Real Mermaids Don't Sell Seashells (16 page)

“Just a second,” Bobbie said, and I could tell by the ring through the phone that she was asking him. I waited a few moments, then Bobbie came back on the phone. I tilted the phone a little so Luke could listen in. “He says the bald man got him on the ship in a shipping container through the loading dock then transported him in a maintenance cart to a room with a porthole. Henry was kept tied up and gagged, but he heard the man call his boss to tell him he was closing part of that deck for maintenance.”

So that's how Baldie got away with holding someone hostage on the ship all the way from Florida.

“Does Henry know what room it was?” I asked and waited the few moments it took for Bobbie to ask the question.

“He says 1078,” Bobbie replied. “The phone in the room was disconnected but that's what the display on the handset said. But why do you want to know? I don't want you kids to do anything silly. That man is obviously dangerous.”

“It would be good to know so we can tell the cops if there's any way to get this guy in trouble.”

“Unfortunately it will be really hard to do that since there are mers involved. Not exactly the kind of evidence we want to turn over to the police,” Bobbie replied.

That was true, just like I'd told Luke. But I had a feeling there might be something else we could pin on Baldie. A way to make sure he never bothered Henry again. And if my hunch was right, it might mean helping someone else in trouble.

“You're right. Okay, thanks,” I replied and hung up.

“So what's next?” Luke asked.

“More stairs?”

“Let's do it.”

Luke and I hoofed it downstairs. The landing on the first floor opened into two hallways, and we went the wrong way at first but then got ourselves turned around and headed in the right direction toward 1078. We could only get as far as cabin 1070 where part of the hallway was blocked off with yellow tape. A sign hung from the tape: “Electrical Work in Progress. This Area Closed.”

“Electrical work, yeah right,” I said to Luke and we ducked under the tape. Cabin 1078 was the last room at the end of the hallway. I knocked on the door.

“Are you crazy?” Luke whispered behind me. “What if he's in there?”

“Isn't that why we're here? To find out?” I asked, not quite understanding what Luke meant.

“Jade, this guy is dangerous,” Luke said. “You saw what he did to Henry.”

“Not Baldie,” I replied. “I'm talking about Dillon.”

But Luke had a point. What if the door opened and I came face to face with a mer-kidnapping smuggler? I'd come too far to turn back now, though, so I put my ear to the door, ready to run for my life if necessary. There were thudding sounds from inside, like someone was trying to send a message.

“Dillon?” I whispered as loudly as I dared. “If you can hear me, knock three times.”

I waited a few seconds, and sure enough, three knocks sounded from inside the room. My heart seized in my chest. How long had Dillon been held captive in this room? I wondered. How scared had he been all this time?

“Don't worry, Dillon. We're going to call for help,” I whispered back. “Hang in there.”

I hadn't stuck up for Dillon that day back at the Straw Market and look where that got him. I had to make this right. But rescuing a prisoner from a locked room was beyond my skill set. It was time to get the police involved.

“Do we call 911?” Luke asked, pulling out his phone.

“I'm not sure if 911 works in the Bahamas.” I slid off my backpack and pulled out the lady officer's card. “Here, try this number.”

Luke took the card and held up his dad's phone, looking for reception. “I can't get a signal down here. We're going to have to go back to the upper deck.”

“We can't just leave him here,” I said, looking at the door and wondering if Dillon was hurt. “You go and I'll stay.”

“Forget it,” Luke said. “There's no way I'm leaving you down here by yourself.”

The decision was made for us when the door to a maintenance room a few feet away creaked open. We hustled down the hallway and ducked under the yellow tape.

“Hey!” I heard a booming voice and stole a quick glance over my shoulder. I couldn't get a good look at the guy, but he had a blue Wonderment Cruiselines hat on. “Hey, you two!” he called again, sending a shudder of fear through my body.

“Go, go, go!” I said to Luke. We ran to the stairwell and started back up the stairs. “We can get lost in the concert crowd.”

