over the country. We got all the information on Sutton before we left New York, thanks to Robin’s very complete package to Teddy. Dane did most of the rest.”
“As for how we got here so quickly,” Teddy said, “it was in a helicopter from Miami. A jethelicopter. And we’ve rented a big house on the coast no more than a mile from the Maze. This cruiser came with the house.”
Michael mulled that over for a moment, and it was Robin who asked the next question.
“You said you’d set a couple of things in motion. What’s the other thing?”
Calmly Raven said, “The news will break sometime
after
Sutton leaves the yacht that the fishing tournament in the area has a special prize this year. It will be announced by the local radio station—which Sutton’s men listen to constantly.”
“What prize?” Michael asked.
“Twenty thousand dollars to the fisherman who brings in the biggest catch,” Raven said. “Within an hour the entire area should be bow to stern with hopeful anglers.”
“Damn.” Michael looked at her thoughtfully. “And since Sutton’s men will know about it, and won’t be able to wave their guns around to ward off the crowd—”
“A plausible diversion,” Robin said softly.“They’ll be paying so much attention to the fishermen, they won’t even notice us.”
“We should be able to get close,” Raven agreed.
“Have you already arranged that?” Michael asked.
“Pending your approval,” Teddy told him. “The contest officials and the radio station will be notified as soon as Sutton leaves the yacht. And the prize is being offered—officially—by a company in the area that handles fishing equipment. If any of Sutton’s men are suspicious enough to call and check it out, they’ll find the deal’s legitimate all the way.”
“And just to make sure we don’t find ourselves tripping over eager fishermen,” Raven said wryly, “Dane was busy before the sun rose, casually passing the word among his fellow fishermen that the best fishing is around the two islands south of the Maze. Those islands are close but not too close. So, hopefully, while Sutton’s men are watching the water traffic to their south, we can circle around, cross the islandfrom the north, and reach the yacht while their attention’s focused elsewhere.”
Michael looked at them for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips. “Is there a base you haven’t covered?”
“That was the easy stuff,” Teddy dismissed. “The trick is still going to be getting the girls off the yacht. Distracted or not, those men are armed. Six of us, counting Dane, but we can’t just swarm over the boat.”
“When the cat’s away …” Robin murmured suddenly in a thoughtful tone.
Raven met her eyes, then nodded slowly. “Maybe. If we could lead a few of those guys astray, get them off the yacht …”
“They’re professionals,” Michael objected, seeing where this was leading and not happy about it.
“And they’ve been under a great deal of strain,” Raven pointed out. “Stuck on that boat and not allowed to touch the girls. The girls are probably drugged; certainly they’re locked in a cabin or two. They don’t really
need
all thoseguards. And maybe a few of those guys would love to be invited to a party.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “If we survive this, your husbands will lynch me.”
“They’d be the first to understand,” Teddy assured him blithely.
“What if the guards bring their guns to the party?” Robin asked.
Raven smiled slightly. “Teddy brought her usual supply of tranquilizer darts; we’ll be armed too.”
“I don’t like it,” Michael said.
Robin looked at him levelly. “What choice do we have?”
He nodded slowly, getting the point. “You’re right. What choice do we have?”
F IVE
T HE
B LACK A NGEL
rode her sea anchor easily on the calm water, engines silent. Michael hadn’t dared take her in any closer, wary of risking Sutton’s recognition of the boat. Nor
“As for how we got here so quickly,” Teddy said, “it was in a helicopter from Miami. A jethelicopter. And we’ve rented a big house on the coast no more than a mile from the Maze. This cruiser came with the house.”
Michael mulled that over for a moment, and it was Robin who asked the next question.
“You said you’d set a couple of things in motion. What’s the other thing?”
Calmly Raven said, “The news will break sometime
after
Sutton leaves the yacht that the fishing tournament in the area has a special prize this year. It will be announced by the local radio station—which Sutton’s men listen to constantly.”
“What prize?” Michael asked.
“Twenty thousand dollars to the fisherman who brings in the biggest catch,” Raven said. “Within an hour the entire area should be bow to stern with hopeful anglers.”
“Damn.” Michael looked at her thoughtfully. “And since Sutton’s men will know about it, and won’t be able to wave their guns around to ward off the crowd—”
“A plausible diversion,” Robin said softly.“They’ll be paying so much attention to the fishermen, they won’t even notice us.”
“We should be able to get close,” Raven agreed.
“Have you already arranged that?” Michael asked.
“Pending your approval,” Teddy told him. “The contest officials and the radio station will be notified as soon as Sutton leaves the yacht. And the prize is being offered—officially—by a company in the area that handles fishing equipment. If any of Sutton’s men are suspicious enough to call and check it out, they’ll find the deal’s legitimate all the way.”
“And just to make sure we don’t find ourselves tripping over eager fishermen,” Raven said wryly, “Dane was busy before the sun rose, casually passing the word among his fellow fishermen that the best fishing is around the two islands south of the Maze. Those islands are close but not too close. So, hopefully, while Sutton’s men are watching the water traffic to their south, we can circle around, cross the islandfrom the north, and reach the yacht while their attention’s focused elsewhere.”
Michael looked at them for a moment, a smile tugging at his lips. “Is there a base you haven’t covered?”
“That was the easy stuff,” Teddy dismissed. “The trick is still going to be getting the girls off the yacht. Distracted or not, those men are armed. Six of us, counting Dane, but we can’t just swarm over the boat.”
“When the cat’s away …” Robin murmured suddenly in a thoughtful tone.
Raven met her eyes, then nodded slowly. “Maybe. If we could lead a few of those guys astray, get them off the yacht …”
“They’re professionals,” Michael objected, seeing where this was leading and not happy about it.
“And they’ve been under a great deal of strain,” Raven pointed out. “Stuck on that boat and not allowed to touch the girls. The girls are probably drugged; certainly they’re locked in a cabin or two. They don’t really
need
all thoseguards. And maybe a few of those guys would love to be invited to a party.”
Michael narrowed his eyes. “If we survive this, your husbands will lynch me.”
“They’d be the first to understand,” Teddy assured him blithely.
“What if the guards bring their guns to the party?” Robin asked.
Raven smiled slightly. “Teddy brought her usual supply of tranquilizer darts; we’ll be armed too.”
“I don’t like it,” Michael said.
Robin looked at him levelly. “What choice do we have?”
He nodded slowly, getting the point. “You’re right. What choice do we have?”
F IVE
T HE
B LACK A NGEL
rode her sea anchor easily on the calm water, engines silent. Michael hadn’t dared take her in any closer, wary of risking Sutton’s recognition of the boat. Nor
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