Dead Mann, Installment #2

3.

During any steady task the mind begins to wander. Richard thought of the yacht’s name. Maid Marian, mom had been a maid when dad first met her in that little Swiss town. Dad was already a Robinhood stealing back from the criminals what they had taken from someone else, restoring lost treasures or bits of history to the people. Dad asked only 10% of the value of the items in return for getting them back. In most cases the Police could not catch anyone, or the Police could not be involved, old cases long forgotten in the high crime regions of the world. Justice was rarely served, but the rightful owners got back what was taken. Criminals had learned to hate dad, and later dad and mom who worked so well as a team. Richard had been helping for as long as he could remember with odd jobs and spying and was trained in things no school would teach long before he’d first started school.

The yacht was home base as no land could be, traveling the world helping this person or that one anywhere. Richard’s mind paused as his left leg began the burn for over use and strain, or something else. He stopped, pulled the ring in close to rest, reached down and felt his leg tender to the touch where the skin had been bruised. Must have been the explosion that sent him flying over the port railing as he went back to check the engines. He pushed himself up out of the water to get a better look toward land, dim gray black line still far away but at least within sight.

Swim Richard he told himself get moving. There had been no boats in sight or on radar just before he left the bridge. Had his escape been noticed? Escape from an accident? The yacht was in ship shape, and no alarms had gone off from a fuel leak, or gases in the engine room. Two days ago all three of them had been off the boat, though it had been locked down and the security systems seemed fine when they got back aboard. Could someone have gotten on board and planted explosives enough to kill them very fast and very sure? It would be possible. Lots of things were possible, even it being an accident. But accidents like this had rarely occurred or so Richard thought now. Best to be safe and treat it as an intentional act. The Mann family died today. No press no photos not one word to the world, just gone. Then it hit him a new fear. Uncle Carlos where would he be right now, who knows, but Richard had to find him. Had to warn him and make sure he was safe.

Not really his uncle, more like a mentor and brother to them all. Uncle Carlos had been helping dad before dad ever met mom.