Bill and his men were still in position when we got to the tree line.

  “What the hell blew up over there?” he asked. “I thought you’d had it. None of us could tell from here.”

  “That damn Mead is crazy. He blew up both the buildings and tried to blow us up with it. Have you heard from Jerry or any of his men?”

  “Yeah. All he said was......to stay here and wait for him.”

  “We’ll do that. How about Mead. Have you seen him?”

  “No. Just Jerry. Heinman hasn’t shown up yet either.”

  “He won’t be showing up. Mead shot him in the back.”

  “What the hell did he do that for?”

  “He was going to give himself up, so he killed him.”

  “Well, that’ll save the tax payers some money. No court trial for him.”

  “Yeah. Mead did us a favor and didn’t even know it.”

  “Here comes Jerry now.”

  “Jesus, Harry! I didn’t know if you made it out or not. We all scattered in different directions. A couple of our men got it.”

  “I know. By the way......how did you get out of there? I thought all of us went through the door, but I didn’t see you.”

  “Through the window. I made a dive right out that damn thing, glass and all.”

  “Where the hell is Mead?”

  “Down there,” Bill said, pointing the docks. “See him?”

  “What about the Guard. Have you heard from them?” Jerry asked.

  Bill shook his head. “Just a few minutes ago. They’re standing by, waiting for you to tell them if the boats start out.”

  “Good. It looks like there’s a lot of activity, but I wonder why they haven’t left yet.”

  Looking at Jerry, I said, “He might think that he got rid of us and didn’t have to hurry now.”

  “Could be, Harry. Could be”

  “I’d like to take Mead alive,” I said.

  “Me too,” Bill and Jerry said together.

  The muffling sound of engines being started, got our attention, as another one cranked up and then the third one. We could plainly see one backing out of its birth and slowly making a wide turn, then headed for the inlet passageway. Jerry picked up the microphone to the radio and relayed the message to the Commander. He mentioned that if the boats split up, they’d put one of his on each of their's. The boats followed in the wake of each other and then stopped about a mile off shore. A fourth and fifth one did the same thing. Just a couple more and that will be the end of Mead’s reign.

  “Bill......did you see anything of the girls yet?” I asked.

  “Not a sign of them.”

  “You think he left them back at the resort?” Jerry asked.

  “I doubt that.” I said. “He’ll need them for hostages now.”

  “Yeah. I guess so.”

  An hour passed as the vigil grew longer without any movement around the docks, or the boats anchored off shore. So, we just waited for something to happen. And then we waited some more.

  Bill had anchored his boat earlier, in a small cove about a hundred yards from the small hill where we were. He made sure that it had firearms on board in case we needed them. Bill said he was going over there and get things ready to go.

  Everything had come to a stop and the calm atmosphere around the dock, was causing the already mounting tension to become more and more less bearable. Our men were getting restless and uneasy. It was damp and cold, as the salty air from the ocean breeze chilled our bones. I wanted to at least get a glimpse of the girls, so I’d know they were alright. But......where the hell were they, I thought. I guess the tension was starting to get to me too.

  Just then, a car went by us and we watched as it came to a screeching halt by the dock. Using the binoculars, I could make out four girls, the doctor, and the nurse. They pulled and tugged at the girls arms, trying to hurry them to the yacht with the gold colored top. It was the largest one of the fleet and had to belong to Mead. Jerry had made a good guess. He was going to use them as hostages. As soon as all of them were aboard, the engines came alive on the remaining three yachts as they backed out of their births and slowly inched their way to the main channel.

  Jerry was on the radio again, sending them the message in code, that the last boats were on their way to meet the others. The three of us scrambled for his boat, along with five other agents. We made short work of the hundred yards and quickly got aboard. Bill started the engines and took the controls, picking up speed rapidly. The powerful engines were turning at full RPM, as we raced across the waves, closing the gap between us and the yachts. They had picked up speed as well, when they spotted Bill’s boat.

  On the horizon, we could see the Coast Guard ships turning in the direction of us. The radio started to blare with the Commander’s voice coming in strong and positive, instructing them to halt their speed. Then added to the statement for them to prepare for boarding on official business. The yachts weren’t slowing at all and the Commander repeated the message several times. Nothing seemed to phase Mead and the messages were ignored. There was a puff of smoke from the lead Guard vessel and then a tremendously loud boom, sending a shell across the bow of the first yacht. Still continuing at the same speed, another shell came across their bow, but much closer and still another and another. A final warning over the radio from the command ship for them to stop immediately. Again it was ignored, signifying that he had no intention of stopping.

