The Return Ch 01

I would like to thank Techsan for his patience and proof reading. His editing skills were invaluable.

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Chapter One: Jamaica

The clear azure waters were placid as the old weathered trawler lay anchored just off the north side of Jamaica, close to 13 miles northeast of Montego Bay. The current slowly drifted past the worn boat as an incredibly thin black youth sat over the forward hatch. Eyes fixed on the massive amount of bubbles and sediment rising to the surface just off the starboard side; he smiled, thinking of the bossman down there where the sharks are at home.

"Don't become lunches for the beeg fishes, Bossman," he said laughing at the rising bubbles. The boy was not worried; he knew the bossman was the best. The boy's only job was to keep an eye on the aged boat as bossman took care of business on the bottom. He reached into the pocket of his tattered brown shorts removing a piece of hard rock candy happily jamming it into his mouth. He grinned at the sweet taste and started humming an old Bob Marley tune.

Some sixty-five feet down, a lone diver equipped with an aging rat hat, or dive helmet, connected to a hookah rig, was busy suctioning up the sediment through a large flexible pipe. Secured to a compressor chugging away aboard the trawler, the pipe was dancing in circles making the task of removing the sand and rock difficult for the frustrated diver.

"Shit," said Geoff McKenzie when the pipe bucked violently in his hands.

"Waz that, Bossman?" came a disembodied voice over the intercom in his helmet.

"Nothing, Demi...just the pipe deciding to have a mind of its own. How's topside doing?"

"A-okay, Bossman. We be good up here."

"Fine...Demi, I'm gonna stay at this for about another thirty minutes. Call me at that time, understand?"

"Sure thing, Bossman...thirty minutes tops."

Geoff kept sucking up the sediment, looking around the small cargo hold of the old wreck he anchored above. He had been searching for this piece of shit for near two long years. Two weeks back, he happened to be walking past a group of aged black fishermen and overheard one complaining about several wrecks chewing up his nets. Geoff asked the old man if he could draw a map showing the location of these wrecks. This was the second one of three the fisherman spoke of.

Twenty minutes later, Geoff was about to call it quits when the suction grabbed a large section of sand and chunks of wood causing the pipe to buck free from his hold.

"God damn piece of garbage," he bellowed trying to chase after the pipe.

"Demi...DEMI!"

"Yeah Bossman?"

"Turn off the compressor, quick!"

"Okay Bossman, right away."

Fifteen seconds later the pipe stopped its wild rolling and hung quietly suspended from the surface. Geoff turned to look at what the pipe sucked up and found large chunks of rotting wood jammed in the mouth of the tube. Reaching in, he pulled hard and the wood broke apart, bits and pieces floating downward. Examining the shard in his hand, his eyes widened. Attached to the wood, was a brass fitting...a lock?

He spun around and stared at the spot where he had been working. Sure enough, the edge of a rotted wooden crate lay partially exposed. 'Could this be it?' he wondered.

Moving to the crate, he began sifting sand from around it. Slowly, the rest of the crate emerged and he could see where parts of the wood box had broken open from the pipe. The lock missing, he pulled upward moving the lid.

"Bossman...Bossman, are you alright? What is all dat screamin I hear?"

"Demi...send down the platform. We are going to need it." "We are Bossman? We find some ting good?

The intercom crackled as Demi could hear his good friend and employer laughing. "Oh yeah Demi...we found something very good!"

Two days later, Geoff and his young mate, Demonde Gordon - Demi to his friends - pulled pulled into Montego Bay, securing the trawler alongside the dock.

"Demi, stay with the boat. I'll be ashore for a couple of hours. Remember, it is very important you remain with the boat and let no one on board. Understand?"

Demi could see Bossman was very serious. "I be careful, Bossman...you be careful too!"

A couple of hours passed as Demi sat aboard the Senorita de la Questa. A deep voice boomed, "Anybody aboard the Senorita?"

"Yah mon, what can I do for you?" Demi was careful to remain in the cabin as he looked up into the deep blue eyes of a white man in a dark suit.

Small framed and wearing horned-rimmed glasses, his sparse blond hair ruffled in the breeze as he spoke, "I am looking for a Mr. Geoffrey Alan McKenzie. I understand the La Senorita de la Questa belongs to Mr. McKenzie. Is that correct?"

Demi stared at the stranger answering, "Maybe, mon...who be askin?"

"Oh...I am terribly sorry. Please allow me to introduce myself; my name is Jonathon William Dean. I am an attorney for the McKenzie family. I have been searching for the young Mr. Geoff McKenzie for, I must say, for the past six months I believe."

"Well sir, I be sorry to tell you, but the Bossman...he is out for de moment. Give me a..."

"Dean?"

Geoff's voice cut through Demi's dialogue when he saw his old friend and family attorney, Jonathon W. Dean, or rather just Dean.

The stranger turned, surprised by the much older and more mature voice of his godson and current employer, Geoff McKenzie.

