The Missing Manatee
“I said.
Deputy Sheriff Earl Wells looked at the little island, empty of everything except a cormorant drying its wings in the sun, then at me. “You sure it was dead, Skeet?” he asked. “Maybe it was just relaxing, you know how they do. Maybe it swam off.”
I shook my head. “It was dead, Earl.” Earl played cards on Tuesday nights with Mac, so I’d known him my whole life. I tried to remember to call him Deputy when he was on duty, but I usually forgot. “It was right there,” I repeated, pointing.
Th...ere was silence for a second as we both stared at the deserted stretch of mud and saw grass. Then I said, “Wait a second. Look! Somebody was here! Check out those marks in the mud. Like something was dragged. Whoever did it tried to smooth it over, see?”
“I’ll be doggoned,” said Earl, leaning down and peering at the mud, which had obviously been disturbed, then roughly smoothed over.
“Somebody came after I left and took it,” I said. “I don’t believe this.”
I stared at Earl, who always looked to me as if he had a fishing bobber in his throat, the way his Adam’s apple stuck out and moved up and down when he talked.MoreLess
Deputy Sheriff Earl Wells looked at the little island, empty of everything except a cormorant drying its wings in the sun, then at me. “You sure it was dead, Skeet?” he asked. “Maybe it was just relaxing, you know how they do. Maybe it swam off.”
I shook my head. “It was dead, Earl.” Earl played cards on Tuesday nights with Mac, so I’d known him my whole life. I tried to remember to call him Deputy when he was on duty, but I usually forgot. “It was right there,” I repeated, pointing.
Th...ere was silence for a second as we both stared at the deserted stretch of mud and saw grass. Then I said, “Wait a second. Look! Somebody was here! Check out those marks in the mud. Like something was dragged. Whoever did it tried to smooth it over, see?”
“I’ll be doggoned,” said Earl, leaning down and peering at the mud, which had obviously been disturbed, then roughly smoothed over.
“Somebody came after I left and took it,” I said. “I don’t believe this.”
I stared at Earl, who always looked to me as if he had a fishing bobber in his throat, the way his Adam’s apple stuck out and moved up and down when he talked.MoreLess
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