One Stupid Thing

3:1:80

The radio drones on and on as pilots communicate to one another. We continue to fly over open ocean, with no sign of any dry land. I'd know. I haven't taken my eyes off the window since we took off.

Other than the electronic chatter, the cabin is eerily silent. JJ taps my arm to get my attention and I look up to see the rest of our group scoot closer to us inconspicuously and we lean in to listen.

"Wahoo don't run in September," JJ informs us, keeping his voice low to ensure we aren't overheard by Mr. Portis. "Ever. All right? So whoever this man is, he's not a fisherman."

"Maybe the run just starts earlier out here," Pope says in an attempt to explain Jimmy's words.
I don't know much about fish, like, at all, but I trust JJ's judgement.

"Are you sure about that? In the Caribbean?"

"No," Sarah interrupts. "I know what this is." She looks up at me and it's like I can read her thoughts. "He's working for our dad, and he's probably been looking for us the entire time." Her theory may sound crazy to some, but a part of me believes that it could be true. It certainly sounds like something Ward would do. He would want to do anything he could to make sure Sarah and I didn't squawk about the blood on his hands as well as him still being alive. 

"All right, we gotta find out. Start looking for some sort of... clues." JJ scans the room until his eyes land on a brown satchel hanging on the back of Jimmy's seat. He points it out to John B across from him and the two silently form a plan. The two boys have been partners in crime for so long that they know exactly how the other works.

"Hey, Jimmy," John B starts, tapping the man on his far shoulder and speaking loud enough to be heard through his headset.

"Yeah. What's up?" he answers.

"How long you had this bird?"

"Oh, about ten years now."

As John B keeps Jimmy preoccupied, JJ slowly and carefully reaches towards the satchel. He makes extra effort to stay out of the pilot's line of sight. JJ flips the flap open and digs inside, pulling out the first things his hand makes contact with.

"How long you be flying?" John B continues on.

"I've been flying all my life," Jimmy replies.

"Uh, who's that lovely lady right there?" John B points to a photo taped to the lower part of the side window in the opposite direction from where JJ is to keep him from being caught. Among the handful of personal items that the boy confiscated is a book titled 'The Loss of El Dorado.' Just sitting in the inside cover when JJ opens it is a photo. I lean forward to look at it, but before I have the chance to, Sarah snatches it from JJ's hand.

Jimmy laughs. "Oh, that right there? That's Cynthia."

"Cynthia? And what about that beautiful girl right there?" John B points to another photo beside the other.

"Huh? Oh, that? That's Stacey."

"Oh! Oh, your sister?"

"No, no. No, she's just this girl I met in Saint Lucia. You ever been there? Huge marlin. You gotta go."

Sarah stares down at the photo and gulps. "The Coastal Venture. Oh my God." While Jimmy is busy droning on aimlessly about his adventures, John B returns his attention to our findings without the pilot noticing. "This is the boat we were on. With Eberhimi and the cross."

"So he was looking for us?" Cleo whispers.

"Exactly," JJ confirms.

"He's working for our dad," I say solemnly.