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Charles Martin

Well with living water

William Minha Flores and Paulina Rick

© Grishechkin V., translation into Russian, 2016

© Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing House E, 2016

* * *

I cruised through Stiltsville, admiring the moon reflecting off the glassy surface of Biscayne Bay. Late evening on the ocean was my favorite time of day - I loved gliding slowly through calm water, feeling the light salty breeze on my face, looking at the twinkling reflections of the stars and distant shore lights. Now the idyll was disrupted by a boat that appeared behind me with its running lights extinguished - the same one that I had been watching on the radar for some time, but I didn’t get too upset. I expected something like this.

The main secret of owning a boat with four Mercury Verado outboard engines with a total power of 1,400 horsepower is to know exactly when you can (and should) use its high-speed capabilities, and when it is better not to rush. My forty-four-foot center-cockpit Intrepid sportboat could go faster than a hundred miles an hour if necessary, but I didn't see the need for it now, so when the boat in pursuit suddenly accelerated, turning on powerful floodlights and flashing lights, I continued to move with at a walking pace, diligently pretending that I’m not in a hurry.

In fact, I would have preferred to get to my destination as quickly as possible, but I had no intention of showing it.

From the light of powerful arc spotlights, everything around became as bright as day. The flashing light on the bridge of the police boat cast bluish reflections on the water. Agent Russ Spangler, who once served in the military special purpose, loved such psychological effects. To take him by surprise, to frighten him, to stun him – these were his favorite tactics. Spangler tried to stun me by shining a powerful hand-held flashlight into my eyes. I won’t lie, it was unpleasant, but I wasn’t at all confused: the three of us had been playing these games for quite some time. Third in our group was Spangler's partner, Melanie Beckwith, a short woman with a Napoleonic complex who compensated for her lack of height with the help of anabolic steroids. She had bigger muscles than me, but the poor thing couldn’t boast of intelligence.

In the event of some unforeseen circumstances, I could easily “make” Agent Spangler in the Naval Formula races, but I would hardly be able to escape from the Coast Guard vessel, which also appeared on my radar. Moreover, the Coast Guard could have called in planes and helicopters, and then I would definitely have been in trouble. Perhaps I would have time to return to the island, land on shore and get lost in the darkness of the night, but then today’s flight would be my last, and I had no intention of retiring yet. IN lately Everything turned out almost the way I wanted, so I couldn’t risk risking my future—as well as my present—at all. That's why four outboards at the stern of my boat were a last resort. As a last resort. If I resorted to their combined power in such a harmless (comparatively) situation, it would mean that I would never again be able to go to sea on my brand new boat, which cost almost half a million, and I seriously intended to continue using it. On the other hand, a boat is just a tool that you shouldn’t get too attached to if, of course, you plan to continue to stay in business. This rule, by the way, applies not only to boats, expensive or cheap, but to everything in general, including people. No attachments. No too close ties or close relationships. At any moment, you must be ready to give up everything you have so that agents Spangler and Beckwith, as well as their colleagues, cannot hook you.

I have been in business for more than a decade and have long learned that things, no matter how much they cost, should be taken calmly. Don't hold on to them. Don't have a death grip. The same applied to the people with whom fate brought me together. After all, if you know that people dear to you are balancing over an abyss and a slight push is enough for them to fly down, you will inevitably wonder whether it is worth burdening yourself with attachments and strong feelings. After all, the main thing in our business is caution. Caution and prudence. Figuratively speaking, everyone who takes risks like I and others like me must stand on the shore with only one foot in order to push off from it at the right moment and go into the unknown. Therefore, the basic rule is this: do not own anything, so that the extra weight does not drag you to the bottom. The second, even more important rule is: don’t let anything possess you. Nothing and no one.

