Instead of riding Kaiser, he decided to take an older carriage
from the stables, one that hadn’t been used recently. As much as Teach hated to admit it, his father was right. It would be better if he wasn’t recognized or seen about town.
Wearing the floppy hat John had given him, as well as the
old coat, Teach set out, thankful for the disguise.
By the time he arrived at the Deliverance, it was dark and a thick fog had rolled in, cloaking the docks in a sheltering mist.
Teach didn’t wait to search for a plank to board. He took a running jump and leapt onto the deck.
John appeared almost immediately, no doubt drawn by the
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sound of Teach landing and by the subtle rocking of the ship. In John’s hand was the telltale glitter of his knife, which he lowered to his side when he saw Teach. “Well, lookee here. The Deliverance won’t be ready for another fortnight. Bored of the good life already, are you?”
Teach grimaced, shaking John’s hand as John thumped him
on the back. “I need to talk to you.”
John’s face grew serious, his eyes narrowing. “What is it?”
Teach led him away from the rail and down the murky
stairs to the captain’s cabin. The sweet musky scent of fresh
pine and wood tar filled the air. The room itself was sparsely
furnished with a desk, chair, and a single berth, and large windows lined one wall.
Closing the door, Teach turned and faced his friend. “I need
you to take care of something for me,” he said, his voice soft.
“Tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”
It was a relief to know Teach could count on John. “I’ve
been accused of piracy.”
“What?” John burst out.
Teach held up a hand, wary of the silent docks in the distance. “Quiet. I just found out today. The constable delivered
the charges to my father.”
“But that’s a bloody lie.”
“I need you to keep an ear out. It might have been Henry
Barrett. If it was, I need you to discover what kind of evidence he has.”
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John spat on the ground over his shoulder. “I remember Barrett. Nowhere near as honorable as his father. Pity it wasn’t him who died.”
“Yes, well, if we don’t get him to withdraw the charges, I
might be next.”
“I’m sure me and the rest of the crew would be only too
happy to vouch for you.”
Teach gave a weak smile. “I wish it were that simple. Others
have been accused, but I’m not sure who they are or if the same person brought the evidence against all of us. I need you to find out for me.”
“Right. It’ll take me a bit to see what I can scare up. If you
can stay with the ship, I’ll be back in a spell.”
“Of course,” Teach said. “But you must return before dawn.”
John clasped Teach’s shoulder. “Don’t you worry none. We’ll
get to the bottom of this.” With a friendly nod, John opened
the door and disappeared up the stairs.
Teach had been right to come here. If there was news to be
learned, his friend would be able to gather it, for he was a pop-ular figure and well-liked by all who knew him.
It only now occurred to Teach that he’d never once thought
to go to William. William had returned to Bristol with Teach,
and the duke was an influential man in Parliament.
But somehow Teach knew William would be of no use to him.
Teach couldn’t help wondering how the meeting between his
father and his solicitor was going. Anne was right. Drummond
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was a powerful man in the city. If he was able to disprove Henry’s allegations, Teach would deal with Henry personally later.
For the next three hours Teach kept vigil at the top of the
stairs, hidden in the shadows of the deck. The water lapped
against the hull of the ship, comforting Teach with its familiar cadence. Despite his father’s disapproval, Teach would never be sorry for the time he’d spent at sea.
If he were to hang . . .
Teach pushed those thoughts aside, his eyes drawn to a sudden movement on the docks.
John had returned.
After sliding a board into place, John was on deck within a
matter of minutes. The two of them retreated once more to the
captain’s cabin.
“And?” Teach demanded.
“Whoever accused you isn’t the same one who accused
those other men. They was caught red-handed. Someone just
threw your name in for good measure.”
The muscles in Teach’s arms and back tightened. “Was it
Barrett?”
John rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t know for sure.
Nobody’s heard of any evidence against you, not like with those others. I’ve got someone watching Barrett’s house, to see what
he does and where he goes. You best get home, Teach. There’s
nothing more to be done tonight.”
Frustration warred with fatigue, and Teach drew his hand
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wearily through his hair. “Bring word to my house, but don’t go to the front door. Come through the back, like you’re visiting Mary.”
“I haven’t seen Mary in days.”
“You can’t tell anyone about this, John. Especially not