by Matt Lincoln
“In all fairness, she was a mess when I brought her here,” Holm interjected. “I was about to ask the same thing.”
Bonnie sighed. “She’s better. Rosa is helping to keep her calm. Header has been raising hell, trying to get us the information we need. He made the mystery trip out with Rosa and Doc but came back saying it was a false alarm. We’re not a hell of a lot closer to finding her brother, but we’re sure as hell trying.”
“I wish this were moving faster,” I muttered. It was incredibly frustrating not to be able to get results. I was at least glad to see that this pool party wasn’t as much of a party as it sounded like.
“You and me both, Marston.” Header came up from behind Bonnie and clapped me on the shoulder. “How’s your injury?”
“It’ll be fine,” I replied offhandedly. “It’ll leave a decent scar and make for a cool story one day.”
Header chuckled. “That sounds about right. Want a drink?” He headed over to the kitchen, and I noticed the glass in his hand was empty.
“You know what? I’m good, thanks.” I walked over to the kitchen island and grabbed a small chunk of what looked like cheddar cheese to pop into my mouth.
“Come join us outside,” he called out, his back still toward us. “The sun helps me think more clearly.”
“Do you think I can leave my shirt on?” I teased. “Or is there a shirtless rule?”
Header turned to face me, his glass replenished, a couple of ice cubes clinking against the glass as they floated in the amber liquid. He flexed his defined chest muscles a couple of times before belting out a laugh.
“Come on,” he replied, ushering us both out through the living room. “Stop taking life so seriously.”
Outside, the sun baked the tiles, which reflected the heat back up at us. Holm grabbed two chairs off to the side and swung them over to where Doc and Header were sitting. I once again stole a glance toward Alejandra. She offered me a small smile and a wave, and Rosa did the same. I returned the gesture as I took my seat, noticing that Alejandra’s eyes lingered on me a bit longer than Rosa’s had.
Feeling a bit overdressed next to the other guys, I sat back and sank into the chair. It felt good to sit back and do nothing, even if it was only for a fleeting moment.
“So,” Header said after taking his first sip, “how d'you fare out there?”
“We know the cocaine is apparently the connective tissue in all of this,” I muttered, my eyes closed against the sunlight. “That’s about it.”
“Well, I could have told you that,” he muttered. I shot him a sharp look.
“That would have been useful information to share,” I pointed out.
“Sorry,” he replied very unapologetically, “I needed to see it through first.”
“See what through?” Holm asked, the irritation apparent in his voice. “You haven’t told us anything.”
“I know.” Header sat forward and rested his elbows on his knees, swirling the ice around in his glass. “I told you before, I don’t want anyone getting in my way. This is personal for me.”
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Beside him, Doc’s fists clenched. “When you make it personal, that’s when things go wrong.”
“Ahh…” Header waved Doc off, which only angered him more. “It’s not that kind of personal.”
“Oh, excuse me,” Doc replied after upturning his beer bottle to empty it. He stood up and looked down at Header. “I didn’t realize there were different levels of personal.” He stomped off into the house, presumably to get more beer.
“What the hell was that about?” I asked, looking over at Header.
He waved me off, too. “Doc has given me crap before about taking on cases that hit a bit too close to home. He said it takes away my objectivity, leaves room for errors.” Holm snorted next to me, which got Header’s attention. “I take it you can relate?”
“Yeah,” Holm retorted. “We’ve given Marston that same line in the past. It’s true. When you’re too close to a case, it clouds your judgment.”
Header looked over at me, but I simply shrugged. “That does sound vaguely familiar.”
“I can see why you two are such great friends, then,” Doc commented as he walked back outside with a new frosty bottle of beer.
“Agreed,” Holm added. “They’ll never change.”
Header’s eyes darkened. “This isn’t over some woman. I made a promise to the man that I’d help him, and I’ll be damned if anyone gets in my way.”
