rknapp

Until we have confirmation, I remain doubtful. Being innocent isn't the same thing as being a boy toy. I'm innocent like that with my friends all the time, and I'm not f**king them. By confirmation, I mean one of them flat out confessing, or one or the other implying that they're an item (such as calling the other "Honey", or otherwise being intimate). Jim wasn't being intimate, he was being a wiseass. Something I'm famous for. That said, I have to agree that I think we have the (hilarious) case of father and son being gay, and believing the other is homophobic. Last, I get the feeling that CJ is going to be an ass and not give us much more detail than what just happened regarding Rachel, Dirk, and Ares, until we get to Australia... unless the plot calls for it. Also (yea yea I know, I already said "last", suck it!), I wonder if it will dawn on Trevor that his father told him he would grant emancipation only after he is beyond the point of no return. If it were me, I'd start to wonder why my father is ensuring I stay away from home for as long as possible. Fishy, no?

Some notes... Interesting that Bridget took her time answering the door, and that the boat was leaving the dock right then. Did Bridget have a visitor, or did she just return on that boat? Don't even try to say anything about me renting that dock. Several reasons why. 1. 9 year olds can't have boats. 2. 9 year olds can't rent docks. 3. Bridget didn't say anything about renting the dock. She allows friends to use it. Which leads me to wonder exactly what kind of friends she has. 4. This particular then-9-year-old was not in Florida, or the Bahamas, at the time Ares disappeared. Regarding that email, I think it is safe to say that Bridget had something to do with it. The only people who know about Trevor's intentions (and so delicate as to know his exact course for the next day or so) are Trevor, Joel, Lisa, and Bridget. Obviously the three muskateers didn't send it (wouldn't do it, and couldn't even if they wanted, since they don't know about Jim). That leaves Bridget, but I'm also going to suggest the possibility that she told her friends, the ones who have sleek boats docking behind her house.

Pay attention to CJ's wording. Maybe we can assume he is dead, and not through foul play. Who is Bridget's daughter? I forgot about her. Maybe she is the third murder that we have yet to learn more about.

I figure Bridget knows more about what happened to the Ares and Rachel than she is letting on, but I don't feel that she is doing anything maliciously at this point. I say, "at this point," because we know nothing of her past and nothing of her present. For instance, we are lead to believe that her husband is dead. We can figure she harbors no malcontent for him since she frequently gazes at his portrait fondly. Whatever she is doing, she's doing it for him. That leads me to believe that Rachel and Dirk got into some kind of trouble back in the day, and were receiving help from Mr. Bellevue. Whatever it was, it may have had something to do with the Ares and its original sale. I think the Ares itself is the root of the trouble for the Carlson family. I have a theory, but it's still very far-fetched and it's too early to tell how true or untrue it may be. Questions that remain, followed by characters we know to exist who know or might know the answer: What is the purpose for the divorce papers? People who know - Dirk, possibly Jim, possibly Bridget. Who sold the Ares? Dirk, possibly Jim, possibly Bridget, Officer Gonzalez. Whose boat was docked behind Bridget's house when Gonzalez interviewed her? Bridget. Why is that part of Bimini so dangerous to Trevor? Dirk, Jim, possibly Bridget. Who is the third supposedly murdered person? Dirk, possibly Jim, possibly Bridget, Florida police. Why is Jim taking the time to find Trevor himself and what is it that he is fixing? Jim. There are more, but I gotta run. Still, we can see a pattern here. Dirk knows about everything, and it's possible that Jim and Bridget know as well. Thing is, Dirk and Bridget are working alone. One major clue is the police insisting that three murders have occurred. We already know that the murder of Trevor Carlson is false, and Rachel is among the three. Who is to say she is really dead? Who is the third? Mr. Bellevue? Is he really dead? If we are to learn anything from LTMP and CL, it's that just because someone is stated to be dead in one of CJs stories, it doesn't mean the person actually is dead. We only know the person is dead if there is a body (unequivocally confirmed to be the person) or we are inside the person's head as they die, as CJ demonstrated with many of the Scar's victims.

