Hail Mary

by J. R. Rain

  Chapter Seventeen

  I’m not a sailor. Or a seaman. Or a boatsman.

  I’m more comfortable on the football field than on the open water. My idea of a good time is bashing helmets. Not charging through choppy waves, or dropping from crests and plunging into deep troughs.

  It was enough to make anyone’s stomach turn.

  Anyone, that is, except me.

  I was on a Department of Fish and Game police boat, a massive 65-foot monohull that cut over the water at a surprising clip. The boat had three levels and enough electronic equipment to make anyone dizzy.

  And I was most certainly not dizzy due to any sort of sea sickness.

  The afternoon was bright and cool, but I found myself sweating through my tee shirt and the life jacket they made me wear. The young game warden who had fitted me with the jacket had to adjust it to nearly twice its normal chest size.

  And still it was tight.

  Too damn tight.

  Breathe, Jim.

  The boat bounced and splashed and hurled seemingly recklessly deeper out to sea. A Knighthorse did not belong on the open ocean.

  “You okay there, partner?” asked Warden Joe Fossil, who appeared from the bridgedeck, or navigation room. The warden’s age was hard to nail down. Months and no doubt years out on the ocean had dried out his skin and sunburned it to a permanent reddish tan. He wore a narrow life vest and a shirt that said Game Warden in big letters and Department of Fish and Game in much smaller letters. He had on a typical cop utility belt, with a .40 caliber Glock holstered at his hip.

  “Fine,” I said. “Except I might have, you know, eaten some bad eggs this morning.”

  “Bad eggs,” he asked, shaking his head, grinning easily. “That’s a new one. Look, if you upchuck, just do it over the railing. I hate cleaning up upchuck.”

  “I won’t upchuck,” I said. “It’ll pass.”

  “Sure it will,” he said.

  “I’m not seasick,” I said.

  “Of course not,” he said. “Anyway, we don’t normally allow ride-alongs.”

  “I feel special.”

  “You don’t look special. You look green. Anyway, the captain said to show you what we do. In particular, to keep an eye out for shark finners.”

  “I’ve got friends in high places,” I said. Actually, Hansen arranged for the ride-along, although he thought it was a big waste of time.

  “Sure you do. Anyway, we’ve got a few ships out there to inspect, and after that we head south.”

  “What’s south?”

  “The Mexican border...and shark hunters.”

  Someone on the bridge was speaking seriously into a radio. He turned and called Warden Fossil over. They pointed at a navigation screen propped up on the helm, near the big wooden wheel that looked far too antiquated to guide such a fine, new ship. But then again, what the hell did I know?

  When Joe Fossil came back, he said, “We’ve got a commercial trawler coming up. You can watch us in action. Should be exciting for you; that is, if you aren’t too busy puking up your guts.”

  “Tough words for someone whose name sounds like it belongs on my underwear.”

  “That’s Joe Boxer,” he said, much too quickly. He must have heard it before. Damn, I hate when I’m not original.

  “Close enough.”

  “No, it ain’t. If anything, my name sounds like one of those watches.”

  “I’m sticking with underwear.”

  He shook his head. “Get ready, Knighthorse.” He was about to turn back to the bridge. “And what the fuck kind of name is Knighthorse?”

  “A good name. A valiant name. A fitting name.”

  “Fitting?” he asked, but then he thought about it. “Never mind. Just be ready, Horse Shit.” He grinned, pleased with himself.

  Ah, policemen. They were always the same, be it on sea or land. Cockiness. Attitude. Egos. Funny how well I got along with them.

  The fishing vessel was a big one, with what appeared to my inexpert eyes to have rear-trawling capabilities, meaning, the nets were dropped from behind and dragged through the water, thus catching anything and everything in its wake.

  The warden’s ship pulled up alongside the trawler. The vessel’s captain immediately met Joe Fossil, and permitted him and his crew to board. I just so happened to be part of the crew.

  The trawler’s captain handed over what I assumed were various permits and certificates. As Fossil looked them over, I scanned the deck. The crew was composed of about seven or eight people, all men, and all watching us with what appeared to be mild hostility. The Department of Fish and Game were, apparently, the enemy. Most of the crew were wearing yellow slickers, just like the dude on all the frozen fish boxes in the freezer aisle. The ship itself was quite a bit bigger than the warden’s ship...and a good deal filthier. There was no denying the stink in the air. Rotting fish, fresh fish, it was all here, mixed together in a heady potpourri of fishy stink.

  I fought a nearly overwhelming need to wretch. The bad eggs, the sway of the boat, the rotting carcasses, it was all too much.

  For most people.

  I powered through, sweating and taking big gulps of air. I followed Fossil down into the refrigerated hold, staying back while he examined the contents. He pulled out samples of leopard shark, with their fins still intact. From where I stood, the creature looked beautiful. Too beautiful to be destroyed, but that was just my opinion. The creature was measured, noted on a clipboard and given back.

  Fossil did this with various other fish and sharks, some of which were held in storage drawers and all were packed with flakes of saltwater ice, which was apparently far gentler on tender fish skin. Fresh-water ice had, apparently, sharper edges, which could potentially cut delicate skin.

