Chapter 382

I kept Jerrod close as we mingled with the crowd. He was as cool as I had expected that he would be. The only thing that might be of any interest to the authorities which I owned at that moment was the smarter than smart phone. I decided to wait for the order from the farm to dump it. Surely they had a way to clean or block any attempt to trace it. If not, they should tell me to dump it soon.

I got the message at first light. It came in direct and of course wordlessly. They are going to take you to Miami. The Coast Guard investigators will be on board shortly to secure the scene and the passengers until you arrive at the port of Miami.

Thanks I will be sure to see to it that the crime scene is contaminated as much as possible. Too bad that won't be any at all. The crew is crawling all over it, I'm sure. Jerrod and I are hiding in plain sight ... I informed the farm

I have to ask. Is there anything physical they can find to connect you with us ... Nothing positive, just the satellite phone. Should I toss it? I asked.

Yes toss it. Pick up a burner at the duty free shop, if they open it after all this. Since it is a lease they might open up.

Right ... I stood up and walked to the rail. I dropped the, smarter than smart, phone over the side ... The only thing suspicious now is the fact I have five grand in cash. I won it in the casino. I am not throwing that overboard. It is already on film that I won it anyway ... I messaged.

No need to throw anything else overboard except maybe Jerrod ... came the reply.

We are going to take a chance on Jerrod. We keep the FBI off his trail and he won't flip. Speaking of taking a chance, how about the two pretty boys? ... I asked.

Believe it or not they made it ... Trust me there was lots of discussion about them, but in the end we decided that they were your problem. One way or anther they are never going to be found, so they will be part of the mystery ... the controller replied.

They need new identities and tickets to Aster ... I messaged ... How about the garbage bags...

Aren't you tired of collecting money yet. You have no need for it ... the controller said.

So it did get picked up? I asked.

Hell you dropped it almost on the deck. It didn't even get damp they tell me. Since you told them not to open the bags, we have no idea how much is there, but I expect that it is a lot...

The Coast Guard is going to find a pretty good size stash of dope in that vault, if nobody takes it out before they get there. Be sure that they either find it, or go looking for it among the crew ... I stated wordlessly.

Oh for sure ... came the reply ... We will keep you up to speed...

"So do you think they will be feeding the passengers this morning?" Jerrod asked me. From across the room.

I didn't even think about food, since I felt no hunger ever. "I have no idea but let's go check, when the sun comes up. That will be happening very soon." The sun rose reasonably early, even in March, at the equator.

We sat in my cabin and I listened to the news with Jerrod watching the ships closed circuit TV. It was broadcasting news shows from the major networks. Nothing yet was on about the pirate attack.

Jerrod had no idea that I was also charging the power pack as I listened. I just had to explain that the battery was dead so I had to plug in the Satellite radio/mp3 player to the ship's current. The thing was so ingenious that even if he picked up the headphone, he would indeed hear music or the news.

"So do you think the boat got Jack, Michael, and the money?" he asked.

"I have no idea," I lied. "Which is more important the sissy boys or the money?" I asked.

"The money of course. If they didn't get the guys, they will be out of their misery at least." Jerrod said it like a true bad ass. After a little more thought he added, "It would probably be easier for us if they drowned."

"Jerrod make up your fucking mind. We could have easily taken care of that last night, but you were adamant that they have a chance." I said.

"I'm just saying. Geese Maxine take it easy. We are in this together. I am not going to say or do anything to raise any flags," he promised.

"Good there are a couple of hundred suspects still on board and several missing ones, so lets not worry just yet." I didn't bother to tell him that there would be a very shallow investigation. We had done what was necessary to make a scenario that on paper would fly quite nicely. I sure as hell hoped that it would be enough with the farm's intervention as well to clear us.

The crew went back to work, so there was one meal that first morning. It was kind of a brunch which was fine with me, but most of the other passengers were bitching. It seems that cruises and food go together like hand and glove. I had to laugh my ass off thinking it should probably have been included in the song, Love and Marriage.

It was in the afternoon when I saw the Coast Guard ship a couple of hundred yards off. It didn't take long for their small boat to arrive and deposit a half dozen men in uniforms. They went directly to the bridge, then returned to the casino. Jerrod and I watched them from a spot on the main deck. We were part of a large crowd of curious passengers.

"God I would love a cup of strong coffee," I said to Jerrod. "There is nothing to see here, let's try to find a coffee bar. Surely they have one set up in the card salon."