Gah! So many stairs!

I thought I was going to lose my lunch by the time we reached the top floor but thankfully, it didn't seem like the guy was following us because I couldn't hear his footfalls on the stairs. By then, Luke had gotten reception on the cell phone and was dialing the lady officer's number. He explained who we were and that we'd found Dillon.

“Our friend is being held in cabin 1078, but hurry! We think the man who's been holding him captive is after us,” Luke said.

“Do you really think that was him?” I whispered. “Maybe it was just some other maintenance worker.”

No sooner were the words out of my mouth than the elevator doors slid open and a goateed, ball-capped man stepped out.

“You're that girl from the marina, aren't ya?” Baldie pulled a large wrench from his pocket and slapped it into the palm of his other hand. “Hasn't anyone ever told you it's not polite to snoop around where you don't—”

We took off before he could finish his sentence.

“This guy's even crazier than Finalin and Medora,” I called over my shoulder as we ran out onto the upper deck to the blaring music and crushing crowds of the Taylor 'n Tyler concert. I reached behind to grab Luke's hand, remembering the two homicidal mers we'd met in Talisman Lake earlier that year. The only difference was that Finalin and Medora were crazy with a good cause—to free all the mers who'd been wrongfully imprisoned in the lake by the Mermish Council.

Baldie was just a straight-up maniac!

He
won't try anything with all these people around
, Luke rang to me in his mer voice as we traveled deeper and deeper into the crowd.

I
hope
not
, I rang back, looking around at all the happy fans clapping and singing along to Taylor 'n Tyler's music.

“Hi!” Someone grabbed my arm, nearly scaring me out of my flip-flops. It was Macy, with Nick and their parents. “Are you guys having fun?”

“Oh, hi!” I replied in surprise.

Baldie might not do anything stupid with all these people around, but could I really take that chance? Hadn't Henry said he'd forced him onto the ship? What if he had a gun? That was nothing to mess around with. “We're having a ball. Thanks so much for the tickets.”

“Where are your friends?” Macy asked.

“We're actually looking for them right now.” I could see that Luke was texting Cori and Trey to let them know what was going on. I caught a glimpse of a blue Wonderment Cruiselines ball cap on the right side of the ship near the railing. “Stick close to your parents, okay? And enjoy the rest of the show.”

We
have
to
get
out
of
here. Who knows what this guy is capable of doing. I don't want any of these kids getting hurt
, I rang to Luke and pointed to the other side of the ship away from Baldie.
That
way.

Baldie was in the path of the stairs, so we worked our way through the crowd to the bow to hide out until the coast was clear. There was another large swimming pool at the bow with the super-big waterslide that went out and over the water. Just looking at it made my stomach do somersaults.

The pool was closed for the evening, and no one was around since most people were at the concert.

“Let's hide under here,” I suggested and led Luke underneath the waterslide where we could take cover until help arrived. Something nagged at me as we waited.

“What I don't get is why go through all the trouble of dumping a merman into the water to do your dirty work?” I whispered. “And then to kidnap Dillon?”

“You saw the security coming in here,” Luke said. “There's no way Baldie could have smuggled the bag through there. Plus, I'm pretty sure it would have had to go through customs and that wouldn't have worked out too well for him.”

“I bet he never intended to help Henry get home,” I said, my body boiling with seething rage aimed at the man in the blue Wonderment Cruiselines baseball cap.

“But now Baldie's in so deep. No wonder he doesn't want Dillon talking,” Luke said.

Then it occurred to me. “What if he gets back to 1078 before the cops get there?”

“You're right. I should call that officer again,” Luke said.

“Just try to be quiet,” I said, peeking over the edge of the pool to see if anyone had followed us.

Luke was on the phone again and I could hear the conversation from his end.

