It was, but I plowed past because there was another opening ahead and to our right-a pool of shadows like the mouth of a cave where low trees sealed the entrance. I slowed the boat and idled into the bushes after telling Belton, “Duck your head, then get the oars ready. Unless you want me to row.”
“You’re kidding. We’d need a machete to cut our way in here.” He was fighting off leaves and spiderwebs.
I killed the engine, stood, and snapped a few limbs, letting them hang. As I did, the rumble of Carmelo’s boat moved closer, no spotlight showing now. “Okay… help me push us back into the river. Once we’re clear, I’ll row. “
“Row where?”
I waited until I had the boat moving, skating across the surface like a water spider. “He’ll follow our motor slick and think we somehow disappeared into that cut. Or even get out to explore on foot. That’ll give us time to find a hiding spot in the creek we just passed.”
“Smart girl.” Belton nodded, but then reconsidered. “I don’t know… We’ll be on the same side of the river as the serpentarium. Maybe we should keep going.”
“There’s no time,” I said. “Open my bag. There’s mosquito netting in there and spray. We’ll need it.”
Belton replied, “I still think the other side of the river is safer.”
It wasn’t snakes he was worried about.
CARMELO AND THEO were in the Bass Cat, close enough to hear their voices but impossible to see because we were twenty yards up a feeder creek, hidden under moss and limbs, when they stopped and used the spotlight.
Theo’s voice: “Boats don’t just disappear. See the broken branches?”
Carmelo: “Get that damn light out of my eyes. More likely, they went to the road and hitchhiked. Probably already talked to the cops. Fat old man, should’a broke his neck and taken all them maps and files. How you think he knows so much?”
“You’re saying a boat can disappear? I don’t see any slick upriver. Their trail ends here.”
“That don’t mean nothing if they run close to the bushes.”
“Tree branches don’t break themselves. Take the shotgun and get in the water. “
“Huh?”
“Hike in there and have a look.”
“Why don’t you?”
“Because you still owe me five grand for this goddamn boat, that’s why. No… I’ll hand you the gun after you’re over the side. They can’t be far.”
Garbled complaints from Carmelo preceded the splash of a man lowering himself into the water.
“A motor slick don’t mean nothing if she run close. The girl’s a fishing guide. That’s something a fishing guide would do. And not bad-lookin’ neither, if you know what I mean.” Laughter.
“Just do what I tell you.”
“The boy genius, I keep forgetting. You don’t think she’s got a nice rack? Well, she does-I found out for sure when I patted her down. And them legs-long legs can be fun on a woman.”
Theo replied with something too rude to repeat, then added, “Like a stork-she’s all yours.”
“I take you up on that one. Man… this muck… it like walking in shit.” More splashing, then silence. “They’d’ve needed a chain saw to go any farther.”
“Keep looking. They might have found a canoe. Maybe the one with the electric motor-that thing’s fast. I told you to find out which boat’s missing.”
“Trolling motors don’t leave a slick, man. Hell… there ain’t nothing in here to see. Call the midget twins. You should have heard from them by now. We’re wasting time.”
“Only if someone tries to slip past the docks. That’s what I told them. You’re saying it’s too narrow even for a Gheenoe? They could have taken the one with the kicker.”
“Look for yourself.”
“Well, someone broke these branches. Why would they bother?”
“While we’re standing here jawing, that girl and old man could be getting away. Another mile or so north, it’s too narrow for us. Depends on what they stole-if they’re in a boat, which I doubt they are. You know what tickles me? Both them marks actually believed I was simpleminded.”
“Yeah, well, you haven’t convinced me. Come on. We’ll take a look upriver.”
Carmelo said to Theo, “How can I when you’re blinding me with that damn light?”
The Bass Cat’s engine slipped into reverse. The noise of cavitation cloaked the conversation that followed, Theo speaking in a low voice, Carmelo replying, “Well… if you say so.”
Belton’s hand found my shoulder and gave me a pat. “Good job.”
I whispered, “They’re not gone yet.” We were scrunched low, both of us clinging to foliage to hold the boat steady. Seconds later I said, “Quiet. They’re coming this way.”
The bass boat was idling downriver, not upriver. That’s what alerted me. Willow boughs formed an awning, a curtain I could part. Through a veil of leaves I saw the spotlight probe the entrance of the feeder creek… then the boat appeared, two cookie-cutter men standing behind the console in silhouette. The spotlight panned toward me. I ducked and leaned my shoulder against Belton as a warning. He understood. He got a better grip on the branch above, which allowed me a free hand to find the pistol. As the men idled closer, I raised the weapon and aimed it at the spotlight.
Carmelo’s voice: “We’re kicking mud. I don’t want to fry another water pump. You know… I think that girl would’a pulled the trigger. I truly do. Back there in the Land Rover.”
Theo’s response was muffled.
“She could shoot us from the bushes, hide anywhere and wait for us to go by. Bang-bang-bang-just like that. That’s why I don’t like this poking-around crap.”
Another muffled response but lengthier.
Carmelo disagreed. “That’s one way. But it ain’t the best way.”
Theo spoke louder. “You leave the thinking to me, Einstein,” then rambled on for a while before allowing Carmelo an opening.
“All I’m saying is, you take the shock collars off them monkeys, there’s no telling who they attack. It’s not like they fussy-I’ll shoot that damn female, she charges me again. Don’t think I won’t. Liked to bit my arm off, that time.”
“After what you did-good. And don’t call them monkeys.”
“You weren’t even around. All I did was compliment her on her pretty pink-”
Theo hissed, “Shut up,” then his voice softened. “Hey… what’s that over there?”
I felt Belton squeeze my knee when the light found the overhang where we were hidden. A bright wafer of white that probed and expanded, steam rising off the water where moths collected, then the light swung away.
Carmelo continued talking. “As if that damn animal understood what I said. Shit, just crazy to let them two loose. You can hide a dead body every few years or so and get away with it. Fine. But more than two in one night, man, it’s us they’ll send to prison. You keep them damn monkeys on a leash or I’m done with this business. I mean it this time.” He hacked, hacked again and spit. “That’s not to say I won’t find that gold and silver on my own.”
Theo snapped, “Shut up. Just shut up,” then got control of himself and spoke in a more careful way. “I think you’re right. They’re not in a boat. Let’s head back.”
“Say what?”
“You heard me.”
“What’s got into you? I thought you wanted to head upriver. Might as well since we’re here.”
“I’m worried about Oliver. He wasn’t in his room and goddamn snakes everywhere. There’s no telling what else that bitch did to him.”
“Lucia-yeah, good riddance. Total bitch.”
Theo said, “No, you idiot, that hick with the smart mouth. I’d like to see what Savvy does to her if Oliver’s hurt. In fact, that’s what I’ll do-let Savvy handle it.”