Bill and the Sting of Death by Gary McPherson

Author:Gary McPherson [McPherson, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Gary McPherson
Published: 2021-09-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The sea spray burned Bill’s eyes, and the Kodiak bumped against his butt mercilessly. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Harold smiling at the controls of the outboard motor.

Bill hollered over the roar of the engine, “Do you have to hit the top of every wave?”

Harold hollered back, “Sorry, it’s a little bumpy.”

Bill turned and faced the front. The image of the yacht had long since disappeared. Harold had sworn the island would appear soon, but Bill was beginning to think Harold might have an issue with his sense of direction. The cold, wet wind permeated his jacket and skin.

Bill closed his eyes for a moment and spoke quietly under the engine’s cacophony and the Kodiak slapping against the waves.

“Maybe you are there. I don’t know. Please, don’t let anything happen to Carol. She is the only person left who understands me. You’ve taken everything else from me. Please don’t take her.”

Harold hollered, “There it is.”

Bill looked up. A small dot on the horizon began to take shape. The few palm trees on the key started to emerge, and then the rest of the island started coming into view. There were at least three boats on the beach. Harold slowed their craft slightly until the unmistakable figure of Darla emerged from a small hill. Harold opened the accelerator, and Bill nearly fell over backward.

The engine cut off a few feet from the beach, and Bill leaned back before Harold said a word. They slid up on to the sand and made an abrupt stop. Garcia walked up wearing his usual tan and white with a wide brim straw hat and sunglasses as the men were getting out of the boat.

Garcia said, “Nice stop.” He pointed several yards to their right. “I want you both to go over there and check out the foxholes I’ve made. If there is any shooting, I want you both inside them. Bill, if Carol is with you, toss her in and jump on top of her.”

Bill and Harold walked over to find two deep holes dug in the sand with a slight bump around them. Bill looked around. The handful of workers appeared to be navy. Everyone was spending more time disappearing over the small hill and coming back than worrying about the beach where the meeting was to take place.

Harold said, “Hang here for a minute. I’m heading over to check in with Darla.”

Harold headed up the hill, and Bill crossed his arms. The seconds started to tick by, and Bill didn’t feel like spending his time focusing on what was about to happen. He wandered to the top of the hill when Alice’s voice came from the foliage on his left.

“Mr. Johnson, I wasn’t aware you were needed up here.”

Bill turned to see Alice emerge from the brush with an earplug hanging by a small threaded wire draped around her neck.

Bill said, “Sorry, I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Alice pulled him over off the narrow path. “That’s alright.

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