While the police boat was maneuvering, I glanced at my wrist watch. It was a Marathon watch, a model for divers. Shelley gave them to me. She claimed that I was capable of being late even for my own funeral, so she set the time so that the clock would advance by five minutes. The tritium inserts on the hands glowed brightly in the darkness that thickened over the sea. I had some time to spare, so I turned off the engines and turned towards the blinding light of the searchlights. The sea was absolutely calm, so the police boat came almost close to me without any problems. Agent Spangler's voice, amplified by a megaphone, rang across the water:

- Hello, Charlie Finn! You can’t even imagine how surprised I am to meet you here at such a late hour!

I put my hands in my pockets and smiled. “There are so many pubs scattered all over the world, but she chooses mine” - that’s what my smile meant.

Agent Beckwith jumped onto my boat and tied it by the bow to the stern of the police boat.

“Hold still,” she ordered.

The DEA, the Coast Guard, and the Game and Fish Commission have fairly broad powers, which they use to good effect without much fear of violating my constitutional rights. When they planned the surprise raid, Agents Spangler and Beckwith knew full well that I would not challenge their actions in court or call my lawyer, so for the next hour they and their drug-trained German Shepherd, Molly, diligently searched for any trace of illegal substances. Crossing my arms over my chest, I calmly watched their efforts. My heart didn’t flinch, even when Agent Spangler pulled on his scuba gear and plopped into the water to examine the bottom of my boat: I knew that he wouldn’t find anything anyway.

It took the agents another forty minutes to look into every corner, into every crevice of the wheelhouse. All this time, Molly sat faithfully at my feet, and I scratched her behind the ears and let her lick my hand. From time to time the dog would raise its front paw and rest it on my thigh, and I would slowly feed it dog treats in the form of tiny bones.

For almost two hours, the agents puffed and sweated, but still did not find anything criminal. Eventually, Spangler got on his cell phone with someone in command, after which the agents unhooked my boat and set sail without saying a word to me.

The situation was very clear. Someone told the agents that I was leaving with cargo tonight, so they decided to catch me red-handed. The information was, in general, correct; The catch was that the same people who informed the DEA about the impending delivery did not forget to warn me that the agents were aware. The highest bidder always wins, and Colin, my business partner, never spared money on timely information. Spangler and Beckwith have been chasing me for about five years. Before them there were agents Miller and Marks, but despite the fact that during all this time I transported so much drugs that it could fill the Intrepid to capacity thirty times, I was never caught.

I didn't intend to get caught tonight either.

When the police boat was a sufficient distance away, I started the engines and slowly moved on. Every minute the distance between me and the agents grew greater, and finally I lost sight of them, plunging into the labyrinth of canals flowing into Biscayne Bay south of Miami. Humming softly to myself, I glided quietly in the darkness past hundred-foot yachts and twenty-million-dollar mansions belonging to the cream of society. I made bookmarks near most of these houses more than once, but the reason for my success (and the fact that I still remained free) was not this at all, but the fact that I preferred to keep the information I received to myself. I knew how to keep secrets and knew perfectly well what could turn out in our business long tongue. What became known to me could only come to light if it turned out to be useful for me personally. Only then could I take the risk of disclosing very sensitive information about some of the habits and inclinations of those in power.

