Man Overboard: a Jesse McDermitt Novel: Caribbean Adventure Series, #23 by Wayne Stinnett

Author:Wayne Stinnett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wayne Stinnett
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

I’d expected Jimmy to be in Rusty’s boat, since he usually left his little flats skiff at the school where he and several other local guides volunteered, teaching troubled kids the fine art of fly fishing and the more difficult art of life.

Alberto rode in the front of the boat, sitting on the pedestal seat on the casting deck, and holding onto the sides of it with both hands. Behind him, Jimmy, Naomi, and Robert sat on the aft deck, Jimmy at the wheel in the middle.

When Finn saw Alberto waving, he started barking and dancing around the end of the dock.

“Even though Finn loves Alberto, I think he still misses his playmate,” Savannah said.

I knew what she meant without her having to say the words. Woden, a big, burly Rottweiler she and Flo had owned for many years, had gotten sick and died less than a year ago.

The two dogs had been constant companions to each other for several years. They’d been an odd mix, the goofy Lab always wanting to play, and the usually stoic Rott always on the alert for danger. Over time, Finn learned tactics from Woden and Woden learned to play like Finn.

Combined, the pair had been a force to be reckoned with, whenever danger came too close. They’d had a combined weight the same as my own—220 pounds—and the mere sight of the two of them running and snarling toward a possible adversary usually ended up with someone having to change their skivvies.

It had been painfully obvious in the weeks following Woden’s passing that Finn was despondent without his canine friend. He cheered up a little, but never really seemed to get over the loss—never fully returned to being the goofy, playful dog he’d been before.

At twelve years old, we were likely facing the prospect of losing Finn in the not-too-distant future as well. I’d had him since he was a pup, just nine months old, and was dreading the day I would have to say goodbye.

But today wasn’t that day.

I smiled, watching him excitedly greeting the party on the approaching vessel. Jimmy idled up to the dock and I could see dozens of boxes and canvas shopping bags on the deck in the middle of the boat.

“What all did you get?” I asked, as Jimmy stopped the boat.

Alberto handed me the bow line, which I looped around a cleat. He jumped over and knelt down with Finn, both seeming equally excited to see each other again. Then he got up and ran toward shore, Finn bounding after him.

I nodded at Jimmy, and he put the boat in gear and turned the wheel toward the dock. “Just essentials, man,” he replied as the boat started to move. “I usually stock up on dry goods the first of the month, but what with Independence Day and all, I got behind.”

The line I held looped around the cleat became taut and I put one foot on the bow to keep the skiff off the dock. With the wheel turned, the boat started to pivot.

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