Page 64 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

His face brightened.

“I was told he was your cook.”

“You mean Silver?” He moved gingerly to pull on a shirt from his trunk.

“Yes. John Silver.”

“We traded him.” He pulled on breeches.

“You traded him?”

“Rowan had taken the sloop to see—” Max stopped short. His gaze dropped to his hands, and I understood. Whatever business Rowan had was a secret, not to be shared. “Captain Vane boarded us and demanded my ship. He seeks a bigger fleet. I refused, but ta save my mates, I agreed to accompany Vane, even though Rowan insists we’re smugglers.”

“Captain Vane tried to take theSea Storm?”

Max nodded, then hesitated as if unsure to continue confiding in me. I gave him a little coax, “And?”

“I had to give him the cook to keep the ship. It was Silver’s idea. He went on that he had a treasure map of the sunken Spanish gold. Rowan thinks it’s an untruth, but I’d like to try for it.”

“With Charles Vane?” My stomach turned, knowing the vile history of the notorious pirate captain.

“Captain Vane’s fighting the English to save our island. I’m joining the cause.” Max’s face beamed, his eyes sparkled, and his voice filled with youthful enthusiasm.

The kid wanted an adventure. My brother had been the same way when we were younger, playing cops and robbers, pirates, outlaws, and a slew of other treasure seekers in the realm of Mamma Bea’s backyard.

“As soon as Vane meets with the captains of his fleet, we’re heading for it.” Max wrapped a waist belt around his midsection and secured it with a strip of leather. “We’re to vote on the new governor.”

“The new governor?”

“Aye, he’s arriving with a pardon for the pirates. Vane is callin’ for a vote, but he willnae take it.”

“Don’t you need to take the pardon?” Surely Rowan wouldn’t allow Vane to persuade this kid to renounce his only hope of freedom.

“I’m no’ a pirate. I’ve never stolen any booty or taken another ship.” He made a swooping motion at the ceiling. “I have one.”

“TheSea Storm.” I chewed the corner of my lip. I had to get off this ship and onto Vane’s ship.

Max hummed a tune adding a few words as he dressed. “She’s got lectric boots…” He sang as he scoured the room for his boots. The words were totally wrong, but I recognized the famous Elton John melody from my cell phone playlist.

“Where did you learn that song?” I asked.

“My ma taught it to me. I didnae understand the words, but she liked to sing and did so often to Rowan and myself.”

Alarms went off in my head. Was his mother a time traveler? Was she Sasha and Fredericka’s mother?

“I’d like ye ta have this for the healin’.” He handed me a miniature carving of a dolphin. I noticed several others on the shelves and the desk.

“Thank you. Did you carve this?”

“Aye.” He sat and pulled on the boots. “After Captain Vane takes the vote, weel head out to sea.”

“So, you’ll join Captain Vane at sea?” Plan change. Maybe Max could take the pardon later.

“Aye.” He grinned wide, the impish smile of a man-child excited to be free of pain and ready for his next adventure.

If I could get on Vane’s ship or get word to Marco that I was on theSea Storm, I could stop the raid, and I could stop Marco’s arrest, and—I swallowed a ball of angsty spit—God forbid, I could stop…the rest.

A knock on the door startled me from my internal plotting.

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