by S A Monk
Kurt had the photographs she and Nick had taken the night before laid out on his big desk as the meeting got underway. Hanna was elated with how well they had come out. They clearly showed the faces of the four men in the first two speedboats; the ones that had come into the bay with the heroin. They were all of Asian descent.
The two DEA agents bent over the desk and sorted through the first grouping, but they failed to recognize any of the delivery men. Kurt brought forth the next set of photographs; the ones taken of the pick-up men and their boats. To Hanna’s delight, there was even a clear image of a registration number on one of the boats. For the most part, the faces of the men in the boats were clearly identifiable, as well. One in particular looked vaguely familiar to Hanna. He resembled the man who had stopped to help her with her flat tire several weeks ago.
When she pointed that out, Web Montel said he recognized the man, too. He even knew his name. According to the DEA agent, he rode with a club that had a reputation for violence, crime, and drug dealing.
Web explained that besides going undercover into various biker gangs that were engaged in illegal activities, he was also a member of a legitimate motorcycle club. He admitted he wasn’t simply “in costume.” His enthusiasm for motor bikes immediately led to a short conversation about Nick’s new Harley. After that, the topic returned to the issue at hand.
“Those of us who love the life don’t like the guys giving us a bad rep,” he stated. “A lot of the bikers in this guy’s club hang out and live along the Hood Canal. Yancy’s Bar and Grill is a popular meeting place for many of them. Masters, himself, is an old Angel— a no-good one, with a long criminal record of violence and drug dealing, though he’s been clean, on paper at least, for a long while. We’ve actually been keepin’ an eye on him for some time. The DEA suspect he’s involved with some bigger fish. He’s used to peddling small stuff, marijuana and amphetamines. If he’s connected with the Triad, and it looks like he might be, then we’ve got one hell of a nasty operation going on in your little neck of the woods, Colonel.”
Seth Haru agreed. “I’ve been working in Vancouver’s Chinatown for a while, and word has it, the head of this branch of the Triad has just set up residence somewhere in the region. He’s been running things from Indonesia, but I hear that he decided his operation needed more direct supervision because business was growing so fast.” The agent reached into a leather portfolio he had on the desk, and pulled out an 8x10 photograph. The only person who registered any reaction was Nick.
“Li Chen!” His face darkened with anger. “I thought the bastard never left the Triangle.”
It’s reputed he won’t enter the United States, legally or illegally. That’s why he’s operating out of Canada. We haven’t been able to get any good information about where he’s set up house. What do you know about him, Colonel Kelly?”
“I killed his brother in Thailand two years ago. My unit was involved in a joint campaign with some of your agents. We shut down a series of opium fields and processing laboratories in some of the more remote regions of Indonesia, Bangkok, and even Hong Kong. Some of the raw product was from Afghanistan. Chen’s brother was overseeing the operation in Thailand and the shipment of the refined stuff out of the country. When we raided one of his plants near Bangkok, he and Li Chen were there. Li got away. His brother didn’t.”
Nick rarely talked about the specifics of any of his missions. Hanna envisioned him in the scenario he’d just painted. It frightened her to think how often his life was at risk. He had such a perilous job, such a dangerous lifestyle. She rarely let herself dwell on it. Long ago, she had learned to lock away her fears for him. His life truly was always in the hands of God.
“I got the registry number and country of origin off the freighter that brought the stuff in last night,” Kurt told them, pointing to one of his photographs taken from atop the Vancouver Point lighthouse. “It’s registered out of South Korea. I checked this morning with the port authorities. It docked late last night in Seattle. Customs searched the freighter, and found a variety of imports— furniture, food, clothing, etc. Nothing illegal.”
“Sure. They dropped all of that off out there in the Strait,” Nick reminded him.
“Did you see those speed boats unloading the freighter?” Hanna asked Kurt.
The agent nodded. “I was able to get a pretty good look with the help of some special equipment,” he confirmed.
“Well, now we know that they were unloading heroin.”
“It’s not quite that simple, Doctor Wallace,” Seth answered her. “And we don’t want the delivery guys right now. We want the suppliers. Then we’ll round up the mules.”
