Clint Faraday Collection C: Murder in Motion Collector's Edition

by Moulton, CD

  “No. I haven’t heard from Sergio. He might have figured I’d like for Nando to be where I can see him.”

  They chatted, then Clint called Manny, who said he had some fairly complete reports about part of it, but not so much what it was about. He knew a very important mine was closed down.

  “The missiles?”

  “Uh-huh. It was a wild scheme that could have ended up with a lot of people hurt, but in the old Soviet block.”

  “Clint! Do NOT become involved with those people! They’re crazy!”

  “So Ivan said. I was involved, like it or not.”

  “I’m glad to hear that you were involved. No more?”

  “Not really. They get in worse trouble if they come after me than they do if they cut their loses. They’ll be ‘way too busy trying to survive than to worry about me. I think, from what I learned, that two weeks and it would have gotten really hairy for some people.”

  “I see. They would have been able to convert a missile in two more weeks?”

  “If I’ve figured the process right, about that.”

  “It’s stopped?”

  Clint thought, then answered, “I think they’ll all be looking for a way out. Nando is back in Bocas Town. I think I can defuse another piece of it through him. Those people are crazy. They’re not stupid.”

  They talked a little more. It broke up the boredom of yet another three hour bus ride.

  Clint decided not to stay in David. He got off the bus and went to the Hotel Porto del Sol to become Clint Faraday again, then caught the bus for Bocas. It was an uneventful trip, though Clint got a bit of a feeling of deja vu when they passed the Rambala Road. He talked with several people in Chiriqui Grande, then went on to Almirante and home. Judi greeted him and came over with coffee, but he said what he wanted was a couple of Balboas, then a little rest, then a meeting with Nando – after getting updated by Sergio.

  Not a lot was on his comp. He cleaned up the whole thing, then went to the police station to chat with Sergio. Things were maintaining a sort of nervous peace. He asked about the yacht that had been there for several days (That kind of stuff is handled by the police, checking visas and so forth) and was told they were a bunch of French and Belgium tourists who had left, then gone to Chiriqui Grande for two days, then were sailing for Europe.

  That set off bells! “Stop that boat! Get Interpol and the coast guard and anyone else you can in on it! I have to call, a friend,” Clint cried.

  “What’s on that boat?” Sergio asked, looking shocked.

  “Nuclear fuel.”

  “Shit! For real?” Sergio seldom used anything any stronger than “Maldición!” (Literally, “Bad Word!”)

  “I think so. We may be able to stop this before it gets out of hand.”

  He went into the front room and called a friend who was an undercover agent for Interpol. He quickly explained what he knew and what he suspected. Manolo said they couldn’t do anything until the yacht came into a national area, but he would have it watched every inch of the way to be sure they didn’t transfer anything to anybody. It could be done through the satellites.

  Clint went back in and talked a bit more with Sergio. He suggested that he would talk with Nando, then might want him held for ID check or something. Sergio said they could hold him on a very solid charge of suspicion of homicide. Clint agreed that was fairly well set so long as it wasn’t a direct charge. He was suspected.

  He went into town and to the Laguna where Nando was staying. Nando was sitting on the porch and called to Clint as he approached. Clint went to sit across from him.

  There was a short silence, then Nando said, “How much do you know?”

  “All of it, now, I think.”

  Nando smiled. “I don’t think you have a hint of what it’s about. It’s not what you think.”

  “Nuclears. Two factions who want control of an area. Bad news if either gets the top hand for everyone in the area.”

  He looked surprised. “We were warned to keep you out of it.”

  “The bit with the rednecks. You or them?”

  “Them, if it matters. They acted on the word of a person who was reporting to both sides. He has disappeared. It was stupid beyond belief that they involved the Indios.

  “Tell me, would you have even cared if that wasn’t done?”

  “I wouldn’t have asked anymore about it. If something else brought it up I would’ve gone after it.”

  “I wonder if they got enough of the product out to accomplish more than threats.”

  “They haven’t yet delivered it to the European connection. It won’t arrive.”

  That was even more of a shocker, it appeared. Nando stared at him without speaking. He was suddenly sweating.

  “Your silly dodge with the yacht was as stupid as the other distractions meant to head me off.”

  “I see.”

  “You’re, as Frandrev said about his own case, a walking dead man, aren’t you?”

  He looked like he was about to cry. “I have to get out!”

  “As Gregor also said, it’s part of the trade. You knew that from the start.”

  “You have to help me! They’ll kill me!”

  “What? You hire yourself out as a killer, then want to cry when it’s your turn? It’s what you signed up for. There isn’t a way out.”

  Nando was staring at the table top when Clint got up and walked out. Sergio was in front of the China. Clint waved and shook his head. If Sergio arrested him now and held him it would be his responsibility when he was killed. Clint had finally learned to be pragmatic where these kinds of people were concerned. If they were lucky Nando would leave and never arrive somewhere else.

  Now it was time to wait again. Clint didn’t believe for one short second this was over. They would try the same stunt somewhere else if they weren’t stopped here and now.

  Just a Distraction

  “Clint, you’ve started a firestorm. It’s lucky it won’t be here to any extent,” Manny reported. “Would you believe those cruds tried to get my old organization to help them?

