Bluewater Ganja: The Ninth Novel in the Caribbean Mystery and Adventure Series (Bluewater Thrillers Book 9)

by Charles Dougherty

  "I'll make good on the money, Bernie. You tell them — "

  "Ed, come on. Think this through. You're upset. I understand that, but don't let it cloud your judgment. This isn't about the $35 million any more. We've got the other side right where we want them."

  "What are you talking about, Bernie?"

  "They don't want this to go to trial; that's why they want you to step down. They want to put their handpicked guy in your place and settle this thing. That's what we wanted all along, remember? A settlement?"

  "I thought your investors wanted to acquire Tequesta."

  "That's right. We'll settle this by effectively acquiring Tequesta. They're playing right along, like they read our script, buddy. Think about it. You're going to be worth close to a billion once the dust clears."

  "But they've got Cynthia."

  "She'll be okay, Ed. We'll make that part of the package."

  Ed remembered the video, and the raw fear on Cynthia's face. "Not good enough. I'm going to file a motion — "

  "Ed, listen to me. You know what kind of people my investors are; don't play dumb. If you pull out, our leverage goes away, and they know that as well as the people who own Tequesta do. Do you think they'll let you walk away?"

  "But Cynthia — "

  "They don't care about Cynthia. Neither side cares about her. You said it early on; Cynthia's just a pawn. I can't believe we're having this conversation, but I'm going to spell it out for you. This isn't a threat, and it's not something I have any control over, but I'm telling you, if you file that motion, I doubt you'll live to see Cynthia released."

  "I could go to the police."

  Bernie laughed, long and hard. Gasping for breath, he said, "Ed, take it easy for a little while. I need to think this through, make a few calls, maybe. I'll get back to you, but don't do anything rash. You have until tomorrow night to file, right?"

  "Yes, that's right, unless they change their minds."

  "If you hear from them again, call me immediately. In the meantime, let's use the time until the deadline to come up with a way out of this that will keep you and Cynthia and me alive, okay? If Gregorio's not behind Tequesta, we need to find out who is."

  "Okay," Ed said. He heard a muted click as Bernie disconnected the call.

  Chapter 28

  As soon as Bernie hung up from Ed Savage, he called the lead investor in the consortium that was funding the Tequesta suit. "They're pushing for Savage to withdraw," he explained.

  "We can't allow that, Mr. Albertson."

  "I agree, but Savage is rattled. They're threatening to sell the girl as a sex slave."

  "And he believes them?"

  "Yes. Why wouldn't he?"

  "I thought you told him that we would hold the girl."

  "I did, but he says someone else has her now. He told me that two men from Trinidad took her away from Gregorio's people."

  There was silence on the line for several seconds. Bernie said, "That means we may have been wrong about who actually owns Tequesta, so he doesn't trust us anymore."

  "If not Gregorio, then who does he think has her?"

  "He has no idea."

  "That's good. Whatever happens, don't let him file that motion. I'm holding you responsible for his actions. Do you understand?"

  "C-certainly. I need a little tactical support to make him realize the gravity of his situation, though."

  "That's reasonable. We'll take care of it right away."

  "We need him intact," Bernie said, alarm in his voice. "It won't do to have him crippled or killed."

  "Mr. Albertson, we don't need you to tell us how to run our business." There was a click, and the call was disconnected.

  ****

  The Dragon Lady fingered the carving on her desk as she contemplated her upcoming meeting with the Berger woman. With Ed Savage back in Atlanta, there was no reason for the woman and her Rasta sidekick to persist in their quest to find who had taken the girl, but it would be useful to know what they had discovered so far. The more she could learn about their perception of the situation, the better she would be able to predict Savage's behavior.

  She was troubled by Berger; none of her usual sources had turned up anything useful about her or the Rasta, and they had drawn a complete blank on J.-P. Berger, the woman's father. He was French, from Martinique originally, and wealthy. He had a fleet of large charter yachts in the Mediterranean, but that seemed more of a hobby than a business. It was an exorbitantly expensive hobby, though, and in her experience, men with that kind of money weren't invisible. Yet, she'd been able to learn nothing about him. The dearth of information was so severe that it was suspicious in itself. She pressed the intercom key on her telephone.