“Woman or no woman, personal investment clouds your judgment.” Doc sat back in his seat, resigned to the fact that his point would never get through to Header. He shook his head and sipped his beer, wiping the condensation from his goatee when he was done.
“So, what do you propose I do?” Header snapped at Doc.
Doc looked at him as if the answer was staring him in the face. “Let them help, you idiot,” he replied calmly. “You have people here, and you’re not letting them help.”
“You know, when I decide to bring new people into the fold, you all give me hell for it. Now, you’re telling me the opposite.” Header looked exasperated, though I wasn’t entirely sure he was taking this conversation seriously.
“I feel like I’m missing something here,” I interjected. “You mean to tell me Header has feelings?”
Doc barked out a laugh. “You wouldn’t know it to look at him.”
That broke the tension between the two of them as Header chuckled in response.
“Sometimes, I might have a feeling or two,” he admitted lightheartedly. “But, you know, don’t tell anyone. It might ruin my street cred.”
“I wouldn’t dare tell a soul,” I assured him.
“Mum’s the word,” Holm chimed in.
I heard a couple of splashes and turned to find Alejandra and Rosa in the water, making their way over to the ladder to climb out of the pool. Alejandra locked eyes with me as she hoisted herself up, the water cascading down the length of her hair and the sunlight reflecting off the beads of water that clung to her skin. She was glowing, and she looked absolutely mesmerizing.
“How are you?” she asked gently, grabbing a towel off the nearby railing and wrapping it around her waist as she approached me.
I stood up to step toward her, forgetting momentarily about my gunshot wound. I winced as the pain shot through my side, chastising myself for not getting up more slowly. She rushed toward me, grabbing onto my shoulders with both hands.
“Oh, are you alright?”
“I’ve been better,” I grumbled as I recovered. I looked into her eyes. “How about you? How are you holding up?”
For the first time since I’d arrived, I saw her peaceful facade falter. “I’m hanging in there,” she muttered. “I’ve been trying to keep busy and keep myself distracted.” She shrugged. “It helps a bit.”
Her hands were still on my shoulders, and I realized that I had absentmindedly grabbed onto her waist. I let my hands fall back down to my sides, and she reciprocated, but she did not step back. I was painfully aware of the men sitting silently behind me, but luckily, Doc wasn’t paying too much attention, and he began speaking again. I tuned him out to focus my attention on Alejandra, confident in the fact that Holm would be giving me an earful later. Staring into her eyes, I found that I did not care.
She must have sensed something because she slipped one hand into mine and led me over to the far end of the pool, just out of earshot.
“I can’t help but feel like we got interrupted at the worst point during our night out,” she murmured, her voice soft.
I thought back to everything that had happened before the shooting had started and realized she was right.
I chanced a quick glance back at the chairs to find Holm watching me out of the corner of his eyes. “You’re right,” I agreed, returning my focus to her. “I’d like to give it another shot. Maybe not here, though.”
She giggled lightly and looked over at Holm. “Yes, probably not.” She looked back at
me and took my other hand in hers. “I never did get to thank you, though.”
“For what?” I looked down at her, confused.
“For protecting me and potentially saving my life.” She cocked an eyebrow at me as if it were obvious.
“It’s part of the job,” I replied nonchalantly, but her grip on my hands and the intensity in her eyes was hard to ignore.
“Hey Romeo, I’m getting a drink, you want something?” Holm called out.
When I glanced over, he was standing up to head inside and staring at me pointedly. I chuckled and turned back to Alejandra.
“I’d better take the hint,” I said playfully, and she released my hands with a laugh of her own.
I followed Holm into the kitchen where I noticed a bottle of Four Roses in the back corner of the liquor bottle collection.
“Looks like Header remembered,” Holm said as he grabbed it by the neck and brought it to the front. “Lucky you.”
“Lucky me,” I parroted, taking the bottle from him. I found a glass off to the side and made my drink as Holm worked beside me. In the living room behind us, Bonnie, Clyde, and Xavier were talking in hushed tones among themselves.
