by Matt Lincoln
“Thank you,” Jake said warmly. “This is all a huge help.”
Alejandra quietly slipped into the guest bedroom to find her phone. She needed to give her father a call with the latest news. She knew he’d been worried sick, and this news was sure to give him the glimmer of hope that she knew he so desperately needed.
“Ahh, Alejandra,” he answered almost immediately. He sounded relieved. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m good, papa,” she answered as she plopped down at the foot of the cushy bed. “I have good news.”
“Please, I do need good news,” he muttered.
“They found a connection between the crime scene and a group of drug runners based out of our Dominican Republic. They are trying to trace the drugs back to the people in charge. Those are the people who have kidnapped Miguel.”
Her father was silent for a moment as he processed this.
“I know there are drugs,” he finally replied. “I’ve long suspected that they’ve been smuggling out of Haiti because I’ve had no luck finding them.”
“They’re using a Dominican boat, though,” she argued, trying to make sense of it all in her head.
“Yes,” he sighed. “That is the problem. I’ve been wondering if they were trying to keep themselves safe in Haiti while trying to make me look bad by running it all under our flag. This makes it look like I don’t have a handle on things. If they are the same people trying to oust me, that makes sense. I don’t know, though. I could have sworn it was someone in here, in the Palace. Now, apparently, that isn’t true.”
“Why would a drug cartel want you out of office?” she bemoaned, collapsing back onto the bed and letting the dark blue comforter billow up around her. “That makes no sense. If they remove you, someone else will step up, and they will still have the government to worry about.”
“I have taken an aggressive stand against the drug cartels,” he gently reminded her.
“So?” she shouted a bit louder than she had intended. “Who wouldn’t? It’s a logical stance for the government to take.”
“Unless they will put their own person in my place,” he suggested. “Someone that is in their pocket and willing to do whatever they request… that would come in handy for a group like that, no?”
Alejandra sighed. “You’re right,” she admitted. “That does make sense.”
“I do hope our American friends can help us track these people down,” he said quietly, his voice sounding a bit sad. “If they are successful, we can save your brother, keep me in office, and solve the drug problem all at once. If we fail, though, we lose all three at once.”
“There is a lot at stake, papa.” Her brother was, of course, the biggest concern, but he wasn’t the only one.
“Yes, there is,” he replied softly. “Stay on top of them over there. I put the best people on the case. Make sure they are doing their absolute best. We will know we did everything in our power to right these wrongs, no matter the outcome.”
“I will, papa.” Righting wrongs meant nothing without her brother safe and out of harm’s way, but she understood what her father was saying. She hung up the phone and stayed sprawled out on the bed for a couple of minutes longer, processing everything she had learned in the past few minutes.
She hadn’t realized how tired she was until this moment, and sleep overtook her before she could stop it.
Chapter 22: Ethan
Holm and I had taken Header up on the offer to crash on the couch after a long evening of planning and drinking, but after tossing and turning for most of the night, I finally gave up and stumbled into the kitchen to make some coffee. We had a lot to do today, and if my mind wouldn’t settle, I figured I might as well get something done.
Alejandra had disappeared yesterday evening after Bonnie’s discovery, and Rosa had informed us later that she had fallen asleep in the guest bedroom. With Rosa and Xavier over at Doc’s new house, Holm and I had the living room to ourselves, and I tried to stay quiet as I set the coffee pot up so as not to wake him.
I had barely gotten the pot set up when I heard the door to the guest bedroom creak open, and I looked over to see Alejandra walk out wearing a clingy blue sundress. She stumbled out of the room, closing the door softly behind her, and jumped slightly when she noticed me in the kitchen.
“I didn’t think anyone else would be up,” she whispered as she approached me, stealing a glance at Holm’s sleeping figure on the couch.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I muttered, tearing my eyes from her to focus on the coffee. “Would you like some?”
“Please,” she breathed, stepping up beside me to grab a couple of mugs out from the cabinet. Her arm brushed against me as she did so, and after I pushed the button to get the machine brewing, I turned to face her, realizing just how close we were to each other.
She looked up at me as she closed the cabinet door, blushing a little as she became aware of our close proximity.
“Why couldn’t you sleep?” she asked, not backing away just yet.
“There’s a lot to do today,” I sighed, meeting her gaze. “I want to go back to Mona Island and take another look at everything with fresh eyes.”
“Oh?” Now she took a step back, processing this new information. “When do we leave?”
“In a few hours.” I studied her reaction closely, but she answered confidently.
“We will need a few things.”
“Yes,” I agreed, “though I wasn’t sure if you’d be up for joining us. We may stay overnight.”
“I’m in,” she insisted. “I told you both that I’d be glued to your side until my brother is found. I know we were separated after the shooting, but it won’t happen again.”
I admired her resolve. “Okay, then. According to Header, his boat is faster and already stocked for an overnight stay. Between you and me, I think he just wants an excuse to take it out, but that’s alright. He has everything on board except for food and drinks, so we’ll have to pack that before we go.”
She straightened up a bit. “I can handle that,” she assured me. “I’ll make sure we all have plenty of food and drinks, and you can just focus on the case.”