  "Yes, Madame?"

  "Is Wong in the office this morning, Veralyn?"

  "Yes, Madame. He's reviewing some files in the conference room."

  "Send him to me, please."

  ****

  "Good morning, Madame," Wong said, entering her office after knocking softly at the door. "You wished to see me?"

  "Yes. Is the girl still aboard Lion of Judah?"

  "Yes, Madame, as you wished."

  "Good. Come with me to Bequia to meet Danielle Berger, and after the meeting, take Lotus Blossom out to rendezvous with Lion of Judah. I want the girl in our custody. I don't trust Gregorio's people with her."

  "Are they expecting this?"

  She shrugged. "Take $50,000. That should persuade them to give her up and keep their mouths shut about it. Tell them Gregorio is not to know, or you will hurt them."

  He nodded, grinning. "And where do you want the girl?"

  "On Lotus Blossom, for now, but lock her up below. I don't want her in my stateroom after she's been on that filthy little ship. Make sure they spray her down for lice before we get there."

  "Yes, Madame."

  "And Wong?"

  "Yes?"

  "Don't touch her — yet. She's not to be harmed until I give the word."

  "I understand. Is there anything else?"

  "Yes. Ms. Berger will no doubt have a professional interest in Lotus Blossom. Before he brings her to me, have Schmidt give her a complete tour. Make sure that she sees every corner. I want her to know beyond a doubt that the girl is not aboard."

  ****

  Sharktooth brought Lightning Bolt to a stop inches from the boarding platform that hung suspended alongside Lotus Blossom. Dani stepped across the small gap with the grace born of experience. She didn't take the implicit offer of assistance from the man in the starched white uniform who stood with his forearm extended slightly in her direction. She acknowledged his tacit offer with a smile and a nod.

  "Good morning, Ms. Berger, and welcome aboard Lotus Blossom. I'm Eric Schmidt, her captain."

  "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Schmidt," Dani said, extending her small, hard hand.

  She noticed that he was careful not to grip her hand as he would a man's, instead taking it in his fingers as if he held a fragile bird. Irritated with his condescension, she squeezed his fingers together, feeling the crepitus as his knuckles were crushed together. Seeing the shock on his face, she grinned and relaxed her grip.

  "Madame Chen just called from the helicopter; she asked me to apologize for her failure to welcome you aboard personally; she'll be here in just a few minutes. She suggested that you might have a professional interest in examining Lotus Blossom in the meantime," he said, flexing his fingers.

  "Actually, I would," Dani said. "She's beautiful. Have you been her master for long?"

  "Yes. I was hired by Madame Chen's father."

  "I see. So you must have known Madame Chen for a long time, then."

  "Since she was a child. I understand that you have a lengthy résumé when it comes to yachting, as well. You've crewed on some famous sailing yachts in the Med, she tells me. And now you have that lovely Herreshoff ketch I've been admiring for several years."

  "Yes," Dani said, wondering how much Chen knew about her background.

&
nbsp; "So, where would you like to start our tour, Ms. Berger?"

  "I'm intrigued by classic motor yachts. I've always sailed. I don't know much about motor yachts, so I want to see it all. Let's start at the shaft log and work our way up to the bridge."

  "As you wish. Come with me." Schmidt led her up the boarding ladder and through a watertight door into a corridor amidships. He opened another watertight door and led her down a narrow, steep ladder into the engine room. He paused and opened a locker, handing her safety glasses and ear protection. Taking a set of earmuffs for himself, he said, "You'll want these when we get to the generator room."

  She put on the protective gear and followed him as he led her into the spotless bowels of the old vessel, opening every locker and door and explaining what was there. Twenty minutes later, they had completed the quick inspection and ended up on the bridge. Looking aft, Dani saw that a small helicopter had landed aboard while they were below.

  "I'll take you to Madame Chen now, Ms. Berger."

  "Thank you, captain. I appreciate the tour, and I commend you on keeping your ship in Bristol fashion."

  He nodded tersely. "Thank you." He turned and gestured for her to precede him through a door in the bulkhead behind the chart table.

