If by Sea

By David Olson

Max Prescotts new reality hurts like hell. The finality of his recent divorce has left him reeling. As he heads on an extended Caribbean vacation to escape his troubles, Max has no idea that unforeseen events are about to unfold that will forever reshape his world.

After he unpacks and settles into the relaxed lifestyle of Grand Cayman, Max drinks in the islands beauty in an effort to forget his life back home. It is not long before he meets many new friends that include a gorgeous consultant from Wales and a sociable medical student who all offer distractions from reality. While Max discovers new friends, realizes the exhilaration of romance, and daydreams about sunken treasure, he suddenly realizes he is being watched. As his curiosity leads him to unintentionally discover a tangled web of deceit, mystery, and abuse that hangs over Grand Cayman like a dark cloud, he becomes embroiled in a complex mystery that places his life in jeopardy. But will he be able to survive and help prevent a disaster at sea?

In this thrilling tale, a recent divorc heads to the Cayman Islands seeking refuge from his troubles, just as a dangerous chain of events unfolds and draws him toward a new destiny.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Feb 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781532006234

David Olson

David Olson has lived and worked in the Upper Midwest his entire life. He travels to the Caribbean as often as possible to find respite from the long and cold Minnesota winters and to fuel his imagination. If by Sea is his first novel.

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Copyright © 2017 David Olson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-0624-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-0623-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017901216

iUniverse rev. date: 02/14/2017

CONTENTS

1. Welcome to the Islands

2. Time Well Wasted

3. Treasures Lost

4. Jake The Dog

5. Gone Missing

6. Serious Money

7. Welcome to Hell

8. The Puzzle

9. Sylma’s Place

10. A Lazy Sunday

11. The North Wall

12. School is in Session

13. Refit

14. Ivan

15. Worlds Away

16. An Island Restored

17. Location, Location, Location

18. Coming Clean

19. Wine Country

20. Land’s End

21. From Sand to Sin

22. Semper Paratus

DEDICATION

To all of those who have given their lives delivering the energy vital to our Nation’s survival and to The United States Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Royal Cayman Islands Police for their unending service and commitment.

INTRO

A woman can be as mysterious as the deepest blue ocean he thought, but maybe she was right. It really didn’t help matters that she saw it long before he did and the reality of that hurt like hell! After so many years together, the finality of a broken relationship left Max off center in a way he hadn’t experienced in a long time. Little did he know that the unforeseen events about to unfold would reshape his world in a way he could never imagine.

1

WELCOME TO THE ISLANDS

He had been there several times before for short SCUBA diving vacations, but three weeks in a tropical paradise seemed like just the ticket to drown the pain Max was feeling now. After all, maybe some luck was starting to come his way. That little old motel he had stayed at the last time he visited, years ago now, (The Cayman Islander) was converted to a rental property with month long stays possible and at a reasonable rate! The Internet is truly an amazing tool, he thought, when bargains can be found with just a few easy clicks.

Back in the mid-eighties, it was considered somewhat of a budget motel. Of course, the term budget carries a slightly different meaning on Grand Cayman in the British West Indies, where taxes were long ago forgone and the local currency is set at 1.25 times the US dollar. Later on, the place became a bit of a trouble spot for the local authorities as the lounge, named the Cotton Club, attached to the main office became a place for, shall we say, under the counter pharmaceuticals. Too bad, as the joint had real Caribbean charm; at least back in the day. In fact there were replica gold doubloons scattered everywhere within the clear epoxy top of the bar. If that didn’t stir up images of days gone by or adventures yet to come, you’re just not into the whole lost treasures of the deep kind of person. But Max sure was.

Flights to the Caymans, at least when using frequent flyer miles, are seldom convenient to arrange and nonstops from Minneapolis are virtually nonexistent. Scheduling this trip was no exception but what the hell, paradise was just hours away. The touchdown was smooth and the line moved quickly through customs. Max was so happy to have arrived that he didn’t even notice the subtle looks the agents had given each other. This was a tourist that didn’t fit the profile they certainly made note of that. Arriving late in the afternoon made his first day’s game plan quite simple. After meeting the caretakers and checking in, as Max Prescott, he quickly put his swimsuit on; the one tucked in his camera bag just in case his luggage went to St. Lucia, and headed across the road through the Marriott property and down to the beach. Sunsets on Seven Mile Beach are like none other. Watching such a giant and brilliantly colored sphere melt into the sea is well, in a word, breathtaking. Somehow, it seems as if, the whole process accelerates as the bright orb gets closer to the horizon.

