Chapter Seven

Cody slowly put the telephone receiver back in the cradle, not at all pleased by what he had heard.

"Well? What was that?" Nick demanded.

Not directly answering, Cody turned away and looked towards the front door. "Let's get out of here," he said. "No one should know we're in here, but that guy did. It could just be a generic warning, but on the other hand, maybe something terrible is going to happen to us if we stay in this house."

"Like the whole place blowing up?" Nick exclaimed.

"I'm not waiting around to find out." Cody grabbed Nick and Murray, pushing them ahead of him to the door. They went willingly, with Captain Scofield quickly trailing behind them.

"How would anyone even know to threaten us here?" Nick frowned as they stepped outside onto the porch. "No one knew we were coming except Geraldine."

"And that was definitely a man's voice on the phone," Cody said. He kept ushering his friends forward, down the walkway.

"The threat might not have been meant for us at all," Murray pointed out. "It could have been intended for Mr. Berlet."

"That would be my guess, Chief," Scofield said, cautiously looking over his shoulder when they were a safe distance away from the house. He half-expected it to suddenly burst into flames, but nothing happened.

"Okay, so maybe it was," said Nick. "We're still left with some jerk who might not be playing with a full deck."

"I say we'd better split up," Cody said in concern. "Nick, you and I will go back to the Tropicana and see what Geraldine wanted to see us about. Murray, you and Captain Scofield go out to the airport and see if you can work any of your magic getting the staff to talk about whether Berlet got on a plane out of here tonight."

"And we can meet back on the Arrivederci, unless something else happens that means we'll have to stay away even longer," Nick said.

"You've got yourself a deal," Scofield said. "Come on, Chief. Let's see if we can find out what kind of a hornet's nest Mr. Berlet stirred up."

"Well, okay." Murray looked back at the others with some reluctance. "Be careful, guys."

"We'll be fine, Murray," Cody insisted.

"We hope," Nick muttered under his breath.

xxxx

Nothing really ended up turning out as they had hoped.

At the airport, Murray and Scofield were able to learn that someone matching Berlet's description but not using that name had boarded a plane to Florida, but nothing else. Even with the money Scofield could offer, the man they spoke with was too worried about meeting with Bill's fate to tell them much else.

At the Tropicana, in spite of what Geraldine had told Cody and Nick, she was not there to talk to when they got back. In lieu of using an assistant for the burning box, she had climbed into it herself and had apparently vanished through the trapdoor. An attempt at visiting her house only resulted in learning that she was not there and neither was her luggage.

"You know something?" Cody said in disgust as they boarded the Arrivederci to meet the others. "We were had."

"No kidding," Nick said in equal disgust. "So what's left now? Renting a helicopter tomorrow and flying over the area mapped out for the expedition?"

"That's about it," Cody agreed, "and with our luck, we'll be lucky if we're not shot out of the sky or blown up."

"Now you're starting to sound like Captain Scofield," Nick complained.

"He did have a point," Cody retorted. "We don't know what's going to happen to us up there!"

"You can know that whatever it is, I'm going to keep us safe from it," Nick insisted. "I know what I'm doing in a helicopter!"

"Anyone can make a mistake," Cody shot back. "Look what we both did by climbing into that abandoned boat today! We were blown sky-high!"

"That's all the more reason why nothing's going to happen to us in the helicopter," Nick said. "I'm not gonna make the same mistake twice!"

"Flying over the area in a helicopter isn't the same mistake as climbing into an abandoned boat," Cody protested in frustration.

"Well," said Scofield as he and Murray suddenly approached from the other side, "it looks like you lads are in top form, as usual. And you seem to be about as triumphant as we are. After we exchange stories with the Guilirinis, maybe we should all think about getting some sleep."

"I agree with you, Captain," said Murray. "Maybe after a good night's rest, we'll be fresh and ready to look at this case from a new angle."

"We're going to need a new angle after tonight," Nick grumbled. "Like the helicopter."

Cody sighed. "Let's talk about it in the morning. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure," Nick scowled. "Morning."

"Good," Cody declared. "I'm with Murray; I want to get to bed."

"But first we've gotta tell the Guirilinis about tonight," Nick reminded.

"I know," Cody said, "and I'm dreading it. Angelo's not going to be happy. Giovanna, either."

"Who is?" Nick grunted as he headed below deck.

Scofield looked to Cody. "Are you planning to break it to Miss Guirilini gently, Mr. Allen?"

"There's not many gentle ways to even say it," Cody sighed.

"Very true. And Miss Guirilini can take it." Scofield glanced to Murray as he followed Nick below deck, then looked back to Cody. "She's a very strong-willed woman."

"I know." Cody eyed Scofield warily. "She's bounced back really well from what happened with her fiance."

