Mississippi DEAD by Shawn Weaver Read Free Book Online

said. “My cabin is right across the hall if you need me.”
    “Thank you for your kindness, captain, but all is well now,” Jenny replied, giving him a courteous smile. “We’ve never been to sea before, and did not know what to expect.”
    “Aye, it happens,” the captain replied. “We are not accustomed to having passengers, so you’ll have to ask if you need something.”
    “We will, captain. I assure you.”
    “Well, goodnight,” the captain said.
    Jenny closed the door and locked the latch. She went to Agnes whose breathing was normal but was still not awake. Jenny dipped a handkerchief into the pot of fresh drinking water and wiped it across Agnes’s brow. Her eyes fluttered briefly prior to opening. Jenny first saw recognition in her friend’s eyes before a look of fright drew across her features. Agnes looked around frantically, breathing heavily.
    “It’s all right, my dear,” Jenny said. “Everything is fine.” Jenny put her finger to her lips and nodded toward the casket.
    “Master William is here now.” Jenny took Agnes by the hand. “I’m afraid that he will be resting for some time, and will not be able to join us. We will be all right, nonetheless.”
    Jenny gently placed her hand over Agnes’s mouth, and then turned her eyes to Deborah’s corpse. Agnes followed Jenny’s gaze to Deborah’s bloody body, her scream muffled by Jenny’s hand. Jenny’s stern look, as if in warning, stilled her friend.
    “We will be fine, dear,” Jenny said soothingly, keeping Agnes’s mouth firmly covered. “We’ve got a little job to do.”
    Agnes struggled to calm herself, and Jenny sensed her distress. Jenny also knew Master William was but a few feet away and heard every word spoken. “Perhaps you simply need a breath of fresh air,” Jenny suggested, nodding vigorously, so her friend would agree.
    “Yes, that would be good,” Agnes replied, taking her cue.
    “All right then,” Jenny said, helping Agnes from her chair. “Let’s step onto the deck for a few minutes.”
    Agnes was wobbly when she got to her feet, and Jenny helped her to the door. Once on the deck, Jenny explained to Agnes what had happened, the nature of the beast she had seen, and how they must dispose of Deborah’s body.
    Agnes was mute for a moment as she considered. “Throw her overboard?” Agnes cried.
    “Yes, we cannot avoid it.”
    Agnes shook and wrapped her arms around herself. “But that beast… William…”
    “The Master took that form in order to battle the Ripper,” Jenny said, “In order to protect himself…and to protect us.”
    Agnes turned away from her friend, but her shoulders heaved with each sob. Jenny placed a hand on Agnes’s shoulder.
    “He loves us, Agnes,” she said. “He has protected us from that vile killer—Jack the Ripper. Now it is our duty to protect our Master, and keep him safe until we reach New Orleans.”
    Agnes, visibly upset by this news, felt she had no choice. She took a deep breath, and tried to remember better times. Times when William held her close, made her feel special.
    After a few minutes, the two women returned to the room. They dragged Deborah’s limp, bloody body to the back of the cabin. Jenny examined the large window. She found a latch on each side of the frame and released the pin that allowed the bottom to swing outward from its hinge at the top. A rush of cold air filled the room. The women struggled to lift Deborah’s body high enough to cast her out.
    Agnes grunted under Deborah’s weight. Using her legs, Jenny lifted as best she could. “Push,” Jenny said, as she struggled.
    Without reply, Agnes did as she was told. Together they pushed the body through the window, where it slipped out into the night, falling into the dark waters of the North Sea.
    Jenny peered through the window as she locked it. The night this time of year was as cold as it was dark—too dark to see Deborah’s body float to the surface in the wake of the ship.
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