Chapter 12

We stopped at the Inn for two more nights, and did nothing but eat, drink and fuck. I was as horny as hell and Makosi was like a woman possessed, so we fucked in every position known to man.

I was in two minds, we could have stayed there as long as we wanted but I knew that I had to strike while the iron was hot, I could not risk Jacobs, Dibble or Mcgrew putting two and two together. It would be easier to take them on if they did not think they were at risk. If the news of the deaths of the rest of the gang came to light, they would surely work out there was a connection and then they might realise I was back.

So, on our third night, I told Makosi that I should make a move the following morning. I gave her the choice; she could come with me or if she wished she could have the coins Charles Brashleigh had given us and she could try to make a life for herself.

She told me she was ready to come with me to help rid the world of another of Jacobs little gang. I tried to talk her out it as I knew that Mcgrew was a tough guy. She would have none of it, she told me she was not scared, and having seen her shoot Cuthbert’s mate I knew she was not scared to get stuck in. The following day we woke early and breakfasted well before we hit the road.

The Innkeeper had insisted on giving us provisions for our journey, a flagon of ale and a picnic pie, bread and cheese. As the sun got high in the sky we sat in the shade of a huge old oak tree and ate our lunch.

It was a long walk from Mevagissey to Falmouth, it took us a full day and would have taken longer if I had not found a friendly lobster boat master that was happy to take us over the estuary, it cost me a few of Brashleigh’s silver coins but saved us a day’s walk.

The lobster boat dropped us in a small cove just down the coast from the town. We walked to the edge of the town and waited until sunset before we walked further in. I found an inn that was busy enough to hide us in the crowd. Saying that Makosi did draw some looks, as it was rare to see a black girl in a bar unless she was working of course. I ordered us some food and pots of ale. The Inn was full of seagoing men, I looked around to see if I knew any of them. Over the last few days, I had wondered where my old mate Ollie the ox was. I was worried that if Jacobs found out I was hunting him down he might gather another army of men around him and that would make my job harder.

Oliver Jones had been a shipmate for five years; he was a big man built like an ox and was thus blessed with the nickname Ollie the ox. He had helped me to get rid of Levy and his gang and I was more than sure he would help in my task to track down Jacobs and his cronies. However, as with all sailors, he might have left the country for a while.

As we ate, I looked around the bar, I did not see anyone that I knew. It would have been a long shot, to see one of Jacobs’s gang, in the very first place we tried. After we had eaten, I decided to take a walk around the town to get the lay of the land. We walked around the market square and then down into the docks.

There were a few small ships moored up, plus the usual collection of fishing boats. We decided to head back to the edge of town and get some sleep. We found an Inn that had rooms, we had a food meal in the bar and then got our heads down for the night. We curled up together but were both too tired for any fun and games.

The next morning, we woke early as the sun was coming in through the cracks in the roof. We headed back into town again if Barny Mcgrew was in Falmouth I knew I could find him. We ate breakfast at the same inn we had visited the night before and then started to walk around town. It was a busy little town and there were a lot of people milling around so we did not stand out.

We walked around the market, we went into the inns around the town, and we wandered around the docks, for hours on end every day.

It took two more days before we found him. Each night we searched the inns and gin houses, and then went back to our inn on the edge of town, it was costing us a pretty penny but I preferred to eat and sleep well, and that way I would be in good order when we found Mcgrew, plus it was much better to screw Makosi on a nice bed than under a hedgerow.

We had walked down to the dock, one morning, just as the fishing boats were landing their catch, we spent a few hours watching and wandering around. We ate some lunch around midday, a simple meal of baked fish and bread. Then we headed back into the docks and there he was as bold as brass and as big and as ugly as ever.

He was helping to carry baskets of fish off the boat and up to a storage shed. We watched him from a safe distance. He was working a boat with a crew of three other men; they did not interest me. I had no argument with them. The busy docks meant we could hide in the crowd and still watch him, without him seeing us.

The men seemed to be having a fair bit of banter as they worked. They washed the boat down and moored it further down the jetty before they walked up into the town. We followed them at a safe distance; they visited a pie shop and then went into an Inn. They stopped in the Inn for two hours or more. We did not go inside we just hung around in the street outside.

I kept watching while Makosi went and got us some food. The evening sun was dipping over the horizon when the men came out of the Inn. They shook hands and all headed off in different directions. Barny Mcgrew headed back toward the docks. It was late and the docks were less crowded. He was a little unsteady on his feet and that would help me overpower him.

He boarded the little fishing boat and entered the cabin. The was a flicker of light, a candle being used no doubt, but after half an hour that light went out.

