Lethal Authority (Wade Hanna Series Book 2)

by Joseph D'Antoni

  The street was quiet, with only the sound of large tropical leaves dancing to evening ocean breezes. Wade never told Mashburn that the syringe he’d left in his neck was filled with tap water.

  Wade arrived at the military section of the Belize airport to catch the first morning flight to Houston. He’d accomplished one part of his mission with Mashburn, but had turned up another more serious terrorist threat that he hadn’t yet addressed. Wade’s stomach churned as he considered the ramifications of that threat and what could go wrong.

  He needed time to think. His only hope was that Mashburn would take his offer to disappear, and that the Belize police would believe the robbery story. Stephan and Condor would have to change their plans to exclude Mashburn from the assignment, or call the whole thing off.

  As Wade boarded the military flight 771-L, he looked into the faces of the other soldiers, who also seemed to have a lot on their minds. The loud flight back to Houston took place with little conversation among the passengers.

  Running scenarios back and forth during the three-hour flight exhausted Wade. What troubled him most were the unknowns, especially the scenario where he would return to neutralize the terrorist threat. How was he going to take on at least three additional operatives? What if he had misread Mashburn? Instead of disappearing, what if Mashburn went directly to Condor with the whole story? Wade began questioning his decisions and repeatedly replayed the “what ifs” as the plane touched down in Houston.

  Wade wondered if things would have been any different if he had terminated Mashburn, as he’d originally intended. Instead of a robbery investigation, the Belize police would have a homicide on their hands. Wade kept justifying his decision to himself. If Mashburn’s disappearance doesn’t work, Stephan will terminate him in a few days anyway.

  On the other hand, if the robbery story played out and Mashburn disappeared, things would calm down and the threat would go forward with a few minor adjustments. Wade thought about his own situation. He couldn’t formally explain his actions with Mashburn or the Lockhart murder without putting himself on the agency’s hit list. The scenarios kept leading him back to Belize to deal with the planned threat and the other operatives. For now he just needed to distance himself and see what happened with Mashburn.

  By the time Wade disembarked in Houston, nothing had been resolved. His pockets were filled with small slips of papers containing notes and lots of To Do lists that would occupy him for the next couple of days.

  He called his cousin Frank to pick him up.

  “How was your trip to Belize?”

  “Great. That is one beautiful country. I was mesmerized by the scenery.”

  “I used to get down there every year to fish.”

  “The seafood was outstanding. I love the conch ceviche.”

  “How long are you going to be in town?”

  “Not long. I have a lot of things to get done right away. I may be returning there shortly”

  “Really? That bad?”

  “Yeah, just may have to check out more of paradise.”

  “Well, I’m here if you need anything, including the spare car.”

  “That’s great. I really appreciate it. Right now I have to do some copying, mailing, and phone calls.”

  “Why don’t we just go over to my office? You can do it there.”

  “Works for me. Thanks.”

  After getting settled at the office, Wade asked for a box to pack the vials for mailing. Those he would ship to Morrison. He needed several copies of all the documents so he could have them translated.

  Wade found a quiet office to place a call to Yari. “Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.”

  “I was worried sick not hearing from you. What’s going on?”

  “I’m back in Houston, at my cousin’s office.”

  “Did you interrogate and terminate Mashburn?”

  “I interrogated him and let him go.”

  “What?”

  “It’s a long story, which I don’t want to get into right now. I got everything we need on the Lockhart murder, including the names above him ordering the hit. There was a recent Mashburn assignment in Spain. I recovered documents from him that are written in Spanish. They will have to be translated.”

  “Send them to me. I’ll take care of that. Why did you let Mashburn get away?”

  “I had to make a compromise decision in the field when I discovered the Belize plot. If Mashburn was terminated, Condor would just cancel the Belize mission or change tactics. I felt it was better if Mashburn just disappeared and stayed hidden. If he doesn’t do a good job of disappearing, he won’t survive long anyway. Keep your ears to the ground on Mashburn’s whereabouts.”

  “What’s the plan now?”

  “I staged Mashburn’s departure as a robbery. If all goes well, he’ll be discovered alive at the house. I need you to monitor calls from the house, the real estate office, and the Belize police station. There should be a robbery report coming in on that house address. I need you to also keep monitoring Condor, especially calls between him and Stephan. We have to find out how they’re going to react to Mashburn’s departure and any change in plans regarding interruption of the war games.”

  “How much time do we have?”

  “Not sure. I grabbed most of their weapons and stashed them in a safe place. That might give us some additional time while they try to replace them.”

  “Got it. Not a problem. What do you do next?”

  “The second operation is too complex and involves too many operatives. I can’t handle it alone. I’m going to have to involve some Agency resources. I just haven’t determined who or how yet.”

  “What happened to those black cases Mashburn brought in?”

  “The black cases are still in place at the cemetery. To remove them would alert Condor and Stephan. I’m sure they’re a big part of the Belize operation.”

  “What about Mashburn’s other weapons?”

