Ms. Anna

by Bill Lockwood

  Max started to turn back to the ladder, but Ms. Parker stopped him. “Max, is it time?”

  “Well…yes,” he admitted.

  With speed that amazed him, she reached in her bag and produced a pair of handcuffs and snapped them on Cofresí’s wrists before he realized what she was doing and could react.

  “Señor Cofresí,” Ms. Parker said, “you’re under arrest. I’m a federal agent. You have the right to remain silent.”

  Cofresí started cursing in Spanish, and Ms. Parker repeated what Max figured were her same words in Spanish.

  Max turned and hurried up the ladder and out onto the deck. He got there just as the two captains threw their lines to the crowd waiting on shore. As they pulled up to the dock, floodlights snapped on, and a group of mean-looking men jumped on board the Señorita Anna. USCG, ATF, and FBI were displayed on the backs of the various jackets they wore. The boat that had been following them pulled along the other side, and the Señorita Anna was boarded by a Coast Guard crew from that side.

  “Where’s the man in the white suit?” more than one of them asked Max.

  “He’s down below,” he kept answering, and he kept pointing to the door that led to the galley.

  “All this for Señor Cofresí?” Max asked out loud to no one in particular. Then he just stood where he was for a while.

  Ms. Parker was true to her word. Cofresí was the only one who was handcuffed and arrested. Max watched Cofresí being brought up and taken away. The man continued to shout and swear in Spanish, and his straw hat was no longer on his head. “Mi abogado!” was one of the things that he yelled. Max remembered that meant lawyer. “Mi abogado está en Mayaguez.” After that, a whole group from the boarding party brought the casket up and got it on shore, where they loaded it into a truck that took it away.

  Ms. Parker came up soon after. She went over to Max. “Put a pot of coffee on and sit tight for a while. Someone will be here to take statements from you and the rest of your crew. Then you can go tie up next door at Mallory Square till you’re ready to sail home.”

  “Right.” Max nodded.

  She started away.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Oh, I’ve got paperwork to do that’ll probably take me the rest of the night. And I’ll have to see if my good clothes were loaded on the boat that followed us out of Mayaguez, in case they want me in court tomorrow. I haven’t forgotten that drink I mentioned. I’ll have to owe you…”

  Anna came down from the wheelhouse. She had Cofresí’s trombone case in her arms. “Here,” she said, handing it to Ms. Parker. “Senor Cofresí didn’t take his trombone.”

  Chapter 15

  As the sun rose on the far side of Key West, the Señorita Anna was tied up at Mallory Square. There were a few tourists and locals around, but it was nothing like the crowds and the street performers and vendors that came for the sunset there. Max had his crew assembled in the wheelhouse. Captain Jim had put a fresh pot on, and they all sipped from their mugs of morning coffee. It had been a long night. Everyone looked a little ragged from the experience. Anna had salsa music playing softly on the wheelhouse radio.

  “Sky looks pretty an’ all,” Captain Bob said, “but people come here to see the sunset, not the God-damned sunrise.”

  Anna was studying a book she had of tide charts. “I want to go out on the tide,” she said. “I want to be far out in open water before sundown, and we have to gas up before we go.”

  “Okay,” Max agreed. “But before we go, there’re three…four things I want to do.”

  Anna frowned. “What’s first?”

  “Okay,” Max said again. “As captain of this boat, I’m going to rule that the chickens are all mine, and I have the right to set them free.”

  “Max!”

  “What better place to give the little ladies their freedom than Key West, where chickens are prevented from being harmed, including being someone’s dinner, and they’re allowed to roam free? Isn’t that a much better life than living on a damn boat?”

  Anna started to launch a protest, but Captain Bob raised his hand and cut her off. “He’s the captain. Took me a while to come round to that, but he won my Señorita Anna and all the chickens from me fair and square.”

  “All according to Hoyle,” Captain Jim agreed.

  “Hoyle?” Anna asked.

  “Guy who wrote the rules,” Max explained. “We play poker according to the rule book written by Hoyle.”

  Captain Jim shook his head. “Drew the two black kings…never seen anything like it before.”