  Everything checked out. The captain and his crew were, apparently, adhering to state and federal laws.

  We did this with a half dozen other trawlers and smaller commercial vessels. We even stopped two sports fishermen and checked licenses. Most vessels complied. One trawler had too many allotted tuna and was fined.

  We did this throughout the morning, and I’m pleased to report that never once did I get seasick. Food poisoning, yes. Seasickness, no.

  Joe Fossil slapped me on the back just as we returned from boarding the last vessel. “That was the easy part,” he said. “Now the real fun begins.”

  He barked an order to the ship’s navigator, who nodded and turned the wheel sharply. We rapidly picked up speed.

  And headed south.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “You’re in luck, Knighthorse,” said Warden Fossil, stepping off the bridged. He moved easily, his knees somehow accounting for the rising and falling boat, similar to how an expert horseman moves seamlessly moves with his mount.

  Me, not so much. I felt each choppy wave. Each nauseating drop into each deep trough. Every sway, roll, and heave of the ship.

  Speaking of heave. If I wasn’t such a stubborn cuss, I would have launched my breakfast burrito far and wide. But I kept it in.

  At least until I was alone. Then all bets were off.

  Fossil handed me a pair of binoculars and pointed to a small fishing vessel a mile or so south. Ignoring the gurgling and rumbling in my stomach, I adjusted the field glasses and settled onto the boat. Definitely a small fishing vessel. They were even using old-school rod and reel. A small group of men—Hispanics, from what I could tell—were huddled around something big.

  Something big and undulating.

  “My guess is it’s a hammerhead. Big one, too.”

  We throttled down and were currently adrift. Water splashed the hull. The sun beat down, and I did my best to steady the binoculars.

  “One of them has a knife,” I said. “A big knife.”

  “Usually a machete,” said Fossil. He was standing by my side.

  Seagulls circled above. Other fish seemed to be churning the waters around the fishing vessel.

  “Why aren’t we fucking doing anything?�
� I said.

  “They’re in Mexican waters. We can’t.”

  “They’re going to kill it.”

  Fossil said nothing, and I leaned over the hull, out of the water, trying to get a better look. Two or three of the guys were pinning the shark down. I only caught glimpses of the creature. Its gray hide shimmered dully. The knife shimmered, too. Before it flashed down.

  The men fought the creature. I couldn’t see what was happening. Five minutes later, the man with the machete handed something flat and triangular over to someone else. The person he handed it to was grinning. He was a thick guy, as far as I could tell. The part down the center of his head was so prominent that I could see it even from here. He looked out towards us...and gave us the finger.

  “They just cut off its dorsal fin,” I said.

  “We see this too often.”

  “We need to stop them.”

  “It’s too late, my friend. And we can’t cross into a sovereign nation’s waters.”

  “There’s blood everywhere,” I said, feeling sick all over again. And there was, too. Flowing out of the boat. The pieces of shit had just cut off the creature’s tail fin. The animal was flapping a bloody stump. Still alive. In untold agony.

  “Why don’t they kill it?” I asked. My hands were gripped too tight around the binoculars; I could hear myself breathing. I had completely forgotten about my stomach.

  “Why waste the bullet?” said Fossil.

  “Fuck them,” I said. “We have any way of identifying their boat?”

  “We got its name. It’s called La Bonita. No doubt it hails from Ensenada where shark finning has become popular.”

  “Is shark finning illegal in Mexico?”

  “In theory. Unfortunately, there are many black markets where fins are sold.”

  I continued to watch the man with the machete go to work. He next removed each pectoral fin, carefully stepping around the massive creature. His machete gleamed with blood.

  “I can’t believe we’re just sitting here.”

  “I’m sorry, Jim.”

  I next watched as the entire group pushed the shark over the open railing. I caught sight of its beautiful, hammer-shaped head with its oddly human mouth convulsing in what had to be agony. The creature landed with a huge splash, and sank almost immediately. Still alive. Unable to swim. Unable to defend itself.

  Blood immediately bubbled to the surface.

  The fisherman who gave me the finger waved the pectoral fins at us, high-fived a friend, and then the boat chugged south.

  The seagulls circled, squawking loudly.

  And as they left, turning their vessel away from us, I caught sight of something that would doom them. Or doom me.

  I saw cages on the deck. Wire mesh cages.

  What was in the cages, I didn’t know.

  But I could guess.

  Chapter Nineteen

  As I pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot on Beach Boulevard, I saw him sitting alone in a front booth, sipping from his coffee.

  I parked and sat in my car for a minute or two and studied him. Heat waves undulated off the Mustang’s hood. Jack undulated with them, drinking his coffee slowly. He seemed to be enjoying his coffee. Even from here I could see the hint of a smile on his face. Or maybe it was in his eyes, the way they crinkled. Sweat rolled down my spine, between my shoulder blades. If I stayed in the car much longer, I was going to have to crack the window. For the moment, I ignored the heat.

  Who was he? Who was he really?

  How did he know I was going to be here today? I had only made the decision to come here, what, two minutes ago? I happened to be in the area and decided I needed to talk.

  And there he sat.

  Waiting.

