After the overnight storm at the Captains Retreat, Ben and the others seatled down for morning coffee and a little something to eat.

"We have a long trip ahead of us today. Do you still have the coin with you" Sally asked, looking at Vespa?

Vespa said "No". "Where is it then" asked Sally?

Vespa told Sally of mailing the gold coin back home and making photo copys each side of the coin at the hotel. Sally just looked at Vespa as the story was being told.

"You did good Vespa by sending it home, it just wasn't safe carrying it around with you here. We need to get the copies out of the hotel safe and see about getting hold of Captain Gray Beards map from Captain John. Then... we can start our treasue hunt" Sally smiled.

Sally picked up the dishes and went over and put them in the sink and turned around. "We need to get going but first we need to make you both look like islanders.

Sally rolled over to the entry closet and pulled down a box of enteresting looking stuff.

Ben was given a large sea shell neckless to put over his mirror and a brightly colored scarf to tie around the other mirror.

Vespa could see that Ben was a little uncomfortable with these things on him so she smiled and said "There you go...now your starting to look like your on vacation".

Vespa was givin the same things but they looked more famine on her, Ben noted.

"OK, were ready to go...follow me. There is a road about 2 miles up the path. We'll take it into town" said Sally.

They rolled out of Captains Retreat and went around back where there was a narrow path cutting through the jungle growth. The sound of singing, island birds could be heard everywhere as they started their clime up the rugged path. Mud and slippery, exposed tree roots on the path, made their travel almost impossible.

Two hours later they were on the road and covered with jungle mud from one end to the other. "Now you look like islanders" smiled Sally.


(c) DennisB 2010

The three found a clear water stream on the way to town and they washed up as best they could. Vespa kidded Ben about missing a spot here and there.

The ride into town went by quickly and they soon found themselves standing in front of the hotel.

"We'll stay outside while you get the coin copies" said Sally.

Vespa went in and approached the counter "Hello, I left some papers in your safe yesterday and I need to retrieve them" The hotel manager looked at her.

"Do you have some ID young lady" the manager asked? Vespa pulled her ID out of here glove box and showed it to the manager.

"Vespa...Welcome back...Yes, we can get the papers right now, Please, follow me"

As the two rolled to the back office the clerk told her that people have been asking about her. "Who" she asked? Let's see...a Mister Smith, Captain John...and the police.

"Mister Smith" she said to herself?

They got to the back office and the manager opened the safe for her. Vespa removed the papers and quickly looked at them. "Thank you very much" and then she rolled to the front lobby and out the door.

She found Ben and Sally in the shade of a large tree across the street. She rolled over "lets get some lunch" Sally suggested. "That sounds good to me" said Vespa.

Just down the street was a small restaurant they past coming into town an Sally recommended it...it was called the Blue Shell Cafe and it looked good from the outside.

They got to the Blue Shell and went in.


(c) DennisB 2010

Finley and Dom talked about how to get their map back from Mister Smith. "Let's just go and get it back like we did at Captain John's" said Dom. "We know where he keeps it, in the book. You knock on the front door and I'll go through the window and get the map...OK". Finley nodded.

When the two brothers arrived at Mister Smith's, Dom went around the side of the house to the reading room window and Finley went to the front door.

Finley Knocked on the door and soon the door was opened by Mister Smith. "You again...What is it this time and where is your brother" Mister Smith asked?

"My brother and I had an argument about taken this money from you, so I've come to give it back. We did take the map from Captain John's shop and we felt bad about it, so here's your money back" Finley held out the twenty dollar bill.

Mister Smith was just about to take the money when...a crashing sound came from the reading room and Mister Smith immediatley turned and rolled off in the direction of the noise followed closely by Finley.

He found Dom picking up the broken brass lamp from the floor.

"I should call the police and have you both arrested, right NOW" Mister Smith yelled as he looked at the two brothers standing in his reading room..."but instead, I have a job for you to do for me".


