Page 65 of Fire Harbor

As it turned out, Nick and Jordan Harris had already offered the three men a place to stay at the B&B, with homecooked meals included, until they could find a permanent home.

Inspired by the gesture, Lake decided she might be able to help out all four fishermen, including Dave O’Malley.

“I don’t know what your plan is, but it’s worth a try,” Linus urged, standing on the pier looking out at the charred boats. “Go for it.”

She called Heath Bingham, the son of a boat dealer she knew from school. After explaining the situation, she asked about the cost of renting four trawlers.

“I saw what happened on the news,” Heath told her. “I don’t have four that I can lend. But I do have one they could use for as long as they need it free of charge. It’s a twenty-five-foot shrimp boat built in 1957 that a family sold last year after the owner died. It’s been Shrimp Ahoy since its inception. It’s in good condition. I wouldn’t say great, but the rigging lines and winches are intact. The outriggers have the ability for deep water trawling. The boat should work as a substitute until they can get their insurance to kick in.”

“I’ll take it,” Lake said quickly. “If they could all agree on a way to split their catch, it might work as a temporary fix. That’s very generous of you, Heath. How can I ever thank you?”

Heath chuckled. “You ask me that after what you did for me our freshman year? I can never repay you for being my friend after my mother died. When things were at their worst, you’ve always been there with your big heart and funny stories, always someone who could laugh and keep my spirits up. I’m glad I can finally do something for you. How soon do they need the boat in Pelican Pointe?”

“As soon as possible. One of them, Mr. O’Malley, lost his son. I’m sure he won’t feel much like doing anything until after the funeral.”

“I can arrange to have it there by tomorrow. Is that soon enough for the others?”

“That’s fine, Heath. I’m blown away by your generosity. Thank you. I can’t wait to tell them they’re back in business, albeit slightly different than before.”

Grateful for Heath’s help, she hung up and went to find Linus to tell him the news.

“How did you manage that?” Linus wanted to know.

“Heath and I go way back.”

“Oh, really, do tell.”

“It’s not like that. Heath is gay. We’ve been friends since our first day at college. His mom had just died. He and his dad weren’t getting along. It was a difficult time for him. We helped each other through those awkward first weeks of school—one nerd to another—when we were trying to find our way around campus and fit in. Satisfied?”

“I guess. When should we tell the guys the good news?”

“Do you suppose it is good news? They’ll need to come together as a group to use one trawler. It’s bound to get dicey at some point.”

“It’s a temporary solution. Let’s go tell Dave first. He’s still at the hospital. Maybe we can run things by him first and get his reaction.”

When they reached Dave’s hospital room, he was sitting up in bed despite burns on his arms. Logan Donnelly and his wife Kinsey were anchored on each side, filling out paperwork.

“They’re helping me with the insurance claim forms,” Dave explained. “Things are a mess right now. I don’t know what to do without Matt.”

“I know it’s a bad time,” Linus said. “But Lake has some news that might put a different perspective on things. We hope it’s a good thing for everyone involved.”

Lake laid out the details, including the fact they’d have to share the workload, agree on a time schedule, and split everything they brought in four ways. “I know you all are used to having your own boat, but at least this way, all of you can still fish. Shrimp Ahoy comes with up-to-date documentation and current registration. All you guys need to do is take her out on the water.”

Dave got teary-eyed. Reaching for the box of tissues on his tray table, he muttered, “It’s the meds. I can’t believe you did that for us. I wasn’t sure what to do without Matt. But I might just give this arrangement a try and see how it works out. I’m not like the other guys. Matt and I had a roof over our heads and still do. We paid off the house last year. We didn’t need to live on our boat because we always had the house to go back to in the afternoon to eat supper, watch a little baseball on TV, check the weather forecast for the next day, and get up and do it all over again. I’ve known Nguyen, Payton, and Jones for twenty years. Never thought we’d be in business together. But I guess that’s how things are. Maybe we can make it work somehow.”

“I think that’s a fine outlook,” Logan said. “Give it a try, at least. Figure out a way to divvy up the catch and get along until your situations smooth out.”

“We can even put an agreement in writing if it makes the four of you feel better,” Kinsey offered. “Friendship aside, it might be a good idea. But then, that’s the lawyer in me talking. I fear the insurance companies involved could drag their feet and take up to four weeks to process all the claims. I’m familiar with these firms. They aren’t known for swift payouts.”

“Murphy called for a state of emergency,” Logan reiterated. “Obviously, Kinsey and I will push for immediate assistance, and Nick will, too. But that also takes time.”

“Since I’ve been here, the town has always been good to each other,” Linus said as a reminder. “Now is no different.”

Lake put a hand on Dave’s. “We’ll get through this. That’s a promise. If it’s okay with you, we’ll let Ossie, Van, and Darren know about the boat.”

“Sure. They’ll probably sleep better tonight knowing the future looks a little better.”

Chapter Eighteen

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