All the men apparently agreed with that strategy. But Hanna didn’t. “A young high school girl died a week ago of heroin overdose,” she reminded them crisply. “It probably came from the smugglers we saw last night— Yancy Masters and his Triad buddies. And what about Dylan? One of those mules probably killed him when he caught them hauling up those cylinders full of heroin. And Lance? They might have killed him, too, because he saw something he shouldn’t have. How many people have to die before you arrest someone?”
Kurt and the other two agents gave her sympathetic looks. “What good would it do us to arrest the middle men? The Triad would have new guys peddling the stuff within a day or two.”
Nick reached over and covered her fisted hand with his. “It’s better to get the guys bringing it into this country, rather than just the scum here who peddle it, Hanna.”
“But that young girl, my brother, and maybe yours have died because of all this. Someone has to answer for it!”
“They will,” Nick promised her, his gaze reassuring and determined.
“Look, folks,” Web said, rising to his feet to stand beside Seth. “We’ve got to go for now. But we’ll work with you on this. We’ll find out what we can, and get back to you, as soon as possible.”
“Thanks for the help so far,” Nick told them, standing to shake the hands of the two DEA agents. “The info you’ve given me today was extremely valuable.”
“Good.” The two men walked to the door. “Glad to help, especially if it will put a faction of the Triad out of business for a while. We’ll see what we can dig up on Chen’s whereabouts, Colonel.” Seth Haru looked to Kurt. “I’ll keep in touch with you through Web. I’ll be going deep for a while.” Both men then turned to Hanna. “Nice meeting you, Doctor Wallace.”
“Take care, Mr. Haru,” Hanna said earnestly.
KURT TOOK HANNA AND NICK back to Elliott Bay Marina, where the Emerald Mermaid was docked. The wooden sloop was moored in the last slip, and because it was a public dock, it was always full on the weekends, particularly in the summer. Hanna considered herself extremely lucky to have gotten a slip earlier that morning.
Kurt came onboard with them and sat down on the white leather upholstered seat that curved around the aft deck, directly behind the big brass steering wheel. After checking his preference, Hanna got him a bottle of beer and herself a soda from the cooler, while Nick went downstairs to shower and dress for dinner.
A half hour later, he returned, dressed in a pair of tan slacks, another of his polo shirts, and a cream-colored sport jacket. He looked mouthwateringly gorgeous.
“The head is all yours,” he informed Hanna as he twisted the cap off his bottle of beer and sat down next to Kurt.
“I’ll try to hurry,” she replied, reluctant to get up and walk away from Nick.
“Don’t,” Kurt advised. “Trisha doesn’t expect us for another half hour or so.”
Hanna took a little extra time dressing. They were going to Kurt’s for dinner, and it was almost like a real date with Nick. She wanted to look pretty for him. Actually, she wanted to look unforgettable, but she didn’t think that was possible being the ordinary woman that she was.
When she reappeared on deck twenty minutes later, she was wearing a white cotton eyelet sundress with a tucked in waist and full skirt. With its wide-strapp
ed halter top and scooped neckline, it highlighted the tan she had acquired the past week working outdoors with Nick. She wore a pair of red wedge-heeled sandals that added an additional three inches to her height. She was also wearing the jade earrings and necklace Nick had given her. The pendant hung on a delicate gold chain around her neck. It was a heart within a heart. From the moment he’d sent it to her, she’d wondered if he’d meant anything by choosing such a symbol. For her, it had meant hope. Hope that someday his heart and hers would be joined.
The moment she stepped out onto the aft deck, the men halted their conversation in mid-sentence and simply stared at her. Kurt gave her a quick smile of appreciation, then looked at his friend’s shell-shocked expression and chuckled. Hanna did the same, but she wasn’t laughing, or even smiling.
Nick wasn’t aware of anything but the woman standing in front of him. She rendered him speechless, she was so lovely. For such a shy, unpretentious woman, she had an unexpected eye for clothes that inconspicuously set off her fantastic figure. This dress contoured her shape to perfection. His eyes dropped to her red sandals. With their wedged heels, they made her long shapely legs go on and on forever. His gaze traveled slowly back up her figure, taking measure of every one of her slender curves. He wanted to touch her so badly, he had to jam his hands into his pant pockets. Damn, it was going to a tough evening, at least until he could get her back here alone! Barring any unexpected developments, he had plans for their night together aboard her boat.