  “And I had my jack of diamonds,” Captain Bob added. Then he dropped it.

  Anna’s face formed into a pout. She did not say she didn’t want to hear all that again. She remained silent and did not challenge them further.

  “Don’t worry.” Max smiled at her. “I think you’ll like things two through four a lot better.” He turned and went out the wheelhouse door, and the others followed.

  “Ah, there’s Cacciatore,” Max said. He quickly swooped down and picked up the squawking chicken from the deck. Then he deftly crossed to the rail, leaned over, and deposited the chicken safely on the paved brick walk of the square. Almost immediately a rooster appeared from seemingly nowhere, and he began chasing Cacciatore across the square. “Well, now, welcome to the big city.” Max laughed. Then he turned around and found another chicken. “Come on, ladies, here’s your new home.”

  Captain Bob put his arm around Anna’s shoulders, both for comfort and to keep her from suddenly interfering.

  Max got the last of their chickens. “Okay, Fricassee, you too,” he said.

  “Isn’t that the one you named Lo Mein?” Anna asked.

  “Oh…I suppose it is.” Max thought a moment. “Doesn’t matter now. Someone else might just give her a new name.”

  “Max,” Anna demanded, “just what in the hell are you doing?”

  Max had a twinkle in his eye. “Now, for the second thing, everybody back to the wheelhouse.” They all followed him back.

  Once there, Max produced a blank piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled a brief couple of sentences. Then he turned to Captain Bob. “Since your abogado hasn’t drawn up the papers for the boat yet, I think what I’ve written here will do just fine. But first, can you give me a dollar?”

  “Sure.” Captain Bob shrugged. He fished in his pocket and produced a small wad of bills. He peeled off a dollar and handed it to Max.

  Max shoved the dollar into the same pocket that held the little plastic Saint Anna. Then he signed his name on the bottom of the paper and handed the paper to Captain Bob. “For the cost of one dollar, I have now sold the Señorita Anna and all its possessions, except for the chickens, back to you.”

  “What?” Captain Bob was in shock. He stared at the paper, but he didn’t seem to really comprehend.

  “Sounds fair and square to me,” Captain Jim said.

  “Max, what the hell are you doing?” Anna demanded again.

  Max shrugged. “Don’t need her anymore. She served me well, and I certainly accomplished what I came here to do. I hope, Captain Bob, you’ll give me a ride back to Mayaguez and let me spend another night or two on board there. Cofresí didn’t pay us the rest of our fee for this trip, and good luck trying to collect that. So after we’re under way, I’ll figure up what I’ve got left of his advance and give that to you. And gas for the ride home’ll be on me.”

  “Of course,” Captain Bob said, “you must ride with us back to Mayaguez, and you can stay on the Señorita Anna whenever you want for as long as you want to stay.”

  “Good, thanks.”

  Captain Jim smiled. “Captain Bob is our captain again.” He glanced at Anna’s little plastic statues. “It must be the will of the saints and gods that protect us here. Maybe it all worked out because we weren’t really transporting a dead man’s bones.” Then he looked back around at Max. “Not that you weren’t a wonderful captain. It’s just that you are recently from the mainl
and, and for us, it is not the same. But Captain Max, you are the most generous man I have ever known.”

  “Captain no more,” Max corrected him.

  “No,” Captain Jim disagreed. “Here in the Caribbean, once you are a captain, you are a captain forever. That is our way.”

  Max smiled. “Okay I’m still Captain Max, but here, even tied up in Key West, I still feel more at home than in Puerto Rico.” Then he looked around at Anna. “Feel better now?” he asked.

  “I can’t believe you just did that,” Anna said. “And I still can’t believe you let my chickens go off into the square.”

  Max laughed again, and he looked among the instruments and found the clock. “Good, Uncle Henry should be up and at the office by now. If you’ll show me how that ship-to-shore phone works again, I want to make a call.”

  Anna moved to the phone. Max rummaged in his wallet and pulled out Uncle Henry’s business card with the number he wanted to call. Anna got it for him. Then she handed him the receiver, and they all stood watching Max and listening to his conversation.

