“The debt was paid off. It was legitimate from front to back.”
“Except for the killings.”
Without bothering to answer him, Wilkins stood up and both of them went back on deck. Captain Watts came out to join them and see the agent into the launch that took him out to the seaplane, and they both watched it take off back to its Florida base.
They could hear the sound of the party long before they reached the side of the cruise ship. Decorative lights turned the decks into a rainbow of colors, the music of the band crisp and clear, the dancers a flowing swirl of vivacious animation. Two large bars had been set up, mainly for the men, the ones who gave orders to the captains of industry in faraway places. Their shipboard uniforms were gleaming-white and the fading sun still glinted off the medals some of them wore.
Billy Bright surveyed the excitement ahead and said, “Is this like a marriage thing the stateside people do in Miami?”
“Not this party, buddy. Something has happened we don’t know about.”
“They catch the eater, maybe?”
Hooker shook his head. “Nope. Lotusland is still dark. They’d be out photographing if they had the eater.” He pulled the glasses out and scrutinized the faces on the deck. “Hell, Billy, the whole crew from Lotusland and Tellig are there too. Chana’s at the bar with Colbert... and there’s Judy with Pell and...”
He stopped there. Billy gave him that curious look again and said, “You hate that Pell man, sar?”
“Just don’t like him, Billy.”
“Think you’ll knock him on the head, sar?”
Mako let out a snort and grinned at his mate. But Billy Bright’s expression was serious.
“Sar, why don’t you like him?”
“A long time ago he was bad. Very bad. Now he’s far worse. Now it doesn’t show and nobody knows just how bad he really is.”
“You know this for sure, sar?”
“No,” Hooker said, “I don’t know... but I do know.”
Billy Bright’s eyes had the wisdom of the world in them. He nodded very slowly and very deliberately and answered, “Sar, I know just what you mean.” While Hooker was still amazed at his understanding, Billy pointed off the side and told Mako, “There he be again, sar. He be waiting for his name back.”
The huge shape of the mako shark rose to the surface again, rolled slightly, eyeing the boat, then slid back into the depth below.
“He follow us,” Billy said.
“There’s a lot of them around here.”
“This big mister, he stay close.”
“You just threw that bucket of bait fish over the transom.”
“He has a fight scar on his head. His tail has two notches near the tip.”
Hooker let out a soft “Damn” under his breath because Billy had spotted the same thing he had known. That mako was the same fish they had seen days ago. And it was looking. It was traveling at its own pace, knowing that sooner or later it would get what it wanted. The grin was hard and deadly. That mako shark was just like him.
As if he heard Hooker’s thoughts, Billy said, “Yes, you are brothers, sar. Different from the way we are brothers.”
Judy had spotted the Clamdip coming alongside the cruise ship and wormed her way through the happy crowd to get down the gangway to welcome Hooker aboard. Billy practically pushed him into her arms as he was climbing over the side and Judy thanked him with a wink. While they went up to the deck, Billy took the Clamdip out to anchorage, dropped the hook and came back to the cruise ship in an inflatable.
Judy led him to the nearest bar and, knowing what he liked, called for a Miller Lite. The bartender said, “And you, ma’am?”
“I’ll have the same.”
The toast was brief and Mako put half the beer down, wiped his lips and asked Judy, “Okay, doll, what’s the party all about?”
She gave his arm a squeeze and waved to the well-dressed man further down who was laughing with the group around him. “Suppose I let Marcus Grey give you the details.”
Marcus saw the wave and excused himself, coming to Judy’s side. “Ah, my dear, you haven’t been mingling. After all the great news I’d think you would be enjoying yourself more.”
“I was waiting for my... friend to get here, Marcus. You remember Mako Hooker.”
“The name I could never forget.” He held out his hand and Mako took it. It was pudgy and soft and he wanted to squish it but didn’t. “Haven’t seen much of you since Judy’s party.”
“Well, I’ve been a little busy, Marcus. That eater out there has been giving us fits.”
“So I’ve heard. Too bad, it only brings bad publicity. Rumors like that...”
“They’re not rumors,” Mako interrupted.
“Surely you don’t think...”
“Something’s out there. It’s done a lot of damage.”
Marcus Grey made a noncommittal gesture with his head. “Well, it’s unlikely that it will interfere with our project any longer. Has Judy told you the good news?”
“She hasn’t had time. I just got here.”
“Well, then, we just got a radio confirmation that four other islands have opened up ports for our cruise ship landings. Certain corporations have agreed to fund the casino operations, other retail groups are bidding for exclusive commercial rights. The big thing is, we have the backing of the local governments, and with what we have, the value of our holdings will be over a billion dollars.”
“I thought you were considering Peolle and Ara Islands.”
“Unfortunately, that idea has been discontinued. This story about that... that eater had gone worldwide and been embellished in the tabloids and foreign television... it just wouldn’t do, you understand.”
“Those islanders were counting on that project, especially since it was already under way.”
“Well, Mr. Hooker, all I can say is business is business.” He looked at Judy and added, “Wouldn’t you say, my dear?”
“No, Marcus, I wouldn’t say that at all. Nor would Daddy if he were alive.”
“Unfortunately, that is not the case, but fortunately for all these people here who have shares in the company, and me... and you too, my dear, I have control of the Midnight Cruise line and all that it entails and that’s just the way it has to be.”
At no time did Marcus Grey lose his smile. He took Judy’s hand and kissed it and said to Hooker, “Good evening, sir. It was nice talking to you.”
Watching him walk away, Mako wanted to put his foot up his tail. This time Judy got as bad as Billy Bright and read his thoughts. “Why didn’t you do it, then?” she asked him.
“Do what?”
“Kick his fat behind.”
“I didn’t want to get anything on my shoe,” he told her. “Has he really got that kind of control?”
“Yup, and there’s nothing that I can do about it. I have shares and they’ll pay off, but the control is his. Daddy didn’t want me bothered by business details. To him women were for being taken care of, not laboring for money.”
“He should see you now.” Hooker laughed. “Supplying fish to Miami restaurants isn’t a very ladylike occupation.”
“But you should see the money it makes.” She pulled free a moment and looked at the dancers on the floor and the bunch gathered at the bar and said, “I’m not like them, Mako. I’m damned independent. My inheritance is still in the bank. It grows and grows and never gets touched. If I want something I buy it with the money I earn myself.”
Behind her, Mako grinned. “Nice speech.”
She spun around, a frown on her face. “I meant every word of it!”
“I know you did.”
“And you have the same feeling for the islanders and Peolle and Ara as I have.”