Diane T. Ashley (41 page)

“Hurt me?” Tabitha pushed herself up and turned to face Jasmine. “You can’t hurt me. Your name may one day replace mine on a playbill, although that remains to be seen. But I’ve made provisions already. I’m smarter than all the people on this boat. While you memorized your lines and offered pat answers for every situation, I’ve put together a profitable business.”

Arnold chuckled. “You mean
we
have.”

“I hope you’re not trying to imply that you could have set up all of this without me.” Tabitha turned on the man, exposing him to a full measure of fury.

The mask that Tabitha wore every day melted away, leaving her exposed in that moment. Jasmine wondered if the woman had ever been an innocent, decent girl. If so, the choices she had made in pursuing her goals had changed her into a cold, vicious liar. Someone who had to be more important than anyone else around her. Someone who would sacrifice everything, every decent impulse, to her god of fame and success.

Driving, relentless ambition had engulfed her soul. It was a high price, one that Jasmine knew she could not pay. If she lived through this, she would quit. She closed her eyes.
Lord, I choose You. I’m sorry, and I hope it’s not too late. If You’re listening, please believe me. I never should have tried to serve both my ambition and You
.

“What should we do with her?” Arnold shifted the focus off himself, apparently realizing how unstable Tabitha was at this moment.

Tabitha tilted her head, her eyes dangerously empty. “I like you, Jasmine. You’re a bright girl. I could use someone like you. What do you say to throwing in your lot with me? I can promise you furs and jewels, excitement and recognition. You could be the distraction we need to keep our little group together.”

Jasmine shook her head. She had already made her choice. God was the only One she would follow. Her heart slowed down and peace filled her. No matter what happened now, she knew He was in control.

“No?” Tabitha’s voice held a note of disappointment. “I suppose it was a bad idea.”

The older woman returned her attention to Arnold. “It’s almost time for dinner. You get her off the boat while I go make an excuse for Jasmine’s absence. We don’t want anyone to suspect what’s going on. Once we finish this job, we’ll decide what to do with her.”

A look passed between them. Jasmine translated it without any trouble. She knew they were going to kill her. They couldn’t afford to leave her alive. She needed help if she was going to escape. She needed David to come to her rescue. A laugh tried to erupt, making Jasmine wonder if she would give in to hysteria after all. David had told her she would need him someday and he wouldn’t be there. How right he’d been.

Lord, I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m asking You to save my life if that is Your will. Please send David to rescue me, or show me a way to get free. And if I’m to die here—

The feel of the cold muzzle in her back cut off her thoughts. “Have a seat, Jasmine.” Arnold’s voice whispered the command in her ear. “We’ve got a little time before we leave.”

Tabitha’s lips twisted into a tight smile as she grabbed a black lace shawl. “Make sure you don’t forget to deliver the message to—” She stopped speaking as the boat rocked under their feet. “What’s going on?”

Their barge was safely tied to the dock so it couldn’t be a problem with the
Miss Polly
again. Maybe a paddlewheeler had come too close to their berth before slowing.

Tabitha opened her mouth to say something, but the words were drowned out by a tremendous crash—like a volley of cannon fire—followed by the unearthly squeal of metal against metal.

Jasmine covered her ears, looking around for the source of the terrible sound. The word formed in her mind.
Collision!
Something large had crashed into the
Ophelia
.

D
avid ran through the dark theater and pushed through the door leading to the living area of the barge. “Jasmine. Jasmine, are you down here?”

A cry answered him. Weak, terrified. His mind refused to consider what might have happened to her. He just knew he had to reach Jasmine. He had to get her off of the barge before it sank.

He stood still a moment and listened intently. Where had the cry come from? The only thing he could hear now was the hiss of water. Brown and muddy, an inch of water pooled at the base of the stairs. It didn’t look too bad. Maybe the
Ophelia
wouldn’t sink.

Down the hallway to his right, a door banged in time with the rocking motion of the barge. Without hesitation, David ran in that direction, entering the room without pause. At first glance he thought the room was empty, but then he heard a weeping sound and looked again at the bed. “Angelica.”

The blond actress was huddled in the center of the bed. Pillows, cushions, and a blanket bunched around her. She put an arm around her stomach in a protective gesture.

David held out a hand to her. “Come on. You need to go upstairs.”

“What’s happened?” She shrank back against the headboard.

“A floating circus got loose and has run into the
Ophelia
. Water’s coming in somewhere. Come on, I’ll help you.”

Angelica nodded and slid from the bed. She drew back when her feet touched the water puddled on the floor. “It’s cold.”

“I know. But we have to go anyway.” He forced a calm smile onto his face and clung to his patience even though he knew time was slipping away. He couldn’t leave poor Angelica cowering in her room.

Footsteps ran down the hall toward them. “Angelica?”

David recognized Rafe’s voice. “She’s in here.”

The tall leading man ducked into the room and scooped Angelica from the bed, picking her up as though she weighed no more than a ragdoll. “Let’s get out of here.”

“You get her out. I’ve got to find Jasmine.”

Rafe looked back over his shoulder. “Could she be outside?”

David shook his head and waved the actor toward the staircase.

“Be careful.” The other man tossed the warning back as his long legs negotiated the stairs. “Some of the animals escaped the other barge.”

Wondering if the cry he’d heard earlier was from a wounded animal, David set his jaw. It shouldn’t take him too long to search the rooms. Heading back to the left corridor, he threw open the door to the stateroom Jasmine shared with Clem, praying he would find her huddled on her bed like Angelica had been. But this room really was empty.

“David, come on.” Mr. Easley waded through the water in the hallway, a determined look on his face. David realized the water covered the man’s ankles. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

He shook his head. “I can’t find Jasmine.”

