A Sea of Purple Ink Read Free

abandoned pier stretched out into the lapping waves, its silhouette tall against the narrow spit of land.
    Reese halted beside one of the pier’s supporting beams. “Benson?” she called. He had better still be here. They had promised a high price to enlist the swimmer’s help, but sometimes even that wasn’t enough. Reese scanned the silver-tipped waves, keeping an ear out for any pursuers. Time was running out.
    The vanisher beside her gave a nervous cough.
    Reese turned to face him. “The police will be here soon. Do you have the list?”
    “I, I had it,” he began, hesitating.
    Reese’s heart sank.
    “But when the police came, and you weren’t there… well, I didn’t want them to, you know…”
    Frustration welled up inside Reese. No list of new contacts, and apparently no swimmer. She took a deep breath. “Then what can you tell me? Just give me a name and we’ll find them.”
    Pebbles rattled in the shadows below the pier. “You my contact?” a voice demanded. The voice was almost as rough as the beach rock. Reese flinched at the sound.
    She swung around to face the approaching man. “Maybe,” she said. She let her right hand drift toward her gun as she reached into her vest pocket. Broad shoulders. Big chest. He certainly looks like a swimmer. “You asked for a full ring of rhydium,” she said, dangling the metal hoop. Moonlight caught it in a spark of silver fire. “Swim him across to the mainland, and it’s yours.” She motioned toward the newly-rescued fugitive.
    The muscular swimmer swaggered out from beneath the pier shadow and held out a large hand. “I’ve been holding off on my own escape for three weeks now, and you think I’ll go quietly for that much money?”
    Reese’s grip tightened on the metal ring. “Did you get a better offer?” she demanded. Her gaze darted over the man, sizing him up if it came to fighting. “You couldn’t accept anything from the police.” She watched anger spread across the swimmer’s face, and a sudden thought hit her. “The assassin. Did he pay you to wait for him?”
    “No,” Benson growled. “Although I certainly admire him.” He shifted his weight from side to side, and his gaze traveled to the tiny hoop dangling from Reese’s fingers.
    Reese swallowed hard. So this assassin is the hero of the year, is he? “You agreed to this much as payment when we found you,” she said. “Swim him to the mainland without any tricks, or we call off the deal and let you make your own way to freedom.” She rolled the ring between her fingers. “Without my help.”
    He glared at her for a moment, then nodded sullenly.
    Reese flicked the shining ring into the man’s hands and turned to the vanisher. “Can you give me anything at all?” she asked, as quietly as she could. “Some names from the list?” She looked him squarely in the eye. If you can give me just one person… Even as she waited she could feel the risk growing. If the police followed us we have barely five minutes before they show up.
    “Come on, come on,” Benson growled. “I’m not going to stick around here and risk getting caught by the police.”
    The vanisher’s eyes slid away from Reese. He shook his head and glanced at the waiting swimmer.
    The look spoke volumes to Reese. They don’t trust each other. “Never mind,” Reese said. A heavy weight settled on her chest. It’s time to cut our losses. She stepped back. “You’d better go before the police trail us down here.”
    Niela tossed the vanisher a small sack. “Here’s the paint to cover up any purple stains when you get over there. Don’t lose it. There’s not much left, and it’s getting harder to find.”
    The man nodded, tied the bag around his neck, and followed Benson out into the surf.
    Reese watched while the fugitive positioned himself on the swimmer’s back. The dark-colored water was already leaving smears and stains on their skin. One more person rescued and on their way to freedom. And no new