Cut

Crime Fiction by Kevin Hopson

“We have a problem, boss,” Wally said.

Wally was my right-hand man, and he sat across from my desk, his dark mustache twitching nervously as he met my gaze.

“What kind of problem?” I said.

“It concerns this morning’s shipment.”

It was the 1970s, and I ran a small – but profitable – smuggling operation. Illicit cigarettes made up the bulk of my business, but I dabbled in booze as well.

“Give me the lowdown,” I said.

“The drop-off point has been compromised.”

My brow furrowed. “Compromised? How?”

“I drove by the beach earlier, and the place was bananas.”

I shook my head. “That’s impossible. No one ever goes to that beach. It’s rocky as hell, and the weather is complete crap.”

“Not today,” Wally said. “It’s sunny and sixty-five degrees.”

“That’s hardly beach weather.”

Wally shrugged. “It’s the best you’re going to get around these parts, especially this time of the year.”

A breath escaped my lips. “We have ninety minutes until the drop, and it’s a two-hour boat ride, which means Emelio is probably in route as we speak. So, we have no way of contacting him. Any ideas?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, but nothing comes to mind.”

I took a moment to ponder. “Do you still have that friend at the production company?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think he’d let us borrow some equipment?”

Wally arched an eyebrow, and I grabbed a pen and notepad from my desk. I wrote a list of items and tore off the piece of paper, giving it to Wally as he bent over and extended a hand. He eyed the list warily.

“Tell him I’ll pay to rent all of that stuff,” I said, “and we’ll have it back to him this afternoon.”

Wally shook his head. “I’m not sure I understand. What exactly are you planning, boss?”

“Get the truck and meet me at the beach as soon as possible. And grab a bunch of cash from the safe. A few thousand should cover our expenses today, including Emelio’s payment. I’ll explain everything later.”

***

“Jesus,” I said, standing next to Wally on the beach. “I’ve never seen so many people here.”

Wally nodded. “I told you, boss. We get one nice day, and people come out of the woodwork. They’re like bugs.”

I let out a weak chuckle. Then I turned to Wally, locking eyes with him. “So, you got everything on the list?”

“Yeah. All of it’s in the truck. But Bernard said he needs it back by two o’clock this afternoon. He’s not supposed to rent out equipment, and his boss will be in later today.”

“If everything goes as planned, we’ll have it back to him by lunch.”  

“I still don’t get what we’re doing.”

Pebbles crunched beneath my shoes as I took a step forward and placed a hand on Wally’s shoulder. “We, my friend, are going to make a movie.”

His mouth hung agape, and I couldn’t stifle a laugh.

“You’ll see,” I said, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Just unload the truck, and I’ll handle the rest.”

“You got it, boss.”

I glimpsed my watch. We had about twenty minutes until Emelio made his delivery, so I’d have to be quick.

“Hey, mister,” someone said from behind.

I spun around, and a young man in shorts and a t-shirt approached. A brisk breeze tugged at my face, forcing me to raise the zipper on my jacket.

“What’s cracking?” I said. “And what’s with those threads? It’s a little chilly, isn’t it?”

“I’m a lifeguard,” he replied, “and vehicles aren’t allowed on the beach.”

I scanned the beach. I didn’t see a single person in the ocean, which made sense given how cold the water was this time of the year.

“Are you going to save someone from drowning in sand?” I joked.

He huffed. “It’s my job. You’d be surprised at what can happen out of the water.”

I suppose there was some truth in that.

“Well,” I said. “For your sake, I hope no one ventures into the water and needs saving, because you’ll both get hypothermia.”

“Regardless, you need to move the vehicle.”

“Are you talking about the truck?”

“What else would I be talking about?”

I snickered. “Well, we just happen to be shooting a movie today.”

The guy squinted at me. “A movie?”

“Yeah. I’m with a local production company.”

“And you have a permit for this?”

“Of course,” I lied.

“Can I see it?”

I cleared my throat and swallowed. “My driver has it, but he’s busy unloading the truck.”

The lifeguard craned his neck and looked over my shoulder, glaring at Wally. I definitely didn’t have time to argue.  

“Hey,” I said. “We’re going to need about ten extras, and you look like a fit guy. How would you like to make an easy fifty dollars?”

He perked up. “Seriously?”

“Sure.” I pulled a wallet from the pocket of my pants and slid some bills from the fold. “Here.”

