“If Haley really was on that boat,” Drayton said.
“She’s on it,” Theodosia said. “I know she is. I can feel it.” She ground her teeth together and called out, “Haley!” It was a long, agonizing cry that barely hung in the air before it was muffled by the fog.
“Now what?” Drayton asked.
Theodosia’s shoulders slumped. “Now we try to call Tidwell again.” She reached a hand out. “Gimme the phone.”
Drayton blanched. “I think it’s . . . still in your car.”
“I’ll run back and grab it,” Grainger said.
But before he could make a move, the loud, high-pitched blare of a horn pierced the air. The horn blatted again and then a brilliant bright light flashed on.
“What on earth?” Drayton murmured as the light swooped sideways and suddenly shone directly on them, bathing them in a white glow and practically blinding them with its glare.
Like a ghost ship emerging from a bank of fog, a Coast Guard ship suddenly and miraculously glided into sight. It was an RB-M, one of the new, sleek, forty-five-foot response boats used for search and rescue.
Up on deck, a man’s voice, clearly enhanced by the aid of a loudspeaker, shouted down to them. “Stay where you are. Do not try to board us. We’re going to swing in close and attempt to pick you up.”
Theodosia was awestruck. She didn’t know whether to dance or cry. “Oh my gosh, Tidwell really did it! The man actually commandeered a Coast Guard vessel!”
The words were barely out of Theodosia’s mouth when Tidwell leaned out over the railing and hailed her. “Ahoy,” he called. Wind slicking back his hair, a yellow rain jacket billowing out around him, he gazed solemnly down at them. “How many?” he called out.
“Three of us,” Theodosia called back. “Please hurry!”
29
With a loud clang, a metal ladder was slung over the side of the ship and Theodosia, Drayton, and Billy Grainger scrambled aboard.
“I can’t believe you commandeered a ship,” Theodosia said to Tidwell. Her voice caught in her throat, tears of gratitude welled in her eyes.
But Tidwell was completely focused on the task at hand. “Hang on,” he told them, “we’re going to heave about.”
Grainger stepped up to Tidwell. “Is the boat that took off with Haley still in sight?”
Nonplussed, Tidwell stared at Grainger. “Who might you be?”
“Boyfriend,” Drayton said, as if that explained everything. And it probably did.
“Kindly stay out of my way,” Tidwell said.
Two Coast Guardsmen scrambled to put life jackets on Theodosia, Drayton, and Grainger. Then the ship’s motors revved to an ear-splitting pitch and they roared out into the deep waters of Charleston Harbor.
Out on fairly open water, the wind and rain cut like a knife. They all huddled together next to the small wheelhouse. They were shivering like crazy and hanging on for dear life.
Wind and rain stinging her eyes, Theodosia leaned sideways and caught sight of the boat they were chasing. It was dead ahead, but a long way ahead. She steadied herself and lurched over to a side railing where one of the Coast Guardsmen was positioned.
The Coast Guardsman saw her fear and frustration and said, “Fast boat.” His name tag said BEATTY and he looked grim.
“You think we can catch them?” Theodosia asked.
“Lieutenant Commander’s pouring it on hard as he can,” Beatty said.
“But is this boat faster?”
He gave a quick nod. “I think so. If he punches it all the way up to forty-five knots.”
As minutes passed, and Theodosia hunched and held her breath, she saw that they were slowly but surely gaining on the boat directly ahead of them.
Tidwell duckwalked his way over to her. “Who is it?” he asked her. “Who took the girl?” He was standing with his legs splayed apart like an old sea captain. His orange life jacket billowed out around him like a spinnaker.
“I’m positive it was Luke Andros,” Theodosia said. “Here I thought he was going to go after the Fabergé egg, but he grabbed Haley and the ruby-and-diamond brooch instead.”
“Ruby brooch?”
Theodosia waved a hand. “It’s a long story. But at least the Fabergé egg is safe.”
“Who says there isn’t another crew going after the egg?” Tidwell asked.
His words sent Theodosia into a stunned silence. She’d never imagined that type of scenario. Was kidnapping Haley simply a plot to lure them all away from the Heritage Society? Was there a second crew waiting in the wings? A crew all set to go storming in and grab the Fabergé egg? If kidnapping Haley was just a distraction for the real smash-and-grab, then she had screwed up royally!
Theodosia grabbed Tidwell by the front of his shirt. “You’ve got to get in touch with the Heritage Society!” she screamed. “Make sure everything is okay.”
Tidwell frowned at her. “I just spoke to one of my men ten minutes ago.”
“Call him again. Please.”
“If it would make you happy . . .”