Chapter 6: Bringing Up the Treasure

We immediately realized we had a problem. If we had salvage equipment we may be able to raise the 50 bales in one trip. Now it was going to take Lionel and I carrying up what we could. Due to the strong current and depth, we were only going to be able to make one dive a day! Lionel’s rules!

Mirana had an idea.

“I can dive and so can Pat. Why don’t Lionel and Pat go down in the morning and you and I dive in the afternoon. That way we will finish twice as fast!”

“Pat’s been down to 300 feet so I am not worried about her. How deep have you been down?” asked Lionel.

“Maybe 30 meters, but don’t worry I’ll be with Cody. He’ll take care of me!” she had reached over and hugged me tight to her. I hugged her back and said I would.

The next day Lionel and Pat were preparing for the first dive when we were hailed by a Coast Guard cutter. They stopped a little off our port side and I saw an officer get in a small boat and start over to us. They pulled up alongside and the officer, a black woman, asked permission to come aboard. Lionel helped her up onto the deck.

“Mirana! I knew that was you when I saw you through my binoculars. No way to hide that hot body of yours! Girl, you’re looking good!”

The officer stepped over to Mirana, took her in her arms and kissed her cheek!

“All the ladies at the club were happy to hear that you and that rich lover of yours broke up. Why haven’t you been around lately? Everyone wants a shot at you.”

“I’ve been staying busy at the shop, just taking a rest from the scene. You know how it is.”

“Yeah, you’re heartbroken, I imagine, Ann is beautiful. What are you doing out here?”

“I hired on with this salvage crew when I discovered they were going to run a salvage operation on the Sally-Ann.”

“You think that will get you back in with Ann?”

“Who knows. Maybe.”

“Good luck.”

Then she turned to Lionel. “You found her yet?”

“No, we checked a lot of false positives over the last couple of days. We were about to go down to check another possible location when you came along.”

“Listen, you guys be careful. These are some dangerous waters. Besides the storms, the currents are tricky as hell. This part of the Gulf claims as many smugglers as we catch.”

Turning back to Mirana she said, “When you get back in town give me a call. Never can tell you might find you like a little dark meat!” she hugged and kissed Mirana’s cheek again, but this time her black hand went to Mirana’s ass and squeezed. Then she jumped over the side and sped back to the cutter.

Not a word was said as Lionel and Pat finished preparing for their dive. Soon they were overboard, and it was just Mirana and me.

“Okay ask your questions!” she said.

“I’m not going to say anything. I love to do the same thing you lesbians do so I can’t complain.”

“I’m not a lesbian. I’m bi-sexual.”

“From what you told us about Ann and the first mate, so is she. Why did you break up. Wait! Sorry, that’s none of my business. Forget I asked.”