“Not the only thing. I’d miss all the times you helped me find the Aztec’s lost dong and all the pirate booty I’ve gotten this week.”
“So, you’d miss sex and meat.” Ten shrugged. “It tracks, Ronan. That’s for sure.”
“Okay, everyone, game faces on. We’re here.” Fitz turned into the museum parking lot, which, thankfully only had two other cars. “Let me do the talking, huh?”
“Sure thing.” Ronan was more than okay with Fitz taking the lead. When the museum curators heard what Fitz wasproposing, they’d call the men with the butterfly nets for him, rather than for Ronan.
None of the kids were as excited as they’d been the first time they’d come to the museum. They didn’t want to take pictures with the pirates and their eyes never wandered to the gift shop. Ronan had no doubt Wolf and Aurora understood this was more of a mission than a good time.
Fitz paid the admission fees for everyone and led them toward the lab portion of the museum. The kids had been interested in the treasure and the everyday items on display, but Ronan had wanted to spend more time watching the process of cleaning concretions from the artifacts.
Two young men were working near one of the large tanks which held the ship’s stove. One wore a black shirt with the Jolly Roger, the other wore red, like Sam Bellamy on that fateful night in 1717.
“My name is Captain Kevin Fitzgibbon from the Salem Police Department. I was wondering if Mr. Chambers is available to speak with me for a moment?” Blake Chambers was the name of the man who’d discovered the wreck of theWhydahin 1984.
“Is he in some kind of trouble?” the young man wearing the Jolly Roger asked.
Fitz shook his head. “No, nothing like that.”
“One sec.” The man walked toward the back of the lab and slipped through a door marked, Employees Only.
“He’s here,” Ten said. “I’ll try to reach out and give him a push to come see us.”
Several minutes later, the lab worker returned with an older man dressed in a similar black t-shirt and khaki shorts. “I’m Blake. Can I help you?”
Fitz quickly introduced everyone, putting a little extra emphasis on the detectives’ titles. “We’re with the cold case squad and we need to talk to you about an extremely cold case.”
“An extremely cold case?” Chambers asked. “You’re talking about Sam Bellamy, I presume?”
Fitz nodded. “This is going to sound completely crazy, but-”
“When Fitz introduced me, he failed to say I’m a psychic medium. I’ve spoken with the spirit of Maria Hallet and she’s desperate to reunite with Sam Bellamy. He’s been sending my daughter visions of the night the ship wrecked and let her know his spirit was still with the ship.”
Chambers’s eyes narrowed, moving between Tennyson and the three detectives. “Look, guys, I don’t know what kind of a con job you’re trying to run here, but I’m not interested. You paid admission, enjoy the rest of the museum.” He turned to head back the way he’d come, when Everly’s voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
“You buried gold coins with your father when he died. One on each eye as payment for Sharon.” Everly called out.
Chambers spun around. “What did you just say?” His mouth hung open like a fish out of water.
“When you were a little boy, your father used to tell you stories about Greek heroes. Zoos, and Post-sided, but your favorite was Sharon, the ferryman. You put coins on the eyes of the dead, so they could get into the underworld. Your dad was also the one who taught you how to scuba dive. Having him with you to diveon theWhydahwas the best moment of your life. Better than finding the ship, even.”
“I never told anyone about the coins,” Chambers said, his face pale. “Come with me.” He motioned everyone to follow him through the back door and into what looked like the employee lounge. There were scarred tables and chairs, along with a sink, microwave, and a coffee pot. “Have a seat.”
Ronan grabbed a couple of chairs from the other table so there were enough seats for everyone. Aurora and Wolf kept their vigil at Everly’s side.
“Tell me who you are again,” Chambers asked.
“Fitzgibbon and I worked for the Boston Police Department’s Cold Case Unit for years. After our daughters were born, we both decided to take a step back and retired from the force. A few years ago, the Salem Police got a grant from the state to start their own cold unit and we were asked to work it.” Ronan pointed between himself, Jude, and Fitz. “When I was with the Boston Police, I was working on the case of a five year old boy who’d gone missing from his front yard several years before. It was my first cold case and I enlisted Ten’s help to solve it. He was able to speak with the ghost of the boy, who led us to his grave and then to his killer. We’ve been working together ever since. Our daughter also has psychic abilities.”
“Like I said. I’ve never told anyone about the gold coins in my father’s coffin.” Chambers still looked a bit skeptical.
“We were here a few days ago,” Everly said. “Me and my friends were on the replica of theWhydah, when I had a vision of being on the real ship with Sam Bellamy. I could see a million stars and feel how happy he was to be going home. I told my Dads whatI’d seen. The next day we were on the beach when we met Maria Hallet.”
“You met her spirit?” Chambers wore an awe-struck look.
“I did. She was looking for Sam. I’ve never met a sadder spirit in my whole life.” Everly offered a smile. “Maria told me how she and Sam fell in love and that her father wouldn’t allow them to get married. She told me about her baby and told me everyone thought she was a witch. Maria walks the beach every day waiting for Sam to come home to her.”
“Captain Fitzgibbon said you saw the sinking of theWhydah?” Chambers was tuned in now. All traces of his earlier doubt were gone.
