Free Bonefish Blues by Steven Becker Page B

noise made conversation difficult as they rode back each thinking about what they had seen. Will didn’t push the boat; ruining his propeller by hitting an object invisible in the dark was not in his budget. One of the traits that made him a good fishermen was being able to see things that weren’t apparent. Most experienced fishermen made the connection between bottom structure and fish, but Will could take it several steps further by envisioning where the fish would hold and at what depth and direction they would be facing at each phase of the tide and when they fed. It was also a trait that helped in his carpentry, allowing him to see things in a virgin piece of wood. In his mind he put together the tank, the pipeline and Cody’s fishing spot. It was too connected to be anything else, father and son on each end. Braken and Scarface were using the tanks to dump bodies and Cody was using the decomposing bodies as chum to attract fish. 
    Sheryl was watching the lights on the shoreline pass by. He liked the fact that she could be close and stay in her own head; unlike Nicole who chatted incessantly. The quiet was broken by the roar of an outboard approaching. 
    Will looked back and saw the green and red bow lights coming straight behind them. The boat was cruising faster than he was, using the flat water between their wake to gain. He figured it was just some drunk tourist, as the boat came close enough to read the registration numbers on its bow before pulling to the left and crashing through their wake. 
    But it wasn’t a drunk tourist. It was the Grady White with Cody at the wheel bearing down on them. 
    They watched as Cody and the other men leered at them, laughing as the boat pulled even for a second before pulling ahead and cutting them off. The bow of Will’s low-riding flats boat crashed through the wake instead of over it, dumping water into the boat. 
    Will’s first reaction was to slow down and let Cody pass by, but he needed to keep speed up to allow the self-bailing boat to shed the water. Ahead, the green light shown on the bow, indicating that Cody had made a turn. The boat roared back at them, running straight toward him until turning at the last minute. This time, Will slowed in time to allow the boat to ride over the wave. 
    Cody started circling the smaller boat, each circle tightening like a noose, forcing Will to slow further. Waves crashed into each quarter of the boat, soaking Will and Sheryl. Without the forward momentum, the hull would not drain and the boat sank in the water. If he didn’t stop they would sink. Will leaned his head over the side to check that the bilge pump was working. A steady stream of water shot from the hull, but he knew it was not enough to keep up with the water the boat was taking on.
    “He’s going to sink us!” Sheryl screamed.
    “I’ve got an idea. Hang on!”
    Will turned the boat toward open water and accelerated. The boat slammed through several waves created by Cody’s boat, taking on even more water, before they broke free of the wake and hit open water. The weight of the ankle-deep water in the cockpit slowed them, but with the boat now up on plane, the water was draining quickly. Will looked over his shoulder and saw Cody turn to follow, and the two boats raced into the night, the faster flats boat gaining a small lead. After a mile, the water, illuminated by the moonlight, subtly changed color. Will continued onto the flat, slowing to turn and watch Cody. He knew that the larger boat would be unable to follow him into the shallow water of the flat. If he saw it in time. They watched as the other boat made several passes, staying in the deeper water before turning toward the lights of Marathon.
    “What now?” Sheryl was wrapped tight in the rain jacket, but Will could see that she was still shivering.
    “He can’t get at us in here. The water is too shallow for his boat. Besides, those guys think it was funny now, but he tries anything else,