Isaac waved, thankful for his first officer’s sharp eye. “We requireassistance.” He turned to the sailor. “My first officer will take you onto theTempestand get you situated. We will be sailing immediately.”
Once they walked away, Samantha stood. He met her worried gaze. “Did you catch all that?”
She nodded.
“He’s looking for something in Norfolk. Probably something guarded by the Yard. That’s where the ship he sank had sailed from. My guess is he was hoping it would be in the archived records. See if the man he interviews tomorrow knows anything about what that could be.”
They made their way to theSiren. At the gangway, Samantha turned. “I don’t think it’s smart to allow that man to join your crew. Something seemed off about him.”
He gave her a tight smile. “He’s suffered a heavy ordeal. People aren’t themselves after going through that sort of thing, as you well know.”
Her blue eyes flashed but she did not push the issue. “Keep your guard up. We will see you tomorrow. Hopefully sooner than later.”
Miss Montclair shifted at his side when Samantha started up the gangway, slender fingertips brushing his forearm. “If you don’t mind, I need to have a private word with the lieutenant.”
Samantha turned and a soft smile played across her lips. “I’ll wait on deck.”
Miss Montclair stood still and silent in the lantern light, her brows furrowed, eyes flitting side to side as she worked through something in her head. One hand lifted, playing with the yellow ribbon descending into her neckline, while the other slipped into a pocket in her skirts.
“There’s something I need to show you.”
She pulled a folded piece of parchment free and handed it to him. His own brows pressed together as he scanned the drawing. “What’s this—” His eyes darted to where her fingers still hovered at her chest. “Your key.”
She nodded and pulled it free, moonlight reflecting from the ivory skull. He reached for it, warmth flooding through his fingers from where it had rested against her skin. It matched the drawing on the page perfectly.
He frowned as he read the scrawled notes and recognized the handwriting. “This is Christian’s. Why do you have it?”
She cleared her throat. “I borrowed it. I’ll give it back.”
“You can’t be going through his things.”
This time her voice came quiet. “I know. When I saw the sketch matched my key, I couldn’t help it.”
He sighed and lifted his gaze to meet hers. “You think this has something to do with why Thorne is going to Norfolk?”
“It has to. He recognized it as soon as he saw it. And I could tell he wanted it in a bad way.”
He nodded, turning the key over in his hand. What the hell could it be to? The carving had been done with expert craftsmanship, edges still crisp and sharp. It wasn’t an antique, yet she’d told Thorne she’d had it a long time.
“Where did you get this?”
“I won it off a pirate.”
A pirate wouldn’t own such a nice piece unless it was stolen or plundered. He wagered it had once belonged to someone very wealthy. He looked at the address on the parchment again, and his pulse quickened. If whatever Thorne was looking for was there, he could finally piece everything together.
“I need to go. The quicker I can get to Norfolk, the better chance I have at getting answers before Thorne.”
“Let me come with you.” Her words came out soft yet determined.
“Absolutely not. Thorne will be there. He could come after us at any time.”
Her hand closed around the key and she tucked it back beneath herneckline. “What’s the difference? Samantha and Christian will be right behind us. On a smaller ship. Isn’t theTempestthe safest place to be if Thorne attacks?”
“TheSirenis faster and could get away from an attack.”
Her lips twisted into a half-smile. “No offense, Lieutenant, but I don’t think your friend would leave you behind.”
She was right.
