Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals

over there. He just stopped to let me know. As soon as I finish eating I’m gonna join him.”
    “So get going. What are you waiting for?”
    “I haven’t finished eating and it’s too hot to rush. I’m sure a couple of extra minutes won’t make any difference.”
    “Rrrrr,” she grumped, turned abruptly and walked back to the bar where some drink orders were awaiting her.
    Max was still busy when he finally finished eating so Jack walked over to the bar. “Thanks Max,” he said smiling while leaning on the bar. “Do you have my check?” knowing that she would.
    She slapped it down in front of him with attitude.
    “Thanks,” he said grinning.
    “You’re welcome.” The tone of her voice told him that she was still irritated that he wasn’t in more of a hurry.
    He handed her some cash and said “Bye, Max. See you later,” without showing any urgency even though inside he couldn’t join Tom fast enough. Now he was just messing with her and was smiling in anticipation of her reaction.
    “Go. Get out of here,” she said shooing at him with her hands.
    “I’m going.” He turned and walked slowly out of the bar. He could hear her growl in exasperation as he disappeared from sight.

CHAPTER 81
    JACK ARRIVED AT Straws Point just as two wet and excited boys finished dragging a canoe up through the yard and presented it to Tom. He guessed that they were about twelve or thirteen years old. Jack parked next to Tom’s cruiser and sat watching the drama play out. Then he got out and walked toward Tom. As he approached, he heard a boy saying, “Isn’t it cool! It’s practically new. Can we keep it?”
    Before Tom could answer, a woman’s voice said, “Sorry about that. I told them to leave it alone until you arrived, but they obviously didn’t listen to me.”
    Both men turned toward the voice at the same time. “Hi. I’m Kayla. This is my son Anthony, and that’s his friend Larry.” She extended her hand in greeting. Tom took it, “Nice to meet you, Mrs… .” He paused.
    “Johnson, but everyone calls me Kayla.”
    “Nice to meet you, uh, Kayla. I’m Tom Scott and this is Jack Beale.” Tom looked at the two boys and said, “Anthony, Larry,” while reaching out to shake their hands. “So, could you tell me what happened?”
    It was as if Tom had turned on a switch. Both boys began waving their arms, pointing, and talking quickly at the same time.
    “Whoa. Slow down. One at a time,” said Tom. “You first,” he said, pointing at Anthony.
    “Okay. Me and Larry were down by the marsh looking for stuff, and we found this canoe in the water.”
    “It was sunk,” interjected Larry.
    “Yeah. It was sunk and there were all these branches and stuff on top of it.”
    Larry chimed in again. “Yeah, like someone had tried to hide it.”
    “Will you show me where you found it?” asked Tom.
    “Sure,” they said in unison.
    “Come on,” said Anthony. He sprinted toward the marsh, with Larry and Tom right behind.
    “I’m sorry. They’re a little excitable.” Kayla turned to Jack.
    “That’s okay. It’s a big deal for two young kids. Any idea how it got there? Or when?”
    “None,” she replied. “The boys are always down by the marsh playing, so I’m guessing someone must have left it pretty recently.”
    Jack was looking over the canoe when Tom and the boys returned. He glanced up at Tom. “So?” he said
    “Not much. It does seem that someone didn’t want it to be found, though.”
    “Can we keep it?” Anthony asked again, looking back and forth between Tom and his mother.
    Before she could answer, Tom said, “Listen. We have to take it with us, just in case. But if no one claims it after a couple of weeks, well, it’s yours.”
    Neither boy said anything, but disappointment was all over their faces.
    “Jack, give me a hand dragging this over to your truck.”
    “Sure.”
    Kayla watched as the men picked it up and began walking toward the truck. She turned to the boys and said something in a low voice that was intended for their ears only. As the two boys headed off in the other direction Jack heard Larry tell Anthony, “See, I knew we shouldn’t have told anyone!” He smiled.
    Kayla followed Tom and Jack to the truck and thanked them again and as soon as the canoe was loaded, she said goodbye.
    “Do you suppose it’s Kurt’s?” asked Jack as soon as they were alone.
    “Seems possible,” said Tom. “But since it was underwater and then the boys dragged it