Unfamiliar Waters Read online

  “I’m okay,” Nigel mumbled.

  “Just sleep. We’re safe and docked.” Nigel rolled over, and Garrett watched him for a few minutes. He sighed before returning to the deck and stretching out in what he hoped would be the shade, closing his eyes. They were safe for now, and once the sun came up and he was rested and able to think straight, he could figure out a plan.

  GARRETT WOKE some time later, the sun shining around him. At first he wondered what was wrong, until he turned over. Nigel lay next to him on the pad he’d thrown on the decking, a hand under his head, eyes closed, angelic expression on his face. Garrett didn’t want to move in case he woke Nigel, but motion from the deck did that anyway.

  “You should have stayed in bed.”

  “Jules is a hazard,” Nigel said as he sat up, stretching. “And I wanted to be with you.” He closed the distance between them. “I want to be with you like we were in the cave.”

  Garrett swallowed hard. His mind constantly returned to that night and how close they’d been. There was no way he could possibly forget it. “Me too.” He sat up and hugged Nigel tightly. He couldn’t do more than that right now, but part of him needed—craved—the closeness and intimacy.

  “Nigel,” Jules called, and Nigel sighed, getting up and going below.

  Garrett watched him leave and tried to make his mind work. They needed food, and then Garrett had to make some phone calls. “We’re in Dominica,” he called down. “Get dressed, and we’ll go find some food to start the day. Pack water to be safe.” He waited until the others were done and sitting on deck before going below and digging out his cell phone. After changing and getting cleaned up, he led them all off the boat and down the dock to enter the town.

  There were a few places open at one of the restaurants, and the four of them took seats. The food was basic Caribbean and looked good. After Garrett made sure they would take US dollars, they placed their orders. While the others stayed behind, Garrett stepped away from the table and made a call to the station at home.

  “I need to speak with Captain Rodriguez,” he told the operator. “At home if necessary.” He waited a few minutes.

  “Wreckley, what do you need? You’re on vacation. Did you get into trouble or something?” he asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

  “In a manner of speaking.” Garrett sighed. “Does the name Hilliard Huntington Montague mean anything to you?”

  The captain paused. “The billionaire? I’ve heard of him.”

  “Okay. It’s a long story, but I need your help.” He filled the captain in on what he’d discovered on the island, talking faster and faster as he went on.

  “Holy shit. You go on vacation and step into a huge mess.” The captain chuckled. “Bring me up to speed.”

  “I have Nigel and Jules, along with Phyllis. We’re in Dominica now, and I’m willing to bet that Hilliard is trying to find us. We’re going to stay here a few days and then continue heading north.”

  “What do you need?” the captain asked quickly.

  “I’m going to check to see if the boys have any papers. I’m willing to bet they don’t. But we’re going to have to be careful, because Hilliard is going to be on the lookout for anyone showing interest in these boys. They’re a huge threat to him, so much so that he was willing to have them killed.” Garrett looked back at Nigel and smiled to hide the seriousness of the conversation.

  “Let me make a few calls to some contacts I trust. You stay safe and keep under the radar.” The captain sighed. “You know, I really should tell you to get your ass back here and not get messed up in shit like this….”

  “Yeah?” Garrett groaned.

  “But I’d probably do the exact same thing you are. So, stay safe and keep the boys safe too. I’ll get back to you at this number.” After Garrett agreed, the captain hung up.

  Garrett returned to the table and dug into his breakfast with gusto.

  “Is help coming?” Jules asked.

  Garrett wasn’t going to go into any details with Phyllis within hearing. He didn’t trust her not to get word back. And until he did trust her, he was going to hold his cards close to the vest. “It will be.” He shared a smile with Nigel and shoveled his food into his mouth, feeling like he hadn’t eaten in days.

  Once they were done, he paid the bill, and they walked through the downtown. The boys looked in every shop window, and Garrett got both Jules and Nigel some fresh clothes, hats, and shoes, which seemed to make them happy. Then, after getting some more to drink, they walked back.

