The House At Sunset: SEALed At Sunset - The Beach Renovation (Sunset SEALs Book 5)

by Sharon Hamilton

  Aimee ran to the kitchen counter and picked up the charm bracelet that had been left for her. “Did it look like this? Like some of these things?”

  “Exactly. So that’s what he was doing. There was wire and shells and all kinds of garbage—you know, stuff you find on the beach. It looked like he was making something. Something exactly like that.”

  Several minutes later, the neighbors left after exchanging phone numbers with Aimee They invited her to call them anytime if she had anymore sightings. Everyone was happy that there would be a patrol car out front, which might deter anybody who was still in the area. The neighbors left. Aimee needed to add one more bit of information for the report.

  “I need to give you the phone number for Dr. Denby. It’s already in the report, but I want to be sure you have it in case he shows up tonight. If this is indeed my brother Logan, Dr. Denby treated him at his center in Sarasota. I think he would be agreeable to taking him back, if you find him. Maybe take him directly there, instead of jail or wherever you put these guys.”

  “Well, that’s a problem. Because breaking and entering is against the law. It’s a misdemeanor unless something major was stolen or broken. But it’s still against the law, and we aren’t allowed to just pick someone up and then release them to a nonsecure facility. More than likely he’d have to be held overnight. But I can certainly put that in the file and if we do apprehend him this evening on our shift, I can make sure that message gets to them. You might want to alert your doctor friend to what’s happened here. I assume he knows that you’ve had some contact with him?”

  “Yes, he knows all about it. He suggested his name be given out.”

  “Then I would give him a call and let him know. Who knows, maybe he’ll show himself. It’s hard to say with these guys, though. Especially with the long history of drug and alcohol abuse. You know they aren’t thinking straight. And you’re right to not let him into your home. You do have to treat him like a threat. And now he’s not only a threat to you, but he’s a threat to other people and their property as well, and that’s the real problem. When they start spiraling out of control, then they become a danger to not only themselves but everybody around them. So please do not have any contact with him if he tries to approach you.”

  It was going to be another one of those nights, where she would be tossing, listening to the thunder and lightning, seeing the flashing lights glow through her windows, and thinking about being on the edge, between Aimee’s old life, and her new life. She wished Andy would call.

  There was just no getting around it, she needed to talk to her husband.

  Chapter 22

  The two trucks barreled down the roadway, wound through parts of the outer city of Kandi, and back out into the stretches of highway headed to the lake region. They crossed over numerous bridges that were not guarded, which was one of the advantages of traveling at night. Andy made a quick call to make sure that the tracing birds were up and following him and got confirmation from Peterson that yes, indeed, they were being watched.

  Diku and Adaze were the perfect drivers for this type of excursion, because both had spent time in Benin, and had family currently living in several of the nearby villages. So, if a road was washed out, they knew all the back ways to get around it. In fact, Andy figured they might even have a leg up on some of the militiamen who came over the Nigerian border.

  All along the way, they kept their eyes peeled for lorries with troop transport, or large bands of militia. The little villages they crossed through and around were quiet, very little lighting, mostly bonfires occasionally seen out in the fields. Some field hands did do work at night, processing and boxing, nearly everything was shut down at dark.

  The roads were so full of ruts, and the diesel motors so loud, that conversation was limited. Andy and several others took the time to catch a few Zs. He had been on the road for two days straight, with very little sleep.

  About an hour into the trip, Andy’s sat phone pinged.

  “We got a sighting of maybe twenty to thirty men, who’ve just flown in from a remote village in Nigeria, arriving in a couple of birds of unknown origin. If you could try to swing by and snap some photographs, we’re going to see if anybody is headed your way. Norfolk wants to have eyes on the ground.”

  “Roger that.” Andy gave the instructions about the group and Adaze maneuvered around some of the back alleyways of a small town, knowing a facility in that area that could house helicopters and possibly drop and store troops. It was an old hangar that had been used for farming operations, crop dusting and delivery of materials, but the military often used it in the past. The militias did as well. They parked in front of an abandoned school yard, anxious to get in the middle of the fray.

  Sven suggested that Andy and the others stay in the trucks with the drivers while he take Tucker and TJ, Fredo and a two other SEALs to investigate, hopefully get pictures for the men upstairs. They disappeared into the night without making a sound, as if the blackness swallowed them whole.

  Roughly 15 minutes later, the group returned, wasting no time to get back on the road. Sven took to uploading some of their photos, and Andy verified with Peterson afterward that they’d been received.

  “I’ll get you back a report,” Peterson barked. “Your assessment of the group?”

  Sven leaned over and spoke into the phone, “Sir, they look like recruits of some kind, but they’re bedded down for the night in a bunker nearby. And I don’t see any trucks nearby, so they’re not going anywhere, at least not tonight. It could be that they’re getting ready for some kind of an operation, or exercise, but they look private like possibly guards for some Benin military operation, but the uniforms are non-descript, so I don’t know for sure, but they don’t look like militia. And with the militia, you’d see the trucks with the .50s on the back, and I just don’t see it. I see nothing but passenger vehicles over there.”

