“Sounds good, Parker. I’ll stop by the marina store this morning and tell them you’ll be coming in. Harold Jones is the manager, and if there’s anything they don’t have, he can order it for you. I’ll let him know that you are handling this for me and that you have authority to put everything on my tab.”

Parker gave me a smile. “That’s pretty trusting of you, Kennesaw.”

“What are you going to do? Run off with some steel plate or rubber hoses? Besides, I know where you live,” I bantered in reply.

Parker reached down and picked up the end of his beard. He waved it in my direction.

“Wouldn’t happen to have a pair of scissors handy, would you?” he inquired.

“You’re not getting rid of that beard, are you? Why, it’s your trademark,” I replied. “People wouldn’t know you without it.”

“Can’t work and wear a beard this long. If it gets caught in some machinery you’re liable to find me in the engine room with my head torn off. Besides, now that I have a job, and am once more found in the ranks of the gainfully employed, I need to look like a professional,” he said with another smile.

“You’ll find a pair in the top drawer of that cabinet,” I said and pointed.

“Also, I’m going to make a run back to Daufuskie this morning, to let Miss Cyriah know I made it, and to pick up a few things. I should be back by noon,” he explained.

I slid a key across the galley table. “Here,” I said. “It fits everything on the boat—all the hatches, doors, and lockers.”

Parker picked up the key and looked at it closely. As he did, I took a few bills from my wallet and put them in his hand. “A few of the elusive spondulix to get you started.”

Parker looked from the money in one hand to the key in the other. His voice was a little tight when he said, “Thanks, Kennesaw. I haven’t felt this trustworthy in a long time.”

I nodded. I understood how he felt. “Great. I may be out most of the day, so I’ll see you this evening when I return.”

“Will do,” he replied as we both rose to leave.

Out on the dock, I persuaded Parker to take my sea skiff for his trip to Daufuskie. It has a center console with a windscreen and a T-top that would give some protection from the weather. It was still heavily overcast and drizzly, with a forecast for more of the same.