by Matt Lincoln
Doc was already shaking his head. “Bringing in another agenda-driven component would not be helpful at this point. The whole drug and theft situation is an element that we can’t ignore, but our priority is, was, and should be, finding Arik.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself.” That was exactly what I was thinking about, too. “We can meet with him only if he’s going to bring something in to help us with Arik. Otherwise, it's not important to our mission.” I wanted that understood. “Your Judge hired us to find and rescue her son. Not take on a drug war where no one knows who all the players are.”
“Understood and agreed.” That seemed to put Eve less on edge. “So, since that’s decided, I want to add some more. I know that you all were chasing down some pirated goods back in the Azores, correct?”
“Yeah. It all got back to the authorities before we left.” I knew that for a fact.
“Yes, but one of the arrested men started to name a few of his colleagues, and a familiar name came up.” Eve looked quite pleased with what she was about to tell us. She pulled up an article on her phone to read it aloud. “Olan Hemez was arrested two days ago in connection with a thieving ring operating in and around the Islands of the Azores.”
This got our full and undivided attention as she resumed. “Mister Hemez is thought to have been an essential part of the smuggling and racketeering ring that until recently has devastated the coasts and shipping industry… blah, blah, blah. You all get the gist of it.” She looked up from her phone triumphantly.
That is excellent news. Rosa responded. If he’s in custody, that means that someone took Arik off his hands.
“And he could flip on the next level of the organization to save himself,” Eve pointed out. “Also, someone may have put a bug in the ear of the prosecutor there, mentioning a certain connection to the disappearance of an American student. Some illegal substance use and activities, you know, in case they needed some more charges to file on him.” Eve was positively luminous when she was in her element.
“Damn,” Doc shook his head. “If that doesn’t get something moving, I’d hate to see what it would take.”
With all the intel exchanged, we broke for the afternoon. My head was swimming in all this new information, but I tried not to let it distract me. With nothing else to do for the day, I only had one thing on my mind.
That evening, I got ready for my date with Eve. I wanted to keep it simple and fun, as we’d all had more than enough drama in the previous days. I had already asked George if I could borrow another vehicle from him, this time that BMW I had lusted after.
With the okay given, I had asked Eve to meet me at the garage around eight. I was determined to do my best to make this as normal an evening and event as humanly possible for us. For the first time in a while, I was truly excited to not only be keeping my word to Eve but to be spending the evening with her.
I wasn’t known for my party atmosphere or vibes, but I could show anyone an enjoyable time when properly motivated in a city I knew so well. Miami was a good place to be what you felt like at any given moment. It breathed itself into you if you let it. So, taking that in mind, I dressed appropriately. And maybe I also wanted to impress Eve, just a little.
I wore a pair of charcoal slacks and a herringbone off-black button down. It was not the kind of night to go with a sports jacket or any kind of shoe that needed polishing. I wanted Eve to relax and enjoy herself in this town. And to do that, I’d already warned her that we’d be doing a lot of walking.
I stood outside the double doors of George’s garage and noticed a very alluring silhouette headed my way. Eve had done something to her hair that made all the right impressions. Wisps of curls hung around her face, and a flowing cascade of sleek, black locks tumbled down her back. She looked so amazing that she could have stopped right there to take my breath away. I was feeling those nervous, excited knots grow inside my stomach.
She had on a silky violet dress that almost reached her feet. There was a clever slit that ended at her left thigh and only showed what she wanted it to. It was sleeveless and tied around her neck. I had not thought it possible for her to be more enticing than when I’d first seen her. Gratefully, I’d been proven wrong.
She sidled up to me and kissed me on the cheek, a promising start to this long-awaited evening. It was then that she stuck out one of her feet to show off her footwear. I laughed.
“See, I was paying attention.” She grinned teasingly at me. Eve had on a pair of sparkly purple canvas tennis shoes with black ribbon laces. The lady knew how to bring herself to the next level.
“I love it. Are you ready, Ms. Sarabia?” I opened the door and gestured for her to enter.
“I am, and thank you very much, Mr. Header.” Eve’s hand grazed mine as she slipped past me. I was never so enthusiastic for a night to get started as I was tonight.
Chapter 21
Eve
I didn’t know what to expect tonight, but I told myself that I was ready for anything Jake sent my way. I had been so looking forward to some time alone with him, and now that it was here, I was too nervous to enjoy it. So, I gave myself a little pep talk in the car and settled my mind.
The drive was like any nighttime crawl through a bustling city, but the air was new and different, and the whole energy was an experience I didn’t want to overlook. Still, this was a date, and even I knew that there were rules and protocols.
“I’m up for anything you have planned, but I’m setting one proviso, Jake.” I looked over to make sure that he was ready. He nodded, so I proceeded. “No shop talk tonight. No drugs, kidnapping, no legal or illegal advice until we park this thing back into that garage. Do you concur?”
“Completely, Counselor. Forgive me, Eve.” He grinned, and it thrilled me to see it.
“Okay then, shall we do the first date topics du jour, or have we passed that point?” I was hoping for the latter.
