The Lonely Silver Rain Read Online Free PDF

southwest."
    He shrugged. "Sometimes yes, sometimes no. They're spread thin. Those from around here got into it, some are in the U.S. prison and same can't stop smiling. I wouldn't have the nerve for it. They even use satellites. So these days it's by airplane or real fast boats running at night. And it's none of my business if a boat I rent dock space to got checked or not."
    "Mine either," I said. "What you get for this here Mirralure?"
    "Four and quarter plus tax."
    "Guess I'll take it. Big snook up in Chokoloskee Bay chewed mine raggedy."
    "Hard to make them hit a plug."
    "I put a little strip of white fish belly on the back-end gang hook and then work it like a wounded minnow. The ones that take it seem to usually be the big ones. Permit take this?"
    "Permit'll hit anything at all or nothing at all, depending."
    "Never have fastened on to one of those."
    "You do, it's something to remember. Best to get a guide for them."
    "Too rich for my blood, friend.'' I walked over and looked out the door. "Wish Al would show up. "
    "Want to use the phone, see what time he left?" It seemed reasonable, so I telephoned Meyer collect aboard the Veblen and when he answered, I said, "Al! Al, what the hell are you doing home? I've been waiting here at the Starfish Marina for you. You forget?"
    "No, I didn't forget, McGee. I tried to get hold of you before you left but you'd already gone. I've got the flu."
    "Couldn't you have phoned here?"
    "I forgot the name of it. I remember where it is, but I couldn't remember the name."
    "Thanks a lot, old buddy!" I, said, and hung up on him.
    I explained. The proprietor commiserated with me. I thanked him for his help, started out and turned back and said, "Did that Lazidays boat head back to Mexico?"
    "I don't know and don't care. Why should you, McGee?"
    He had the frosty look of sudden suspicion. I'd mentioned it once too often. I shrugged and came back to the register. "I don't know why I care. When I saw that thang tied up here, Al got pissed at me because I kept on coming by here to take just one more look at it. It was like seeing the boat you dreamed about your whole life. If I ever made it big-too late for any chance of that now-that's just what I'd buy myself. Matter of fact I told Al to meet me here because I thought I might get another look at her. So I guess I must have asked where she went so maybe I could get another look, if you knew where she went."
    "You wouldn't like it so good you get a close look, believe me." His tone was casual, the flash of suspicion gone. "I don't know where they went. The redhead come in and bought a largescale chart of this here end of Florida Bay. He topped off his tanks and took on provisions. See that gas station diagonal across the road to the left? He made some phone calls from that booth there out by the walk just beyond the station. He could have made the calls right on the phone here that you used. Anybody buys that much diesel, they get to use the phone if they pay the longdistance. I wanted a pay phone in here, but they have some damn reason they won't put it in. Going east, maybe he didn't want to run outside. But he has enough boat and the weather is holding. I don't know where he went."
    I stopped at the next Key on the way back toward Miami, and bought the same Coast and Geodetic Survey chart. I sat in the pickup in the shade of a fairly big tree. There are no forest giants in the middle Keys. The hurricanes whip them to death. This one was thriving, awaiting the next big whirly. It had probably survived a couple when it was a sapling, able and willing to bend to the ground. I remembered Lois' message about staying limber. I sat and studied the bewilderment of islands and shoals north of the middle Keys. I phoned the Mick from a booth so hot I had to handle the phone in gingerly fashion. His machine told me to leave a message. My message involved where he could put his machine. I crossed the highway and got some fast food and a little further