  “Okay then, carry on. Get yourself south, and we’ll check in later when we have some results for you.”

  About forty minutes later, Peterson pinged again.

  “We got a road closure up ahead. It’s a regular full-on blockade. You want to avoid it, no option. They tell me there’s lots of troops and trucks, and it doesn’t look good.”

  “Will do.” Andy thought about the pictures, “Hey, Peterson, they say anything about the pix?”

  “Negative. No interest.”

  After he disconnected, Adaze indicated he knew a long way around the checkpoint that would carry them in a wide loop but would probably delay their return a good half hour.

  “We may have to go through some rice fields. Maybe we go through fingerlings,” Adaze said. “But I think it is the safest way. We won’t get stuck with these brand-new trucks, and we’ll avoid the road closure. Something must have happened to cause all this interest at this time of night.”

  Sven looked at TJ and Tucker, all of them nodding to themselves. It was obvious something had happened back there, but without firsthand information and without being directed to inquire further, they were happy to avoid it.

  Andy thought the truck was going to tilt on its side as they headed off a small embankment and through a tiny rivulet. The heavy vehicle came up the other side and almost hit a water buffalo standing right there, the headlights blinding him temporarily. Adaze was quick to maneuver around the beast. “You don’t want to hit one of those. They got friends, and they come after you, I’ve seen them chase a truck for 10 kilometers.” He laughed but the rest of the team was quiet.

  It took several bumpy roads before they returned to the wide red highway headed straight south to Benot. The road wasn’t paved, but it had been frequently used and had been rocked on several occasions. The potholes were minimum, and the closer they got to the city, the faster they were able to travel. The road widened slightly and allowed for a second lane of travel.

  It was an easy stretch to get back. They arrived at Benot, through the town center and passed by several of the downtow
n offices and buildings they had been scoping the day before.

  The sun had just started sending rose-colored shards of light into the sky, which highlighted soaring purple and gray thunder clouds, threatening a storm they said was on the way.

  When they pulled up to the compound, the UNESCO site, Andy was surprised at the quantity of work that had been completed by the men left behind. They had constructed a whole lodge house which could serve as a dining hall, meeting hall/bunkhouse, filled in the walls with a small forest of cut pine logs. They had built corrals and pens and had managed to build a block latrine and storage unit, with massive wooden doors that could be locked and secured, a perfect place to store their ammunition, supplies, or things they didn’t want animals and other curious villagers to get into.

  Gunnar came running out of one of the little cabins, holding a lantern. He had a smile that extended nearly from ear to ear.

  “My friends, my friends, welcome, welcome to the sanctuary!”

  Peterson appeared out of the dark and made the introductions, ordering the men to take up shelter in various cabins that Gunnar provided for them. Another cabin was assigned to Diku, Adaze and the other Africacorps men.

  Peterson called for a meeting in the lodge building in 10 minutes.

  Kit, Connor and Dallas greeted the new men from Team 3. After everyone took seats, several brought over local dishes that had been prepared, heating them with microwaves and sending them down the communal table. While they munched on finger food, Peterson, took the floor. He pinned a map to the wall and began discussions about hotspots in several regions, indicating where there had been some recent sightings of interest.

  “We have two locations that we’re most curious about. One of them is actually an old gentleman’s club that had been set up during the European days. It had been owned until recently by a very eccentric Dutch businessman, who maintained a quasi-brothel there. However, he’s gone, and it appears either relatives or someone he sold the property to is now running it. If they’re hold up there, then the hostages are probably not going to be in terrible condition, because the buildings and the grounds have been well maintained, and it won’t be like sleeping out in the bush. It could also explain why we haven’t seen these people because they’re staying put. It is usually well fortified and guarded.”

  “The other place we’re looking at is a school that was in session until recently. The local leaders had had problems with kidnappings and children missing, so they closed the school for the rest of the year. There are several classrooms, offices and a large auditorium, and any one of those facilities could also hold a number of hostages, as well as house militia men.”

  “How many men are at each of these locations, do the drones tell us that?” Tucker wanted to know.

  “We have multiple sightings at the school, however, right now not many at the villa. So, our decision was to check out the school first, and see who’s there. It could be that they are using both spaces, but probably not.”

  Fredo asked if it was determined that the girls from the school in Benot were also being housed here.

  “You mean held with the other hostages? I’d say that’s affirmative, if you ask me,” answered Sven.

  Peterson agreed with him as did several others.

  “With the sun up, we don’t have the luxury of the drones. But there was no major force headed this direction, so we’re thinking we’d give you guys a few hours to rest up, get some grub, shower, get your gear in order, and we check out as soon as it becomes dark. Kelly, you and Gunnar and Sven need to have a conversation and get some of these men paid. Gunnar is expecting a very generous pay day, and we’d like to keep them being so cooperative.”

  The team laughed.

  “I know what he likes, and I brought lots of it,” said Kelly.

  Peterson turned to Sven, whispering, “I know you’ve been awake more than you’ve been asleep Sven, but I do think we need to meet with Mr. Sabi, get a temperature read. Are you going to be able to go in with me and Kelly and maybe take one of the drivers, and pay him a visit?”

