by Carolina Mac
“Too dark to tell,” said Casey, “and I didn’t want the fuckers to spot me.”
“Good idea,” said Farrell. “Maybe we’ll check those dudes out tonight.”
“Am I like one of y’all’s snitches?” asked Casey.
“Sure,” said Farrell. “If it pans out, I’ll lay a twenty on you.”
“No kidding?”
“None.”
“There’s the rental place,” said Mary. She pointed to a shack to the left of the dirt track. “Will there be snakes where we’re going?”
“Hope not,” said Blaine. “I ain’t a snake lover myself.”
“Water snakes,” said Casey. “They live in the water.”
“You are too wise,” said Neil.
Misty giggled.
“How many boats do we need?” Neil hopped out and opened up the tailgate.
“Let’s see how big the boats are,” said Farrell. He watched as a skinny girl headed for the house next door and a guy working on the boats at the dock came towards them.
“Y’all want to rent a boat?” asked Tennessee.
“Six of us,” said Blaine. “Might need a couple.”
“Maybe three if y’all want a guide with y’all.”
“You know all the good spots?” asked Neil.
Tennessee grinned. “That’s what people pay me for.” He seemed to drift closer to Misty and Blaine noticed, not too happily.
Blaine took Misty’s hand and led her into the shack. “Sign us up for the day,” said Blaine. “These ladies want to fish.”
“We don’t get too many ladies fishing back here. My pleasure to take these gorgeous girls up the channel.”
Blaine could feel the heat in the back of his neck. This guy was starting to piss him off.
“I’m Tennessee Taylor at your service, and I need y’all to sign a waiver in case y’all tumble out of the boats and get et by gators.” He laughed, and Misty made a face. Tennessee Taylor was a looker in his mid-thirties. Not too tall, but solidly built, a day’s scruff on his face and curly brown hair peeking out from under a filthy ‘Port Lavaca’ cap on his head.
“Has that happened?” asked Mary.
“Never happened yet, Miss,” said Tennessee. “Me and my partners are professionals and safety is our number one priority.”
Blaine was paying for the rental when another guy came into the shack through a screen door at the back. The twelve by twelve shack smelled of fish guts and was buzzing with flies.
“We got some fishermen here?” asked the new guy.
“Fisherwomen too,” said Tennessee with a chuckle. “Help me get them set up.” To Blaine: “Y’all got your own gear?”
“Yep,” said Farrell. “All set.”
“Fetch your stuff and meet me on the dock. This here is Whitey and he’ll be helping us out.” Whitey was tall, slim with a thick crop of white-blond hair and a black eye patch over his right eye.
As he came towards them, Misty stepped closer to Blaine and slipped her arm around his waist.
Misty hates that fucker.
Washington, D.C.
ANNIE ordered breakfast from room service while Travis was in the shower. She took advantage of the moment to call the man and tell him what she’d done. He might be pissed and tell her to get her butt back to Texas.
“Morning, sir. I’m not sure I should have done this, but I followed Senator Royce back to DC after the funeral. A spontaneous decision, but it might have been wrong.”
“I wouldn’t say it was wrong. A good initiative on your part. Where are you, dear?”
“At the Hyatt near the airport.”
“Let me text you some information to get you started. Give me a few minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
Travis came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and caught the end of her conversation. “Are we in deep shit?”
“Nope. We’re getting new information in a few minutes.”
“Jeeze, I was hoping he’d send us packing.”
Annie giggled. “Some spy you are.” The waiter knocked on the door and Annie let him in with the breakfast tray.
Travis lifted one of the lids. “What did you order? I’m starving.”
“I know what you like to eat, Travis. We used to live together, remember?”
“Jeeze, girl, don’t make me fuckin crazy. I’m barely awake.” Travis began filling a plate and Annie answered her cell.
“Hey, Ty, how’s the show going?”
“Great, we’re cleaning up in two or three categories and Paulie is talking to a couple of buyers. Where are you? I thought you might drive up to FW for the day.”
