Amazing Grace

A voice came to Keith through the fog. This sign told him he was close to shore and would be able to rid himself of the smuggled tobacco that was concealed in his boat. The voice would guide him safely into the cove and soothe the anxiety that dogged each venture into the realm of smuggling.
It was getting harder too, he was thinking he might have to stop soon; but he would miss the extra money. This was a fool’s game now, so if some fool wanted to do it maybe he should let them. Even this rendezvous had been really badly organized – playing such a loud recording of Amazing Grace would be noticed, even if local coastguard had been paid off they surely would expect a little more subtlety. The guards had come out pretty far to try and find the ship from Virginia, and had almost spotted his vessel as he had made his way to shore. Maybe that close call was a sign he couldn’t push his luck much farther.
Almost at the dock now, time to concentrate on the job at hand. The music was much quieter now, the people on the shore must have noticed him coming into the cove. As he got close to the dock, close enough to see the faces on the men at the harbour, he could see very few familiar faces. They didn’t do the job for long, maybe it was time to end his career too.
As he tied up his boat, and as the load was taken away by the waiting ensemble; Keith was spoken to by one of the shore men. “Sorry about the music, mate” he said “but we needed something distinctive, fast. Talk to the man to get your money”.