When their plan was as solid as they could make it, they sat in silence together. Jocelyn leaned into Evie, taking comfort from her warmth. She believed they had a chance. That was all she could do.

The girl had just begun to doze off when Evie asked her, “Jocelyn, who are you?”

She shook her head, groggily, trying to understand the question. “I’m…I’m Jocelyn. Jocelyn Hook.”

“I know that. I mean, who are you to me? We have some sort of connection. My father’s song. The painting in your locket. We even look a little alike. Tell me the truth. Are you…”

Jocelyn’s heart thudded.

“…my sister?”

Jocelyn couldn’t help but laugh. “I—I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting you to say that.”

Evie sat up and faced her. “It’s not so funny, really. I mean, we could be from different times. Maybe back on the mainland, I’m a lot older than you. Perhaps my father will remarry and you will become my sister. Or…maybe you are a secret sister he hasn’t told me about. From a woman in the village or something. Such things do happen, you know.”

Jocelyn turned to look at Evie. No. You’re my mother. If you go home, you’ll grow up and marry Captain Hook. But then you’ll die shortly after I am born. The words were there in her mind, but how could she say them? “I’m not your sister.”

“Oh. Right. Because Captain Hook was your father. But then who are you? You know something, I can tell. Please don’t keep it from me.”

“But if I tell you, maybe you won’t want to be my friend anymore,” Jocelyn said, knowing how much that would hurt.

“Don’t be silly. It’s not like you’re a murderer or some such thing.”

“But…what if…” She was going to tell her. It was time to face this. “What if I—”

The hatch above them banged open, bathing the hold with light. Dirty Bob poked his head into the rectangle of sunshine. “All right, girlies, come on up. The captain wants to see ye.”

Jocelyn squinted in the glare above deck. The bright morning sun glinted off Krueger’s sharp teeth. “Did you enjoy your evening, ladies?”

“Quite. Thank you,” Jocelyn replied with a smirk.

He stepped to her, raising his hand as if to strike, then wrinkled his nose, coughed, and gagged. Here in the fresh air of the deck, Jocelyn could tell how terrible they smelled. He took a step back and placed a handkerchief to his nose.

“You stink of bilge and failure. Tell me what I need to know so I can be rid of you. Unless”—he pulled his sword and pointed it at Roger—“you are in the mood for a show. I think I’ll start with cutting out his tongue so he won’t even have the satisfaction of a proper scream when I move on to his eyes—”

The thought of Roger being tortured stole the smirk from Jocelyn’s face. “Stop!” she cried. “I’ll tell you what you want to know, but please let Roger and Evie go. You can kill me after if you like, but they are no threat to you. I beg you.”

“You beg me?” he replied. “I like the sound of that. I think I’ll add it to our deal. You tell me where to find the key, and throw in some begging, and you’ll all be free.”

Jocelyn didn’t believe him. It would be far easier to do away with them than to worry about them knowing too much about the treasure. But what could she do? “I’ll tell you.”

Roger sagged against the mast where he was tied—out of relief that Krueger had lowered his sword or disappointment that Jocelyn had given in, she could not tell. Evie began to cry.

Krueger ignored them, intent only on Jocelyn and the information she would provide. “I’m listening.”

“It’s…it’s…” A small tear leaked from Jocelyn’s own eye. Sadness at losing the treasure was written all over her face. “It’s etched inside the barrel of Long Tom.”

Krueger regarded her tear with unveiled suspicion. “Bob. Go inspect that cannon.”

Jocelyn wiped her face and arranged it into the picture of innocence. “Yes, Bob. Go do that. But do be careful.”

Dirty Bob spluttered and pointed at the girl. “It’s booby-trapped, Cap’n! Look at ’er face. She knows it is.”

Krueger snarled, baring his razor-sharp teeth. “Enough of this foolishness, girl!” he commanded. “You can both go. Bring back that code, and be quick about it, before I get bored.” He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and motioned with his head toward Roger.

Evie flung herself on Krueger, falling to her knees and clutching at his jacket. “Please,” she cried, “don’t hurt him. Don’t hurt any of us. Jocelyn will give you what you need, won’t you, Jocelyn?” The pirate tried to pry the girl off, but she clung harder. “I wish I had never come here! I want to go home,” she sobbed.

He shoved the distraught girl roughly from him. Evie fell backward, landing at Roger’s feet. She scrambled up and wrapped her arms around the boy, mast and all, her cries turning to wails.

Krueger smoothed the front of his waistcoat. “I’m losing my patience!” he yelled over Evie’s hysterics, looking at Jocelyn. “Go. Now!”

Jocelyn obeyed.