An Original Story written by Dennis Berney 2010 (Non-Edited)

The Gold of the Marinette

The warm Caribbean sun filtering down through the beach umbrella felt like heaven to Ben. He opened his eyes just a little and looked at Vespa not more than a few yards away, standing in the beautiful blue water of the Gulf of Mexico.

"She looked like a post card, the kind the hotel sells to tourist" he was thinking.

"This is the life" as he took another long slow sip off his cold umbrella covered drink and closed his eyes and started to think back on the Christmas that just passed and all his friends back home.

"What a great Christmas gift...2 weeks in the Caribbeans...AHHH... This is the life" Ben said to himself.

It was just a little past noon and a light warn breeze was careering the smell of lunch cooking at the hotels beach front restarurant. "Lobster...I Love Lobster" Ben was thinking.

Just then Vespa hurriedly rolled up kicking sand all over Ben in the process.

"LOOK WHAT FOUND IN THE WATER" she said loudly to the now sand covered Ben.

Ben opened his eyes to look....and there stuck in Vespa's front wheel tread was a shinny gold coin shimmering in the sunlight. Little droplets of water dancing on it's shinny surface.

"WOW, Vespa you found a gold doubloon" said Ben.

"Where did you find it" Ben asked?

"Right out there in the water...Not more then a foot down" Vespa exclamed!

The other bikes and scooters on the beach started to take notice of the excitment taking place and started rolling over to see what was going on.

It wasn't long before everyone was in the water looking for gold coins.

"Let's get some lunch first and then look for more gold...OK" ask Ben?

Vespa looked at the coin, she wanted to run back out into the water with the others.

"OK...Let's have lunch and then find more gold" Vespa smiled back at Ben.

"Look at at it this way the restarurant is now empty" said Ben with a smile on his face.

Just then a couple of restarurant waiters quickly rolled by them and jumped in the water.

"The word must be speading fast" said Ben looking at Vespa.

"Let's shower off with some freah water first" said Vespa. The shower water was cool and refreshing and it felt good to get all that salt water off them.

Ben and Vespa rolled into the beach front restarurant and quickly found a table looking out at the now crowded beach.

Vespa placed the gold coin on the table in front of her.

A waiter rolled over to take their order. When he got to the table he looked at the gold coin.

"Are you the folks that found the coin" the waiter asked? "Can I look at it".

Vespa nodded and the waiter picked it up and looked at it.

"Looks like it might have come from the Marinette" The waiter put the coin back on the table.

"What's the Marinette" asked Ben.

"A sunken pirate ship" said the waiter. "Supposidly sank here, just off the coast in 1724...I think" he added.

"That's a great find...keep it safe" the waiter said "What would you like for lunch today, our lunch special is lobster"

"Two lobster lunch specials, you got" the waiter turned to go to the kitchen with the food order.

He soon returned with two, huge lobsters. "Any thing else" the waiter asked?

"Yes..where can we find out more about the Marinette" Ben asked.

The waiter looked at Ben and said "Captian John...He's our local history expert and he's just down the street form here".

After lunch Vespa and Ben headed over to meet Captain John.


(c) DennisB 2010

The streets just out side the hotel where Ben and Vespa was staying were very narrow and lined with small shops selling tourist the same stuff every tourist town has to offer. Shop owners beckoning them to come in and look at their goods as they rolled by. The street was surprisengly empty.

Ben looked at Vespa "All the tourist must be on the beach looking for gold coins" Vespa just nodded.

They soon came to Captain John's shop. A small place with nautical merchandise for sale in the windows. Climbing, flowering plants covered most of the shops front and part of the open sign hanging above the door.

As they intered the shop door a small brass bell was struck on the inside of the door.

From the back of the little shop Ben and Vespa heard a voice yelled out "I"m Coming...I'm Coming" and soon heard the sound of "Clip-Thud, Clip-Thud, Clip-Thud, coming from the back room.

The door way to the back room was covered with a lite tapestry which was soon thrown open by the shops owner, Captain John.

As Captain John entered the room, Vespa noticed that he had a carved wooden kick-stand and no back wheel with a black patch over his left eye.

