Diamond Reef by Douglas Pratt

Author:Douglas Pratt [Pratt, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

19

I drove past the bridge where the night before last, I had tossed a bag of money into the brackish waters. The next exit took me toward Forest Hill Boulevard. Rob didn't have a lot of information, but he said the boat was banging against another boat on the northern shore of Lake Clarke. Unfortunately, I'm not that familiar with the area around here. Or, as I've said before, I'm not familiar with anything south, north, or east of the Tilly Inn. Maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration.

There was a little park on the north shore. An American flag fluttered in the wind over a sign reading, "Town of Lake Clarke Shores." I can never tell when I cross a city limit. Individual municipalities cropped up here closer than neighbors in a duplex. Each one trying to find a way to tax and regulate its citizens, living in cookie-cutter homes with minimum square footage in the two to three thousand range.

The park must have been built for residents of the area. There was no parking, probably an attempt by the powers-that-be to prevent outsiders from enjoying the tranquil shoreline.

Across from the park was a dentist's office. I parked the marina's Corolla in a spot facing the lake. Forest Hill Boulevard separated me from the lake. Not that six lanes of traffic were a big hindrance.

The paths of the park were busy. Young mothers pushing strollers, single folks walking dogs of assorted sizes, and a couple of kids zipping along on skateboards.

If the King of Hookers was found around here, it might be difficult to establish where. Both the east and west shores of Lake Clarke were residential. Almost every house had a small dock with a boat of some type.

Staring across the water, I watched as a few boats zipped across the water. Two paddleboarders were working their way toward the park's shoreline. My feet shuffled through the grass toward the water.

The girls on the paddleboards were young. Maybe late teens or twenties. Both wearing bikinis showing off their bronzed skin. The girl in the front was peering at the surface of the water as she stroked along. The second one looked up at me. My hand came up in a wave, and I smiled at her.

"Hi there," she said as she glided near the shoreline.

"Hi," I responded. "Are you from around here?"

The first girl looked up. She turned her paddleboard toward shore.

The second girl answered me. "Yeah, we live over there." She pointed toward the western shore.

"What about you?" the first girl asked coyly.

"Closer to the ocean," I commented.

"That'd be nice," the second girl said. "I'm Kaitlin. This is Kari."

"Can I ask you guys a question?"

"Depends," Kari said. "What are you doing around here?"

"I'm looking for a boat that was stolen," I explained.

"That happens a lot," Kaitlin said. "Did someone steal your boat?"

I smiled. "No, my boat is safe."

"What is that tattoo you have?" Kaitlin asked, pointing at my arm.

My eyes glanced at the ink on my bicep. "It's a Marine tattoo.

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