  As they approached the dock, he saw two men standing right next to the sailboat.

  “Do you know them?” Garrett asked Phyllis, who shook her head. “Fine. You stay with me. Nigel, take Jules back to town.” He handed him some money and leaned close. “Go where we bought the shoes and stay in the back of the store. I’ll come get you.”

  Nigel nodded, and the two of them took off.

  Garrett, wishing he’d thought to take the guns with him, stepped onto the dock. “Can I help you gentlemen?” he asked.

  The men turned to him, grim expressions firmly ensconced. “You came in last night?” the larger man asked.

  “Yes.” Garrett wasn’t going to volunteer information until he knew what they wanted and who was behind their visit. Phyllis stayed behind him, out of their view.

  “Why?” the man demanded.

  Garrett slowly reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. “I’m a police officer in Baltimore, Maryland.” He showed them the identification, and the men’s shoulders seemed to relax. “What are you worried about?”

  “We have people bringing drugs in,” he explained. “Especially at night.”

  “I see. No drugs. I’m on vacation and have been at sea for a while.” He didn’t want them to search the boat in case they came across Jules’s and Nigel’s things. That would bring additional questions he didn’t want to answer. “And I’ve never been to Dominica and wanted to see it. A friend told me how beautiful it was, and I just had to make a stop.”

  The man smiled and nodded as though it were obvious that his island was the best in the entire world. “Who is she?”

  Garrett winked. “She’s a friend. I needed someone to cook and help take care of me.”

  The men glanced at each other, sharing a knowing look, and then grinned and stepped back. “We’ll leave you to your vacation. Will you be staying long?”

  “A few days. I want to look around and relax for a while. Maybe take in some of the beaches.” Garrett smiled, and they nodded and walked back down toward the entrance.

  “Those men thought I was some sort of floozy,” Phyllis hissed as soon as they were out of sight.

  “They thought you and I were closer than we are, yes. That’s exactly what I wanted them to think. They didn’t ask more questions, and the fewer people who know about Jules and Nigel, the better. It doesn’t matter what they think as long as the boys are safe.”

  “What do we do now? Are they going to be watching us?”

  “Probably not. But you stay here and make a show of doing chores around the boat. It doesn’t matter what, just look busy and productive. Give them nothing to watch if they are. I’m going to get Nigel and Jules. They have to be worried. Can I trust you to do that?”

  “Yes. I want them to be safe too.” She climbed onto the boat and went below.

  As Garret headed back down the dock, he turned and saw Phyllis hang bedding over the lowered sail to air it out, seeming ready to give the boat the cleaning of its life.

  He turned and leisurely made his way back toward the business district. He didn’t want to seem like he was going anywhere special, so he stopped in a few shops before ducking into the general merchandise market, where he found Nigel and Jules in the back, wound as tight as drums, practically vibrating with worry. “It’s okay. They weren’t looking for you.” He watched the door for a pair of familiar faces, and seeing none, they left the store.

  Heading down the way, they f
ound a sweet shop. Jules and Nigel entered the small shop, wide-eyed, looking from wall to wall. By US standards, the store was relatively subdued, but to two guys who had probably never seen a place like it in their lives, it must have seemed magical.

  “You can get whatever you like.”

  “Really?” Jules asked.

  “Anything you want.” Garrett gathered some wrapped hard candy and chocolates on the counter and watched as the boys scoured the store before making their choices. He paid for it all, and they walked back through the town toward the waterfront. “Is it good?”

  Jules nodded, popping a second butterscotch into his mouth with a grin. He practically skipped with excitement.

  “It was like Willy Wonka,” Nigel said, bumping Garrett’s shoulder as they shared a smile.

  “Maybe a little.” Garrett’s heart skipped a beat. He loved that he had been able to make Nigel happy. Hell, it made his heart lighter and his spirit more joyful, something he hadn’t thought was possible for him to feel once again.

  “Are you going to have some?” Jules asked, holding out the bag of loot.

