Chapter 3

Pink and Mauve

Joshua ... Local Nationasl Guard Commandant ... looked askance, “Me? Why me?”

“Well ... It’s nothing I ordered ... and it’s disturbing commerce.”

Disturbing commerce is a hugh sin in these United States. After a month of ‘nothing’ and ‘that’s not our department’ Miss Hastings was going to speak to her congressman and senator if something wasn’t done with the carcase.

She didn’t have to.

She’d about run out of patience when along came a whole line of triple black Escalades...

And ... of course ... since the road was blocked ... they parked on her $100 per bloom petunias ... and on her Gold Standard and her incredibly rare Old Rose roses.

Can you say mad?

The black suited men dismounted and headed for her verandah.

“Get off my lawn!”

A black suit and black shoes man said, “Federal Marshals.”

“Do you have a warrant?”

“Don’t make this any harder, ma’am.”

The Public Broadcasting Service affiliate out of Charleston filmed and recorded every word. The Trail of History, a local PBS production, was there to see that the nation got to see the sub.

That was live.

Also present were THE HISTORY CHANNEL filming for their presentation, Unrestricted Warfare in the North Atlantic, SCIENCE.ORG, Evidentiary Relics, a science based program of note and The Department of Natural Resources pursuing research covering fresh water in the ocean. And Anderson Salvors ... a Lake Michigan based wreck recovery company ... he, the Salvor, was on vacation.

The DNR was interested in the nearly pristine condition of the UBoat.

The ‘interested’ parties were set up on the port side of the sub ... the Alphabet Soup arrived at the starboard side.

Miss Hastings was aware of the producers, directors and staff of the film crews. She had suggested they approach from the beach side.

Anderson, the salvor, was ‘guesting’ ... staying at Pink and Mauve by invitation.

All were witnessing yet another ‘federal incursion’ by ‘jackbooted thugs’ trampling the Constitution under foot.

And it was all live ... on TV ... NOW!