He closed the gap and snatched the money, taking a moment to count it. Then his lips stretched into a grin. “Sounds good to me.”

“Great. If you can find nine others that are willing to do the same, we can get started.”

He bobbed his head. “Give me a couple of minutes.”

The guy turned and jogged off.

“Where do you want this stuff, boss?” Wally said.

When I pivoted to look, I noticed that Wally had put the movie camera, director’s chair, and megaphone beside the truck.

“It’s fine right there,” I said.

“Now what?”

“Go down to the water and wait for Emelio. He’s going to have a lot of questions when he arrives, but tell him to go along with it. The two of you need to trust me on this.”

“I’ve never doubted you, boss, and I never will. But what do I tell him?”

“Tell him to hand the cargo to you one box at a time. Then you’ll pass it along to the person beside you.”

Wally’s eyes narrowed. “The person beside me?”

“You’ll see. And don’t forget to pay Emelio when we’re done.”

He pursed his lips and nodded. “Okay. Will do.”

As Wally walked toward the water, I took a seat in the director’s chair, holding the megaphone in my lap. That’s when movement in my peripheral stole my attention. The lifeguard was quickly approaching with nine others in tow. Most of them were young men like him, but I spotted a couple of women as well.

“Nice job,” I said to him.

“It wasn’t hard,” he replied. “People aren’t going to turn down fifty dollars for quick work.” He glanced at the others. “These are friends of mine, and they won’t let you down.”

“That’s good to know.”

“What’s the name of the movie?”    

“Huh?”

“The movie you’re shooting.”

“Oh, right. We don’t have an official title yet. Just a working title.”

“Which is?”

I hesitated. But only for a second. I didn’t want to draw suspicion.

“Lit,” I finally said.

“What’s it about?”

“A cigarette smuggler.”

The guy’s eyes went wide. “Far out. So, what do you want us to do?”

“You see that gentleman near the water?” I waved to Wally, and he returned the gesture.

“Yeah. I see him.”

“I want the ten of you to form a line between him and the back of the truck. A motor boat will arrive shortly. When it does, the driver will unload cargo to him. Then the rest of you will pass it down the line and into the truck. You catch my drift?”

“Sure.”

“I’ll let you know when I’m ready to shoot, so go ahead and get into position.”

“Okay.”

I heard the buzzing of an engine a few minutes later, and Emelio’s boat appeared in the distance. Given how active the beach was, I feared he’d turn the boat around and head home. I watched as Wally waved him down. Much to my surprise, Emelio kept coming, heading straight for the shore.

Once he reached shallow water, Emelio brought the boat to a halt, killed the engine, and dropped the anchor. Even from afar, I could see the confused look on his face. He and Wally conversed briefly before looking my way. I lifted a hand and raised my thumb, giving them the green light.   

“Okay, everyone,” I shouted through the megaphone. “Take your places.”

I got behind the camera. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing or if the camera was even on. Nor did I care. It was obviously an act, so I just tried to play the part.

“Action,” I barked.

I watched as Emelio handed a box to Wally. He then passed it to a young woman beside him. The box slowly changed hands, eventually making its way to the lifeguard at the end of the line. He stood near the rear of the cargo truck, depositing the box inside. This carried on for a few more minutes until all of the boxes were accounted for.

“Cut!” I said. “Great work, everyone. That’s a wrap.”

Once paid, Emelio raised the anchor and turned the ignition, the boat engine roaring to life. Then he sped off before I even had a chance to wave goodbye. Wally approached as the lifeguard and his friends congregated nearby.

“An interesting plan, boss,” Wally said with a smile.

I could only shrug. “It was too late to call it off, and the delivery would have drawn a lot of unwanted attention.”

“But people wouldn’t know any better if they thought it was all an act.”

“Exactly.”

“Like I said, I’ve never doubted you, and I never will.”

“I appreciate that.”

Wally inspected the beach before meeting my gaze again. “You want me to deliver the cargo to the warehouse?”

“Yeah, and drop off Bernard’s equipment when you’re done.”

“No problem. What are you going to do?”  

“I’m going to get these kids paid and enjoy a little sunshine before heading back.”

Wally grinned. “You definitely deserve it, boss.”

---

Bio: Kevin’s work has appeared in a variety of anthologies, magazines, and e-zines, and he enjoys writing in multiple genres. You can learn more about Kevin by visiting his website HERE.

Cover photo by pexels/cottonbro studios

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