said. He started to get a touch excited.
"How much for the matching earrings?"
"Three thousand."
"Cut it to an even ten for me, and I'll get the matching earrings with the necklace."
"We have a ring, too, and a bracelet to go with it. The ring is three thousand, and the bracelet is five thousand. Twenty thousand, in total. I may be able to go to fifteen thousand as a set deal," Josue smiled. "That's the most I can do for you."
"I'd get the bracelet for free, then. Is that all right with you?" Joel frowned.
"It would be fine," Josue nodded.
"Think you can throw in the other ring my daughter likes?"
"I can do that!" Josue nodded eagerly.
"You're on a spending spree," Bobby whistled.
"It's Kilnak's money I'm using," Joel grinned.
"That's true," he chuckled.
"Is there anything else you need?" Josue asked.
"Can you get those settings done for me? I'll need a cage setting for the three-inch pearl. Would it be possible to get one to fit both the three-inch pearl and another two-inch pearl? Or would that be too much?" Joel asked and thought out everything. "I can't have the pearls damaged, and I can't bring them to you. They are needed with my daughter and her husband."
"I would suggest a cage pendant for the larger one. I can have another design done as a ring for the other. You would just push the pearls in, and the cages would snap closed. If you want the settings to be permanent, you just need to seal the gold with some expert welding, or some strong glue. I would suggest the welding. The gold will seal permanently. Just don't damage the pearl," Josue said.
"Not sure if I can do the welding," Joel admitted. "Would a hot needle do the trick?"
"Hmm. It's possible," Josue thought aloud. "Gold is a very soft metal. With the right amount of heat, it can be done. I can make sure the gold around the clasp area is soft enough to seal properly with minimal effort. Just don't mess up too much, or the result will be flawed."
"I should be fine," Joel chuckled. "Let me look at the loose pearls again..."
For the next ten minutes, he selected loose pearls with various shades and color tones. Three black pearls were selected at a half-inch around. Those would be for Kilnak's possible trident. His card was swiped for the funds to be used. He spent almost thirty grand in the store. He would have been cringing at the money lost, but it wasn't his. It was easier to work with in that mindset. The jewelry was carefully enclosed in a specialized, water-proof case of grey coloring. Bobby decided to hold onto that for Joel until they got back to the ship. It would be much safer with him, and no one would think of asking what was in the briefcase.
"I'll keep this locked up. My wife's earrings are in here, too, so don't worry. I'll let you know when the clasp pieces are done for the pearls," Bobby said.
"Thanks. What will you carry the two lobsters in that I owe you?" Joel asked.
"I have a champagne bucket in the limo. They'll be fine in there, if not too big," he grinned.
"That should work," Joel nodded. In the limousine, the two lobsters were easily placed in the ice bucket for him. Plans were made to meet at the yacht in the early morning hours. It was getting close to the afternoon, as it was, and dusk was right around the corner. At the hotel, the cooler was brought in and inspected for the contents by the hotel staff. Stephan gave him the all clear, and Joel was able to get to the hotel room without any incidents. As he went to greet his wife with the lobsters, Josh grabbed his cell battery. On not finding his brother in the room, he went to see his lounging, and rather lazy, brother. He never left the poolside area.
"Where were you?" Doug asked.
"I was out scuba diving with a few new buddies. May have been a one-time thing, but it was fun. What all have you done?" Josh asked and sat at the poolside table. On seeing the ashtray filled with cigarette butts, he grimaced. "Never mind. I can guess."
"I'm just chilling," Doug shrugged.
"I might be going to a party tonight. I was invited. So, if you don't see me in the room later tonight, that's why. I may even be out all night, if I do get drunk," Josh said. Doug simply shrugged again and took a deep drag on his cigarette.
"Whatever, dude. Mom and Dad know?"
"Yes, they do."
"Cool with me, bro."
"What do you plan to do with your life? I mean...Mom and Dad can't support you forever."
"Dunno. I'll figure something out when I get there," he said with a lazy grin. Josh sighed and got up to head to his room to shower, shave, and brush his teeth. In the room the girls were sharing, Lisa was staring out at the ocean with a dreamy smile. Annie was not happy with her sister's happiness.
"What's up with you?" Annie asked with a snippy tone.
"I think I'm in love," Lisa said with a soft sigh.
"What? Are you serious?!" Annie gaped.
"As serious as me telling you to grow up," she grinned. "There's something about Lotisoo that I just...that I really like. He's...different than the others."
"Well, duh! Of course, he's different!"
"It's more than that," Lisa admitted. "Most of the guys I meet tend to only see me for my looks. Lotisoo seems to want to know me for who I am. Not just my body. He really wants to know everything about me. It's really good to know. It shows that he cares. It must be how Kilnak is with Nikki, too."