“We will give him another half an hour and then we will go on board,” I whispered to Makosi

“And you will kill that man?” she asked, she showed no emotion at all as she asked the question

“And I will kill that man” I answered, there was no emotion in my voice either. This was now like work to me, a job that had to be done.

I had a pistol and dagger with me; I did not want to shoot him, as that would bring to much attention. There could be other people sleeping on boats and I did not want them getting involved.

I had a plan ... we would take the boat, it was the obvious answer, we would sail the little fishing boat out to sea and do the deadly deed there. Then get rid of the body and take the boat up the coast toward my home.

“Okay, Makosi, when we get to the boat, can you release the ropes fore and after whilst I subdue our friend?” I whispered.

“I can do that John” she smiled; her eyes shone brightly in the darkness.

I had a good look around, there was not a single person on the docks; I motioned to Makosi and she followed me toward the boat. I stepped on board as lightly as I could and walked down to the cabin, I could hear snoring from the other side of the door. I listened hard for a few minutes and when I was sure the snoring came from one person only, I made up my mind, I signalled to Makosi that was about to enter the cabin.

I drew my pistol and cocked it. I opened the door; at the same time, I felt the boat move slightly. I stopped, wondering if Barny Mcgrew had woken but as I opened the door and heard him snoring, I knew the movement was because Makosi had released the mooring ropes.

The cabin was dark but there was enough light for me to see that he was asleep on a bench, his weapons, a pistol, and a deadly looking dagger, were on the table. I took them and placed them on the floor well out of his way.

I kicked Barny Mcgrew in the ribs and he woke with a start, he stunk of booze and he was sluggish.

“What the hell” he groaned. He tried to stand but I kicked him back on to the bench and waved my pistol at him, there are not many men that are brave when they have a loaded gun an inch from their face.

“Sit done Barny Mcgrew “I growled try to make my voice as menacing as possible.

He did as he was told, the site of my gun seemed to make his mind up for him.

“Who are you?” he asked, obviously he could not make me out in the dark cabin., “and how do you know my name?”

“You will find that out later!” I snarled. So, he did not know who I was that was a bonus. I decided to make out that we were just here to steal his boat.

“Right you are going to take me and my friend over to Saint Mawes,” I told him and waved the pistol menacingly. Saint Mawes was a little village on the far side of the estuary, it would not take us long to sail over but telling him that we wanted to go there hopefully would make him think we were just stealing the boat but would also take us into the deeper water.

“And why would I do that?” he replied with a sneer, a sneer I wanted to wipe off his face.

“Because when you drop us there you can sail back to Falmouth alive and well” I lied to him I ushered him onto the desk, he glanced at Makosi, but he did not say anything.

“Right Barny Mcgrew, get us to Saint Mawes and you will be back in Falmouth for breakfast,” I said as I took the tiller. He grabbed an oar and pushed the boat away from the jetty, I kept my pistol trained on him, I did not want him trying any funny stuff with an oar in his hand. He was a big lad and I wanted him at the end of my pistol, I was sure he could and would be a good man in a fight.

Once we had reached open water, he put the oar back in its rack and unfurled the small sail. There was a small breeze and it started to move us along slowly at first but soon picking up pace.

“Right you sit down,” I told Barny Mcgrew and the pistol persuaded him. It was still very dark, and it was obvious he did not recognise my voice or my face.

Makosi went into the cabin to see what food and drink the boat carried, but also to keep warm as the dark morning was also very cold I used the tiller to guide us away from the jetty and into open water. The early morning sun was breaking out over the horizon. In ten minutes, we were heading out into the main channel, I couldn’t see Saint Mawes yet, but I felt that was a good thing if I could not see them that could not see me. I was sure that very soon the fishing boats from all the towns and villages would be getting ready to sail out to start their day’s work.

I kept my pistol trained on Barny Mcgrew and he kept his eyes in the sail, trimming it and adjusting it. He seemed to be a good sailor to be fair to the man. I was sure he had believed me when I had told him that all we wanted was a lift to St Mawes.

It was another half an hour before there was enough light for Barny Mcgrew to make me out, he must have glanced around when I was not looking.

“John Trelawny is that you?” he said out of the blue, I could hear the shock in the voice.

“Yes, it’s me, Squire John Trelawny, the man you tried to kill, the man you sent off to the new world again his will,” I shouted, my anger bubbling over. I should have shot him there and then, later that day I so wished I had.

“Hey, that was all Arthurs Jacobs’ idea not mine! “He told me, there was fear in his eyes. He was eyeing my pistol and I did wonder if he would try to take it off me.

“Oh yes of course and you were just doing what you were paid to do?” I laughed.

“He and the Pugh brothers came up with the plan, I did not know they were going to do that to you,” he said. There was a hint of fear in his voice, but there was also something about the way he spoke that made me think he was lying to me.