  Dani stopped in the short corridor behind the door, admiring the burled walnut paneling. Schmidt tapped lightly on a heavy wooden door.

  "Come in," a woman's voice said, and Schmidt opened the door and stepped aside for Dani to enter.

  Dani took in the lavish appointments as she stepped through the door. She found herself face to face with a gorgeous woman about her own size.

  "Thank you, Schmidt. Leave us, please," the woman said.

  "Ms. Berger, thank you for coming. I'm Marissa Chen." Chen extended her hand, and Dani was pleased with her firm grasp. She felt the calluses along the outer edge of the woman's hand and recognized that they were from the practice of some form of martial art.

  "Thank you for inviting me, Ms. Chen," Dani said, releasing Chen's hand. She studied the woman's smooth, porcelain-like face, wondering how old she was. From what she knew of Chen, she must be in her mid-to-late forties, but she looked of an age with Dani.

  "I apologize for being late. Thank you again for coming. It's so nice to meet another successful business woman."

  Dani nodded. "Apology accepted. It gave me a chance to admire Lotus Blossom."

  "And what do you think of her?"

  "For a motor vessel, she's charming. With the engine shut down, I could forget that she's not a classic sailing yacht."

  "I'll take that as a compliment."

  "Good. I intended it as one. I told Captain Schmidt that I have little sea-time other than under sail. She's a beauty."

  "Thank you. Let's go into the sitting area and get comfortable." Chen turned slightly and walked around a corner, leading Dani out into what could have passed for a Victorian-era sitting room.

  "Please," Chen said, gesturing to a grouping of three wingback chairs.

  As Dani turned to sit down, she felt the caress of soft leather under her hand. Chen took the closest chair to the one Dani had chosen; there was a small, carved teak side table between them. As her hostess sat, Dani caught a flicker of motion in her peripheral vision and turned her head to see a dwarf in a rumpled, white silk suit entering the sitting area from around another corner.

  "Ms. Berger," Chen said, "permit me to introduce my colleague and old friend, Li Wong."

  The short man bowed slightly and murmured, "Ms. Berger."

  "Mr. Wong, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," Dani said.

  "Would you care for some coffee or tea, Ms. Berger?" Chen asked, as Wong stood, waiting.

  "No, thanks," Dani said.

  "Very well, then. Wong, please sit down."

  He took the third chair in the group, leaving Chen positioned between him and Dani.

  "I asked Wong to join us, if that's all right with you. He's my detail man; he keeps me honest, and without him to get things done, I'm not sure how I would cope."

  Dani nodded and smiled, not saying anything while she studied Chen's finely sculpted features. Again, she wondered at the woman's age, thinking she must never let sunlight touch her skin. Wong's face, in contrast, looked like wrinkled saddle leather. With the angle of the light on his face, she noticed the stitches; from experience, she could tell they closed superficial wounds, although they gave him a menacing look. She saw that there was minimal bruising associated with his injuries. Someone had hit him to make him bleed, not to inflict any real damage, she thought.

  As Chen began to describe the charity that she ran to teach young island women the mechanics of running a business, Dani gave the appearance of listening politely while she considered what the real purpose of this meeting might be. After describing how the women were taught the basics of finance and accounting, Chen told her about having them present business plans to her. She funded the ones that she thought had merit, and offered constructive critiques on the ones that needed more work.

  "Do you ever reject any of them outright?" Dani asked.

  "I haven't, yet. But I would, if it were warranted. My intention is to teach them to stand on their own, to think about business the way you and I would, not to give them handouts."

  "How do you see me fitting into this?" Dani asked. "Sounds like you have everything covered."

  "You're a successful businesswoman, an entrepreneur. There's a lot that you could teach them. Besides your accomplishments, you have the academic credentials, and you're from an entrepreneurial background."

  "I'm not sure what you mean by that," Dani said.

  "Well, your mother's family has been in the investment banking business for generations, and she's the managing partner now, so you have a strong businesswoman as a role model."

  Dani smiled at that. Chen didn't know much about her mother.

