“Stay here.” He pointed to Donaldson, scooting his chair away from the table. “I’ll be right back.”
Donaldson nodded and went back to his meal.
Samuel’s heart punched his chest as a new hope built within him. He’d been inspired by this kind of optimism before, only to have his excitement dashed into pieces. This time, he believed that somehow luck would be in his favor.
When Samuel approached, Lee slid his face upward. “I have nothing to say to you.” He sneered before turning back to his own large meal.
Samuel gripped the sword at his side to try and extinguish the embers that sparked at Lee’s comment. “I’m looking for a young woman who’s been kidnapped. I overheard you saying that you ‘ran into a few pretties’, as you put it. I need you to tell me about them.”
The man didn’t look up. “What’s it to you?”
Samuel inspected the sailor. His stature was large, but more from fat than muscle. He picked at his food and only spooned the soft potatoes. That’s when Samuel noticed that one side of his face was dark purple and swollen to a considerable size. His jaw was broken.
Standing taller, Samuel shifted his weight to the other foot. “Did you not hear what I said? A woman’s been kidnapped. Two women to be exact. I need to know if perhaps the women you saw are the ones I’m looking for.”
The sailor cranked his neck toward Samuel again, his face a tangle of hatred. “Sounds like you’re a fool to me. Going after every wind of chance. Those pretties could have been anyone. How could they possibly be the ones you’re looking for?”
Samuel’s patience went bone dry. “Tell me now!”
&nbs
p; “What’s in it for me?”
Glaring, Samuel imagined all the glorious ways he could torture this man to get him to talk. He kept his answer simple. “You’ll have the satisfaction of doing a good Christian act.”
Lee laughed even louder now, then growled and swore under his breath as he put his hand to his enlarged jaw. “I want something in return for telling you what I know.”
Samuel’s own jaw ticked. “Such as?”
Lee’s gaze went to Samuel’s belt. “I want your pistol.”
“Are you saying you want a hole in your head?” Samuel’s arms twitched with raw anger at the gall of the man.
“No,” he stated, before swiveling in his seat. He faced Samuel with scowling eyes. “I want your pistol. No pistol, no statement.”
Blast!
Samuel clenched his fists and snarled. He couldn’t arm the man and wouldn’t be used by him either. His nostrils flared as he considered his options. Of course, he could always take the gun back after he’d gotten the information. Then again . . .
He scowled at the snarling sailor as his confusion and boiling anger reached excessive heights.
Another inner voice called like a wild animal in his brain. What if this man said nothing useful? What if he played him for a fool? But again, what if he did help? What if this man did know something that could lead him to his beloved?
He had to take the risk.
Samuel reached at his side and produced the weapon.
A glutinous chuckle emerged from the sailor as his fingers laced around it. “Perfect.”
“Now tell me!” Samuel demanded, leaning in.
The man shoved the pistol into his belt and turned back to his meal. “I saw two women.”
“I know that much already. What did they look like? When did you see them?”
Lee looked up with a lecherous grin. “A bit over a week, I’d say. They looked like sisters and were far too beautiful for their own good. Dark hair and eyes. Soft skin . . .”
A storm surged in Samuel’s muscles. The man’s description was ambiguous but a nagging feeling told him it was Eliza. The thought of this man’s hands going anywhere near her made Samuel strong enough to break every bone in the sailor’s worthless body.