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deck.
    Jamie looked at the boat. Working a couple days a week would be just the right cover. He’d have some time to look around and get a feel for what was going on and have a legitimate reason for being here. But, if he were too anxious, he’d never give him the job.
    “You having problems with the engine?”
    “Do you know anything about motors?” He motioned toward the engine compartment. “I can’t get the blasted thing to turn over. She sparks, but won’t catch.”
    Jamie launched himself over the side of the boat. If this were what it was going to take to get a job, he’d do it. Besides, they’d taught him a thing or two about marine engines at the Maritime Academy. So what, if he wasn’t known for being mechanically inclined. How bad could it be?
    He moved into the engine compartment. The thick odor of gasoline hung in the air and he coughed as it filled his lungs. At least he’d managed to find the engine. That was a good sign. Now, if he could bluff his way through he just might be able to convince the guy to give him the job.
    The obvious answer would be a flooded engine, but it would take some work before the lines drained and the engine could be started. He looked around the cramped quarters. It was clean and well-tended. The man took pride in his equipment.
    Jamie fiddled around for a few minutes checking out the wires and valves on the engine. It looked pretty close to the engine in his Thunderbird. He’d had a problem once with one of the lines. Maybe that was the case here. Pulling off the air intake line, he blew through tubing. No obstacles there.
    Next, he went on and checked the carburetor, but it also appeared to be in order. So much for it being something obvious. He wasn’t going to be able to dazzle the man with his mechanical abilities. He had none. He was already at the end of his limited knowledge and he still had no idea why it wouldn’t start.
    “Try and turn her over again,” he called out. Maybe, if he could just hear what the engine was doing, he might be able to guess what was wrong.
    There was a click, click, followed by a low whining noise.
    “That’s more than I got before. At least there’s some improvement.”
    Jamie began fiddling around and checking the points. Nothing looked out of place.
    “Did you say her name is Shelby?” He asked, looking up at the man over the motor.
    The man nodded. “Aye, she’s Shelby Teague.”
    “She and her husband have a nice place there. It must keep them quite busy during the summer.”
    The other man shook his head. “Shelby runs the place by herself and does a right good job of it. It hasn’t been easy since her husband passed, but she does it anyway.” There was appreciation in his voice. It was a high compliment and it was easy to see his appreciation wasn’t easily won.
    Jamie filed away the knowledge for later as he checked everything over once again. Running his fingers over the connecting wires, he checked the spark plugs and motioned for him to try the engine again. This time there was more chugging and a few whining noises, but it still wouldn’t catch.
    On a hunch, Jamie pulled the gas line, draining the small amount of fluid into an old coffee can he found nearby and checked the line for blockage. A few particles of sand filtering out of the tube when he shook it, but not enough to kill the engine. It could, however, hamper the fuel intake.
    Clearing the tube, he bent it back into place and reconnected it. It was then that he made another discovery. There was a cut severed halfway through the line near the connectors. It was a clean with no signs of wear.
    Under different circumstance, he’d have suspected foul play. But maybe he was just testing him. Or maybe he’d just missed the cut in the line.
    “There was some sand in the line, but my guess is it was this.” He handed him the line and he took it, inspecting the cut.
    He shook his head. “That’s the last time I buy my gas and parts at Guthrie’s. Why