17

He could see the Cloud boat through the binoculars from where he stood in the pilot house of the cruiser. He could see Ahab and another man, a blond man. He assumed the second man was Rambley.

“Are they coming out?” Enid asked.

“Yes. They’re just getting under way.”

They lay far offshore, the boat bobbing on a white-capped sea. The sun had been up for an hour, but there was still a cold nip on the air. Enid had taken off the white raincoat. She wore a green turtle-neck sweater and black slacks, and the wind tore at her blond hair, whipping it back over her shoulders. Penny sat cross-legged on the bow, looking out over the water.

“Zach, I’m … I’m frightened,” Enid said.

“Don’t be.”

“I’ve got you now and … and I don’t want to lose you. I couldn’t take losing another … another …” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Forgive me, please.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Isn’t there?”

He did not answer. The Cloud boat was in the harbor now, heading on a direct course for the Gay Head light. Zach turned his binoculars seaward. On the horizon, clearly visible against the blue of the sky, was a freighter.

“So far, so good,” he said. “Everything on schedule.”

They waited. There was nothing to do but wait. As the Cloud boat approached, they went into the cabin. They did not emerge again until the Cloud boat was well past them. Zach raised the binoculars again. The Cloud boat and the freighter were on an apparent collision course.

“She’s a French ship,” he said. He lowered the binoculars. “Probably bound for Boston. She’ll go through customs there, but by that time it’ll be too late.” He raised the glasses again. “Look! She’s lowering a boat!”

Enid squinted at the horizon. The Cloud boat was maneuvering in a wide circle. The rowboat from the freighter edged closer, fighting the high whitecaps. Zach watched through the glasses. The exchange could not have taken more than five minutes. The Cloud boat swung around and headed back toward Menemsha. The rowboat turned toward the freighter.

“All over but the shooting,” Zach said. “Has the regatta started yet?”

Enid looked at her watch.

“Yes.”

“So Freddie Barton’s clear and safe. Whatever they’re smuggling in, Barton’s regatta is the best alibi in the world. We’re going to intercept that boat, Enid. You’d better get below.”

“I’ll stay here with you,” she said. “Penny!”

Penny looked up. “Yes?”

“Come below, Penny,” said Enid.

He watched his daughter. She obeyed Enid’s command instantly. Enid took her hand and led her to the cabin. “Stay down there,” she said, “no matter what happens. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Penny said solemnly.

“If anyone comes aboard, stay down there. Don’t show yourself.”

“All right,” Penny said.

Enid smiled. “Now give me a kiss.”

She hugged the child to her, and Penny returned her kiss. As she went below, she whispered, “Be careful.”

“We will,” Enid said. “Now not a sound.”

The Cloud boat was approaching. Lowering the binoculars, Zach said, “It’s Rambley, all right. Here we go, Enid. Hold tight.”

He gunned the engine and then swung the boat sharply to port. Ahab, at the wheel of the Cloud boat, saw the sudden maneuver of the cruiser and instantly changed course. Zach swerved his boat again, heading directly for the fishing boat.

“Hey!” Ahab yelled across the water. “You damn idiot! What the hell are you …” and he swung the wheel again, trying to avoid the cruiser.

Like a wrestler circling for a hold Zach closed in on the other boat. “Get ready to take the wheel,” he said to Enid. He circled aft of the fishing boat, crossing its wake, and then swinging in alongside the slower boat, matching its speed. “Now!” he shouted.

He gave the wheel to Enid, ran aft and then leaped across the narrow wedge of water to the deck of the smaller boat, coming to his feet instantly.

Rambley was waiting for him. The .45 was pointed at Zach’s stomach.

“All right, Blake,” he said. “You’re asking for it.”

“What’d you pick up out there?” Zach said.

“None of your damn business!”

“You’re holding the gun,” Zach said. “Are you afraid to talk even with a .45 in your hand?”

“I don’t owe you a goddamn thing, Blake. You’re going to—”

“What’d you get out there?”

“Heroin!” Rambley shouted. “Twenty pounds of heroin! You happy now? You can think about it while I pull this trigger.”

At the wheel of the boat, Ahab’s jaw went suddenly slack. He looked at Rambley and then at Zach, and his eyes opened wide in shocked recognition.

“Get over there with the sailor,” Rambley said. “Hurry up. Against the wheel.”

Zach moved to where Ahab stood. Alongside the fishing boat, Enid maneuvered the cruiser, matching the speed of the smaller craft.

“What did you think this was, Blake?” Rambley asked. “A penny-ante game? Do you know what that twenty pounds’ll bring us when we’ve cut it with sugar? A million and a half bucks. Even if this was a one-shot deal, it’d be worth it. You’re messing with big money.”

“What happened to my wife?”

“She drowned.”

“Who drowned her?”

“She’d have drowned anyway,” Rambley said. “She was in trouble, caught in the current. Cloud picked her up. I didn’t even know she was aboard at first. I was down below, putting away the stuff, when he fished her out of the water. He put her on the deck and covered her with a blanket. I came topside and began talking about the heroin. He tried to shut me up, but I’d already said enough, and your damn wife heard every word.”

“So you—”

“So I hit her and threw her over the side, yes! Did you think I was going to jeopar—”

Zach lunged forward. “You murdering son of a—”

“Hold it!” Rambley shouted. “Stay right where you are!”

Zach froze.

“Don’t force it, Blake. You’ll get it soon enough. The Indian woman forced it. Cloud never should have told her about it, never. But he did, and she forced it, and now she’s dead. You should have stayed out of this. We gave you every chance to stay out of it, didn’t we? You’re a damn fool, Blake. And in three seconds you’re going to be a dead fool. You and the sailor both!”

“Who’s Carpenter?” Zach asked.

Rambley laughed, but did not answer.

“The Fielding house,” Zach said suddenly. “The sugar in the basement, jars of it. Is that why you wanted me out?”

“That’s where we’re cutting and packaging the stuff, Blake. And once we’ve—”

“Enid!” Zach shouted. “Pull away! Get to shore!”

He saw the gun swing towards him, and he leaped forward. The explosion echoed on the water. He felt searing pain in his left shoulder, and then he slammed back against the side of the boat. He felt himself slipping to the deck, powerless to stop himself, saw the boards coming up, and then saw Rambley’s sneakered feet as they turned from the wheel and closed in on him. He looked up into the open end of the .45. He sucked in a deep breath and waited. It was over now, it was all over.

And then Ahab left the wheel and hit Rambley from behind, and Zach saw Rambley collapse to the deck a moment before the pain in his shoulder claimed his consciousness.