A Pirate's Life For Me

Chapter 3 - The Carolina

Rewritten: 3.15.17

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BAILEY

When the phone rang, it was past midnight. I hadn't yet fallen asleep, though. Worry distracted me from sleep, pulling me back up every time I managed to drift off. Worry, mostly for my husband whom I had not heard from all day.

Corey wasn't usually one to ignore my calls. He knew how anxious I got when he was out of the country. Yet, of all the eight times I called that day, he didn't answer once. He was probably fine; maybe he'd lost his phone or was in meetings all day and forgot to call when he got back. Still, my subconscious wouldn't let go of the thought that he'd been assaulted or mugged and left to bleed out at the bottom of a ditch somewhere.

And on his last day, too! His ship was set to leave port this afternoon. He was supposed to be home by tomorrow evening.

You know the old saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder? It was certainly true for Corey and I. When he was here, we argued and ignored each other and said rude things about each other's families. But when he was gone, our phone conversations were full of "I love you"s and "I miss you"s and "I can't wait to see you"s.

I did miss him. Our bed felt too big for me without him.

So when the phone rang, I jumped at it, desperate to hear his voice. I needed him to tell me he was alright, that he would be home tomorrow alive and well. "Hello?" I said, my voice rusty from hours of silence.

"This is Mrs. Bailey Davis?"

A wave of disappointment washed over me at the unfamiliar voice. I should have known it wasn't Corey, anyway. He never called the landline. Then panic replaced my disappointment. Who was this stranger calling me at twelve thirty AM?

"Yes?" I said. "What's going on?"

"Mrs. Davis," said the voice. It carried a heavy Spanish accent and a lazy cadence. "This is Lars Bauer with PNR--"

"PNR?"

"Oh, is just police force, ma'am."

Just the police force? My heart pounded like a jackhammer, the phone suddenly heavy with dread. "Is something wrong? What happened?"

"Please be calm," said Lars. "I call because your husband -- your husband Corey Davis, no? You are listed as number one emergency contact?"

"Yes, yes, that's my husband. Is he okay? Did something happen to him?" I could hardly breathe. Dread pushed down on my lungs like a heavy brick.

"Calm," Lars reminded me. "We are looking for husband now. You must not worry."

A shock went through my body at these words. "You're looking for him? What the hell? Is he missing? Why won't you tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Okay, okay, no yelling. I will tell you."

"Tell me, then!"

"Husband's ship -- Carol . . . ah, Carolina. Ship is missing. No take crew, just American people. Crew say they will be sending ransom note soon. No worry, ma'am, we pay ransom, we get them back."

My face is frozen in shock. I can barely speak. "Missing?"

"Yes."

"Who -- who took it? Who did this?"

"We only know what crew say --"

"Then what did the crew say?"

"Pirates."