Page 47 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

“Not a thing.” Except Jake wants me to lure my lover into my outhouse and capture him like some crazed Disney villain. If only I had a poisoned apple available. Maybe I should check with the gypsy from my last trip to Nassau.

“We’ll find him.” Fredericka squeezed my forearm.

She thought I was worried about Marco. I was, but I was more concerned Jake would send her to Nassau and leave me playing catch the Scot.

Tina placed a plate of chocolate-iced donuts in front of Gerry, then returned to her chair.

“Thanks, short stuff.” Gerry winked at Tina, then looked around the table. “Does anyone know why Agent McCoy is being so secret-spy this jump?”

I had an idea, but I wasn’t going to voice it out loud. The other transporters might be jealous of me if they knew I was traveling to help Marco and following such an important brigand as Mortas.

“He’s been so tight-lipped lately.” Ace pressed his lips together and released them with a loudpop!

“He’s been as tight-lipped as a barnacle on a boat hull,” Tina said. “But I am glad Fredericka is here. It’s not easy when we need to use transporters to do the defender jobs.”

If she only knew the half of it.

“Poor Marco, staying through a moon cycle and in such an unpleasant time,” Ace shuddered. “The pirate’s stench is such that it stays in your schnoz for a week. I can’t imagine having to live there for an entire month. As soon as the moon cycle opens, I’m positive he’ll come back.”

Wishful hoping on Ace’s part. Something had gone wrong. There was a reason Marco sent that chest. A reason why we didn’t save him this jump. A reason I didn’t understand yet, but I’d be damned if I let it happen again. Or, in my case, happen at all.

Fredericka picked up a number 2 pencil, sharpened to precision, and pointed it at a round digital clock hanging on the wall. “What’s that?” one minute, thirty seconds remained on the screen.

Gerry twisted around and looked up at the clock. “That’s the new countdown timer. Lets us know exactly how many hours, minutes, and seconds until we put our lives in jeopardy again.”

I prayed with all the saints and promises I knew that when the clock struck zero, Marco would walk through the door.

Everyone watched in silence as it counted down to the last second and then flipped to a digital full moon.

“Fancy,” Ace noted.

Fredericka frowned up at the moon. “It’s like a werewolf’s alarm clock.”

“You’d know, Tootsie.” Gerry shoved the last bite of donut into his mouth as Fredericka’s pencil plunged into his hand.

“You bitch!” Gerry grabbed the pencil, yanked it free. Blood spurted from the wound, and I felt a little lightheaded.

Tina grabbed napkins and pressed them against Gerry’s hand. “Let’s go to the infirmary. You’re going to need a tetanus shot.” She held his hand in the air and rushed him out of the room.

“He won’t need a tetanus for a pencil,” Ace puffed, then returned to sawing back and forth on his fingernail like a farrier on an overgrown horse’s hoof. “I hate that they order us here before the morningcock-a-doo, only to sit on our arses for hours waiting on the brigand to jump. I don’t see the bloody sense in it.”

I couldn’t do anything but stare at the door, hoping.

“He’s not coming.” Fredericka wiped blood off the table with her napkin. “Do we have a plan?”

I paused. There was nowe. Jake couldn’t send both of us. Transporters remained on base until summoned by their defenders unless General Potts approved extenuating circumstances.

“If Marco doesn’t return, and Jake sends me,” I added to throw Fredericka off my already anticipated jump, “I plan to dress as a male. Try to get on board Vane’s ship and rescue Marco.”

Fredericka narrowed her eyes. “What about Sasha?”

“Don’t worry, Freddy, Marco won’t leave without your twin sissy. He’s got the hots for her.” Ace’s last words made my stomach go queasy.

Fredericka chose another pencil and pointed it at Ace. “Don’t ever call me Freddy.”

Ace inched his chair away from hers.

Fredericka turned toward me. “I’ll dress like a man too. Will be easier for me to hide my chest.”

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