Facebook. Social network. I agree that you might want to try reconnecting with old friends. They might be able to help bring you back into the fold.

No Mountain Dew? No Kit Kits?? Frickin' nazi...

Interesting. More clues, yet more questions! The two cases are more than likely the disappearance of one Mrs. Rachel Carlson, and one Mr. Trevor Carlson, under similar circumstances. I make this conclusion based on the fact that the police are concerned with possible multiple homicide (more on that), while Jim wasn't exactly aghast when Dirk revealed his supposed crime (leading me to believe that it does not involve murder, and that the police are as yet either unaware of or unconcerned with it). Of course, Jim could be used to that stuff. I don't think we know enough about him to draw more than loose conclusions. Adding to that, it seems like Jim may not have bad intentions in Italy. I think we can agree that he is searching for Trevor and Atlantis, but we still don't know enough. His trip to the police station in Italy could be for any number of reasons: They might know where he is, they can find him easily and capture/stop him, or Jim really is gay is turned on by hot men in uniforms (who isn't?!). Time will tell. He has just another day or two before he has to report back to Dirk (who is only supposed to be hiding out for a few days) so in the next chapter or two we should know a lot more. Multiple homicide. I wonder what CJ was alluding to. So far, the readers have been led to believe that Mrs. Carlson and Mr. Bellevue are dead. The police have also been under the impression (until it can otherwise be proven false) that Trevor is among the deceased. Could those be the three murders the detective was talking about? We don't know exactly how Mr. Bellevue came to be Bridget's late husband. Then again, this might be the goats way of alluding to another piece of the puzzle regarding Rachel's disappearance, one that the other characters might not as yet be aware of. Clearly, Bridget knows a lot more about what is going on than anyone else. She's far too cheery, given the circumstances. Whatever she's up to, it has a lot to do with her husband. I still get the feeling that she is more connected to the original disappearance than anyone else realizes. I have to wonder, in what ways?

That's why there is a write in option! Let's not forget, the goat has prior sailing experience, and is well known for trying to pin the blame on others!

Oh come on, you tease us and titillate us, then leave us a cliffhanger! I wanted to know more about about the F-Body!

I say we get him to reveal a plot device, then send him to Australia and let the echidna show us how long he lasts!

Benji, I believe your theory has at least some merit, regarding the crime. I've had the feeling that Rachel had to go into hiding in order to protect herself and her family. Another detail CJ left out was what happened to the "lawyers" on her yacht on the night of the launch. She left them in the Bahamas, and then she disappeared. Surely they could find their own way back to Florida, but I'm pretty sure their return was Rachel's responsibility. I wonder if perhaps Bridget's husband (maybe even Bridget herself, though I don't recall her having any sort of remarkable reaction to the sight of the Ares' sister ship) was on that boat, or was aware of the situation. Of course, it is quite possible that the very people she was running away from succeeded in killing her. Logically they couldn't leave behind the evidence, so they took the Ares. It might still be floating somewhere (I think Dirk even alluded to that at some point) but more than likely it was either stripped, or scuttled in another Caribbean location. Though if we're dealing with hardened criminals here, then I don't think reading about her death in the morning paper would be enough to pacify them.

CJ, I couldn't access the story. Fix it! You owe me after trying to pin your crimes on me!

