TO BERG’S SURPRISE, THE Coast Guard followed through on its word and boarded Chico Rico the following day. Billy called Garrett from the water.
“Did you sic the Coast Guard on me?” Billy said. Garrett was down by the docks with Simon and Berg, refitting a window on one of the Santanas.
“I may have,” Garrett said. “Look, it’s been a long week. Hard to remember what I did or did not do.”
“I have six Coasties up my ass right now and I know it was your doing.”
“Please don’t use that foul language, Billy. Simon is right next to me and he is an impressionable young man.”
“This isn’t over, Garrett.”
“Don’t get mad, Billy.”
“Oh, I’m mad.”
Billy, Berg learned, was the brother of Deputy White, one of the two sheriffs in town. They both grew up in Five Brooks but now they lived in Talinas. Billy was unmarried and had worked for the county water district as a groundwater consultant. According to Simon he had a “light meth problem.” Garrett was concerned that Billy’s brother was going to find a way to bail him out so he called the Sheriff’s Department after he hung up with Billy to lodge a formal complaint.
“I want it on the record that there may be a conflict of interest within the Sheriff’s Department, stemming from a major maritime fine issued to the brother of a deputy,” Garrett said.
“My brother got a big fine?” Deputy White said.
“He was violating Coast Guard rules. Look, I don’t want to see anyone go down, but the playing field’s got to be level. This unlevel playing field is good for no one.”
“What did he get fined for?”
“Had too many passengers on a charter.”
“So someone tipped off the Coast Guard that he had too many people on board?”
“Evidently.”
“Okay, Garrett, it’s on the record.”
“Thank you, Deputy White.”