ABBY

Chapter 2

From the Tricorn hat to the black boots on his feet, power oozes from Captain Sean Davidson. His face is an emotionless mask, but his steel grey eyes are ablaze with revenge and rage. “Good morning, Glenda.  Is Patrick in?” He asks in a stern voice, leaving no room for questions or sweet talk.  Glenda simply nods and steps aside for him to enter. He has to hunch over to enter through the door, while removing his hat.  His black hair is disheveled and his broad shoulders tense. A shiver runs down her spine.  She’s heard the stories.  Captain Davidson is a feared, yet respected man.

“Who is at the door, Hon….?” Patrick swallows his words as he enters the kitchen. “Captain Davidson! I was not expecting you back till next week.” Pat says as he extends his hand to greet the Captain.  “The conquest was successful. However, it seems things are not as well here…” His stern voice trails off as he shakes the extended hand.  “Where is Abby, Patches?” He asks, tears forming in his steel grey eyes. “She’s still asleep, Captain. Coffee?” The captain nods as he takes a seat at the table, a deep sigh escaping his lips.  Glenda makes her way around to fill the kettle and puts it on the stove to heat. Fighting the tears that want to escape.  Sam was a dear friend and the Captain…? He worshiped the very ground she stood on.

“Daddy!”

A shriek and running bare feet on the wooden floor from down the hall, gets their attention. Abby comes barreling into the kitchen and makes a beeline for her father.  Captain Davidson gets down on his knees as she tackles him in a hug. He embraces her small body and buries his face in her long blond hair. A wrenching, raw sob escapes his throat as he grips Abby tighter. His whole body trembles. “Daddy, you’re back!” Abby shouts, as her short arms snake around the Captain’s neck. "What's wrong?" she asks as huge tears start to form in her bright blue eyes as she feels her father's chest tremble against her. She doesn’t fully understand the state her father is in, but it tugs at her heart. She hates seeing her father in distress.

Glenda tugs herself under Patrick’s arm, fighting the tears and a sod that threatens to escape as her chest clamps up.  This is a powerful Pirate King of the High Seas. He's the commander of the Windy Acres fleet.  A Sea Fairy with a notorious and powerful presence, but he is also a husband who lost his wife and a father who has to stand alone now due to other people’s greed and jealousy. She hears Patrick’s sniffles next to her and she knows that he realizes that too.  The scene in front of them reminds them of their humanity.

“Daddy, Patches said that Mama is not coming back.  Where is she? Why did she leave?” Abby asks with a muffled voice as she snuggles into her father’s neck. Sean Davidson feels how his heart shatters into a billion pieces. How does one explain death to a five-year-old? He glances in Glenda’s direction. She catches the plea and clears her throat. “Abby, Sweety, let’s go and get you ready.  Is your bed made, yet?  Maybe you can help me with that.” Abby is reluctant to let go but does so in the end and follows Glenda down the hall, looking back over her shoulder at her father where he is still in a squatted position on the floor.

Captain Davidson gives a painful sigh as he gets up. “Pat, what do you know?” He asks as he takes his seat once more, rubbing a hand over his tired face.  “I want names, addresses, birthdays…Anything to get these low lives and wipe them from the face of the earth.” The Captain’s eyes are ablaze and his voice is dripping venom. 

Patrick clears his throat.  He worked for the Captain for fourteen years.  Taking the place as his right-hand and First Mate on the Black Swallow. He was given the honorable position as “barmen” at the Pirate Oasis once Sam and the Captain met.  “Captain, I want to go back to the sea.  I want to help in the hunt. I’ll start a mere deckhand if I have to.” Pat says as he looks the Captain in the eye.

The Captain studies the man in front of him.  He was and still is one of the most trusted men in his crew. “Names, Patches.” He says as he takes a mug from Patrick, the smell of fresh coffee in his nostrils. But he ignores the request. “I’ll have to make sure, but by the tattoos I saw on the attackers, I’d say they were part of the Blood Snakes.  I think Captain Silver has lost one to many loots to us and he is out for blood.  He targeted the weakest spot in the crew, the Captain’s family.” As Patrick finishes, he feels the atmosphere in the room take a darkened, almost malicious turn. A shiver runs down his spine as he audibly gulps. 

“Have you found Sam’s body, yet?” The Captain asks, fighting to keep control of the anger swirling in his gut. “Not yet.  I have a crew searching as we speak, Captain.” Patrick says as he gets up from the table. “I am also on my way to the site to assist with the search. Captain, I think we have a snitch among us.  How were they able to find her? We took every precaution to hide any evidence of who Sam was.” He senses the tension as he finishes. The Captain’s face is drained. “I have the same theory, but we will have to investigate that before we can point fingers.” The Captain says as he gets up from the table. “Let’s get going.  The sun is starting to get too high. We’ve got work to do.” Pat nods. The Captain is not afraid to get his hands dirty along with the rest of his crew.

“Glenda, we’re going to the site.  Be back soon.” Patrick calls from the door. “Stay safe, Sweetheart!” The muffled voice replies from the back of the house as the door closes behind them.  As they make their way down the street, Patrick steals a glance in the Captain’s direction.  His jaw is clenched and his eyes watchful, taking in everything around them.  Each face, each gesture.  Always on guard. The Captain’s expression is dark and indecipherable.  His strides are powerful and confident, sending a clear message to the bystanders.

They turn the corner to be met with a bustle of activity.  The crew from then Black Swallow is also assisting.  All activity ceases as they draw closer and the men see the Captain.  Walking tall and proud, hats get removed in respect for the Captain’s loss. Everyone loved and respected Sam Davidson.  She might have been a formidable bar owner, but her heart was in the right place. A few knowledgeable nods go around as the Captain greets the men and looks in the direction of the charred skeleton of a building once known as the Pirate’s Oasis.

“Cap’n, we found 'er!” One of the men calls from the rubble. They rush over to where the man stands. He’s standing at the entrance of the basement. The steps are still covered in blood.  Patrick’s heart breaks.  If only she went in earlier, but then the smoke would've gotten her . The Captain is first to enter the small area.  The air is still thick with the smell of smoke and aging rum. The barrels are stacked high on each side.  At the furthest wall, Sam is sitting in a slouched position. She’s covered in blood, with the trail leading from the stairs to where she is sitting. Her cutlass and g*n are still in her hands.  Even in death, she’s still on guard. A bittersweet smirk forms on the Captain’s lips. He crouches down in front of her.  She has several bullet wounds, but the one that most likely caused her demise is the stab wound in her chest. As he looks at her, he almost wishes she would just miraculously take a breath and look up at him with those bright blue eyes, saying she’s alright. They’ll make it through this one. 

Getting down on his knees, the weight of the situation crashes down on his. Choking sobs rip painfully through his body. His shoulders shaking in ragged breaths. His world is ripped apart. Sam was the love of his life. She was his beacon in a stormy ocean to come back to, his rock of support. Abby is the proof of their love. What is he to do now?  He is the Captain of a ship, a respected Pirate King. He can’t just leave the sea behind.  The ocean is in his blood. The crew relies on him to support their families and feed their children.

He scoops her body up, carrying her bridal style up the steps, into the open air and the morning sun.  A palpable atmosphere settles at the site as silence dawns. The men watching their broken captain carry the love of his life in his arms to a waiting hearse to take her to the morgue.  In the shadows, Lord Bolton takes in the scene. Captain Davidson will approach him, should he need anything. That is their agreement. Has always been and he will wait patiently. Since he is retired and William took over most of the duties, Lord Bolton has free time to investigate and assist where he is needed.