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I guided the boat across Pike Bay past the Tower Municipal Airport--Jiine planes land--and worked through a wide,channel into the enorht wind died away as the sun began to set The surface of the lake beca shards of e it ard

Along the e crossed the wake of a variety of fishing boats, cruisers, and pontoons The occupants waved at us and aved at theed when a boat sped toward us straight out of the sun There was a badge painted on the bow The Bandits became desperate for me to turn and run I refused to alter course Skarda moved to my side as if he wanted to coed course to pass us on the starboard side The badge became the emblem of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources The boat driver was in uniforlasses The wind rippled his hair, and I was sure he thought he looked cool

"Wave," I said, and the girls did, standing at the bow The conservation officer smiled and waved back Three attractive woave Skarda what I hoped was a steely glare

"You hton? Mutiny on the Bounty? Doesn’t anybody here watch Turner Classic Movies?"

"Let uess," Josie said "It’s the only channel God approves of"

We kept cruising west, bypassing thenear the Forest Lane Resort The oldinside his fifteen-year-old Chevy Silverado; it was parked next to Josie’s Taurus and Jimmy’s old Cadillac When he saw the pontoon, he hopped out of the cab and gave us a wave There was another boat in front of us, so we had to wait While aited, I moved the nose of the pontoon close in Roy jumped into the water, waded to the shore, and climbed into the pickup truck The stockbroker’s boat trailer was hitched to its rear bumper When our turn came, Roy expertly maneuvered the Silverado backward until the trailer was in the lake, its wheels underwater I manipulated the pontoon until its bow kissed the rubber rollers mounted on the rear of the trailer Everyone left the boat; we connected it to a winch, pulled the boat onto the trailer, and drove the truck up the boat ramp until the trailer was completely out of the water The pontoon was quickly secured

"Nohat?" the old man wanted to know

Before I could answer, Daniel waved me toward the cab of the Silverado "You drive," he said

"That, I guess," I said

"I’ with," Roy insisted

"No," Daniel said

"Listen, you…"

Roy grabbed his arht his fist up, and hit the ex-soldier on the point of his jaw Roy fell against the boat landing’s concrete apron like someone had tossed him out of a second-storyClaire was the first to reach his side Roy was conscious but groggy He said so; I don’t knohat Claire cradled his head in her lap and screalad Jill wasn’t there to see it On the other hand, the stripper was starting to grow onnone of it, though

"You people need to go ho you’re so his wife home safe and sound, and I always keep oddamn truck"

We found Everett Bay Road and followed it until it beca The Silverado illing despite its age, yet ere asking it to lug a wide, 2,800-pound pontoon boat down the road--not to ht of the et the speed upstarted to shudder Several ti to say until we reached Verht," he said

I did By then the sun was nearly down and the world had turned to a sorrowful gray The truck’s headlights caught a sign Verhway 24

"Ahh," I said "We’re heading back to Brand’s seaplane base"

"You’re a suy, Dyson…" Daniel said

"You think?"

"But not sh" To emphasize his point, Daniel produced a small-caliber autoht you’d wait at least until we got to Buyck before pulling on uy You said so yourself"