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Chapter 9
Lee could feel the yacht rocking and knew they must be in a bad storm. His sunburn was still radiating heat and his arms felt the skin was being pulled off of them. He still had a headache but wasn't as nauseated as before. He finished all of his water and knew he wouldn't get any more until lunch so he choked down the oatmeal. When he was finished he laid down on the mattress trying to get comfortable. He fell asleep but was awakened when he heard the door being unlocked and noticed the yacht had stopped rocking.
Howie stood there with Danny and Arnie grinning, "Crane, today is your lucky day. The storm's over and you get to finish your tan. We wouldn't want you to have any tan lines," Danny said sarcastically as he grabbed Lee by the arm and dragged him up stairs to the upper deck where he removed his t-shirt and shorts. Howie pushed him down on his stomach spreading his arms and legs as he tied them down. As they stood there, Danny was taking a video of Lee laying in the hot sun and said to Howie, "Mr. Gallagher is going to have another great home movie to show Mrs. Crane." Lee could hardly control his temper but was in no position to do anything about it. The three men returned to the salon and checked out the refrigerator. They found what they wanted, nice cold bottles of beer.
The ocean was still rough from the storm as Lee laid on the hot deck and with every rock of the boat his chest rubbed on the wooden slats causing the blisters that had formed on his chest and thighs to break open oozing out their liquid. He turned his head sideways trying to get comfortable.
((()))
The admiral, Jamie, Paul and Chip were just finishing up dinner when Cookie returned to the wardroom to check on the officers. They noticed Cookie was not there when they arrived and wondered where he was as he was always in the wardroom when they ate.
Chip spoke up, "Everything okay Cookie? We were worried when we didn't see you in here."
"Yes sir. I just had to check on Mrs. Crane as she didn't eat breakfast or lunch."
Jamie looked up from his dinner. "She's not eating...I'm going down there when I'm finished."
"No need Dr. Jamieson, I told her she had better eat or else," Cookie smiled.
Paul frowned when he heard the conversation between Cookie and Jamie. He was about to say something but thought he better not when Jamie spoke up about going down see her. He was curious as to what the doctor had to do with her and eating. He still wasn't happy that Cookie had gone to see her and would find out about it later.
Cookie saw they had their dessert and coffee so he went back to the crew's mess and the galley to read what Janet wrote on the napkin. He stared at it after he read it and speculated on what it meant but would give it to Mr. Morton like she asked. Adam also returned to the wardroom after bringing Janet her dinner. He needed to talk to Paul about Cookie's 'orders'. He wondered if Paul knew what they were. He would wait to talk to Paul when he made his final check of the officer's cabins for the night.
Cookie was still in the galley when Chip stuck his head in the crew's mess looking for him. He wanted to ask Cookie about Janet. He also noticed that Lee wasn't too pleased when Cookie went to see Janet.
"Great dinner," Chip said to Cookie who looked up quickly not realizing Chip was there. "How was Janet...why is she not eating...does she need anything?" he asked with concern.
"No, she doesn't need anything except to be let out and she said she wasn't hungry," he replied looking at the napkin. "Mr. Morton, she gave me this to give to you," Cookie said giving Chip the napkin. "Do you know what it means?"
Chip read what was written on the napkin and looked at Cookie dumfounded. "No, I'm not sure but I'll look into it. Don't say anything to anybody about this. Make an excuse to get back down again but don't make it too obvious. Something's going on and I don't want to put her in danger."
"Yes sir. Her dinner tray is still down there so I'll go later and bring it back up."
Chip walked away and stopped at the door before leaving. "Thanks Cookie and bring some extra napkins."
"No problem, Mr. Morton," Cookie replied as Chip continued out the door and up to his cabin. He was off duty for the night and was going to catch up on the paperwork that Janet couldn't do while she was in the brig. As he arrived at his cabin he saw Adam leaving the admiral's with the dirty towels. Adam saw Chip enter his cabin and knocked on the door. "Do you need anything before retiring Mr. Morton?"
"No Adam, I'm fine," Chip replied as Adam took his dirty towels and left some clean ones.
"Good night sir," he said closing the door behind him.
Adam had one more cabin to check on that was Paul's. He went around the corner stopping to make sure no one was following him as he knew Chip and Lee would talk about the boat before retiring. Paul was just getting ready to do his walk-around when Adam knocked on the door.
"Come in," Paul said waiting at the door to see who was there. Adam entered the cabin and could tell Paul was pissed. "Why did you let that cook go with you...what happen down there...did she talk to him?" he questioned as he sat down at the desk.
"He said he had 'orders' and his orders countermanded yours. I had to leave them alone for a few minutes to clean up the mess she made when she knocked over her tray. I waited at the door and I didn't hear them talking. I asked her what Cookie's 'orders' were when I brought her a new tray of food but she told me to ask him. I know no one was supposed to see her, but I couldn't tell him no, he couldn't go. Besides that, he's not real happy with me right now and I don't want to get on his bad side if you know what I mean," Adam explained.
