Darling James

Chapter 6-1

Chapter 6

Things had been set in motion, and while Malossini went to his broker to liquidate some assets—he needed to raise the money for this venture, and he didn’t want me with him—I went out to do some research on the treasure fleet that was lost in the Great Hurricane of 1780.

“Where’ve you been?” Malossini demanded when I got back.

I dropped the sheaf of papers I carried onto the table. I’d made copies of all the pertinent information.

“What’s this?”

“The information about the Queen of the Silver Rose.”

“Eh?”

“The flagship of the fleet. She went down somewhere off the southeast coast of Brazil. According to the manifest that was on record in Spain, she had been carrying several tons of gold and silver bullion, as well as chests of doubloons, pieces of eight, and jewels worth a king’s ransom.” I wanted to kick myself. I’d responded as J Tanner, instead of as G Marrone, dimwit.

I was ready to say the nice librarian had made me go over and over the information until I got it right. Fortunately, all Malossini heard was king’s ransom. His eyes lit up. “What kind of jewels?”

I blew out a silent breath in relief. “Emeralds, amethysts, blue topaz, tourmaline.” I didn’t bother mentioning the cat’s-eye chrysoberyl, since he wouldn’t know what it was.

“Emeralds?” Malossini rubbed his hands together. “All that lovely lolly. I’ll be able to buy London if I want it!”

He looked through the pages with reproductions of necklaces, broaches, rings, and earrings, almost salivating. Then he put them together and set them aside. “Right. We’re off.”

“Where to, Boss?”

“The Battered Cruiser. Molly sent word those two sailors have turned up.”

“Gotcha. You want me to bring the car around?”

There were some who might consider the London streets a nightmare, especially at this time of year between the kids who were home for the holidays and the usual influx of tourists, but I loved driving through them.

“No!”

I paused in the doorway. “Boss?”

“Sebastian will drive.”

“Ah, gee. I never get to drive.” Even Mr Trevalyan had stated flatly he didn’t want me behind the wheel. That accident a couple of years before while I’d been on leave hadn’t been my fault.

“Just call him and tell him I want the car brought round now.”

I sighed but did as I was told, and about half an hour later, Sebastian dropped us off outside the pub.

“I’ll wait for you down the street, Mr Malossini.”

Malossini waved him away and swaggered into the pub. I followed a couple of steps behind.

The two men stood at the end of the bar. The taller of the two had to be about six foot five, while the shorter—and that was relative—was about six feet.

“How’s the weather up there?” I asked the tall one.

“I’m Ricky,” he said, ignoring me. “My mate’s Andy.”

“I’m Callisto Malossini.” He glared at me but didn’t bother to introduce me, but that was okay. Gino wouldn’t expect anything different. I stood to the side and watched.

Going by the clothes he wore, Andy had a hard, fit body. Ricky, on the other hand, was on the skinny side, as if he’d been missing a few meals. And while Ricky had smooth, pale skin, Andy was in need of a shave, even though it wasn’t much past noon. Obviously, he was the “scruffy one” Molly had told us about.

They both had dark hair, and while Andy’s eyes were dark, I couldn’t see the colour of Ricky’s eyes. Although the day was overcast and it was fairly dark inside the Battered Cruiser, Ricky wore sunglasses, the kind that reflected your image back at you, and that upset Malossini.

“Take the f*****g glasses off,” he snapped irritably.

Ricky turned his head in Malossini’s direction. “Sorry, gov. No can do. I have a sensitivity to light,” he said in a soft voice.

Malossini glared at him, but Ricky just shrugged.

Andy hovered over his mate, touching his arm or stroking his thigh. “Poor Ricky,” he murmured. “Are your eyes bothering you very much today, pet?”

It was obvious they had a physical relationship, and Malossini’s lips twisted in disgust.

“Want a drink, Boss?”

He turned his glare on me. “No, I don’t want a drink. If I did, I would have told you to get me one. Arsehole.” He smacked the back of my head.

“Sorry.” I made it seem as if I was sinking in on myself.

“Now, where is this Ilsa…Isla…Goddammit, what the f**k is that island’s name?”

“Isla de Queimada Grande,” Ricky said. “Island of the Great Burning. It’s off the southeast coast of Brazil.”

“I told you that, Boss,” I whispered. He glared at me again.

“You got the money?” Ricky asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got it.”

“Then all we need is to get to Rio. We know of a captain who won’t mind sailing us to the island.” Ricky stood in an easy slouch, his arms folded over his chest.

“Why the f**k should he mind?”

Andy slid an arm around Ricky’s waist. “The Brazilian Navy takes it personal when people go to that island—they don’t like it.”

“What do I care about them? But I’ve got a contact in Brazil. Manolo Viejo will see I get a good boat and a captain who knows what he’s doing.”

For a moment, Ricky stood there frozen, and I wondered what Malossini had said to cause that reaction. But then he shrugged. “Your call, gov.”

“Yeah. We gotta get back to our digs.” Andy gazed up at Ricky, his lips curled in a smile that showed why.

“Goddamned poofs,” Malossini growled under his breath. “I’ve got a contact in the BEA—”

“You do have a number of contacts, don’t you?” Suddenly Andy didn’t sound quite so illiterate. Ricky jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow.

Malossini narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you worry about that. Give me a phone number where I can reach you.”

“Don’t have one. When you’re ready, you call Molly. We’ll stop by here once a day. If we don’t hear from you in a couple of days, we’ll find someone else to go into business with.” Ricky tossed some coins—not the salvaged silver—on the bar. “Come on, Brit.”

He slung an arm around Andy’s shoulders, and they left the pub.

“What you gonna do, Boss?”

“What I said. I know someone who works for the airline.”

“Can he get us tickets at such short notice?”

“Yeah, he can. If he gives me a hard time…well, I got pictures of him with a woman who isn’t his wife.”

“You’re a smart man, Boss.”

“I am, and don’t you f*****g forget it. Now go find Sebastian.”