4

The wheelhouse of the Cheoy Lee was finished in teak. A cushioned bench, called a High Sofa, with room for three, sat against the aft wall. A traditional wood steering wheel was amidships. Beyond the helm were electronics and throttle controls. Above the console hung a two-way radio and a bank of switches used to control running lights, bilge pumps, the anchor winch, and other electronic devices. A laptop computer was mounted to the bridge as well as screens for navigation, radar, depth, and weather. To someone who’d never been on a large boat, all of this could be intimidating.

“Have you ever driven a yacht this size?” Jana asked Reymundo as she pointed out the controls of the wheelhouse.

“Yes, quite often actually, but we’re usually at sea, and I’m either steering or maybe working the throttle to keep up with a big fish.”

“The good news is it’s easy. I learned how.” Jana chuckled softly. “The boat is heavy. You have to goose her to get her moving. Unfortunately, it also takes some power to stop her too. The main thing to remember is to take it slow. Dead slow.” She pressed a button and the twin naturally aspirated Caterpillar main engines came to life. “We’ll let them warm up a few minutes while I show you how to untie the dock lines.”

Reymundo worked on large fishing boats before he could legally drive a car. He knew how to release dock lines, but he followed Jana around and listened to her instructions. Every boat has its nuances, and Miss Jana could have hers. If she did, Reymundo had a feeling Jana would know them.

With the dock lines released, Jana eased the throttles forward. “Let’s head up the intercoastal toward Palm Beach,” she said as she guided the boat toward the channel. “What do you know about the bridges along the intercoastal?”

“Well, they go up and down. Usually down when you’re on the water and up when you’re on the street.”

Jana laughed. “That’s true, but I was referring to the height.”

“Ah, a test. I think most are between fifteen and twenty-five feet.”

“Very good. You passed your first test. Now for the second. What’s the max bridge clearance of this boat?”

Reymundo rubbed his chin. “That’s a detail I should know.”

“It is. But that’s why I’m here, to teach you. It’s twenty-three feet.”

“Damn. I knew she was tall, but I didn’t realize she was that tall. That means we have to wait for almost every drawbridge to open.”

“Correct. A few of the bridges are exactly twenty-five feet above mean sea level. If the tide is in and we’re riding high in the water because we don’t have much fuel or water on board, it would be a tight squeeze. You don’t want to lose your radar trying to sneak under a bridge.”

Jana navigated the big boat into the intercoastal waterway and headed north. She explained what she was doing and why. This was nothing new to the new owner of the Miss Jana. Once in the waterway, she handed Reymundo the helm duties and observed from the High Sofa.

Motoring up the ICW at five knots wouldn’t be a challenge for even a beginner. It was a good way to get a feel for the boat and Reymundo took it in stride. Jana was quiet as they approached their first drawbridge. Reymundo eased the throttles back, slowing the boat to a crawl.

With midweek boat traffic light, Reymundo took the opportunity to experiment with the throttles. He sped the boat up slightly, slowed it down, and sped it up. He put the boat in reverse to get an idea of how long it would take the boat to stop moving forward and begin moving backward. The waterway was wide, allowing him to make several U-turns. The fifty-five-foot, eighty-thousand-pound boat handled like a dream.

Jana hopped off the High Sofa and put one hand on the steering wheel, the other around his waist. “I think you got this.”

“It’s not my first rodeo, you know.”

Jana smirked. “Okay. So what are you going to do about the party you chartered?”

“I don’t know. That’ll be my first rodeo. I can handle taking the guys for a ride, but I shouldn’t have offered to supply girls. That’s not me. I don’t have a clue where to find girls like that.”

“You don’t know where to find hookers?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Hmm...I thought it would be in your wheelhouse.”

“What makes you think that? I’ve had a few girlfriends, but I’ve never been to a strip joint. I’ve seen the clubs, and I was curious, but I heard from other guys they’re expensive. I like women, but I never wanted to spend money just to look at them. Why would you think it would be in my wheelhouse?”

“Sweetie, because one is in your wheelhouse. Right now, in your wheelhouse. I am, or was, a girl like that.”

“Oh, Jeez, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...” Reymundo stumbled for words.

“I know you didn’t, and that’s sweet. I’m glad you don’t think of me in that way. And keep your eyes on the water.”

“Oh, shit.” Reymundo scanned ahead to ensure he’d not run up on a smaller craft. The drawbridge began to open. He eased the throttle up and the boat crept toward the rising bridge.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be honest with you. I can’t believe some of the stuff you told me goes on in those places.”

“You’ve really never been to a titty bar?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“I wish I’d known before I told you. I might have sugarcoated it some.”

“It’s okay you didn't, but I can’t picture you doing those things.”

“Like I said this morning, I danced, mostly topless, sometimes nude, usually in the VIP rooms. I drank overpriced diluted drinks and did lap dances. Even though it’s illegal, I’d let the guys touch my breasts while I danced. I never had sex with customers, and I never touched them.”

“I appreciate you telling me. It’s good to know, but you didn’t have to. What’s in the past is in the past.”

Jana turned red with anger. “Yeah, I didn’t become a filthy whore until after I got married. That guy was the biggest asshole to enter a strip joint, and I married him.”