Within an hour, the quick beach walk and light show was over. After returning, Max took the time to unpack his luggage which arrived, as hoped, in perfect condition. It wasn’t a large room but it had plenty of closet space, at least for one person traveling for an extended period. Ceramic tile throughout is typical in the islands. It’s cool, easy to keep clean and is perfect for a high humidity climate. The television set was something of a relic but that was not important to him as long as the thing could tune into the world news occasionally. The fact that there was a room safe was comforting though. Not that he had brought that many valuables or a large sum of cash, but knowing his passport and return flight ticket had a place that was secure brought an extra level of relief after a long day of travel. With everything tucked away in the closet and drawers of the armoire, it was still early enough to walk across the street, to the Marriott, for a couple of beers before calling it a day. The place wasn’t known for its nightlife, but it was the closest watering hole with a guarantee of a cold one waiting. The lobby was beautiful and the placement of overstuffed chairs, couches and the shining black grand piano gave a real feel of wealth and refinement. As luck would have it, a timely shift change had allowed him to meet both of the charming young girls that were working the lobby bar. As the only customer present, there was to be no shortage of attention thrown his way. One beer turned into two before the day’s travel finally caught up with him and there would be no more fighting off sleep.

The internal clock is an amazing thing, although Max had far too little sleep to be completely recharged, his body demanded that it was time to rise and shine. This morning would allow for a proper length walk up and down the beach. There were a few early morning joggers out enjoying the coolest part of the day but there was still a strange feel in the air that it was just a little too quite. It was a perfect morning for starting the process of clearing his mind of all the emotional baggage that Max had been dragging around though. After putting in several miles and breaking a light sweat upon returning to the Islander, he decided to plop down on a poolside lounge that looked particularly inviting for some odd reason. A late morning nap wasn’t even in his vocabulary, but on this day it sure was and the feeling of being drugged into a daze was overwhelming. How long had he dozed, it seemed like days and days? Shaking off the fog in his head, Max sat up and looked around a bit and realized that it was just before noon and that several sun worshippers had come out of their closed up apartments to drink in the energy the warmth had to offer. Why was everyone so young and attractive he wondered as he looked around? This was definitely not a random sample of the gene pool that he had come to know in the upper Midwest!

Of course, after thinking about it for a while, it made sense to Max. All of these young people must be hosts, servers and chefs in the local bars and restaurants and they were taking advantage of the same bargain monthly rates that he was. Suddenly, the Cayman Islander was looking a lot like the kind of home away from home that he needed to forget about life back home.

The other thing that caught his eye was not nearly so curvy yet held a great appeal just the same. It was an outdoor gas grill situated under a metal canopy shaped much like an umbrella. This was where he could spend some quality time with a cold beer in one hand and a large folk in the other. Located just off the pool area, it was not far from his front door. There was a small microwave in the room also, but slow cooking on a gas grill would ensure the time necessary to enjoy a few brews and a chance to socialize with the residents if the occasion presented itself and, of course, it would. This was indeed, paradise.

2

TIME WELL WASTED

The caretakers were a wonderfully nice couple. They lived, with their 20 something son, on the second floor above the office and bar area. Although they had completely different personalities from each other, they had a strange kind of chemistry which just seemed to work. It occurred to Max that if you were to meet these two people separately, in places far apart, you wouldn’t probably see them as compatible. But who really knows about such things anyway. Jimmy had been an EMT in Miami for 35 years and Ashley had been a caring mother and volunteer with the United Way for many years. Jimmy was born on Grand Cayman and therefore they had status as citizens. Managing the Islander was a perfect fit for this time in their lives as there was plenty of work to do but with no pressing timelines. Most of the apartments were rented by people working on the island with only around 10 percent of them being rented more frequently by retired people enjoying extended times away from cold climates. No matter what the situation was, Jimmy and Ashley took the time to get to know everyone giving the assurance that they were there if anything was needed to make the accommodations a little more comfortable. The aging air conditioning units were probably the biggest challenge for them as the heat and humidity would take their toll in a hurry when one of the units would go down.

Max was well aware of the beauty of the Island but an afternoon stroll around the grounds revealed just how much this old complex had to offer. The sliding glass door in the back wall of his apartment opened to a nicely cared for lawn which led to a large pond. The pond was lined with palm trees and there were several small balconies that projected over the water. These proved to be the perfect place to take morning coffee and the large number of turtles that had taken up residence were always ready to consume any small scraps from the refrigerator. Even a stale piece of bread was enough to initiate a feeding frenzy with these insatiable animals that often used the top of the shell of the next turtle as a stepping stone to become the first to their tasty prize. Natural selection among the animal kingdom is definitely shy of anything resembling dining manners! On the far side of the pond was where the great house could be found. No longer the residence of the owners, the building served as additional rental space for several young girls from Canada who were working at the outdoor bar and restaurant next door, Coconut Joes.

