The Pirate With A Patch: "Curls" Madigan and Her Adventure in the Caribbean: A "Curls" Madigan Adventure, #1

By Steve Jameson

"Tha ki nur ur rif" the man said. "She gwan dscoover sumtin dankerus fir er skim!" Or, in better English, "That kid near our reef," said the Pirate with a Patch, "She is gonna discover something dangerous for our scheme. Get rid of her AND her Dad!"

 

The "Pirate With A Patch" sees Curls and her Dad as enemies. They think the Madigans are enemies who might discover the truth about the Rapscallion Gang and its operations. All the Raps want to do is to separate good people from their good money. We, the readers and writers, see the pair as a Father and Daughter emjoying life and loving each other. Their adventure in the Caribbean takes Curls and her dad to prosperous Grand Cayman Island, then to an overgrown out island, and even into a hidden cave under a tourist resort. They snorkle and SCUBA. And they evade the men trying to kidnap them!

 

Along the way they uncover mail fraud, political hijinks and a conspiracy to kidnap the Mayor! And almost get kidnapped themselves. Can you decipher the Rapscallion's gang speech? In the end, "Curls" saves the day.

 

Filled with puns, educational asides, and even a fanciful interaction with an Angel named Clarence, this light-hearted adventure story is upfront about Christian faith and fun adventures. In fact, one chapter focuses on using the Bible to get directions without a common language! One key setting for portions of the story is the "Clean Dive", a teen party bar featuring drinks like "Pageant Punch", a special blend of orange juice and local cherry juice. Inspite of the rapscallions, this is a safe and family friendly adventure in the Caribbean.

 

Come along with Suz and her dad. Share this exciting adventure! We hope you will enjoy learning about "Curls" and her Dad as they pursue "The Pirate With A Patch".

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jameson Books
• Release date: Jul 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393466246

Book preview

Chapter 1 - The Patch

...ACTLY WHAT DO YOU THINK you are doing, Curls?, Dad asked as he came back into the sitting room. She was caught! Half a minute later and she would have had the binos back in the bag, and he would never have known she was spying on that man with the eye patch.

Dad, that man is back! The one I saw in the airport, and who chased me from the Lookout Tower ...

Curls, we agreed that the man WAS NOT chasing you, and may not have been the same one as in the airport, and that you would stop spying on people. You've got to control your imagination, and your detective play!

You agreed about the chasing, Dad; you weren't there and I was the one running. I know I'm not supposed to spy on ordinary people, but HE's here now, Dad, complete with his own binoculars. Look! She bit her cheek and scowled a bit.

Besides, its not play, she whispered.

She handed her father the binoculars. She was sure that he would look, and see, and know that the man was obviously a criminal here to commit some serious crime.

Dad took the glasses and laid them on the table. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and they stood together by the window.

Sweetheart, we're expected at the dinner tonight to celebrate the success of this conference, and they will be expecting to see you. That means no private dinner tonight, no night swim—and no overalls!

Curls shrieked and pretended to faint onto the couch. She moaned, and opened one eye slowly. She was expecting her Dad to be standing right over her, but she couldn't see him. She raised her head slowly off the pillow, and then ‘SHUNKK'!! A cold washrag splatted right into her face, and her father burst out in laughter.

Suz hurmphed, then giggled, then joined her dad laughing. Okay Dad, no night swimming, and no overalls—but we get a dawn swim and I get to wear my florescent dress.

Now it was Dad's turn to shriek and fall; he crumbled into a ball and sobbed. "No, not the florescent! Anything but the florescent!''

My overalls?

"Okay, at first light we hit the beach, and you can wear your florescent swimsuit. Tonight, at the Center, you have to look like the pretty young lady God is leading you to be. Your linen dress: that is the dress we brought for fancy dinners—and this is a fancy dinner.''

She didn't really like wearing linen (she looked too much like a 10 year old and not enough like a the 13 year old, sophisticated detective she already was) but she agreed. Curls's father was THE Brad Mileson Madigan, an authority on some subject Curls didn't understand completely, but it sounded, well, kind of interesting. He was an expert in cross cultural communications, and had been invited to help conduct a seminar about Orality near George Town on Grand Cayman Island where missionaries from a number of organizations were developing Bible stories in the languages of indigenous people groups on the Mainland.

Where and What Are The Caymans?

Located about half way between Cuba and Haiti (19o30' N, 80o30'W) is a cluster of three islands making up the nation of The Cayman Islands ... Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brac.

Part of the British Commonwealth, the islands have a tropical marine climate (warm, rainy summers from May to October and cool, and relatively dry winters from November to April), and 160 km of coast line. Today the Cayman Islands are a favored destination for divers and home to hundreds of legitimate banks. It was not always so. Apparently uninhabited until around 1650, the islands were for a period a favorite landing place for pirates, buccaneers and privateers.

The Islands were formed not by undersea volcanic eruption but by the shifting of teutonic plates deep under the ocean. The results? The three Cayman Islands, and the deepest trenches in the Atlantic Ocean. Bartlett Deep, over 25,000 feet (nearly 5 miles) deep, is the deepest trench in the Caribbean and only 20 miles south of the islands.