"How can I help you today" said Capain John. "If your look-in for the best nautical equipment or merchandise...You've come to the right place...How can I be of service to you today"

Captian John noticed Vespa looking at his wooden kick stand "Don't let it concern you, young lady...I lost my rear wheel to a shark off the west coast of Madagascar a few years back. Me thinks the shark choked on it or I hope he did" Captain John Smiled.

Vespa took the gold coin from her glove box and placed it on the counter in front of the Captain.

The Captain's one good eye opened wide as he looked at the coin. "Where did you find this fine gold doubloon, young lady?

Vespa told the Captain of finding the coin in the water just behind the hotels beach.

"What you have here is a very rare coin indeed young lady...It's from the Marinette...a pirate ship, she was. Sunk just off the coast by an English Man of War. Only one soul survived, the others that went in the water that day, all taken by reef sharks, from what the story tells."

"What year was that" Ben asked?

Captain John looked back at the coin "Around 1724 or 25 I think it was. Would you be interested in sell'n the coin or tradin it for something I might be have'n here in me shop."

"No" said Vespa. "I'll just keep it as a souvenir of this wonderful vacation...Thanks anyway"

Vespa picked up the coin and placed it back in her glove box.

They thanked Captain John for the information and bought a small tourist, island treasure map he had on the counter. "Thanks again" they said and walked out the door.

After they were gone Captain John picked up the phone and dialed a local number. The phone on the other end was picked up..."It's me, the coin is the real mcCoy...I just looked at it...it's from the Marinette". Then Captain John hung up the phone and smiled to himself.


(c) DennisB 2010

Ben and Vespa spent the rest of the day riding the roads of the small Caribbean Island taking pictures of the beautiful waterfalls and beaches to email to their friends back home.

Later they had dinner at the hotels restarurant on the beach, broiled shimp and sea bass. "I could really get used to this type of life" said Ben. Vespa rolled her eyes around and said. "Me to".

After dinner they danced the night away in the light of the full moon and torches that were lit on the edges of the dance floor. The hotel had their own Caribbean band made up of local musicians.

Ben noticed some bikes and scooter were still out in the water looking for coins with their head lights on. "See what you started" Ben told Vespa. Vespa just shook her head.

The next morning they had made resavations to go para sailing off the back of a boat and needed to get some rest.

Ben and Vespa said good night and went to their rooms.

Ben opened his door and found his room torn apart. He looked around for moment and then quickly went to Vespa's room.

He found Vespa's door standing wide open and Vespa looking at a similar mess.

"My room almost looks as bad" he said. "Why would someone do this" she asked Ben. "I just don't know" responded Ben?

Vespa's eye's got big and she reached into her glove box and found..."The coin"

A call was made to the hotel management and the local police.


(c) DennisB 2010

During the breakin investigation at the hotel. A new island Constable Detective was given the case. Her name was Sally and a Honda Silverwing scooter.

New on the force but very well trained in the States and aware of local criminals and their activities on the island. She was well respected in the department.

"Let me see...Nothing was taken from your rooms? They broke into both your rooms and took nothing...is that right" asked Sally?

"That is correct" answered both Ben and Vespa.

"Very strange, except I was told about the gold coin you found earlier in the day, out in the water. A gold coin that supposedly came from the famed Marinette. Can I see it" she asked?

Vespa reached into her glove box and pulled out the gold coin and gave it to Sally.

"Amazing" said Sally as she looked at the coin. "Only one other Marinette gold coin was ever know to have been recovered and that was almost three hundred years ago by the only servivor. His name was Gray Beard, Captain of the ill-fated Marinette.

"You see the island legend of the Marinette has been clouded in mistery since her sinking in the early seventeen hundreds by the Royal Navy. No location of the ship wreck was ever recorded and she had almost a half ton of gold coins in her hold, just like this one" Sally added as she held out the coin.

"It was said that Captian Gray Beard created a map to where the ship could be found but a person needed both the map and the coin to find the Marinettes resting place. It sounds like someone on the island has Gray Beards map after all and they need your coin" added Sally.

