〃What happened to your green light？〃
Abanks pointed to a flashlight next to the motor。 〃Battery went dead。〃
The boat was a forty…foot schooner that Abanks had found in Jamaica for only two hundred thousand。 A friend waited by the ladder and helped them aboard。 His name was George； just George； and he spoke English with a quick accent。 Abanks said he could be trusted。
〃There's whiskey if you like。 In the cabinet；〃 Abanks said。 Ray found the whiskey。 Abby found a blanket and lay down on a small couch。 Mitch stood on the deck and admired his new boat。 When Abanks and George had the raft aboard； Mitch said； 〃Let's get out of here。 Can we leave now？〃
〃As you wish；〃 George snapped properly。
Mitch gazed at the lights along the beach and said farewell。 He went below and poured a cup of scotch。
Wayne Tarrance slept across the bed in his clothes。 He had not moved since the last call； six hours earlier。 The phone rang beside him。 After four rings； he found it。
〃Hello。〃 His voice was slow and scratchy。
〃Wayne baby。 Did I wake you？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃You can have the documents now。 Room 39； Sea Gull's Rest Motel； Highway 98； Panama City Beach。 The desk clerk is a guy named Andy； and he'll let you in the room。 Be careful with them。 Our friend has them all marked real nice and precise； and he's got sixteen hours of videotape。 So be gentle。〃
〃I have a question；〃 Tarrance said。
〃Sure； big boy。 Anything。〃
〃Where did he find you？ This would've been impossible without you。〃
〃Gee； thanks； Wayne。 He found me in Memphis。 We got to be friends； and he offered me a bunch of money。〃
〃How much？〃
〃Why is that important； Wayne？ I'll never have to work again。 Gotta run； baby。 It's been real fun。〃
〃Where is he？〃
〃As we speak； he's on a plane to South America。 But please don't waste your time trying to catch him。 Wayne； baby； I love you； but you couldn't even catch him in Memphis。 Bye now。〃 She was gone。
41
SUNDAY。 The forty…foot schooner sped south with full sails under a clear sky。 Abby was in a deep sleep in the master suite。 Ray was in a scotch…induced a on a couch。 Abanks was somewhere below catching a nap。
Mitch sat on the deck sipping cold coffee and listening to George expound on the basics of sailing。 He was in his late fifties； with long； gray； bleached hair and dark； sun…cured skin。 He was small and wiry； much like Abanks。 He was Australian by birth； but twenty…eight years earlier had fled his country after the largest bank heist in its history。 He and his partner split eleven million in cash and silver and went their separate ways。 His partner was now dead； he had heard。
George was not his real name； but he'd used it for twenty…eight years and forgotten the real one。 He discovered the Caribbean in the late sixties； and after seeing its thousands of small； primitive English…speaking islands； decided he'd found home。 He put his money in banks in the Bahamas； Belize； Panama and； of course； Grand Cayman。 He built a small pound on a deserted stretch of beach on Little Cayman and had spent the past twenty…one years touring the Caribbean in his thirty…foot schooner。 During the summer and early fall； he stayed close to home。 But from October to June； he lived on his boat and hopped from island to island。 He'd been to three hundred of them in the Caribbean。 He once spent two years just in the Bahamas。
〃There are thousands of islands；〃 he explained。 〃And they'll never find you if you move a lot。〃
〃Are they still looking for you？〃 Mitch asked。
〃I don't know。 I can't call and ask； you know。 But I doubt it。〃
〃Where's the safest place to hide？〃
〃On this boat。 It's a nice little yacht； and once you learn to sail it； it'll be your home。 Find you a little island somewhere； perhaps Little Cayman or Brae…they're both still primitive…and build a house。 Do as I've done。 And spend most of your time on this boat。〃
〃When do you stop worrying about being chased？〃
〃Oh； I still think about it； you know。 But I don't worry about it。 How much did you get away with？〃
〃Eight million； give or take；〃 Mitch said。
〃That's nice。 You've got the money to do as you please； so forget about them。 Just tour the islands for the rest of your life。 There are worse things； you know。〃
For days they sailed toward Cuba； then around it in the direction of Jamaica。 They watched George and listened to his lectures。 After twenty years of sailing through the Caribbean； he was a man of great knowledge and patience。 Ray； the linguist； listened to and memorized words like spinnaker； mast； bow； stern； aft； tiller； halyard winches； masthead fittings； shrouds； lifelines； stanchions； sheet winch； bow pulpit； coamings； transom； clew outhaul； genoa sheets； mainsail； jib； jibstays； jib sheets； cam cleats and boom vangs。 George lectured on heeling； luffing； running； blanketing； backwinding； heading up； trimming and pointing。 Ray absorbed the language of sailing； Mitch studied the technique。 Abby stayed in the cabin； saying little and smiling only when necessary。 Life on a boat was not something she dreamed about。 She missed her house and wondered what would happen to it。 Maybe Mr。 Rice would cut the grass and pull the weeds。 She missed the shady streets and neat lawns and the small gangs of children riding bicycles。 She thought of her dog； and prayed that Mr。 Rice would adopt it。 She worried about her parents…their safety and their fear。 When would she see them again？ It would be years； she decided； and she could live with that if she knew they were safe。
Her thoughts could not escape the present。 The future was inconceivable。
During the second day of the rest of her life； she began writing letters； letters to her parents； Kay Quin； Mr。 Rice and a few friends。 The letters would never be mailed； she knew； but it helped to put the words on paper。
Mitch watched her carefully； but left her alone。 He had nothing to say； really。 Maybe in a few days they could talk。
By the end of the fourth day； Wednesday； Grand Cayman was in sight。 They circled it slowly once and anchored a mile from shore。 After dark； Barry Abanks said goodbye。 The McDeeres simply thanked him； and he eased away in the rubber raft。 He would land three miles from Bodden Town at another dive lodge； then call one of his dive captains to e get him。 He would know if anyone suspicious had been around。 Abanks expected no trouble。
George's pound on Little Cayman consisted of a small main house of white…painted wood and two smaller outbuildings。 It was inland a quarter of a mile； on a tiny bay。 The nearest house could not be seen。 A native woman lived in the smallest building and maintained the place。 Her name was Fay。
The McDeeres settled in the main house and tried to begin the process of starting over。 Ray； the escapee； roamed the beaches for hours and kept to himself。 He was euphoric； but could not show it。 He and George took the boat out for several hours each day and drank scotch while exploring the islands。 They usually returned drunk。
Abby spent the first days in a small room upstairs overlooking the bay。 She wrote more letters and began a diary。 She slept alone。
Twice a week； Fay drove the Volkswagen bus into town for supplies and mail。 She returned one day with a package from Barry Abanks。 George delivered it to Mitch。 Inside the package was a parcel sent to Abanks from Doris Greenwood in Miami。 Mitch ripped open the thick legal…sized envelope and found three newspapers； two from Atlanta and one from Miami。
The headlines told of the mass indicting of the Bendini law firm in Memphis。 Fifty…one present and former members of were indicted； along with thirty…one alleged members of the Morolto crime family in Chicago。 More indictments were ing； promised the U。S。 Attorney。 Just the tip of the iceberg。 Director F。 Denton Voyles allowed himself to be quoted as saying it was a major blow to organized crime in America。 It should be a dire warning； he said； to legitimate professionals and businessmen who are tempted to handle dirty money。
Mitch folded the newspapers and went for a long walk on the beach。 Under a cluster of palms； he found some shade a