Thirty-Nine
Monday, December 20
Old Port Royal Bay
Thomas slipped through a doorway and passed through a salon into a hall before he was spotted by a steward, who gave him a questioning look. Thomas spoke the first words that popped into his mind. “Baño. Baño.” Then for reasons he couldn’t fathom, he said: “Cerveza. Cerveza. Por favor.”
At that moment gunshots sounded off the stern. Thomas hoped the men weren’t shooting at Cleo.
“No problema,” said the steward, and continued on his way.
Thomas had never been on the Tesoro, but maritime boarding was one of the subjects he’d undertaken during BUD/S training. He knew he had to get to the interior, find a staircase, then head deep. That would be where Julian held Romina, and hopefully Oliver too.
At the end of the hall, Thomas spotted a
