“Who me?” He looked shocked, but then grinned. “Not at all. You know, most people work all their life and then hope to retire to something like this…” He placed one hand on the polished railing beside him, and rubbed. “I get to continue working at something I enjoy, and now thanks to the Mironov Foundation, I have my retirement dream here and now.” He sat down, one eyebrow up. “Some might say I’d be a good catch.”

She raised her glass. “Here’s to never-ending fishing quips.”

He raised his beer bottle. “Aye aye.”

Jack’s phone rang in his pocket, and he grimaced. “Sorry.” He pulled it out quickly, and looked down at the small screen. “Hey, an old friend.” He held it up. “You mind?”

“Go ahead, but I’ll be looking for one of those beers in a minute.” She eased back in her chair, looking towards the shoreline; she still wasn’t comfortable looking over open water, even after half a year.

Jack got to his feet, turning away. “Vince, how you doin’?” He frowned. “Speak up, buddy, what’re you in the chopper?” He turned back to Cate, his mouth open. “You’re where?”

The sound of a helicopter could be heard in the distance, and Jack turned to face it.

“I’ve got company…” he stopped to listen some more, his frown deepening.

Cate watched closely now.

“Yeah, yeah, sure. See you in…” He looked up at the huge helicopter as it came around the bend in the coastline. “Probably five minutes I’d say. I’m at the end of Miller’s Wharf; you can’t miss me.”

“Friends of yours?” Cate asked, eyes on the approaching chopper.

“Yeah, Vincent Kelly, we go way back. He’s a senior officer in the Coast Guard. We’ve worked together numerous times over the years.” He put his beer down. “Says he’s got something for me to look at.” He shrugged as he got Cate a cold beer.

Cate took it and turned to the settling chopper. “Something that was important enough for him to fly all the way up here to show you personally.”

*   *   *

The huge helicopter settled gently on a grassy picnic area. A few residents stuck their heads out of cabin doors, shielded their eyes and stared as the craft powered down.  Jack knew he’d have some explaining to do after this was over. The last thing he wanted was for one of them to tell his landlord he was disturbing the peace – he might find his rent suddenly going up… waaay up.

The chopper’s rotor brakes slowed the sixty-two-foot blades until they finally stopped. Jack could see two figures inside pull off their helmets, and then they jumped out, and immediately headed towards the wharf.

Jack saw the familiar gait of his friend, and with him a slimmer female figure, dressed in a near identical Coast Guard uniform.