Page 130 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

“We have to catch that fiend, Costa, and bring him to justice,” Cardoso ordered Santiago.

The merchant nodded, glad to have someone as powerful as the commodore on his side for a change.

“And after that, I’ll expect your full cooperation as a key witness when I bring him to trial,” Cardoso continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Veiga, see if you can spot him from the crow’s nest!”

One of the sailors, presumably Veiga, scurried away and clambered up the ropes to get a better view.

The sailors on Santiago’s ship were already trying to mend the rigging and broken sail as best they could, though somehow the ship still seemed moderately seaworthy.

It had taken a bit of convincing from Santiago to get them to stop fighting, but the fact that Costa had abandoned everyone, something a captain should never do, had been proof enough that the man didn’t have their best interests at heart.

And now that the battle was truly over, everyone was eager for revenge on the man responsible for all the destruction.

It hadn’t taken long to discover that Claudio Perreira had shot the cannon that started the second attack. He was currently sitting in Cardoso’s brig, no doubt regretting his foolish decision.

But it turned out that the weasel had been acting under orders from Captain Costa, and not only had Costa ordered Perreira to start shooting again, but he’d also told the sailor to let down one of the rowboats. And by the time everything had settled between the two ships, Costa had slipped away.That man seems to have made a plan for just about every outcome. Where could he have—

Nay, he can wait. I need to find Lucia first.

Santiago called to the commodore, “My sister left in one of the rowboats when the fighting started. I need to make sure she’s all right—”

“There’s no time for that, Mendes! We have to get Costa now before he reaches Norway. If he truly is a Távora, then who knows what kind of connections he has! I need all the resources I can get, and that includes you and your ship.”

“But I—”

“Comodoro! Man overboard!” Veiga cried from above.

Santiago dashed in the direction the man indicated.Who could it be?

A few of Santiago’s men had died amidst the fighting, but he’d thought everyone was accounted for—

He gasped when he recognized the man, or rather body, bobbing in the water next to one of theSão Nicolau’s rowboats: Adriano Rodriguez.

“But he…” Santiago swept his eyes in all directions, searching for his sister.Rodriguez was supposed to protect her and get as far away as possible. How did he end up here, just yards from the battle? Lucia, where are you?

Santiago dove overboard and swam toward the corpse. When he flipped the man over, a deep sadness wrapped itself around him. The man was so young, barely more than a boy, and already his life was over.But how?

Santiago’s eyes widened when he saw the bullet hole in Rodriguez’s forehead.Surely Lucia couldn’t have done this…Santiago doubted she’d ever even held a pistol before.Whoever did this must have taken her too. Wh—

But he knew who. Santiago took a second look around and felt a spark of hope blaze to life in his chest. “Comodoro, look there!”

Though it had gotten a good distance away, it certainly appeared to be a second rowboat. Santiago just prayed that his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him and letting him see what he wanted to see.

“Good eye, man! Now get back in here so we can get going!” the commodore barked before turning his attention to his own sailors.

Santiago didn’t need to be told twice. He paddled through the water and got himself back onto Cardoso’s ship. He ordered his men to follow behind in theSão Nicolauwhile he traveled on the commodore’s faster vessel.

“What’s happening, Veiga? Can you see any better from up there?” Santiago asked.

“There’s a man and a woman in the boat. They’ve stopped rowing. There’s something—The boat’s shaking! They’ve fallen into the water, and something’s in there with them!”

“What’sin the water? Is it sharks?”

“Nay, I can’t—”

Santiago didn’t wait to hear more. He was already rushing to the ship’s prow, straining his eyes to get a better view. Veiga was right that there was something in the water with the two people, but he couldn’t make out—

Then his stomach dropped. A seal.