"Mr. McKenzie...Geoff, it is so good to see you. It has been so long. I believe nearly seven years now."

Geoff rushed up to his trusted family attorney and his godfather. "Dean...Dean, my god it is good to see you. Sorry I haven't contacted you before now. I missed all of you but I just couldn't talk to any of you."

Jonathon smiled and said, "Your father spoke with me the day you left. He explained what happened and why you left. I must say, though, your mother was devastated. She wanted me to search for you so many times but Mr. McKenzie forbade it. He told her you needed to find yourself first. Needless, she was not a happy woman."

"How are Mom and Dad? And what of Julie, how is she?"

"Geoff, those are the reasons I am here. Is there somewhere we may go to continue this conversation? I, also, have several important documents for you to read."

"Uh...sure, sure but first I have some business I have to conclude. Dean, I'll have Demi here take you over to my place. I'll be there as soon as I finish my business here. DEMI!"

"Yah bossman...I hear what you tell the mon. Please, Mr. Dean, come wit me. I take you there now."

Geoff could see the uncertainty in his old friend's eyes. "Don't worry, Dean, I won't vanish like I did seven years ago."

Mr. Dean nodded and turned to follow the young black boy passing two rather large and sullen looking men standing a ways off watching the exchange between him and Mr. McKenzie.

Once Dean and Demi were gone, Geoff turned to the two men watching him.

"Mardigan...Satch, come on aboard. Let's get this over with."

Several hours later, Geoff walked into the small beach house just down the road from the docks. Demi was gone, but Dean was sitting on the small veranda out back watching the benign surf quietly lap at the shore.

"Okay, Mr. Jonathon W. Dean...what brings you all the way to Jamaica in search of you long lost prodigal godson?"

Geoff shuffled into another deck chair across from his old friend and gazed at the wizened face.

"Geoff...this will not be easy for either of us. I must be the bearer of misfortune. Both your father and mother...they...are gone."

Geoff stared at him not comprehending the meaning. "What do you mean, gone?"

Dean looked away before saying, "Your father took your mother out on the sloop eight months back. A sudden gale hit the Moon Key Bay while they were out. They never returned. Julie notified the authorities and, after several days, the Coast Guard found bits of wreckage washed up on shore."

"How did they know it was the Annabella?"

Dean said, "Part of the wreckage was the Little Mouse."

Geoff closed his eyes. The Little Mouse was his name for the dingy normally secured astern of the Annabella.

"And my parents?"

"After two weeks, the authorities ceased all efforts declaring Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie lost at sea. I am so sorry, Geoff."

Jonathon watched as Geoff's face twisted in anguish, his lips pressed tight, his eyes moist from his grief. The young man rose and walked down to the beach standing just within the surf line. Mr. Dean understood what Geoff was going through. Not only for the loss of his parents, but, his failure to return home. Sorrow and guilt were two very powerful emotions that never bode well for the heartache Geoff now felt.

An hour later, Geoff returned to the beach house. Dean still seated on the veranda.

"How's my sister?"

Dean was expecting this. "Julie is doing better now. She was...is...engaged to be married. His name is Allison Neville Armestead."

"Armestead? Not the Armesteads from the hill?"

"Yes, you may remember his older brother, Robert. He..."

"Yeah, I know dear old Bobby," Geoff snarled. Why in God's name is Julie marrying this Allison?"

"To be blunt, Geoff, he pushed a full court press on her. Wined and dined...with flowers and gifts. Your father was never impressed but your mother was smitten by his charm and guile. She was very pleased when Julie said yes to his request for her hand in marriage. Mr. McKenzie had a long chat with Julie but he could see the writing on the wall...he was not going to change either Julie's or your mother's mind or opinion about Allison."

"They were to be married the weekend following your parent's three day sail. Since then, the wedding has been postponed until we could locate you. Julie was very adamant about that. There is also the matter of your father's estate. The estate and all assets go to the both of you but before Julie can decide on whether to sell the estate and liquidate the assets; you had to be found and must return home."

"Wait a minute, Dean. Are you saying Julie wants to sell off everything? To get rid of the estate...our home?"

"Um...yes, I am afraid that is the gist of it, Geoff."

"Nah, this sounds more like someone pulling her strings...telling her what to do. Well, it's not going to happen. I promise that."

Dean smiled at the boy...the man. Dean felt much better now that Geoff was going home. Thank god, Mr. McKenzie made sure neither sibling could do anything without the other. He remembered when, since Julie's engagement, he called Dean and discussed altering his living will and trust. Dean had quickly made the requested changes and Mr. McKenzie signed off on the new will and testament and the changes to the trust. Three days later, other than bits of wreckage, both Mr. and Mrs. McKenzie vanished without a trace.

Three months later, Julie approached Dean inquiring about liquidating her share of the inheritance only to find out there were no shares. The estate, all liquid assets and their father's company went to both siblings simultaneously and needed both their approval and signatures for any transactions. In effect, their father had made them equal partners.

