The Double-Cross In Paradise; Episode 4, Maturing Paul and Tom

  This is episode four of my latest novel in The Trace Troy Adventure series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. It is not yet available in paperback or digital format. 

  The first title for this book was The Deception in Paradise. There are a couple of other books bearing that same title. Double-Cross really fits the book's theme better. 

   As soon as it is available on Amazon, I'll let everyone know. In the meantime, it will be serialized and scheduled for 50 episodes. I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Maturing Paul and Tom

A week passed. Allie found enough cargo for Trace to sail The Tramp Islander to Port Vila, Vanuatu. 

Trace relaxed at the chart desk, studying a chart to Port Vila. The ship-to-shore phone rang. “Troy.”

“Troy, this is Allie.”

“Hi, Allie, we can’t take on any more cargo unless it’s hauled topside.”

“When are you shoving off?”

“Tomorrow, early.”

“I got four passengers for you.”

“Sure,” Trace said, “get ‘em over here.”

“It’s four college kids, looking for a South Seas experience, two guys and two girls.”

“Has their check cleared?”

“Cash.”

“They have to check in before six and if they are to have supper with us. I have to know as soon as possible.”

“I’ll let them know.”

“Is that it?”

“That’s all I have.”

“Thanks, Allie,” Trace leaned to hang up. “I guess I won’t see you in a couple of months.”

“Nope,” Allie said. “Take care, Captain.”

“Aye, aye, admiral.” Trace hung up.

Trace hailed Paul and Tom to the pilothouse. Paul entered from the aft door and Tom from the companionway.

“We have four college kids coming aboard as passengers,” Trace said, “two guys, two gals. Go below and make sure four of the passenger cabins are clean. You know where the polish is. Those rooms need a good going-over.”

“Right away,” Paul said eagerly.

Paul and Tom hustled down the companionway.

Trace grinned and thought, ‘Was I ever that eager when I first signed on? Do I remind others of Captain Ahab? How could I? I don’t even have a wooden leg.”

Trace grabbed the mic, and before he spoke, Makani appeared from the companionway.

“I hear,” Makani said. “Four passengers. Plenty food. No problem.”

“Why did you come up?” Trace asked.

“You no like long talk over mic.”

“Okay,” Trace agreed. “Four college kids, I’m worried. Keep the beer under lock and key. This will not be a party cruise. I hope they know that. Anyway, don’t let them boss you around or speak down to you.”

“No worry,” Makani said, and tilted his head for permission to return below.

“Sure, go ahead,” Trace said.

Trace picked up a book that lay on the desk about Vanuatu and its islands. Only a third of it had been read, and he wanted to know more about the islands. 

After a few pages, Sage came on board and into the pilothouse. 

“I heard,” Sage said. 

“How’d you hear?”

“I saw Allie walking out of a drugstore; corn pads.”

“I already went over some things with Paul and Tom. Makani…”

“Sage interrupted, … had to be told nothing.”

“Maybe I should have him greet the passengers and go over the rules,” Trace mused.

“What are you expecting?” Sage asked.

“College kids, summer break, full of themselves, and entitled.”

“Sounds like a rude awakening is in store for them,” Trace said.

“Well, we know what it’s like to be that age,” Sage added.

“Yeah,” Trace grinned, “likely we listen to the same music.”

“Hey,” Sage said, “we ain’t that old. We only got Paul and Tom beat by a year or two.”

“That reminds me,” Trace said, “in some subtle way, we've got to toughen those two up. They don’t act like hands, they’re acting like cult members trying to keep their leader happy.”

“I get it,” Sage said. “They’re like a dog wagging its tail and waiting for ya to toss a stick.”

“I sent them below to spit and polish the passengers' cabins, and I thought they were going to fall over each other going down the companionway.”

“Do you remember how we were on our first cattle drive?” Sage said.

“We were twelve,” Trace reminded. He paused for a thought. “And maybe those guys were treated like twelve-year-olds on the island.”

“We have to figure out how to kick-start their upward development to maturity,” Sage said. “That comes from a self-help book in our ship’s library.”

“Who bought that crap?” Trace said.

“That was in a bundle you bought about six months ago,” Sage said.

“Oh, that’s right,” Trace joked, “I had you in mind.”

“It’s all earmarked,” Sage continued the joke. “I think I saw Dad reading it.”

“You’re missing him, aren’t you?” Trace said. 

“Wasn’t that all the kick of our lives?” Sage said. “Our dads working for us.”

“So they let us think,” Trace said. 

“What about you,” Sage said, “ya missin’ him?”

“Yeah, but he has Talei now,” Trace said. “That makes it easier. Two people missing each other, one feeds the other, but when you know the other is cared for, it’s different.”

