Chapter 57 - DECOY

HONEYDEW and Nicky's runabout were laced up on either side of SUZY-Q while the Smithporters chewed over their next moves. Sidearm and Slaughter both had their CBs still turned on to channel 13.

"Sonny, you OK?" The frail old voice of Sonny's Great uncle El boomed in stereo from the two radios. The old man must have been trying to follow events on the scanner.

Sonny reached over and flicked on his transceiver. It was still set to 13. "That's affirmative," he said, ignoring proper procedures, and hoping to avoid any more snoops getting involved. They still had a fortune in cocaine aboard. Not to mention three dead bodies.

"Coast Guard's headed out," El said, and the circuit went silent.

"O shit," Sonny thought.

"Why doane I take the medic an the wounded, an get back to the races," Slaughter suggested. "I'll make a big row when I meet the Coasties. See I can't slow 'em down. You still gonna land that, ain't you Sonny?" Slaughter nodded at the barrel.

"Yeh," Sony answered. "If I can."

Marianne looked at Dunk, disbelieving. "They're still going to try and smuggle this poison, after all that's happened," her eyes said. Dunk just nodded slowly, understanding the local logic. A windfall's still a windfall, no matter who's under the tree.

Janet helped Jumbo climb over into HONEYDEW.

"Anyone else?" Slaughter asked.

Dunk said, "Mebbe Miss Marianne would go with you." He turned to Marianne. "You could go be with Liz and Sum," he said.

"What about you," Marianne asked, afraid he was going to get even more involved.

Dunk looked down at Buster. "Thought I'd take care of the old man." He looked at Sonny. "Guess we can't be havin dead bodies appearin, kin we?"

Sonny met Dunk's eyes and smiled sadly. "Probly not," Sonny agreed.

"Can I come?" Marianne asked uncertainly.

"You bettah, honey," Nicky said. "Or ol Dunky'll about die of the sad and lonesomes."

Dunk just smiled and opened his arms for her.

"OK.. I'm gone," Slaughter said untying the lines between HONEY and SUZY.

"You can tell them the gunmen are in a blue and white whaler," Caldwell suggested as the boats separated. The boat he and Walker had rented might be good bait. Slaughter gave him a thumbs up, and roared back toward the reach.

Sonny slapped Caldwell on the shoulder. "Still in the play, sailor?" Sonny said. "You might just do."

"You need us?" Sidearm asked. "I got a bet on them races."

"I figgah you're still in for a cut," Sonny joked.

"Yeh.. well we bettah be," Nicky replied. "I need a new set a dishes. And Flyball's smoked all my smokes." Sidearm was untying the runabout.

"Oh.. one thing," Sonny said to Sidearm. "Find Muk, wouldja? Tellim to make that call."

"Make that call?" Sidearm asked.

"Yeh, and be sure he gets the message," Sonny said, winking at Sidearm.

Nicky cranked the outboard, hit the throttle, and the runabout rose up and danced through the tossing waves toward the Back Pasture, where the seas would be easier.

Sonny was still holding the revolver vaguely in Chinetti's direction. The mobster had gone all green again thanks to the uneasy motion, and his dashed plans. Now Sonny put the revolver in his belt.

"I think we can come to some agreement now," Sonny said, "can't we Mr. Chinetti?"

Without waiting for an answer, Sonny turned on the ignition, put SUZY in gear, and roared back toward Bunker's Hole.

Dunk went below and came back up with a blanket. He and Marianne rolled Buster onto it, then wrapped it around the little Nam vet.

"Whadaya wanna do with him?" Sonny shouted over his shoulder.

"Maybe we could bury him on Rogue. I think Mom would want to know where he is. My boat's over there anyhow," Dunk shouted back.

"OK," Sonny replied.

SUZY raced into the outer door, and came flying up on BALI. Sonny cut power as they passed close aboard, their wake bouncing the yacht, then he revved her in reverse, cutting the wheel over, and goosed her forward again, cutting the other way. SUSY spun round and tapped sides with the Concordia.

"Take Mr. Big Deal with ya," Sonny said to Caldwell, indicating Chinetti.

Caldwell looked surprised. "I'll be right back," Sonny said.

Caldwell hesitated. "You need a gun, or somethin?" Sonny asked. Caldwell shook his head. He climbed up on SUZY's rail, then stepped over BALI's safetyline onto her side deck. Cyr and Walker were standing in the cockpit of the rocking yacht, not knowing what to expect.

When Rizzo awkwardly followed Caldwell across the see-sawing gap, Walker said," Whah howdy, Mistah Chinetti. Maght y'all like a sippa de vine to ease yo heart?" Cyr raised the bottle of port invitingly.

Sonny bumped the throttle, swinging away from BALI, then put it in the corner, making a racing turn into the channel.

Going past where he'd stranded Sumner's boat, Dunk noticed it was almost afloat, and the tide just topping out. "Has it only been a few hours?" Dunk thought. It didn't seem possible. Maybe he could get EQUAL'S off on the next tide.

It was a lucky thing this was race day. Otherwise there might be any number of people on the great beach, but when SUZY thundered across to Dunk's hideyhole, not a soul was to be seen. Dunk directed Sonny into the guzzle his boat was in, and the two men quickly lifted Buster onto the ledge.

"You kin handle this?" Sonny asked. Dunk nodded.

"I'm sorry, Dunk. He was the best crew.. and a good man, at root," Sonny said. Dunk nodded again. Sonny wanted to say more.

Marianne watched the two men unable to bridge the silence. Unable to make a physical gesture.

"I think they killed somethin in him over thayah," Sonny finally said.

"Yeh," Dunk said. "Thanks, Sonny.. you gonna take the whalah?"

"Right," Sonny said. Dunk untied its bowline, and handed it over.

"See ya," Sonny said, backing SUZY out, towing the blue and white boat.

Dunk woggled his hand goodbye, his eyes on the bundle at his feet.