“Uh-huh…yeah, those are our friends…okay, good…thanks for letting us know.” Luke hung up and turned to me. “She said they have police on the ship now, and they're going to ring the alarm for everyone to evacuate so they can catch this guy. She's got Cori and Trey with her.”

“We should get out of here,” I said, starting to stand.

“No wait.” Luke pulled me back down. “There's our guy.”

There he was all right.

“I don't think he sees us.” Baldie stood by the narrow gangway leading to the stairs, underneath a row of hanging lifeboats. He had his back to us and was looking out over the water as he talked on his phone.

“Carl—dude!” Baldie said into his phone. “I know the drop went bad last time with that other scuba diver but this new guy is legit. I'm telling you, man, this guy is the best diver in Florida—the stuff should have been there by now. Are you sure you're looking on the big yellow hook? Off the pier below Señor Frog's?”

Carl?
I rang to Luke.
Why
does
that
name
sound
familiar?
I racked my brain, trying to come up with the answer.

Is
it
someone
you
met
this
week?
Luke asked.

I thought back but couldn't make the connection then I nudged Luke.
Can
I
have
the
phone?

I found the phone's email program and hoped I remembered Rayelle's email.

Hi Rayelle, this is Jade emailing from another phone. Just wanted to let you know we found Dillon and the police have everything under control. PS Do you know anyone named Carl?

—Jade

It only took about two minutes for Rayelle to respond.

Hooray! I hope he's okay!! PS I'm not sure but isn't Officer Ensel's first name Carl?

—Rayelle

Moments later, the alarm sounded. Baldie looked around, trying to piece together what was happening. He yelled into his phone.

“No! You listen to me, Carl!” Baldie continued. “If you ratted me out to your police friends, I'll be the first one to point the finger back at you. One way or another, you owe me a hundred grand. Either for the goods or my silence.”

Police. Carl. Carl Ensel.

Officer
Ensel
must
have
been
in
on
this
the
whole
time!
I rang to Luke.

That's when I decided that I needed to get evidence to nail Ensel too.

We
need
to
get
this
on
video.
I remembered how Cori had recorded Taylor 'n Tyler, trying to get them to confess that they'd stolen our hotel reservation. If we could get Baldie on video talking to Ensel, it would be proof they were in on it together.

Then we had to get out of there—and fast! I held up Mr. Martin's phone.
Do
you
know
how
this
works?

Here
, Luke said, taking the phone from me. We stayed low and circled around the big pool with the massive waterslide to try and get a little closer. Baldie turned our way but not before we ducked behind the waterslide just in time.

Baldie kept talking into his phone, but we couldn't risk getting video. Luke just tried to record the audio, but I doubted the phone was picking up anything with the sound of the alarm blaring overhead.

Then, all of a sudden, Mr. Martin's phone rang. It was Dad's number. He probably caught wind of what was happening and was freaking. Not the best time to ream me out, Dad!

Oh
no!
I rang.
Can
you
mute
it?

Luke punched a few buttons to try to silence the ringer but it was too late. Baldie had heard.

I peered over the edge of the slide and caught Baldie's eye. Darn. He smiled evilly and headed our way while he spoke into his phone. “One way or another, sit tight. This deal isn't over until I say it's over.”

We
need
to
split
up
to
confuse
him
, I rang to Luke and cocked my head for him to head in the other direction.

Are
you
sure?
Luke asked.

It's the only way.

Luke headed one way and I circled the pool going in the other direction. Baldie watched us both, holding his phone in one hand and pulling a wrench out of his pocket with the other.

“That alarm is for you by the way!” I called out, trying to rattle him. “There are policemen freeing that kid from cabin 1078 as we speak.”

Baldie squinted his eyes and sneered. “That kid should'na been nosing around. Served him right for sneaking onto the ship like that.”

“They're coming for you next,” Luke called out from the other direction.

Baldie turned to Luke then snapped his head back toward me to keep an eye on us both.

Do
you
think
he
has
a
gun?
I rang out to Luke.