Trap Line - Carl Hiaasen [55]
Breeze Albury guided the Diamond Cutter toward the island. Augie knelt on the bow, cradling the shotgun. Jimmy stood shirtless at his side, holding a coiled rope.
Effortlessly, Albury sidled the Diamond Cutter up to the grass boat, Tom’s boat. The pirates worked swiftly.
Chapter 14
(From the deposition of James E. Cantrell, Jr., taken on the sixth day of October 1982, before Christine Manning, counsel to the office of the Governor. Also present was court reporter Mary Perdue.)
MISS MANNING: Jimmy, can you tell me how you knew that load of marijuana would be coming into the Big Spanish Channel that night?
MR. CANTRELL: Breeze found out, somehow. On our way back from Key Largo, we gassed up the boat in Islamorada. Breeze got off and made a couple phone calls. When he came back, he told us that Tom had a load coming in.
Q: That would be Tomas Cruz?
A: Right. After that, we brought the Diamond Cutter down to Marathon. Augie got out near the Vaca Key Bridge. I guess he was gone an hour or so before he came back with this police bubble. You know, the light they flash at you when you’re supposed to stop. Like the troopers have on top of their cars. I don’t know where Augie got it, and I don’t want to know.
Q: What did Captain Albury say?
A: Nothing. He just hooked it up to the twelve-volt we had in the pilothouse. This was after we already anchored behind Little Pine Key.
Q: While you were waiting to ambush the other boat?
A: Ma’am, I wouldn’t call it an ambush. All we had was the blue light.
Q: And the shotgun.
A: Yes, ma’am. That was my idea, firing the Remington into the air. I figured it would speed things along.
Q: Did Captain Albury ever explain why he wanted to hijack the other lobster boat?
A: He didn’t have to. Part of it was the money, the fifty grand Winnebago Tom owed us. Breeze needed something to bargain with. And let me tell you, five tons of weed is good for openers.
Q: Jimmy, what took place after the hijacking at No-Name Key?
A: Breeze took the dope boat around to the Mud Keys. Me and Augie followed in the Diamond Cutter. Made good time, too. Then Breeze got on the radio to somebody and passed the word. He told them to let Tom Cruz know that we had his five tons.
Q: Isn’t that blackmail?
A: Is it? It seemed pretty damn polite, compared to what those fuckers put us through. Tom should have given us the money. The right thing to do was pay us, like he promised. Breeze didn’t want his fucking grass.
Q: So Mr. Cruz learned what had happened to his boat?
A: Oh, yeah.
Q: And he knew what Breeze Albury wanted?
A: I’m sure he did.
Q: Did he give Captain Albury an answer?
A: Yes, ma’am. It was quite an answer, too. Just about the worst thing I ever heard of. Nothing surprised me after Winnebago Tom did what he did. Not a goddamned thing that happened after that really surprised me. Not the least.
Chapter 15
THE GIRL sat cross-legged on the bed, the lute’s fretted neck leaning gently against her left breast:
Come by sea, come by flight;
Bring it to me by the crate.
Fly by day, sail by night,
But honey please don’t be late
’Cause I gotta have my Florida freight.
Bring me speed,
Bring me weed.
Bring me snow,
I love it so.
Florida freight, oh Florida freight,
I jes’ gotta have my Florida freight.
Propped on an elbow, Manolo raised his glass in silent toast.
“An improvisation,” she smiled. “I call it ‘Smuggler’s Lullaby.’”
“Amusing.”
“Actually, there is another very good line.” She sang: “Float a Donzi, drive a Porsche … but the trouble is I can’t think of anything to rhyme with ‘Porsche.’”
“The next time, perhaps.”
“Shall I go?”
“I am afraid so; I am expecting guests.”
“At this hour?”
“Irritating, but unavoidable.”
When he arrived a half-hour later, Tomas Cruz headed straight for the