8-Sentence Sunday
Here we are! Not only is it Sunday, but it’s December 1! Wow! 2013 zipped by, didn’t it? Today’s 8 picks up where last week’s snippet from Book 3 of my series, The Women of Willow Bay left off. Captain McGuire and crew are in a pickle as they make their way through the choppy waters of Lake Michigan on a cold November afternoon. It’s started to spit snow now and McGuire’s mind is not only on the weather, but also on the cargo he’s carrying…
McGuire slumped into the seat by the wheel and let his mind wander to the last of the cargo tucked behind the false wall in the bowels of the boat. He’d left the tiny port at the mouth of the Detroit River three days ago. The Caroline Howe had spent over a week docked there, ostensibly to take on supplies and fix an ailing engine before returning to Chicago. But the truth was McGuire had been collecting payments from Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, and points south all week—payments for the cases of booze that he’d carried down from Canada. McGuire’s instructions were clear, stay with the boat and give crates only to the drivers who came with cash in hand. His ten-man crew had offloaded over fifteen hundred cases of expensive Canadian whiskey in the dark chill of the November nights, putting them on trucks bound for major cities all over the country. About thirty cases of whiskey and fifty cases of French wine were still in the cargo hold on their way to Todaro’s private cellar.
McGuire’s mind shifted to the trunk of cash that was hidden behind the wall of his cabin—over half a million dollars in twenties, fifties, and hundreds. It was the most money he’d ever collected for a run…
Stay tuned–I’ll be going back and forth between Books 3 and 4 in the series since I’m working on them alternately as the muse moves me. Comments are welcome and encouraged. Please don’t miss the other Weekend Writing Warriors. Head on over and check out the work of dozens of other writers. You’ll be so glad you did!
I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday weekend and enjoyed lots of good cooking, fun, and fellowship. Are you shifting into Christmas mode? I’m not quite there yet. I won’t start decorating until mid-December because my family won’t get together until after December 25. But the holidays will be merry and bright and I”m looking forward to going to the symphony’s Yuletide celebration, baking cookies with my sister, PJ, and attending a couple of holiday events. It’s been a great year, hasn’t it? Lots to celebrate!
14 Comments
Millie Burns
Oh, how fun. I’m looking forward to more. But now you got me all worried about a sinking. I hope everyone fares well…
Nan
Hey, Millie! So glad you stopped by and sorry you’re worried…but…no promises… 😉
Gemma Parkes
Well it sounds like everything is going so well so I’m waiting for the spanner in the works! Lovely writing!
Nan
Thanks, Gemma! Glad you stopped by!
Teresa Cypher
You do a great job of bringing the era back in your words, Nan. I’m going to have to catch up on your snippets! I like the premise of this book series.
Glad you had a good holiday. Wonderful week–cooking, cleaning, decorating, family, friends, food… I still can’t believe it’s December! lol.
Nan
Thank you, Teresa! Glad your holiday was good too! I know! I can’t believe it either! What the heck happened to autumn? Somehow, I missed it!
Sue Ann Bowling
Don’t know if paper money would survive a shipwreck. Have to say my view on prohibition is that alcohol, tobacco and marihuana all belong in the same group and prohibiting them doesn’t seem to work. Further, the “no good use” argument seems weakest for marihuana.
Nan
Hi, Suzanne! Well, one of the best parts of writing this story was the research. I talked to a couple of salvage experts and found out a lot that I didn’t know, including that paper money actually would survive a shipwreck since it’s not really paper, but rather made from linen and cotton. Besides, there’s more to the treasure than you think… 😉
Skye
Mmm, suspense! Smuggling! (Albeit for a good cause because Prohibition was just wrong, IMO.) Lots and lots of money!
I’m betting on a sinking and thus sunken treasure to be found in the present day. But I could be wrong. It’s been known to happen. 🙂
Nan
Hey Skye! Yup, smuggling and you might be right about the sunken treasure…I”ll never tell! 😉 Thanks for coming by, baby!
veronicascott
Interesting details of how the business worked and wow, that’s a lot of money he’s carrying! Excellent excerpt!
Nan
Thanks, Veronica! Researching this book has been great fun! I’ve learned a lot about that era, about boats, about bootlegging…
Marcia
You paint such a clear scene. I’m wondering why he’s involved in something so risky. Hope you post more next week!
Nan
Hey, Marcia–money, why else? Thanks for coming by!