  “Uncle Henry!” Max said when the familiar voice answered on the other end. “Success! The Coast Guard has just arrested Señor Cofresí. He’s been running guns from Cuba. He must have been using the plant as a front for his operation. We had to go to Key West on the tuna boat. That’s where I am now. But we got him red-handed trying to sneak in a big box of illegal guns. I’m sure it’s all you need to fire him right away. I think if we replace him with someone we can trust for sure, everything at the plant will now be fine.”

  Max listened for a few moments to a pleased response on the other end.

  “No,” Max suddenly said. “I have to get back to my teaching job. You don’t need me to run the factory down here…”

  Max listened to what were obviously objections on the other end. “No,” he said again. “Besides, I’ve got a perfect candidate for the job. College graduate, very smart person who’s recently been woefully underemployed…” Max listened again. “Yes, I’m very sure. You trusted me to straighten this problem out. This one is a very simple choice. Believe me, you can trust me on this one, for sure.”

  As she listened to and thought about what he was saying, Anna’s mouth slowly dropped open.

  “Okay,” Max continued. “Call the plant and tell them I’ll be back in three days with their new boss. We can figure out her contract and the rest of those kinds of details then.”

  There were a few pleasantries exchanged. Then Max reached over and hung up the phone. He looked at Anna and smiled.

  “Did you just do what it sounded like you did?” she asked.

  “You’ll have to take off that La Salida Bar T-shirt, and you might actually have to wear a suit most of the time,” Max said. “But if you want it, my family is offering you a very good job running our Mayaguez tuna plant for them.”

  There was silence all around.

  “Oh, my God,” Anna finally said. She crossed to Max and gave him a great big hug. “Of course I accept. You don’t know how tired I am of bartending and driving this damn boat.”

  “Yeah, it comes with benefits and a good salary,” Max added. “But you need to at least drive…pilot us back there. We can go over those financial reports Cofresí’s driver brought for me while Captain Jim and Captain Bob spell you at the wheel. In fact, I’m sure if we get rid of Cofresí’s car and driver we can hire the Señorita Anna to fish for tuna full time and add her to the plant fleet. You won’t be meeting other boats in the dark anymore, so Captain Jim can be pilot, and you can hire some young guys to sling the fishing nets for you.”

  Captain Jim smiled. “All our fortunes have changes for the better, thanks to Captain Max.”

  “Yes, thank you, Max,” Captain Bob said. What was happening was starting to sink in. He turned to Anna. “And I promise never to bet my Señorita Anna in a card game again.”

  “Good.”

  Max looked back at Anna. “See if we can make it out on the next tide. I suppose it’d be best if we get to the plant as soon as we can.”

  Anna glanced around for her book of tide charts. She spotted it and picked it up.

  “But before we leave,” Max said. “I still need to do the fourth thing.”

  “Which is?” Anna asked.

  Max smiled. “I need to go shopping. I’m going to go across the square to the main streets down there.” Max pointed. “There’s a hotel over that way, as I remember. I’m sure I can find a cab. I’ll have it take me to a good mainland grocery store, and I’m going to get the stuff to make us a big celebratory dinner after we get under way.”

  “Max, you don’t like my cooking?” Captain Jim was offended.

  “No, it’s great,” Max said. “I just need a good taste of home.”

  Captain Jim shook his head. “Even you probably can’t afford lobster around here, even if you can find one.”

  “Not lobster,” Max said. “I’ll make us boeuf bourguignon, that’s a fine French beef dish. And I’ll see if I can find us a good cote du Rhone to go with it instead of beer.”

  “Coat do who?” Captain Jim asked.

  “That’s a good French red wine. We’re going to eat like we’re on a cruise ship, even if we’re not.”

  Max looked around at Anna again. “Maybe you’ll finally have some wine with us for a meal like this?”

  Anna thought it over, and she slowly nodded. “Okay, Max, I’m a business executive now. I suppose I will.”

  “I’ll see if I can find a butcher shop and a fine wine shop as well as a grocery store. This is Key West, so I’m sure I can.” Max started away.