“I don’t want to make it as if I’m getting soft and sentimental,” Sage said, “but Paul and Tom, who have they got to miss? What kind of background do they come from? Paul came here because his dad probably made him think he was finally pleasing his father. And Tom, that guy has nothin’, not even a bad father like Waldo Franks. At least if he had somebody like him, he coulduv learned to deal from the bottom of the deck and how to palm dice in a crooked game of craps.”

Trace stared seriously into Sage’s eyes. “This is something we didn’t ask for, but it is something we took on. We have to teach those two how to be men.”

“And what a row to hoe,” Sage said soberly, “we’re barely older than them.”

The Double-Cross in Paradise; Episode 3, A Visit With Waldo Franks

  This is episode three of my latest novel in The Trace Troy Adventure series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. It is not yet available in paperback or digital format. 

  The first title for this book was The Deception in Paradise. There are a couple of other books bearing that same title. Double-Cross really fits the book's theme better. 

   As soon as it is available on Amazon, I'll let everyone know. In the meantime, it will be serialized and scheduled for 50 episodes. I'm sure you'll enjoy.

A Visit With Waldo Franks

A couple of days passed. Trace took a cab to the prison where Waldo Franks was incarcerated. He waited in the empty waiting room for ten minutes. Franks walked in, escorted by two guards. The guards stood at the door.

“Thank you for what you did and for coming,” Franks said.

“I’m glad things turned out the way they did,” Trace said.

“Did my son get in touch with you?” Franks asked.

“He worked the deck on the way back from Pago Pago.”

“How did he do?”

“Awkward, blistered, sunburned—he’s fine,” Trace smiled.

“How did it go when he came here to see you?”

“Awkward,” Franks said.”It got better each time he came. He was here yesterday. He told me all about sailing.”

“Once he gets the hang of working on the deck and the sails, I’ll show him how to sail it.”

Franks held his head down and looked up at Trace. “It is strange, I get the impression he pities me. It bothered me. And I took a look in the mirror. I mean that literally. I looked a long time. I am one to be pitied. I substituted money, influence, and fame for maybe the only thing I’ve really loved, my wife and son. When she left, I thought she would be easy to replace; bright lights, stacks of money, clothes, expensive cars, a villa, and more. It was all wrapped around me to protect me from the pain I ignored.”

“Sometimes we pass on the goodness that we never knew we had,” Trace said. “Your son is a good man. I like him. Sage, my first mate, likes him. And most importantly, my cook likes him—and that’s a tough one.”

“It’s his mother,” Franks said. “She was such a good person. Too good for me, really. The best thing she ever did for Paul and her was to take off like she did.”

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Trace said.

“Do!” Franks grinned. “You might have saved my son’s life. At the very least, his future happiness. I’m in your debt. Speaking of which, I suppose you want some more money.”

“Actually, the thought never crossed my mind.”

“Cally got paid,” Franks said. “What do I owe?”

“What you paid to start with was enough,” Trace said. “I wouldn’t feel right about taking another dime.”

“What about the others?” Franks asked. 

“They’ve been paid out of what you already gave,” Trace said.  “There wasn’t anybody who said a word about more money.”

“Think about it, won’t you?” Franks said.

“I’ll give it some thought,” Trace said to assuage Franks. 

“So, what’s next for you?” Franks said. “Where will you be taking my son?”

“I don’t know yet. I told Allie to give us a week before she starts gathering freight for us.”

Franks leaned back in his chair. He made a couple of expressions indicating he might be puzzled.

“What is it?” Trace asked.

“My son was an intern for some tech company. He solved some really big problems for them and never considered for a moment what it was worth to the company, and what he should be paid for the problems he solved.”

“Interns don’t usually get paid for work,” Trace offered.

“But they should get paid for inventing or discovering,” Franks seemed to plead.

“Well,” Trace said, “next time he’ll keep it to himself and come back in six months as a consultant, that’s where the real money is.”

“Now you're thinking right. That’s the way I’d do it. But here’s what I’m really getting at. How do you do something for nothing? It doesn’t make sense. You don’t want another dime for what you did. You should be trying to bleed me, for all I’m worth; you know, it’s politely called negotiations.”

“You mean something like Demeter was doing?” Trace said. 

Franks turned his head away for a moment and then back to Trace. “I have to think about that.”

“Yeah, think about it.”

“Running a casino is all legal,” Franks said.

“Then what are you doing in jail?”

“That was all my sideline,” Franks said.

“So that made you a fine upstanding member of society?” Trace asked. 

“I kept that sort of activity away from the real crooks,” Franks said. “Lowlifes who have no regard. They just waste their money on another vice. No good to the community is ever served.”

“So you paid taxes on all your illegal gains?” Trace said.

