Synopsis

When Jesse McDermitt retires from the Marine Corps, he has no idea what he will do for the rest of his life. At 37, his greatest skill is killing people from up to a mile away. He knows there aren’t many job opportunities in the civilian world for that. However, he knows the south Florida waters, is an experienced diver, loves to fish, and knows his way around a boat. 

A waitress in a waterfront restaurant in north Key Largo gives him an idea and he runs with it. An old friend helps get him set up as a charter fishing and dive boat Captain and a new friend helps him buy just the right boat.

Danger lurks in the sleepy little town of Marathon, in the middle of the Florida Keys, as well as in the swamps of the Everglades. But danger doesn’t expect to run into a man like Jesse, who will not only respond swiftly, but with a vengeance unexpected.

Excerpt

The smell of fresh coffee woke me the next morning. The coffee maker had a timer and I’d taken to setting it up before going to bed. It was better than an alarm clock. Sitting on the bridge, I watched the night sky slowly turn purple, then the first finger rays of the rising sun lit up the clouds hanging over the eastern horizon. I’d always reveled in watching the sun rise and set in different places around the world. No matter where I was, it looked the same and different at the same time. I heard a splash and looked toward the sound. Savannah was tying up their dinghy. Just what I needed. She climbed out and walked along the dock toward the Revenge. Stopping at my pier she looked up and said, “I think I owe you an apology.” She lifted a thermos. “Can I buy you a cup of Australian coffee?” Never one to turn down someone else’s brew, I said, “Sure, come aboard.” She sat on the transom and swung two tanned and shapely legs over, stepping down to the deck in bare feet. I climbed down and met her in the cockpit. “Come on in,” I said as I held the hatch open. She stepped up into the galley. “Wow! This is a really cool yacht. I thought it was a fishing boat.” “It is,” I said. “Kind of a reverse mullet. Party up front and all business in the rear.” “You’re dating yourself. Nobody wears a mullet anymore.” “Have a seat, I’ll get another mug.” She slid into the settee booth and twisted the top off the thermos, unconcerned about where I’d sit. I didn’t bother with a saucer, sugar, or cream and my guess was right, as she poured both our mugs with the strong smelling coffee and took a sip. “I asked around about what you said. About the sex slave thing. I’m sorry I accused you of lying. Also, thanks for bailing us out the other night. Sharlee is a little gullible sometimes and I was way toasted.” I noticed that she didn’t have a hint of southern drawl like her sister and asked her about it. “Sharlee went to ‘finishing school’,” she said, rolling her eyes at the words. “I was sort of a tomboy and preferred to go out on my dad’s fishing boats.” “Boats? Plural?” “Yeah, he owns a fleet of commercial boats. I skippered one until he retired and sold the fleet.” “Really?” She used both hands holding her mug, as she took another sip. “You like the coffee?” I’d finished half the cup and hardly noticed it. “Yeah, it’s great,” I said looking into her blue eyes. “Where’d you learn to fight like that? You went through the three biggest guys like a hot knife through butter.” “Fight? Oh, the other night. I studied a little martial arts. You and your sister are as different as night and day.” “Thanks, I love her, but she can be a handful sometimes.” I nearly spit out my coffee. “What?” she asked. As I tried to control my laughter I said, “She said almost exactly the same thing about you.” Refilling both our cups she said, “We’ve decided to stay here a while.” “What br