Emerald [Pyrate's Treasure 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Cooper McKenzie Page B

Emerald Pyrate. The best children’s adventure stories he’d come across ever.
    It had taken much longer than expected to clear his desk and calendar so he could travel to the obscure North Carolina island for a week. He now had five days to convince the eccentric writer that he was the best man to represent her incredibly vivid and well-written stories to the publishing world. He had ended up spending all night driving down from Manhattan. He had gotten lost twice along the way but had arrived at the eastern coast marina just in time to board the ferry. He barely remembered the ferry leaving the dock before he collapsed in the corner, and then nothing.
    “Everyone else has departed the ferry,” Tesla said as Nick picked up his briefcase. The old man then led the way out of the lounge and toward the front of the boat. “Your luggage will be on the dock. If you go just up the road to that first building on the left, they’ll get you checked in.”
    “Thank you. Can you tell me where I can find a Miss Emerald Pyrate?”
    “Emerald? Why would you want to see Emerald?” The old man’s friendly demeanor chilled, suspicion entering his voice.
    “I have business to discuss with her.”
    All of the sudden, Nick wondered if this trip had been such a good idea. After all, it was not imperative that he meet the woman. Meeting authors before he signed them was just one of the quirks that set him apart from other agents. It helped him decide whether he wanted to add them to his client list or not. He preferred working with writers he liked personally as well as professionally. It also made it easier for him to tout them to publishing companies when they were a face in his memory and not just a name on a page.
    “Uh-huh,” the old man replied coolly, not looking happy. Instead of answering Nick’s question, he guided Nick off the boat. “Enjoy your stay on Pyrate Island, sir.”
    As he headed to his lone carry-on suitcase sitting on the dock, he wondered if everyone on this island was as odd as Tesla and this Emerald woman. Picking up his suitcase, he followed Tesla’s directions to the small building with the large “Check-In Here” sign posted on the roof.
    He climbed the handful of steps to the building’s covered front porch with a sigh. A black-haired man rose from a rocking chair near the front door as he reached the top step. Nick vaguely remembered seeing him on the ferry, but had not met him before he’d fallen asleep.
    “Mr. Christopher?”
    “Yes, I’m Nick Christopher.”
    The man stepped forward with a smile as he offered his hand. “Silver Pyrate. I’m Emerald’s cousin. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you the way to the house.”
    Putting down his suitcase, Nick shook the man’s hand. “When can I meet Emerald?”
    Silver looked uncomfortable for a second before bending to pick up his suitcase. “Oh, you’ll meet her soon enough. In the meantime, let’s get you settled.”
    “Ooookay,” Nick said.
    He frowned as he compared Tesla’s reaction to his asking about seeing Emerald Pyrate to Silver’s. Something was going on, though he could not be sure what. He decided to bide his time. He would not push tonight since he was still a little brain-fuzzed from his two-hour nap, but if he had not met the woman by tomorrow at noon, he would demand someone give him a ride back to the mainland and his car.
    “So tell me about this place. I’ve never heard of it before,” Nick said as he followed the other man around the porch to the side of the building to a two-seater golf cart.
    Silver put the suitcase in the back and then slid into the driver’s seat. Nick settled next to him. He held his briefcase to his chest with one arm and grabbed the side rail of the cart with the other. As Silver drove sedately through town, he gave what sounded like a well-rehearsed speech about the history of the island.
    Nick looked around, amazed at the colorfully painted buildings that made up what appeared to