The Choking Rain (The Adventures of Captain Swashbuckle Book 1) by Lowe Brian K

Author:Lowe, Brian K. [Lowe, Brian K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-02-01T16:00:00+00:00

They held the service in a chapel in Malibu overlooking the ocean. Perhaps someone had thought it appropriate, since the burnished mahogany coffin lying in state before the altar was empty; Eric's body had been lost to the sea. Only his jacket had been found, floating, shortly before dawn. The blood on it was identified as Eric's. Katherine had taken the jacket into her possession.

Now she sat in the front pew, with Damien, Ted, and the Professor, each bowing his head in silent prayer. Katherine had taken the news as well as she might, and with their roles reversed in this new round of grieving, Mary O'Donnell had been given a chance to repay Kate's earlier kindness. With Mary's help, Kate had made the necessary arrangements. She had tried to wire her parents, but the State Department had cautioned her, with the utmost regret, that her parents were deep in the mountains of Asia, and the message could take weeks to reach them. In any event, there was no chance Mr. Reinhold could return to the States in time.

Kate was further burdened by this setback, but she recovered for the funeral. The sight of the mob from the fourth estate had held her back for a moment, but Ted and Professor Death, grateful for the distraction, had plowed a path through for the others to follow. It had been a wide path. Mary O'Donnell and her father, who were well-known, took advantage of the confusion to slip into the chapel through a side door, and took inconspicuous seats nearby.

As the minister droned on , Kate looked up and out the window. Roiling grey-black clouds barged onto the land like an invading air force. Perhaps the rain would discourage the press, but she rather thought it would not. Suddenly, she averted her eyes--one of them was standing outside the window looking in! Her grief seemed to hem her in; even the sanctity of the funeral service itself was no protection from these pencil-toting vultures.

Since entering the chapel, she had been clinging to Ted, taking strength from his sheer size. She leaned to him now and whispered in his ear. Ted turned his head slightly to see, not wanting to distract the other mourners--and she felt him stiffen.

"What is it?" she hissed in his ear.

For answer he put his arm around her gently and drew her head toward him, as though her emotions were getting the better of her and he was simply lending support.

"The man outside," he breathed in her ear, "is the man I chased out of Roy Miramonte's funeral."

"What's he doing here?"

"I don't know, but I want to talk to him about it."

"Now?"

"No. If he sees me get up now, he'll run. Let's hope he plans to stick around."

Damien had been sitting next to Ted, which was fortunate, because Damien could keep his mouth shut and be patient. He didn't interrupt the whispers; if it concerned him, he would know soon enough. The Professor, seated on the end, saw only what people were supposed to see.

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