"I just don't understand," Annie frowned.
"You will one day. You're still trying to grow up!" Lisa smirked. At Annie's pout, she laughed. She hadn't felt this happy in a very long time. I made up with my younger sister, slapped my youngest sister, and found a guy that really cares about me. I can't wait to see him again! When her phone rang, she looked over at it. It was still plugged into the wall, and she answered it.
"Hey, you!" Nichole laughed. She never imagined the day that she would be calling her sister.
"Nikki! Oh, that's right! You have a new number, huh? Okay, I'll program it later. What's up?" Lisa asked happily. "Anything exciting?"
"Not really. But, someone does want to say 'hi' to you," she giggled.
"Lisa?" Lotisoo asked with a touch of hesitation after the phone was passed over.
"Lotisoo!" Lisa said happily. "You can talk to me?"
"Little bit. Um...Nikki help. So...talk slow?" he asked with a nervous chuckle.
"I'll try," she said with a smile. Annie mumbled to herself. Lisa won't pay any attention to me now. Sighing to herself, she went to see what her parents were doing.
"Hold on! I'm coming!" Joel said, as he answered the door. "Annie? What's up?"
"Lisa's talking to her guy on her phone. Nikki called her for him," Annie moped.
"That's great! So...what's wrong?" Joel asked.
"I just...I'm bored," she frowned.
"Well, if you want some lobster, you can have some with us. I brought back quite a bit. Or, you can see about managing your money," Joel said with a small grin. "I didn't buy the lobster, so it's fine."
"I can have some?" she blinked. Ashley was busy cracking them open and waved for her daughter to join them. It would keep her out of trouble.
"I plan to go back to the island tomorrow. You are staying here with your mother and brothers. Do the scuba lessons, if you want. You have a free class, and your mother can join you. She can use Lisa's lessons, since I'm sure Lisa will be coming out with me again," Joel said.
"Okay," Annie nodded.
"That reminds me," Joel muttered. He pulled up his online banking to transfer money into her account. "There. You're set with three hundred dollars. You're on your own now."
"Okay," Annie said with a small sigh.
"You did bring it on yourself," Ashley smiled. Annie could only nod. Joel checked his email and blinked at a message he got. It was from the representative I bought the island through. A team was going to be sent out later in the night to survey the island in the morning and to draw up paperwork. He was surprised. He was told that it was going to be longer, but he figured it was because the funds were already sent through. As he read through the email a bit more thoroughly, he paused at the last line. I was requested to be present for it. He groaned at this news.
"I gotta head to her room to talk to Nichole. If Lisa is still on a call with her phone, I need to talk to Nichole about this. Save me a couple tails and claws. I'll be right back," he muttered and left the room. Ashley could only sigh. She had a feeling he wouldn't be on the cruise with her. He was too wrapped up in her daughter's new lifestyle to take a proper break.
"Hey, Dad," Lisa said, as she answered the door.
"Still talking to your guy?" he asked when he walked in and closed the door behind him.
"Yes. Why?" she frowned.
"I need to talk to Nikki for a moment. It's about the island purchase."
"Oh! Okay. Lotisoo, my Dad needs to talk to Nikki. It's about the island."
"Okay," Lotisoo said, and Nichole was heard next. When she heard her father clear his throat, she already knew that it was important.
"Dad, what's going on?" she asked.
"You're not gonna believe this. Appraisers for the island will be out here tomorrow. Likely with paperwork. They need to survey the island. I don't know what's going to happen with Kilnak, the dolphins, and his family," Joel grumbled. "But, this part has to be done."
"I know. It likely means they'll need to take pictures and other things, too, huh?" she asked.
"For their records on an island purchase, yes. I'm sure of it. Including the location. Hopefully, Bobby will keep the researchers busy with other things. If he wants Kilnak's bargain, he will."
"I'm sure we'll be fine," she said. Kilnak grabbed the phone after he asked for it.
"Joe, I need to know when they plan to come out. I need to prepare my pod. You know I cannot be away from Nikki for too long. I will need to stay close to her. I can hide in the water. That is fine. I just need to be with Nikki. She needs to be with me, too," Kilnak said carefully.
"I'm aware of it. I may be able to distract them and let Nichole swim with a few dolphins to keep them calm. I don't want them to harass the appraisers," Joel thought aloud.
"That could work. I can swim with her, too. We will do that," he agreed. "Does Lisa want to talk to Lotisoo again?"
"Lisa, you want to talk to your fiancée a bit more?" Joel chuckled. At her blush, the phone was given over. "Oh, remind me to give you back a battery. I'll have to hit up an electronic store out here and pick up some extra ones to charge. Nikki's phone is likely almost dead. I'm sure that Josh got his battery back. I did tell him to grab it. Make sure you get yours."
