The Pirate & The Adventurer & The Cowboy

who could take care of herself. Here, have a cold beer." He fished a can out of a small refrigerator and slapped Kate on the back as he handed it to her.

    "Thank you." Kate staggered a bit under the blow but quickly caught her balance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jared watching her as she pulled the tab on the blessedly chilled can. He had that arrogantly amused glint in his silver eyes again, she thought. It annoyed her. Dammit , she thought, why does he look so familiar? I must have seen him somewhere before this. I know this man .

    "Where did you learn to handle folks like Sharp Arnie?" Jared asked very casually as he accepted a can of beer from Billy.

    "I took a two-week course in self-defense techniques for women that was offered at my athletic club last year."

    "You've had all of two weeks' worth of training, huh? Impressive."

    His condescension was annoying. "It was enough, wasn't it?"

    "Enough to terrorize Sharp Arnie, I'll give you that."

    "A woman on her own has to learn a variety of skills."

    "I'll just bet she does."

    Kate gulped the beer and sighed. She was not up to sparring with this familiar stranger just now. Her knees felt a little less wobbly, but exhaustion was hitting her like a wave. "When can we get out of here? Right now even a ceiling fan sounds good."

    "It does, don't it?" Billy observed, glancing up to where the shop fan hung motionless in the heavy air. "Hopin' to get mine fixed soon. Parts are supposed to be in any day. Ordered 'em six months ago."

    " Six months ." Kate was horrified. "You've waited six months just to get a broken fan fixed?"

    Billy shrugged philosophically. "Island time."

    "Speaking of time, we'd better get going. I've got a resort to run, remember?" Jared set aside his unfinished beer and picked up Kate's bags. He glanced casually at Billy. "You want to cut the cards for the fuel?"

    "Not on your life, Hawthorne. I ain't takin' a chance on getting stiffed like last time."

    Jared shook his head. "I'm disappointed in you, Billy. Where's your sporting spirit? Suit yourself. Put the fuel on the resort's tab."

    Billy grinned widely and scratched his stomach. "I'll just do that. Uh, you want me to help you with the rest of Ms Inskip's luggage?"

    "Forget it. I can handle these two flight bags."

    Billy cleared his throat. "That's not quite all her stuff."

    "It certainly isn't," Kate said. "You couldn't possibly expect me to pack everything I'd need for a month in two small flight bags."

    "Where's the rest of it?" Jared asked, looking resigned.

    "Got it all back here safe and sound," Billy said, heaving two suitcases up from behind the counter. He bent down for a third.

    Jared watched the luggage pile up on the counter. "I take it you don't believe in traveling light, Ms Inskip?"

    "Blame the two so-called friends who shanghaied me. They did the packing." Kate smiled blandly. "They weren't sure exactly what I'd need, so they packed for all eventualities."

    "No wonder the airline lost your luggage," Jared muttered as he picked up one of the suitcases. "The baggage handlers probably got tired of dealing with it and decided to chuck it. Come on, Billy, let's get this stuff on the boat."

    "Sure thing, Jared."

    "Wait a minute," Kate said. "Shouldn't somebody be calling this Sam person so he can arrest Sharp Arnie?"

    "Plenty of time for that," Billy said, hoisting a suitcase. "Sharp Arnie ain't goin' nowhere."

    "What if he leaves the island?" Kate asked worriedly as she followed the two men outside to the dock where a sleek blue-and-white cabin cruiser was tied. The glare off the water hit her full force, and she scrabbled in her bottomless purse for her oversize sunglasses.

    "If he's got enough sense to leave the island, good riddance," Billy called over his shoulder. "It'll save Sam some work."

    "But if he leaves Ruby he'll only show up on another island. You said yourself he makes a circuit."

    Billy chuckled. "If you're frettin' about Sharp Arnie jumping over to Amethyst, don't. Arnie knows better'n to try to work the tourists over there. He tried it once a couple years back and Hawthorne here took him aside and explained he wasn't welcome over there."

    "Explained he wasn't welcome?" Kate echoed in disbelief. "I must say the approach to law and order around here is extremely casual."

    "Yeah, but it works." Jared tossed her luggage into the back of the boat and bent to untie the lines. "Hop aboard, Ms Inskip. We're ready to leave."

    "Not so