Although he was worn out from the dive, he couldn’t wait. Dropping his gear, he yelled for Trufante to steer to the buoy and reached over the gunwale with a gaff, snagging the line when he passed. “Drop her into neutral,” he called to the bridge and waited for Trufante and TJ to help. With Mel, Pamela, and Cheqea hovering over them, the three men started to pull in the line. Mac could feel it stretch with the weight of the bags, but he willed it to stay intact. Finally, they could see the first bag in the water, and a few minutes later, they were on the deck of the boat.
“Go for it, Mel,” Mac said.
She looked at them and went to the first bag. Opening the clasp, she unrolled the watertight seal and stuck her hand deep inside. They stared at her, waiting. Then a whoop soon came from Trufante, and they saw the coins in her hand.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The group gathered in the cabin surrounding the bags of silver, no one knowing what to say, until Cheqea broke the silence.
“Mac Travis pays Cheqea for favor,” she said.
Mac looked at her. “Yes. You’ll get a cut, but there’s one more thing.” They all looked at him. “We’re going to file the papers for the salvage rights where the ballast stones are. We’ll do it right, and don’t expect much profit, but after expenses, whatever we profit will be yours. It is your heritage and legacy.”
Cheqea grinned and went to him. He wanted to push her away, but Mel caught his eye and he allowed the old woman to embrace him. “Okay. We better get out of here,” he said, turning away.
“Where to?” Mel asked.
“I’ve got a debt to pay, and then we can figure things out,” Mac said, giving directions for TJ to head back to land. They passed through the center span of the bridge, where they turned and followed it back to the entrance to the cove at Keys Fisheries.
They backed into the slip next to the center-console, and Mac left the others on the boat, but it wasn’t necessary. Celia was already coming for them, building a head of steam as she approached.
“Effin’ Travis. What now? You think you can just come and take your boat after wrecking mine, you got another effin’ thing coming,” she said, shaking her phone at him.
Mac ignored her and walked back to the sportfisher. He climbed aboard, motioning for her to follow. They went inside the cabin and he handed her two bags. “I think this covers it.”
She smiled, grabbing the bags. “Effin’ does, and the insurance company doesn’t have to know. I’m putting six on the back of the next one.”
He laughed and watched her go, swinging her hips as she walked down the dock to the shed.
***
After sharing a quick meal together, they stood on the deck. With each group holding their share, they said their goodbyes. Celia had given TJ and Alicia a slip for the night. Tomorrow they would head back to Key Largo.
“What about me, Mac Travis?” asked Cheqea, holding her bag tightly.
She shook her head. “I gotta go see somebody. You wait here.”
He nodded and they watched her haul herself to the dock and walk to the shed, where Celia was probably counting her take. There was no doubt that Cheqea would be coming back without the bag, but with enough of her medicine to last a while. That left only Trufante and Pamela.
“What are you going to do with your share?” Mac asked him.
“We have a house to decorate,” Pamela said, pulling the Cajun to her.
They shared a laugh at the thought of Trufante being domesticated and watched the two walk upstairs to the bar. TJ and Alicia went up to the bridge, leaving him alone with Mel in the cabin. He started to tense, not knowing where this was going, but desperately not wanting to lose her again.
She came up beside him and put an arm around him. “You going to pay me back too?” she asked.
He pulled her close and kissed her. “And how would you like it?”
“I want to go back to my dad’s place,” she said, kissing him back.
Get Wood’s Ledge for FREE!
mactravisbooks.com
While tarpon fishing in the backcountry of the Florida Keys, Mac Travis discovers a plot to drill for oil in the pristine waters.
After his life is threatened he teams up with his long time friend and mentor, Wood, to uncover a plot that leads to the top echelons of power in Washington DC. An action packed short story featuring underwater and boating scenes
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Table of Contents
Welcome
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Thanks for Reading