  The next shell fired, was a direct hit on the lead yacht and disintegrated it into a thousand pieces. Still, the others continued, and started making zig zag turns to avoid the gun fire. Then, Jerry got on the radio, telling the Commander that the girls were aboard the yacht with the gold top and that he and I, would take care of that one ourselves. The big guns continued blasting away as the yachts, one by one, were blown to smithereens.

  Bill turned his boat toward Meads, and opened the throttles as far as they would go. Closer and closer we sped in their wake, and were gaining on them. Since Bills boat was smaller and had powerful engines, the speed was faster than the one up front. Rifle shots could be heard coming from the yacht, and the splintering of glass on the windshield called for us to return their fire. But, we couldn’t do that until we were sure the girls were not in sight. Then we were finally close enough to use our weapons. Aiming for the propeller shaft, Jerry fired the first round, missing. Several other agents fired and finally hit the target, disabling the engines. Their boat started turning, almost out of control from the power of the other engine still running. All of us were firing at the other shaft and then, the boat came to a stop. Bill slowed down to a crawl, as the gunfire continued, putting two of their crew out of commission.

  “Get closer!” I yelled to Bill. “Get closer!”

  “If I get too much closer, they’ll start aiming for our fuel tanks and that’ll be the end of it.” Bill remarked.

  Jerry asked, “What do you want to do, Harry?”

  “I’m going over the side and swim over there.”

  “That’s crazy. They’ll pick you off before you get ten feet,” Bill said.

  “Well, we can’t just sit here and get shot to hell.”

  “O.K.......O.K., we’ll cover you. Do it quick.” Jerry instructed.

  “I will, don’t worry.”

  Bill moved in as close as he could, and I went off the back of the transom, so I wouldn’t be seen. I took a deep breath and disappeared below the surface of the water.

  The agents, Bill and Jerry kept them pinned down, until they saw me reach the other boat.

  I unwrapped the automatic pistol from its water tight bag and inched my way up the ladder. Glancing back at Jerry, he motioned with his hand, telling me that someone was on top of the bridge. Slowly I raised my head to the top of the transom, spotting the man that he had pointed out to me. Leveling the sights of the pistol, I pulled the trigger, then watched as the man fell into the water. There was a sharp, loud report from a hand gun going off close to me. The bullet shattered the top of the transom, narrowly missing my head. I crouched down quickly, so I wouldn’t be a target for another round. The sound came from the rear cabin door, and I raised up, fired two shots, and got down again. At that moment, I jumped over the transom, rolled across the deck and stood up close to the outside wall of the cabin. Bill had pulled his boat up along side by now, and Jerry jumped over the railing, standing next to me. The door was partly open, and as I looked down the steps, I could see the doctor laying face up, and bleeding from his chest.

  “Mead,” I shouted. “Come out of there with your hands in front of you.”

  “Go to hell, Silver. I’ve got the girls down here and if you don’t get off this boat and let me go, I’ll start shooting them, one by one. And I’ll start with your girl friend.”

  About then, I heard another shot that came from behind me. I turned in a startled motion, and looking at Bill, he pointed toward the bow. The nurse was laying face down on the deck, with a revolver still in her hand.

  “Thanks, Bill,”

  “Anytime. She was just about to put one in you.”

  The ships were heading toward us now and I could feel some relief knowing that Mead was the only one still down there. But, he held the high cards now, and wasn’t bluffing. He knew we wouldn’t risk the girls lives.

  “Mead,” I shouted, again.

  “I’m warning you, Silver. If you so much as get close to that door, I’ll start shooting them. I mean it.”

  “He’s crazy, Jerry. He’d shoot them for sure.”

  I tried again. “Mead, you can live through this thing. Just throw out that gun and then you come out. It’s just that simple. No one will get hurt.”

  “It’s all over now, Silver. I know what would happen if I gave myself up. Now get the hell off this boat, right now.”

  Jerry had slipped around the corner of the cabin and could see Mead holding one of the girls, with his gun pointing at her throat. Bill had gone around the other side, and at about the same moment, fired a blast of bullets, killing Mead. I ran down the steps and found the girls all sitting on the floor and holding each other with a look of horror in their faces. Jill was shaking with nervous tension, and collapsed to the floor.

  Out on deck, we could see other vessels coming from all around us. The Commanders ship eased along side and some of his men came aboard. The girls were taken to his ship and then to waiting ambulances. I went with them. Jerry and Bill took his boat back to the marina and then came to the hospital a short time later.

  We were told all of them were in the intensive care ward, and the doctors were doing all they could to keep them alive. We waited in the lounge, and the doctor soon met us there.

