"What did he find?" Rick asked excitedly.
"Nothing. All was in order, and the boat had plenty of extinguishers, life jackets, and other safety items, so he gave it a clean bill of health. They fed him iced tea and cookies, and waved good-by as if he was their long-lost son."
"What kind of people were they?"
"Two middle-aged couples. Business partners, from Trenton, and their wives. We got the names from him and checked. They really are partners, in a used-car business. Sorry, Rick. Looks like another dead end. The Coast Guard drew a blank this time."
"But there isn't another pram within miles of Spindrift," Rick objected.
"All right. We'll be keeping an eye on these people, but we have no grounds for any action. Any luck with the barber?"
"We haven't tried yet," Rick told him. "Tomorrow's the day. We've been getting the Megabuck network completed in case we need to communicate."
"Okay. Good luck, and keep me informed."
"I will, Steve."
Rick hung up and returned to the porch, deep in thought. To the waiting trio he said, "A blank. Nothing. Looks like the barber is still our best lead."