5
I really liked the novel, despite the somewhat fairy-tale ending. And I was once again glad that I began to read the novel without reading the annotation, so without knowing what or who the book was about, I was very curious to read it, and the plot was interesting and fascinating, despite the fact that many moments could be predicted in advance. The author managed to convey the whole gamut of Charlie’s feelings, the emptiness in his soul, the subsequent cleansing and rebirth. This does not happen immediately and slowly. A meeting with an extraordinary woman allowed him to look at his life in a new way and understand what to do with her next and how to live. I really liked the description of the complex and difficult life ordinary Nicaraguan peasants. They are poor, but not beggars. Despite the difficulties of life, there is hope in them, as well as kindness and mutual assistance. I couldn’t read the scene of the funeral of Paulina’s father and mother without tears. These ordinary people you can learn a lot. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of wealth and profit, people have become angry, callous and indifferent. The novel turned out to be strong and emotional. The author, without exaggeration, is a master of words and I felt the novel from the first to the last line. Bravo! Score 5 Tina Valen 5
I can't say that I really liked the novel. The hero is too ambiguous, and this is not always good. I understand that people are not perfect, that everyone makes mistakes, but I just can’t bring myself to feel sympathy for the drug dealer. And no matter how Charlie justifies his actions, he still remains the one who helps ruin other people's lives. Yes, then he reconsidered his views, found feelings in his heart that he thought he could not have, and my opinion of him changed a little. I definitely liked Paulina. In general, the part of the book where life in Nicaragua is described is very bright and atmospheric. People live there poorly, work for pennies from dawn to dusk, but they have pride, hope and love for their neighbors live in them. Those feelings that people with money but no conscience have long lost.
The ending is very fairytale-like, in my opinion, but I don’t mind it either.
Rating 5 minus. Na-ta-li 5
I love the author’s books, but this one will probably become my favorite, I read it and couldn’t put it down, especially when the scene changed to Nicaragua and Paulina appeared. It's probably true that sometimes God sends his angels to earth to live among people and help them. It was Paulina who was this angel. The young woman lost her parents, her husband, all the family’s money and land, but she did not become embittered or lose faith. She goes out of her way to help people. I was fascinated by the ordinary people of Nicaragua. Their life is not just hard, often it is simply unbearable, but they have not lost their humanity, they always support each other, they have not forgotten how to enjoy any little things, they are very sincere. Unfortunately, many much more prosperous and rich people have lost all this.
The funeral of Paulina’s parents, the people who gathered at the well, are still visible before my eyes.
But here main character Charlie is far from perfect. Being very young, he fell into the cruel millstones of business and became cruel himself, forgot how to see people as people and not profit. And his business with Colin was not happy. After all, they brought a lot of grief.
Putting myself in Paulina’s place, I understand that I would not forgive, I would not be able to. But I’m not an angel, and God gave this woman truly angelic patience and the ability to forgive. Maybe this is right and you need to give the person another chance, especially if this person is far from indifferent to you, but how difficult it is to decide on all this. Although, of course, Charlie’s guilt before Paulina’s family was not the greatest. After all, he was also a pawn in this game. Not him, but someone else from the performers.
I am very glad that meeting this amazing woman and the simple peasants who work hard on the plantations from early morning until night helped Charlie change, reconsider his whole life and understand his mistakes.
The ending of the book is certainly fairy tale, but don’t these people deserve a fairy tale? They definitely deserve it. Therefore, this incredible happy ending made me very happy. This book brought down a storm of emotions on me, like that stream of living water from the well on the mountain. I read and couldn’t put it down, fortunately it was a day off and I didn’t have to get up early in the morning, otherwise I would have definitely finished reading and gone to work right away :)
rating of course 5. For me this book is one of the very best.

The main secret of owning a boat with four Mercury Verado outboard engines with a total power of 1,400 horsepower is to know exactly when you can (and should) use its high-speed capabilities, and when it is better not to rush. My forty-four-foot center-cockpit Intrepid sportboat could go faster than a hundred miles an hour if necessary, but I didn't see the need for it now, so when the boat in pursuit suddenly accelerated, turning on powerful floodlights and flashing lights, I continued to move with at a walking pace, diligently pretending that I’m not in a hurry.

In fact, I would have preferred to get to my destination as quickly as possible, but I had no intention of showing it.

From the light of powerful arc spotlights, everything around became as bright as day. The flashing light on the bridge of the police boat cast bluish reflections on the water. Agent Russ Spangler, who once served in the special forces, loved such psychological effects. To take him by surprise, to frighten him, to stun him - these were his favorite tactics. Spangler tried to stun me by shining a powerful hand-held flashlight into my eyes. I won’t lie, it was unpleasant, but I wasn’t at all confused: the three of us had been playing these games for quite some time. Third in our group was Spangler's partner, Melanie Beckwith, a short woman with a Napoleonic complex who compensated for her lack of height with the help of anabolic steroids. She had bigger muscles than me, but the poor thing couldn’t boast of intelligence.

