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ted in。 You go get the boat ready。 I'll stop off at headquarters and give his wife a call。。。 see if he's called in on the radio。〃
Amity's town dock was small； with only twenty slips； a fuel dock； and a wooden shack where hot dogs and fried clams were sold in cardboard sleeves。 The slips were in a little inlet protected from the open sea by a stone jetty that ran across half the width of the inlet's mouth。 Hendricks was standing in the AquaSport； the engine running； and he was chatting with a man in a twenty…five…foot cabin cruiser tied up in the neighboring slip。
Brody walked along the wooden pier and climbed down the short ladder into the boat。
〃What did she say？〃 asked Hendricks。
〃Not a word。 She's been trying to raise him for half an hour； but she figures he must have turned off the radio。〃
〃Is he alone？〃
〃As far as she knows。 His mate had an impacted wisdom tooth that had to be taken out today。〃
The man in the cabin cruiser said； 〃If you don't mind my saying so； that's pretty strange。〃
〃What is？〃 said Brody。
〃To turn off your radio when you're out alone。 People don't do that。〃
〃I don't know。 Ben always bitches about all the chatter that goes on between boats when he's out fishing。 Maybe he got bored and turned it off。〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃Let's go； Leonard；〃 said Brody。 〃Do you know how to drive this thing？〃
Hendricks cast off the bow line； walked to the stern； uncleated the stern line； and tossed it onto the deck。 He moved to the control console and pushed a knobbed handle forward。 The boat lurched ahead； chugging。 Hendricks pushed the handle farther forward； and the engine fired more regularly。 The stern settled back； the bow rose。 As they made the turn around the jetty； Hendricks pushed the lever all the way forward； and the bow dropped down。
〃Planing；〃 said Hendricks。
Brody grabbed a steel handle on the side of the console。 〃Are there any life jackets？〃 he asked。
〃Just the cushions；〃 said Hendricks。 〃They'd hold you up all right； if you were an eight…year…old boy。〃
〃Thanks。〃
What breeze there had been had died； and there was little chop to the sea。 But there were small swells； and the boat took them roughly； smacking its prow into each one； recovering with a shudder that unnerved Brody。 〃This thing's gonna break apart if you don't slow down；〃 he said。
Hendricks smiled； relishing his moment of mand。 〃No worry； Chief。 If I slow down； we'll wallow。 It'll take us a week to get out there； and your stomach will feel like it's full of squirrels。〃
Gardner's boat was about three quarters of a mile from shore。 As they drew nearer； Brody could see it bobbing gently in the swells。 He could even make out the black letters on the transom： FLICKA。
〃He's anchored；〃 said Hendricks。 〃Boy； that's some lot of water to anchor a boat in。 We must have more than a hundred feet out here。〃
〃Swell；〃 Brody said。 〃That's just what I wanted to hear。〃
When they were about fifty yards from the Flicka； Hendricks throttled down； and the boat settled into a slow side…to…side roll。 They closed quickly。 Brody walked forward and mounted a platform in the bow。 He saw no signs of life。 There were no rods in the rod…holders。 〃Hey； Ben！〃 he called。 There was no reply。
〃Maybe he's below；〃 said Hendricks。
Brody called again； 〃Hey； Ben！〃 The bow of the AquaSport was only a few feet from the port quarter of the Flicka。 Hendricks pushed the handle into neutral； then gave it a quick burst of reverse。 The AquaSport stopped and； on the next swell； nestled up against the Flicka's gunwale。 Brody gabbed the gunwale。 〃Hey； Ben！〃
Hendricks took a line from the lazaret； walked forward； and made it fast to a cleat on the bow of the AquaSport。 He looped the line over the railing of the other boat and tied a crude knot。
〃You want to go on board？〃 he said。
〃Yeah。〃 Brody climbed aboard the Flicka。 Hendricks followed； and they stood in the cockpit。 Hendricks poked his head through the forward hatch。 〃You in there； Ben？〃
He looked around； withdrew his head； and said； 〃Not there。〃
〃He's not on board；〃 said Brody。 〃No two ways about it。〃
〃What's that stuff？〃 said Hendricks； pointing to a bucket in the corner of the stern。
Brody walked to the bucket and bent down。 A stench of fish and oil filled his nose。 The bucket was full of guts and blood。 〃Must be chum；〃 he said。 〃Fish guts and other shit。 You spread it around in the water and it's supposed to attract sharks。 He didn't use much of it。 The bucket's almost full。〃
A sudden noise made Brody jump。 〃Whiskey； zebra； echo； two； five； niner；〃 said a voice crackling over the radio。 〃This is the Pretty Belle。 You there； Jake？〃
〃So much for that theory；〃 said Brody。 〃He never turned off his radio。〃
〃I don't get it； Chief。 There are no rods。 He didn't carry a dinghy； so he couldn't have rowed away。 He swam like a fish； so if he fell overboard he would've just climbed back on。〃
〃You see a harpoon anywhere？〃
〃What's it look like？〃
〃I don't know。 Like a harpoon。 And barrels。 Supposedly； you use them as floats。〃
〃I don't see anything like that。〃
Brody stood at the starboard gunwale； gazing into the middle distance。 The boat moved slightly； and he steadied himself with his right hand。 He felt something strange and looked down。 There were four ragged screw holes where a cleat had been。 The screws had obviously not been removed by a screwdriver； the wood around the holes was torn。 〃Look at this； Leonard。〃
Hendricks ran his hand over the holes。 He looked to the port side； where a teninch steel cleat still sat securely on the wood。 〃You imagine that what was here was as big as the one over there？〃 he said。 〃Jesus； what would it take to pull that mother out？〃
〃Look here； Leonard。〃 Brody ran his index finger over the outer edge of the gunwale。 There was a sear about eight inches long； where the paint had been scraped away and the wood abraded。 〃It looks like someone took a file to this wood。〃
〃Or else rubbed the hell out of it with an awful tight piece of heavy rope。〃
Brody walked over to the port side of the cockpit and； aimlessly； began to feel his way along the outer edge of the gunwale。 〃That's the only place；〃 he said。 When he reached the stern； he leaned on the gunwale and gazed down into the water。
For a moment； he stared dumbly at the transom； unseeing。 Then a pattern began to take shape； a pattern of holes； deep gouges in the wooden transom； forming a rough semicircle more than three feet across。 Next to it was another； similar pattern。 And at the bottom of the transom； just at the water line； three short smears of blood。 Please； God； thought Brody； not another one。 〃e here； Leonard；〃 he said。
Hendricks walked to the stern and looked over。 〃What？〃
〃If I hold your legs； you think you can lean over and take a look at those holes down there and try to figure out what made them？〃
〃What do you think made them？〃
〃I don't know。 But something。 I want to find out what。 e on。 If you