Chapter 38 - MORNING

Dunk was awake at first light, and he watched the dark gray of the island spruces separate from the lighter gray of the sky. Details began to appear out of the gloom, and clarify. Caldwell was sound asleep on the other side of the fire, slumped over with his head resting on a big spruce log, the canvas awning wrapped around him. Dunk reached out and poked the coals together and added another log.

The two men had cautiously spoken to one another over the long night, passing Jesse back and forth. Their shared caring of the child had helped melt the distrust they both harbored. Jesse was now lying on a bed of spruce boughs Dunk had put together, bundled in a blanket, still fast asleep.

Dunk had concluded this man was not an evil person who would hurt Liz or Mary or Jesse by intent, but he was still dangerous as a party to some larger design. He wasn't to be trusted entirely.

Caldwell hadn't admitted to being involved in some smuggling scheme gone bad, which Dunk was pretty sure was what had happened, but the sailor had said that his partners were trying to trade Liz and Jesse to Sum for something of theirs he'd found, and if Sum didn't go along everyone would be in serious danger. Dunk guessed that there was some kind of mob connection, and that Caldwell was truly frightened at what he'd gotten into.

Dunk's first intention, after he'd gotten Liz and Jesse safely to Mary's camp, was to somehow neutralize this sailor, Caldwell, and get the women and child home to Sum. Now he was less certain that they'd all be safe if he did that. If there were mobsters on shore looking for that barrel, maybe everyone was safer out here in the fog.. at least until the barrel changed hands. But someone had to get the word to Sum and Sonny what was at stake.

Dunk stood up stiffly, and stretched, setting aside the jacket he'd been wearing as a cape. Then he walked around the little cove to where the boats were secured in deep water, slithered down the rocks, and got into EQUAL'S. He switched on the CB.

"SALAD QUEEN, SALAD QUEEN this is TWO PLUS TWO, ovah," he spoke into the mike. But there was no reply on the channel Sum had selected for Mary's callup. Dunk repeated his call three times. No answer. If Sum was home, wouldn't he have the radio on, just in case? Maybe not. No reason for him to think Mary was involved in this.

Dunk could see that Caldwell was standing up, watching him across the cove. Was there another way of contacting Sum? He could radio Sonny on the SUZY-Q once the race had started, and at least contact the crew, but nobody would be aboard now. Dunk could call someone who might be monitoring 9, the general callup channel, but did he want to throw this open to the world? Muk generally had his CB on at home, but he'd be headed out on the tide.. unless he was staying home with his kids to see the parade and the races. Dunk switched over to 9.

"CATBIRD, CATBIRD, this is TWO PLUS TWO, ovah." A long pause. Dunk repeated the call.

"TWO PLUS TWO this is CATBIRD, ovah," Muk's voice came back. Dunk took a deep breath.

"CATBIRD go 18," Dunk said.

"Gone." Dunk changed channels.

"CATBIRD, you copy?"

"Gotcha TWO PLUS. Must be cozy out there all by your lonesomes," Muk teased, he could do mental arithmetic.

"CATBIRD, I've got a problem, ovah," Dunk said.

"TWO PLUS, wisht I had such a problem," Muk replied.

"No.. a real problem, CATBIRD. I got a bogey on Breed's Hill, and have to get a message to Mr. Arithmetic."

"TWO PLUS.. not sure I copy that," Muk said. Caldwell was now walking around the cove, headed for Dunk.

"CATBIRD, can you call Mr. Addition and tell him there's a bogey on Breed's Hill? Ovah." Dunk knew Muk loved old war movies, and he always referred to trouble as a bogey.

"Oh.. I getcha, TWO PLUS. Can do. Anythin else I kin do?"

"CATBIRD. I'll letcha know. Ovah."

"TWO PLUS, I'll be on 9, ovah."

"10-4, CATBIRD, and out." Dunk turned the radio off, and hung the mike up.