"It helped that she had a lot to put her mind to," Scofield replied. "Captain Guirilini started working out this new expedition almost immediately, since the prior one failed."

"And she had you too," Cody found himself saying.

"Me? I can assure you, Mr. Allen, that no matter what Mr. Ryder's told you, I didn't have a whole lot of contact with Miss Guirilini until I healed up."

"Well, you must have made a pretty good impression on her anyway, Captain," Cody retorted. "She told me how much she's liked having you around."

"Has she now?" Scofield actually looked surprised. But then, trying to pass it off, he pulled out his rum bottle and took a swig. "Probably just because I gave her somethin' else to put her mind to."

"Maybe," Cody agreed, while inwardly he was exclaiming, And just what else is she putting her mind to because of you?!

"Look, Mr. Allen," Scofield said abruptly, "I know you've been admiring Miss Guirilini and are hoping to impress her somehow. But if you really want to do that, you've got to stop trying so hard. What Giovanna likes is when people are genuine with her, especially after this mess with her fiance. Don't try to be somethin' you're not."

Cody drew a deep breath, trying to get his emotions under control. This was really not a good discussion to be having after a long and stressful day. "Nick's told me the same things," he said at last.

Scofield nodded. "It's good advice." Another swig from the rum bottle. "But now what I want to know is if you're planning to take it."

"Why would you even need to ask, unless what Nick says is true?" Cody exclaimed.

"Maybe I just want to know that she's going to be well cared for if you ever do make your move," said Scofield. "You get awfully fond of someone after workin' with them so closely." He capped the bottle and stuck it back in his pocket.

"I don't know what I'm going to do," Cody replied, not wanting to admit that he seriously doubted that Giovanna would ever be interested in him romantically. "Anyway, shouldn't we get below deck?"

"We should," Scofield agreed. "After you, Mr. Allen."

Cody started down the stairs. It was only when he reached the bottom that it suddenly dawned on him and he momentarily froze. He called her "Giovanna," he realized with a sinking stomach. No matter how professional he tries to be, he wants to be on a first-name basis with her.

"Mr. Allen?"

Cody started. "Right, right." He picked up his pace, heading for the main salon. Behind him, Scofield calmly followed.

xxxx

The main salon aboard the Arrivederci, Baby was mostly dark when Giovanna wandered in an hour after the very depressing briefing Cody and the others had arranged. She hadn't really expected anyone to be awake other than herself, and yet perhaps she had partially hoped and thought someone might be. When she saw Captain Scofield sitting on one of the white couches, scraping the rust off of an old chain, she went over.

"I thought after a day like today, you might actually go to bed instead of staying up even later," she commented, sitting next to him. "Papa was so depressed over what's happened that he couldn't bear to keep staying up after our conference."

"Can't sleep yet," Scofield grunted, not taking his eyes away from his work.

"Why are you doing this?" Giovanna lifted part of the chain. "It isn't good for much of anything anyway, even without the rust."

Scofield shrugged. "It's somethin' to do. . . . Helps me think."

Giovanna sighed, resting her arm across the back of the couch. "You're worried, aren't you?"

Scofield nodded. "I found out some stuff tonight that puts a whole new perspective on this case."

"You mean what Murray said about someone calling himself The Claw?" Giovanna shook her head. "We've never heard of him."

"And you're just as well off for that," Scofield said gruffly.

"Do you know about him?" Giovanna asked in surprise.

Neither of them noticed Nick coming down the hall past the doorway. Hearing their voices, he stopped walking and paused to listen, pressing himself against the wall nearby.

"I made out like I didn't when I was talking to my friend from the airport, but I was slidin' around the issue, as your friend Mr. Ryder would say." Scofield set the knife and the chain on the table. "I didn't want Bill to know the name meant something to me."

"Why not?" Giovanna frowned. "He was attacked. Surely he can't be part of this."

"I hope not," Scofield said. "But what I was thinking of was more along the lines of if The Claw thought I knew about him, maybe he'd think Bill knows more than he does. He was aggressive enough in trying to kill him just for knowin' a little. I hate to think what he'd do if he finds out Bill's still alive and that there's a chance he knows even more."

Nick nodded to himself. He had thought it strange that Scofield wouldn't have heard the Claw moniker, considering the many years he had lived in the Caribbean. But, he frowned to himself, he wondered when Scofield would have admitted his knowledge.

"What do you know about him?" Giovanna asked quietly.

"I know that he's a smuggler," Scofield said.

"Like Mr. Hawkins," Giovanna frowned.

"Yeah, only worse." Scofield leaned back. "Hawkins was content just to own Martigua. The Claw wants all of the Caribbean. He has lots of ships and boats doing his dirty work; the one Mr. Allen and Mr. Ryder found is only one of them."