“Umm… I had to work and I’m in DC for a couple of days.”
“Alone? You didn’t go alone, did you?”
“Nope. My partner is with me.”
“Are you with that fuckin Travis?”
“He’s my bodyguard, Tyler. Nothing else going on.”
“Like I believe that?”
“I’m asking you to believe it because it’s true. Don’t have another one of your snit fits. I’m working.”
“I want you to leave there right this minute and go home. No more work and no more Travis or we’re done.”
Annie let out a sigh. “Okay, we’re done.” She pressed end and ran into the ensuite.
Austin.
JESSE arrived at the Capitol and headed straight for the Governor’s office. He didn’t see any of his crew but maybe they were already inside.
“Mrs. Warburton, are my men here?”
“I believe they’re in Catherine’s office, Ranger Quantrall. This is so upsetting.”
“What about Lily? Have you seen her?”
“Is she the pretty blonde lady. Very tall?”
“Uh huh.”
“She went in there too.”
“Let me get them started, then I’ll speak to Catherine.” Jesse opened the door and couldn’t believe the state of the office. Every shelf emptied. Every drawer dumped. He shook his head hoping some of the rare leather-bound volumes chronicling Texas history weren’t damaged.
Carlos strode across the room, stood close and asked in a low voice, “Do we know what they were after, boss?”
“We do, and we have to make a plan. For now, you and Luke help Fletch review the tapes. I need to speak to Catherine.” He beckoned to Lily. “Lil, you’re with me.”
Jesse stepped into the outer office. “Which office is Catherine using?”
“I’ll show you, Ranger Quantrall. Follow me.” Mrs. Warburton led him down the hall and opened the door for him. “In here.”
Catherine looked up and smiled. “Jesse, you’re here. Did you see my office?” She glanced at Lily and raised an eyebrow.
“Trashed.” He leaned in close to her. “Where is it?”
“In my purse.”
Jesse held out his hand. “I’ll make a copy and put them in two separate places.”
Catherine opened her purse and handed it over. “I’m glad to be rid of it. It’s nerve-wracking.”
“Did the Chief talk to Gene about doubling up on your protection?”
“Uh huh. But if I don’t have the recording, I should be safe.”
“Whoever Royce sent to get it, thinks you have it, and will continue to think that.”
“That’s disturbing.”
“Isn’t it?” asked Jesse. “Lily will be staying in here with you for the rest of the day.”
“Jesse, I don’t need…”
Jesse pointed a finger. “What if you’d been in your office when they came?”
“They?” asked Catherine. “Do you think there’s more than one?”
“Absolutely, I do.”
“Okay,” said Catherine, “you win.” To Lily: “Help yourself to coffee.”
Costal Backwater.
BLAINE, MISTY and Casey climbed into the first boat with Tennessee Taylor at the helm. Misty sat close to Blaine and held his hand at first, a little nervous of the unknown an
d from time to time a strange look crossed her face. Blaine was picking up vibes from Tennessee too.
Casey sat in the bow and seemed interested in all aspects of the adventure, especially the bait. Blaine liked the kid and knew one thing for sure, he wasn’t leaving him on the beach when they left.
Farrell helped Mary into the second boat, waited for Neil to ask Whitey forty four questions Wikipedia couldn’t answer, then they pushed off from the dock and caught up.
About twenty minutes up the channel where the marsh grasses were high, and the banks of the channel were shaded by age old Cypress, Tennessee cut the motor. “This is a nice quiet spot for the girls to try their luck. Let’s bait the lines.”
The temperature had soared to over a hundred and with no breeze, sitting still in the sun was killer hot. Blaine pulled his t-shirt over his head and tucked it underneath him.
Tennessee watched with interest. “That’s some nice ink you got there, kid. You in a gang?”
“Used to be,” said Blaine. Talking about himself to strangers was something he never did.
Misty rubbed a gentle hand down Blaine’s tattooed arm. “Do you want some sun screen on, Beb?”