(c) DennisB 2010

Mister Smith looked into the faces of the two young bikes standing in his reading room.
"Dom, never mined about the lamp, now...I have a mission for you both" His voice tapering off. "If your successful...I promise you both two hundred dollars each but if your NOT successful, then you both are going to jail for a long time...and quick".

The two bothers looked at each other then said "OK, we understand...What's the mission, Boss"?

There was a still moment in the reading room. Then Mister Smith spoke. "There's a young lady in town, a tourist. She is a bright red scooter and her name is Vespa and she found something I want."

"We heard, Boss...she found a gold coin in the water behind the hotel...you want us kill her" Dom asked?

"NO...DO NOT KILL HER...just get the gold coin from her...That's all I want you to do. Just get the gold coin and I don't care how you do it" he added.

"This red Vespa, does she stay at the hotel" Finley asked?

"Yes and she has a friend with her, a Honda Silverwing" Mister Smith added.

"OK Boss, we'll do it...We'll get the gold coin for you" Finley added.

The two brothers turned and started to leave the room when Mister Smith said "Just one more thing...the brother turned back around to face the Goldwing ...DON'T CALL ME BOSS EVER AGAIN..DO YOU UNDERSTAND"?

The two brothers looked at the floor "Yes, Mister Smith" they both said with trembling voices.

They then turned and left the reading room. Mister Smith followed the two brothers out to make sure nothing was takin on their trip out the door.

After they where gone Mister Smith went back to the reading room and moved the map to a new hiding place.

"Now we will just wait and watch" he said to himself. "Wait and watch".


(c) DennisB 2010

Dom and Finley rolled out of the home of Mister Smith and headed down to the beach front where the hotel was located.

As they approached the hotel from a side street, just north of the hotel, Finley shoved Dom into a tall hedge that lined the narrow street. "Look" he said. They both watched as a brite red color scooter came out of the hotel and rolled over to a couple of Honda Silverwings waiting in the shade of a large tree across the street from the hotel.

"You see what I see...It's Police Detective Sally and another Silverwing, They were waiting for the red scooter" whispered Finley.

"You see...that's her...the one we need to get the coin from. Let's follow them" Quietly wispared Finley. "Police Detective Sally...she knows us so we need to stay out of sight for now".

As Ben, Vespa, and Sally rolled out from under the shade tree and down the street toward the restaurant, the two brothers slipped from their hiding place and followed carefully at a distance keeping the three scooters just in sight.

"Look their going to the Blue Shell Cafe...doesn't our cousin Lewis work there, washing dishs". asked Dom. "Yes...he's been there a for a while now...Lets pay a visit...What do you say" Dom nodded.

The two brothers watched as Ben and the others rolled throught the front doors of the Blue Shell Cafe and then quickly rolled around to the back of the restaurant to where the back door was propped open to vent the hot air of the kitchen.

As Dom and Finley entered they saw their cousin Lewis standing over a sink of hot soapy water, scrubing dishes clean with a brush.

"Cousin Lewis...we need your help".


(c) DennisB 2010

The Blue Shell Cafe was one of the little towns best eateries next to the hotel beach front restaurant. The front of the Blue Shell was brightly painted with tropical birds, island flowers, and lush vegetation and stood out on the small street surounded by small tourist shops. The smell of original island meals being prepaired in the kitchen permeated the air for blocks around.

Ben and the others entered the restaurant and was taken to a table not far from the entrance. They ordered lunch and drinks and soon settled in to enjoy the restaurants ambience.

It was not to much later when the restaurant receptionist rolled over to the table and asked if Sally would take a call from her office. The phone was in the restaurants back office. She excused herself from the table and left the room to go answer the call.

As soon as Sally was gone from the room a busboy with a bowl of sticky, sweet fruit tripped and stumbled in front of Ben and Vespa's table showering Vespa with it's containts.

"Please, pardon me...I tripped on the rug...Let me show you to the Ladies room so you can clean-up" I am so sorry".