"Oh no." Giovanna gripped the couch. Outside the room, Nick cursed to himself.

Scofield nodded. "It looks like we blundered right into one of his smuggling operations, since it's two of his crewmembers who were plottin' against us in the Tropicana and probably arranged Bill's 'accident.' And it'll only get worse from here on out."

Giovanna looked sick. "Poor Papa. . . . He will insist on cancelling this expedition." She looked down. "Ordinarily I would tell him that we should not give in, but if this man is so much more powerful and dangerous than Mr. Hawkins, maybe this time Papa would be right." She shook her head. "How could we hope to go against such a crime boss and win?"

"I don't know." Scofield reached over and laid his hand on hers. "I know I don't want there to be any more 'accidents' on this expedition or any more good people getting hurt. I know there's some battles you just can't win. But I also know that I don't like being intimidated by Hawkins or Claw or anyone else." His voice darkened.

"Captain . . ."

The puzzled and awed note to Giovanna's voice had Nick desperately trying to sneak a peek around the doorway without being seen. With the dim lighting, and the duo's preoccupation with the conversation and each other, it wasn't an impossible task.

He found Giovanna giving Scofield a bemused look while his hand remained on her hand. He took it away, but leaned forward with his hand on the back of the couch while looking at her seriously. "I'll do my best to make sure nothing more happens to hurt anyone. Mr. Allen thought it might be time to call in more qualified authorities to deal with this, and maybe he's right. Tomorrow we can talk to your father and see what we all come up with."

"Alright. But Captain . . ." Now Giovanna rested her hand on his. "When you're making sure no one else gets hurt, I hope you are including yourself."

Scofield looked at her in surprise. But then, smiling in the semi-darkness, he said, "Of course, Miss Guirilini. I'm not lookin' to get another scar to go with the one in my shoulder."

"You had better not," Giovanna said half-sternly as she got up. "Oh, but Captain? If I had not found you tonight, when were you going to tell us that you knew about The Claw?"

"Tomorrow," Scofield assured her. "Seemed like there'd been enough bad news for tonight. And I wanted to have the chance to think about it first."

"I will accept that." Giovanna moved out from around the table. "And I will trust you, Captain, unlike before."

Scofield smiled. "Much obliged, Miss Guirilini."

Nick turned away. "I knew it," he muttered under his breath as he hurried up the hall. "Cody's got some more competition."

He found Murray upstairs on deck, rewinding the tape from that day and then playing it back in assorted ways: faster, slower, louder and louder. Murray was so occupied in trying to decipher the weird sounds or words on the tape that he didn't hear Nick's approach at all.

"Murray!" Nick finally yelled over the tape.

Murray jumped a mile and hit the Stop button. "Oh! Hi, Nick. I thought you'd be in bed by now."

"I thought you'd be in bed too," Nick retorted, his hands on his hips. "Are you having any luck figuring out what the ghosts are saying?"

"Not yet," Murray replied. "It's strange; it seems like what's on this tape has been deliberately garbled up. No matter what I do to it, I can't hear it any more clearly."

Nick sighed. "Well, it's getting late. Maybe you'd better just pop in a fresh tape and come on to bed now. There's gonna be a lot to do in the morning, especially with that helicopter ride."

"That's right," Murray said with some enthusiasm. He rewound the tape again, then paused in concern. "You don't think I've woke anybody up with this, do you?"

"Well, I don't know, Murray," Nick replied. "Angelo went to bed. Tony too, probably. Cody said he was going to get ready for bed. But Giovanna and Scofield are still up."

"Oh really? What are they doing?" Murray asked.

"Let's just say they're getting to know each other better," Nick said in frustration. "Hey, look, Murray, you won't tell Cody, will you? I feel like I should be the one to do it. Kind of let him down easy."

Murray just blinked and looked confused as he straightened up. "Sure, Nick, I won't tell him," he promised. "But they've been working together for weeks now. I don't think it would be a surprise to Cody if they're becoming very close friends at this point."

Nick sighed. "Nevermind, Murray. Just don't tell him, okay?"

"Okay," Murray agreed, baffled.

Nick was just turning away to leave when a strange sound from the tape recorder made him grind to a halt. He whirled back, actually looking shaken. "Murray, what did that just say?"

Murray was already rewinding to play it again. "You said earlier that it sounded like 'Lights out.' Well, it seems to be something quite different, now that I've successfully isolated the segment and cleaned it up to make it more audible."

"Let's just hear it again," Nick said with impatience.

Murray hit Play, looking both apprehensive and intrigued. And when both he and Nick distinctly heard a low voice mockingly saying, "Ciao," they both stiffened in shock.