In the event of some unforeseen circumstances, I could easily “make” Agent Spangler in the Naval Formula races, but I would hardly be able to escape from the Coast Guard vessel, which also appeared on my radar. Moreover, the Coast Guard could have called in planes and helicopters, and then I would definitely have been in trouble. Perhaps I would have time to return to the island, land on shore and get lost in the darkness of the night, but then today’s flight would be my last, and I had no intention of retiring yet. Lately, everything was going pretty much the way I wanted, so I couldn’t risk risking my future—as well as my present—at all. That's why four outboards at the stern of my boat were a last resort. As a last resort. If I resorted to their combined power in such a harmless (comparatively) situation, it would mean that I would never again be able to go to sea on my brand new boat, which cost almost half a million, and I seriously intended to continue using it. On the other hand, a boat is just a tool that you shouldn’t get too attached to if, of course, you plan to continue to stay in business. This rule, by the way, applies not only to boats, expensive or cheap, but to everything in general, including people. No attachments. No too close ties or close relationships. At any moment, you must be ready to give up everything you have so that agents Spangler and Beckwith, as well as their colleagues, cannot hook you.

I have been in business for more than a decade and have long learned that things, no matter how much they cost, should be taken calmly. Don't hold on to them. Don't have a death grip. The same applied to the people with whom fate brought me together. After all, if you know that people dear to you are balancing over an abyss and a slight push is enough for them to fly down, you will inevitably wonder whether it is worth burdening yourself with attachments and strong feelings. After all, the main thing in our business is caution. Caution and prudence. Figuratively speaking, everyone who takes risks like I and others like me must stand on the shore with only one foot in order to push off from it at the right moment and go into the unknown. Therefore, the basic rule is this: do not own anything, so that the extra weight does not drag you to the bottom.

Admiring the moon reflected from the mirror surface of Biscayne Bay. Late evening on the ocean was my favorite time of day - I loved gliding slowly through calm water, feeling the light salty breeze on my face, looking at the twinkling reflections of the stars and distant shore lights. Now the idyll was disrupted by a boat that appeared behind me with its running lights extinguished - the same one that I had been watching on the radar for some time, but I didn’t get too upset. I expected something like this.

The main secret of owning a boat with four Mercury Verado outboard engines with a total power of 1,400 horsepower is to know exactly when you can (and should) use its high-speed capabilities, and when it is better not to rush. My forty-four-foot center-cockpit Intrepid sportboat could go faster than a hundred miles an hour if necessary, but I didn't see the need for it now, so when the boat in pursuit suddenly accelerated, turning on powerful floodlights and flashing lights, I continued to move with at a walking pace, diligently pretending that I’m not in a hurry.

In fact, I would have preferred to get to my destination as quickly as possible, but I had no intention of showing it.

From the light of powerful arc spotlights, everything around became as bright as day. The flashing light on the bridge of the police boat cast bluish reflections on the water. Agent Russ Spangler, who once served in the special forces, loved such psychological effects. To take him by surprise, to frighten him, to stun him – these were his favorite tactics. Spangler tried to stun me by shining a powerful hand-held flashlight into my eyes. I won’t lie, it was unpleasant, but I wasn’t at all confused: the three of us had been playing these games for quite some time. Third in our group was Spangler's partner, Melanie Beckwith, a short woman with a Napoleonic complex who compensated for her lack of height with the help of anabolic steroids. She had bigger muscles than me, but the poor thing couldn’t boast of intelligence.