Vespa followed the busboy to the Ladies room "Can I get you a larger towel" the busboy asked as he showed Vespa the Ladies room door? "Thank You" Vespa answered as she pushed open the door.

Vespa entered the Ladies room and rolled over to the sink and mirror and looked at her reflection. She was covered with sweet, sticky fruit.

Just then a low voice came from behind her "Give me the coin...NOW"!

Vespa turned to face the voice.


(c) DennisB 2010

Sally returned to the table, where Ben waited, after discovering that the phone call hung-up and the line was dead.

"Where's Vespa" she asked Ben as she approached the table.

Ben told her about the busboys mishap with bowl of fruit and that Vespa was in the Ladies room cleaning up.

"Is that the busboy" sally asked Ben as the real busboy rolled by?

"No...the busboy that Vespa was blessed with was much shorter" Ben stated.

Sally quickly started toward the Ladies room and shouted back to Ben "THIS RESTAURANT ONLY HAS ONE BUSBOY...QUICK...GO AROUND BACK"!

Ben gave it full throttle and headed through the kitchen's swinging doors, knocking over the cook and out the back door.

He found the busboy impostor standing just out side the Ladies room open window in the proccess of removing his busboy smock.

"YOU...FREEZE, RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE" Ben shouted!

The small motorcycle pulled out a knife and took a slashing swing at Ben's fairing. Ben quickly knocked the knife from the bike grip and swung his back end through the air connecting with the motorcycle side, slaming him into the back wall of the restaurant. Dom collapsed in a heap from the impact.

Sally quickly opened the Ladies room door and found Vespa standing on top of what was once Finley.

"He's looked better" Sally said as she placed a wheel restraint on Finley. "Help me get him up".

"Where did you learn to protect yourself like that" asked Sally?

"Ben and I have friends that were in the U.S. Army and French Resistance during world war two and they showed Ben and I how to protect our selves from a knife attack. "It sure has come in handy". Vespa gave Finley another small kick and then smiled.

"Ben, are you OK" Sally yelled out the Ladies room window?

"I'm fine...But I think this one is going to be out for a while" Ben had his front wheel resting on Dom so he couldn't get up.

It wasn't to long before the Blue Shell Cafe settled down and Finley and his brother Dom where taken off to jail for questioning and booking on attempted armed robbery charges.

Soon there was a knocking on Mister Smith's front door.


(c) DennisB 2010

Mister Smith was in his reading looking at the map with a magnifying glass when a knock was heard on his front door. He immediately thought it was the two brothers with the gold coin and hurriedly rolled to open the door.

"That didn't take.. you...long" and he froze in mid sentence.

Standing there was Police Detective Sally and two other officers.

"Mister Smith, Your under arrest...You have the right to...."WHAT IS IT, I'M CHARGED WITH" he asked?

"I'm glad you asked...Let's see...Receiving stolen property for one, conspiracy of armed robbery, and resisting arrest if you don't step aside so we can find the map that you payed Finly and Dom to steal from Captain John's shop.

O' one more thing...we do have a search warrent.

"Cuff him boys" said Sally with a smile on her face.

Mister Smith wanted his lawer and the search of his home went quickly. The map was found on the desk immediately.

After Mister Smith was taken away, Sally spent some time looking at the map and the small round location in the center of the map where the Marinettes gold doubloon was to be placed to complete the map and the finding her families lost gold.

Sally took the map to the police station and made a full scale copy before placing the real map in the evidence room under lock and key.

"Now were getting someplace" she said to herself as she left the station that eveing and headed for the hotel to meet with Ben and Vespa.

The next morning they start the hunt for the Gold of The Marinette.


(c) DennisB 2010

Sally knocked on Vespa's hotel door, and it was quickly opened. "Vespa, Would you mined if I spent the night here for your protection" asked Sally as she entered the room?

"Sure, That would be great" Vespa smiled.