Everywhere he looked, Max was treated to an abundance of huge hibiscus and palms swaying in the gentle breeze. Of course there was the occasional cockroach that would scurry across the floor in the evening when the lights were turned on, but with all of the beauty that the island had to offer it became very easy to overlook an unwanted critter or two.

The change that Max noticed the most was how traffic had increased so dramatically along West Bay Road. It was obvious that the thriving banking industry was having an impact on the employment on the island. Recent construction of high end beachfront condos had also popped up along pristine stretches of land that were barren before. Real Estate prices on Grand Cayman were not for the faint of heart that was for sure!

Banking and tourism are the main games. Cruise ships arrive in Georgetown on a daily basis bringing swarms of shoppers to the posh stores where jewelry, watches, T-shirts, local crafts and rum cakes can be found. For the adventurous, a day trip up to the North Sound where boats bring the visitors to discover Sting Ray City. Swimming with these large creatures, that feel a lot like a huge wet Portobello mushroom, is a very unique experience. Many new comers scream when bumped from behind by surprise from a hungry giant.

For those who are just looking for a relaxing day of enjoying the beach can take a bus or taxi to The Royal Palms where lunch and cold beverages are available after swimming in the calm ocean.

The Cayman Islands are also very well known for SCUBA diving. Shore diving is excellent in several locations with coral fingers running perpendicular to the beach making navigation fairly easy. Boat trips can be arranged to visit any number of wrecks, caves, or wall sites. Max slipped off in a bit of reverie recalling encounters with two huge groupers on his first dive on the island. He had many fantastic experiences in this place including his first night dive with a small group of divers at a site very close to Georgetown. The drama of watching everything from crabs and spiny lobsters walking fearlessly across the sandy ocean floor to parrotfish sleeping in their own protective bubble, which they secrete before drifting off, was amazing. The light from the moon was clearly visible at 60 feet of depth and he clearly remembered the advice from the dive guide suggesting that they turn off all of the hand held lights during the ascent as the artificial light would tend to attract any jelly fish in the area. Max wondered what new adventure under the sea awaited him this time down.

All of this reminiscing was getting Max hungry so he headed up to Coconut Plaza to rent a scooter for some transportation to get his groceries and later on do a little sightseeing around the island. The red Honda Elite he rented had a basket mounted on the back that would serve just fine to bring home a few bags of food and the all-important cold case of beer which would be needed for all that grilling he was about to do around the pool. Next stop Foster’s Food Fair which had an excellent selection of beef from Miami as well as locally caught fish and seafood. It was a good that Max was experienced riding as the basket was overfilled with the food and beer he bought. There was no need to spend any more time on shopping trips than was absolutely necessary he thought.

Back at the Islander, Max quickly selected a nice sized lobster tail for dinner and stored the rest of the groceries in the frig. With beer and lobster in hand, he headed out to the grill for that first tasty home cooked Caribbean delight. Although there was no one around to socialize with as the grill started to heat up, it wouldn’t be too long before several of the tenants would come by and introduce themselves. Max was right about the majority of them working as servers at the local establishments but he was also surprised to learn that there were a good number of residents that were attending the medical school on the Island, St Matthews. The students were from a large range of ages and from several countries around the world. He couldn’t get over the fact that everyone was so friendly and outgoing. It must be a fantastic experience, he thought, to come here to study as the consistently nice weather would provide the assurance that when a study break was needed, the beach was always waiting for a head clearing walk. No wonder that everyone seemed to be in a perpetually good mood.

The spiny lobster found commonly in the Caribbean doesn’t have any claws and is not nearly as sweet as the Maine Lobster, but Max had always preferred its texture and taste. Just a little butter and lemon was really all that was needed to cook it to perfection while basking in a small pan he had fabricated using tin foil from a sheet. Max knew that if he cooked the tail on one side while enjoying his first beer and then flipped it for his second, that the tail would be ready to eat. He sat down at the nearest white expanded metal table to enjoy his dinner as the pool area was once again vacant. He would find in the coming days that it would be normal for there to be times of the day where he could count on peace and quiet and times when he could be