We don't know who's clothes are in those bags. They could be Dirk's, they could be Jim's. Jim moved Dirk to a place where the police might not be able to find him, meaning they're working in total secrecy. Meaning he couldn't let Dirk go to his bugged home, pack his bags, and allow the police to see him leaving with suitcases. That would spell disaster. As it is, the police think he is in Cocoa Beach at a known acquaintance's home. Provided there is no move to arrest Dirk, there won't be an issue with him "being in Cocoa Beach", and to protect him from himself Jim forced him to hide out in Tampa. If they follow the lead that Jim made Dirk plant (pizza charge on his credit card, and the pizza boy thinking his car broke down) then they will think nothing of him not being home for a few days. As far as they know, he's stranded in Cocoa Beach. The tracker on his car confirms that. Could he get a ride home? Sure, but that would be a pain in the ass. Considering all that, it would not be unconscionable for Jim to loan Dirk some clothes. It's also not unconscionable for friends to know each others security codes, especially friends who are helping with huge problems. Joel gave Trevor his PIN for the ATM. Is Joel sucking Trevor's cock? No. Is Trevor riding the Joel Pole? No, sadly. T_T I know the garage code to my friend's house. Are we playing hide the flash light? Nope. Never have, never will. Remember, we don't know the details of Jim's plan. It sounds like even Dirk doesn't know it. It's obvious that CJ has gone to great lengths to hide specific details, so as to avoid revealing the future. We still have absolutely no idea where the story is going. Annoying? Absolutely, but we can rest assured that the sea-faring goat has something nasty up his coat for those boys... evil goat! The three things that I am concerned with is that we do not know the intentions of Bridget, or Jim, and we do not know what Dirk did that has him in a bad place right now. Another thing that has me curious is that Trevor keeps on saying that Dirk knows he is gay. Does he? I don't recall that fact ever being presented, and only Dirk can give us that clue. Last, I don't think Dirk killed Rachel, but I think it's possible that he knows more about her disappearance than he's letting on. That said, I'm wondering why Lisa's and Joel's parents haven't looked into it more so they can draw conclusions of their own... I'm especially waiting to see what happens regarding Lisa and her father, since Mr. Whitaker was served already regarding Lisa withholding information about Trevor's location. I have to wonder if their parents will play a bigger role down the road... or across the ocean, as it were.

Ah, but you were there before them at some point! Surely, you have set a trap for them! It wasn't me who sank the Area, pretty sure the credit goes to Poseidon for that!

Well, you have admitted several times already to having traveled to the Naples and Pompeii area of Italy around the time that Trevor and Joel were busy being tourists. I sense a great deal of danger in their near future, and at the hooves of a horned fiend wearing sunglasses!

Ever hear the phrase, "Wolf in sheep's clothing,"? This must his spin on it.

Nice! Great way to turn a negative hateful message into something both useful and productive!

I wonder if anyone commented on the "coming out" and said, "Thank you, Captain Obvious."

Again you fail with the details! My engineering specialty lies on land, not water. Ares and Rachel disappeared on water! Besides, I think I've found the true culprit... CJ! How could you?! If you can pilot that vessel, there is no doubt that you boarded the Ares, killed Rachel, and sailed off to Australia! Just waiting for Trevor to wander into your diabolical hooves! Quick! Someone alert the Echidna! He's our only hope to save Trevor from Lex... I mean CJ!

May? Sorry Lex, I was sitting in Ms. Hook's (horrible name for grade school teacher, and a bitch of a woman to boot) fourth grade class. Feel free to check elementary school records, if you feel you need further proof. 100 hours? Those little outboard motors don't exactly have great range. I'd be stopping at every other town! Try several weeks.

I'm curious, what month of the summer of 1997? If you must know, the only seafaring vessel I had access to was a dinky little Quiksilver 8' dinghy. The motor was never used, the thing took all your might to inflate with a foot pump, and the floor was impossible to install flat. If you think I could start in New Jersey, make my way to Bimini at the time of the shuttle launch, defeat a Lagoon 55, kill someone, and return to New Jersey before school in September, all at the age of 10, then you might as well start calling me Clark Kent!

Silly goat. I was living in New Jersey in 1997, not Florida, and certainly not Bimini. Besides, growing up Bimini was one of my favored vacation destinations. Why would I spoil it by sinking a boat and killing the mother of a hot young lad with a similarly hot best friend who claims to be straight, but seems to be gayer than the first hot young lad? Only devious cliff-dwelling goats are capable of that!

