by Eric Douglas
*****
Jackson stepped outside of his houseboat at 6 a.m. just as he did every morning. It didn’t matter what he had done the night before. He was always up with the dawn. That worked out well, because he had to be at the dive boat in an hour to prepare for the tour he would be leading that day.
The only thing he was wearing was a pair of boxer shorts. Normally that wouldn’t be a problem since he really didn’t have any neighbors. No one else actually lived on the boats they had in the harbor. He had two – the houseboat and a 28 foot Boston Whaler that he had set up as a personal dive boat. He always kept a set of personal dive gear and tanks on board, just in case he got the opportunity to make a pleasure dive, although that opportunity didn’t come very often.
Jackson lived in the main marina. It was, in fact, the only marina in the town. It served as the center of town, the main attraction and the location of the only bar and decent restaurant on the key. There were a couple diners near the deepwater dock, but they mainly served the men working on the Beauregard and didn’t offer anything very appealing. It was also the same place Jackson had stopped the previous night to get dinner. But he lived at the other end, away from the more commercial side, if there was such a thing anymore, and the main entrance to the pier.
“Good morning, Jackson,” Andrea said out of the morning gloom.
Jackson turned around with a start.
“How long have you been there?” he asked, more out of shock than anything else.
“Long enough to see you stretch and scratch, but that’s about it,” Andrea giggled. “Kind of cute.”
“How’d you find me? Did you follow me?” Jackson asked, finally getting his thoughts together and immediately becoming suspicious.
“No, I didn’t follow you, but this is a pretty small community. I just asked around and found out who you were. I frankly expected more women would be able to tell me where you lived, but most of them said you keep to yourself,” Andrea explained. Her expression changed as she said, “I’m sorry for approaching you like this, but I need your help.”
“Look, lady, I don’t know who you are, but don’t make me regret helping you out last night. I’ve got enough of my own problems. I don’t need yours,” Jackson snapped, more forcefully than he intended.
“Boy, you’re a surly one in the morning,” Andrea teased.
“What is it?” Jackson said, doing his best to moderate his voice.
“First off, here. Take this. It’s just coffee. I thought you might want some,” Andrea said, handing him a large steaming cup.
“Thanks.”
“Second, let me start over. My name is Andrea Perez. I’m an investigator with Protect the Reefs out of Ft. Lauderdale. I’m investigating some things going on around here and I need some help.”
“Ok, Miss Andrea Perez of Ft. Lauderdale. Whatever you’re investigating, how do you know I’m not part of it?” Jackson asked.
“I told you I asked around last night. Everyone said you were an upstanding guy, but that you kept to yourself. The fact that you’re not local helps quite a bit too,” Andrea explained.
“So what is it you’re investigating? And why do you need me?” Jackson asked.
“We’ve heard rumors about the group preparing the USS Beauregard for sinking as an artificial reef. Nothing I can substantiate yet, but there are some irregularities. Chemicals not being used properly. Short cuts. That sort of thing. I want to check them out, but I keep getting stonewalled by all the locals,” Andrea explained.
“What is it you need from me?” Jackson asked.
“I want to check out the place they’re planning to sink the ship,” Andrea said.
“So you just need me to take you out on a dive to the coordinates? Is that it?” Jackson asked, surprised. He had expected more.
“That’s it. I’ll even be happy to pay for a private charter. I just need someone to take me out. All the locals I’ve talked to either aren’t interested or aren’t willing.”
“All right. Fine. I’ll do it. I have to work this morning, but I have this afternoon off. Meet me back here at 2 p.m. and we’ll go out. You are a diver, aren’t you?” Jackson asked, looking Andrea up and down and wondering, for an instant, what she would look like in a swim suit. The t-shirt and shorts she was wearing weren’t all that flattering, but gave just enough of a hint to show a tanned and toned body underneath.
“If it makes you feel better, I’m a dive instructor, too. I’ve traveled all over the world diving,” Andrea replied.
“Ok, fine. Meet me back here at two o’clock and we’ll go. And bring lunch,” Jackson said over his shoulder as he walked back inside his houseboat with the coffee Andrea handed him to get ready for his day.
Andrea stared at the doorway Jackson had just passed through for a minute.
“Well, I guess I’m dismissed,” she said with a laugh and she walked back to her car.