Long Live the King

Twenty-Six

Adrienne flinched at the sound of the impact but she kept driving, speeding over the water in the direction of Ropton and leaving the little private isle behind. Someone else might have stopped, or maybe not. She didn't know how someone else would handle this. In her mind, her job was to drive the boat and that was what she intended to do. She kept driving, but that didn't mean she wasn't aware of what was going on right behind her.

Archer had hit the deck with painful sounding smack, but without hesitation he was on his feet, breathing heavily with his arms hunched over in a gorilla-like stance. He lunged at Emerald, grabbing the child by the arm and hauling her toward him. She screamed. Johanna jumped up, obviously in pain as her ankle bore weight.

"Let her go," she growled, hobbling his direction.

She would have been easy to knock down but he ignored her and focused on Adrienne. He took a step in her direction, but was blocked from entering the wheelhouse by Marshall. The two men glared at each other, then Archer looked past him, directly at the back of Adrienne's head.

"Turn the boat around," he said, loud enough to be heard.

"Not a chance," she shouted, not sparing him a glance. "You're outnumbered here, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Maybe so," he said, "but you shouldn't underestimate me princess. I'd hate for anything to happen to the little girl here."

"Adrienne turn the boat around," Johanna demanded.

"He's not going to hurt her," she said, still not looking at any of them.

"Why would you assume that?" A hint of hysteria took over Johanna's voice.

"For two reasons." Adrienne remained perfectly calm as she offered up her logic. "One, if he did he would soon find himself sinking in this water like a stone and it's pretty safe to say he values his life above his job. Two, it might be underdeveloped but I suspect that he does, in fact, have a conscience. He'd kill us without a problem, but he's not going to hurt a kid."

"You don't know that. Turn the boat around," Johanna begged.

"I'm not turning the boat around."

"Adrienne!"

"You might want to listen to your friend," Archer said. Behind Adrienne's back he brandished a short knife, holding it an inch away from Emerald's neck.

"Addy..." Marshall said, her name alone conveying his uncertainty. She heard the shift in his tone, glanced back for a second to see what had him frazzled and then turned her eyes back to the water ahead.

"Can you hear me?" she said quietly, feeling his presence close behind her.

"Yes..."

"Can he?"

"I don't think so."

"Good. As soon as he lets go of the kid, you take her and make sure all three of you hold on tight. Got it? Then, when's he's not ready for it, you subdue him. You'll know when."

"Sure, but..."

"I'll turn the boat around," Adrienne said loudly. "But you'll let go of the kid first or it's not happening."

"Why should I bend first?" Archer asked. "I know how this goes. I let her go and you don't follow through. Then what?"

"Guess that's a risk you'll have to take. I'm not buying your threat to begin with and this boat isn't changing direction until you take your hands off the kid. Your choice, buddy."

There was a moment of heavy tension during which Archer tightened his grip and glared at Adrienne's back. Exhaling, he dropped his hold and stepped backward.

"Alright then," he huffed. "I let her go. Turn the boat around."

"Marshall, did he let go?" She didn't look back.

"He did." Marshall nodded even though he knew that she couldn't see him. Holding, Emerald's arm in one hand he grabbed onto a handle. He nudged Johanna and she looked at him blankly. He rapidly looked back and forth between Johanna and the handle. Catching the hint, she took hold of the railing.

"Good."

No one was prepared for what happened next. Adrienne turned the boat hard to the left. The sharp change of direction sent a wave of water up onto the deck. All of the passengers lurched to the side. Marshall was drenched and barely kept his hold on Emerald. Johanna, also soaked, winced in pain at a sudden impact on her ankle. Archer was flung backwards off his feet. He hit the chains at the back of the boat with a heavy rattle then slipped beneath them, plunging into the cool, turbulent water behind them.

Marshall watched the little head bobbing in the waves, but it quickly disappeared and they were moving further and further away from the spot where he'd fallen in. Still staring out at the water, he released Emerald's arm as the ride became smooth again.

"Did you get him?" Adrienne asked urgently. "Marshall?"

"Not exactly..." Marshall said.

"What do you mean not exactly?"

"He went overboard," Johanna said, reaching her arms out toward her daughter who quickly raced into them. "Good riddance."