“Cool down. It’s over. You’re divorced now. You are divorced, right? Is it final? And by the way, I don’t even know your last name. Is it Wilson?”

“My last name is Wilson. I may change it. I haven’t given it that much thought. Since we’re being honest, I should come clean. Yeah, I signed my divorce papers yesterday. When I dropped them off at Rob’s office, he wasn’t there. His assistant said he was ‘called away on business.’ Yeah, right. She told me she had instructions to freeze all my credit cards, which she would do immediately. The bitch. I’d been staying in a hotel on Rob’s dime. With the cards canceled, I had to check out. I met up with a friend, and we went out for drinks. I was going to stay with her, then I thought of you. I had a few drinks in me, that liquid courage I mentioned, so I Ubered over. That’s when I crawled in bed with you. I wanted to be with you. I knew it wasn’t the right time, but I was a little drunk and I was like, what the hell. The worst that could happen is I’d bust in on you and a lady friend, and you’d throw my ass off the boat. Oh yeah, I used my key to get in. I’ll give it back.”

“Keep it. I mean, if you want to.”

“I’d love to,” Jana said, gently biting her lower lip. “The bridge is still up. Make a U-turn, and let’s head back. You got this. No need to burn fuel just motoring up the intercoastal.”

Reymundo swung the boat around and gunned the engines. The big boat jumped to nine knots and cruised under the bridge as the sections began to close.

“The hard part about this boat is docking. One day we’ll just go in and out of the slip several times until you’re comfortable with it,” Jana said.

“Good idea. I do need to get the feel of it.” Not sure how he wanted to ask his next question, Reymundo fidgeted. “Do you think you can find some girls who will, uh, crew for me?”

“You mean, can I find you some hookers for your party?”

Reymundo nodded.

“I’ve been out of the biz for a long time, but I still have a few friends who work in clubs. I can make some calls. Any idea how many? Preferred ethnic origin? Age?”

“I don’t think it matters much, as long as they’re attractive and have a willingness to please.”

You mean a willingness to fuck. Jana found it cute Reymundo wouldn’t use the word “fuck”. She wasn’t sure if he was a prude, shy, or simply a gentleman, but she hoped it was the latter. She could not recall when she was last with a true gentleman.

“Those guys were just out of college. I think young girls, if possible. Like maybe eighteen to twenty-five,” Reymundo said. “As long as they look good, I doubt it matters much. You talked about some girls being crack whores. I don’t want any crack whores on the boat.”

“Unlike the movies, most prostitutes aren’t in it because they want to be. A hot girl can strip and make a pile of cash. She doesn’t have to let some slob abuse her for peanuts. Some “escorts” make big bucks sleeping with, shall we say, upscale men. I hear it’s not so bad. The guys are usually nice and often generous. Most of the girls who are willing to have quick sex for a few bucks are either on drugs or forced into it by a boyfriend or pimp – often the same.”

“What you’re saying is I’m not likely to have several girl-next-door types walking around in bikinis and being friendly and, maybe, if a guy asks, they disappear below for a...uh...private party.”

“Actually, that’s possible. It’s just the money they earn will likely go to a dealer or a pimp. As far as you know, they could be the girl next door.”

“I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this. I’m more than a little nervous. I have a feeling this will end up a poor execution of a bad idea.”

“I think this, um, let’s call it an Escort Cruise, is kind of a good idea. I can get attractive and friendly girls and a couple who are very friendly – if you know what I mean. That way, we have a mix. It’s a cruise, not a floating brothel. You need to make sure the guests are aware of that. I don’t think I’ll have any problem finding girls. You haven’t asked, but I’d be happy to be your first mate. I’m pretty good at keeping drunk guys in line.”

“You would?”

“Well, I have limited funds because someone got my boat cheap. I have no job, I haven’t worked in years, and I don’t want to go back to dancing. I have no marketable skills. I got to keep my Alfa, and that’s it. I’m not getting another dime from Robert. I don’t even have a place to live.”

“How would you like to move onto Miss Jana?”

“Live on the boat with you?”

“Yes.” Reymundo wondered if he sounded like he was giving her the boat back.

“I’d love to. Yes, that would be fantastic.”

The excitement in Jana’s face mesmerized Reymundo. At that moment, had she asked for the boat, he might have given it to her.

Miss Jana rounded the corner and approached the slip. Jana took over the helm and, with bang-on precision, guided the vessel into the slip. Reymundo had already left the wheelhouse and was standing by the lines when Jana stopped the boat.

The Cheoy Lee secured, Reymundo met Jana in the salon. “You want a beer?”

“I’d love one. But first, I want to ask you something. Since I’ll be recruiting the girls, acting as a mate and a troubleshooter, am I getting paid or just a place to live?” Jana flashed a simpered smile.

Reymundo was not sure how serious she was. “We’re partners. How ‘bout we split the take fifty-fifty, after expenses?”

Jana leapt into Reymundo’s arms. “That works for me, partner. Why don’t we go downstairs and seal the deal?”

Word-of-mouth advertising would generate enough business to pay slip fees, maintain the boat, and provide a steady income. This beat chumming the Atlantic with bloody fish parts. In a single day, Reymundo Cruz had gained a live-in girlfriend, a business partner, and a madam.