Caldwell was now standing on the ledge above him. "What was all that?" the sailor asked, distrustfully.

"Just calling for reinforcements," Dunk replied.

"You may queer the deal, and get us all in deep shit," Caldwell said angrily.

Dunk nodded. "Mebbe, mebbe not. But it's done." He grabbed the bow line, and using it to brace himself, Dunk climbed up the rock to Caldwell. He could see the sailor was trembling again. "Come on, let's get some coffee cookin," Dunk said, and started back around the cove.

By the time they got the fire built up and a pot bubbling, the two men could hear voices coming from Marianne's tent. The light was much brighter now, and the scene beginning to take on colors, but the fog was, if anything, thicker.

Marianne stuck her head out of the bright green tent and called, "Could you bring Liz's clothes, Dunk? Or are you planning to hold us as naked captives?" Dunk chuckled. He'd taken down the clothes once they'd been dried by the fire.. at least as dry as you could get them on a foggy night, and bundled them under a tub. Now he retrieved them, and carried them up to the tent, passing them in to Mary. A few minutes later both women emerged, stretched, and came down to the fire. Their hair was tangled, and Dunk could see a nasty bruise on Liz's face, but he thought they were like some vision out of a fairytale. The most beautiful women he'd ever seen, and he was struck dumb.

Marianne saw the look on his face, and laughed. "Oh, Dunk. Haven't you ever seen two witches in the morning before?"

"Not like you," he thought, but his tongue was frozen.

Liz had gone over and checked on Jesse, first thing, and Caldwell said, "He cried a few times in the night, but we held him until he went back to sleep."

"YOU held him?" she asked accusingly, and looked over to Dunk.

Dunk found his tongue. "He's not a monster, Liz." His eyes met Caldwell's. "Here's some coffee," he went on, pouring some into one of the two cups, and offering it to Liz. Marianne was digging into her gear, bringing out the big skillet and some groceries. Caldwell began arranging a grill, and soon they were all absorbed in cooking breakfast. Liz took the last loaf of bread, and began slicing it with Marianne's big knife. When she was done she set the knife beside her, and looked over at Caldwell. He saw her gesture, and his eyes began to water.

"Is this what I've come to?" he thought. "Am I really the monster Liz Brewster.. Liz Dow.. thinks I am?" He spoke aloud to her, "Liz.. I'm sorry."

"You went along when you were with Walker," she said bitterly, and reached up involuntarily to touch her bruised face.

"I'm truly sorry," Caldwell said, "but we're all scared of what Rizzo will do."

"Who's Rizzo," Marianne asked.

"Rizzo Chinetti," Caldwell said. "He's the one who fixed Walker up in this deal, and he'll kill us all if we don't get the stuff back from Sumner."

"The stuff..?" Marianne asked, looking at Caldwell, and then Liz. Dunk had told her about the mysterious barrel, but she wanted it all out in the open.

Caldwell was the first to speak. "It's drugs. Cocaine. We were supposed to pick it up and deliver it to Rizzo."

"And Sonny got it first," Liz said, disgustedly. She passed her cup to Marianne.

"I don't know about any Sonny," Caldwell said. Cyr saw Sumner go by in a fishing boat, and we guessed he'd taken the drugs. We followed them here. I guess we were right," he observed, unhappily.

"So you kidnapped Liz and Jesse to get the drugs back," Marianne said, sipping at her coffee. "Why shouldn't we just go ashore and let you stew in you own juices?"

"Maybe you should," Caldwell answered sadly. Dunk had been sipping at the other cup of coffee. Now he got up and took it over to Caldwell, who looked up surprised.

"We're all in it now," Dunk said, and Mary looked at him questioningly. "Unless we can get Sonny and them to give the drugs back before this Rizzo shows up, he's gonna be all over Sum.. as soon as these guys tell all. Maybe you'd be safe, but Sum wouldn't."

"But if we go and tell Sum we're OK, he can turn over the drugs, and he'll be safe," Marianne reasoned. Both Dunk and Liz shook their heads. "Why not?" Mary responded.

