Crystal Blue (Buck Reilly Adventure Series Book 3) by John Cunningham (novels for beginners txt) 📕

“You really are a cowboy, aren’t you?

“Hi-ho, Silver,” I said.

WE CIRCLED JOST VAN DYKE once at a thousand feet so I could survey the harbor, then descended and set down just outside of Great Bay, where the boat traffic was far heavier than around Peter Island.

“I wish I could make an entrance like this at my concerts,” Avery said.

There was a clear path toward the dock near Foxy’s, which is where I had us pointed. The admonitions from Air Traffic Control had me fidgeting in my seat. There was a police station on Jost, and busting an outlaw seaplane pilot would be a good way to gain recognition. And with a gang war raging back in the USVI, law enforcement would be super sensitive right now.

As we glided up toward the dock I cut the power, then scrambled under the instrument panel, again brushed past her leg, popped open the bow hatch and tossed a line to the young boy who stood there. He wrapped it around a cleat a third of the way down the dock. I jumped out with another line, wrapped it through a ring on the Beast’s tail, and tied it off on a cleat at the end of the pier.

Avery had opened the side hatch and stood there smiling. Her black hair blew in the breeze but she did nothing to keep it in place, and it struck me again that she was more laid back than most celebrities I’d known. I extended my hand—she took it and leapt toward me. I caught her in a brief hug before I set her down on the dock, giggling like a teenager.

“You sure know how to show a girl a good time, Buck Reilly—”

“Yes, he does,” a voice came from over our shoulders.

I turned. I was surprised to see Crystal standing there, more surprised by the really dark circles under eyes. She must not have slept in days. I gave her a hug.

“Are you okay?” I said.

She gave me a slight nod, then stepped around me.

“Hi, Avery, I’m Crystal Thedford. So glad you’re finally here.”

Avery’s smile looked a bit forced, which made me uncomfortable.

“This is my assistant, Scarlet,” Crystal said. “She’ll help get you situated with rehearsals.”

A tall mid-twenties brunette stepped forward from behind Crystal and offered a crisp handshake to Avery, then me. She fit the description of the woman Captain Jeremy described as being on the beach when he met John Thedford.

Avery looked at me. “Are you taking me back to Peter Island tonight?”

“I don’t—”

“We’ve made arrangements for you here,” Scarlet said. “There’s a private party for our whole group after rehearsals at Soggy Dollar around the corner at Great White Bay—private villas there for the evening. If you’d rather return to Peter Island, we can have someone take you over.” She smiled. “Now if you’ll come with me, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

Avery surprised me with a quick hug and peck on the cheek.

“Now I see why you’re not interested,” she whispered.

I wanted to set her straight, but finding the right words would take some thought and she was already following after Scarlet. I scanned the beach, then out to the horizon—no police. I spotted a small group of picketers down near Foxy’s but couldn’t read their signs this far away.

“Everything okay with those folks?” I nodded toward them.

“They fight more among themselves than with us.” Crystal attempted a laugh. “I keep them plied with Foxy’s painkillers and daiquiris.”

“Any of them given you the impression they might know something about John’s disappearance?”

She shook her head. “No, and believe me, I’ve asked them a million questions. They’re passionate about their positions but none have made threatening comments about John or Stud.” She took in a deep breath. “All the news has been about the kidnapper’s demands and speculation about Stud, and if it’s mentioned at all, John’s disappearance is characterized as him leaving St. John drunk after a party and presumed drowned.”

So much had happened since I last saw Crystal. I hadn’t told her about the red Cigarette boat or its captain, not wanting to share my concern that Baldy might have dumped John into Pillsbury Sound on the off-chance that Booth’s theory about her involvement was right. His revelation about Crystal’s past relationship with Stud also sealed my lips.

“This must be the charter pilot you said is helping you, Crystal.” An older, rotund man dressed in slacks and a pressed tropical shirt walked up to us.

“Yes, Viktor, this is Buck Reilly.” Crystal turned to me. “Buck, please meet one of our board members, Viktor Galey.”

We shook hands, but I continued to look past him down the dock.

“Former treasure hunter, isn’t that right, King Charles?” Galey said.

That got my attention.

“Many of your discoveries were quite amazing.” He had a slight accent, from where I couldn’t tell.

“Those were good times,” I said. “What business are you in, Viktor?”

“Petroleum, natural gas and mining, but I have several other diversions as well. Like you, I made my fortune hunting for treasure—just different kinds.”

“And of a more sustainable variety,” I said.

He nodded. “The global downturn ruined many an entrepreneur.” Crystal had mentioned a billionaire on her board, I figured this must be him. “Thank you for helping to look for John. It seems the law enforcement agencies are focused elsewhere.”

“Buck’s been a big help,” Crystal said.

Movement along the shore caught my attention. A police car had pulled up on the road behind the beach.

Damn!

“I’ve got to go,” I said. “Viktor, nice to meet you.” I felt the sudden urge to warn them. “By the way, as busy as you’ve been you may not have heard, but there’s a turf war going on over in the U.S. Virgins—”

“Special Agent Booth from the FBI has informed us of these matters,” Galey said. That accent—European?

He smiled and turned back down the dock.

“Why do you have to leave so soon?” Crystal said. “I haven’t even told you the latest—”

I pointed toward the policeman who