Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle 252 p.

David, an aspiring high school journalist, interviews an aged gentleman in his hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. David suspects Ruben may be able to shed some light on local rum running of the 1920s. As boys, Ruben and his best friend, Jeddy, discover an elegantly dressed dead body washed up on a local beach, but when they alert the authorities and go back to the scene, the body is gone. The mystery unfolds as the boys find more and more local townspeople involved in the illegal importing of liquor and violent gangs from the city move in on the trade.