Ice Queen - A Pirates Of The Caribbean Love Story

Chapter Nineteen

“The treasure should be here,” Jack Turner said, pointing to the ground directly beneath his feet.

“I concur,” Jack Sparrow said, looking at his compass.

“So do I,” a voice said. We all glanced up.

“Bootstrap!” exclaimed Barbossa.

“That,” Jack whispered to me. “Is Will Turner’s father.”

“Does he want any of the treasure?” I whispered back.

“I hope not. There’s too many people trying to get a share of it already.”

“My thoughts entirely.”

“Is my father here?” demanded Jack Turner.

“He’s on his ship, lad,” Bootstrap said, his voice soft and husky.

“I’m going to see him,” Jack Turner announced.

“Wait!” cried Jack Sparrow. “Why don’t we all go and see him?”

“What a wonderful idea,” I said, sarcastically, and, in a whisper to Jack: “Just what are you planning?”

He grinned at me. “Nothing, love.” But I could tell he was lying. He threw a shovel at Pintel. “Get digging, mate. We’re off to the Flying Dutchman to see Will. Coming, Cath?”

I glanced at my father. “Dad?”

“Ye’d better go,” Barbossa said, in a dangerously even voice. “I fancy there will be trouble with young Turner.”

“Do we care?” I asked. “Why don’t we leave them to sort out their own family squabbles?”

“Love,” Jack said. “Will is an old friend of mine. That’s why.”

Muttering to myself, I followed Bootstrap and the two Jacks’ as they walked away.

*

“Jack!” exclaimed a voice, and a dark haired pirate with a red bandana approached. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

“Same here, mate,” Jack grinned. “This is Cathy.” He had his arm around my waist, and propelled me forwards.

I forced a smile at the pirate. “Will Turner, I take it?”

“Yes. Delighted to meet you, Cathy.”

“And you,” I lied. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible and tragic was about to happen. All my senses were alert. My nerves were taut and my body poised, ready for action.

Suddenly, Jack Turner leapt aboard. He was holding something in his hand. “Hello, Dad,” he said, his tone low and dangerous. “Guess what this is?”

“Jack! My son!” Will’s face lit up, then his smile faded as he saw what his son was holding. “What are you doing with that?”

“What do you think I’m doing with that?” retorted Jack Turner.

“Jack…” I said, and I wasn’t sure if I was speaking to Sparrow or Turner. “What’s going on?”

“You killed my mother!” Jack Turner yelled. He was staring at Will. “She died waiting for you to come!”

“I had no choice!” shouted Will.”

“Then neither do I,” Jack said. He whipped out a knife from his pocket, and I realised it was the knife that I had thrown at him earlier! Jack held my knife in one hand, and Will’s heart in the other. “You killed her. So I kill you.”

“Wait!” I stepped in between father and son. “Jack. Will didn’t kill your mother!”

“You didn’t have to watch her fade away like I did!” shouted Jack. “You didn’t have to watch the hope in her eyes die, you didn’t have to watch the youth give way to age! I did! And I promised myself, I would find a way to repay him for all the pain he caused my mother. I spent years planning this, Cathy. I’ve got it all worked out. The treasure will give me enough money to start a new life someone, as far away from the sea as possible.”

“There’s something you don’t know, boy,” Jack Sparrow said, sauntering up. “Whoever stabs the heart of the Dutchman’s captain will be made captain.”

“What?” Jack Turner screwed up his eyes in bewilderment.

“The Dutchman must have a captain,” Jack Sparrow said. “Do you really want to spend your life on the sea?”

Jack Turner hesitated, and for a split second, I thought he was going to put the knife down. But he said: “Yes. It’d be worth it.”

But Jack Sparrow had distracted him. Jack Turner’s eyes were no longer looking at me. I remember how time seemed to freeze. I was standing there, on the deck of the Dutchman thinking about the consequences of what I was about to do. If I succeeded, fine. But, if failed…

It’s now or never, Cathy,

I told myself. Go for it.

I took a deep breath… and went for it.