Easley thrust a thumb over his shoulder. “No one’s back there. I’m the last one out. Could she be with Clem?”

“No. I think Tabitha’s missing, too.” David could hear the fear in his own voice. He took a deep breath. “They weren’t in Angelica’s room, but I haven’t checked Tabitha’s yet. Maybe they’re both there.”

“I’ll go with you.” Mr. Easley slipped and fell backward into the rising water.

“You get out of here.” David helped him up and gave him a push toward the stairs. “I’ll be better off by myself.”

Easley hesitated a moment, weighing the truth of David’s words. Then he nodded and turned toward the exit. “Hurry.”

David could see the hole when he turned down the right corridor once more. Something swam past, sloshing even more water past the barge’s hull. A hippopotamus in the Mississippi River?

He forgot what he’d seen in the next instant as the loud bark of a gun dumped an extra measure of terror into his blood. As he ran forward, David prayed he wasn’t already too late to save Jasmine.

Tabitha looked around, her eyes wild. As water began to trickle under the doorway, she grabbed an empty trunk and threw it onto her bed.

“What are you doing?” Arnold tried to catch hold of her arm, but Tabitha pulled free.

“I have to get my things.” She picked up two pairs of shoes and threw them into the trunk. Then she ran to her dressing table, picked up her jewelry box, and added it to the luggage. “Help me!”

Arnold shook his head and tucked away his pistol. “You’re crazy, Tabitha. We’ve got to get out of here now.”

She didn’t slow down. Gathering up armloads of clothes from all over the room, she shoved them into the trunk, quickly filling it up.

Jasmine edged toward the door. If the two of them wanted to stay here and argue, it was okay with her. She knew how quickly the barge would sink once the water weighed it down. If she could slip past Arnold, she would make a run for it. He might chase her, but she’d stand a better chance of getting away once she was out of Tabitha’s suite.

“Don’t move another step.” Arnold stopped trying to reason with Tabitha and aimed his weapon at Jasmine’s head.

Jasmine froze. It looked like she wouldn’t make it out alive after all. Water slipped around her ankles, raising the hair on her arms as she waited for the blast of Arnold’s pistol.

“Put down that gun and help me.” Tabitha shouted. She slammed the lid on the overfilled trunk and jerked it off the bed. Something happened then. Either the bed moved or Tabitha’s feet slipped, Jasmine wasn’t exactly sure. But the effect was disastrous. The heavy trunk became a missile, slamming Tabitha into the wall beside her. With a loud thud, the woman’s head struck the wall, and she slid to the floor, her eyes shut.

Instinct sent Jasmine plunging toward Tabitha as the pistol went off, the bullet whizzing harmlessly past her. She didn’t have time for thought. All she knew was that Tabitha would drown if they couldn’t rouse her. “Put that stupid gun down and come help me. We’ve got to get her out of here.”

“Aren’t you something?” The contempt in Arnold’s voice coupled with the icy water that rose with every passing second sent a cold shiver down her back. “I promise she wouldn’t waste any time saving you.”

The door slammed open, David’s blazing green gaze locking onto her face.

“Watch out!” Jasmine called out the warning as Arnold threw himself at David, a murderous glint in his eyes.

She watched helplessly as the two men struggled, wincing as Arnold managed to land several blows. But then David began to gain the upper hand, his fists punishing the other man until Arnold finally stopped fighting and threw up his hands in a defensive posture. David stepped back, breathing hard, and swiped away a trickle of blood from the edge of his mouth. “Get your hands behind your back.”

Arnold’s expression turned fearful. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to arrest you as soon as we get out of here.” David glanced around, his gaze lighting on a scarf draped across Tabitha’s dressing table. As he moved forward to get it, Arnold shoved him hard. David went down to one knee. Before he could recover his balance, the other man fled through the open door.

Jasmine looked down at Tabitha’s pale face. A large lump had formed on the woman’s forehead, probably the reason she was still out cold. “Help me with Tabitha.”

David glanced toward the doorway, shook his head, and moved toward her. “You go on. I’ll get her.”

Screams from somewhere nearby made her catch her breath. It sounded like Arnold had met his match. Even if he had been ready to kill her, she could not find any pleasure in whatever caused his shrieks. “I’m not leaving you alone.”

David’s sigh was louder than the water rushing into the room. “You never do what I tell you to do.”

Heedless of the danger surrounding them, she smiled at him. “I’m just trying to save her life so she’ll have a chance to know the Lord. Someone once reminded me how important a job that is.”

His eyes softened. “Come on.” He put his hands under Tabitha’s knees and back, lifting her with a grimace. “When Rafe picked up Angelica, he made it look effortless.”

Jasmine was glad to hear the couple was safe. Time was running out. She stood and realized the water had risen to the height of her knees. Would they be able to get out before the barge was completely engulfed?

When she stepped into the hall, Jasmine could see the hole in the side of the barge. A movement close to the opening made her squint toward it. She raised a hand and pointed. “Is that a lion?” A growl answered her question.

“A floating circus hit us.” David whispered the information. “Rafe said some of the animals got loose.”

As Jasmine’s eyesight adjusted to the dim corridor, she saw the snarl that revealed the animal’s deadly teeth. She clutched David’s arm. “Is that what happened to Arnold?”

He nodded and inclined his head toward the other end of the hallway. “We need to get back to the staircase now. I don’t think the lion will attack us unless he feels cornered, but I don’t really want to test that theory.”

They pushed through the rising water, reaching the stairs after what seemed an eternity. As they climbed out of the water, Jasmine realized how tense her shoulders were. She had expected every moment to feel the lion’s claws tear into her back. She held open the door to the theater, expecting to see further evidence of the devastation caused by the collision. The room was canted at an odd angle, but that was the only indication something was wrong. Jasmine picked up her wet skirts and hurried after David.