Special cigar was a reference to Dirk heading astern and cleaning Jim's lower mast. It's one possibility, though I'm not yet convinced. The evidence everyone has supplied so far is loosely connected to a gay fling, at best. You're right, police do refrain from bugging an attorney's car. Problem is, Jim is a civil attorney and Dirk is under criminal investigation, therefore Jim would not be able to represent him. Since Dirk visits Jim so often, it's only natural for the FSP to bug him as well, and consider him an accomplice until proven innocent. I would never hurt those boys... much. I promise I'll be gentle in the 3-way. Besides, I was 9 when we sold that boat, and I could barely keep it in a straight line in the Indian River. Hell, I couldn't properly control a boat until we went on a schooner ride in St. Augustine two summers ago, and the captain let me pilot it back into the harbor, up past the old Spanish fort. On top of that, our boat would likely have been decommissioned and either sitting in a bone yard, or dry dock when this story occurs. It would be approx. 17 years old! It also would not be "sleek". Average, perhaps, but not sleek.

I believe they are allowed to board the ship, but they are not allowed to go below decks without the permission of the boats captain. Think of it like cops at your house. They can come onto your property, but they cannot enter your home without your permission, a warrant, or probable cause. International rules might vary from state to state, but I believe that is the norm for industrialized states. I'm not sold on Dirk and Jim being a couple just yet. Is it suspicious? Sure, but I noticed the goat has been rather vague on a number of details. Not once has either of them spoken to the other in a manner that would befit a lover. For all we know, Dirk has been going there weekly for legal advice, or to smoke Jim's special cigar. We just don't know. Moreover, we know that Dirk was packing something. We do not know what he was packing, who the thing(s) belong(s) to, why he was packing it, and where the packed thing(s) is (are) going and with whom. I don't recall any of those details being mentioned. I'm not surprised their cars are bugged without their knowledge (or presumably without their knowledge, as Jim proved the police are capable of pulling smoke-and-mirrors acts). They're allowed to do it, and sometimes without a warrant. I can't answer the other questions raised (can they remove them? I think so, since they could bottom out on a road somewhere and remove the device accidentally... they dunno the device is there so they can't be held accountable). I'm also not convinced that we have an antagonist just yet. There are too many unknowns. Why is Bridget doing what she's doing? Does she have a vendetta and is using Trevor's case to pursue it? Is she taking pleasure in helping him? Is she going to hurt him? I doubt the last, being a good friend of Julie. Why is Jim going to Naples? Is he hiring someone to find Trevor? Is he planning to help or hurt Trevor? Is he doing this to help or hurt Dirk? What can he gain from this and why does he need 20k USD in cash? Why does he have that sort of money in his home and why is he willing to use it now? Has he been planning this since he intercepted the text message from Lisa? We know Naples is a very touristy area, and a 17 year old might want to check it out before moving on. He could be banking on that. I can't remember the contents of the message, or if they mention Joel being with him, but if so then that could add some value to the trip. Lisa's father was served that morning. I wonder where that will lead them. Something that bothered me was Bridget's dock in Chapter 17. In Florida, it is not uncommon for someone who has a private dock and canal access from their property to rent that dock out to someone when they are not using it. It makes sense, as that dock adds value (and property taxes) to the property in question. My father docked his old 1989 SeaRay 390 (39' power yacht) at one (oddly enough an older woman's like Bridget) in Ft. Lauderdale in the few years preceding the sale of that boat and our subsequent move up north (August 1996). Anyway, I don't recall CJ saying that she was renting the dock out, and being that there was no boat at the dock when Trevor first met her, I am led to believe that Bridget does not herself own a yacht of any kind. She doesn't seem like the water-going type, anyway. When the detective entered her home, he noticed a big yacht moored behind it.

I maintain that Dirk Carlson is not in a relationship with Jim (I imagine their conversations would be a bit more lovey-dovey if they were). I also am skeptical that Dirk murdered Rachel, but that same skepticism makes me agree that Bridget is up to something that no one else in the story appears to be aware of. She's quite intelligent and possibly devious... hey CJ, weren't you telling me earlier that your mother's surname was Bellevue, and that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree?