Hook by Melissa Snark

Author:Melissa Snark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nordic Lights Press

Chapter Twenty-Two

Prowlers and Pranks

* * *

"Not at the moment."

"Friend of yours?"

"None I'm expecting... but then, the smugglers' tunnels are an open secret." Every sailor who frequented the port and every resident of the area knew about the network of passageways running under the district.

Mr. Torrero frowned. "Well then, I believe you have an intruder down below. Good grief, listen to all that noise! This scallywag is a sorry excuse for a thief."

"No truer words have been spoken." Rising, I laid my cards face down on the table. He did the same. As old seafarers, we shared a mutual understanding—an interruption didn't mean the game was over.

"Would you like me to investigate, Captain? It's probably some young thug who doesn't know any better."

"Thank you for the offer, but I would prefer to handle this myself." I retrieved a loaded rifle from behind the bar and hooked a bullseye lantern. I spared a glance for Mr. Torrero, delivering a stern warning. "No stealing a look at my cards while I'm away."

He covered his heart with his hand. "Wouldn't dream of it."

We traded knowing grins and then I descended the stairs, halting at the halfway mark. The clamor grew louder. The intruder had a colorful vocabulary that he wielded with cutting creativity. None of what he said could be repeated in polite company.

Suspended from my hook, the lantern's beam cut a swath through the darkness until it landed on the noisy prowler. The spotlight revealed a large man, dripping wet, tangled up in a net anchored with cowbells.

"Hands in the air! Identify yourself, or I'll shoot you where you stand!"

He halted his struggle, though the bells kept clanging. "Don't aim that gun at me, Hook."

As it happened, I had the rifle pointed at the floor, but with the light shining in his face he probably couldn't tell. I feigned surprise, gasping, "Why, Captain Rackham, is that you?"

He stomped like a bull in the arena. The knife in his hand flashed. He resumed sawing his way through the mesh. "Don't pretend. You bloody well know who I am."

Cloaked in shadows, I grinned. "To the contrary, I thought you were a drowned rat... or possibly an opossum."

"I can hear you laughing."

"Laugh at your misfortune? Why, I would never!"

At last, Captain Rackham cut a large enough hole to escape through. He shrugged off the net; it landed with a final raucous row. Trailing water, he marched closer, taking the steps two at a time. The staircase was narrow; I refused to yield.

He halted one step down, which put us at eye level in direct opposition. He wore a ferocious scowl, with wet hair plastered to his forehead. My grin widened. Seeing my smile, Rackham snarled, "You rigged a booby trap! What are you—ten?"

"No. But the clever lad who suggested it was." The next time I met with Tootles the Wolf, I owed the boy praise and thanks.

Rackham huffed like an angry wolf.

"Relax, Captain Rackham. The water was clean. If you'd been paying attention, you wouldn't have walked straight into the tripwire.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.