a carriage ride after dinner, and then having an early night. I have a seaweed body wrap and spa pedicure scheduled for tomorrow morning.” Glancing toward Becki she asked, “Do you want to go with?”
“I guess we aren’t going to the Pub,” Jonah sarcastically rolled his eyes.
Becki concentrated on guiding the boat back toward the marina. She loved her sister, but Jonah? Not so much. Together, they could wear you out like no other. There was no way Natie could be happy with him. As high-school sweet hearts, they had been a cute couple, one of the in crowd. The fire had dimmed somewhere around the time that Natie had caught Jonah with their mutual friend Rena. Why they continued to torture each other remained a mystery to everyone. Break-up, make-up seemed to be the theme of their relationship. Their life was nothing but drama, drama, drama. Natie, with her natural charisma, collected admirers everywhere she went, which in turn tended to make Jonah jealous. She loved to look good and thrived on attention, but Natie was a one-man-woman. Unfortunately, Jonah was that one man.
Becki checked the time. Her shift started at six o’clock this evening, so there was no way she could clean off the boat right now. Chances were good that she could talk Landon into meeting her at the marina after work to pick up the crate and her diving gear.
“Have fun tonight, and give me a call after your pedicure and seaweed wrap. You know that appointment is way too early for me,” Becki said as she hugged Natie. By-passing Jonah, she rushed to the parking lot and quickly climbed into her cute little yellow sports car. The car had been a gift from her parents and was just perfect for zipping around town. The down side was the lack of cargo space, definitely not enough room for the crate. She waved at the couple as she zoomed past them.
“Anything before noon is too early for you!” Natie yelled. This was so true. Becki enjoyed nothing more than lazing in bed in the morning. Too bad there hadn’t been anyone she wanted to ‘laze’ with lately. Where was her dream man anyway?
#
“Royce. Are you there? Royce? Come on man, answer me. Royce!” What have those Witches done? Royce wondered. Now I’m hearing voices.
Could it get any worse?
“Royce. It’s me, Sean.” Royce wrinkled his brow. That voice sounded
awfully real.
“I know you hear me man, respond!”
He couldn’t even think straight, much less respond. That sounded a
lot like his Techno-Expert, Sean.
“Royce, your watch is a video transmitter. Talk to me.”
Glancing in the direction of his wrist, Royce saw a glow. Angling his
wrist to get a better look, which was not easy in the confined space, he
saw Sean’s goofy face on the screen of his watch.
“It’s about time, I was getting worried,” Sean complained with a grin. “Worried? How long have I been MIA?” Royce croaked. His throat
was dry, but at least the drum beat in his head was subsiding. Note to self;
next time you leave for a quick snatch & grab mission, stick some pain killers in
your pocket. “You do have someone on the way to get me out of this
damn box, right?”
“Sure thing boss, help is on the way,” Sean answered, seeming less
than confident.
“So, how long have I been in here? The days have run together,”
Royce asked again.
“It’s been--, well, right at twenty-three months since you dropped off
the radar,” Sean answered hesitantly. “Wait till Joanna finds out. When
the alarm tripped on the tracking system earlier, I thought it was a false
reading,” he continued more enthusiastically.
“Come again?” Royce roared. “Did you say twenty-three months?” “Well--, yes; but, we never gave up hope! We knew you would
surface eventually.”
“Eventually? Twenty-three months, that’s two years!”
“Not quite,” Sean inserted quietly.
“What the hell have you been doing? You have the best technology
in the world at your disposal, and you haven’t been able to find me in the
last two years? I’ve been in this box for two damn years?” Royce’s temper
was quickly reaching the boiling point. He banged angrily on the sides of
the crate with his fists, and although it moved slightly, it would not open. “Hey man, calm down,” Sean soothed. “You’ve been in a box? So
that’s how they did it.”
“They who?”
“That is still a mystery. But, we suspect the Witches.”
“Ya think?” Royce responded sarcastically.
“I’m showing your location just outside of Charleston, South
Carolina.” Royce could hear the keyboard clicking as Sean typed