  “I mean, Ruskies? We’d have anything to do with them – particularly when what they wanted was for us to hit some others who were helping them? Gimme a break!”

  “I think we have a little more to go,” Clint warned. “Don’t let out the least hint you know anything at all about it, other than I went all over hell an...!”

  “What?”

  “I just thought of something I said on the comarca fifty or a hundred years ago, or so it seems, when I got drawn into this.

  “I’ll be damned!”

  “What?”

  “I told some people I’d see them in hell.”

  “The rednecks?”

  “Uh-huh. Some things just clicked.”

  “They’re gone. I kept a very close eye on them. They’re what they appeared to be.”

  “Exactly! They’re what they appeared to be.”

  There was a pause, then, “Don’t do that.”

  “Oh. They appeared to be inordinately stupid gringo rednecks.”

  “And that’s what they are.”

  “Another something to stop me from finding the real source of the problem.”

  “Two factions from the old Soviet Union who were trying to grab control over each other. That ain’t it?”

  “Oh, I suppose it was, at least in their own minds.”

  “It’s better if I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about?”

  “It’s a lot safer for your family. Those people are capable of anything.”

  He could picture Manny looking thoughtful and nodding. They chatted a minute or two more, then Clint rang off. He would wait until the yacht was stopped and the uranium seized before making a phone call.

  What to do in the meantime?

  He got his boat and he, Ben, Earl and Judi went fishing.

  “Hi, Clint!” Fredrico, a friend from Almirante called from his boat as he was passing. Clint had gone to the Lemon Grass wi
th Judi, Ben and Earl for dinner the night before. Clint met a girl from Australia and they spent the night together. Clint was laying in the hammock on his deck with coffee. Anita had gone with friends to take a tour of the islands and to snorkel off the Crawl Key end of Bastimentos. He returned the greeting.

  Judi had finished watering her orchids and had called that she was going into Bocas Town for a meeting of the community watch group. Ben and Earl came by and knocked on the door. Clint called to “Come in!” and they came out onto the dock. Earl grinned at Clint and Ben said he should wear clothes when he was around. He drove him crazy.

  “You and Earl serious?” Clint asked.

  “Semi. It could work. He’s wild and fantastic in bed, but he has to go back to his job in Phoenix next week. We just stopped to say hi and to tell Judi that Nando sneaked out last night.”

  “She’s at the community center.”

  “We know. We saw her when we were leaving. I just wanted to show Earl what I have to put up with. You always dress – or don’t dress – like that and keep turning me down.”

  “Not my bag.”

  “Nobody says that anymore.”

  “I do!”

  The computer dinged that he had a message. He sighed and went in. He usually didn’t bother, but he was waiting for a message.

  Done. M. Rpt fndg ltr.

  Manolo. They’d stopped the yacht. He’d let Clint know what they found as soon as he knew.

  Clint thought, then decided to wait. He wanted all the facts when he made the phone call.

  “Important?” Ben asked when he went back out to his deck.

  “Yes and no. It’s what I expected.”

  “Want to go out in your boat? I’d like to show Earl a few of the islands close. Maybe I can convince him to move here and make me settle down.”

  “I have to wait for a couple more things. You can take the boat. It’s right there. The keys are on the peg.”

  “I knew you’d do that! I’ll fill it.”

  Clint nodded. Ben went back to his place to get their bathing suits and gear. Clint chatted with him. When Ben was gone he said, “Is it serious with Ben or are you just to distract me?”

  “It’s gotten serious. I am gay and Ben is one hell of a nice guy as well as as good a lover as I’ve ever known. I also love this place. The people are the best.”

  “You job’s terminated, you know.”

  “No, I didn’t know. I received my last report late yesterday. I suspected things had caved.”

  “They stopped the yacht.”

  He nodded. “I’m not in deep enough to be in any real trouble. Let them think I’ve got you fooled?”

  “If you’re honest with Ben about the emotional thing, no problem. Don’t ever mess with my friends or involve them in this kind of crap.”

  “I’ve learned enough that I take that as a very strong and honest warning. I think I like Ben too much, but it either will or won’t happen. I swear he won’t be in any danger.”

  Clint nodded. Ben came back in carrying the stuff. Earl said Ben was right. He couldn’t seduce Clint either. They were laughing as they got into the boat.

  Clint dressed as much as he ever did in Bocas Town and went to chat with people at the Golden Grill, then to go to the Rosa Blanca for some farmacia needs, then to the China, then back home about eleven thirty to deep fry some breaded shrimp and French fries. Except the French fries were yuca. He hung around for about two hours, fixing this and that around the place before the comp dinged.

  2/3 M CM. Done.

  They found the uranium. they had 2/3 enough to make a bomb.

  The comp dinged again. Turn on your phone.

  Clint checked the cell phone. It was totally discharged, so he plugged in the charger and called Manolo.

  “Just wanted to fill you in. There was resistance and the regular people couldn’t go aboard. They were followed and a small boat came alongside. Some men came out on deck with AK-47's and threatened them. The last thing they learned in life was that you don’t threaten people with automatic weapons if they have them too and don’t wait for you to make the first move. They boarded, there was some shooting, then they went back to their boat and left. They waved for the, er, police officials to go on aboard. They found the stuff and a few other things.