Sally gave the coin back to Vespa with a warning and a suggestion "Keep the coin with you at all times or hide it some place where only you can find it...that would be your best option. I'll try to find out who has the map on the island".

Sally rolled over to talk to one of the other officers.

Vespa looked over at Ben and moved her lips without words "Half A Ton of Gold"!

"One more thing...They will kill you for this coin if they need to" with that said Sally rolled out of the room.


(c) DennisB 2010

The hotel provided two new rooms for Ben and Vespa with complmentary meals and bar for the rest of their stay.

Vespa asked the night desk clerk if they had a copy machine in the hotel and the clerk said yes. She was shown the way to the copy machine in the back office and then the clerk went back to the front desk.

Vespa made one, 100 percent scale copies of each side of the coin, folded them carefully and put the coin and copies in her glove box. She thanked the clerk as he rolled by and then went to see Ben in his new room.

Ben listened carefully as Vespa told him of what she had in mined for the gold coin and the paper copies she now had.

In the morning Vespa was going to mail the coin to her home town address. All her mail was being held at the post office until she returned home. The two copies were going in to the hotel safe for safe keeping.

Ben thought this was a great plan and they both said goodnight.

The next morning Vespa had the paper copies placed in the hotel safe and then they had breakfast.

After breakfast they headed for the island post office. The morning went buy uneventful but Ben had a feeling that they were being follwed and watched.

"What a great morning to try para sailing" said Ben as the harness was being put around him.

The speed boat waited just off shore. The boats powerful engines were at idle and the two bike crew was ready to go.

Ben gave the boat the go ahead the boats engine came alive. Ben felt the pulling line tighten and soon Ben found himself in the air looking down at the blue waters of the Caribbean.

"What a great feeling" Ben was thinking "I wish I could fly like this all the time".

The boat made two big circles in front of the hotels beach and then headed west along the islands south coast.

Ben was thinking "WOW...I'm getting my moneys worth this morning...what a ride".

As the pull boat rounded a rocky outcrop it stared to slow down and Ben started to descend.

"NO NOT AGAIN" Ben yelled as he hit the water. The pull boat turned around quickly to pick him up out of the water.

As Ben looked up from the water he saw Constable Detective, Sally driving the boat.

"We needed to get you off the island unseen" yelled Sally as they helped Ben onto the pull boat.

I'll put you on shore and be back with Vespa in a minute or two.

The pull boat landed on a sandy stretch of beach where a small house was located.

"Wait here, take a shower, eat some food and I'll be right back with Verspa" yelled Sally over the sound of the boats loud motors.

Ben did as he was told and then waited...


(c) DennisB 2010

As Ben waited, he stood by the waters edge. The hot Caribbean sun beating down on him. He closed his eyes for just a moment and thought of all the crazy things that have happened to him in the last 2 years.

"My life was just ordinary till I met Vespa" he thought to himself. "It sure isn't ordinary any more".

The hot sun was starting to put him to sleep...and he dozed off.

Ben found himself on the deck of an old wooden sailing ship giving commands to the other bikes onboard. He then realized he was in the middle of a battle at sea. Fighting for his life and lives of his crew... FIRE!.. He yelled and the starboard side of the ship exploded with a burst of 15 canons. The sound wave from the broadside almost knocked him over but he kept his stance on the bridge and yelled...RELOAD!...LET'S HIT HER AGAIN WITH ANOTHER BROADSIDE!...he commanded...I SAID RELOAD...

Just then an explosion and a blast of heat...and he found himself in the water watching his ship, The Marinette, burn and exploed again just before she sank beneath the waves.

Ben woke with tears running down his face and a feeling of great loss.

Just then he looked up and the pull boat came around the rocky outcrop and then he saw Vespa hanging from the para sail.


(c) DennisB 2010

Vespa was brought to shore. The pull boat was beached just in front of where Ben stood.

"WOW...That was GREAT...Can we do that again" was the first thing Vespa said as she jumped off the pull boat onto the sand.

Soon Sally joined them. "Vespa...Take a shower in fresh water and get some food in you...we have a lot to talk about".

All three rolled up to the small beach house out of the sun.