“I’m okay. I don’t burn easily.”
“You Latino?” Tennessee said it with a curl of his lip.
“That bother you?” asked Blaine.
“Course not.” Tennessee laughed it off and the fuse grew shorter.
Misty let out a little squeal and pointed at a pair of eyes just above the surface of the water. “Is that a gator?”
“Good eye, Miss,” said Tennessee, “Ignore him and he’ll swim away. We don’t kill ‘em unless we have to—know what I mean?”
“No, I don’t,” said Misty.
FARRELL HOOKED a big bass and struggled a bit getting it close to the boat. Hollering out instructions that Farrell didn’t need or want, Whitey dropped to his knees, leaned over the side with the net and scooped the big lunker in.
“Nice fish,” said Whitey. “One of the biggest I’ve seen come out of this channel.”
Farrell smiled.
Mary took his picture holding the fish, then tucked her phone back into her purse. “Wow, it’s hot out here.” She dropped her hand over the side and stirred up the water.”
Casey jumped off his chair and grabbed her arm out of the water. “Don’t, Miss Mary.” He pointed across the channel. “Gator over there. Keep your hands in.”
“Oh, my god, Casey, I didn’t see it.”
Farrell noticed Whitey staring at Mary in her cut offs and midriff top and he wanted to deck him. “Want me to bait your line for you, Mary?”
“I can do it for her,” said Whitey, focused on Mary’s legs. “Don’t mind a bit.”
“I’ve got this.” Farrell took Mary’s line and reached for the bait.
“This is my first time fishing,” said Mary. “I spend too much time in an office. I love being outdoors and I’m having fun.”
LATE AFTERNOON and about a hundred and ten degrees when they returned to the rental place, they were all sweating hot, tired and hungry. The men unloaded the boats while the girls carried the rods to the truck.
“I need some ice for my fish and something to pack it in,” said Farrell.
“Get you a Styrofoam cooler,” said Whitey. He came back with a two dollar cooler half full of ice and said, “That’ll be ten bucks.”
“Right,” said Farrell and forked over a ten.
While they loaded up, a big guy headed their way from the shitty looking house next door. He swaggered across the short distance between the two falling-down buildings wearing a huge grin on his face. “How’d y’all do today? Y’all have a good time?”
“Yep, pretty good,” said Blaine. He pressed the key fob and unlocked the big diesel.
“Nice truck,” said the big guy. “Looks like y’all got a police radio in there.”
“Uh huh,” said Blaine. “You doing a bit of recon?”
“Nope, just admiring your ride and glanced in the window. Nothing more to it.”
I bet. Better not be anything missing.
Farrell sauntered over to where the big guy was talking to Blaine. “You partners with these guys?”
He stuck a big hand out in Farrell’s direction. “I’m the boss, Big Dave Warren, and this is my little piece of paradise.”
“Nice to meet you, Big Dave,” said Farrell. “You boys seem to know a lot about the backwater.”
“Sure do. Pride ourselves on it, too. Tell your friends. We could use the business.”
“Uh huh,” said Blaine. He strode to the back of the truck and began loading in all their gear.
Heading back to the main road, Neil said, “Those fishing guys were weird.”
“Acting weird, bro,” said Farrell, “because those guys are up to their asses in something. There’s more going on back there than renting out mud boats.”
Blaine turned to Misty in the shotgun seat. “Anything to add, sweetheart?”
“The boat we were in had a dead person lying in the bottom of it.”
“When?” asked Blaine.
“Not long ago,” said Misty. “They haven’t crossed to the other side yet.”
Casey rolled his dark eyes.
BIG DAVE stood on the dirt road and watched the tail lights on the big diesel disappear into the bush. “Those guys are fuckin cops,” he hollered.
“Bullshit,” said Tennessee, “the Latino kid was a ganger. Covered in tats and he had a seal knife in his boot.”
“That kid was the one driving the truck, so it was his and I saw the fucking cop radio inside. That makes him a goddam cop.”