  Maybe he really is God.

  Despite myself I laughed...and headed into the restaurant.

  “You knew I was coming,” I said after ordering myself a drink.

  “You knew you were coming here long before that, James.”

  “Not consciously.”

  He shrugged one shoulder, almost playfully. “Perhaps not.”

  “Whether or not I knew I was coming here hours ago, or just a few minutes ago, still doesn’t account for how you knew I would be here today.”

  “Maybe it was a lucky guess.”

  “Or maybe you’re God.”

  “Maybe I am.”

  “You’re very frustrating,” I said.

  “You could choose to see me that way. Or you could choose another way.”

  “What way?”

  He set his coffee cup down. Jack needed to shave. The hair on his face was peppered with gray. There was a dimple in his cheek I hadn’t noticed before. His eyes twinkled. Eternally twinkled.

  “Playful,” he said.

  “I think I would rather have God be serious.”

  “Because life is serious?”

  “Yes,” I said. “Life is damn serious.”

  He nodded and looked down at his coffee cup, which he held in both hands. “Life can be serious, Jim. That I will not deny. But life can also be full of joy.”

  “For some,” I said. “Not for everyone. And certainly not for everything. There is much suffering in this world. Too much.”

  “I agree.”

  “Then why don’t you do something about it?”

  “Sometimes you need to see the acts of violence, Jim, to appreciate the acts of kindness.”

  “But that does nothing for those suffering,” I said.

  “Then don’t let their suffering be in vain. Hear their cry and take action.”

  “I’m just one man.”

  “So am I,” he said.

  “You’re more than just a man,” I said.

  He tilted his head toward me. “And so are you, Jim.”

  Chapter Twenty

  I parked my van a few houses down from the address in question. It was late, just past midnight, and this was my first time here.

  Oddly, I felt nervous. Apprehensive.

  It had been nearly a month since my discovery. My discovery being, of course, that the son of the very man who had investigated my mother’s murder—the same investigator who had turned up zero evidence—looked exactly like the image in the age-progression photograph.

  I sat in my van and studied the single-story home. A home that wasn’t even four miles from mine. There was a white truck parked out front. The garage was wide enough to fit two cars. The lawn was manicured with a curved walk that led up to the front door. The home was fenced on both sides of the property. The fences were lined with hedges and roses. For all intents and purposes, a very normal-looking Orange County home.

  That just so happened to be four miles from my own.

  I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. My stomach was roiling. Nerves. I had been sitting on this information for nearly a month. But since my mother had been dead now for twenty-one years, I figured I could wait a few more weeks to decide my next step. Besides, the bastard wasn’t going anywhere.

  Almost a month ago.

  A month to stew. A month to brood. A month to come to terms with this improbable piece of information.

  My mother’s murder was still technically open, although it might as well have been closed. Nothing had been done on it for nearly two decades. And to top it off, the key piece of evidence had been languishing in my father’s moving boxes for years.

  The pictures.

  My mother deserved better than this. She was a good person. A good mother. She had no family, just me. She had no friends, just me. I was a mama’s boy, admittedly. It’s hard not to be a mama’s boy when your father is ice cold.

  I watched the home for another ten minutes from the driver’s side, then slipped through the little doorway that led to the rear of the van. There, I got comfortable in one of the swivel recliner chairs, and through a heavily-tinted window, I watched the home all night long.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  I was certain I hadn’t fallen asleep.

&nbs
p; Then again, when you stare at something long enough, in a comfortable-enough chair, on a quiet-enough street not too far from the beach, well, you’re bound to slip in and out of consciousness.

  Except I was pretty sure I hadn’t slipped in and out of consciousness. I was pretty sure I had stared at that fucking house with its white Ford F-150 parked in the driveway, its seven bottlebrush plants following the curve of the driveway, its mostly green grass except for the dry spot in the middle, and its bright porch light that seemed to somehow reach through the heavily-tinted glass and straight to the back of my head.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the porch light finally turned off and a thirty-something woman with a nice-enough body appeared in the doorway. She wore workout clothes. She did a few stretches, appeared to crack her neck, then headed down the driveway, hung a right, jogged past my van on the opposite side of the street, then continued on.

  I watched her through the tinted rear window until she hung a right at the far corner and disappeared.

  There was barely enough light out to call this morning. The sun was still forty or fifty minutes away. I briefly marveled at morning people. I was fairly certain the woman had been smiling to herself as she passed me by.

  I checked my cell phone. A smile on her face at 5:43 in the morning?

  Who smiled at 5:43 in the morning?

  I marveled at this, and then let it go.

  The morning continued to brighten. Birds twittered with a little more energy. Somewhere an early worm was getting devoured. Somewhere in that house across the street, a killer was either sleeping or watching his kids. And somewhere not too far from here, my mother’s bones were rotting away.

  I rubbed my forehead, my eyes, my face, the stubble along my jaw. It was all I could do to not burst in there, guns blazing.

  Time and place, I thought.

  Besides, I still don’t know if he was the killer. His only crime to date was circumstance.

  Cars started appearing on the street. No one paid a roofing truck any mind. No one knew I was staring out the heavily-tinted window.