Fallen Palm (Jesse McDermitt Series) by Wayne Stinnett Read Free Book Online Page A

asked.
    The kid had never called him Boss before, but Russ kind of liked it. “It might be. The size of those links is the same as the anchor chain used on the blockade runner. Let’s get back to the boat and you can swap out our tanks, while I start her up and move closer to the flag. Then we’ll go back down and look around some more with the detectors.”
    About a mile away, Russ saw a boat that turned and was headed straight toward their boat. A few minutes later, he could tell it was a Florida Marine Patrol boat.
    “Lester, take my detector and yours and put them both in your bag. That’s a Marine Patrol boat heading our way. When we get near to where the anchor is, drop the bag. Be cool now, I have a grouper in my bag and its legal sized. They’ll probably just check our fishing licenses and make sure it’s legal. Let me do the talking.”
    “Oh man, those guys are like cops, aren’t they?” Lester asked nervously.
    “Yeah, they are cops. Carry guns and everything. Just be cool and let me do the talking.”
    Lester managed to get both detectors in the bag, but he was really nervous. The Patrol boat was nearly on top of them when he rolled over and put his snorkel in his mouth, to find the anchor. Once he spotted it, he wasted no time in dropping the bag with the expensive detectors in it.
    The Marine Patrol boat arrived at their boat, just as they were slinging their masks and fins aboard. Russ looked up as they came along side on the far side of the boat and said, “Afternoon Officers, nice day to be out on the water, even if you’re working, huh.”
    “Afternoon, sir. I’m Lieutenant Briggs, FMP. Just stopping for a random check. You’re not after lobster are you? They’re out of season, you know.” He was looking over Russ’s boat, not missing anything.
    “Lobster? No, we’re spear fishing. Got a nice grouper here in the bag. Saw a few snapper and tied off the dive flag over there to bring the boat closer. We were almost out of air when we found them.” Knowing that the Officer was going to want to see the grouper and measure it, he tossed the bag to the far side of the boat so he could reach it.
    Briggs took it and handed it to his driver, saying, “Check it, Doug.” Russ and Lester had moved to the back of the boat and were climbing aboard. “Can I see your fishing licenses, sir? Both of you."
    “Lieutenant, I was a Marine Sergeant and a grunt, calling me sir just don’t cut it. Name’s Russ. Russ Livingston. Our licenses are in the waterproof console. You want to tie off?”
    "That’s alright, we won’t be that long," said the Lieutenant. Russ went forward and got both of their fishing licenses out of the console and their wallets, handing Lester’s to him. Russ pulled out his driver’s license and handed all three documents to the Lieutenant. Lester pulled out his own license and handed it over, too.
    The driver had measured the grouper and told the Lieutenant, “Checks out good, Eltee. Looks like you boys are gonna eat well tonight.”
    Russ smiled and said, “Told the wife to have the smoker fired up and the mesquite soaked, by 1600. We should be able to add a couple of snapper to the menu before we gotta head back in. Lester, go ahead and swap those tanks out, so we can get back down there, okay.”
    “You got it Boss,” Lester replied a little too enthusiastically.
    The Lieutenant handed the licenses back to Russ and said, “Looks like Doug’s right, you gentlemen enjoy your meal. I can see you have all the required equipment. Always leave it out displayed like that?”
    “Lieutenant, like I said, I’m a Marine. Anything to make things operate more efficiently, I do it. You guys be safe, okay.”
    With that, the Lieutenant nodded at his driver and he put the Patrol boat into reverse and idled away from Russ’s skiff. A minute later, they were up on plane and moving away fast.
    “You know where you dropped the gear?” Russ asked.
    “Almost on top of the anchor, just