“He was no cop,” said Whitey and Big Dave shoved him out of the way and went into the office.
“Who paid for the boats?” Big Dave squeezed through the opening and went behind the makeshift counter.
“The kid did, with an Amex card.”
Big Dave pulled out the rental forms and thumbed through them. “Let me see his name.”
Tennessee stepped up to the plate and sorted out the paper. “This one.” He tapped it. “This is him.”
Big Dave concentrated as if he was having a hard time making out the signature. “Looks like B. Blackmore.”
Whitey snorted. “Know who that is, don’t y’all? That’s the fuckin super cop out of Austin.”
“Shut up, Whitey.” Big Dave backhanded Whitey across the head and knocked him into the wall.
“He’ll be back,” said Tennessee, “I’d put money on it.”
“If he comes back here, it’ll be his last fishing trip,” said Big Dave.
Washington. D.C.
ANNIE checked her phone and wrote down the address that showed up on the screen.
“Is that Royce’s Washington address?” asked Travis.
“Uh huh.”
“Why do I feel like we’re in over our heads?”
Annie shrugged.
“Do you have an order?” asked Travis, “Like what the hell we’re supposed to do?”
“Surveillance only… for now.”
“Okay,” said Travis. “Surveillance. I can live with that.”
Seadrift
HAVING SKIPPED lunch, the boys voted for steak and fries for dinner.
Mary and Misty wanted seafood. Mary read the options from the ap on her phone and they agreed on Bubba’s out on the highway.
“I’m happy to have any food,” said Casey. “I’m not used to eating much.”
“I’m used to eating regular,” said Neil, “but the food at my school isn’t as good as my Mom’s cooking.”
“I never had a Mom,” said Casey, “so I wouldn’t know.”
“Me neither,” said Neil, “but me and Farrell lucked out and got ourselves a Mom five or six years ago.”
“How?” asked Casey, “How did you get one?”
“I’ll explain it to you later,” said Neil.
Blaine ordered a round of drinks and was half way through his first Corona when Jesse cal
led. “Hey, boss, how’s the Agency holding together without us?”
“One major problem.” Jesse explained about the Governor and what she’d done.
“So y’all are working and me and Farrell are the only ones not working?”
“Keep it that way for now,” said Jesse. “I don’t need you, but when I do, I’ll give you a couple hours’ notice and y’all can drive back.”
“Okay,” said Blaine, “but if things go down the shitter, don’t hesitate, Jesse.”
“Nope. I won’t.”
“What are we missing?” asked Farrell. “Sounds like fun.”
The server came for their order and Blaine said to Farrell, “Tell you later.”
Washington. D.C.
TRAVIS programmed the address Annie was given into the black Mercedes GLS she’d rented and had delivered to the hotel. They followed directions and tried to familiarize themselves with a city neither of them had been to before.
“Traffic seems to be a huge problem,” said Travis. “I’m always turning the wrong way.”
“That’s why we have to practice,” said Annie. “In case we need to get out of a certain area fast.”
“Jeeze,” said Travis, “that boosts my confidence.”
“I’ll be the one running,” said Annie. “All you have to do is drive.”
“His car is still at his condo and his security unit is sitting there,” said Travis. “I’d like to get a tag on the senator’s vehicle later if it’s possible, so we don’t lose him.”
“I need him somewhere else,” said Annie. “In a part of the city where there might be a lot of crime.”
“Cops would know that better than anybody else,” said Travis. “I’ll talk to the narcs tomorrow.”
“Good idea. In the meantime, while we’re waiting, let’s try another one of the recommended restaurants.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Thursday, June 18th.
Coastal Backwater.
BIG DAVE jerked open the door of Tennessee’s trailer and wrinkled his nose as the stink hit him in the face. He stuck his head in and hollered left towards the bedroom. “Ready to go? We gotta meet Delgato’s man at dawn and we can’t be late.”
“Yeah, I’m up.” Tennessee came to the door in his boxers and lit up a joint.