seat.
“I can’t read the names from here; it’s too dark,” she responded, turning her head toward him. “I’ll have to get out and look.”
He hesitated, then said, “Be careful. If anyone sees you just turn around, get back in the car and drive away.”
“All right.”
Helen got out and strolled along the wooden dock, reading a succession of names emblazoned on a long row of power boats. She passed Sunshine Superman, Blue Lagoon , and a number of others, but could find no Estrellita. She turned around and came back, looking again, but it was not among them.
She returned to the car and said, “It’s not there.”
“Are there any other boats docked here?” he asked.
“Just the commercial craft on the other side of the lagoon.”
“Take me there.”
Helen started the car again, noticing that his tone was changing as he assumed command of the venture. It was obvious that he was used to issuing orders and he was back to his old form.
She circled the marina, pulling up at the commercial dock and getting out to look. It didn’t take her long to find the boat, a medium sized cruiser with a large, powerful engine. She glanced around her. No one was near. She could see a young couple walking hand in hand in the distance, but they were going the other way.
Helen returned to the car and opened the door. “I found it,” she told him. “It’s right nearby. You can get out now; the dock is deserted.”
He emerged feet first, straightening and looking around him. When he satisfied himself that she was right, he followed her to the boat and jumped down into it, reaching up with one hand to pull her after him.
“How did you know this would be here?” she asked, thinking that the question was probably an exercise in futility, but trying anyway.
To her surprise, he answered. “This is the boat I came in on,” he said shortly. “My men were told that if anything happened to me they were to leave it here.”
“Sort of like an alternate escape route, huh?” Helen said.
He examined her in the feeble light, trying to read her expression.
“Sort of,” he finally replied, and she let it go at that.
He went to the control panel at the front of the boat and looked over the instruments, seeming to find that everything was in order.
“How will you get it started?” she asked. “You don’t have a key.”
“It’s hidden on board.”
“But the customs check, the harbor police, Matteo.”
“I’ll be all right, don’t worry.” He turned to face her, and she knew that this was the farewell she’d been dreading.
“When you get off the boat,” he instructed her, “don’t wait for me to leave. Just take your car and drive directly back to your house.”
“And forget you?” she concluded for him, hating the betraying tremble that invaded her voice.
He put his arm around her and pulled her tight against his shoulder, rocking her gently. “No, mi corazon. Remember me, as I will always remember you.”
He let her go, taking her face between his hands and kissing her lips lightly.
“Mi corazon,” he whispered again, still brushing her mouth with his.
“What does that mean?” she asked, fighting the growing tightness in her throat.
“My heart. And you are my heart, even if I never see you again.”
Helen closed her eyes, unable to bear the thought of it.
“Mi princesa americana, mi senorita dolorosa blanca,” he murmured, stroking her hair.
She understood only that he was saying goodbye.
He embraced her once more, quickly, fiercely, and then pressed something into her palm.
She glanced down at it, glinting gold in the harbor lights, and realized that it was the small ring he wore on the little finger of his left hand. It had a signet ring’s flat surface and bore on its face, not initials, but the symbol of a tropical bird inscribed in a circle.
“It’s the only thing I have of value,” he said, “and even that is more sentimental than monetary. Please keep it, so that
“I can’t read the names from here; it’s too dark,” she responded, turning her head toward him. “I’ll have to get out and look.”
He hesitated, then said, “Be careful. If anyone sees you just turn around, get back in the car and drive away.”
“All right.”
Helen got out and strolled along the wooden dock, reading a succession of names emblazoned on a long row of power boats. She passed Sunshine Superman, Blue Lagoon , and a number of others, but could find no Estrellita. She turned around and came back, looking again, but it was not among them.
She returned to the car and said, “It’s not there.”
“Are there any other boats docked here?” he asked.
“Just the commercial craft on the other side of the lagoon.”
“Take me there.”
Helen started the car again, noticing that his tone was changing as he assumed command of the venture. It was obvious that he was used to issuing orders and he was back to his old form.
She circled the marina, pulling up at the commercial dock and getting out to look. It didn’t take her long to find the boat, a medium sized cruiser with a large, powerful engine. She glanced around her. No one was near. She could see a young couple walking hand in hand in the distance, but they were going the other way.
Helen returned to the car and opened the door. “I found it,” she told him. “It’s right nearby. You can get out now; the dock is deserted.”
He emerged feet first, straightening and looking around him. When he satisfied himself that she was right, he followed her to the boat and jumped down into it, reaching up with one hand to pull her after him.
“How did you know this would be here?” she asked, thinking that the question was probably an exercise in futility, but trying anyway.
To her surprise, he answered. “This is the boat I came in on,” he said shortly. “My men were told that if anything happened to me they were to leave it here.”
“Sort of like an alternate escape route, huh?” Helen said.
He examined her in the feeble light, trying to read her expression.
“Sort of,” he finally replied, and she let it go at that.
He went to the control panel at the front of the boat and looked over the instruments, seeming to find that everything was in order.
“How will you get it started?” she asked. “You don’t have a key.”
“It’s hidden on board.”
“But the customs check, the harbor police, Matteo.”
“I’ll be all right, don’t worry.” He turned to face her, and she knew that this was the farewell she’d been dreading.
“When you get off the boat,” he instructed her, “don’t wait for me to leave. Just take your car and drive directly back to your house.”
“And forget you?” she concluded for him, hating the betraying tremble that invaded her voice.
He put his arm around her and pulled her tight against his shoulder, rocking her gently. “No, mi corazon. Remember me, as I will always remember you.”
He let her go, taking her face between his hands and kissing her lips lightly.
“Mi corazon,” he whispered again, still brushing her mouth with his.
“What does that mean?” she asked, fighting the growing tightness in her throat.
“My heart. And you are my heart, even if I never see you again.”
Helen closed her eyes, unable to bear the thought of it.
“Mi princesa americana, mi senorita dolorosa blanca,” he murmured, stroking her hair.
She understood only that he was saying goodbye.
He embraced her once more, quickly, fiercely, and then pressed something into her palm.
She glanced down at it, glinting gold in the harbor lights, and realized that it was the small ring he wore on the little finger of his left hand. It had a signet ring’s flat surface and bore on its face, not initials, but the symbol of a tropical bird inscribed in a circle.
“It’s the only thing I have of value,” he said, “and even that is more sentimental than monetary. Please keep it, so that
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