Fangtooth

Chapter 18

The sky looked overcast, but the sea was calm as Zander piloted his vessel out of the harbour. McKenzie had paid him promptly for yesterday’s drug delivery, but then he had telephoned in the middle of the night to tell Zander there was another pickup. Zander had been half asleep and slightly hung over at the time after spending some of his pay in the Sheet and Anchor, but even he knew things were getting out of hand. But he was in too deep to pull out now, besides which, he didn’t think McKenzie would just let him walk away. Zander wasn’t weak, but he wasn’t stupid. Like it or not, he was in for the duration.

He made a quick call to Brad and met him at the boat before setting sail. He didn’t like involving the engineer, but the boat was too big to pilot by himself, and the engines were temperamental at the best of times, and only Brad seemed able to soothe the savage beast.

The rhythmic slap of the boat as it ploughed through the waves was a relaxing sound. A smudge of light illuminated the clouds where the sun peeked over the horizon.

Zander felt as though saltwater flowed through his veins. Almost mystical at times, the sea had an allure unlike any other.

In the distance, Zander spotted the red buoy that marked the lobster pot and he eased back on the throttle. Just then, something banged against the hull. Unable to see anything from the wheelhouse, Zander cut the engine, stepped out onto the deck, and peered over the side. He couldn’t spot anything in the murky water, but the sea was good at hiding its secrets. Assuming it was flotsam and jetsam, he proceeded to the starboard side to haul in the pot

He couldn’t remember the last time they had brought home a decent haul. He had been through rough patches before, but never one that lasted this long–if it was a shark scaring the fish away, then he needed to track the bastard down, but so far after a thorough search, he hadn’t spotted anything that lead him to believe one had taken up residence on their doorstep.

But if things didn’t improve soon, he was going to have no choice but to lay his men off. Word had gotten back to him that people were already starting to talk, asking how he could make a living and pay his workers when they never caught anything. He could live off the drug money himself, and he could pay his men with it, but he couldn’t risk further suspicion.

He grabbed the pole and hooked the line to the pot, instantly aware something was wrong as the rope came up too easily. A deep frown marred his brow as he eventually pulled the last of the rope aboard to find what remained of the lobster pot. Someone had smashed it to pieces. It took him a couple of seconds to remember the drugs. How could he explain to McKenzie that someone had stolen the drugs?

Back at the harbour, Brad jumped down onto the quay to moor the boat up. When the boat was secure, Zander cut the engine, stepped out on deck, waved and watched Brad saunter home.

“Hey Zander.”

Zander turned and looked at the figure leaning against the harbour wall.

“Rocky. You can tell your mum she’s out of luck. I haven’t caught anything.” That kid always made him a little nervous. There was something about him that wasn’t right. If he hadn’t been fucking the kid’s mum, he wouldn’t speak to him. Jean wasn’t too hot in the looks department, but she certainly made up for it in bed, which is why he usually kept her sweet with the odd fish. Since her husband had left her over eight years ago, Jean had turned to alcohol and a need to feel loved. Not that Zander loved her. As far as he was concerned, it was purely physical.

“I’m not here for fish,” Rocky said.

“Okay, so what are you here for?” He turned and started walking away before Rocky could answer. He had too many things on his mind to listen to whatever the kid wanted, and he only asked out of a grudging politeness.

“You wouldn’t happen to be missing some drugs, would you?”

Zander stopped dead in his tracks. He clenched his jaw and spun around, grabbing Rocky by the scruff of his neck. “Something you want to tell me?”

Rocky’s eyes went wide and he stood up straight and gestured towards the boat. “That new kid in the village. He was bragging yesterday how he’d stolen some.”

New kid? Zander released his hold and scratched his chin, feeling the coarse brush of stubble.

Rocky rubbed his throat. “You know, moved into the old Johnson place with his old man.”

Alarm bells went off in Zander’s head. He remembered showing the kid’s dad up the other day. He didn’t know how, but they were probably in on it together. The bastards would end up getting him killed. “Come here kid, you and me have got a job to do.”