  “Are you here about the four girls that were brought in this afternoon?” The doctor asked looking at us.

  “Yes. How are they doing?” We inquired.

  “Their condition is stable at the present time, but I’m uncertain about the final outcome. That is......I can’t give you a realistic answer until the first twenty-four hours have passed. That’s the critical point.”

  We thanked him, and he said he’d keep us up to date on any changes. I couldn’t help feeling relieved that the case was just about over, but the sadness I felt for Jill, and the others remained imbedded in my mind. Waking several times during the night, I called the hospital from my apartment, to check on their condition,but it remained the same. Taking a brisk cool shower to wake me up thoroughly the next morning, I got dressed and drove back to the hospital. Jerry was there when I arrived and told me that he had just talked to the medical staff.

  “Looks like it’s going to be alright,”

  “Then they’ll be O.K.?” I asked.

  “They said Jill’s physical condition was pretty good and the others are about the same. It’s going to take some time to get over the effects of the drugs. That’s the difficult part. I guess they were given a strong dosage. Like the other doctor told us when you had Jill examined, it could cause amnesia or with time, could come out of it all together. We’ll just have to wait and see. You know, Harry, I’ve never gotten this personally involved in any case before. This whole thing has been on a more personal level, I guess because of you and Jill being so close.”

  “I do appreciate your thoughts about it......I really do.”

  “I’m sure they will take good care of them here.” he said.

  As we were speaking, the doctor came into the room with a little grin on his face, and you don’t usually see that from a doctor. But, it indicated good news. He told us all about their condition and then asked if we had any question.

  “Will they be here very long?” I asked.

  “Don’t know yet. At least a few weeks.

  “Can we help in any way?” Jerry asked.

  “No, not really. Time, is the answer right now.

  Knowing that Jill’s condition was improving, Jerry and I left Los Angeles for Washington to finish up the loose ends. Starting with the secretary who had been photographing the documents. We planned on making arrests as quickly as possible. Six were made at the resort by other agents. Then the jeweler was next, along with the “pick-up” man, making the cage complete. We cleaned up the paperwork and had all of them in custody to await trial.

  Dictating a final memo to my secretary and signing the report, I closed the file for good. I had called to check on Jill and the others every evening that I was in Washington. Last night’s call, I was told that she and the others had been discharged, were doing well and would recover both mentally and physically in time. He said that Jill couldn’t remember anything about the past couple of months and would need help from someone to fill in the blanks for her. Again, I thanked him.

  Bill went back to his normal job, and Jerry back to his office in Washington. The old sea captain could be seen in his chair at the dock once in a while.

  The afternoon had slipped away into early evening and the cool breezes blowing in off the ocean, forced Jill and Harry into the warmth of the cottage. Harry placed several logs on the andirons in the fireplace, and striking a match, lit the kindling under them. Soon the flames were searing the bark, and had started crackling. He went to the bar, poured two snifters of brandy and handed one to Jill. Standing by the fireplace, she looked up at him with trusting eyes, and took her finger and outlined the features of his face.

  “Well, Jill......that’s about the whole story. I can’t think of anything that I left out.”

  “Thank you for telling me all of it. I had to know, and I do feel better knowing exactly what happened. You know something, Harry......that experience taught me a lot about life. I’m the type that likes to live for today. If tomorrow gets here, O.K. If it doesn’t......well there isn’t much I can do about it. That doesn’t mean that I throw all caution to the wind. It just means that I want to enjoy life to the fullest.”

  “With an outlook like that, you can’t go wrong.”

  About the author

  In loving memory of Martin Zehring, my father who wrote this novel. He wrote the first draft in 1986, and had the copy edited and rewritten in 1987. He was inspired to write after being an extra in three different movies at DEG studios in Wilmington N.C. in 1985-1986. He finally landed a few speaking parts in the movie Traxx, which did not have impressive ratings at the box office. He got the first name of the main character from my uncle. He got the last name of the character from his favorite childhood cowboy movies; Roy Roger’s horse was named Silver. The picture of him on this page is the same photo he used in landing the part in Traxx at the time. After trying quite a bit to get the now finished manuscript to be published, he put the novel away for about a year, having no market for the book. He tried again, periodically through the years. Finally in 1997, he did one final edit to the book on the first chapter, and had the copyright done again, and registered again in 2000. This is the final novel, I bring to you he had written. I myself was lucky enough to be in a few movies in the eighties as well, and was a good experience.

 

 

  Unknown, Destiny Takes a Hand

 

 

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