  "And," Chen continued, "there's your father. I understand he's a successful man, as well. I can't recall just now, though, exactly what business he's in."

  Dani, poker-faced, let the silence hang.

  "Was it yachting?" Chen asked, finally.

  "He's a yachtsman, yes," Dani said, hiding a smile at the edge of frustration she sensed in the other woman's tone of voice.

  "I don't know if that's where he made his money," Chen finally said, pausing again.

  Dani didn't respond.

  "Would you be interested in mentoring one of our young women?" Chen asked, at last, frustrated by Dani's refusal to be drawn out.

  "I'll consider it," Dani said. "When you have something specific, some particular person in mind, give me a call."

  "Very well," Chen said. "Now that our business is cleared up, I wanted to ask how your guest, Mr. Savage, is coping. Is there news of his daughter?"

  "No, not really," Dani said. "But he did ask me to thank you, Mr. Wong, for your attempt to rescue her. That was kind of you. I gather your wounds are the result; it was brave of you to take such a risk to help Cynthia."

  "She's an impressive girl," Wong said. "She escaped once. Perhaps she'll escape again."

  "I heard that one of your crew was injured, as well," Dani said. "I hope I'll get the opportunity to give him Mr. Savage's personal thanks."

  "I'm sure you will," Chen said. "We'll see that you do; Riley — that's the man — is the first mate. He can run you back to your yacht in a bit. Is Mr. Savage still with you? Perhaps Riley could meet him."

  "No, he's left us," Dani said. "He needed to go back to the States to deal with this."

  "Has he heard from the kidnappers?" Chen asked.

  "Yes," Dani said.

  "And what are their demands?" Wong asked.

  "I'm not at all sure," Dani said. "He's a typical lawyer; he keeps his cards close to his vest."

  "I see," Chen said. "May I offer you an early lunch, so that we can continue our chat?"

  "That's kind of you, Ms. Chen. Perhaps another time. I have some things that require my attention, now that ou
r current charter seems to have come to an unexpected end."

  "Well, thank you for your time, Ms. Berger. I'll call you one of these days when the right project comes along. Wong, call Riley and have him take Ms. Berger back to Vengeance."

  "Yes, Madame," Wong said, standing up, and reaching for a telephone.

  Chen rose to her feet and extended a hand to Dani. "Thank you again, Ms. Berger. It was a pleasure meeting with you."

  Dani stood up and shook her hand again, and Chen excused herself.

  There was a tap on the door and Wong opened it, revealing a burly man in starched whites with his right arm in a sling. His left arm, heavy with bandages, hung at his side.

  "Ms. Berger, meet Mr. Riley, our first mate. Riley, this is Ms. Berger; she's the captain of the yacht the girl was on."

  "Good to meet you, Mr. Riley," Dani said.

  "And you, ma'am."

  "Ed Savage, the girl's father, wanted me to extend his thanks for your assistance to Cynthia."

  "Weren't nothin'," the man said, with a gap-toothed grin. He ran his eyes up and down Dani's slim figure, nodding his head, making it obvious that he liked what he saw.

  "Too bad you were injured so badly," she said. "Must cramp your style with the ladies."

  He chuckled. "Few cuts on my arms, is all. Little bastard coulda done me some damage the ladies woulda noticed with that razor of his. Seen him do it before, but I'm okay."

  "Well, it's too bad," Dani said, her ambiguous remark lost on the oaf. She had seen Wong's eyes narrow when Riley had referred to the little bastard and his razor.

  "He's probably going to lose the use of that right arm," Wong said.

  "That's a shame," Dani said.

  "Well, hon, I got the tender ready. Let's go for a ride," Riley said, gesturing for her to precede him through the door into the corridor.

  She stepped into the corridor and went through the door onto the bridge deck. Before Riley caught up with her, she stepped out onto the port wing of the bridge and let out a piercing whistle. By the time Riley and Wong reached her, Lightning Bolt was bobbing alongside the boarding platform.

  "Kind of you to offer, gentlemen, but I have my own transportation. Watch out for the little bastards with razors, Riley. I hear they can be vicious. A guy like you might have something to lose. Outward appearance can be deceptive."