I can do anything for one night, she thought, I could even wear pink ruffles.

"Okay, Dad, you win.''

Suz liked her Dad: he tickled her when they were on the beach; when he talked to her friends they knew that he thought their ideas were important; he found time to lead a weekly activity and discipleship club for girls her age; and he took her to get her ears pierced. And he called her Curls lately because of the massive fringe of red curls that bounced on her forehead.

Someday, when she grew up, she might be a photographer, or a consultant like her dad, or maybe a writer and teacher like her mom. Right now, though, she was studying secret detective manuals and planning to be a spy. She would travel the world disguised as a Christian rock star, like Alanda Grace, but her real purpose would be to solve incredible mysteries. The only problem was, she didn't know any mission board that used spies, and she did want to be a missionary. That was tomorrow's trouble, however, and this day had enough worries of its own—like the goon (she was sure a real detective would have called this guy a goon) with the eye patch. his motion caught her attention again.

Look, Dad; would you please look?'' She had her right hand on her hip, and she picked up the binos in her left hand. She tossed her head to get the curls out of her eyes, just like Belinda LeStirr, the lady detective on TV. Men always did exactly what she asked after that. That goon is down there, and he's planning some trouble!''

First off, Curls, think about that word 'goon'. Do you really know enough about him to call him a name?

No—and that's the point! We need to know more...

Cut it Curls, and hit the shower. We leave for dinner in less than an hour and I have some reading to do.

That was always the end of every argument in her life: I have some reading to do!'' Some reading to do ... some reading ... whenever her Dad said that, it meant he was through, finished, no more arguing—and the only thing Curls would get from that point was ignored.   Yes, sir." Her lower lip curled down as she started to walk out.

"Don't trip over that lip, sweetheart,'' Dad said as she went through her bedroom door.

SHUNKK! The wet washrag skimmed past his head and splatted against the window.

SHE WAS DRYING OFF after her shower when she heard Dad pounding on the bathroom door and saying, "Curls, hurry! Come out here!''

Suz quickly finished getting dressed and rushed out. "Yes sir?''

"Look! Listen! The TV news announcer said the next story would be about a one-eyed drug runner! Could be the man you saw, Curls.''

Her Dad had turned on the evening news while he was reading, and now the next story was to be an update on an international smuggler with an eye patch!

Police tonight report no news on the whereabouts of Immanuel Jesu Marcia, the alleged head of a drug running cartel wanted in seven countries and worth millions of dollars. He was recognized and his presence made known to the police by an informant just one week ago. Two days later, the informant disappeared and hasn't been seen since. Anyone spotting Marcia is requested to notify the police immediately. This photograph, while fuzzy, is two years old and is the only known photo of Marcia. {Here they inserted his photo on screen.} He can be recognized by his distinctive eye patch and the z-shaped scar on his cheek, both the results of his fights to get to the top of the drug smuggler rings operating in his country. A reward is offered for information leading to his arrest, and absolute confidentiality is guaranteed. To make a report, contact the Police at this number ....''

That looks like the man who bumped into me at the airport,'' Suz said, and the one who was outside with the binoculars!''

Chapter 2 - The Pirate

I ONLY SAW ONE SIDE of his face clearly, and the man in the photo reminded me of him. Same hair, same eyes ... it seemed like him but different, Dad, Suz said. The man I saw had no scar, just a strap like for an eye patch. But it could be him!

"Frankly, Curls, I'm glad it's not him. I'd feel rather awkward reporting a sighting and knowing that the last informant is missing. Fortunately, we don't have to make that choice. You finished in the bathroom?''

Yes, sir, I'm through.

Then I'm going in to clean up. You occupy yourself for a few more minutes.

Curls got their guide to the Caymans out of her bag. Her Dad didn't get to be an international consultant without some smarts: he had brought them to Grand Cayman for the consultation right before the annual Pirate's Pageant! The celebrations started tomorrow, and there was electricity in the air already! Curls read the account in the guidebook once more:

Every  year, the people of this island diving paradise celebrate their history with a pageant commemorating a special event: The Year The Pirates Kidnaped the Mayor. In 1756, a group of pirates sailed into the harbor, strode to city hall, captured the mayor, and fought their way back to their ship. They sailed out to sea with the mayor to wait for the ransom. Eventually, the townspeople gathered the money and paid the ransom; the mayor was released in a rowboat and made it home safely. Nowadays, the celebration is all for fun: people from around the world gather for 10 days of parades, parties, revelry, and the ceremonial kidnaping of the mayor. The kidnappers and the mayor are chased through the streets crowded with masked party-goers, but he is not taken to a pirate ship. Rather, he is taken around from one masquerade ball to another until the wee hours of the morning.

‘Wow, what a place for an adventure,' Suz thought again. She decided just to try on her overalls while her Dad was in the bath. She could change them later if he said anything to her about them. Besides, if he didn't notice, then she could just forget to change before they left. After putting on her overalls, which were a light blue denim with dark blue stars woven into the fabric, she started brushing her