Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 20, Excerpt 105)
This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Tom Roberts has sailed it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida, where he has bought a house on the Atlantic. His grandchildren and their parents have come to Key West on a visit. There will be a lot of funny happenings until the criminals from a previous story get into action. A side note is that a 1935 antique Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser and Honest Dave are going to play an important part in the rest of the story. Grandfather Roberts has Just got a kidnap phone call. The criminals are now up to their mischief and have his grandson, Harold.
Now, Tom, get yourself together. Go slow, and we’ll make a plan. It will be all right! We got time.”
This time I explained slowly, and both Dave and Betty Thomas listened intently.
As they were talking, Franklin came up. “Mister Tom, you didn’t have time to tell me what was the trouble. You say someone took Mister Harold? Let me tell you what I saw earlier. This guy and a little boy, about Mister Harold’s size, both backs were turned to me, couldn’t see faces. They walked out on that turtle boat dock and then went onto the boat.
Dave said, “That’s where they're keeping him. No authorities. They may be watching. We’ll do the drop-off, and then make like we’re going to your house, Tom to wait for a call. While they’re picking up the money, Franklin will bring us back here. Then we’ll take this Chris-Craft and board that turtle boat from the water side. They won’t be expecting us!”
“Now let’s see, how much money do you have, and then we’ll get an old shoe. Wha’cha got, Tom?”
“I’ve got a little over two thousand in hundreds.”
“Just a second.” Dave went into the cabin and came back out with a wad of bills. “Use these,” he said, as he ruffled the money.
“Dave, I can’t take your money!”
“Here Tom, take a look at them.”
I took the stack, “Why, it’s Confederate money!”
“Fooled you, huh?” Dave smiled. “They'll fool them too. Here, put half of your hundreds on top and the rest on the bottom. Now, wrap them in this paper with a rubber band. Presto. In the shoe they go!”
Now Franklin, let’s us guys go down to the lighthouse. We need Betty to stay here. We’re going to need her to drive this here Chris-Craft for the boarding party and get away!”
They drove down Simonton and turned right on Truman. Franklin stopped the carriage in front of the lighthouse.
Dave jumped out. “I’ll take the money up. Be right back.”
Dave went up to the lighthouse door and put the old shoe down in the grass touching the base of the structure. He then looked around and hurried back. Franklin started old Bessie up and headed the carriage back to United Street. Tom and Dave then ducked down, and Franklin went right back Simonton to the marina.
“Ok, guys, let’s get the Chris-Craft started up. Franklin, you watch the turtle boat and if there’s trouble you call the authorities.”
“Yes, Mister Dave. Me and Bessie will get a little closer with this carriage, so we can keep a lookout.”
At the lighthouse:
“I got the shoe, Vince,” Frank said, as he jumped into the car.
“Let’s go, Sammy,” Vince said and then asked, “the money in it?”
Frank said, “It looks good as he unwrapped and thumbed through it.”
“Let me have it,” Vince grabbed the bundle of bills and cut the stack in half. “Confederate money! They scammed us!”
“What do you mean? Give it to me. There’s some bills. They put a thousand on top and a thousand on the bottom.”
“Sam, quick, to the boat. We’ve got to get the kid. We’re not going to the dock. We’ll board seaside and get him out of there. We’ll get our dough one way or the other. No dumb amateurs are going to rip us off!”
Dave started the Chris-Craft as Tom and Betty untied it, stowed the cables, and pulled the bumpers. Dave backed away from the dock, did a 180 and headed across the Bight.
“Here, Betty, take the wheel. I’ve got to go into the cabin one sec.”
He came back out brandishing a handgun, and stuffed it into his belt.
“What ya got there, Dave?” I asked.
“It’s a Colt forty-five, Civil War six-shooter. No shells though. Here, check it out,” he said as he handed it to me. “Might come in handy. Now here’s the plan. We’re going in right next to the turtle schooner and do a 180 heading out, Betty driving.”
“Don’t worry, Tom, I used to drive my dad’s sixty-foot shrimp boat,” Betty put in.
“Then we’ll quickly ease up to the side of schooner. We’ll be up on our deck. Betty will keep it running as we go over the side and board the schooner. We’ll check it out, search it, and God willing, will bring Harold Junior out. Tom, we take no prisoners! Get in, and get out!”
The turtle schooner loomed up as a dark foreboding shape alongside of the dock. It was silhouetted by the city lights. There were a few tourists walking about on the main part of the city park. They pulled up, did the 180, and Betty professionally slid the Chris-Craft up to the side of the schooner.
“Boost me up, Tom,” Dave said as he reached up and grabbed on to the side rails of the schooner.
Dave flipped over onto the deck, reached down, and pulled me up and over.
Now we were both on the deck. The turtle schooner was rocking side-ways to and fro from the Chris-Craft’s wake.
“This way. There’s a hatch under this canvas,” Dave said.
We went down below deck. Dave pulled out a flashlight and shined it around.
“There in the rear, the captain’s cabin. Must be in there,” Dave said as his flashlight shined on the door.
We advanced towards the door, Dave with a flashlight in one hand and Civil War six-shooter in the other.
“Check it out, Tom,” Dave suggested.
I went forward. “Someone's blocked it from the outside.”
There was a board across the opening with a rope tied to the handle. Tom twisted the board and opened the door. It was pitch black, except for a faint illumination coming in from the two small portals in the rear of the ship.
From the Author:
My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969.
bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