"I must leave now, I need to go talk with the last, known, owner of the map, a Captain John" Sally said.

"I've met him" smiled Vespa. "Ben and I went to his shop the day we found the coin to ask him about the marinette".

"Did you show him the gold coin" Sally asked?

"Yes, he was very interested in it...he even asked us if I wanted to sell it"

"I can certainly understand why" Sally responded. "I'll be back in just a little while, keep your door locked until I get back. Tomorrow is starting to look like an interesting day, if you ask me".

Sally turned and started for the door and then she turned "O'.. one more thing...here are a couple of photo copies of the map. If you get the time, you might carefully take a pair of scissors and cut out the coins from the copies you made. I'll be back shortly"
she placed the copies on a small table next to the door and rolled out the room.

Vespa called down to the front desk and asked if they had a pair of scissors she could borrow for a little while. "I'll send them right up" answered the night desk clerk and then hung up.

She then called Ben to see if he could come over to her room and talk with her as she was cutting out the coins and take a look at the map copies Sally had left in her room.

"I'll be right over" and he hung up the phone.

Soon came a knock on Vespa's door. "Who is it" she shouted thru the door? And there was no answer. "WHO IS IT" she shouted louder.

"I'm here with scissors you wanted" said the voice from the other side of the door.

Vespa fastened the security chain on the inside of the door and then opened the door just a little so she could take the scissors.

"Can I see the coin" asked the voice on the other side of the door.

"NO...I don't have the coin anymore...please the scissors if you don't mined"

The scissors handel appeared through the door opening. Vespa kook the scissors and closed the door and locked it once more.

A moment later came another Knock on the door. "Hey Vespa, Open the door, It's me Ben" came a familiar voice.

Ben entered the door. "Vespa...Who was that bike that was just at your door" he asked.

"The night desk clerk was here" she responded.

Ben got a curius look on his face "Vespa...the night clerk was in my room just second ago with some new towels.

Vespa quickly rolled to the door, chained and locked it.


(c) DennisB 2010

It didn't take long for Sally to make the trip to Captains John's nautical shop. The open sign was still hanging in the window and the lights were on giving the small shop a golden hue from the street.

She rolled up to the shops front door and tried to enter but it was locked and the Captain was no where to be seen in the front room. She decided to go around back to the rear door.

She rolled to the back door and tried the door and it came open easily with just a slight touch. "Captain John, are you here" she yelled through the open door.

A moment later a loud voice came from behind her "I'm right here Detective" Captain John's sudden appearence behind her, startled her for a moment.

"Captain, I need to talk with you about your map" Sally said after catching her breath.

"DID YOU FIND IT" Captain John's voice became excided and loud!

"Yes, It was recovered and it's at the station in the evidence room under lock and key and it will be used as a evidence in a court of law to convict those that stole it from your shop and the bike that bought it as stolen property".

"Good Going" said the Captain. "When can I get it back from you, it's my property you know"?

"When the trial is over and not any time sooner" said Sally.

"Just thought you should know that we have retrieved your property...Good Night Captain John". "Good Night Detective and thank you for letting me know about my map"

Sally rolled back out to the street and back to the hotel.

Captain John made his way back up the path to his house and entered the front door.

"She has the map"? Asked a shadowed figure standing in the corner of his livingroom.

"Yes, It's at the police station, locked in the evidence room" said the Captain.

"We need to get it back by any means...DO YOU HEAR ME CAPTAIN...BY ANY MEANS"!

The dark shadowed figure then quickly and quietly slipped out the door into the night.

Captain John stared after it for a moment and then closed his door.


(c) DennisB 2010

Sally knocked on the Vespa's hotel room door and there was no answer. She then went ben's room and knocked. "It's me, Sally" the door was quickly opened by Ben and she entered.

"Is Vespa here with you" she asked Ben as she rolled in? "Yes, she was frightened by a strange visitor to her door that wanted to see the coin. We came over to my room thinking it might be safer to stay here". Ben closed the door and then locked and chained it.