The sound of the pull boat being started rattled the windows of the beach house as it left the shore and headed away out to sea. Sally stepped outside the door and waved to the driver.

Sally stepped back in the door "This is my families beach house...It's been mine ever since my parents passed away a few years ago. It's name is The Captains Retreat"

Sally continued "When The Marinette was sunk, this is where Captain Gray Beard came ashore. He stayed here for a while and swam out to the wreck each day and brought back a few gold coins with each trip and melted them down to make gold bars".

"He kept only one remaining gold coin and created a map of where he buired the gold bars. The gold is still here, on the island, and has never been found".

"You see I'm the Great, Great, Great, Grand daughter of Captain Gray Beard" she said and then smiled.

She took a moment to look into the eyes of both Ben and Vespa as to study their charactors. "If we find the gold, I will spilt it with you, 50/50".

Ben and Vespa looked at each other and nodded.

Sally continued " The original and only remaining gold doubloon, was said to have been given to a Porchagese trader, while the Captain was drunk, for a barral of rum. The Captain was fond of his rum, and it was lost forever".

"Vespa...when you found The Marinette's last gold coin, you opened the eyes of alot of bad bikes here on the island. The kind of attention you don't want" said Sally.

"What of the map" asked ben?

"It's here on the island...and we need to find it, I think Captain John has it" Sally added.

"We already met him" Vespa added.

"WHAT SAY YOU....do you want to hunt for the lost treasure of The Marinette" Sally asked?

Ben and Vespa just looked at each other for a moment and then said "YES, lets do it".

Sally smiled.


(c) DennisB 2010

"Come...follow me" said Sally.

Sally rolled to the front door and went out. Ben and Vespa followed her out the door.

The three rolled over to the side of the house and there, up against the jungles edge, were 2 fairly large, flat stones, standing upright.

As the three got closer, Ben and Vespa could see writing on both stones. Old writing on well weathered stone surfaces.

Sally stopped in front of the first stone "This is the grave stone of Captain Gray Beard".

The stone read: "Let it be known that here lies the body of Captain Gray Beard. A scooter that loved the sea and his family. In the memory of his loving Wife Cora. 1737.

The next stone was a little older, it read: "Here lies the honorable remains of the crew of The Marinette. No better crew a ship or Captain has ever had. Rest in peace my brothers, Captain Gray Beard, 1725

"The Captain swam out to the wreck not only to retrieve the gold but also to geather the remains of his crew. The sharks got the rest" said Sally.

Sally finished by saying "You both needed to read the stones if you planned on spending the night here or you would have had bad dreams".

Ben's looked at Sally..."Thank you for letting use known... I've already stood on the deck of The Marinette in a dream, while I was waiting for your return".

Vespa gave Ben a funny look and said "For real"?

Ben just smiled and shock his head, yes...and then a tear rolled down Ben's fairing.


(c) DennisB 2010

The rest of the evening was spent talking about the events of the past two years and how they felt blessed with good fiends that stood by them in their hour of need.

"You are both very lucky to have such good friends" said Sally.

The weather was starting to change and they could feel it in the air. "I need to check the weather report. We just might get a storm here tonight". Sally said to the others.

She rolled over to the radio and turned the dial to find the weather broadcast. Soon the radio came alive with information.

Sally listened for a while and turned the radio off and rolled back over to Ben and Vespa.

"We need to get the window shouters closed... a storm is coming in tonight. Ben can you help me" Sally asked.

"Sure can" said Ben. And then they rolled out the door.

When Ben and Sally went out side the wind was starting to pick up beach sand was hitting Ben's fairing "That really hurts" he said to himself".

Sally yelled "GET THE OTHER SIDE". So Ben rolled to the other side of the house and closed the shouters. The beach sand hitting him was almost unbearable.

As Ben was about to enter the door he turned and looked at the sky and what he saw put a little scare in him. He had never seen clouds so dark and that ominous before.

He soon rejoined the others in the beach house livingroom and expressed his concerns about what he saw outside. Sally reasured him the house would hold up and it might get a little noisy tonight.

Ben and Vespa just looked at each other.