  Garrett picked out an orange hard candy, popped it into his mouth, and handed the bag back. “Don’t eat too much all at once. The sugar will make you jittery.” Jules had enough energy already. Hopped up on a load of sugar, he was going to go out of his skin.

  “How long are we going to stay?” Nigel asked.

  “A few days, I think. I have a friend who is working to help us, and I need to give him time. But we also need to be ready to go in a hurry if we have to.”

  When they approached the dock, the boat looked like a laundry line run amok. Phyllis stood on the deck, hands on her hips, surveying her handiwork.

  “What’s this?” Jules asked as he jumped aboard. “A laundry scow?” The kid had a smart mouth.

  “Be nice,” Nigel scolded lightly as Phyllis finished folding the bedding.

  “I thought it could all use a good airing in the sun,” she explained.

  Garrett climbed onto the boat, his phone ringing as soon as he stepped on deck. He went to the back and sat where he could watch the harbor to answer it.

  “Captain,” he said softly.

  “You were right. I called a few buddies in New York, and it seems that lawyers and authorities there have been trying to locate Nigel and Jules for years now. Their uncle has roadblocked them at every step, and since he technically had custody, there was nothing they could do.” He cleared his throat. “One of my contacts, an old buddy from college, actually told me that they feared they were already dead. Of course, they couldn’t prove it.”

  “Nope. He simply kept them out of the way and off the map for over a decade.”

  “You’re going to need proof of everything. This guy isn’t going to take any of this lying down,” the captain said, and Garrett’s gaze wandered to where Nigel stood outside the cabin. As he handed bedding below, Nigel turned to smile at him. Instantly Garrett shifted his legs so he wasn’t obvious, and returned the smile. “Are you listening to me?”

  Dammit, the captain had been talking and he’d taken a trip to happy land. “Sorry.”

  “What’s going on there?” he pressed.

  “Nothing. I was just watching to remain vigilant.” Yeah, he lied, but he wasn’t going to tell his boss that taking his gaze away from Nigel was damned near impossible. “I’ll be careful here, and I have proof. The boys know the story now, and one of them is an adult. He’s perfectly capable of managing his own life and affairs. And their caretaker will be a good witness.”

  “Too good?” Captain Rodriguez said. “Look, Montague is going to want to get rid of her just as badly as he will want to eliminate those boys. I spoke with one of their father’s lawyers. Get them to a US port—any port—and he can meet you there and will have papers to help the boys enter the country. And I suggest you get them there fast.”

  Garrett sighed. He’d been hoping they could rest a little, but it wasn’t in the cards. “Okay. We’re docked at the moment. I need to give the boys a chance to stretch their legs.” He’d paid for two days, so he was covered, and no one was going to complain if he left early. “I’ll call you before we leave to check in.”

  “Do that. I’ll message with any more information. Stay safe.”

  Garrett ended the call and shoved his phone in his pocket.

  Nigel sat down next to him and leaned against his side. “Your face is all scrunchy. How bad is it?” he asked, and Garrett glanced at Jules, who was brushing off the deck cushions. He didn’t seem to mind Nigel and him being affectionate. “I told Jules about us.” Nigel seemed pleased.

  Garrett swallowed. “You did?”

  “Yeah. He said it was okay. He liked one of the girls from the village, but that was before Fairfield stopped us from going there.” Nigel closed his eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “We’re going to need to leave soon,” Garrett explained. He didn’t want to go into all the details, but then decided that Nigel deserved to know. “My captain, the man I work for back home, looked into things.” He turned to meet Nigel’s gaze. “Your uncle isn’t going to take this lightly. He’s going to want to get you and Jules and… your uncle is going to kill Phyllis if he can get to her. She’s a powerful witness to everything he’s done, so he isn’t going to let her live.”

  “Oh,” Nigel whispered, pressing his face to Garrett’s shirt. Garrett held him and let him cry. All the change and everything that had happened must have caught up with him. Tears threatened for him as well, but he kept strong and comforted Nigel.

