Chapter 10: Zach

The old islander had soured Jillian's festive mood. Zach had kept himself positioned between them as he guided her up the stairs and back to the roaring party. Her hands were trembling, so he put his arm around her shoulders as they got to the top of the stairs.

"Want me to go get you something to drink?" he asked, trying to keep his tone soothing and normal while he raged inside.

"I'll come with you," Jillian said as she glanced back down the stairs.

Zach led her to the bar where he'd ordered their first drinks and eased through the crowd to get the bartender's attention. Jillian clutched at his hand like she was afraid he'd slip away.

The cute girl pirate behind the bar looked up and grinned at Zach. "Two more?"

"Yeah," Zach said. "What's in 'em, by the way?"

"Rum, banana liqueur, and crème de cassis."

The bartender made two more shots and passed the glasses over. "Your room tab again?"

"Yeah, thanks," Zach said as he let go of Jillian long enough to grab both glasses.

By the time he made it back out of the crowd at the bar she was staring out the large windows facing the bay. Handing her the shot glass, he downed his and pulled her close again. Others were staring and pointing out the window so he glanced that way as well.

A tall masted sailing ship was entering the bay, it's pale sails reflecting the moon's glow. A murmur started in the crowd, then a few people whistled and began to clap. When the band finished a song about seeing black sails at midnight, the lead singer laughed and called out, "Looks like the hotel pulled out all the stops! There be our pirate kin comin' to visit."

Zach laughed at himself for being spooked by the old man. "Looks like that crazy guy was on the hotel payroll after all. I bet it was all some stunt for the weekend, like those fake haunted houses that pop up this time of year."

Jillian shot her dark rum then let out a relieved chuckle. "I bet you're right. He really had me going."

"Good actors," Zach said as the crowd heading out the doors pulled them along to go down the stairs towards the wharf.

The ship was still out a ways when the crowd gathered on the dock, laughing and raising their glasses to welcome the crew that lined the deck. Zach spotted who he assumed was the captain at the back of the ship with a spyglass, sweeping it along the wharf. He barked orders to the crew as the ship got closer. The sails dropped as ropes were released. Some of the barefoot sailors cast lines to the crowd who pulled the ship in to thump against the wharf.

A few crew members leaped down to tie off the lines to the horn cleats that lined the wharf. A wooden plank was pushed off the deck to bridge the gap as the rough looking captain stomped across to stand with his fists against his hips.

"Who's responsible for all this," he shouted in a lilting brogue, lifting his chin to indicate the crowd surrounding his ship. When no one spoke, Zach recalled what Victor, the hotel manager, had asked him to do when the actors arrived.

"That'd be me," Zach shouted back with a grin as Jillian chuckled at his side.

The captain glared at him, then strode forward, the crowd stepping back as he passed. When he got closer, Zach noted how real the costume appeared. The large overcoat was wrinkled and worn, his shirt stained with wine or maybe blood. His black hair hung in lank spirals around his face, but the top was pulled back into a loose tail to keep it out of his eyes.

It was his black stumps of teeth that gave the first inkling of worry, then the rank odor of his unwashed body hit Zach with a palpable force. Zach moved to place Jillian at his back before the captain reached them.

They were the same height, but Zach had an easy thirty pounds of muscle on the lanky captain. Standing toe-to-toe, the captain exuded an air of menace and danger that no mere costume could produce.

Zach had experience fighting in the ring, but his only real fight had been an unsanctioned, bare knuckle match in Mexico. He learned later that the man he'd fought there had killed before, and he got that same vibe from the captain. Actor or not, he was also a killer.

"This be my island," he growled. "You can pay me for your trespass in gold or in blood."

Zach felt Jillian clutch his arm, but he couldn't look away from the furious eyes of the captain to reassure her. The captain must have seen her move from the corner of his eye, because he broke eye contact to give her a lecherous smirk.

"On second thought, I'll take your lovely wench to pay for your insult."

Whatever fear he may have felt vanished under a flush of rage. "That ain't gonna happen."