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Gunn waved, pushed away from the dock and turned the little jet boat back downriver toward the Marine Denizen

The dock reeked of fish, the authentic arohttime humidity Giordino nodded at a hill of shucked oyster shells that rose almost to the roof of the waterfront bar and cafe "A Dixie beer and a dozen succulent Gulf oysters would suit me just fine about now," he said in happy anticipation

"I'll bet their gumbo is world-class too"

Walking through the doors of Charlie's Fish Dock saloon was like walking back in tiainst human sweat and tobacco smoke The wooden floor orn smooth from the tread of fisherarette burns The tables that had been cut and varnished froarette burns, too The tired captain's chairs looked patched and glued after years of bar fights Covering the walls were rusty er Ale to Old South Whiskey to Goober's Bait Shack All had been liberally peppered with bullet holes at one time or another There were none of the ns that proliferated inholes around the country The shelves behind the bar, which held nearly a hundred different brands of liquor, some distilled locally, looked like they had been haphazardly nailed to the wall during the Civil War The bar ca boat and could have used a good caulking job

The clientele was aof fishermen, local boatyard and construction workers, and oiled lot This was the land of the Cajuns, and several conversed in French Two big dogs snoozed peacefully under an empty table At least thirty men filled the bar with no women to be seen, not even a barlasses caot a bottle or a can Only the liquor rated a cracked and chipped glass A waiter who looked as if he wrestled on Thursday nights at the local arena served the food

"What do you think?" Pitt asked Giordino

"Now I knohere old cockroaches go to die"

"Just remember to smile and say 'sir' to any of these hulks who ask you the time"

"This would be the last place I'd start a fight," Giordino agreed

"Good thing we're not dressed like tourists off a cruise ship," said Pitt, reexa the soiled and patched work clothes the crew of the Marine Denizen had scrounged together for theh I doubt itby the clean smell"

"I kneas a mistake to bathe last month," Giordino said wryly

Pitt bowed and gestured toward an empty table "Shall we dine?"

"Yes, lets," Giordino countered with a bow as he pulled back a chair and sat down

After twenty minutes with no service, Giordino yawned and said, "It would appear our waiter has refined the professional technique of pretending not to notice our table"

"He"Here he comes"