  “Maybe we take Doctor Carr as well?”

  “Sure, the more the merrier I guess.”

  Andy was not delighted with this. He was hoping to have a date with his bed. He looked up at Peterson and held a pretend phone to his ear raising his eyebrows. Peterson gave him a thumbs up which meant Andy was going to have the opportunity to call his wife when they got to town.

  Andy took a quick shower and grabbed some food. He left his medic bag with TJ and, armed with his SIG Sauer and two knives as well as several chloroform packets, he was ready to go. All five of them piled into the truck and Adaze headed toward town.

  “So what’s the deal with this guy, who is he really and who owns him?” Kelly asked.

  Sven smiled back at her, gave her a wink and said, “Oh, he’s probably owned by some woman, who leads them around by the nose. Isn’t that the way all powerful men are handled?”

  “You’ve got that right, Sven. I can see you’ve learned some things with your time in the bush.” Kelly followed up that comment with a glare.

  “Oh, but it would have been so much more fun if you’d been here.”

  She smiled in return. “I mean it. Who is he really and who does he work for?”

  Peterson filled her in on their conversation with Sabi before. “We’re thinking that not much goes on in the way of security and operations that he doesn’t know about. Maybe he works both ends, and he owes his loyalties to the highest bidder. So, if there are church or missions that need help or assistance, they pay for guards that he hires out through the local police and fire department. But if somebody else comes along and pays more, then they get more guards or the guards for the other group are bought off and disappear.”

  “Kelly, we didn’t get too far the last time we were here. I walked away with a sheaf of paperwork, which I’ve left back at the camp. He’s a big one on paperwork,” Andy added.

  “Oh, they usually are.”

  Kelly was flirting with Sven very overtly. It made Andy feel a little uncomfortable.

  “So, we’re going to ask him for permission to open up the clinic, right?” she asked.

  “Yes,” said Peterson. “And we’re going to ask about location and see what he gives us. And then we’re going to ask him some questions about the recent kidnappings and find out what his take is on them. What I’d like to see is if we can determine he had anything to do with them, and I think we need to come to it from the point of being concerned about our safety like, is this a safe area?”

  Kelly nodded her head in agreement.

  They parked in the nearly vacant parking lot of the Ministry Building, leaving Adaze alone in the truck. The delightful lobby was air conditioned like a refrigerator. A guard directed them to the Commissioner of Health’s office. This time, the door was closed. Walking inside, they asked for Sabi. The young receptionist placed her hand over the receiver and asked them what they wanted.

  “We’re here to see Mr. Sabi, we are the Americans who came by to see him last week?” Peterson said.

  “Just a moment. I will see if he’s available.” She hung up her call.

  She slipped into Mr. Sabi’s private office closing the door behind her. After some discussion, she reappeared. “He will see you now.”

  Since Adaze was staying at the truck, the four of them again entered the office with only one chair. He offered it to them just like before. “Please, gentlemen, take a seat.”

  His eyes danced with delight, watching the men scramble make a decision who had the seniority to sit in the chair. That was Peterson. Mr. Sabi eyed Kelly suspiciously as she began to speak.

  “Mr. Sabi, my name is Kelly Fieldling, and I work for the State Department.” She pulled out her badge, and the Commissioner nodded with respect, sitting more upright. “So, this is not private then, this is for my good friend, Uncle Sam?”

  “It’s a joint partnership, we are sponsoring several doctors here, wh
o wish to set up a mission. They are concerned about their safety, and the State Department is equally concerned, so we are starting at the local level, with you. We are willing to pay for security which I understand you will provide, as well as a location for the clinic.”

  Mr. Sabi sat up even straighter, “You are well informed.”

  Kelly began the discussion about recent events. “One of the things State is the most concerned about are the recent tragedies that have occurred. We understand yesterday, a European businessman and his bodyguard were murdered on the road. We’ve been told, although we have no evidence, that it was a rogue militia group. It was our understanding that this gentleman frequented this area and had never had a problem before. So, I ask you quite directly, is this area safe?”

  Kelly had a way of staring right into a man’s eyes until she got some kind of an answer, which usually revealed something more than what they were ready to reveal. Sven had told Andy that she was the best interrogator he had ever met.

  Mr. Sabi thought carefully, examining his fingers on the blotter in front of him. He began, “It depends on what kind of security is involved. We like to give our local police and fire extra work. In case we don’t need them, they can still earn a decent living on the side working for other interests of our town. But as far as safety, if you run across a very well-armed militia group, these people who owe no loyalty to any particular country, it’s very difficult, in fact sometimes nearly impossible.”

  “So, what you’re saying is it’s more expensive,” answered Kelly bluntly without any emotion to her voice. “So how much would it cost to guarantee that a clinic would be able to operate without any kind of interference?”

  “My dear, you do understand, that not all of the security money will go to the men who are actually doing the guarding. Some of it will need to be paid to certain groups who promise not to attack the clinic. As long as the money is paid, the clinic is safe.”

  “And this is guaranteed?” She asked.