by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 17, Excerpt 102)
This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Roberts has sailed it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida. 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 is going to play an important part in the rest of the story. Grandfather Roberts has met Honest Dave and had a tour of his Chris-Craft. Honest Dave is going back to Homestead to check on his businesses. He will come back. Grandfather Roberts has moved into his new house on the Atlantic and we will get introduced to the A. M. Adams Turtle Schooner soon. The criminals are starting to get involved.
“Harold Junior, they’re bringing the porch swings tomorrow in the morning.”
“Great, Grandfather Roberts! I bet I can swing so high, I’ll touch the roof!”
“I don’t know if you should go that high. You might turn over and fall out,” I cautioned. “Tell you what, Junior, let’s get our swimming trunks on, and get our towels. You know only three blocks away right next to the Southern-Most house, is the South Beach. We need to go for a swim.”
They walked to the corner of Whitehead Street and turned right and walked a short block. Then, all they had to do was go around the Southern-Most house, and there was the South Beach. It was a small beach that had been the main beach for the old-town people for ages. Of course Harold Junior really liked the snack shop.
The next morning a pickup truck pulled up at ten sharp. A guy came up on the porch and rang the bell.
“May I help you?” I asked.
“Installer with two porch swings for Tom Roberts.”
“You must be Frank from the hardware store?” I asked.
“Yah, I’m the guy. Where you want these things? I’ll get my guys to bring them up.”
“Tell you what, one goes right here,” as I pointed, “facing out towards the street. Right between these bushes, so we can look out. The other in the back.”
‘”Just one second. I’ll get the guys started. Hey, youse guys. Bring me one here,” he hollered.
They both carried the swing onto the porch, “Right here, in between these bushes,” Frank ordered as he pointed.
Now, where’ya want the other one?” Frank asked.
“Let’s go to the back of the house, this way. “Will there be enough room to bring the other one through here, down the hall?”
“Yah, plenty of room,” Frank answered.
He looked around the house as he walked down the hall. He seemed to be observing all he could. “Nice layout you’ve got here, Mister Roberts.”
“Thank you. Now, the other one goes here. We can get a view of the Atlantic between those palm trees,” I pointed to the location.
“Right, got’cha. I’ll tell the guys,” as he headed back through the house. “Hey youse guys! When you get done there, I’ll show you where the next one goes.”
I had followed Frank back to the front. “Frank, I would like to pay you. Let’s go to the kitchen table, and I’ll pay you cash, if I’ve got it.” We sat down.
“I prefer cash,” Frank said. “Let’s see,” he wrote on a pad. “Two porch swings at twenty-four fifty each plus fourteen dollars each to install. That’s seventy-seven dollars. Don’t worry about the tax, it’s included.”
I pulled a roll of bills out of my right pocket, “I’ve got it exactly.”
“Here’s your receipt.” Frank had written the individual costs on the pad, and then scribble signed it.
“You don’t have an Island Hardware receipt?” I asked.
“No, Mister Roberts, I’m a contract installer, work for myself.”
Just then the two guys came back carrying the other swing, “Where ya want this, boss?”
“Let me show you. Right there, facing the Atlantic. Make sure it’s got the view.”
Suddenly Harold Junior appeared. He had been upstairs playing in Grandfather Robert’s office. He was making believe he was writing a book. He had only gotten the operator on the phone one time and was really surprised when it happened. She had told him he shouldn’t play with a phone. It was just afterwards he heard the noise of the two men installing the rear swing.
“Who are you? What’s happening?” he asked.
“Hi, kid. I’m Frank, I’m putting up your porch swings. I’ve got the front one up. You want to see it?”
They went to the front, and Harold Junior sat in it and proceeded to give it the full test.
“Not too high, Harold Junior,” I cautioned.
“We’re done, Boss,” the two guys came out the front door.
“Ok, we gotta’ go. “Thanks, Mister Roberts. “Bye kid,” Frank waved to Harold Junior.
The three got in the pickup and roared off down the street.
Unknown to Tom:
In a swanky hotel on the east end of Key West:
“I tell you, Vince, he’s got some dough. You should have seen the roll he pulled out of his pocket. Paid me in cash. Also, I’ve got some more info from Texas. He lived in Houston, something about oil money, stocks. That’s all they could tell me. He’s also got a grandson visiting.
“I’ll tell you, Frank, listen up. I’ve got an idea.by the way
Frank, how did you know he needed the swings?”
“Easy, I’ve got a guy running phone taps on a couple of targets.”
That’s good work, Frank,” Vince commented, “Now here’s the plan, “We’ve gotta’ move fast. The kid may go home to his parents soon. We’re gonna take the kid, and get some money for his return.”
“You mean kidnap, Vince?” Frank exclaimed.
“Well kind of borrow the kid until we get some dough for his return. If they cooperate, nobody gets hurt. Now, you swing by the house with one of the guys. You see the kid out front, you get out, and while you’re easing up to the kid, your man goes to the nearest phone booth and calls the gramps. You grab the kid and presto, you're gone!”
“Sounds like a plan, Vince. I’ll start casing the place tomorrow.”
“Hi Tom. It’s Dave. I’m calling from the Bahia Honda State Park.”
“That means you're only thirty five miles away.”
“Yep, should be there in a couple of hours.”
“Fine Dave, we’ll meet you with Franklin and the carriage.”
“Yes, Harold Junior, to answer the question you're thinking, we’re going to see the Chris-Craft boat.”
“Grandfather Roberts, are we going to go for a ride?”
“Harold Junior, I’m sure Dave will take us for a ride. Probably tomorrow.”
Harold Junior and I were standing on the dock next to Roberts’ Best when we saw the Chris-Craft heading towards us. Dave waved out the side window. He then skillfully eased up to the dock. The same slip he had last time was available. He revved the engine, and let her idle. I thought I could hear something different about the engine. I then grabbed the bow line and made it fast to the dock as Dave did the same for the stern.
Harold Junior was jumping up and down, “Yea, a speed boat! We’re going to go very fast!”
Dave motioned for me to step in. We shook hands, “Good to see you,
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
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