  “Wait…” Anna stopped him. “And get some eggs and sausage, so we can have that for breakfast on the way back.”

  “Oh, right,” Max agreed.

  “And,” Anna added, “it takes more than one dinnertime to get back to Mayaguez. I want to make a mean shrimp Creole for you. It’s the least I can do…”

  “Okay, I’m sure I can find shrimp here. And I’ll see if I can get a good wine that goes with that. And don’t worry about thanking me. You’ve done plenty for my family by letting us know there was a problem in Mayaguez.”

  “De nada, no problem. And…” Anna added another thing. “Say hi, for me, to any of our chickens you might see in the square.”

  Chapter 16

  Parker drove through the congested downtown Mayaguez traffic on her way from the docks to the airport. Anna was seated beside her. She was dressed in a new dark blue business suit with a skirt. Anna looked just like the business executive she had suddenly become. Parker had on shorts and an old shirt.

  “Thanks again for the ride,” Anna said.

  “Glad to.” Parker smiled. “It’s my day off. And, like I told you when we had that drink at the La Salida, I get tired of just hanging out with the guys from the crew on my boat on our days off. I’m glad we’ve become friends.”

  “Yeah,” Anna agreed. “I know exactly what you mean about hanging out with guys from a boat. Is that why you did the undercover job?”

  “Yeah, I wanted a challenge…and I sure got one. But it ended well.”

  “Yes, it sure ended well for me too. Anyway, great you’re giving me a ride to the airport today. My father and Captain Jim are so busy with the boat nowadays, I hate to ask them. Besides I don’t really want either of them driving that new car I bought. I left it with the security guys at the plant.”

  “I bet you’ll soon have that new apartment you want, too.”

  “Yep, I plan to get right on that when I get back. Couple more paychecks, and I’ll be moving out on my own.”

  Parker hit her horn as a cheer. There were so many horn honks in the frenetic traffic she knew no one else would even notice.

  “Sorry I kind of asked you for the ride at the last minute,” Anna said.

  “De nada, but you didn’t tell me where you’re flying today.”

  “Puddle jumper to San Juan. Then a direct flight to Portland, Maine.”


  “My, I bet it’s cold up there this time of year.”

  “Yeah, probably the first thing I’ll do is buy a big warm coat, if I don’t freeze solid getting to a good store.”

  “You going to see that guy Max?”

  Anna smiled. “Oh, yes. Yes, I am. After the meeting, he’s going to take me to what he says is the best seafood house in town. I’m going to have a lobster dinner for the first time.”

  Parker laughed. “Well, go, girl! Good for you… Think he’s still wearing his captain’s cap?”

  “He still had it on when I drove him to the plane, when he left. I’m also invited to the family’s annual Christmastime gathering in some big house one of his uncles owns. Max wants me to help him make the white bean dip he always takes to those occasions.”

  “Sounds like things are getting serious, if he wants that.”

  “And he’s saying that despite the fact he thinks Mayaguez ultimately smells like dead tuna all the time, he’s going to come down here for a while and look into salsa music in detail for the study of the history of rhythms he’s doing for his school.”

  Parker sniffed the air. “Dead tuna, huh?”

  “He also says he never really learned all the secrets of the island, like how I navigate by the feel of the waves and the wind and all about my saints and gods and all.”

  “Well, he’ll have to stay for a while if he’s going to do all that. Is he going to stay on the Señorita Anna?”

  Anna smiled again. “Well, either there or at my new apartment. We’ll see how it goes in Maine.”

  A word about the author…

  Bill Lockwood was a social services worker by day for the States of Maryland and Vermont until he retired in June of 2015. By night he was an avid amateur theater participant and writer. He wrote reviews and feature articles in a Baltimore theater newsletter in the 1980s, had four short stories published in obscure literary magazines in the early 1990s, and wrote articles on the arts, personalities, and rural downtown development in the Bellows Falls Town Crier in Vermont in the late 1990s through 2006. He also wrote articles in Vermont tourist publications and currently writes for The Message for the Week and the Walpole Clarion.