Jack Beale 00 - Dangerous Shoals

convinced that all those police eyes were watching him. He drove carefully by, all the while fighting to maintain his composure. Soon enough he was past the danger, and to anyone watching he was just another driver in the steady stream of vacationers heading home.
    Kurt glanced at his watch. It was nearly six o’clock and he was almost there. His plan was to get Jack and Max onto the boat, and then force them to sail out of the harbor, where he would get what he wanted―or find out where it was―take care of them, and then disappear. His plan was that simple. The only problem was that he hadn’t quite figured out exactly how to get them on the boat together without drawing attention to what was happening.
    As he turned onto the road that led to Ben’s, he saw Jack’s truck prepare to cross the boulevard. Hoping to remain unnoticed, Kurt looked away as the truck made the turn. Using his mirror, he watched as Jack crossed the intersection and drove off, giving no indication that he had noticed anything amiss.
    Kurt nearly came to a stop on the bridge as he looked down at Jack’s boat. The hatch was open and the tide, which was out, would not be coming back in for a while. This gave him an idea.
    He turned into the parking lot and parked in the corner closest to the bridge. Getting out as nonchalantly as possible, he opened the trunk and took out his bag. Inside the bag he placed the can he had stolen the day before, a piece of plastic tubing, a roll of duct tape, and the handcuffs he had taken from Holly. He patted his pocket for his knife and smiled. Just the fact of touching and packing these items gave him a feeling of control. Convinced that his plan would work, he slung the pack over his shoulder, closed the trunk, made sure the car was locked, and calmly walked out of the parking lot. Instead of continuing up the road to the bridge, he turned right to walk down onto the stone beach toward the floats that the boat was tied to.
    Kurt walked as quickly as he could, avoiding puddles and soft mud. He glanced around and saw few people nearby. It was suppertime so most of the fishermen had already gone home for the day. The few people on the commercial pier seemed unconcerned with him. He was now working reflexively on instincts honed by many years of successfully completed jobs. He knew that often if you looked like you belonged, and your actions appeared intentional, few would notice you at all. That is what he was banking on as he jumped from the sand to the float and climbed onto Jack’s boat. He never realized that across the harbor, a vigilant woman with a silver braid and her father’s old binoculars already had him in her sights.

CHAPTER 95
    “BYE GUYS,” SAID MAX . She removed her apron. “Have fun tonight.”
    “We will,” said Patti. She placed several drinks onto her cocktail tray. “What are you doing tonight?”
    “I’m meeting Jack down on the boat for cocktails. He’s getting appetizers and we may go out to watch the sunset.”
    “Oh, a ‘sunsetter’!” Patti teased. “What happened? You guys miss the nooner?” Max blushed. “You have a dirty mind. We’re just going to watch the sunset.”
    Patti smiled and turned away. She didn’t need to say anything else.
    Max gathered her things and headed out the door for the boat.
    * * *
    Jack looked at his watch as he stood in the checkout line. The sign said fourteen items or less, but apparently those words hadn’t registered with the elderly gentleman in front of him. He had at least eight items by the register already, and his cart was still full. There were probably thirty cans of cat food in there. The cashier looked at Jack and rolled her eyes. “Shit, I’m going to be late.” He had wanted to be back at the boat before Max got out of work. And of course he had left his phone in his truck, yet again.
    * * *
    Max’s footsteps clanged on the metal ramp as she held onto the railing. Kurt peeked out the window, saw who it was, and smiled to himself. This was getting easier by the minute. With his bag still slung over his shoulder, he quickly ducked inside the head so that she wouldn’t see him when she came on board. If his luck held, as he now knew it would, she would come down below where the two of them would wait for Jack.
    * * *
    “Jack,” she called out. No answer. The boat swayed slightly as she climbed on board. She called out again, “Jack?” Still no answer. Convinced that he wasn’t there, she climbed down into