Chapter 40 - GLORIOUS FOURTH

It was the morning of the Glorious Fourth in Smithport, the town's big day. By 8 o'clock Main Street was stop and go, with folks ferrying kids and floats and fire engines to the race marshaling point down to the east end of town, and visitors and family members from away funneling through. To the casual eye it seemed like an ordinary Fourth, the usual sponsors' trucks and fishermen's kin from all over coming to participate in the World's Fastest Lobsterboat Races, the press contingent, the tourists. But the keen-eyed Smithporters also noticed a number of unmarked sedans and clean-cut buttoned-downs wearing shiny shoes. On a normal day the call would have gone out that IRS was on the prowl again, and Smithporters would have been dusting off the "I dunno, never heard a hims." But this lot looked rather more military.. or cop.

Sidearm had watched the traffic build up from his pull-off near Sumner's house. He'd been particularly interested in the official-looking blue sedan which had gone east slowly and come back rather more rapidly a few minutes later. Sidearm was tired of waiting for nothing to happen. If Chinetti was going to make a move before the parade blocked Main Street or the races started, he was going to have to hurry. Sidearm started Nicky's car, and pulled out to follow the sedan into town. He'd noticed an array of antennas on the car, and he didn't key the CB.

Down the other end of town, at the Co-op, boats were coming and going. Gassing up, picking up crews and passengers. Even though the races didn't start until 11, lots of fishermen wanted to get organized early, to avoid the rush after the parade. The race master was circling round the anchorage talking through his loud-hailer, and the POINT HANON was out in the channel east of the bridge, holding it's own against the current. The tide was about dead low.

Sonny and Buster had slept deeply in SUZY-Q at the mooring, and Sonny had run her in to the float early and gone over to Sherm's for groceries. He thought about driving overbridge to pick up Jumbo and Janet, but his truck was already penned in by other vehicles, and he didn't want to linger at the float, blocking the way. So he'd loaded the groceries, then he motored across the reach to Tink's float, tied up alongside, and blew the horn for the young lovers.

Before Jumbo and Janet appeared, Sonny saw young Annie come running out of Gram's, waving for his attention. Buster had been standing on the workdeck, looking pretty calm, but when he saw his daughter, he started muttering nervously, and disappeared into SUZY's cabin.

"Uncle Sonny," Annie yelled as she ran out onto the dock. She leaned out over the top of the ladder above him. "Uncle Sonny," she said breathlessly, "Gram wants you to come up the house."

"OK," Sonny replied, "tell her I'll be right there." The skinny little redhead turned and streaked for Gram's house, shouting "Highdy," to Janet and Jumbo, who were walking down to the dock.

Sonny climbed the ladder as Jumbo and Janet stepped onto the dock. They looked freshly buffed, and their eyes shown. They were holding hands. "Make self to home," he gestured to the boat. "They's breakfast makins aboard, if you was too busy to eat." The couple smiled. "I'm gonna have a word with Gram," Sonny explained, and walked past them to her house.

Gram's kitchen was smothering hot as usual, and there was fresh baking on every surface. "You'll want some baked good for your guests," Gram observed. "I'm glad you came over."

Sonny smiled at the old woman, and waited. He knew that Annie's excited summons hadn't been for baked goods.

Gram smiled in return. "Can't fool you, can I, Sonny?"

"Only most the time," Sonny said.

"Been a lot happnen to town," she said, and paused. Sonny let the silence run.

"OK," Gram went on. "it's none a my business.. but.. a couple men off a sailboat were lookin for Sumner.. which I figger means your crew.. and Louise's boy Lester thought they meant trouble.. so he called Liz Sum to warn'em.."

"When was that?" Sonny asked.

"Yestiddy mahnin."

"And?" Sonny prompted.

"And Kellaher's truck's been parked to Sum's all night, along with a big fancy car."

"Yeh.. I seen it," Sonny said. "Anyathin else?"

"Some man with an Italian-soundin name has been callin outa Sum's, and another one.. mebbe named Monk. made a couple calls from that rough girls of Martha's.."

"Nicky.. Nicole?" Sonny prompted.

"Yeh, Nicky.. anahow, this Monk calls away and gets Sum's number, and calls for the Italian man to come get im. Say somethin bout Sidearm gettin away."

"You sure got your antennas up, Gram."

"They's more."

"OK, lemme have it," Sonny said, grinning at Gram's spy network.

"Well. They's been a lot of CB chatter. El thought it was young Lester usin Sum's CB handle callin Muk..?" Gram paused.

"Yeh. I know Muk." Sonny was following Gram's report. El was his crippled Uncle Elwin who spent most days listening to his CB scanner, and was Gram's prime radio informant. She must had had him listening for anything to do with Dunk or Sum, after Dunk's morning call was relayed to Gram. He knew that Lester.. Dunk .. was a buddy of Muk's.

"El said the message was : tell Mr. Arithmetic there's a bogey at Breed's Hill. Whatevah that means. You unnerstand it?

"Nope, but I'll figger onnit. Anathin else?"

"Somebody tried to find you roun 11 last night. Come in a runabout to Tink's. Annie said twas two men and a woman, mighta been Sum. Was wearing a hat like his. An your phone bout rang off the hook."

"You're spyin on me pretty good, Gram," Sonny said without rancor.

"Mebbe you need it," was Gram's tart reply.

"That all then?"

"Aside from you rushing up and down the reach afta midnight, or those young lovers who stayed next door las night.. no. I don't think so. This does have ta do with your shenanigans, now don't it?"

"Yeh. Mebbe it does," Sonny said thoughtfully.

"Oh, and El said they was some code talk to channel 13 which mighta been to .. ah .. Nicky."

"Gram, you're a wondah," Sonny said "But I gotta go now and chase some a this down."

"You watch yourself, Sonny," Gram said. "There was some shootin yestiddy to that Nicky's.. though it mighta been fireworks. Big fireworks, though."

"Always leave the best til last," Sonny thought. "Thanks, Gram," he said aloud. And he hurried out the door and down to SUZY-Q.