#1

Everyone knew where to find them. Every morning out by the dock. Long before the tourists had shaken off last night's party they were out with the people of the town getting ready for the day to come and the night to follow. Most of the money on this island was made at night, even the shops stayed open until the wee hours taking advantage of the purse strings loosened up by revelry and alcohol. But they made their money in the morning, Benito and Angelo were part of the quiet side of the island. Street cleaners nodded at them as they worked their way past. Shopkeepers and friendly cops would come by and chat as they cleaned the fish caught before the sun had even come up. They would be done with their work by lunchtime and in bed before the street lights came on at night.

Benito caught himself thinking that he would miss this quiet routine. He tried to think of what it would be like after they left. Their first stop would be Athens. The only soul he knew there was Vicki, one of the countless young people who came out from the city during tourist season to make some money. But the only one he'd ever met who loved to watch the sunrise. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud laugh. He looked over, Angelo was smiling and chuckling, but it was the cop who was laughing loudly at his own story.

The cops enjoyed sharing their stories with the two fishermen even if they did stay back a few feet back to keep the smell of fish guts off their uniforms. Then there was that one morning almost a year ago now when no one came by. Benito and Angelo had wondered about it until they realized that an early morning crime had upset the police routine for the whole day. One of their favorite cops, Dimitri, had griped to them about it the next day, "Who the hell commits a crime at sunrise!" Benito turned his face down towards the fish he was cleaning to hide his smile as Dimitri went on about how it screwed everything up. How the night shift was just getting ready to turn in, the morning shift was coming on so then everyone had to be involved, 2 different shifts stepping on everyone's toes, screwing up the whole day. Still it was the most exciting thing that had happened in a long time, four jewelry stores hit in rapid succession at sunrise. Dimitri went on and on about how it had to be one of those big crime rings and they would have to get Interpol involved, but they never saw a single agent. The cops had talked about it for weeks. Now though, it had faded and the cop who was standing with them was just telling stories of drunk and indiscreet tourists.

All those mornings of cleaning fish on the dock in view of the shops where the tourists would unload their money, he knew everyone's routine better then he supposed they did. He was going to miss this, but it was time to move on. Tomorrow they would drive the car down in the dark and park it as usual. They would take the boat out, gather up their catch and that would be it. They would be just as gone as the jewelry.