Ripple Effect

by L. T. Ryan

  Vasquez smiled and nodded. “Funny, the things that get into their heads.”

  “Jordan,” Goddard said, not bothering to take his eyes off Vasquez. He knew his assistant was listening. “Have a gift sent to Vasquez’s daughter’s house. Something that won’t annoy her too much. We don’t need any singing ponies repeating the same song over and over until the child is bored with the toy.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jordan said.

  Goddard could feel the way the tone shifted between him and Vasquez. On the one hand, it was a kind gesture between friends to send someone’s granddaughter a gift for their tenth birthday. On the other hand, it was a subtle reminder that he knew where Vasquez’s granddaughter lived should anything be amiss with the information he received today.

  “Thank you.” Vasquez’s voice was neutral, but Goddard saw the calculated way he raised his coffee to his lips in an effort to bite back another remark. Vasquez wasn’t the kind of man who normally took orders from others, but Goddard happened to be in an excellent position to command respect and fear. Vasquez knew his place.

  “What have you got for me today, Señor?” Goddard asked.

  Vasquez settled into his seat. This was easy territory. This was what he was good at. “Mateo Martinez has a mole in his operation that he doesn’t want you to know about.”

  Goddard paused with his coffee halfway to his lips. “How big of a mole?”

  “For now it seems to be under control.”

  “For now.” He put his cup down without taking a sip.

  “Martinez is dealing with the problem, but he’s having trouble doing it quietly. Rumors are spreading that he’s losing his grip on the operation. Some others are looking to move in.”

  “That doesn’t sound like under control to me. Do you know who the mole is?”

  “Nicolás Garcia. Young, rash, stupid. But he has clout. His father was a high-ranking officer in the cartel, but he was killed several years ago.”

  “So Garcia has something to prove.”

  Vasquez nodded. “He’s looking to make waves, and he thinks killing Martinez is the best way to do that. He wants to lead the operation, get rid of the gringo influences, and make more money.”

  “More money?” Goddard laughed. “Without me? He is stupid.”

  “He has some support,” Vasquez offered.

  Goddard waved away the concern. “People are temperamental. Gangsters and criminals even more so. Are you sure Garcia is the one behind the leaks?”

  “Positive.” Vasquez had a challenging look in his eyes that Goddard liked.

  “I believe you, my friend,” Goddard said. “Very well. I’ll instruct Mateo on what to do.”

  “There is one problem.” Vasquez paused. “Nicolás is Mateo’s nephew. He will not like the idea of killing his own blood.”

  “And in that case, I assume you have some proof?”

  Vasquez nodded and pulled a small envelope from his pocket. “This is everything I’ve gathered on Nicolás’s comings and goings. He’s met with several other drug lords over the last few months. He remains loyal to his uncle’s cartel, but he has given them enough information to cause trouble with shipments.”

  “So he wants to rock the boat, but not sink it.” Goddard tucked the envelope into his jacket. He would study it later before his meeting with Mateo. “That’s a fine line to walk.”

  “It is,” Vasquez said. “Nicolás may not be the smartest member of Mateo’s cartel, but some of his supporters have been playing the game for some time. If they can keep Nicolás’s temper in check, they’ll likely succeed in getting rid of Mateo.”

  “And leaving Nicolás in as a figurehead?”

  Vasquez shrugged. “Figureheads don’t last long in situations like this.”

  “Either way, Nicolás Garcia’s days are numbered. Is there any benefit to letting this play out?”

  Vasquez drained his coffee cup before he answered. Goddard could see the wheels spinning in his mind. The senator had been dealing in this business long enough to have a feel for how situations like this would play out, but he was a careful man. There was no harm in getting a second opinion, especially one from the likes of Vasquez. He had a knack for knowing which side to align himself with. For a long time, it was with the police force. Now, it was usually on the other side of that line.

  “Mateo is a good drug lord. He is strong without drawing too much attention to himself. He has more supporters than Nicolás, some of which would remain loyal to his name even after the takeover. That goes a long way. Garcia is a hothead, and he has a silver tongue. He’s charismatic, but he doesn’t know how to play a long game. He’d put a bullet in your head just to prove a point, even if it meant watching his empire crash down around him.”

  Goddard signaled the waitress for the check and returned his attention to Vasquez. He could see where this was heading, and knew something had to be done sooner than later. Though he also knew a shakeup could be of some benefit to him.

  “You are doing well with Mateo,” Vasquez said. “It is my recommendation to continue working with him. Tell him about Nicolás and see what he does. More than likely he’ll kill him, but if he does not…”

  “Then I’ll know it’s time for some change.” Goddard smiled up at the waitress as she approached and handed her a wad of cash. She beamed at him and quietly said thanks, retreating quickly as if the money would disappear if she didn’t pocket it right away.

  Both men stood and shook hands, with Vasquez making a quick exit out the front. He passed by Spero, Goddard’s security detail team leader, with a nod of his head, but the American paid him no attention as he approached his boss with a determined look on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” Goddard asked. Jordan was by his side in an instant.

  “Nothing, sir,” Spero said. “We thought we’d take you out the back today.”