“Alejandra seems to be in a better mood,” Holm muttered as he put the cap back onto the bottle he was using. “The conversation between Header and Doc stood out to me, Marston. Doc is right, and you know it.”
“You’re right,” I conceded. “Doc is right. I’ll do my best to be as objective as possible.”
Holm turned and leaned his back against the marble countertop, gazing out the back windows at the two women, who were signing to each other and laughing.
“I do have to hand it to you, though,” he added. “She is drop-dead gorgeous.”
I took a sip out of my glass and turned to follow Holm’s gaze. “You’re not wrong.”
“I’m usually not.” He flashed me a cheesy grin and strolled back out through the double glass doors. I followed behind him, pausing when the warm sun hit my skin. I was contemplating losing my shirt so that I could better enjoy the sun’s rays when I heard my name.
“Ethan,” Alejandra called out, “I was just telling Rosa about your quest to find the Dragon’s Rogue.”
That immediately got my attention.
“Oh, yeah?” I walked over to where the two women were standing by the glass railing. “How much have you told her?”
“I think I’ve covered everything,” she replied, her eyes flashing with enthusiasm.
Rosa began signing very quickly, and I was a bit frustrated that I didn’t know what she was saying.
“Rosa is fascinated,” Alejandra translated. “She is curious about the journal that you found as well.”
“You’re more than welcome to read it, too,” I offered. “I can dig it out for you later.”
Rosa began signing again, nodding her head vigorously.
“She’d love that,” Alejandra repeated. “She’s fascinated by the hidden secrets that the ocean holds.”
“Hey, anything you can divulge from the journal that I may have overlooked would be incredibly helpful,” I assured her.
Rosa happily began signing back to Alejandra, but I shifted my focus out beyond the glass railing and beyond the edge of the cliff face. Somewhere out there in the vast ocean, the Dragon’s Rogue lay buried under years of sea changes. I had never felt so close, yet so far, from my goal, not unlike this case. As much as I was enjoying the bit of downtime, I had to admit that I was ready to tackle this case and find our answers and our missing couple, once and for all.
Chapter 21: Alejandra
Jake’s pool water was inviting and warm, the perfect temperature of freshly made bathwater. Sinking into it was luxurious, and the sun on Alejandra’s skin felt almost cool in comparison. When Rosa had tossed her a pool float, she hadn’t wanted to leave the water, but once she had adjusted to the temperature shift, she thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the sun.
Alejandra had shown up without much packed, and certainly nothing in the way of a bathing suit, but Rosa had come to the rescue, helping her to find one that fit surprisingly well. It was a black one-piece suit that flattered her curves and didn’t shift around as she swam in the warm water. She hadn’t expected to find one that fitted this well, and she was extremely grateful that she had when she saw Ethan walk through the door.
The last time Alejandra had seen Ethan, they had shared an intimate moment on the dance floor before a gunman decided to ruin it. She was incredibly grateful for him protecting her and ensuring her safety, and it wasn’t lost on her that his injury was probably a direct result of him trying to save her. The man had gone above and beyond for her in the incredibly short period of time they had known each other.
It was a double-edged sword, though, as seeing Ethan walk through the door sent a feeling of both warmth and worry through her. After all, the only reason she had even met Ethan was that her brother had been kidnapped. His life was in danger while she attempted to distract herself in the pool and seeing Ethan was a stark reminder of just how much was at stake.
After their discussion about the journal that Ethan had found, Alejandra took a moment to walk away and collect her thoughts. She knew there wasn’t much she could do about any of this, and although most of the team was outside enjoying the gorgeous day, there were three of them working hard on the living room floor. There was a clear path from the pool to the kitchen, currently lined with extra towels to keep the floor dry and the path clear of equipment. Besides that path, the room was a mess of scattered lab and computer equipment, and Bonnie, Clyde, and Xavier were muttering to themselves amidst the chaos.