"Your probably right" Sally answered rolling into the room and seeing Vespa standing in the corner with a frightened look on her face.

"Vespa...It's just me...tell me what happened after I left" Sally asked with a concerned look on her face?

Ben and Vespa told Sally of the strange occurrence with the scissors being delivered to her room by a strange, shadowy bike that wanted to see the coin.

"We better keep the door closed and locked for the rest of the night. Let's take a look at the map and coin." said Sally.

Ben moved a small table to the center of the room and Vespa retrieved the maps and cutout paper coins from her glove box and placed them on the table.

All three scooters came closer to the table as Sally placed one of the paper coins in the center of the map.

You know...now that I have had a good look at the map, this is not a map of this island, at all. It's the next island just south of here." Ben and Vespa looked puzzled.

Sally looked up at Ben and Vespa. "Let me explain...the island that we're on has an almost twin just about twelve miles south of here. It's been privately owned since the mid seventeen hundreds and has stayed pretty much untouched except for a dock and a large estate in the center of the island. The family that owns the island had all but died out except for one recluse old bike that is hardly ever seen... and when he is seen it's aways at night and he is always in the shadows. No one has ever seen him during the daylight hours...kinda scarry if you ask me." Sally said with a smile on her face.

Sally looked at Vespa and Ben like she was studying their reaction to the story.

"That's where we need to go tomorrow...The Island of Doctor LaMain" Sally said.

"Let's get some rest...tomorrow is going to be a long day".


(c) DennisB 2010

The next morning the three scooters headed down to the hotel lobby. "Pardon me Miss Vespa" said the hotel desk clerk as he held up an envelope. "You have a returned package that came in the mail for you"

Vespa rolled over to the clerk and was givin the envelope. "RETURN TO SENDER - NOT DELIVERABLE". "Well, Well" Vespa said to herself as she went back to the others.

"It is the gold coin. It came back to the island...how strange" she said to the others waiting for her.

She placed it, unopened in her glove box.

They had breakfast and coffee at the hotel restaurant before getting on the Police boat that Sally used from time to time to visit the smaller islands under her department jurisdiction.

They soon cast off the mooring lines and were under way and heading south through some ruff seas. The skies were overcast and stormy that morning. Gone were the warm, mild breezes of past Caribbean mornings.

"Looks like a storm is starting to blow in" Yelled Sally to the others as they made their way south. The little Police boat was being thrown up and down and side to side like a toy. They all put on life preservers and hung on.

Soon the island of Doctor LaMain could be seen just on the horizen. Dark and foreboding against the stormy sky.

Then it started to rain just as the islands dock came into sight.

"Let's get this boat secured and find some cover" yelled Sally to the others as the arrived at the old wooden dock.

A heavy storm cover was secured over the boat and the boat was tied to the dock with the mooring lines. "That should do it for now...Let's find some cover" Sally yelled.

The three wet scooters quickly rolled off the dock and onto the island and found an old wooden boat house just beyond the trees that walled the island from it's sandy beaches.

"This is better than nothing" yelled Ben and they all quickly went in to get out of the storm.


(c) DennisB 2010

"A diversion...That's what we need" Captain John said to himself as he watched the storm blow-in that morning, from his living room window.

"A diversion to get the police out of the Police station so I can get the map...let's see now" the Captain paced the dimly lit room for a while..."I HAVE IT" he said loudly "An explosion and fire at the old Rum factory would do it...5 sticks of dynamite and a gallon of gas should do it" The Captain smiled to himself. "PERFECT".

The island Police Station was most days, a quite place with not much to do except drink coffee and eat a doughnut or two this time of year. Only four, full time officers was needed most of the time to keep the peace on the island and surrounding locations and Detective Sally was off the island on boat patrol for a day or two.