  Goddard wiped his mouth with a napkin and threw it down on the table. “I doubt it’s for a change in scenery.”

  “Precaution, sir.” Spero waited until another one of his men joined them at the table, and then Spero led Goddard and Jordan through the kitchen with the other man taking up the rear.

  “Very well,” Goddard said. He trusted Spero with his life, but the man was borderline paranoid. Then again, that’s probably what had kept Goddard alive all these years.

  Spero spoke into the mic on his lapel. “Perimeter secure?”

  The answer must’ve been in the affirmative because he told the small group to move out.

  Goddard turned back to Jordan, who was calm despite the potential threat. “If this all plays out according to plan, be sure to send something for Vasquez as thanks.”

  “Yes, sir.” Jordan swiped at his ever-present PDA. “And if it doesn’t go according to plan?”

  Goddard liked Vasquez. He hadn’t let him down yet, but there was always time for someone to screw up. He’d have to send the man a message, but he didn’t believe he needed to have him killed. Then again, that depended on how badly it went.

  “We’ll play it by ear,” Goddard told his assistant.

  Chapter Five

  I knew I’d been spotted as soon as the bigger security guard turned to the other and nodded his head, then proceeded to enter the café where Goddard was having lunch. The smaller of the two guards stood firm and scanned the street. He paused on me as I turned the corner into an alleyway and pulled out my phone.

  “Yeah?” Jack answered.

  “Pretty sure I’ve been spotted.”

  “Not like you, big man.”

  “I know, I know.” I peeked around the corner toward the café and ducked back before the guy spotted me again. “These guys are jumpy. They’re definitely on the lookout.”

  “Think it’s for us?”

  “Can’t imagine how they’d have picked up on us already,” I said. “Maybe they’re just good at their jobs.”

  “Go figure. What now?”

  “Hang on.” I leaned around the corner again, just in
time to see the smaller security guard step to the side and allow another man to exit the café. He had tanned skin and a hard face. The way he carried himself told me he had once been a part of the law or he was not at all afraid of it.

  Perhaps both.

  “Got someone else exiting the building,” I said. “Second security guard went inside. They’re probably going to move Goddard out through the back.”

  “You got the vantage point.” Jack paused as a loud truck drove past. “Think we should follow him or stick to Goddard?”

  I looked between the building and the retreating figure. Knowing who the new guy was would be handy, but the primary target was still Goddard. Intel from other sources was great. We liked to do our own scouting ahead of an op though. Less room for things to go wrong, and when they did, at least we were prepared for every scenario.

  “Let’s stick to Goddard,” I said. “But this new guy is heading your way.” I gave him a quick description of the man. “Take some photos so we can ID him later. We’ll fall back for now so Goddard’s team isn’t as spooked come lunchtime when we scope out the restaurant.”

  The rest of the day was uneventful in comparison to the morning. Goddard had another meeting at lunch, this one lasting twice as long as the first. Jack and I decided to keep our distance. There was no point in risking exposure again. We knew where he’d end his evening.

  But that didn’t mean there were no surprises waiting for us when Goddard arrived. We took up a spot across the street in a quiet café. We ordered coffee and sat deep enough inside that we wouldn’t be spotted. Two of Goddard’s men were stationed out front, same as earlier. The third was presumably on the other side of the building.

  But this time we knew one of the people with Goddard.

  Jack leaned forward. “Well I’ll be damned.”

  “Is that your girlfriend from the beach?” I asked.

  Goddard had just exited his car and extended a hand to the woman who emerged after him. She wore a sleek black dress and had her hair pinned back in curls.

  “What the hell is she doing here?” Jack said.

  “Beats me,” I said. “What’d you say her name was?”

  “Michelle.” Jack lifted his coffee to his lips. His eyes never wavered.

  “Call her.”

  “Now?”

  I nodded and passed him my phone. “See how she reacts.”

  He dialed the number and put the call on speaker. Michelle placed her hand on Goddard’s shoulder as she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell. She smiled and Goddard nodded, heading inside without her. Michelle walked a couple dozen feet down the sidewalk and answered.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, it’s Jack.”

  “From the beach this morning.” Her voice was light, her accent a little heavier than Javier’s. I could hear the smile in her voice, but she was checking her watch and looking back over her shoulder.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to grab a drink tonight?”

  “Oh.” Her shoulders hunched up, tensed. “I can’t tonight, I’m sorry. What about tomorrow?”

  Jack looked over at me and I nodded.

  “Tomorrow works.”

  “Great.” There was a genuine smile on her face now. “I’ll see you then. And Jack?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m glad you called.”

  “Me too.”

  We both watched as Michelle hung up the phone and shoved it back in her purse before smoothing her hair and making her way back inside. She disappeared into the dark interior of the restaurant.

  * * *

  I hung up the phone with Frank with more force than was necessary. I hated talking to that guy, and I knew the feeling was mutual. Still, the information he gave me seemed solid, as little of it as there was.

  I picked up the surveillance photos from last night and the ones I took today. Jack was out with the girl from the beach, so it was my job to go over what we already knew. It wasn’t much. Hopefully it would be enough to get the job done.