She fixed herself a small plate of various fruits and cheeses and then grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. She was searching for a napkin before heading back outside when she heard a scream that caused her to jump, sending several grapes rolling off the edge of her plate and bouncing across the kitchen floor.
“Was that necessary?” Xavier asked disdainfully, rubbing at his ear.
“Yes,” Bonnie announced, a victorious glint in her eyes.
“Did you find something?” Robbie ran to the doorway, followed closely behind by Ethan, Jake, and Doc.
“Sure did!” Bonnie declared excitedly. She scrambled to her feet and spun around to look at the entire team. Alejandra dropped the rest of her plate down on the countertop, no longer interested in eating. Her heart was racing with anticipation.
“Well, don’t keep them waiting!” Clyde prodded, looking up at her from his position down on the floor. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a slight droop to his shoulders. His voice said otherwise though, embodying all of the enthusiasm he could muster.
“Okay,” Bonnie clapped excitedly. “The cocaine that we found on the island... It wasn’t pure. There was another substance mixed with it. It wasn’t a lot, but it was there. The batch seemed to be mixed with a hint of cornstarch.” She paused for dramatic effect. “Now, the thing was, we couldn’t really pinpoint the ratio of cornstarch to cocaine because it wasn’t packaged up. It was spread on the ground haphazardly. The samples that Marston and Holm got for us, though, not only tested positive for the cornstarch, but it was a strikingly similar ratio to what I had collected off the ground. The odds of two different sets of drug runners cutting their cocaine with not only the same type of product but the same percentage of it as well?” Bonnie raised a finger. “Extremely slim. I’m talking extremely slim. I, we, can confidently state that wherever those bales came from, that is where you’ll find the crew that kidnapped Miguel García.”
“Yes!” Robbie whooped and punched the air before grabbing Ethan’s shoulders and giving him a good shake. “Finally! A fresh lead.”
“I’ll call Diane, have her reach out to the Coast Guard, and see if they can trace the bales to the source.” Ethan yanked his phone from his pocket, but Jake was chuckling to himself.
“Well, obviously, you should do that and go through the proper channels,” J
ake replied encouragingly. He pulled his own phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed a number. He had hit the speakerphone button too because the shrill ringing through the phone speakers could be heard through the entire room.
Ethan was narrowing his eyes at Jake, his phone still in his hand, now momentarily forgotten.
“Hey, Jakey.” I recognized the woman’s voice on the other end of the phone.
“Hey, Lin,” he sang, grinning widely in Ethan’s direction. Ethan sighed loudly and shoved his phone back into his pocket.
“That cocaine you guys snagged, where did it come from?” Jake’s face was smug, and Alejandra had to laugh. It must be nice not having to go through proper channels for intel. It was certainly quicker, and she was glad her father had gone through the trouble of asking for Jake’s help.
“Oh, it was from the Dominican Republic,” she replied confidently. “At least, the go-fast we snagged it from was Dominican. The stamp on the bales is also a match for the other bales we’ve scooped up recently from DomRep.”
“Do you have any more intel?” Jake continued. “Can we track it down and get more specific?”
“I can find out for you. Can I call you back?”
“Of course,” Jake replied. “Thanks, Lin.”
“No problem, Jakey.” The line cut off, and Jake returned his phone to his pocket.
“Show off,” Robbie muttered.
“Well, what did you expect from… what was it?” Ethan teased. “Jakey?”
“Shut it,” Jake chuckled. “It’s the downside to having the same friend since childhood. The old nicknames tend to stick, whether I like it or not.”
“Well, I’m glad for that,” Ethan declared cheerfully.
“Yeah, that about made my day,” Robbie added. “We still need to call Diane, though. We need to do this right.”
“Yeah, I know,” Ethan grumbled, pulling his phone back out. He dialed a number and raised the phone to his ear before turning and heading back out toward the pool.
Bonnie clapped her hands again. “In other news, we’ve been working on that partial print. I’ll have an update on that for you soon, I hope.”