“His own private island he has control over.”
“If he’s scaring off fishermen, he could control the waters here.He already owns one corner of the island.If the island fails to bring in revenue, it would be primed for plucking.Miles could get it at a cheap price.”
Barry nodded.“He has a folder of contracts saved in his email.Take a look at this.”He shifted the laptop so she could see it fully.She was lifting the sandwich to her mouth and froze when she saw the name.
Chapter 34
“Oh my god,” Mac gasped in shock and set down her food.Barry watched her eyes scan the document.
Miles’s latest investment was in fishing, just like they’d thought.He had partnered with fishing tycoon Carver Walker.
The man had ships throughout the islands, importing and exporting goods and fish, and also had a fleet of charter ships available for the rich and elite for big game fishing.His fleet had increased tenfold in the past two months.Probably all the fishermen looking for profits here joined his crew.
Carver was now the number one fisherman in the islands and not competition to speak of.Badu, maybe, but even he was a smaller boat captain, and Carver had a fleet at his disposal.
“Why would Miles partner with him?”
“If he’s wanting this to be the new destination hotspot, what better way than to control the income coming in.Fishing is the main source here, just like you just said.If the industry fails Miles can come in and offer to buy it and build it up.Then he controls the fish coming in and out.”
“No wonder sharks are leaving if this many boats are overfishing the area.I bet this is why Miles bought the cove area.There was an abundance of fish, and he fished it to the point of extinction and then moved on.This is it.This is the proof we needed,” Mac exclaimed excitedly, standing up and pointing at the screen.
Barry shook his head, hating to be the bearer of bad news.“It’s his name on a contract.It doesn’t mean that he’s involved in overfishing.Nor can we prove they are overfishing.To a judge it’s just a coincidence without proof of how much the fishermen are hauling in.”
“Then we need to get on Carver’s boat and get proof,” she stated as if it were as easy as walking down the street.
“The question is, what boat?He owns dozens.We need the manifests so we can track down which boats.”
“But how?”She flopped back into her seat then sat up again.“Jacques!”Mac announced.
Barry wasn’t following.“What about him?He has his own boats.What would he know about Carver’s?”
“Because he knows everyone at the pier.He’s lived on this island his entire life.I can ask him to look into it.”
“Can he be trusted?”
“I’ve known him for years.Yes, he told you where I was, but I trust him.Why wouldn’t he be willing to help?”
Barry hesitated, not sure how to broach the subject of Jacques.Best just tell it how it was instead of sugar coating it.“Jacques knew about the trawling on the southeast coast.”
Mac blinked as if she hadn’t heard him correctly, then her face morphed into anger and disappointment.“As angry as I am, I shouldn’t be surprised.He knows everything that happens on this side of the island.”
“Because it doesn’t affect him or his business.”Barry really didn’t care much for the man.He was only out for himself and didn’t care about the rest of the island.He was probably working for Miles secretly.How else could he afford his boats and not work?
“I don’t know how he even stays in business.I never see anyone rent his boats,” Mac commented as if she had read his thoughts.
“You don’t think he works for Miles, do you?”It would upset Mac because she seemed to genuinely like the guy, but Barry didn’t think they could trust him.At least not without paying an outrageous sum first.
“No.”Mac shook her head, the ends of her hair brushing his nose, tickling him.
“Are you sure?You didn’t see him the other day when I spoke to him.You didn’t see how casual he was about fish getting killed off or sharks disappearing.He said people would still go to the ocean whether fish were in it or not.It’s not just this side of the island the overfishing is affecting either.When I went to north side the other day to see about boats that were capable of bottom trawling, and who was bringing in large hauls, one of the sellers said they were pulling in a decent amount of fish these days, but over the past two months, others have been leaving for other fishing grounds.”
“What do you think would happen if the fishing dries up?”
Jacques knew, but he wasn’t going to do anything about it.Either because he didn’t care, or he was being paid not to care.
“That’s just a front; Jacques really does care.You just don’t know him like I do,” Mac assured him.Barry wished he was as confident as she was, but he wasn’t.
“If you trust him, then ask, but be discreet just in case he’s associated with Miles or Carver.”
