Chapter 42: Search and Rescue

The Cayman’s are composed of three islands, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac. With a population of over 75,000, they are considered a British Overseas Territory, and are internally self-governing, with the United Kingdom retaining responsibility for defense and foreign relations.

Jessica Allen-Monin was the here representing the island’s governor, Mrs. Jane Owen.

“How can we help you,” Captain Alfred asked after everyone was seated in the salon and introductions had been completed.

“I am here to deliver a message, however, this may take a moment to explain,” Ms. Allen-Monin started.

“It seems that the Governor of the Bahama’s has received a message from one Lord Birney in England that his daughter, who is a part of a research group from Cambridge University, has been kidnapped by pirates somewhere in the Bahamas, and her entire team is being held for ransom.

“The Governor of the Bahamas happened to be attending a luncheon with Dr. Elias Griswold, who is the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Nassau, when he received the call.

“When Dr. Griswold overheard part of the call, he mentioned your previous successes in dealing with pirates and suggested that you might be the most expedient solution to his problem, but did not know your current whereabouts. He did however have your card which listed a Zurich address and number, so the Governor of the Bahamas called and spoke with the head of the foundation who told him you were coming here. Mrs. Owens was contacted and was asked to contact you on behalf of Lord Birney, and ask you to call him at your soonest.

“Is there anything else?” Captain Alfred asked.

“Only that Lord Birney’s request was not routed through official channels. Mrs. Owens felt that it may have been because the kidnappers warned of involving the authorities,” Ms. Allen-Monin offered.

“Rachel, would you bring me the satellite phone, please?” I thought to her. While Rachel was doing that, the officers were seeing our guest back to her car.

When Rachel handed me the phone, I immediately understood why Cynthiana had not called. The satellite phone was dead as a doornail!

I made three phone calls. The first to Cynthiana who would not discuss it over the phone, and the second to Lord Birney. He was not immediately available. Weird!

The third was to Dr. Griswold’s office. Since it was past five o’clock there, I was told he had gone to dinner at the club.

Then I zapped to Cynthiana’s office in Zurich. Pausing for only a moment, I grabbed her hand and zapped Cynthiana and I both to the practice putting green at Paradise Island Golf and Country Club which I had visited back in December when I played a tournament here. Fortunately, the putting green was deserted as it was well past sundown. From there, we strolled to the country club’s dining room. We hadn’t been seated very long before Dr. Griswold came through the door.

Of course, he was surprised to see me, and wanted to question us about our timely appearance, but Cynthiana quickly steered the conversation around to the pirates.

“Well, as you know, pirates are not uncommon in some of the less traveled seas of the Bahamas,” he started. “And goodness knows that kidnapping by pirates has gone on for centuries. But an entire archeological dive team? That sounds a little ambitious to me!” he exclaimed.

“Do you know where they were going to dig?” Cynthiana asked.

“According to my friend over at the commonwealth, they had applied for licenses for a number of sites, most of them around Exuma Point or nearby. There is a series of underwater caverns there.”

“What about this Lord Birney? Do you know anything about him?”

Dr. Griswold looked around the room carefully and then lowered his voice. “From what I could find, there is no such person as Lord Birney.”

Both Cynthiana and I looked up in astonishment. This was the last thing that I had expected to hear.

“I know. I was surprised as well. I started to call the Governor, but first I called an old friend of mine in the State Department in Washington. When I asked about Lord Birney, he became quiet and said to call him back on a secure line.

I immediately drove down to the consulate and called him back at the new number he had given me. What he had to say was very strange.”

“Well...?” I asked.

“He explained that, according to old war department records left over from World War II, ‘Lord Birney’ was a code sign, last used some seventy-five years ago near the end of the war. At that time, it indicated a message from the Crown.”

“No shit!” I said before he could go on.

“Alex!” Cynthiana hissed. I looked at her but didn’t say anything else. Fortunately, she let it go.

“So someone, using the Monarchy’s personal signal, wants us to go find this girl and her student friends, somewhere in the Bahamas, who are being held for ransom by some unknown group who might be pirates,” I said in summary.

“My contact in the State Department did tell me that this communique should be considered of the highest priority, and warned me against trying to contact ‘Lord Birney’ directly. He said if it was who they suspected, there would be some generous rewards for a successful completion of the task. But there might be some swift retribution for failure.”

“Oh great! “ I said. Then to Cynthiana I asked “What do we do now?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to guide you in this,” Dr. Griswald said softly. “But whatever you do, tread softly and be careful.”

Cynthiana and I said goodnight to Dr. Griswold and walked back to the practice green where we disappeared back to the Cécile.

“You know, it just amazes me when you do that,” Cynthiana said when we appeared in the salon. The adults were still sitting around the table, almost as I had left them and just looked up when we appeared. I think they were getting used to seeing me appear like that. However, they were surprised to see Cynthiana with me.

“Well, what did you find out?” Captain Tony asked.

Cynthiana began to fill them in. It didn’t seem like very much given the scope of the task, but I could think of nothing to add.

“So you’re saying we don’t have much choice?” Monique asked.

“Dr Griswold’s contact in the State Department seemed to think it was akin to a royal decree,” I replied. The fact that we cannot contact this ‘Lord Birney’ only complicates things.

“Okay. Tony, get us ready to get underway. Remember we need to stop for fuel. Alex, you call that Governor’s aide, and get us clearance and a pilot to leave on the tide. We have about two hours until high tide. Also ask her if there is a place we can re-provision tonight. If not, we’ll find something on the way. After you do that, plot us a course to the Exumas,” Captain Alfred said, issuing orders. “Exumas Point, right?

“Archara, would you and Monique check our supplies and decide what we need, then batten down both galleys? We’re probably going to be running at max speed and it may get a little bumpy. Especially sailing into that hurricane,” he told his wife. “And have the girls secure their bunks as well.”

“What can I do?” Cynthiana asked.

“Just hang loose while I call the governor’s aide. Then I’ll take you back to Zurich, okay?”

“Well, couldn’t I just stay here for a while?” she asked. I could tell she loved being in on an adventure. “I mean, you have the room, don’t you?”