  “I stashed them in an offsite storage facility. I’m hoping Stephan will conclude they were taken as part of the robbery. The police report shouldn’t refer to the stolen items as weapons, just luggage and personal items.”

  “Did you find out how Mashburn killed Lockhart?”

  “Yes. I got all those details. It involved some real exotic drugs. I have samples, which I’m sending to Morrison for analysis. We’ll need to track the source of those drugs, but for right now, we need to focus on what Stephan and the other operatives are planning in Belize. From what I was able to find out, it’s going to be a terrorist attack to disrupt the war games ceremonies, but I’m not sure of the motive and don’t know who ordered the attack.”

  “I’m on it.”

  “We’ll talk soon.”

  Wade’s next call was to Gabe Morrison. He told Gabe about the drugs he was sending, his interrogation of Mashburn, and where and how Mashburn had received his orders to kill Lockhart.

  Wade dreaded the next call – not because she might be irritated, but because of how long it had been since he had said he would call. He gritted his teeth, not sure what he was going to say.

  “Megan speaking.”

  “I take full responsibility and am prepared for my punishment.”

  “Well, hello, stranger. How did your fishing trip go?”

  “It got a little more involved than catching fish.”

  “I can’t wait to hear that fish story. Where are you?”

  “I’m in Houston at my cousin’s office. I just got in a few minutes ago.”

  “Catch anything?”

  “I sure did, but it goes beyond fish.”

  “I hope it’s not a disease.”

  “It’s not. Let’s just say it’s something I need to talk to you about in private.”

  “I take it you’re not in a good place to talk?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Is the matter personal, between us?”

  “No. It’s really business, I guess, our business, and it needs to be
handled privately.”

  “Why don’t you call me tonight? I can have a secure patch put over my home line.”

  “I sure will. Is 9:00 p.m. your time good?”

  “Perfect.”

  Wade wanted to change the subject away from his mission. He lightened the conversation when he asked, “How’s everything else going?”

  “Fine. Busy at work. But most of all, I miss you.”

  “I feel the same way.”

  She sighed aloud. “You know, I like having you in this awkward position where you’re embarrassed to speak in front of other people. I’ll have to find ways to get you in that position more often.”

  “That’s not funny.”

  “I didn’t say it was funny. I had other ideas. I’ll wait for your call tonight.”

  After he hung up, Wade wasn’t sure what he had accomplished with the call, although he was pleased Megan wasn’t too upset. Not only did Wade have to decide what he was going to say that evening, but he wondered how secure the call would be.

  Wade needed to talk with someone he trusted. The only person he could really trust with his dilemma was Jake Pisano in New Orleans, but he had to find a way to meet face-to-face. He called a short time later, and they agreed to meet the next day at the Old Grille. Wade left Houston in his cousin’s car at 4:30 a.m. to make the six-hour trip.

  Chapter 21

  New Orleans, Louisiana

  The drive from Houston to New Orleans gave Wade time to think about how much he was going to tell Jake about the Belize mission and the new threat. Wade remembered it was Pisano who had made the introduction to Gabe Morrison. Maybe that was a good way to start their conversation.

  “Good to see you, Jake.”

  Jake was worried about Wade’s call and not in the mood to dance around the issue. “Does your visit have anything to do with the shooting at Fort Benning?”

  “I guess indirectly. I just got back from Belize, where I interrogated the suspect Mashburn, believed to have killed Lockhart. That’s the murder Gabe Morrison is investigating.”

  Jake was quick to respond. “I remember. What were you able to find out?”

  Wade provided Jake with details of the interrogation and the discovery of the new plot in Belize. Some of the details came fast and were overwhelming with lots of interlocking parts. Wade made it clear that he was looking for guidance. After a few pointed questions, Jake held up his hand in question.

  “I’m afraid to ask, but what did you do with Mashburn?”

  “I told him about the planned hit on him and let him go. I hope he takes my advice and permanently disappears and retires from the business. There’s always the possibility he won’t, of course. Based on what I’ve told you thus far, what do you think?”

  “I’m still on overload, but other than breaking about sixteen federal laws, I think you did the right thing with Mashburn.”

  Jake’s mind was turning as fast as Wade’s now. There was a pause while they both processed alternative options. Before Jake could respond again, Wade changed the subject.

  “There’s something else I forgot to mention.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  “Before I interrogated Mashburn, I followed him to the cemetery in Belmopan, where he dropped two hard black plastic cases in the shrubbery next to a mausoleum gravesite, for future pick-up. Mashburn claimed he didn’t know what was inside the cases – he was just following instructions for the drop. I examined the cases, and they had a very weird locking mechanism and a welded T-Handle that went into the case. I’ve never seen that before. I think they might well be explosives.”

  “Were the black cases still there when you left?”

  “They were there the day before I interrogated Mashburn. I think they were left for Stephan and the other operatives.”

  Jake paused, still processing the information, before he looked up and spoke. “I’m trying to figure out a time line here. Stephan is arriving in a day or two, but doesn’t know Mashburn is missing. The other operatives are supposed to arrive in a week or two. The war game ceremonies are supposed to start in three weeks.”