Hanna shifted nervously under the men’s silent scrutiny. “Are you guys ready to go?”
Kurt got up and started out ahead of them. Nick stood and captured Hanna’s elbow, stopping her for a moment before she could follow. “You’re going to drive me crazy all night, Doctor, but you look gorgeous,” he murmured into her ear, against her silky soft hair. His fingertips slid down one bare arm, caught her hand and held on firmly as they headed off the sloop and after Kurt.
The Palmers’ two-story condominium was not far from the marina. There was a great view of Elliot Bay from the upper floor living room and the balcony beyond it. Kurt’s wife, Trisha, had set the table on the patio, so the four of them could enjoy the warm evening while they ate. By the time they arrived, dinner was ready and waiting. Kurt poured everyone a glass of wine before they went outside to eat.
As it turned out, Hanna knew Kurt’s wife. She had worked with Trisha at Harbor View Medical Center when she’d been a resident doctor there, several years ago. They hadn’t seen each other since, but they got caught up quickly as they recalled mutual acquaintances.
Hanna had always liked Trisha. She was a dedicated skilled ER nurse, and they had always been able to talk to one another easily, without the status interference that often hindered her relationships with other female hospital employees. Most of the nurses Hanna worked with were deferential to her because she was a doctor and head of ER. Her quiet demeanor probably didn’t help. She’d never found it easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger or casual acquaintance. Trisha had been different; easy to talk to, naturally friendly and unpretentious. It was a pleasure to renew their friendship.
It was also a rare pleasure to spend the evening with Nick in a purely social setting. Casually and repeatedly, he seemed to find dozens of different and subtle ways to touch her all through dinner and afterward.
When the meal was finished, Trisha served dessert, and by the time, they finished that, it had gotten dark outside. Their hostess lit the candles on the table and around the patio, and they remained for a while, drinking more wine and talking. With his glass in one hand, Nick slipped his arm around Hanna’s bare shoulders, checking to see if she was warm enough. His nearness and his persistent attention plus several glasses of excellent wine all worked a sweet magic on her senses.
When they finally got up to go inside to the living room, Nick steered Hanna to the sofa to sit next to him. Utterly relaxed, she kicked off her sandals and tucked her legs beneath her. Curled under the arm he draped over her shoulders, they exchanged conversation with Trisha and Kurt and indulged in more wine. Nick’s fingertips strayed to her nape, under her softly curled blonde hair, to absently stroke the back of her neck. From there, his hand found its way to the curve of her upper arm. She was wearing a strapless bra, so when he slipped his fingers under the strap of her dress, he encountered nothing but bare skin.
She could feel the momentary surprise in his touch and the inclination to explore more deliberately, but gentleman that he was, he refrained, settling for simply nudging her closer to his side until she was practically sitting on his lap, which was exactly where she’d wanted to be all evening.
By ten o’clock, all the snuggling and the wine were making her feel lightheaded and sleepy. Nick saw her eyelids drooping.
“Looks like it’s time to go,” he announced with a chuckle. “Maybe we should walk back to the boat to sober you up, Doctor.”
She smiled lazily up at him, then pulled her legs out from under her to slip into her red sandals. “Probably, but not in these high heels. My balance has deteriorated, I’m afraid.”
“It’s a gorgeous night for a walk in the moonlight,” Trisha said, watching the two of them. “If you’d like to walk home, I’ll lend you a pair of my flip-flops, Hanna. I think our feet are about the same size.”
“It’s eight blocks to the marina!” Kurt pointed out as if they were all nuts. “And I didn’t see a moon. It’s pretty dark out there.”
“But it’s a safe neighborhood and a short eight blocks,” Trisha corrected, sending her husband a look that said ‘hush.’