  “I know,” Garrett said softly, and Nigel pulled away, his cheeks wet. “I know what it feels like to have your entire world ripped away from you. It sucks, and you have every right to be upset.” He gently ran his thumb over Nigel’s cheek. “I promise you I’ll do anything I have to in order to keep you safe.”

  Nigel nodded. “But what do I do? I have no home, nothing. It’s all gone.” He blinked, and Garrett could tell he was trying so hard to keep it together, which only touched Garrett’s heart even further.

  “You’ll make your own home. Once this is over, I’ll help you and Jules make a home of your own. Maybe you can go back to the island, if that’s what you want. We’ll figure it out. But you don’t have to worry about not having a home.” Hell, they would always have one with Garrett if that was what they wanted. Garrett drew Nigel closer once again, just holding him, comforting, even daring to wonder what it would be like to be able to hold him for the rest of his life.

  After a while, he noticed Phyllis and Jules were no longer on deck. He heard rustling below, knew they were safe, and continued holding Nigel.

  In his mind, he spoke to David a little. It was hard for him to believe that his heart was light once again. Garrett knew that David would want him to live on and be happy, but that was so much easier said than done. At least he’d thought that was true, until he met Nigel, and now he felt truly alive for the first time since he’d lost David.

  It was so good to just sit and hold Nigel, the late-morning sun warming his face. Garrett knew he needed to accept what happiness he got, because it was fleeting. Nigel was young, and if what he’d heard from Phyllis was correct, there was a huge wide world of possibilities and opportunities just waiting for him. As hard as it was going to be to have to walk away and let him go on with his life, Garrett would do it. Nigel deserved a chance to live on his own terms and to make his own decisions, whatever they might be.

  And though they’d spent time together and had fun, he didn’t expect that to translate into a lifetime together, simply because he wasn’t sure if that was what Nigel wanted. Things like that only happened in stories, and Garrett knew firsthand that the stories were just that—made up to give people hope. Nothing more. He’d already experienced his story, and look how it had ended. This… whatever was happening between him and Nigel… was about as unlikely as it came. Garrett would see that Nigel and Jules got back safely and let them go on
with their lives. That was the right thing to do… for Nigel.

  “Do you want to go below and lie down for a while?”

  Nigel shook his head. “I bet you need to, though. You were up most of the night, and if we have to leave in a hurry, you’ll need to be at your best. I can’t sail this without you, and neither can Jules.”

  “Okay.” Garrett stood and let Nigel lead him below. The portholes had been opened and Phyllis had remade the beds. Nigel pointed him to the bed, and without arguing, Garrett lay down, fatigue rising almost immediately, like an undertow ready to pull him under. “Make sure everyone stays close, and keep an eye on Phyllis. I don’t trust her… completely.”

  “It will be fine. We can sit on the deck under the cover and read or something, and I’ll come get you if we see anything unusual.” Nigel left, climbing out of the cabin, and Garrett closed his eyes, badly needed sleep washing over him.

  The boat heaved and dipped with the rise and fall of the water, rocking and soothing him, coloring his dreams. For a while he wasn’t sure what was real or dream, until the clouds around his mind lifted. Warmth pressed to him, and Garrett cracked his eyes open. Nigel lay next to him, his eyes closed, face turned to his, hair plastered to his head from the heat.

  Garrett carefully slid off the bed and went topside. He blinked as he emerged into the sun. Jules and Phyllis sat in the shade, her arm around Jules. Garrett caught her eye, and she half smiled. “I’m like his mother.” She wiped her eyes. “I know what I did, and I’m willing to pay whatever price for it. But I won’t let anyone hurt my babies. They’re as close to children as I’m ever going to get.”

  “But you perpetuated a lie,” Garrett said. “You helped their uncle.” His sense of justice screamed at him not to let her get under his skin.

  “Yes, I did. At first because I was paid well. But this little guy was three years old, and….” Her words became difficult. “I’m not a monster. I tried to think of ways I could get them away.”