Page 54 (1/2)

19

Gunn guided Poco Bonito through the black water separating the high-bluffed straits The water was deserted of all shipping as he kept the bow aihts on the top of the buoys that marked the entrance to the harbor swayed with the waves in the distance, one with a blinking green light, the opposite showing red

As Pitt was sitting in the lounge chair enjoying the tropical evening at sea and watching the yello of Bluefields fade into the darkness astern, the memory of the spy on the dock stayed in his mind and spread, like a plant with roots There was an indefinite thought that seemed distant and unfocused He was not concerned that they had been observed as they cast off their ue seemed inconsequential The pickup truck with odyssey painted on the door measured no more than two points on his trepidation scale It was the haste of the driver when she shot off the dock that puzzled hietaway So she was made by the NUMA crew? So what? They'd made no move to approach her The answer had to lie somewhere else

And then it all crystallized when he recalled the driver's wet hair

Gunn's right hand was poised above the twin throttles leading to the big fuel-injected engines in readiness to ease the over the loells rolling in froe chair and shouted

"Rudi, stop the boat!"

Gunn half turned "What?"

"Stop the boat! Stop it now!"

Pitt's voice was as sharp as a fencing saber, and Gunn quickly co the throttles back to their stops Then Pitt yelled at Giordino, as down below in the galley with Ford and Dodge, savoring pie and coffee "Al, bring up ear!"

"What's this all about?" asked Gunn in confusion as he stepped fro bewildered, Renee and Dodge also appeared on deck to see what all the fuss was about

"I can't be certain," explained Pitt, "but I suspect we ht have a bomb on board"

"What brought you to that conclusion?" asked Dodge skeptically

"The driver of the truck couldn't wait to get away Why the hurry? There must be a reason"

"If you're right," spoke up Dodge, seeing the light, "we'd better find it"

Pitt nodded decisively "My thoughts exactly Rudi, you, Renee and Patrick search every inch of the cabins Al, you take the engine roo over the side on the possibility it was attached under the hull"