John Avery - Black Cobra

This all sounded a bit crazy to Aaron. He really didn’t know how to respond. “How long do you figure the trip will take?” he asked.

“The Cayman Jewel ’s cruise speed is eighteen knots,” Jason said, “with a top speed of twenty three knots. So in terms of international travel, we’re not that fast. I’ve never made the run myself, but I’m figuring two weeks, maybe three. There’s a welcome party in San Diego in twenty days that I really want to attend.”

Aaron recalled his original trip to the Cayman’s with the retired couple. It had been quite an experience, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to do it again . “I’d like to think about it,” he said.

“Of course,” Jason said. “But we leave Friday.”

“ This Friday?” Aaron said.

“I’ll have you meet me at the marina Thursday afternoon,” Jason said. “To help with the final preparations.”

“That’s not much time,” Aaron said. “Can I let you know?”

“I’ll know you’re interested when you show up,” Jason said.

He stood up to leave, giving Aaron a thumbs up. “ Carpe diem , Aaron,” he said.

Thursday afternoon, as scheduled, Aaron showed up at the marina with his duffle bag. He had been granted a leave of absence by the manager at Earl’s Reef Dive Shop and had every intention of returning to his job on Cayman Brac immediately after the trip.

He helped Jason load the last of the provisions on board the Cayman Jewel, then they walked up to the marina office to square up with the manager.

The marina manager was a native islander with a heavy accent. “Good afternoon, Mr. Jason,” he said. “I am sad to hear you are leaving us for a while.” He had some papers ready and slid them forward.

“Just for a few weeks,” Jason said. “If I can I’d like to keep my same slip.”

“No problem…” the manager said, checking the marina rules in his head. “We’ll hold the electric, water, and phone for you, but the slip rental accrues, of course.”

“Of course,” Jason said, and he began filling out the paperwork.

“Two men were just here looking for you,” the manager said.

Jason looked up, surprised. He’d been dreading hearing those words again, words he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Just now? he said. “What did they want? You didn’t tell them anything…”

“No, sir, Mr. Jason,” the manager said. “I would never do that. You are my friend.”

Brandy sat alone on deck enjoying a nice garden salad. In honor of another beautiful day in paradise, she wore nothing but a thong bikini with a very skimpy top.

“Ahoy there,” a man’s voice called from the dock.

Brandy looked over the railing and saw two men in Hawaiian shirts approaching the Cayman Jewel .

“ Coming, ” she called. She wiped her hands on a towel and headed over to the gangway to investigate.

“Pardon the intrusion, miss,” the shorter man said. “I was hoping you could answer a couple of questions.”

Brandy could spot a shoulder holster a mile away — even under a baggy floral pattern.

“You guys cops?” she said, glancing up toward the marina office. She wondered why Jason hadn’t seen them first.

“I guess you would consider this a social visit,” the man said. “I’m James Harness, and this is my good friend Larry Holt.” Harness had thought of using fake names, but he knew this lead was a long shot anyway, so he didn’t bother.

“Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” Holt said, nodding politely.

Brandy looked up at him. She had never seen a black man both that huge and that good looking. You should take up acting, she thought.

“I’m Brandy,” she said, shaking their hands.

The men struggled to maintain their composure. Standing that close to a half-naked woman as stunning and fragrant as Brandy without dropping their pants was proving difficult, if not impossible.

Brandy sensed this, of course, and it sent a thrill up her leg.

“I was wondering if you knew this man,” Harness said at last. He handed her a photo that Holt had dug up somewhere. “He and I met back in the States a couple of years ago, and since I’m rarely in the area, I thought I’d look him up.”

Brandy took a look at the picture and smiled to herself: she had never seen Jason in his Naval Officer’s dress uniform — and he looked amazing .

“Never seen him before,” she said calmly, wondering how this stranger found out where Jason lived.

Harness searched Brandy’s eyes. She was hiding something — he was sure of it. He took out a pad and pen and jotted down his number.

“Sorry to have disturbed you, miss,” he said. “If you happen to see him would you give me a call? It would be great to talk to him again.”

“I could do that,” Brandy said.

“We appreciate your time,” Harness said.

He started to leave, but as a detective he couldn’t resist giving Brandy a little something extra to think about. “Keep an eye out, will you?” he said. “One of the locals thought maybe Jason lived right here in this marina.”

He gave her a nod that said, Chew on that for a while, bitch, and then he and Holt started back down the gangway.

Just then Jason and Aaron came out of the marina office. Jason stopped when he spotted the two men coming up the ramp. He thought he recognized the shorter one from somewhere, but the Hawaiian shirt threw him, and he figured he must be mistaken.

“ What’s going on? ” Aaron whispered, trying to follow Jason’s gaze.

Suddenly Jason stepped back a step and took hold of Aaron’s arm. There was no mistake: It was him … the cop that shot him in the leg that night in Sally’s Diner!

“Come with me,” he said, and they ducked behind a portable restroom.

Harness and Holt continued up the ramp and entered the marina office.

The marina manager looked at Harness expectantly.

“He wasn’t there,” Harness said. “Only some woman named Brandy.”

“He must have stepped out,” the manager said.

Harness laid a crisp $50 on the counter. “If you see him, there’s more where that came from,” he said.

He made a mental note to return to the Cayman Jewel later that evening, and then he and Holt turned to leave.

“Why did you pay him again?” Holt said as they entered the parking lot. “You know as well as I do he’s a lying sack of shit.”

Harness unlocked their rented Mustang, ignoring Holt. He knew the man was lying, of course, but he also knew that maintaining a healthy dialogue was worth a little cash.

Jason and Aaron watched the men drive away, and then they returned to the Cayman Jewel .

Brandy was just finishing her salad. She stood up when Jason and Aaron came on board, anxious to tell Jason about her two visitors.

“We sail tonight,” Jason said gruffly, walking straight past her. He headed downstairs to the galley.

“Why tonight?” Brandy asked Aaron, but Aaron only shrugged.

They followed Jason below.

Jason opened the fridge and then slammed it closed in frustration. “Isn’t there any food on this tub?” he said. It was a ridiculous question, of course, considering they had just stocked the boat for a long trip.

“There were two men here, Jason,” Brandy insisted. “They were asking about you. They had a picture of you and they were packing heat.”