  “That’s right. Oh, and there’s one other thing I forgot to mention.”

  “Spit it out.”

  “Here we go again.”

  “Sorry, but I can’t help but feel suspicious that my agency is somehow involved in the Lockhart matter. The guy heading the illegal drugs in Vietnam was CIA. After the investigation, he was released, and died shortly afterward in a mysterious hit-and-run accident that was never solved. I don’t know who I can trust there about Lockhart because of his direct ties to the Vietnam drugs. I just have that nagging feeling you’re always talking about.”

  Jake paused before summarizing Wade’s options.

  “Let’s break all this down. For now, I would just turn over all the Lockhart evidence to Morrison and let him run with it. I wouldn’t spend any more time on it if I were you. And I wouldn’t worry any more about Mashburn. It seems to me you need help at several levels on the Belize threat. One is military. The others are diplomatic and probably intelligence.”

  Jake looked up at the ceiling, quietly running through a list of government contacts. “I know a top guy in the state department who might be able to help. I would probably go to him first. If the threat isn’t foreign, it doesn’t fall under him, but I think he’ll know the right people to contact. I want to think on this tonight. There’s a lot here to process.”

  Wade had some concerns about involving someone in the government. “One other thing I forgot to mention is I have pictures of the black cases. Haven’t had time to get the film developed, though.”

  “I can have my lab do those tonight.”

  “Great. I’ll go get the film from my car.”

  After the meeting ended, Wade headed for his father’s condo, hoping to spend some time with him before returning to Houston. His father greeted him with a smile and a hug. His sun-tanned face and lively step showed Wade he was adjusting well to his new single life.

  His father was quick to tell Wade he had taken up golf and was spending a lot of time with new friends. Wade saw a sparkle in his eyes for the first time since his mother died.

  “I thought retirement would be a bore, but I’m having more fun than I ever thought possible.”

  “You look great, Dad.”

  “I thought we could go to the driving range this afternoon. You can share my clubs, or they’ll have others you can use at the range.”

  Wade wasn’t a big fan of golf, but he wasn’t about to turn down an opportunity to be with his father.

  “That would be fun, Dad. Let’s do it.”

  They talked about the condo and his father’s move.

  “Do you miss our old house?”

  “I thought I would miss it because of all the memories there. But once I got settled and met new friends, I was able to move on with my life. I haven’t given the place a second thought or even driven past it since I moved. I’m very happy here.”

  They studied each other for a long moment. A lot of water had passed under the bridge between them that didn’t need to be discussed. An unspoken message was felt rather than spoken between them. It was clear that they were truly grateful to be able to spend time together.

  His father spoke first. “Now tell me, what have you been up to?”

  “Nothing very exciting. Tell me more about your golf game. What scores have you been shooting?”

  As his father began describing details of the last nine holes of each of his last two games, Wade’s mind wandered a bit. What am I going to say to Megan when we speak tonight?

  “Do we still have the camp?”

  “Of course we do. You may want to take a few days while you’re here to go check on it.”

  “Unfortunately, Dad, I’m on a quick turnaround this trip. I’ll spend the night, but I have to leave in the morning. Maybe I’ll have more time on my next trip.”

  After hitting balls at the driving range, his father went
to bed early. Wade thought about what he wanted to say before making his call to Megan. He felt almost relieved when he got her answering machine and left a cordial message.

  The next day the sun came over the condo balcony, lighting the dining room table as the two shared an early breakfast. Wade’s father brought in the Times Picayune and threw it on the table in front of Wade.

  “Look at those headlines. After killing all those people, that tyrant Francisco Franco of Spain finally died in a hospital from some mysterious illness. His second-in-command is now taking over running the country. I wonder if anything will really change there.”

  Wade was nibbling a piece of toast when he grabbed the paper with interest and starting reading the article to see if he could find a link to Mashburn.

  Wade had plenty to think about during his trip back to Houston. The timing of Franco’s death and Mashburn’s last assignment was all too coincidental. Reading between the lines of that Franco article, Wade put the pieces together, convinced that Mashburn was responsible for Franco’s death. He couldn’t help wondering where Mashburn might be hiding now.

  After returning to Houston, Wade made a call to Yari. “Any new developments?”

  “I picked up one call between Stephan and Condor. Stephan’s plane is delayed in Panama. Engine problems.”

  There was a pause on Wade’s end. He wondered if the plane delay was real. He hoped Mashburn had somehow managed to avoid Stephan at the airport in Panama. Wade wondered if Stephan’s delay was because the mission to Belize had been called off. He made some quick calculations of flight times in his head.

  “Did Mashburn use his ticket back to Panama?”

  “Yep.”

  “That means both men crossed paths at the terminal?”

  “Looks like that’s a possibility, although Stephan’s flight from Germany was also delayed.”

  “I’d like you to calculate the actual arrival and departure times for both their flights, so we can see if they missed each other or were in the airport at the same time.”

  “Got it. I’ll do the math and let you know.”