Teaser Tuesday! (Last for awhile...)

I don't usually do back-to-back Teaser Tuesdays, but I'm just loving this scene. Okay, it might be a little cheesy, even derivative, so I'd like to hear if you abso-smurfly hate it. This will be the last excerpt from The Escape for awhile as I focus on finishing it.

Little set up: Toby has just asked permission of Lieutenant Ayres (the highest ranking officer still alive after the pirate attack) to be present during the questioning of one of the prisoners. This is longer than I traditionally post as a "teaser" but it goes together. I totally understand if you can't get through the whole thing.

Paddy cleared his throat and jerked his head slightly, a silent request for a private conference with his friend.

"What?" Ayres whispered, his back to Toby.

"I know it's not by the book, but it mightn't be a bad idea."

"You're kidding."

Paddy shrugged. "He seems to know more about what's going on than we do. Could be helpful."

Ayres closed his eyes and gave his head a shake. This day was getting worse and worse.

"Fine," he said, turning back to Toby. "But I don't want to hear a word out of you, agreed?"

Toby smiled. "You won't even know I'm there."

#

The pirate stood with his back to the cabin door, staring out on the early morning sea through the stern windows. He didn't so much as flinch as Ayres entered, just continued to stand there with his boots shoulder width apart, arms folded across his chest, as if ignoring his captors was the best defiance he could offer.

Ayres waited until Paddy and Toby had followed him in before he slammed the door shut, the crack of the wood against the frame reverberating throughout the cabin. Still no reaction from their prisoner. Getting information out of him, granting that he had some, would not be easy.

"Have a seat," Ayres said, sliding a wooden chair across the cabin with a flick of his boot.

The prisoner slowly lolled his head in the direction of the chair then returned his eyes to the glistening sea.

"I know you speak English," Ayres continued, keeping his voice low and calm. "And even if you did not the chair should give you some kind of a clue so I suggest you sit down."

Instead of accepting the proffered chair, the man threw back his head of mangy, iron-gray hair and let out a hoarse laugh.

"I tell you nothing."

Ayres pulled another chair from the captain's desk and sat down with a casual, flippant air. "I'm afraid that isn't going to work. You see, I need to know why your ship what stalking us and you're the only one who can tell me."

This time the prisoner turned around and faced them for the first time. His cheeks and forehead were lined with the deep ruts of a lifetime sailor and the exposed skin on his arms and neck had the appearance of tanned leather. When he spoke, he practically spit out his words.

"I know nothing. Cook. I cook.

"Really? Funny that the entire crew should look to their cook for guidance."

The pirate shrugged. "I good cook."

From behind him, Toby stifled a laugh.

Ayres cleared his throat, undeterred. "You are going to tell me how your ship happened alongside us this morning."

The man smiled as if he were enjoying himself, and eased into the discarded chair. "My English no good."

"I sincerely doubt that."

His smiled widened, crinkling the corners of his eyes and flashing a full set of yellowing teeth.

"English no good."

"Oh, for the love of God!"

Toby was across the room before Ayres could get to his feet. With a strong arm to the chair, he tipped both it and its occupant back until it hit the wall with a thud, bouncing the man's head off the window frame. In a swift motion, Toby pulled a concealed pistol from the back waistband of his breeches and pressed it into the man's crotch.

"English or Spanish makes no difference to me, señor. Hablo ambos. But in either language, if you don't tell us what we want to know, I'm going to send you back to Santo Domingo as a señorita. Entiendes?"

"Mr. O'Neill!"

Paddy slapped his knee. "Fantastic!"

Ayres whirled on his friend. "Don't encourage him."