In the event of some unforeseen circumstances, I could easily “make” Agent Spangler in the Naval Formula races, but I would hardly be able to escape from the Coast Guard vessel, which also appeared on my radar. Moreover, the Coast Guard could have called in planes and helicopters, and then I would definitely have been in trouble. Perhaps I would have time to return to the island, land on shore and get lost in the darkness of the night, but then today’s flight would be my last, and I had no intention of retiring yet. Lately, everything was going pretty much the way I wanted, so I couldn’t risk risking my future—as well as my present—at all. That's why four outboards at the stern of my boat were a last resort. As a last resort. If I resorted to their combined power in such a harmless (comparatively) situation, it would mean that I would never again be able to go to sea on my brand new boat, which cost almost half a million, and I seriously intended to continue using it. On the other hand, a boat is just a tool that you shouldn’t get too attached to if, of course, you plan to continue to stay in business. This rule, by the way, applies not only to boats, expensive or cheap, but to everything in general, including people. No attachments. No too close ties or close relationships. At any moment, you must be ready to give up everything you have so that agents Spangler and Beckwith, as well as their colleagues, cannot hook you.

I have been in business for more than a decade and have long learned that things, no matter how much they cost, should be taken calmly. Don't hold on to them. Don't have a death grip. The same applied to the people with whom fate brought me together. After all, if you know that people dear to you are balancing over an abyss and a slight push is enough for them to fly down, you will inevitably wonder whether it is worth burdening yourself with attachments and strong feelings. After all, the main thing in our business is caution. Caution and prudence. Figuratively speaking, everyone who takes risks like I and others like me must stand on the shore with only one foot in order to push off from it at the right moment and go into the unknown. Therefore, the basic rule is this: do not own anything, so that the extra weight does not drag you to the bottom. The second, even more important rule is: don’t let anything possess you. Nothing and no one.

As the police cruiser maneuvered, I glanced at my wristwatch. It was a Marathon watch, a model for divers. Shelley gave them to me. She claimed that I was capable of being late even for my own funeral, so she set the time so that the clock would advance by five minutes. The tritium inserts on the hands glowed brightly in the darkness that thickened over the sea. I had some time to spare, so I turned off the engines and turned towards the blinding light of the searchlights. The sea was absolutely calm, so the police boat came almost close to me without any problems. Agent Spangler's voice, amplified by a megaphone, rang across the water:

- Hello, Charlie Finn! You can’t even imagine how surprised I am to meet you here at such a late hour!

I put my hands in my pockets and smiled. “There are so many pubs scattered all over the world, but she chooses mine” - that’s what my smile meant.

Agent Beckwith jumped onto my boat and tied it by the bow to the stern of the police boat.

“Hold still,” she ordered.

The DEA, the Coast Guard, and the Game and Fish Commission have fairly broad powers, which they use to good effect without much fear of violating my constitutional rights. When they planned the surprise raid, Agents Spangler and Beckwith knew full well that I would not challenge their actions in court or call my lawyer, so for the next hour they and their drug-trained German Shepherd, Molly, diligently searched for any trace of illegal substances. Crossing my arms over my chest, I calmly watched their efforts. My heart didn’t flinch, even when Agent Spangler pulled on his scuba gear and plopped into the water to examine the bottom of my boat: I knew that he wouldn’t find anything anyway.

It took the agents another forty minutes to look into every corner, into every crevice of the wheelhouse. All this time, Molly sat faithfully at my feet, and I scratched her behind the ears and let her lick my hand. From time to time the dog would raise its front paw and rest it on my thigh, and I would slowly feed it dog treats in the form of tiny bones.

For almost two hours, the agents puffed and sweated, but still did not find anything criminal. Eventually, Spangler got on his cell phone with someone in command, after which the agents unhooked my boat and set sail without saying a word to me.

The situation was very clear. Someone told the agents that I was leaving with cargo tonight, so they decided to catch me red-handed. The information was, in general, correct; The catch was that the same people who informed the DEA about the impending delivery did not forget to warn me that the agents were aware. The highest bidder always wins, and Colin, my business partner, never spared money on timely information. Spangler and Beckwith have been chasing me for about five years. Before them there were agents Miller and Marks, but despite the fact that during all this time I transported so much drugs that it could fill the Intrepid to capacity thirty times, I was never caught.

