“Aye.That be the one.”
“And?”Smity tapped his fingers on the desk.“Where on the island?I can hardly dig up the entire place.”
Durwin began searching through the parchments on Cadan’s desk.“He got the final clue in that church.I saw it in ’is hand.Got t’ be ’ere somewhere.”
The infernal iguana skittered across the desk, scattering parchment and knocking over a half glass of rum onto the map.
Uttering a foul curse, Smity raised his fist to crush the disease-encrusted pest, but the lizard darted away and disappeared under the bed.
“Blasted filthy vermin!”Smity shouted, righting the glass.Then grabbing one of Cadan’s shirts from the floor, he attempted to soak up the alcohol, but to no avail, for the ink on that corner blurred into nonsensical smudges.
“It don’t matter, Smity.”Durwin shrugged.“We’s know which island.I jist need t’ find the last clue.”
Smity growled.“Cap’n Smity to ye, Durwin.”
“Sorry, Cap’n.”Durwin sifted through the papers and notes on the deck, then rummaged through drawers, emptying their contents onto the deck.But no note or clue appeared.
With each passing minute, Smity’s fury rose.
Finally, Durwin shook his head and rubbed the back of his hand beneath his hawk nose.“Not ’ere.”
Smity let out an ominous growl.“I want this entire cabin searched from every crack in the deck below to every hole above, every nook and cranny, chest, table, and chair!”He gestured toward Durwin and Kipp.“Tear the pages out of every book if you have to.”
An hour later, with no clue found, Smity strapped on his cutlass and headed down to the hold.
???
“Forget something, Smity?”Cadan squinted against the light blaring from the lantern in the traitor’s hand, but he could still make out the snake standing beside it, along with Durwin and five pirates behind him.
“That be Cap’n Smity t’ ye.”
“Captain, is it?”Cadan glanced at Pell and the others, and they all shared a chuckle.“You couldn’t captain a sea turtle in a swamp.”
Scowling, Smity charged the cage, then halted, pasting a smile on his face.“Yet ye are the one in the hold, and I be in the captain’s cabin.”
“For now.”Cadan’s gaze shifted to Durwin, cowering behind Smity.“You too, Durwin?”
To the man’s credit, he lowered his gaze, unable to meet Cadan’s eyes.
“I took you on my ship, nursed you back to good health, gave you a job.”
The sea crashed against the hull as theResoluteveered slightly to larboard.A rat skittered across the deck.
Durwin shifted his boots.“He offered me a king’s ransom, Cap’n.Sorry.”
Cursing, Smity slapped Durwin upside the head.“What’s wrong wit’ ye?Don’t say sorry t’ the likes of ’im.”He hooked the lantern above.
Durwin stepped back.
Soot approached the bars, eyes bulging at Durwin, rage strangling his voice.“Ye thievin’, cur!Expected this from Smity, but ye?”
Durwin stepped further into the shadows.
“What is it you want, Smity?”Pell asked with his usual calm composure.
“That be easy.”Smity fingered the pearl in his right earlobe.“I need the final clue t’ Dempster’s treasure.”
Cadan smiled.“Is that so?”