Hanna decided she liked the idea of walking. She was a little drunk, and walking through the park with Nick sounded very romantic. “That would be great, Trisha. I’ll make sure you get your shoes back before we leave tomorrow.”
Once Nick and Hanna departed, Kurt looked at his wife, perplexed. “What was that all about? I could have driven them back to their boat.”
“Romance,” his wife answered, leaning back against the closed door. “Didn’t you see how badly those two need to get together?”
“Nick says they’re friends— have been since they were kids, although....” Kurt speculated with a frown, then a half grin. “He did seem a bit infatuated with the Doctor.”
“Oh, he’s definitely infatuated,” his wife stated with conviction. “I’ll bet they won’t be just friends much longer.”
THE NIGHT WAS UTTERLY SEDUCTIVE. Muted by the glow of the city lights, the stars were tiny twinkling points, distant, but enchanting, nevertheless. There was just a sliver of new moon, not enough to illuminate much. That was left to the lights in the harbor and the post lamps in the waterfront park they strolled through. The sounds of traffic could be heard in the distance, but it wasn’t loud enough to drown out the sounds of water lapping against the shoreline and the tinkling bells on the marker buoys in the bay. It all blended to create a seductive symphony.
Nick was as silent as Hanna as he walked beside her down the park sidewalk. He had taken off his jacket and put it over her shoulders. She wasn’t the least bit chilled, but she loved being wrapped in his fragrance. His coat held the scent of his body, mixed with his exotic cologne. His arm was draped around her shoulders, and her arm was hooked around his waist.
Being anchored to his side, under the stars and the moon, was sheer heaven for Hanna. They’d never had a real date, not like this. He might leave her in a week or two. She might not see him for another two or three years, but tonight he was here, beside her, and she was going to make the most of it.
She’d already made up her mind that if he wanted to sleep with her tonight, she’d let him. She wanted him to. She just didn’t know how to let him know, inexperienced as she was.
At the marina, they headed toward the end of the pier and the Emerald Mermaid. An uneven board caught the open toe of Hanna’s flip flop, causing her to trip and nearly fall.
Nick caught her elbow and steadied her. “You can’t hold your wine t
oo well, Doctor.”
“No. Apparently not,” she giggled. “I don’t drink much.”
“No kidding.”
To Hanna’s surprise, there was a touch of disgruntlement in his voice.
At the boat, he helped her step over the side. A gust of wind blew her skirt up above her knees in the process. She thought she saw him give her legs a scowl.
At the door to the cabin below deck, Hanna had to dig into her tiny purse to find the key. When she finally recovered it, she looked up to find Nick staring at her, a pensive frown wrinkling his brow. His silver-gray eyes were narrowed, picking up the lights from the harbor like tiny pinpoints. Hanna stood before him, hesitantly and expectantly, not sure what to think about his sudden shift in mood and a little too intoxicated to figure it out.
She adjusted her glasses and tilted her head to see him better. “Nick? Is something wrong?”
His large hands traveled slowly up her bare arms, then down again. She shivered. One hand caught her wrist and the other curled around the back of her neck. His fingertips brushed the fine hairs at the nape, while his thumb traced the upraised angle of her jaw, from chin to earlobe.
He fingered the jade earring in one ear, and then traced the delicate gold chain to the heart-shaped pendant resting below the hollow of her throat. She knew her pulse was hammering wildly there. She could feel its quickened tempo.
“Hanna….”
His voice was husky, raspy, and yet he made her name sound like the sweetest music. With her head tilted back, she closed her eyes and swayed dizzily toward him, anticipating the melting touch of his lips. Hers parted eagerly.
But the only touch her lips received was the light brush of his fingertips— a soft butterfly stroke that traced their shape. Her eyes flew open. She knew she couldn’t hide the disappointment in them.
“Aw, Hanna.... Another time, when you’re... sober.”
She saw his reluctance to kiss her as a rejection, and damn, it hurt! He thought she was too drunk to even kiss, let alone make love to? She was too humiliated to even look at him. With a muttered “fine”, she whirled around to unlock the door to the cabin. After yanking it open, she took a deep breath to control her momentary dizziness, then carefully descended the stairs, into the darkness below.