Charles Martin

Well with living water

William Minha Flores and Paulina Rick

© Grishechkin V., translation into Russian, 2016

© Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing House E, 2016

At low speed I moved through Stiltsville, admiring the moon reflected from the mirror surface of Biscayne Bay. Late evening on the ocean was my favorite time of day - I loved gliding slowly through calm water, feeling the light salty breeze on my face, looking at the twinkling reflections of the stars and distant shore lights. Now the idyll was disrupted by a boat that appeared behind me with its running lights extinguished - the same one that I had been watching on the radar for some time, but I didn’t get too upset. I expected something like this.

The main secret of owning a boat with four Mercury Verado outboard engines with a total power of 1,400 horsepower is to know exactly when you can (and should) use its high-speed capabilities, and when it is better not to rush. My forty-four-foot center-cockpit Intrepid sportboat could go faster than a hundred miles an hour if necessary, but I didn't see the need for it now, so when the boat in pursuit suddenly accelerated, turning on powerful floodlights and flashing lights, I continued to move with at a walking pace, diligently pretending that I’m not in a hurry.

In fact, I would have preferred to get to my destination as quickly as possible, but I had no intention of showing it.

From the light of powerful arc spotlights, everything around became as bright as day. The flashing light on the bridge of the police boat cast bluish reflections on the water. Agent Russ Spangler, who once served in the special forces, loved such psychological effects. To take him by surprise, to frighten him, to stun him – these were his favorite tactics. Spangler tried to stun me by shining a powerful hand-held flashlight into my eyes. I won’t lie, it was unpleasant, but I wasn’t at all confused: the three of us had been playing these games for quite some time. Third in our group was Spangler's partner, Melanie Beckwith, a short woman with a Napoleonic complex who compensated for her lack of height with the help of anabolic steroids. She had bigger muscles than me, but the poor thing couldn’t boast of intelligence.

In the event of some unforeseen circumstances, I could easily “make” Agent Spangler in the Naval Formula races, but I would hardly be able to escape from the Coast Guard vessel, which also appeared on my radar. Moreover, the Coast Guard could have called in planes and helicopters, and then I would definitely have been in trouble. Perhaps I would have time to return to the island, land on shore and get lost in the darkness of the night, but then today’s flight would be my last, and I had no intention of retiring yet. Lately, everything was going pretty much the way I wanted, so I couldn’t risk risking my future—as well as my present—at all. That's why four outboards at the stern of my boat were a last resort. As a last resort. If I resorted to their combined power in such a harmless (comparatively) situation, it would mean that I would never again be able to go to sea on my brand new boat, which cost almost half a million, and I seriously intended to continue using it. On the other hand, a boat is just a tool that you shouldn’t get too attached to if, of course, you plan to continue to stay in business. This rule, by the way, applies not only to boats, expensive or cheap, but to everything in general, including people. No attachments. No too close ties or close relationships. At any moment, you must be ready to give up everything you have so that agents Spangler and Beckwith, as well as their colleagues, cannot hook you.

I have been in business for more than a decade and have long learned that things, no matter how much they cost, should be taken calmly. Don't hold on to them. Don't have a death grip. The same applied to the people with whom fate brought me together. After all, if you know that people dear to you are balancing over an abyss and a slight push is enough for them to fly down, you will inevitably wonder whether it is worth burdening yourself with attachments and strong feelings. After all, the main thing in our business is caution. Caution and prudence. Figuratively speaking, everyone who takes risks like I and others like me must stand on the shore with only one foot in order to push off from it at the right moment and go into the unknown. Therefore, the basic rule is this: do not own anything, so that the extra weight does not drag you to the bottom. The second, even more important rule is: don’t let anything possess you. Nothing and no one.