John Avery - Black Cobra

At least the guy could have given me a hood , Aaron thought bitterly.

He wanted to turn away, but he remained still, lest he not give the axeman a clean shot at his neck.

The crowd cheered wildly, feathered hats flying through the air.

Why are they in such a frenzy? Aaron thought. What are they hoping to gain from this experience? What do they expect their kids to gain from it? Where is their compassion? Their humanity?

The axeman rested his hand briefly on Aaron’s shoulder, as if to say ‘It’s time.’ Then a hush came over the crowd as he raised his shiny axe high overhead.

Then WHACK!

Aaron didn’t feel a thing — his executioner was obviously an expert.

He had read somewhere that human heads lived for a few seconds after being severed, and now, flipping face first into the woven basket, and he knew that they did.

He felt strangely safe and secure in his basket. At least I don’t have to look at them , he thought. I’ll just wait here till Death takes me away forever.

But then, to his infinite horror, the executioner leaned down and grabbed him by the hair and lifted him out of the basket, holding him aloft, to the morbid delight of the hysterical mob. They screamed and danced in perverse ecstasy. Several women swooned and fell, only to be trampled underfoot as the crowd surged forward in a communal frenzy that had reached a fever pitch.

Aaron tried to scream, but of course he had no lungs with which to do so. He could only close his eyes and pray for a swift, sweet death.

But sadly, Death wouldn’t come.

SMACK!

Aaron jerked awake and sat up holding his cheek, and for a second he was disoriented. But then he saw Brandy Fine standing in front of him and he knew he was back on the Cayman Jewel .

“ What did you do that for? ” he said, wishing she had brought him out of his wild dream with a bit more finesse. But then it dawned on him why she might be angry with him.

“Oh — shut up,” Brandy said, disgusted. “You were flying all over the bed acting like a fucking lunatic. ‘They all stare!’ you said. ‘Make them stop!’ you said. What was I supposed to do? Bring you warm milk and a cookie? You’re a grown man, Aaron. If you can’t take a fucking nap after getting high without freaking out, then forget the damn naps. Otherwise, we’re dropping you off at the next fucking nursery school!”

She walked out.

Dazed, Aaron rubbed his cheek and flopped back down on his bed, grateful to be rid of that insane dream but unable to remember a word Brandy had just said.

Chapter 31

Due to a log jam at the locks on the Pacific side, the canal crossing ended up taking two days.

Jason’s canal agent said goodbye in Panama City, and at last the Cayman Jewel sailed out into the Pacific Ocean.

Detective Harness and his partner had waited a day and a half in Panama City, but by the time they figured out that they’d been given bad information by their own canal agent, the Cayman Jewel had already gone.

Jason waited until they were far from shore and then set the ship to autopilot. He joined Brandy and Aaron on the aft deck.

“Two years ago I promised you we’d marry,” he said to Brandy. “Well, today’s the day.”

Brandy was floored. “What?”

“I wanted to wait until we made it safely through the canal,” Jason said.

Brandy gave him a big hug and kiss. “Oh, Jason. I can hardly believe it!” She stopped and looked at him. “But we’re miles from anywhere . Who will marry us?”

“I’m a ship’s captain, right?” Jason said. “ I will preside." He knew he wasn’t actually qualified to marry anyone, but he figured what Brandy didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

Aaron had heard about captains marrying people and he was pretty sure it wasn't legally binding back in the States. But he’d also heard of an unwritten law that said if you truly think you’ve been married, you have, and he had no reason to believe otherwise.

Jason looked at him. “Aaron will be our witness.”

“Awesome!” Aaron said, truly happy for them. “Do you have a ring?”

Jason reached into his pocket and produced a ring box with two rings and a slip of paper. He gave the rings to Aaron and faced Brandy, reading from the prepared notes.

“Do you, Brandy Fine, take me, Jason Beckham, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Brandy paused for a moment; it all seemed rushed and very unromantic, not at all what she'd dreamt it would be. She searched Jason for the faintest sign of true love, but it wasn't there. She couldn't see herself in his eyes.

The idea of marriage suddenly felt trite: the vows, the rings, the kiss. More than ever before, she deeply regretted never having had the chance to marry Johnny Souther. In spite of his faults, he had loved her truly. And she had loved him.

She began to wonder what she'd been thinking, going on this wild adventure with a man who didn’t love her. And did she love Jason enough to be a good wife for him? Even if the feelings weren’t mutual? She wasn’t sure. But she had nowhere else to go, nothing else to live for. She may as well take a chance on being Mrs. Jason Beckham.

“I do,” she said at last, adding a brief, silent prayer.

Jason gestured for her to continue.

“What? Oh — um, do you, Jason Beckham, take me, Brandy Fine, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

She waited, smiling to herself, savoring the moment she’d yearned for her whole life.

“I do,” Jason said.

Brandy searched his eyes. Do you mean it, Jason? Is there even a small part of you that means it?

Aaron handed them the rings and the newlyweds placed them on each other's fingers.

I will pretend that he loves me , Brandy thought. Where is it written that I can’t pretend?

“I now pronounce us husband and wife,” Jason said.

“You may kiss the bride,” Aaron added.

Brandy giggled and closed her eyes again, and then she and Jason kissed.

It was early afternoon on a Friday when at last Jason, Brandy, and Aaron left Mexican waters and crossed into the United States, about 3 miles offshore. The trip had taken longer than planned — with the delays in Costa Rica and Panama, and refueling issues in Cabo San Lucas — and they were running late.

They cruised a short way up the coast of California with Jason pointing out the San Diego headquarters of the U.S. Navy Seals and the Hotel Del Coronado which could be seen just east of their position, on the south side of Coronado Island.

Jason recalled a story about a famous long-time resident of the hotel: the ghost of Kate Morgan.

“I believe it was November 24th, 1892,” he explained, “A woman named Kate Morgan checked into room 304, now 3327, to meet her husband… but he never arrived. Five days later she was found dead on the steps leading to the beach. They determined she had shot herself. However, it was reported that during the coroner's inquest, the bullet found in Kate’s head did not match that of her own gun — but that was never proven. And since that day, guests who have checked into room 3327 have frequently reported ghost sightings and other paranormal events.”

“Remind me not to stay in that room," Aaron said.

“Me, too,” Brandy said.

“Many famous people have stayed at the Hotel Del,” Jason said. "Thomas Edison and Marilyn Monroe to name just two.”