"Murray, that voice sounded like Mr. Hawkins," Nick exclaimed. "Only it can't be because he's . . ."

"Dead?" Murray threw back his shoulders, the vindication clearly in his eyes. "This is excellent, Nick! I knew setting up this tape recorder would give me some kind of worthwhile clue!"

"So what do you think it means?" Nick wondered as he rubbed his chin. "It could just be someone impersonating Hawkins for kicks."

"I know that, Nick, but there wasn't anyone around," Murray said impatiently. "We would have noticed someone in this area trying to leave a garbled message on my tape recorder."

"You're probably right, Murray, but what's the alternative? Ghosts?" Nick shook his head. "I just don't believe Hawkins would be jinxing this expedition."

"He could be," Murray retorted. "It wouldn't be the first documented case of a ghost interfering with the lives of the living. Maybe he hates us all because we sent his bomb back to him and killed him and whoever it was he was dealing with."

"If I believed in ghosts, I'd believe he'd be pretty mad, alright," Nick admitted. "I just don't think people hang around after they're dead. If there's anything after this life, I think people just go straight to it instead of hanging around on Earth."

"There are plenty of real-life incidents of ghosts staying on Earth as wandering spirits," Murray protested. "I told you and Cody about them on the flight over."

"I know, and you spooked us that whole night," Nick retorted.

"Well." Murray rewound the tape a third time. "I say the thing to do now is to play this for the others and see what they think."

"So what are you going to do? Wake everybody up and ask them to come listen to what might be Mr. Hawkins' post-mortem recordings?" Nick exclaimed.

Murray paused. "You've got a point. Okay, I'll just make a copy of this and then reset the tape for tonight. I can play the copy for everyone in the morning."

Nick nodded in relief. "Good deal." He started to turn to leave for the second time. To his satisfaction, this time nothing happened to hold him up.

xxxx

The morning brought with it exhausted and sleep-deprived people. Most of those aboard the Arrivederci felt like they were moving through a thick fog of needed rest. Murray was the only one who really felt raring to go, and he had to wait while the others floated back and forth to bed all during the morning hours. By the time everyone could actually agree on the time to be up, it was nearly noon.

"Alright," said Murray as they gathered in the main salon with brunch. "I've called you all here today to listen to a better version of the recording I made yesterday. Nick already heard it because he was just going to bed when I was making it, but it should be completely new to everyone else. I'll have you all know that this recording was completely garbled and indistinguishable before I cleaned it up."

"We know, Murray," Cody said with some impatience. He glanced to Nick, as if hoping for some clue as to what they were going to hear, but Nick merely shrugged in response.

"So, without further ado . . . the tape." Murray pressed the Play button and everyone leaned forward to hear. The eerie, mocking voice soon had all of them disturbed.

"Murray, what is this?" Cody gasped. "It sounds like Mr. Hawkins."

"I know!" Murray crowed.

"You're sayin' you think it really is him," Scofield said from where he and Giovanna were sitting near each other.

"The only other possibility is an imposter, but no one other than any of us were even near my tape recorder at all," Murray said. "And it would be a very unfunny joke."

"I have to agree with you there, Murray," Nick said, scratching his neck.

"So we all must accept that Mr. Hawkins was contacting us from beyond the grave?" Angelo exclaimed.

"This was recorded right before the bomb went off that could have killed Cody and Nick," Murray reminded everyone. "If Mr. Hawkins has been lingering on Martigua as a wandering spirit, it isn't difficult to believe that he would be observing what all of us have been doing. And he would probably take a great deal of pleasure in the idea that some of us were just about to be hurt. He could very easily have decided to leave us a message to let us know he's here."

"Murray, that is really frightening," Giovanna declared with a frown. "Suppose it is true. What can we even do to fight a spirit?"

"We'd probably need to exorcise it," Murray replied. "But first maybe we should try to contact it and see what it wants."

"If it's really Hawkins, we already know what he wants," Cody said. "Our complete destruction." He frowned more. "And like it or not, there's still the problem that we have some very real, very living people after us. We need to find out what they want too."

"Mr. Hawkins might even be able to tell us," Murray persisted.

"But would he?" Cody countered.

"Well . . . we'd have to have something to offer him in return," Murray said. "Like maybe the chance to move on to wherever he's going instead of being forced to stay here any longer."

"I can't believe I'm even having this conversation," Cody sighed, crossing his arms on the table.

"I'll look into the possibility that a living person imitated Mr. Hawkins' voice," Murray said, "but Cody, I'm afraid you're just going to have to accept the possibility that there really is a ghost."

"I guess I will," Cody groaned. "We all will."

The others, in assorted states of being stunned, disturbed, or both, nodded in reluctant agreement.