Chapter 7: How Could This Get Any Better?

Later that day, Mirana and I made our dive. I went into the old boat and brought out as many bales as I thought we could carry to the surface. Mirana was a good diver. She did not show any fear of being down deeper than she had ever been before. She was enjoying swimming in front of me giving me views of the treasure she had between her legs, covered by her yellow thong bikini! I admit it was hard to concentrate and not think about what I had planned for tonight.

After supper we sat on the back deck and watched the stars. Nothing is more beautiful than the night sky at sea! Pat took Lionel’s hand and led him off after saying, “You guys enjoy yourselves,” as she winked at us.

We did! That night and for the next four nights as well!

We were about to make the last dive; we had brought up 45 bales so far and Mirana and I were going down for the last 5. Some of them were half buried in the sand.

As I dug the last bale out of the sand, I saw the top of a metal box. I was curious as to what was in that box, so I dug it up. It was locked. I would need to get it to the surface to break it open. We left the final 5 bales on the Sally-Ann, so the current would not carry them off, then Mirana and I headed for the surface carrying that heavy box.

On the deck of Lionel’s boat, I used a screwdriver to pry open the corroded metal lid. We all just stared in amazement. It was full of gold coins! Krugerrands! Gold one-ounce coins!

“You guys count them, I’m going to see what they are worth.” He went below and was back just as we finished counting.

“Each one is worth about $3,500!” He shouted!

“What’s 2500 times 3,500?” asked Pat.

“A shitload of money!” I screamed!

We all danced around the deck like crazy people before Pat used her phone to discover there was about $8,750,000 worth of coins laying on the deck!

After the euphoria wore off Lionel told us to put the coins back in the box and store it in the room where we had put the bales of money.

“There are still 5 bales down there. I hid them on the Sally-Ann so the current would not wash them away.”

Pat took over the conversation. “We’ll get them in the morning. No way I’m leaving half a million dollars for somebody else to find.”

We spent another night looking at the stars and smoking cigars!

The next morning Pat and Lionel went down and retrieved the last bales as Mirana and I prepared to leave.

“Mirana, I want you to call Mr. Lewis and tell him we have his diamonds. He can meet us in George Town, Grand Cayman. We should be there in three days. Or he can wait until we get back to Tarpon in a couple of weeks.”

Mirana and I looked at him stunned!

“We’re not going home?” I questioned.

“Not just yet.” Pat said.

“Why not?” Mirana asked the question that was on my mind as well.

“The diamonds would be no problem, I’m sure Mr. Lewis has all the paperwork saying he bought them in the U.S., his boat went down while delivering them and he paid us to retrieve them for him. But what do we tell customs about the money and the gold coins? If, and it is a big if, we are allowed to keep it the IRS will want their cut, then the State of Florida will get involved. Do you know that most of the sunken treasure brought up by treasure hunters ends up in museums with the finders getting little or nothing for their efforts or expenses? Then there is the problem that some cartel or narco trafficker will remember losing that boat and will come knocking on our door wanting their money back. That’s why we are going to the Cayman’s. Those bankers there know how to handle these types of problems.”

While Mirana called Mr. Lewis and told him the good news that we had his diamonds and he could meet us in George Town, Lionel laid in a course around the western tip of Cuba then on to the Caymans!