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"Maybe you liked her too ht into the legend of pirates and their swashbuckling adventures since you were a kid Look at your normal mode of appearance You’re not married and never were You own all kinds of ships You’re rich, and you’re rich because of the sea You know the Dragonslayer, you know Savannah and the river And you know your pirate history Coined froirl and convince her you were a charue, an Errol Flynn or a Johnny Depp But you could never get the right girl"

Aldous Brentwood’s eyes widened with incredulity as he stared at Malachi "I don’t knohat the hell you’re talking about!" he shouted "And I sure as hell don’t knohat this scarf--that isn’t mine--means!"

"It was used as a blindfold, Aldous," Malachi said "Poor Felicia cried--cried in fear and terror and despair--when she was bound in a cabin on one of your ships She cried, and she left traces of her DNA to prove that you were her killer"

"I’m not--and that wasn’t on my yacht!" Aldous protested "The police were onthere--unless it was planted!"

"Planted by the police?" Malachi asked, raising an eyebrow

"By the police," Aldous agreed energetically "Oror someone!" He pointed at Malachi "Or you You! We don’t know you--you don’t belong here You’re not one of us Maybe you planted it on the yacht!"

"Aldous, get over it I was the one who found the scarf, but I wasn’t in Savannah when this spree of kidnapping and ht? You went on ally I don’t know the law all that well, but I know you can’t use evidence in court when you got it illegally And don’t you get it? You’re harassing the wrong person I didn’t do any of this I’m innocent--I swear it!"

Malachi decided wearily that he believed him Aldous was passionate in his denial But he pushed a little further

"Actually, I’ht I heard you screa on your yacht I went out to see if you needed help I saw that scarf, and took it in case you’d been kidnapped or injured--one victiave it to the police"

"That’s the biggest crock I’ve ever heard," Aldous sneered

Malachi shrugged "Maybe We know you have all the right credentials--and a rowboat and a scarf with a victim’s DNA"

Aldous shook his head "Butit’s not me I didn’t do it"

"So, how did your rowboat wind up loose and how did the scarf wind up on your yacht?"

"I don’t know! I’ you, someone put the about that scarf"

"Who else is on your yacht on a regular basis?" Malachi asked

"I have a cleaning crew that comes in once or twice a month" He paused "There are ten berths there, so one of the other owners could have gotten on my yacht And, then, of course--"

Aldous broke off He looked ill

"And then, of course--what?"

"Gus, Bootsie and Dirk The three of them had keys to the dock," he said "They’re my best friends They were alelco cold hardened inside Malachi Aldous could be lying, trying to shift the blame

But he didn’t know; he didn’t have a definite sense that yes, he was guilty, or no, he was innocent He believed Roger, and even though he wasn’t co Aldous

That left Dirk or Bootsie

Or

Soonslayer, so about the way it ran, day in and day out

Grant Green, Macy Sterling, Jerry Sullivan

Macy? Doubtful--unless she was so the day And yet, that couldto slip away

Jerry Sullivan, the bartender, friendly, ever listening, knowing everything and everyone Always there fro

"Aren’t there any caht’ve been ai you--someone was on my boat and planted that scarf"

"Say it was planted, and the police didn’t do it Who would it have been?"

Aldous shook his head, lost and dejected "II don’t know All I can tell you is that I’ve never attacked anyone, I just happen to be bald, and I don’t have any fantasies about being a pirate," he said

"I’ot to his feet

"You’re going to letto ask that you stay here for the oing to clear ht if it’ll o"