  “So! How are things in, as you were overheard to say, Glock-amora?”

  “Say something intelligent and it fades away before the words are out. Say something stupid and it’s there for the rest of your life,” Clint replied. “Where did the little boat come from?”

  “We don’t know. They did us a favor and we won’t ask.”

  They chatted awhile, then Clint decided to make his call. He hesitated before he punched the number, then called Manny instead.

  “You have anything to do with a bit of a minor shootout in the Atlantic a couple of hours ago?”

  “It was five and a half hours ago and to what doest thou refer thus and thusly?”

  “Thanks from about six governments around the world. Did you ever learn anything about any of the others involved in this crap?”

  “Not really. They’re very adept at hiding their trails.”

  Clint told him they found the stuff. He knew it. They talked a minute, then Clint made the call. To Armakov.

  “Hi! Surprised Eladio didn’t answer! How are things?”

  There was a silence.

  “You there?”

  “Clint. What, I mean, you caught me off guard. People seldom do. You are a very surprising man it would seem.”

  “You had to know I’d figure that out. I just want to know what the real motive is. Or was.”

  “To stop them. I told you that.”

  “Good enough! Now the rest of it.”

  “To get my hands on the uranium. You seem to have prevented that.”

  “Nobody needs that kind of thing.”

  “It would only be for our protection.”

  “At first, maybe. In a few more months or years someone would want to do to others as others almost did to them and it would be the same thing, just another one at the top. You know it.”

  “There wasn’t yet enough to make the device. That is the thing that would not be explained.”

  “But the threat, not the actual device, was the power play.”

  Armokov sighed. “I have worried about that. Perhaps it is better if things remain the way they are, as bad as they are. It would probably only get worse.”

  “I’m afraid it will, anyhow. That’s ingrained in the psychology of the area and no one’s trying to change that.”

  He sighed again. “True. Sad, but true.”

  “It’s over. Stop the psychology here. That will be a start.”

  “But time is extremely limited. You don’t know the plans many have. There are those in Panamá as well who plot and plan. There are those in Brazil and Ghana and Egypt and Germany and England and Australia and any other place you care to name. I fear civilization as we know it is very near to extinction.”

  “I agree. I don’t care to be part of that.”

  “You, as an Indio, can go into the jungle and escape the horrors to come. We in the cities of the world cannot. It is something we, as a race, do to ourselves.”

  “That’s the thing none of you will actually accept. You say it as rhetoric, that’s all. You do it to yourselves.”

  Armakov sighed again. “That is true. Hasta lluego.” He hung up.

  Back With Friends

  Clint sipped the coffee and took a bite of the hojaldre, then waved at Judi. She waved back and called that she had some news. He said he’d be over later.

  After taking care of the things around his house he checked over the boat. He would go out later anyhow so put his gear in the boat and went to Judi’s deck dock. She told him that Nando was supposed to go straight to Changuinola, had left Almirante and no one had seen or heard a word from him since.

  Clint wondered if he had enough savvy to be able to disappear himsel
f or if others had caused the disappearance. As stated several times, he knew the rules when he got in the game. To sit around crying about it when it didn’t go your way was to sit around and cry about it when you’d lost. There was one way out of that and that was to die. Clint held no sympathy for the type.

  Earl came by to say he and Ben had a sort of promissory deal. He would go back to the states and would quit his job, take care of unfinished business, then move here. If things worked out the way they seemed headed he would be a permanent fixture around the place. He swore again that Ben wouldn’t ever be in any danger.

  “I have some things to guarantee they’ll leave me alone. I’m not important enough to be in deep. It’ll be better to let me out than to face what can happen. It’s because of family. I’m in it at all because my father was. They were the only ones I was ever around until I got a job and worked with other people. I didn’t even know there were good people in the world before that. I didn’t know I was gay, either. I thought everybody felt the things I felt. They just never acted on it and never talked about it because they’d be ostracized if they did. It took a guy where I worked to show me the reality of the world.

  “Anyhow, I’m really happy here. Nobody cares if I’m gay or straight or bi.

  “I might be bi. Ben is, if not much. We dated girls twice and I really did have a good time and I really did like the sex, it just isn’t the kind of thing I like best. No girl makes me go weak in the knees and Ben and a couple of others had that effect on me.

  “What I’m saying is that Ben and I will be a couple. Maybe not exclusive, but maybe.”

  “I wish you all the luck in the world,” Clint replied. “Ben’s a good person. A lot of people here are. I think you’ll fit.”

  They chatted, then Earl went back to Ben’s. Clint called Manny, who didn’t have anything new and hoped he never did about that bunch. If they never came up again in any way it would be fine with him. Dave called and said he was going up the coast. Did Clint want to go?

  No. Clint wanted to stay right there for at least a week. No headaches and no buses or boats.

  Manolo called and said both bunches of the nuclear deal were neutralized and wouldn’t ever have a chance to do anything like it again. He had no doubt they’d try.