"Nothing to get concerned about...just a little wind, water, and sand. It will blow over by morning" Sally mentioned. "Your rooms are at the end of the hall on the right".

"Good night and sleep well, see you in the morning" Sally rolled off to her room.

Ben and Vespa stood in the living room listening to the rain pounding down and the wind houling outside... and that's where they stayed all night.

By next morning the sunrise was spectacular and everything was calm at The Captains Retreat... once again.


(c) DennisB 2010

Captain John smiled as he hung up the phone in his small nautical shop, that morning.

The thought of a half ton of gold doubloons setting in the middle of his shop floor was almost to much for him to imagine.

After almost three hundred years, a real gold doubloon from the ill-fated Marinette was just...right here... on his counter. "What a GREAT DAY" as he did a little dance.

"I need to get the map and look at it. It's been far to long a time" he said to himself.

Captain John went to the front door of his shop and locked it from the inside. Then the moved quickly through the shop to the back door.

The back door was locked and he turned and looked at the path that lead to his home just up the hill from his shop, not more then 100 feet.

"What a beautiful day" he said to himself as he moved along the well worn path. The sound of tropical birds singing as he made is way along the cobble stones.

He soon reached his front door and went inside. Sunshine was soflly filtering through the two huge picture windows and lighted his way as he entered.

He moved to a wood panel just off too the left of his living room. The panel looked like all the other wooden panels that lined the rooms walls.

With his front tire, he moved a corner of a old tattered throw rug.

Just under the rug their was a hole in the floor. He put his kick stand in the hole and turned to the right, a audible "CLICK" could be heard and the panel he was standing in front of swung inward.

He found the light switch on the wall and flipped it on as he entered the hidden room.

The smell of stale air and cobb webs greeted him as he entered the small room. "I need to clean in here someday" he said to himself as he slipped quietly throught the hidden door.

The door to the hidden room closed behind him...


(c) DennisB 2010

Old cobb webs hanging from the dimly lit light bulb in the center of the ceiling, gracefully moved in the stale air as Captain John moved through the small room.

An old wooden desk stood off to one side of the room. The front right corner was supported by a stack of old books, the front leg long gone years ago.

The walls of the room were covered with shelves holding dust coverd relics of brass ship equipment, bells, bottles, and odds and ends of days done by.

In one corner stood an old rum barral with old sailing charts sticking out.

Captain John moved over to the barral and started moving the old charts over to the desk. When the barral was empty he reached inside and found a hidden release lever and a false bottom on the barral was removed and an old rum bottle was removed and taken over to the desk.

With one move he sweep all the old charts onto the floor and placed the bottle on the desk top. Captain John smiled as he looked through the old bottle glass.

He grabbed the bottle by the neck and broke it over the edge of the desk and piece of parchment fell to the floor with the bits and pieces of the broken bottle.

"I havent seen you in a few years" He said to himself as he picked up the parchment from the floor.

He placed the parchment in his leather saddle bag and turned off the light as he left the little room closing the wall panel behind him.

Before long he was back in his shop with Captain Gray Beards map stored safely in his saddle bag.


(c) DennisB 2010

With the new found interest in the history of The Marinette and it's cargo, Captains John's little maritime shop became the center of attention for alot of curius toursts and would be treasure hunters.

"I just wish they would all leave" Captain John said to himself as he went in the back room to get more fake treasure maps to put on his counter.

Soon his shop was empty again. "This is my chance" he said to himself. He went to his front door and turned over the open sign, hanging in the window, and locked the door and quickly went to the back room to his work table. He pulled the map out of his saddle bag and carefully unfolded the old parchment.

Captain John had just started to examine the old map when a loud banging was heard at the front door.

"What now...can't these treasure hunters read. I'M CLOSED" He said in frustration from being disturbed.

He went to the front door...and no one was there. He looked through the front window, up and down the street, and there was no one. How strange he thought to himself, and then he started toward to his back room.

As he approched the doorway, the tapestry that covered the doorway was lightly flutering. "that's strange" he thought.

He entered the room and found the rear door was standing open "I thought I closed that" he said to himself and then quickly looked over to the table.