  The man from the other morning was named Vasquez, according to Frank. He was a former police officer who had ended up in Costa Rica and found himself on the other side of the law. He stayed in the shadows and didn’t cause too much trouble, so Frank and other intelligence agency leaders weren’t hung up on bringing him in just yet. For now it worked better for them to see who he was meeting with and bring down the people he was working for.

  Frank didn’t have anything on the girl and no one else Goddard had met with in the last two days caused Frank any concern. He told me to get the job done and phone it in when we were on our way out of the country. He hadn’t made any improvements in his bedside manner over the years.

  By the time Jack walked through the door, I had a solid plan of attack. I filled him in on Vasquez, the lack of information on Michelle, and which building I thought would be our best shot at taking out Goddard.

  “So who’s taking the shot?” Jack asked.

  “Flip for it?” I pulled a quarter out of my pocket.

  “Tails never fails,” he said.

  I flipped the coin and let it land on the table with a clatter. “Heads.”

  “I’ll be on the ground then.”

  “Probably for the best,” I said, “considering they already spotted me once.”

  He nodded. “I’ve got another date with Michelle. I’ll head there directly following the shot and you can crash our little party twenty minutes in.”

  “I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”

  He laughed. “As long as you don’t stay too long.”

  “Depends on how good the food is,” I said. “And the company.”

  “You looking to get yourself into trouble, big man?”

  It was my turn to laugh this time. “If this night goes according to plan, I might need a little trouble to keep it interesting.”

  Chapter Six

  Jack walked past the restaurant, staring down at a map he didn’t need. A brief rainstorm had left the sidewalk slick. Puddles formed where the ground had sunk over time. It smelled of motor oil and garbage and grill smoke. Groups of people passed by him, paying no attention to the killer stalking the streets.

  Goddard hadn’t showed up yet, but they knew it would only be a couple of minutes until he showed his face. Goddard’s routine was as rigid as his demeanor. That made him predictable. And they loved a predictable target.

  “In position.” Bear’s voice came through Jack’s earpiece. “How’s it look down there?”

  “Busy tonight,” Jack said. “Lots of people on the street. Let’s hope it clears out later.”

  “Copy,” Bear said. “Let me know if you spot anything out of the ordinary.”

  Before Jack could respond, he felt a light tap on his shoulder followed by a hint of jasmine. “Jack?”

  He turned at the touch. “Michelle? I thought we were meeting later?”

  “I could say the same.” She raised an eyebrow. The neon lights from a shop sign reflected in her dark eyes. “But something came up. I’ll call you later?”

  “Sure.” He watched as she gave him a sad smile and walked across the street into the restaurant.

  “So much for avoiding trouble,” Bear said.

  “You’re the one who wanted to keep it interesting.” Jack paused a beat. “You got eyes on what’s going on in there?”

  “She just hugged Goddard. Looks like they’re grabbing a table in the back. Ah, yup. They’re out of view now.”

  Jack walked further down the street and found a bench under a blown-out lamp post. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  “You mean because the woman who gave you her number seemingly at random has now met with our target twice in the same number of days?”

  “You want to pull back?” Jack asked.

  “Op’s not lost yet.”

  “I could get inside. Take an up-close shot.”

  “You’ll be spotted by everyone in there if you try that,” Bear said. “Not
worth it. You get inside and direct traffic. Get him out of there. Besides, I’m the better shot.”

  “You wish.” Jack stood up and crossed the street to the restaurant.

  “Don’t get too close. I’ve already been spotted. We don’t need you on their radar, too.”

  “Roger that.”

  He walked through the door and up to hostess at the entrance. The younger woman was thin, dark-haired, full-lipped. She looked him up and down then past him. He must not have met her criteria.

  “Bar open?” He pointed behind her to the long countertop with a dozen or so stools.

  “Sure is,” she said. “Go on back.”

  He nodded and dropped the smile once he passed her.

  Jack approached the bar and found a seat that allowed him to use the mirror to look directly behind him at Goddard’s table. He ordered a beer and watched the scene unfold as he waited.

  Michelle was just one of several people sitting at the table with Goddard, laughing, drinking, and having a good time. They were the loudest group in the restaurant, but no one seemed to mind. And those that did got up and left quietly. He tried to take in all the faces, but his gaze kept going back to hers.

  About thirty minutes and two beers into his time at the bar, a woman slid her way between Jack and the stool next to him. When he looked over, he first saw the low cut of her dress and the red stone necklace that lay in the center of her cleavage. As his gaze traveled upward, he saw Michelle smiling at him.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hey.” Jack lifted his beer to his mouth before realizing it was empty. He signaled the waiter for another. This one he’d nurse. It was for show only.

  “You following me, Jack?”

  “I thought I’d get that drink after all.” He looked past her and over his shoulder at the table where Goddard sat. “Am I bothering you?”

  “Not so much,” she said. “But you don’t look like you’re having a very good time over here by yourself.”

  He shrugged. “I had a date with a beautiful woman. Turns out she stood me up for an older man.”