"Okay," Lisa nodded and took the phone to talk to her lover. He went back into his room to figure out what was going to happen in the morning. As this was going on, Josh was able to get to the docks. As he approached Little Star, one of the guards stopped him.
"What is your business here?" the man asked.
"My name is Josh Wilson. My Dad owns Little Star. Actually, it's my sister's boat. I'm not taking it out, I just need to find something on it. Then I'll be gone," Josh said.
"I don't believe you," the man sneered. Josh muttered, as the guard spoke out into his walkie-talkie. Bobby's voice soon came on the speaker.
"It's fine. He is Joel Wilson's son. He's clear. However, it's unusual for him to be there. I'll be right out. Bring him to my office," Bobby said sternly. Josh blinked at his ill luck. The guard had him move into Bobby's office and stood behind him to ensure that he wouldn't go anywhere. It felt like he was being shown the principal's office, and that happened quite a bit in his youth. When Bobby came in to sit down, he waved the guard out. "What are you doing around here?"
"All right..." Josh said with a sigh. Lying wasn't going to help. I have to be straight with him. "I was hoping to sneak aboard Little Star to be there when my Dad set sail in the morning. I really want to meet Nikki's husband. I think I could learn a lot from him. Dad won't let me meet with him. Annie won't talk about him. Lisa won't tell me anything about him, either. Mom is the same. I just want to know for myself."
"You put in me in quite a pickle. However, I'm short on time. My wife is expecting me home. So, this is what I'll do. I'll forget we ever met tonight. You can do what you want on Little Star, but, if you steal anything, my guards will catch you. If you stay on the boat, fine. You can do that. If you have to leave, make sure you're empty-handed. That's all I will suggest. Okay?" Bobby said calmly.
"Thanks!" Josh nodded.
"But, I will warn you. Kilnak is not one to judge lightly. He will, and can, hurt you, if you piss him off. Same with his family. They make me cringe when I'm around them, too! And, that takes a lot of effort to do to my sanity. I'll still need to show up tomorrow to give over the briefcase. That's a must. I don't really have anything going on tomorrow, too, now that I think about it. I may just keep the day clear. I also need to do something about the researchers. Hmm. Maybe you can help me with that."
"With what?"
"The researchers. If you can sabotage something of theirs to keep them from getting to the island, I'll guarantee that I've never seen you around here. One of my guys would do it, but he can't get near their boat right now. They have him doing other things, and he's monitored. You help me with this, and you're off of my radar. I'll tell you the boat name and have my guard stand as lookout. I know every port on this mainland. Luckily, the boat you need is docked here. Do we have a deal?"
"Okay," Josh nodded. He was nervous and excited about this. Bobby radioed his guard, and Josh was quickly shown the way to where the boat was resting. It was on the opposite side of where Little Star was, and not much moonlight shone down. The storm that hit the island had finally made it to the mainland, but it was just heavy clouds in the sky.
"I can give you ten minutes. Do what you can," the man muttered and walked off.
"Let's see what we got," Josh muttered to himself. He went to the main controls of the ship and saw a notebook on the helm. Opening it, he saw the coordinates to the island, and they were circled. The downside was that it was done in pen. Musing to himself, he looked around and found a pen nearby. Making a careful adjustment, he placed another number over the existing one. He did the same for a couple others to make it look like a fluke. Then he went to the outside of the boat and glanced around. He figured the coordinate numbers would do the job, but he wanted to slow them down a bit more.
He wanted to tamper a bit with the propeller of the boat next. Finding the emergency tool box, he grabbed a few tools and a flashlight. Glancing around, he remembered that some boats had wiring on the lowest deck. He went to the engine room and carefully loosened a few bolts. Then he clipped a couple wires that ran the engine. All of it would be easy to fix, but it would definitely slow them down. The coordinate botch should be the real deal. Getting a rag, he dampened it and wiped everything clean of his prints just in case. His shoes were pretty common, and he left no tracks of any kind. The deed done, he got off the boat just as the guard reached him.
"Done?" the man asked.
"Yes. Should I tell you what happened?" Josh asked.
"Nah. Then I'll have to report it. I'll just say that I chased someone off, and it was too dark to tell who it was. So, start running!" the man grinned. Josh nodded and bolted. When he got to Little Star, the guard gave up the small chase and reported on his radio that a 'suspicious person' was seen around the docks and to keep a lookout. He did his job, and Josh was in the clear.
"Now to hide," Josh muttered, as he panted lightly to catch his breath. He was hungry, too. Luckily for him, there was a sandwich in the small fridge. Grabbing it to wolf down, a water bottle was next. He saw his father's beers, but decided not to touch them. That would give himself away. Dad is very protective over his beers! I learned that the hard way. Heading to the bed, he collapsed on it and fell asleep at long last.