“That sounds like a good deal to me,” I said agreeably.
We were still speaking in hushed tones, the darkness out the window reminding us just how early it really was. The coffee percolating was the only noise in the room as I looked down at her, but the beeping of the machine as the brew process finished cut sharply through the room, snapping me out of the moment. I shot a glance over at Holm, but he still appeared fast asleep.
Alejandra and I filled our mugs, and then she scooped hers up and looked back up at me.
“I’m going to go change and pack,” she whispered. “We’ll be on our way before you know it.”
“Thank you,” I said softly. I offered her a small smile, and she returned it, her eyes darting to my lips. Before I realized what was happening, her lips were on mine, soft yet firm, and she broke away just as quickly.
“I’ll see you later,” she murmured seductively before sliding past me and back into the bedroom.
I stood there in shock for a moment, my coffee mug clutched between my palms. Grateful that I at least didn’t have to listen to Holm give me grief about what had just happened, I made my way back into the living room. I was a bit dismayed to find him wide awake, staring at me.
“Did you at least make enough coffee?” he muttered, slowly pushing himself into a seated position, letting the throw blanket fall off of him into a pile on the floor. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
“I did,” I assured him. “There’s plenty.”
He shifted forward and stood up, pressing his palms against his lower back as he stretched. The cracking sounds in his back echoed through the room as he groaned.
“So, she’s going with you, I gather,” he mumbled as he shuffled toward the coffee maker.
“Yeah,” I replied, less concerned now with the volume of my voice. “She insis
ted.”
“Of course she did,” he chuckled. “You do know Header won’t like it, right? I mean, it’s Wraith.”
“He’s made exceptions before,” I pointed out.
“What, Tessa?” Holm poured a mugful of coffee and turned to face me. “I think you got lucky there. After all, she did have ties with Farr. Even Header would make concessions for that. Who’s Alejandra to him?”
“President García’s daughter,” I reminded him. “The daughter of the man he is trying to help. I think concessions can be made there, too. Besides, she’s very insistent and stubborn. I don’t think she needs anyone’s help to convince him to let her on board.”
“Fair enough,” Holm shrugged. “It’ll be an interesting morning, that much I know for sure.”
He made his way back over to the couch and sank back into the cushions, taking his first drawn-out sip of coffee. He sighed appreciatively as he finished.
“I like this coffee better,” he mumbled. “Debra’s coffee was a slap in the face. This is more like a gentle nudge.”
I snorted before taking another sip out of my own mug. “If you say so.”
It wasn’t long before Alejandra reappeared, clad in a pair of khaki shorts and a button-down short-sleeved shirt draped over a snug-fitting tank top. Her thick hair was pulled back into a braid that rivaled Rosa’s signature look, and she carried out her bag with her, presumably already packed and ready to go.
“What kind of equipment does Jake have to cook with?” she asked as she set her bag down against the wall and made her way into the kitchen.
“I’m not sure,” I shrugged. “You’ll have to ask him.”
She started going through the cabinets and rifling through the drawers as Holm and I continued to drink our coffee. After a few minutes, we heard some rustling coming from Header’s bedroom, and he came walking out a moment later.
“Good morning!” he bellowed once he saw that we were all awake. I had a feeling he still would have bellowed even if we had still been sleeping, but I wasn’t about to ask. I didn’t want to give him any ideas.
“Good morning,” Alejandra cheered from the kitchen.
“What are you looking for in here?” he asked, his tone friendly enough.
“Putting together some meals for all of us for Mona Island,” she replied casually. Header shot a sharp glance in our direction, but Holm and I both feigned innocence. He narrowed his eyes at us and turned slowly back toward her.
“Us?” he asked pointedly. “I’m taking Marston and Rosa.”
“And I’m sticking to Ethan like glue until they find my brother. Don’t tell me I’m not going. I’m going.” She dropped what was in her hands in order to cross her arms defiantly across her chest.
Header took a step back and raised an eyebrow at her. I looked over at Holm and could tell that he was thinking the same thing. Header was sizing her up to see how big of a challenge she’d be.
“You can go,” he hissed, “under one condition.”
“Name it.” Watching Alejandra stand up to Header was very enjoyable, and I sat back with my cup of coffee to watch the show unfold before us.
“You will leave your phone, along with any other electronic device you may have, behind here at the house.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest to mirror her posture.
“Absolutely not!” she exclaimed. “I need to be able to reach my father! I need to stay in touch. I can’t go on some stranger’s boat, to some empty island, without any means of communication.”
Header shrugged nonchalantly. “Okay, then don’t come.” He emphasized the last two words smugly.
I watched as Alejandra pondered the position she was put in. It took her a moment, but she finally conceded. “Fine,” she muttered. “I’ll leave everything behind. I’m going.”
Header’s eyes widened slightly, and I could tell he hadn’t been expecting her to go for it. He recovered quickly, though, and stepped up closer to her, staring her down.
“You will never tell anyone about my boat,” he ordered, his voice low and steady. “You were never on it. You have never seen it. You would never know where to find it.”
