Death Echo

at the helm, a tech installed the multipurpose screen for a chart plotter, radar receiver, and depth sounder.
    â€œYou meant it when you said you were in a hurry,” Mac drawled as he looked at the controlled frenzy.
    â€œThe boat’s gotta sail tomorrow,” Amanar said. “First light. We’vealready been delayed by losing a captain. We asked for more time and didn’t get it. We’ve been running double shifts and then some, but she’ll be ready. You’ll have to do sea trials along the way.”
    Mac didn’t point out that he hadn’t been hired. All he said was, “New owner must have lots of green if he’ll underwrite that fast a commissioning.”
    â€œThe perfect customer,” Lovich said. “Cost is no object.” He ran his hand over the close-cropped, graying beard on his chin and looked around. “Let’s go to the office.”
    â€œWhatever,” Mac said mildly, even as he slid in the knife. “We’re in kind of a hurry ourselves. Taking my boat out for a week or so.”
    Let Amanar chew on that.
    Frowning, Amanar looked at Emma. He started to say something, then shrugged and led the way up the ramp to the Blue Water dealership office. Lovich followed.
    Stoneface watched them from the dock.
    Both brokers were unusually quiet until they were inside the office with the door closed behind them. Amanar stood behind the desk, keeping an eye on the activity on the dock. Lovich pulled the tabs on three cans of light beer. He set one each in front of Amanar and Mac, then took one for himself.
    Apparently Emma was invisible.
    â€œThanks,” Mac said, pretending to drink. He hated light beer. “Getting Autonomy ready is thirsty work.”
    He tilted the can toward Emma. She sipped, made a throaty noise, sucked, and licked her lips like a porn star with a bratwurst.
    â€œWhat’s on your mind?” Mac asked Amanar.
    Amanar looked over Mac’s latest girlfriend.
    Emma admired her freshly painted fingernails. She’d learned that the ropes— lines —ate manicures, but there was the image thing to uphold. A dumb piece of ass without scarlet finger-and toenails? Ain’t happening.
    â€œWe want to talk business,” Amanar said curtly. “Lose the candy.”
    â€œHer candy is my business,” Mac said. “She knows when to close her mouth.”
    â€œOver your cock,” Lovich muttered.
    Emma leaned harder into Mac. The tension snaking through his body reminded her of just how strong he was. It also told her that he didn’t like her being the target of trash talk.
    â€œAre they talking cash?” she asked Mac, just loud enough for the other two men to overhear.
    He looked at Amanar and Lovich. “You talking cash?”
    The cousins looked at each other. Neither liked it, but they were getting the game plan. Play with the candy or play without a captain.
    â€œYes,” Amanar said. “Twenty thousand, up front. Twenty on delivery. Expenses are on you.”
    At that pay rate, Mac wasn’t surprised. “How long, which boat, where, and when?”
    â€œBlackbird. Tomorrow before dawn. You head up the Inside Passage toward Broughton Island. You’ve got five days to get there. If the buyer can’t take it over somewhere along the way, you’ll get more instructions.”
    Mac lifted his black eyebrows. But he didn’t say anything. The brokers knew just how unusual the cash assignment sailing to nowhere specific was.
    Amanar’s lips thinned when Mac didn’t grab the money and kiss him on all four cheeks.
    â€œThe new owner is involved in negotiations to sell one of his businesses. His schedule is hour-to-hour, so yours has to be, too,” Amanar said impatiently. “That’s why the boat will be in your name, in case things fall through and you have to bring Blackbird back here. It all depends on the negotiations. The money’s good, so what’s your problem?”
    â€œI was looking forward to some time off,” Mac said easily. He tucked Emma closer to his side. “But we can take a ride on your boat instead of mine.”
    The broker snatched up a colored pencil and started drumming the end on the desk blotter.
    â€œLook,” Amanar finally said, “just drive Blackbird north, follow directions, fly home when the owner takes over, and then take your pussy cruise.”
    â€œIf money was all I wanted out of life,