Death Waxed Over - Tim Myers [31]
“I hate that you came back on my account,” I said.
He slapped my shoulder, and I felt it sting. “Harrison, there are always pretty sights and even prettier girls around the next corner, but not when a friend needs a hand.”
“So what happened on your trip?” I asked, never expecting an answer.
He looked at me a few moments, then said, “I had to deal with some pirates.”
“Come on, if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine, but give me some credit.”
Markum shook his head. “There are more pirates than the ones with eye patches and parrots, my friend.”
“You mean like software pirating, that kind of thing?”
“No, I’m talking about pirates on the water. A friend of a friend I know from another life called me with a horrific story. Seems a pretty bad man and his friends found out a young woman named Sammie Jo was alone on her yacht, so they decided to move in and make themselves comfortable, even if Sammie Jo had different ideas altogether.”
“Why didn’t she call the police?” I asked.
Markum shrugged. “There were threats made, very real ones at that. These fellows had some rather alarming manners. Sammie Jo managed to make one telephone call before they found her cell phone. She called Lisa and Lisa called me.”
“So what did you do?” I asked. I couldn’t believe Markum was telling his story so calmly. My heart was racing just listening.
“Well, I had a nice long chat with the gentlemen in question, and they decided to vacate the premises and not come back.”
“So you convinced them quicker than you thought you would?”
Markum shook his head. “I knew it wouldn’t take long to set them straight, but finding them was my main problem. Turns out they were holed up on Big Pine Key, and they weren’t trying to hide their presence there.”
“How did you convince them?” I asked.
Markum laughed. “You’re a curious fellow, aren’t you? Let’s just say that pirates aren’t the only ones who can make somebody walk the plank. By the time they all made it to shore, I knew they wouldn’t be bothering the lady in question again.”
I tried to get more out of him, but he seemed to regret sharing what he had. I finally said, “Was Sammie Jo satisfied with the outcome?”
“She was satisfied enough to bank my next excursion to Alaska and become a silent partner.”
“You haven’t given up on that, have you?” Markum had been thwarted attempting something in Alaska, and it was one of the few times he’d come back with his tail between his legs. I wondered about the kind of people who could do that to a man with so much positive energy and sheer force of will.
“I’m breathing, aren’t I? You’re still welcome to sign on and come with me.”
“I’ll take a rain check,” I said. “I’ve got all I can handle here.”
He ran a hand through that thick black hair of his. “Just wait. I’ll talk you into coming yet.”
“You’ll have to do better than you’ve been able to do so far,” I said.
Markum looked me up and down and said, “You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“You bet I am, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”
Markum cackled with delight. “Then I want you on my team for sure. It’s the fools who aren’t afraid that end up getting hurt. Now what’s going on with you?”
I brought him up to date, hesitated when it came to the part about Mrs. Jorgenson, but I went ahead and gave him the details of everything I’d found out. After all, what good was it to have a sounding board if I didn’t come clean about everything I’d uncovered?
“You’ve been busy,” he said. “I’m impressed.”
“I feel like I’m spinning my wheels,” I admitted. “I’m even more confused now than I was before.”
“Harrison, you’re going about it the right way. If you’re not ready to come to any conclusions yet, it just means that you haven’t gathered enough information. Now let’s sit down and think this through. Where do we attack next?