“I can assure you, the last thing I want is to reveal any of your secrets,” she asserted. Header didn’t move though or avert his gaze.
“Fine,” she spat. “I won’t tell anyone about your boat, or where to find it, or what is on it, or that I was ever even near it. Okay? I don’t care. I just want to save my brother.”
That seemed to appease him. He uncrossed his arms and took a step back, giving her a bit of breathing room. She shot me a questioning look, but I merely shrugged.
“Hey, I warned you,” I chuckled.
“Yes, I suppose you did.” She looked back up at Header.
“I have a propane camping grill, and we will light a fire when we set up camp,” he informed her, answering her earlier question that we all seemed to have forgotten about. “I also have a French press for coffee, along with a pot, pan, and a table setting for four, including utensils. Do you need any other information?”
“No,” she replied thoughtfully. “No, that’s perfect, thank you.”
Alejandra continued rifling through the kitchen as if that entire exchange hadn’t just happened, while Header poured a cup of coffee, walked over to us, and collapsed into the couch cushions next to Holm.
“She knows how to get her way, huh?” Holm teased, laughing quietly to himself.
“Apparently,” Header muttered, watching her flit through the kitchen. “I like a woman who can boss me around, though.”
I almost snorted my coffee through my nose. “What? Please repeat that.”
“Jake Header, letting someone boss him around?” Holm exclaimed. “I cannot seem to wrap my mind around that.”
“Oh, geez,” Header muttered. “Please don’t read too much into that. I’m not that deep.”
“I’m learning a lot about you this trip, Jakey,” I laughed. He groaned into his coffee mug and rolled his eyes.
“Please don’t call me that,” he begged. “I’m seriously regretting requesting you personally on this case.”
“Oh, stop,” I argued good naturedly. “You love me.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Header mumbled, but his lips curled up into a small smile that he tried to hide behind his coffee mug.
Rosa showed up a short while later with Doc and Xavier, and Bonnie and Clyde showed up not long after that. Xavier helped Bonnie and Clyde reconfigure their equipment in the living room for the day, and Rosa helped Alejandra bring the rest of the food and supplies down to the dock. I found Holm out on the deck by the pool, his phone pressed to his ear. When he saw me coming, he shoved his phone into his pocket.
“Everything alright?” I asked as I sidled up against the glass railing beside him. “You sure you don’t want to join us?”
“No,” he muttered, running his fingers along the smooth top edge of the glass. “I know cell service is iffy at best out there, and even though I’m sure Wraith has its own technology, I still don’t feel right being out of range from my parents.”
“They’re still giving you hell, huh?” I asked, propping my elbow up on the ledge.
“You have no idea,” he sighed. “Now, my mom is saying she hates the house. My dad keeps calling me to vent about it, even though I can’t do anything about it… If you need me to go, I’m there, but if you have Header with you, I figure I can sit this one out. If it’s just a second sweep for extra evidence, you don’t need me.”
“You can absolutely stay here,” I assured him. “Header and I can discuss all the interesting things we’ve learned about him this trip. It’ll be fun.”
Holm laughed, and it seemed to put him in a slightly better mood. “I, on the other hand, get to hang out with the geek squad.”
“And Doc,” I shrugged. “So, you won’t be the only non-geeky one here.”
“Thankfully,” he agreed.
The next couple of hours flew by, and before I knew it, Hea
der was bellowing my name through the house.
“Marston!” he yelled, his voice booming throughout the house. “Grab your things. We’re leaving!”
Seeing as how I’d already packed that morning, I clapped Holm on the shoulder and followed Header out the door and through the backyard, to the doorway tucked amid the bushes. After his thumbprint unlocked the door, he led the way down the glowing red staircase to the docks tucked behind the cliff face. There before us sat Wraith in all her glory, uncovered and ready for action. Her sleek black hull reflected the dull red lights, and the back hatch was dropped, revealing the sparse interior. One section of the floor had been lifted, exposing storage space beneath the deck. Alejandra was busy rearranging everything down there, trying to make it all fit.
“I’m always learning something new, Jakey,” I called out from my end of the pier.
“Shut it, Marston!” he yelled from the far end where he had caught up with Rosa.
I stepped on board, and Alejandra fixed me with a warm smile. It dawned on me that with such a small crew heading to the island, Alejandra and I were bound to get a significant amount of alone time, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to get the show on the road.
Chapter 23: Jake
It had been way too long since Wraith had seen direct sunlight, and as soon as we were clear of the rocks, I threw the throttle forward and let her glide at full power across the surface of the water. The supercavitation allowed Wraith to stay steady, eliminating any excessive rocking or uneven swaying. It’d be a smooth ride and a quick one which was perfect since we were quickly losing our window of opportunity to get President García’s son home safely.
I glanced over at my passengers. I had invited Marston to join me up at the helm which left Rosa and Alejandra to chat amongst themselves in the back. So far, it’d been a quiet ride. I had been impressed with Alejandra’s determination to come with us, along with her willingness to leave her electronic devices behind. It showed a level of trust and cooperation that I felt comfortable with. Anyone that knew me knew I had my fair share of trust issues.