Chapter 42 - MOTOR TROUBLE

Dunk felt he was the complete idiot. He'd stepped right into the honeypot without even looking.

When he and Mary and Jesse had gone up the meadow from Sawyer's landing, Dunk thought he was bringing good news to Sum, and Sum would be able to work out the rest of the deal to get Liz home safely. Dunk had long ago learned how to care for himself and Annie, but taking responsibility for the safety of Sum's family felt like over-reaching. He'd be glad to pass the ball to Sum. Dunk figured he'd gotten Mary right out of this mess, and he was relieved.

Even when he saw Sidearm's rig out front of Sum's, Dunk never hesitated. He guessed that was all about the dope deal, and his view of the Lincoln was blocked by the trailer. It wasn't until they were crossing the road and the huge thug stepped onto the front steps with a shotgun he realized how careless he'd been.

"What have we here?" Bobo said with a nasty smile. "The whole fuckin family come home to roost." He'd ushered them into the house, and the three captives stood huddled together under the eyes of Bobo, Monk, and Chinetti.

"Lemme guess," Chinetti said. "This must be Liz, and Sum's kid, and... maybe you're Dunk?" He'd been puzzling over the two notes Sum left lying on the kitchen table.

Dunk shook his head. He was holding Marianne's hand tightly, and she had her arm protectively around Jesse. "She's not Liz," Dunk said, hoping that might shield Mary.

"But I got two outa tree, huh?" Chinetti laughed. "Not bad, huh, boys?" The mobsters were all grinning now things seemed to be turning their way.

"Guess you didn't run into da Summoner, then.. or dat little slimeball Sidearm." Chinetti went on. "But I guess you know all about where the sailboat is, don't you?"

Dunk stayed mute. Bobo stepped forward and shoved Dunk so he stumbled backward and slammed against the wall. Jesse started crying, and Marianne squatted down, pulled him between her knees, hugging him. She looked at Dunk over the child's head, her eyes full of tears.

"Answer up, Dink," Bobo instructed. Dunk kept his mouth shut. He'd learned from Buster that speaking up while being abused didn't get you anywhere, and he wasn't sure what was the best tactic to get them out of this mess. Bobo stepped toward him again.

"Yes," Marianne said. "We know."

"Ah, da lady speaks," Chinetti said. "And just who are you?"

"I'm Liz's cousin. I was camped near where the sailboat is. Dunk's a friend of mine. We were just bringing Jesse home to his father."

"And why isn't Liz widja?" Rizzo asked.

Marianne's eyes met Dunk's. "She's waitin for Sum to come out and deal with the saylahs," Dunk said.

"Why'd he hafta, if she could get away?" Chinetti was puzzled. "You lying to me, Dink?" he was getting angry. This sounded like a bullshit story.

Dunk was mute before the gangster's anger, and Mary hastened to answer. "Because of you. You're Mr. Chinetti, aren't you?"

Rizzo smiled. "Yuh. Dat I am sweetheart. So what?"

"They're all scared of you, Mr. Chinetti. So Liz wants Sumner to give the sailors the drugs. She won't come in until Sum's clear of it. Then THEY can deal with you."

"Now dere's a good idea," Rizzo said. "But it still sounds bullshit to me." He paused to think. "How far is it to the sailboat?"

"Bout 40 minutes," Dunk answered.

"And you can find it?"

"If they don't cut and run," Dunk replied.

"So maybe we oughta go make sure they don't," Rizzo said. "Monk, you and Bobo take our guests out to where Walker's hid and keep 'em all bagged up til you get the goods."

"Why take Mary and Jesse?" Dunk spoke up. "Liz is there to trade, and I know the way."

"So you say, Dink. So you say. But a boid inna hand, as dey say," Rizzo responded. "And I'd guess you won't fuck up if Bobo has a hand on Miss Mary here," he smiled. "That sound good to you, Bo?"

"She looks good enough to eat," Bobo purred. Marianne's skin prickled, and Dunk felt his muscles tighten. Chinetti looked at them and laughed.

Jesse spoke for the first time. "Are these bad men, Aunt Mary?" She hugged him tighter.

"Yuh, kid. We're real bad men," Rizzo said. "You tell your momma she better not fuck up dis deal, she don't wanna feed da fish."

"You comin wid us?" Monk asked Chinetti.

Rizzo shook his head. "We dunno if dis is all bullshit. I'll stay here just in case. If you get da merchandise, send Bobo back wid the woid." Monk nodded.

"Let's go, kiddies, Monk gestured toward the door with his gun. Dunk looked apologetically into Mary's eyes as he went to help her up, and she mouthed, "It's OK." Then they were hustled out the door and across the road when there was a break in the traffic. It was still thick fog outside, and their legs were soaked again before they got down to the shore.

Pulling away from the dock in EQUAL'S Dunk thought he saw the top of Sum's hat disappearing over a ledge, but he couldn't be sure. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. There was a lot of motor noise out in the reach. The races must be starting about now, and Dunk wondered if he could come close enough to someone who might pass the word along. But it was a slim hope. He powered EQUAL'S up onto the step, and set a course for Bunker's Hole. They didn't pass anyone.

As the whaler sped across the waves, Dunk thought about Liz, and wondered where Caldwell had put them in relation to BALI. If Dunk could approach from the opposite direction, maybe Liz and Caldwell could get away. He didn't know how much these thugs knew about boats. Dunk slowed the motor down to an idle, and EQUAL'S settled into her wake.

"Whaddaya doin?" Monk asked.

"It don't sound right," Dunk said, walking aft to the engine. When neither gunman disputed him, Dunk figured he'd guessed right. He adjusted the angle of the outboard so it was much less efficient. "Maybe I can help the odds," he thought. Then he twisted the high speed adjust 180 degrees richer.

Dunk went back to the controls. When he ran the engine back up to higher revs it really did perform badly, and he shook his head. He kept bumping the throttle up and back, so it seemed like the engine was faltering badly, never actually running it up to top speed. All the time Dunk muttered as though he were upset. "Goddam Mercs," he cursed aloud.

Meanwhile he altered their course to take them into the outer door to Bunker's Hole. The tide was now flooding, and BALI would be pointing in that direction, with that mystery buoy astern. Dunk hoped Caldwell had grabbed it the way he'd done last night. It was the only purchase near the yacht, and there hadn't been a long enough anchor line in the waler to reach bottom in that deep hole.

Even with his subterfuge they were soon passing between the dark loomings of Big and Little Spruce, heading into the Hole. Dunk idled down.

"Whaddya doin?" Monk demanded.

"The boat's just ahead," Dunk said, nodding his head at the fog in front of them. The two gunnies looked forward. As they did Dunk lifted up the manual choke on the remote controls. The outboard coughed and roughened.

"Run, Liz, Run!" Dunk spoke in his projecting voice.

Bobo turned toward him, and slapped him alongside the head. "Shut it!" the gunman said. Then they heard another outboard start up ahead of them.

Bobo pulled Dunk away from the controls, and shoved the throttle forward. The motor surged and stuttered, surged again, began to rev up until EQUAL'S was almost planing. BALI appeared through the mist, and they could just see the other whaler accelerating away. Monk took a snap shot at the retreating boat, shouting, "Stop! You fuckers, Stop!"

EQUAL'S engine smoothed out just long enough to jerk her forward onto the step, and then choked and died completely. The sound of the other outboard snarled into the fog, fading, then disappeared out the side door. Bobo turned to Dunk and punched him squarely in the gut. Dunk fell half over the rail, gasping, and the big man grabbed him and dragged him back aboard.

"You lil prick," Bobo cursed him. "Get this fucker working again, or we do the girl."