The map was gone!


(c) DennisB 2010

In a small shack located in the rundown, shanty part of town. Finley and his brother Dom carefully opened the parchment they had just stolen from Captain John.

They examined the map on a small table in the center of the room that had a single candle that lit the room with an eerie glow.

"We are soooo sneeky and smart" said Dom, looking at the map.

"Yes, we are the smart one's now...do you think it's worth anything" asked Finley?

"It looks old and me think's its a map, a map of this island" said Dom.

"If it's old then me think's we can get alot of money for it. Let's take it to Mister Smith in the morning and see if he wants to buy it...It looks like a storm is starting to blow in" said Finley.

Finley refolded the map and placed in a leather pouch hanging on a hook, next to the wooden plank door.

"Dom...Help me get the storm shutters closed." and the two brothers went out side to get their little shack ready for the storm that was fast approaching the island.


(c) DennisB 2010

That night the wind howled, lightning flashed and the rain pounded on the tin roof of Finley's and Dom's small shack. Neither of the two brothers got to sleep that night.

The next morning the storm moved off and shanti town became calm and still once again. The two brothers had a small breakfast of locally grown fruit and rain water.

"Well Dom...Let's see if we can find Mister Smith and see what he would offer us anything for this map" said Finley with a smile on his face.

"A hundred dollars I hope" responed Dom.

Finley took the bag off the hook by the front door and placed it over his left handelbar. "Can't forget this" he said as they rolled out the door.

It was mid morning when the two brothers arrived at the home of Mister Smith and knocked on the hand carved door.

Soon the door opened and there stood Mister Smith a fairly new Honda Goldwing.

"Want do you want" Mister Smith said with an irritated voice. "More hand outs.. I presume"?

"No, we found something you just might like to see and maybe like to buy from us" said Dom.

"OK, come in, but you can only stay for a moment, I have things I need to attend to" Mister Smith held the door open and the two brothers rolled in.

"You have a beautiful home Mister Smith" Dom said as they rolled down the hall to the reading room. "Yes, quite beautiful" Finley added.

"Yes, yes, now what is it you wanted to show me" as Mister Smith rolled behind a solid mahogany desk with a brass lamp on the top.

"Finley reached into his leather pouch and took out the weathered old piece of parchment and placed it on the desk in front of Mister Smith.

Mister Smith carefully unfolded the document and looked closer and then switched on the brass lamp next to him on the desk. His eyes got very big the brothers noticed.

"Where did you get this boys" Mister Smith asked looking at the map?

"It looks like the map that was taken from Captain John's, yesterday. WELL IS IT"

The two brothers stammered abit and then lied. "We found it in a box on the beach" they said. "Yes...on the beach".

"I'll give you twenty dollars for it and you will take the money or I'll turn you both into the police...well" he asked? "What will it be"?

"Twenty dollars sounds good to me" said Finley and soon Dom agreed.

"Mister Smith took out his wallet and brought out a new twenty dollar bill and handed it to the brothers.

"Here you go...now be off with you, I have things I need to get done today."

The two brothers took the money and said nothing as they rolled out of the house.

Mister Smith went back in the reading room and looked at the map again.

"What a deal...The real treasure map of the Marinette for only twenty dollars, It must be my lucky day" he said to himself with a smile.


(c) DennisB 2010

Finley and Dom watched and listened to Mister Smith through the reading room window and heard what the map was.

"We had The Marinette Treasure Map and sold it for twenty dollars" Finley whispered!

"We need to get it back, it's worth millions" Dom whispered back!

Mister Smith looked at the map with a magnifying glass for about an hour, then refolded the map and placed it in a copy of "The Old Man and the SEA" and returned the book back to it's shelf in the reading room.

"I'm sure glad Captain John called me when it was taken" Mister Smith said to himself as he rolled out of the room. "Just one more bike not to share with".

Finley and Dom slowly and quietly slipped away from the reading room window and started rolling home.

"We need to make a plan to get the map back. That was OUR map and he cheated us out of it" Finley said with a mean look on his face.

They rolled home without saying another word to each other.


(c) DennisB 2010

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