The islands old Rum factory was closed, back during proabition, and is now only opened once a year for island history week for the school children to visit. It was located on a gravel road named Sugarcane Way and was about five miles from down town. The sugarcane fields were sold off years ago to build expensive winter homes for those that could afford them.

Sugarcane Way is a road that makes a large loop through the islands heavy back jungle so if one section of the road washed out during heavy rain the other part of the loop would be there to get the Rum to market.

Captain John gathered the things he needed that morning and headed out his front door. Half way between his home and the shop, it started to rain and the wind started howel.

"This is going to be a long, dangerous trip this morning" he said to himself as the rain started to beat down even harder on him.

"The only good thing is I won't be seen by anyone" he told him self as he reached the entrance to Sugarcane Way.


(c) DennisB 2010

Captain John's journey on the old Sugarcane Way took the rest of the morning. The rain did not let up all that day. The cold rain driven by the strong wind seeped into him as he reached the front gate of the old rum factory.

He shivered from the cold as he looked at the once beautiful building now worn down from time and the elements.

He once worked here, as a young motorcycle till he lost one of his eyes in a industrial accident. He worked in the barrel making section. He loved to work with wood, he remembered. "So long ago and so many memories" he said to himself.

The large wooden gate that stood at the enterence to the factory grounds was closed and locked but most of the wooden planks that made up the gate were either just gone or were rotted away by time. Captain John pushed the gate to one side and kept going till he reached the factories main door and pushed it open.

The smell of rum was still in the air of the old damp building as he enterd.

The wooden floor creaked as he moved toward the old time clock mounted on the wall to the right. He put his front tire on the actuator pedal and pushed down and to his surprise it still worked. The sound of a bell and mechanical parts moving brought back even more memories to him. "This was the device he set his young life by" he thought to himself.

"Where has all the time gone" he shook his head as he continued through the old building.

He soon found himself standing in the barrel making section of the old rum plant. The good old memories flooded back to him. Slowly he moved to one of the buildings main support pillars and looked...there it was "JOHN 1919".

He was part of the building...He just could not do it...no amount of gold could make him burn this old building down..."It was part of me, It's who I am".

He looked at the old wooden floor for a moment then at the wall lockers that lined the wall and went over to his old locker. "JOHN" was stamped on the lockers name plate. He opened it. He found an old faded picture of Mary, the motorcycle he loved so many years ago taped to the inside of the door.

He looked at the picture and turned it over "I'll love you always" was writen on the back. He read it over and over and then put it back in the locker and closed the door.

He turned and went home.


(c) DennisB 2010

The island of Doctor LaMain has a dark but colorful history. It was first used at a leper colony in the early years and then a mental hospital for the criminally insane for many years after until 1935 when it was closed.

The hospital was torn down and now a private 22 bedroom home stands in the center of the island like some dark foreboding sentinel watching over the island. Warning all to to stay away.

Only the under ground laberinth of tunnels remain of the islands dark past. Tunnels used by Slave traders and Rum smugglers of long ago.

The winds howled and the rain beat down on the small wooden boat house where Vespa and the others waited out the storm. The roof held most of the rain at bay and the islands jungle climbing vines coverd the structure and added strength and wind protection to it's interior.

They had found two old oil lamps hanging on rusted nails on the wall and they worked on getting them lit. Both lamps were full of oil and quickly sprang to life with a touch of a match. Soon the boat house had a warm glow.

There was an old empty wooden barrel in one corner and that was quickly moved the the center of the room.

"Let's see the map and coin" asked Sally.

Vespa quickly reached in to her glove box pulled out the paper map and coin. "Do you need the real gold coin or paper" Vespa asked?

"Just the paper coin for now" Sally smiled thinking she had a choice of the two now.

They placed the copy of the map on the barrel top and then the cutout paper coin in the center.

Scooters and lamps drew closer to get a better look at the map. All went silent in the small boat house and the only sound was the flames dancing in the lamps and the rain and wind.


(c) DennisB 2010