The Deep Six by Striker Randy

Author:Striker, Randy [Striker, Randy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: USA
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 1981-04-02T13:00:00+00:00

I called the marina where the Cuban-American group was supposed to stay when they were in port. Like Buster Ronstadz, I wanted to let them know I would be out there, and let them think I knew where Gifford Remus had found his treasure. If they were interested enough and ruthless enough, they would make a move on me. And I would be ready and waiting. I talked to a dockmaster with a sour disposition. No, they weren’t back in from the Marquesas; no, he didn’t know when they’d be back in, and there were too many goddam Cubans on the island as it was, and he didn’t give a shit if they ever came back. Nice guy. I got another quarter from my pocket and tried Rigaberto Herrera at the office, then at his home.

“Dusky? Hey—you just caught me. Just getting ready to go out and run with my wife. Do me a favor, amigo, and tell me you have to see me right away. My wife will believe that—get me out of this damn torture for tonight at least.”

I could hear his wife laughing in the background. “Sorry, buddy. Just wanted to see if you’d found out anything more about Gifford Remus.”

“Naw, not a thing. Coast Guard didn’t find a sign of his tent—just the remains of his fire. And somebody had tried to hide that. Still no body. We figure he drowned, and someone going by saw an unattended camp and stole what was worth stealing.”

“Do you believe that, Rigaberto?”

“About as much as you do. Why would a thief try to hide a campfire?”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

“Dusky, in the past three weeks we’ve had seven fatalities or near fatalities from bad drugs. Teenagers, Dusky—one girl was twelve years old. Another kid went nuts on some kind of angel-dust crap and stabbed his baby brother. When I get done running that down, and maybe working on the other dozen or so unsolved murders we have on the books, then I might have time to work on the Remus case. You understand?”

“I’m sorry, Rigaberto. I know how pressed you are. But look, I’m going out to the Marquesas tomorrow afternoon to do a little fishing. I’ll keep an eye open for you, and if you hear anything more, maybe you could give me a call on VHF 16?”

“Fishing, huh?”

“I’m taking my poles. Honest.”

“Why do you lie to an old friend like this?”

“Because it’s easier than the truth.”

He sighed. “Just don’t kill anybody, Dusky. I’m busy enough as it is.”

By the time I got back to my boat with enough canned goods, beer, and food to last three men for two weeks, it was nearing sunset. The charterboats were all in, washed down and secured, and Nels Chester sat in one of his fighting chairs with a beer. Cool of the evening, and people walked the docks, some hand in hand. Ibis flew in white formation against the orange sphere that settled itself over the

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.