Chapter 40
Max can’t believe his Ex-Brother-in-Law is in on the Bombing
The day after Thanksgiving, with Huck back on board, the original seven of us, plus Pirate Jack, left the Gulf-side waters of Florida for the Atlantic Ocean towns of Miami and North Palm Beach. Miami to visit a movie producer friend of Patty’s, and North Palm Beach to visit an elderly uncle of Sally’s. Peaches and Sunshine had decided to stay behind having just arrived at the Sun & Surf and found it to their liking.
Rocky asked Sally, “. . . so you wanted to be a tourist, right? I remember you making sure we didn’t pass by the Hearst Castle. Well, did you see the name of the road we’re on – ‘Alligator Alley,’ and I know a place comin’ up with lots of real live alligators. Any chance you’ll request a stop?”
Steve piped in, “Wait a minute, don’t answer Sally. I’m betting a sawbuck she says no.”
Rocky winking, gave Steve the thumbs up on the bet, and started describing the alligators he knew: They each weigh a fucking ton, five times the size of you, Sally. Teeth as big as your fist, jaws as big as this [Rocky demonstrating with his arms wide].
“You’re right,” Sally said, “I’m not going. Fool me once, but not twice – you’re going to try that Santa Cruz trick again – getting me to jump in the water for a Mahi Mahi. No way. If you guys go, I’m staying in the Yacht.”
After Rocky’s description, no one seemed too interested in stopping, and Rocky changed the subject. “So I don’t mean to sound age-ist, but what does a 92-year-old know about what is fun?” (This was directed towards Sally when he learned exactly how old her uncle was.)
“Well, Max told me I had to know three people to visit to get on the bus, and that relatives were okay,” Sally replied. “And excuse my language, Rocky, but what the fuck, you’re no spring chicken yourself!”
“Three?” Patty said, “Skip told me you had to know five people, who would take us in, to get on the bus, what’s with that?”
Max jumped in, “I told Sally my seven made it ten between us, and Skip okayed it because we were having a hard time finding any females who wanted to come with us.”
“Oh great, so I was the only foolish girl you guys could round-up out of all the ladies in your lives. Guess that doesn’t say much about your history of showing a girl a good time,” Patty joked.
The banter continued crossing the Everglades to Miami. Arriving in the Little Havana section of Miami, it looked like Patty had also stretched things a bit to get to her five.
“Jesus Christ,” Rocky exclaimed, “This house is tinier than that fucking stilts one. Where we going to stay? And there’s no driveway to park the Land Yacht. I thought that was part of the deal. You only made the list if you could put us up.”
So we dropped Patty off and went searching for a place to stay. First, we checked out Everglades National Park, but Sally was worried about nearby alligators, so we settled on the reasonably priced Jerry & Peggy’s Campground in South Miami, where we could park the RV for $34 a night and get $17 tent sites.
That night Skip, Rocky and Max took the Rover “to meet with some local Forwards,” is what they said, but the purpose was to get Max up to speed on the entire puzzle. Skip ended by saying, “We think Ken is the ‘good guy’ in all this, but has gotten in over his head. Talk to Lisa and we’re betting Lisa will get to the bottom of it; get Ken to spill the beans.”
“Whoa!” Max exclaimed. “I need to be clear about all this. You’re telling me Ken is somehow involved in the bombing at the Dodgers’ ballpark, and you guys suspect there’s a tie-in with the murder in Boulder, Montana! And that we’re the only ones that are on to this! I thought we were going on a fishing trip; NOT figuring out whether Ken is fighting terrorism or aiding and abetting terrorism; NOT solving some murder mystery; NOT stopping a god-damn sex trafficking operation – Oh for cris-sake! All this you’re telling me now, and I’m supposed to get Lisa to believe you’re not making this up?”
“Yeah,” Skip responded gravely, “and for Ken’s sake, and the safety of us all, keep this to yourself and Lisa.”