Chapter 9: Second Timothy: the Island

"Well ... she looked up Government Confiscations and what they sold for in what ever year, found what she wanted, watched back and bid a dollar more ... she bought a nice boat."

"What did she get?"

"A 67 foot schooner." Wait for it.

"For two dollars."

"TWO DOLLARS!?!"

"Yup. Two bucks."

"There must be something wrong with it ... how bad is it?"

"Perfect."

"PERFECT!!??!!"

"Yes ... there's more.

"MORE?"

"Yup ... six suits, twin diesels, radar, side scan, depth, GPS, Canadian registered. Boat house, submarine railway and 1280 acres of prime Georgian Bay land ... with 6 bedroom house ... and it's on an island that's under dispute."

"Dispute?"

"It used to be on the US side of the border ... a Canadien (French) mobster bought it in a real shady deal back in the Prohibition era."

"I know that island! It's got a Lighthouse ... that in itself is a real steal. How did she do it?"

"The boat was being used to transport drugs and illegals to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. She had certification as a pleasure charter. The owners had been using her for ten years all over the Lakes. Never a suggestion of illegality. She had highly placed support in the Canadien Parliament."

"How did the boat get caught?"

"A man over board situation occurred and the captain didn't stop. There was a CG Cutter passing and the crew rescued the man ... hollering for help in Farsi."

"You're kidding!"

"Nope. The Coasties chased down the boat. Big international incident ... boat full of Iranians ... everyone claiming immunity ... all armed and a boat full of pre built bombs ... airport maps and aviation employees phone numbers and even a list of payoffs.

"The boat just happened to be in the ONLY spot on the Lake with the cell towers down due to lightning the night before." Tim was laughing now. "Wendytoo found all this out using the watch. You know she can wind it counterclockwise and she can see what's happening but she's invisible. You did that in 1928."

"Yeah, I remember that ... scary."

"The schooner was confiscated, the terrorists were sent south ... one of them talked."

"And?"

"The Marines landed a Recon force on the island ... all sorts of nasty shit going on ... they occupied the island ... Mr. Prez claimed it ... all hush hush ... the Canadiens objected ... our forces withdrew but not until the island was well and truly bugged. We came THAT close to invading Canada after the tapes were played to a closed congressional session.

"The sale that happened was an under the counter deal intended to return the boat and island to the Canadien owner." Tim frowned, "you understand this was all on the QT.

"Wendy read about it in a National Enquirer ten years after the dust settled. She popped back in time ... with a cassette recorder and a video camera, placed a two dollar bid just as the auctioneers hammer was falling and he said, 'sold to the lady.'

"He was flustered and it was a total accident...

"And THAT created a real mess ... she had title in hand and out the door before anyone could react. Naturally they couldn't find her. Two years later she showed up with a Crown Bench Judge and the Mounties, the Mounties cleared the island ... Wendytoo moved in a private security team ... there was a couple of wild ass battles and she called in the Michigan State Police.

"She paid a couple of million bucks in bribes and the Canadians relinquished. Now she has this island at the northern mouth of Georgian Bay that she owns ... and it's HERS! It's not Canada and it's not USA, the UN declared it Sovereign. Wendytoo has her own little country ... it's a 1280 acre Nation!!"

"You said 'under dispute.'"

"The US is pissed because ... and I quote ... An American Citizen should seek the protection of her birth country ... unquote. The Canadians claim historical possession ... the French point at Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon and grin ... Wendolyn points at her title. Under Dispute."

"There's got to be more."

"Wendy calls it her Princessapality."

"She would!" Wendy highfived Tim. "So ... what's she doing with it?"

"She built a hotel, a marina, a casino and an airport. She's hired every european nationality to work the place ... they're armed and very loyal. She reads minds so she won't allow any 'undesirables' to stay. So far she's survived an attack by that miserable bunch lobbying to outlaw guns in the US ... seems there's a fanatical side to them that are willing to use guns to get guns outlawed."