Page 68 of Takedown in Savannah
Taking turns, they told him what they knew.
“Nice,” Shrimpy said. “I watch your pirate ship go by every night. Seems to me it would be a cool ride.”
“Stop by anytime.” Pete told Shrimpy to ask for Brad, the manager, and let him know he had offered him a complimentary pirate cruise for two.
“Thanks. I got a lady friend I’ve been seeing. I’ll invite her.” Shrimpy thanked him again. “This is a dope spot for a stakeout.”
“A great spot to catch all the action.” Elvira set her backpack on the chair and reached inside. She pulled out a pair of binoculars and handed them to Shrimpy. “You can borrow a pair of my binoculars.”
Carlita snapped her fingers. “I knew I was forgetting something.”
“I have a few pairs but not enough for everyone.” Elvira handed Dernice and Luigi each a pair.
“I’m a step ahead of you.” Pete emptied his bag, filled with travel binoculars. “I borrowed these from The Flying Gunner. Help yourselves.”
Carlita picked up a pair. “It shouldn’t be long now.” From her vantage point, she watched as the ferryboat traveled between Hutchinson Island and Savannah’s shoreline, making its final journey and docking for the night.
The river grew eerily quiet, except for an occasional small vessel passing through. “How many cargo ships are scheduled for tonight?”
“The most recent came through around eight. The only other large cargo vessel is the one we’re waiting on.” Pete pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Brad sent a text. He said that everyone is in place. The cargo ship’s captain knows what’s going on. They’re ready and waiting.”
“I’ve been tracking the ship,” Elvira said. “It’s getting close.”
Mercedes rubbed the sides of her arms. “It’s like waiting for the best part of an action movie, knowing it’s going to be good but not sure exactly how it will go down.”
“I’m hoping smoothly and safely,” Pete said. “I don’t need the thugs shooting holes in the side of my ship.”
“If they do, send the city the repair bill,” Carlita said. “Surely they have contingency plans in place in the event private property is damaged.”
Elvira frantically waved her arms. “I see the cargo ship coming.”
The group grew quiet, all eyes on the fork in the river. Slowly…slowly…the large cargo ship appeared on the horizon.
Beads of sweat formed on Carlita’s forehead. What if the capture went sideways? What if the gang had rapid-fire guns and started shooting everything up?
What if the cops weren’t able to reach the cargo ship in time and innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire?
She forced the horrifying thoughts from her mind, focusing on the positive. The police were well-prepared for the showdown, having covered all of their bases.
The cargo ship crawled along at a snail’s pace until Carlita wondered if they were going to stop.
Out of nowhere, a speedboat, the same one that had been cruising up and down the river, appeared. It pulled alongside the ship.
“Here we go.” Carlita’s hand trembled as she held the binoculars. Although it was too dark to get a headcount, several people scrambled up the ship’s metal ladder and ran across the open deck.
The doors flew open. Cops clad in riot gear and brandishing semi-automatic rifles emerged. Things moved fast as they surrounded the trespassers.
A steady stream of red lights beamed across the water. A flotilla of vessels, including several US Coast Guard vessels and the Savannah Police Department’s marine unit, came out of nowhere, surrounding the speedboat.
Carlita trained the binoculars toward the mouth of the river, where a convoy of smaller vessels including jet skis blocked the exit. Checking the other end, she realized the authorities had completely shut down the Savannah River.
Holding her breath, she was relieved to find The Flying Gunner was still docked. She zoomed in, noticing the upper deckwas filled with officers, all armed to the teeth. “It looks like your pirate ship is gonna make it through the action unscathed.”
“Check it out,” Elvira said. “North of the cargo ship.”
A tugboat moved at a steady clip across the water. Passing by the cargo ship, it circled around and approached the speedboat.
A group of men quickly boarded the boat, moving from side to side.