“Well past them, I’d say,” Jake answered in his off-handed tone. It was cute.
“Perfect,” I grinned. “Then I suggest you tell me a little about what you have planned for tonight. I like surprises as much as the next woman, but I might need to prepare mentally for the shock of where we’re going.” I didn’t think there was anything he could say that would bother me, though. Even if we opted for a fast food drive-thru and cruised the streets all night, I’d be happy.
“I’m taking us to the beach first for dinner. Then from there, we’ll see.” He had that smirk at the corner of his mouth, and I knew there was much more to it.
“Alright, I can be patient. Keep your secrecy and witty plans for yourself. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the ride.” And I intended to.
He parked the car, and we got out only feet from the sand. The beach at night was exactly like I’d imagined it would be. Everything was so lit up from the towering condominiums and buildings behind us that it didn’t feel like nighttime at all. Patches of palms and flowerbeds divided the areas and made it seem very intimate, even though the places were packed.
Jake took my hand and led me to a waterside restaurant with bonfires and low stone tables. Some had pillows and cushions for seats, while others had lounge chairs for the full experience of a laid-back dinner.
He saw me noticing this. “Which do you prefer?”
“Let’s do the lounges. I don’t think my chances of gracefully sitting on the ground to eat in this dress are high.” I could do it, but I didn’t think it was a great idea.
A few minutes later, we were settled in at an oblong table with our menus and some orange slice water. People all around us were eating, dancing, laughing, and having the time of their lives. The nagging, gnawing knowledge of our reality stung at the back of my mind, but I rationalized that a few hours away from it wasn’t too much to ask.
Jake could tell that I was poring over the menu with an earnest eye. “It's all edible. That’s why I chose this place. You could literally close your eyes and blind pick with a finger. You could never
regret it.”
“I know that I should be more adventurous, but I have a secret agenda tonight. I want some honest to God ceviche. Like all fresh, all locally caught, put whatever you have to on it, ceviche. Does that make me an easy tell?” I didn’t care if it did. I just wanted to know.
“Not really. If you didn’t order some kind of fish here, that would be more informative than anything. But you passed the second test. You’re doing well.” He placed his own menu on the table to wait for our waiter. Then I caught the glimmer of mischief in his eyes, followed by the smile that would probably break a hundred hearts if he let it.
I smiled back, glad to know that he was comfortable enough around me tonight to be playful. “So, what was the first test, and did I pass it?” I started thinking back, and I didn’t remember anything that might be suspicious.
“Oh, you don’t get to know that until the end of the evening.” Jake took an unnecessarily lengthy drink of the water. “All grades are final and will be concealed unless I think you need to know. In cases of extreme fun or boredom, consequently.”
“Setting yourself up to win no matter what, huh? Pretty clever. So, if I have fun or a terrible time, as long as it was ‘extreme,’ you come out ahead.” I leaned across the table and gave him my best challenging stare.
“It hasn’t failed me yet. Of course,” he was quick to add, “This is the inaugural run.”
“Really? Then I’m your beta test date? That…” I thought about it before answering, “is awesome. Test away!”
We ordered and ate, not talking about anything too serious as we were both aware of just how much our personal lives and professional lives would come into play with the “off the table” dinner conversation.
After dinner, we took a short stroll down the beach because I had requested it. The restaurant had only been feet from the sand and water, so it took us a little while to get away from all the busiest places and find something more intimate. He reached for my hand as we slowly took the old wooden boardwalk path. The smells of the nearby eateries and the aromas from people’s homes and lives drifted down from above and mixed in with the water, sand, and vegetation all around us.
I knew that it would sound silly, but I wanted to express my appreciation for all of his planning tonight. “All my college dream date hopes are being fulfilled. Thank you, Jake.” I was joking a bit, trying to avoid all the other stuff that normal people talk about on early dates.
But it was getting awkward, and I couldn’t deal with awkward tonight. “This isn’t really working, is it? I mean, not talking about our professional lives. I hate to admit it, but that makes up a lot of who I am.”
“I get it.” He seemed to approve. He took my hand, and we continued walking. “So how about we do the early years. Like, here’s one. What made you decide to become a lawyer?”
I always felt that honesty was for the best. “The money.”
Jake laughed and squeezed my hand. “For real?”
“Yeah, I mean, sure, the law is all-important and a bastion of our civilization, but I wanted a well-paying job with respect and influence.” It sounded bad. I knew that. “Look, I grew up watching all these shows about the glamorous side of law and court cases, and I just, I knew it wasn’t really how it was, but I liked the idea of it.”
I stopped to make sure he wasn’t glaring at me in disgust before continuing. “And I wanted to get away from my family. That’s harsh, I know, but you don’t know my family.”
Jake had turned to face me and was looking at me with a patient gaze. “Go on.”
“Growing up was rough with my mother. She liked to let us know that she hadn’t really wanted us kids, and then when my dad died, she lost all interest in being a family. My oldest brother took over, trying to raise my little brother and me, but you know, it just wasn’t… a good lifestyle.” I was very selective in what I told anyone, and that included hot, devastatingly handsome ex-SEALs.