"Damn. You're sure they didn't talk?" Paul asked again and Adam shook his head yes. "I'll find out what 'orders' he's talking about. We're almost done only another twenty-four hours until we're free of this." Paul got up from the desk and would take his walk-around the boat making the galley his first stop of the night.
((()))
Chip opened his door slightly and watched Adam head for Lee's cabin. Once he saw him round the corner he went to the admiral's cabin and knocked on the door. "Come in," the admiral replied quickly not expecting anyone and was surprised to see Chip enter the cabin.
"Hi Chip what can I do for you?"
Chip took the napkin out of his pocket and laid it on the admiral's desk. He read what it said and looked up at Chip. "Where did you get this...what does it mean?"
Chip explained to the admiral how he came about the napkin and what Cookie had told him. Taking a deep breath the admiral said, "If this is true, we have to get more information from her but 'Lee' is very adamant about no one talking to her and now we know why. We could just call Lee or whoever he is out."
"No I'm afraid he'll take it out on Janet. He seems to have something over her and he's trying to make her look like she's crazy. Cookie's going to see if he can't get some more information. Let's wait and see what he finds out first."
"You're right Chip," the admiral admitted as he ran his hand through his hair. "We'll just have to be careful as to what we say and do from now on."
"I agree," Chip concurred as he stood up and went to the door. "Good night sir."
"Good night Chip," the admiral replied. When Chip left the cabin, the admiral opened the bottom drawer of his desk and took out a bottle of his favorite scotch and poured himself two fingers worth and swallowed it down in one gulp.
Chip returned to his cabin but was too worried about what was on the napkin. Hopefully Cookie can get more information, he thought. He looked at the stack of paperwork on his desk and decided to tackle it to keep his mind busy.
((()))
Paul made his way to the galley hoping Cookie was still there but caught him as he was leaving. "Where are you going?" Paul asked, "I need to talk to you."
"I was just going down to the brig to get Janet's tray so I could clean it up and close the galley for the night. I forgot she still had it down there. Sorry sir," Cookie replied.
"I'll walk with you," Paul said as he went down the stairway with Cookie following him. "Dinner was exceptional good tonight," Paul commented as they walked down the passageway to the brig.
"Thank you, sir."
When they arrived at the brig Janet was sitting with her back against the bulkhead. She had eaten most of her dinner so Cookie smiled at her. She returned the smile but was upset that Paul was with him. Paul opened the door of the brig and Cookie removed the tray.
"Thank you," Janet said, "Dinner was good."
"You're welcome," he replied as Paul shut and locked the door. "Good night, Skipper, Mrs. C."
"Good night," they both replied and watched as Cookie walked down the passageway to the stairs. Paul followed him making sure he went up the stairs.
Paul returned to the brig and opened up the door. Janet had gotten up off the bunk and was facing him. "Whose 'orders' countermand mine?" he asked crossly. "And why didn't you tell me about them."
"I can't remember everything," she answered back tersely. "Ask Cookie if you want to know."
With that remark, Paul backhanded her across the face leaving a large red welt and scratch from Lee's ring. "I've just about had enough of you," he said as she rubbed her check.
"Okay Paul, you win," Janet replied contritely, "I've had enough too. What do you want me to do?"
Stunned at her about face, "Now that's more like it. I promise I'll make it up to you," he told Janet as he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the lips his hand brushing against her breast. Janet cringed at his touch but didn't let him see it.
"Can I please take a shower?" Janet asked softly. "I need to change my clothes too."
"Okay, I'll let you shower and change while I do my walk-around. I still don't trust you so I'm going to lock you in the cabin."
The two of them went up the ladders and passageways to their cabin. Paul opened the door for Janet and let her go in first. He followed her in. "I'll do my walk around and when I come back we'll talk about what I want you to do," he told her squeezing her hand.
"Don't hurry on my account," she retorted.
"I'll be back soon," Paul replied as he rubbed her check where there was a large welt and scratch from where he hit her. "I hate this walk-around," he muttered under his breath as he left the cabin. Janet could hear him lock the door.
When Paul left Janet had all she could do to keep from throwing up. The thought of pretending to sleep with him was revolting but she would have to do it to carry out her plan and save not only Lee but Seaview. Before she took her shower, she checked out Lee's desk to see if the gun was still there. After going through all the drawers, she couldn't find it. She practically turned the cabin upside down trying to find the gun but still couldn't find it. Damn, she thought. Going back to the desk drawer, the only thing she found was a twelve inch by three-inch-wide solid glass nameplate with Lee's name engraved on it. It also had a picture of him and Liddy taped on it. It was stashed in the back of the drawer so Lee probably forgot he put it there. Oh well, it will have to do, she thought as she put it under the pillow.