Liz and Dunk looked eye to eye, and Liz nodded for him to go ahead.

"Sum doesn't have the drugs.. am I right, Liz?" Dunk said. She nodded again. "Sonny has them, and he wouldn't just give them to this Rizzo.. just because it was dangerous not to."

"All the more reason not to," Liz said bitterly. "Damned macho codes of honor. Damned fishermen."

"You mean he'd let someone hurt us, over something he found?' Marianne said, puzzled.

"Not you, Mary," Dunk answered. "He'd risk his neck to protect you. But if it's his own neck.. well that's what fishermen do. They risk their necks for something they've found, every day of the week."

"Finders keepers," Liz said, shaking her head. "A kid's game."

"But he'd give back the drugs to protect us," Mary went on.

"But he has to know you're in danger. As soon as you're not, then Sum has to share the same risk as Sonny and them, and Sonny isn't gonna just roll over and play dead."

They all were silent for a while. Jesse stirred in his blankets, and called "Mama?" Liz quickly went to him, and scooped him up in her arms.

"His clothes are here," Dunk said digging in the tub. Liz took them, and carried Jesse, still wrapped in his blanket, over to the tent to dress, speaking reassuringly in his ear. Dunk and Caldwell cleaned up the skillet and dishes while Marianne restowed what was left of the groceries, leaving out one small plateful of eggs and homefries, and a thick slice of bread with butter and jam. When Liz came back, she was holding Jesse by the hand, and he was skipping beside her.

"This is a neat place, Aunt Mary," he declared.

"This is one of Dunk's special places," she said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Mmm-mmm," he answered, and Marianne pulled him down into her lap and squeezed him. Then she set his plate on the rock in front of him."

Liz looked at Marianne and Jesse. "I don't think you have to be hostages, just to get Sum out of the mess he's into," she declared.

"But the mess goes with the territory," Marianne said. She looked at Dunk, "Am I right?" He nodded. "Anyhow.. we want to help get him out."

"That doesn't mean..." Liz objected.

Marianne cut her off. "No, it doesn't mean we should put Jesse in danger."

"Or you," Dunk said quickly, then he blushed.

Liz looked at Dunk, then at Mary, who was flustered, and thought, "He's in love with her, isn't he? And she wants to make her own decisions, but she wants to follow his lead, too. "

"Maybe you and the boy could go and tell this Sonny that Liz is still out here captive," Caldwell spoke for the first time.

"A nahce lil biddy bait?" Liz sarcastically imitated Walker. Caldwell colored slightly.

"It's not such a bad plan," Dunk observed. "And if you don't show back at the sailboat soon, they might move it, and make it that much harder to do a deal," he went on. "Am I right?" he asked Caldwell.

The idea of Cyr and Walker trying to navigate in the fog gave Caldwell a chill. "They might, I guess," he said. "They don't know much about boats, but they don't trust me not to go to the cops."

"That was yummy, Aunt Mary," Jesse piped up. She hugged him again and rocked side to side.

"Mary and Jesse could go in with Dunk," Liz said. "I could go back to the sailboat with Caldwell."

"You wouldn't have to go aboard," Dunk said. "You could just be there in the other whaler until Sonny brings the drugs. They don't have another gun, do they?" he asked Caldwell. The sailor shook his head.

Liz looked at Caldwell, "Would you agree to that?"

"I don't want to get real close to Walker until this is over," Caldwell admitted. "I think it's a good plan."

"Do we tell Walker what we're up to?" Liz asked, looking from Dunk to Caldwell. She suddenly realized that Dunk, in his calm way, had negotiated this plan so everyone was agreed. "He really is a man worth getting flustered over," she thought. Looking down she saw Mary felt the same way. Her eyes were fixed on Dunk's with undisguised admiration.

Dunk colored a little, and began dousing the coals, making an acrid smoke. "We probly should get crackin," he said.