Jake nodded as if he might understand better than some others. “I get it. My mom was my dad’s ‘other woman,’ so the home life was not idyllic, either.”
“Did you get to see much of your dad?” It was a natural question.
“He tried. He had another son, my half-brother Darrell who was older than me. Dad always tried to keep us linked and in each other’s lives, even if our mothers weren’t on board.”
“That must have been rough, too.” It was my turn to squeeze his hand for support. “Is that why you ran off and joined the Navy? I can kind of see you signing up right after high school, as a way to find a new family and beginning.” I shook my head. “But you can tell me if I’m full of it, too. Maybe the circus was full up, and you didn’t look so good in a leotard.”
Jake reached up with both hands, stroked my face with his thumbs, and kissed me. I think my knees buckled, but I was still standing when he pulled away.
“I couldn’t wait any longer.” He pulled me closer, with his arms wrapping around my waist and lower back.
“I thought maybe you were just shy.” I nuzzled into his neck and started kissing the side of his throat.
“Now that is a word I don’t hear used to describe me very often.” He breathed into my ear. We spent a few minutes like that until an approaching siren forced us to pay attention to something other than each other.
We both looked back toward the car lot, where the BMW was parked. Jake grabbed my hand, and we started running, and I didn’t even know why exactly. He must have sensed that something awful was going on, and I trusted his instincts. By the time we got there, several cars were on fire, and the smell of burning rubber and metal soaked the air with the gagging aroma. A crowd had gathered, but the police and firefighters were doing their jobs and pushing them back to a safe distance.
Jake was intent on a particular area of the car park, where a small group of people filmed the fire with their phones. He let go of my hand and whispered back at me. “Stay right here. Stay near the police.” He was moving toward the crowd of people filming the disaster, and then I saw one of the guys in that group take off running. Jake was faster, though, and caught up to the man, tackling him within a block from what I could see from where I was.
I may not have completely listened to his advice. Instead, I also ran after them, not wanting to take my eyes off Jake. He may have known the city far better than I did, but I knew something else was happening, and not just an unexpected car fire. I worried about him with everything else going on around here, so like an idiot, I followed him.
When I got to where he was, Jake had the guy up against the wall, and I could hear the officers behind us yelling something as they got closer. The guy with Jake was fighting back, trying unsuccessfully to punch him or take him to the ground. I looked back over my shoulder to see who I thought had been the police following us, hoping that they’d come and take the other guy away, but instead, there were a couple of new men that were unfamiliar, and they both had guns.
One had his firearm pointed at me, which made me freeze in fear, as the other one rushed past, heading for Jake. I wasn’t about to let him ambush Jake, though, so I yelled out, “Behind you!” and the guy with the gun aimed at me fired. I got hit, and I fell backward. After that, I was just trying to stay conscious and useful. Even I knew I was going to have a hard time with that.
Jake was yelling, and I think there were more shots fired. I saw everything at ground-level. Shoes and legs and the sidewalk all did everything at an odd angle as I lay on the ground. Someone screamed, and then I felt someone come and put a hand on my arm. I looked up to see an officer kneeling beside me, calling for assistance. Jake was coming back toward me, and there was blood on his face. He’d been on his phone, but he hung up as he approached me.
“Are you okay?” I asked, or at least I thought I did. He was next to me, and he was pressing on my left shoulder. It hurt a lot. I looked down to see a lot of blood on me. “Is it bad?” I’d never been shot before.
He nodded his head and reached down to ki
ss me on the forehead. “He was a terrible shot. Thank God.” I could hear his tone of voice well, and while he was concerned, he made an effort to sound strong for my benefit. That made me smile.
I was a little dizzy, but I knew not to give in to the fear I felt. So, I tried to stay calm. I heard the ambulance arriving and saw police taking away a few men. I recognized them as the ones that Jake and I had run after.
“I’ll tell you one thing. You beta tested the hell out of this date, Sarabia.” Jake was smiling, but his eyes were too kind to mistake it for humor.
“I sure did.”
Sometime later, I was being loaded into the back of an ambulance and taken to a hospital. Jake told me he’d meet me there as he had to be questioned first by the police. The last thing I saw before they closed the doors on me was Xavier and Kippy marching toward Jake.
Chapter 22
Jake
I was sitting on the medical exam table as Rosa was cleaning up the gash on the side of my face. Doc was preparing the bandages for my hand while Xavier and Kippy stood nearby and observed. Mia had not been informed of tonight’s goings-on, and I wanted it to stay that way. I had more than enough help for what I needed now.
“I promised Eve that I’d go to the hospital to be with her.” I had already told them this four times, but I was ignored and overruled each time. “I can get fixed up there. You guys do know that’s what hospitals are for, right?”
“You need to stay as far away from Eve as you can right now, copain.” Kippy had started to pace back and forth, but not as a nervous reaction, more like a plotting one. “George is already with her. He has privileges at the hospital and has asked to consult on her case. She’s safe, which is more than you’ve got going for you.”