Mac had changed into a black short-sleeved shirt and pants and her dirty white shoes.She had never gotten around to cleaning them off after they’d snuck to the hotel.The lack of cleaning was going to pay off in helping her blend in at the bar.
She hadn’t bothered showering, wanting to smell of fish and the sea like every other fisherman was going to.Her floral shampoo would make her a beacon.
Mac tied her hair back into a ponytail and walked up to the bar as the fishermen were pulling in for the night.She studied the boats, seeing if one stuck out, looking like it belonged to Carver.Not that she knew what his fleet looked like.
Barry had said that he could have bought out the other fishermen, so they could just be using their boats.The best thing she could do was hide in the bar and listen.
She followed a large group, slipping in behind them and staying in the back far corner where no one would pay her attention.
And hour after sitting there, the bar door flung open, and everyone turned to see who had come in.Mac heard whispers but couldn’t make anything out, until a joyous chorus went up.“Carver!”she heard from the bar.The men raised their glasses toward the newcomer.
A man in his forties with a bald head stepped up.He was tall and broad-shouldered.He looked like a man used to physical labor instead of just steering a boat.He wore leg hugging jeans with knee-high waterproof boots and a black long-sleeved shirt that had three buttons down the front of it that were all open, revealing a sprig of white chest hair.
So this was Carver Walker.Mac knew of him, everyone in the islands did, but she had never seen him before.If he was here, maybe he was the one leading the boat out tonight.
“Men,” he called out, his arms held out wide and a grin splitting his face as if he were happy to see everyone.He walked up to the bar as a beer was slid in front of him without even having to order it.
A group of five other fishermen followed behind him and sat down on either side of him.They must be from his boat too.
Mac sat there for hours watching Carver and the comings and goings of the fishermen.They all joked and teased each other like they knew other well.There were a few rivalries that ending in bets of arm wrestling and darts.
Mac checked her watch.It was getting close to nine.Was Carver going out tonight or maybe tomorrow?
“Alright, well, I’m headed out.Fish aren’t going to catch themselves,” Carver loudly announced, slamming his beer bottle down on the bar top, answering her question.
“Isn’t it a little late to be out fishing, Carver?”one of the other men at the bar asked.
“The best fish come to you at night.”Carver chuckled and slapped the man on the back before walking away, headed toward the exit.
Mac balled up her right fist, wishing she could swipe it across his jaw.What the man was doing was banned and destroying the ocean.His fishing career ended now.
Mac slowly slid out of her seat and followed Carver and his entourage.She stayed close to the wall and out of sight.After her last trailing mission with Barry, she knew to keep a distance while keeping an eye on them.She also remembered him telling her to stay close to walls to duck behind or stand near people that could conceal them.
Carver was so confident that he never looked back to see if anyone was following him.If he had been trawling for the past few months, he probably felt safe that no one was on to him.
The dock was vacant with most of the fishermen at the bars or home now.Only a few went out late at night.It was harder for Mac to conceal herself now, but Carver and his men still never looked back.
Carver and his men stepped up onto a boat and disappeared.It was over fifty feet long and solid black, easily blending in with the night sky.There was the main deck and a quarterdeck with multiple windows.A large crane rose from behind the quarterdeck with nets already hanging from it.
Mac stood indecisively on the dock, wondering if she should follow or not.The idea of sneaking onto the boat had come to mind when she came up with his idea, but now the reality seemed less feasible.
If she got caught, she could end up dead.She didn’t have backup.Barry was following Miles.There would be no way he could get here before the boat left.Men were already walking about the deck getting ready to set sail.This could be her only shot of catching Carver in the act.
Once she caught him in the act, she’d take pictures and call the coast guard.Mac hopped onto the boat after someone passed her by.She looked around for a place to hide and found several yellow plastic barrels lining the wall with a rope across the front of them to keep them secure from the churning waves.
Mac darted behind them and almost gagged.It smelled like chum.A lot of it.Mac peeked inside one of the barrels to see it almost filled to the brim with chum.Were all of these barrels filled with chum?Who needed this much chum?
Even her team didn’t use this much.Why use chum when they were fishing?That didn’t seem necessary.Mac heard footsteps coming and quickly put the lid back on and ducked down as they passed.
“Captain wants to be out in the water in three minutes.Put a move on it,” the person yelled.
Mac heard several people respond, and the footsteps increased.She clasped her hands together to stop the shaking as she wondered what the hell she was doing.Then she felt the shudder of the boat engine starting and the waves under the boat changing.They were headed out to sea.It was too late now to change her mind.
Chapter 37
They sailed for over thirty minutes.Staying behind the barrel, Mac wasn’t sure where they were anymore.They still had to be somewhat close to the island because the nearest one was over an hour’s boat ride away.
Mac heard heavy footsteps passing by her several times, but no one said anything to give a hint if they were going to another island or what the destination was.She dared to peek over a barrel and could just see the city lights, but they were miles away.
