Laughing, Ireplied, “I know,” and let go of the pirate’s hand. “Now, let’s getthis over with. I have a plan, so just follow my lead. Okay?”
“Aye,Captain,” he answered jokingly and began to climb theladder.
I followed himup and over the side, immediately scanning the deck for signs oflife. All clear. We were lucky. It didn’t seem as though anyone hadwoken up yet. We quietly sprinted across the deck to his quartersand shut the door behind us.
“Here,put these on,” he told me and tossed my leather boots at my feet.“Now, what is your brilliant plan?”
“I neversaid it was brilliant,” I replied as a slipped on my boots. “I needto be alone with your brother, so I can get close enough to takethe gem from around his neck.”
Hepinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re right. That’s the worstplan I’ve ever heard. I promised to bring you back, Dianna. If Abraham gets you alone, I haveno way of protecting you. And won’t it seem suspicious that you’resuddenly wanting to be alone with him?”
“I won’tneed protection,” I said and flipped open my jacket to remind him Iwas armed. “I’ll make him some food and bring it to his quarters.I’ll wait until he invites me to stay, which I’m convinced he will,and I’ll accept. Nothing suspicious about it. He’ll just think I’vefinally given in.”
Benjamin pacedthe floor. “I don’t like it.”
I shrugged.“It’s all we’ve got. Unless you have a better idea?”
The man’s facemorphed into something dark. “I could kill him and take the gemmyself.”
I gasped at thesudden change in his tone. “Benjamin, you don’t have to do that. Hemay be mad, but he’s your brother.”
He shook hishead, eyes drifting in thought. “No, my brother died many yearsago. A shell of a man sits in his chair. I should have rid theEarth of him long ago. But I was too much a selfish coward to doit. I didn’t want to be left alone.”
“I can’task you to do that,” I told him. “To live with that.”
He shruggedhelplessly. “Look at what I’m already burdened to live with,Dianna. The things I’ve done for that man. The poor souls I’vesentenced to death aboard this vessel. What’s one more life?”
I chewed at mybottom lip. “No, just let me try first.”
He grewimpatient with me. “We don’t have time.”
“Yes, wedo,” I replied. “We have until dusk. Stay calm and act as ifeverything is normal. Let me get close to him. I’ll knock him outif I have to, but I’ll get the siren’s heart without bloodshed. Noone is losing their life today.”
I hoped.
ChapterEleven
I holed myself away in the kitchen to preparesome food for the crew while I mulled over my plan. Playing niceand letting myself be alone with Captain Cook was going to be hard.The more I thought it over, the more I wanted to take Benjamin upon his heinous offer. But I wouldn’t.
I steeped a potof soup broth with leftover root vegetables and herbs I’d collectedfrom the island and made some dumplings to go with it. It wasnearing lunchtime and the crew would soon be sniffing around forfood. I just hoped the captain remained in his quarters.
“Thereyou are,” Pleeman spoke as he entered through the swingingdoors.
Pretending to smile, I replied, “Here I am.” I set a bowl ofsoup on a wooden tray and looked at him. “Did you need something?”
He came closeand lowered his voice. “I was just concerned, is all,” he glancedback at the door suspiciously, “what, with you jumpin’ overboard inthe wee hours of the morning.”
My eyes justabout popped from their sockets and I set down the tray. The oldman had seen me. “Pleeman, please, don’t–”
“Hush,now. I won’t breathe a word.”
I let out asigh of relief. “Thank you.”
“But, Ihave to ask, what possessed you to do such a thing? I saw Benjaminchase after you. He was in a fit of rage when he left the ship. Butyou came back with him and now you both have an uneasy amount ofcalmness about you.”
Nothing gotpast him, that was for sure. I contemplated telling him our secretand letting him in on the plan. He had a right to know, didn’t he?Pleeman had been trapped there on The Black Soul for most of hismortal life. “Can you keep a secret?” I asked him in a whisper.
“Ofcourse,” he replied, and leaned closer, intrigued.
“My creware on the island.”
The old man letout a gasp. “My word…”
“I’mgoing to steal the gem from the captain, escape this ship again,and meet my crew so we can sail to the Siren Isles and break thecurse.” His eyes glossed over and a hand lifted to cover his mouth.I placed a gentle touch on his frail shoulder. “Pleeman, you cancome with me. You’re not bound here by the curse. There’s notelling what will happento this ship once it’s broken.”
“Youmean… I-I can go home?” he asked shakily.
I nodded andsmiled happily. “Yes, you can finally go home to yourdaughters.”
He stumbledback. “No…”
“Yes,” Iassured him. The old man began to weep. Whether tears of joy orsomething else, I wasn’t sure. “Tell me about them. What were theirnames?”
He pulleda handkerchief from a pocket and wiped at his eyes. “They’rebeautiful little things.” He paused thoughtfully. “Is’pose they’ll be grownwomen now.”
“Butstill just as beautiful,” I said.
Pleeman smiledlovingly. “Yes, of course. Gertie, Sara, Tessie, and Janny. Mygirls.”
“Well,I’m going to make sure you get home to them.”
He gasped. “Butthe captain will never allow you close enough to get that gem fromaround his neck,” he told me worriedly. “It’s impossible. You’dhave to kill the poor bugger.”
“I have aplan.” I picked up the tray of food and grinned charmingly. “Didn’tyou say there’s only one thing the captain loves morethan a beautiful woman?Well, I’m going to give him both.”
“Dianna,don’t. Let me help you,” he pleaded.
I shook myhead. “No, I can do this. You make sure the crew stays down here.Feed them. Keep them busy. I’ll do the rest.”
***
Balancing thetray in one hand, I knocked on Captain Cook’s door with the other.I waited and listened carefully for him to speak.
“Comein,” he