Dean looked at the young man, well...now 28 years old, and was amazed at the difference in him. No longer the unsure, spoiled boy, Geoff matured into a tall, handsome and confident man. He had his father's rugged good looks but his mother's calm demeanor. Along with his sister, his deep emerald eyes were an exact mirror of his mother's but his dark wavy hair matched that of Mr. McKenzie. In fact, other than his green eyes, Geoff was a younger version of his father.

"Well, Geoff...you and your sister are now very wealthy. How you use it will be your burden to bear. You and your sister will have to decide what to do about the business."

Geoff looked over at Dean. "You mean McKenzie Construction and Design?"

"Yes, your father left the business to both of you, though Julie shows no interest in it."

"We'll see," said Geoff. "And, for that matter...the money doesn't matter."

Dean stared at his young charge. "Does not matter? Everything your father did was for you and Julie. Of course it matters!"

Geoff started laughing. "Dear Godfather, one of the reasons I left was to prove to Dad I could make it on my own, that I could make my own fortune. Yeah, I had a few detours on the way...but, I did okay."

Dean smiled knowing what he meant about detours on the way. He had kept close check on the young man since leaving. Geoff was in the last trimester at Cal State Poly, majoring in marine engineering and biomechanics when he quit and ran off. Dean was never privy to the reasons why, only that Mr. McKenzie was aware and understood the boy's reasons. The father had told Dean not to contact Geoff until the boy made the first call. But Dean kept track.

He knew Geoff had enlisted in the Navy and, because of his family background and education, was place in NOTC. After completing the Officer Training Course, he immediately requested and was accepted into the Navy's elite Seal Team. After months of grueling training, he succeeded in becoming one of the youngest lieutenants in SEALS. The next six years were witness to his many tours of duty on foreign soil, most classified. Dean knew Geoff finished his last tour and received an honorable discharge. During his service, he was highly decorated, once receiving the Navy Cross and Silver Star for valor.

After his service time, Geoff disappeared and it was with great difficulty and considerable sums of money he found his godson running a marine salvage business out of Jamaica.

"Okay, here's what I'm gonna do. First I have to take care of some unfinished business here." Geoff stared out onto the placid waters before going on. "Second I have to dispose of the salvage company. I know a few people who would be interested. Third...before I run home, there are a few items I have to do. Give me about a month. Tell Julie to hold off on the wedding until I get back."

Jonathon Dean grinned and said, "Mr. Armestead will not like that. He wasn't happy after the first postponement."

Geoff laughed, "You think he's gonna be disappointed about holding off the wedding...hah! Wait till I get back home. Then, you're gonna see him really upset. Good ole Bobby, I can't wait to see his face. I don't believe I had the chance to meet his brother, Allison."

Dean did not know the history between Geoff and Robert Armestead but, judging from his godson's words...things were going to get very interesting.

Geoff convinced Dean to remain in Jamaica for a couple of days before heading back home. During that time, he took the opportunity to give his godfather a tour of the island describing its history as they travelled over the poorly maintained roads. They explored Kingston, Geoff telling him how the town was once Port Royale under the auspices of Captain Morgan, the pirate and privateer. Granted clemency from the Queen of England, Morgan became the governor of Port Royale. Morgan, known for ridding the waters of much dreaded piracy, finished his days as governor living in luxury. Not long afterwards, the island suffered a massive seismic catastrophe and Port Royale sank into the bay.

Geoff escorted his family attorney to the Dunns River Falls and laughed as the elderly man unsuccessfully attempted to avoid the hundreds of vendors selling their wares to unsuspecting tourists coming off the falls.

The best was Dean's reaction to Hedonism II, a rather atypically uninhibited all-inclusive resort.

"Oh my," Jonathon Dean whispered as he stared at all the naked flesh walking, laying or involved in other extreme activities.

Geoff laughed at the bright red face of his very conservative companion. He nearly lost all control when a rather attractive elderly woman approached and inquired if Dean might be interested in dining with her that evening. Dean stared, unable to speak. Somewhat disappointed, she left. Geoff couldn't help himself and asked his old friend why he had been so tongue-tied with that good-looking woman.

"She wa...was...well, she was..."

Dean tried to remain dignified as his ward began laughing, "Mr. Jonathon William Dean, you mean to tell me you were uncomfortable with her attire? After all, she was wearing a lovely pale blue scarf."

Dean sputtered and was able to yell, "But, that was all she was wearing! My god man, she was naked as the day she was born!"

Later Geoff apologized and confessed his knowledge of the resort's less inhibited qualities. They both laughed over Dean's island experience. The next day the attorney was flying back home to prepare for Geoff's return.

Geoff watched the jet lift off the tarmac and wondered about his return. He thought of the reason for his abrupt departure from the family home and wondered if he was ready to face his demons.

"Time to find out," he sighed.

(To be continued...)