“Not a chance,” Franks said. “I hid them in my casino; they paid taxes.”

“How many bank accounts did some of your illegal gains go through before being laundered?” Trace asked. 

“This is a useless exchange,” Franks said. “You will never understand me, and I will never understand you.”

“If you say it is,” Trace said.

“But I want to,” again, Franks seemed to plead.

“Maybe you never will,” Trace said.

“I’m irredeemable?” Franks questioned. “Is that what you are saying?”

“Maybe,” Trace said.

“But you didn’t turn down any of my dirty money,” Franks said.

“Yep,” Trace said. “And maybe that’s why I don’t want any more.”

Franks ran his finger through his hair. He pondered what Trace said. “Thanks for visiting.” 

He stood, and the guards came and got him.

“Take care, Mr. Franks,” Trace said.

The guards escorted Franks back to his cell. 

Trace returned to The Tramp Islander.

The Double-Cross In Paradise; Episode 2, Meeting Up With Allie

  This is the second episode of my latest novel in The Trace Troy Adventure series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. It is not yet available in paperback or digital format. 

  The first title for this book was The Deception in Paradise. There are a couple of other books bearing that same title. Double-Cross really fits the book's theme better. 

   As soon as it is available on Amazon, I'll let everyone know. In the meantime, it will be serialized and scheduled for 50 episodes. I'm sure you'll enjoy.

Meeting Up With Allie 

A day later, they docked at Suva. Cally was there to reclaim the unused equipment from the rescue of the cult members on Flint Island. 

Trace talked with Paul and Tom. He wanted to reassure them that he valued their work and wanted them to stay. They expressed a willingness to continue working on The Tramp Islander.

Trace walked to Allie’s office. He rapped on the door and she barked to come in.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of Trace as she lifted her head from the pile of papers and invoices on her desk. She stood and rushed from behind her desk and gave Trace a hug.

“How are you doing?” Allie said with moist eyes. “It is so good to see you. Where’s Adam?

“Hawaii,” Trace said, “honeymoon.”

“What!”

“Dad had an old love in Pago Pago,” Trace said.

“Talei?” Allie said. 

“Yes,” Trace said. “You know about her?”

“Oh my goodness. When he came back here from Pago Pago after their breakup, we couldn’t get a smile out of him.” She shook her head. “So he went and did it. Good for him. So what about the other thing?”

“From all appearances, it was a success,” Trace said. “We rescued over twenty members of the cult from the island, and that included Franks’ son.”

“I bet that was quite a payday,” Allie chortled and said, “Have a seat and tell me all about it.”

Allie returned to her chair, and Trace sat down in the chair in front of the desk.

Trace held Allie spellbound as he related the details of what happened on Flint Island. He told her how they ferried to the island on rubber boats, blew up the guard tower, two airplanes, and three boats. He continued with how they escaped from the stockade, grabbed the cult leader, and held him hostage. And then how they transported over twenty cult members back to Pago Pago.

“Did anybody get hurt?” Allie asked.

“I scraped my arm on some coral,” Trace grinned. “There were a couple of cult members injured, but most importantly, no loss of life.”

“So what happened to the cult leader, Demetri?” Allie asked.

“Demeter,” Trace corrected. “He was handed over to authorities. He’s facing death or life. He may be responsible for the death of some cult members.”

“Have you seen Waldo yet?” Allie asked.

“No,” Trace said, “but I’ll see him soon.”

“What happened to his son?”

“He’s one of my deckhands,” Trace said, “along with another former cult member.”

“Hiring Franks’ kid?” Allie said. “How’s that working for you?”

“Not bad,” Trace said, “he’s nothing like his dad. He’s a fine young man. A little nerdy, but a hard worker.”

“Sure not like father like son,” Allie said from the side of her mouth.

“Who knows,” Trace said, “maybe beneath Franks’ slimy outward appearance, there’s a nerd.”

“So, do you want me to get some cargo together for you?”

“Give us a week. The last few weeks have been enough. A break would be nice.”

“What’s your plans?” Allie said.

“Well,” Trace smiled, “I was thinking about taking you out for dinner tomorrow.”

“Let me check my calendar,” And without hesitation. “There’s nothing on it.”

Trace got up and grabbed hold of the doorknob. “Can you pick me up?”

“Sure.”

Trace walked halfway through the door and turned back. “My dad said to send his love, and he expects you to visit him and Talei in Texas real soon.”

“I’ll do that,” Allie said, “but what will I do about that hot, dry sun? I’ll dry out and crack.”

“No, ya won’t,” Trace grinned. “We got saddle soap. We have saddles older than you and look better than the first day it was strapped to a horse’s back.”

“Well,” Allie looked at the pile of papers on her desk, “some days, I feel like a saddle.”