by Linda Ladd
“Does that mean you want to kill him yourself? Look, Novak, I’m not into vigilante justice. Just so you know that from the get-go. I’m not going to stand by and let you gun him down in cold blood. Not when we can legally put him away forever.”
“I didn’t say I was going to gun him down.”
“No, but that’s what you meant.”
Lori knew him all too well. He would like to be the one who put a bullet in that devil’s head, but he wouldn’t unless he had to. Novak could never convince Lori of that, so he changed the subject. “How often do you think they make these connections out on the water?”
“It’ll take a lot of surveillance to get any idea of the length and breadth of this thing. My guess? I’d say their network stretches all the way from Florida to Maine, maybe even into Canada. If I’m right, these transfers at sea have to go on every few days. Probably at different times and places with different couriers showing up. It’s a pipeline, so it’s got to have some kind of schedule and somebody pulling the strings to make it work.”
“I don’t think the GPS coordinates are driving the meetings out here. It’s the trident flag they hoist. I say we follow the guys in the cabin cruiser and see where they go. The ones coming up from the south are most likely passing the drugs—most of the heroin and opioids are coming out of Mexico and Central America. They’ll be moving it along as fast as they can, tag-teaming their way up the coastline and transferring product at the busiest tourist spots where they’ll look like vacationers. We need to follow them all the way down to Florida.”
“Where’s the next transfer? You have any idea, Novak?”
“I’d say somewhere in north Florida. A busy place. Jacksonville Beach, maybe. Or it could be Fort Lauderdale. Or Amelia Island. Any popular beach community will have marinas with boats they can rent for the day. We’ve got to tail them. That’s the only way, since everything changes for every drop.”
“That’s going to take time. I have to be back at work at the end of next week.”
“It’s going to get dangerous the deeper we delve. If you’re safe in Washington, I’m all for it.”
“I don’t want to leave you alone with this, but I don’t want to lose this job, either. I really like what I’m doing.”
“You won’t lose it. In fact, if we pull this bust off, you just might get a promotion and a medal.”
“I’ll take both, plus a raise. Just don’t start killing people if I’m not here to stop you.”
“I don’t go around killing people. You know that.”
“I just want you free as a bird and out of prison so we can go sailing again.”
Novak smiled. She was beginning to love the sea as much as he did. He liked that about her.
The people aboard the two boats appeared to be having a great time. They seemed to know and like each other, which indicated maybe they had met before. Most of them were swimming off the stern of the cabin cruiser, laughing and splashing like old friends or extended family. At one point, Novak and Lori got into the water to keep their cover intact, but they had a video camera fixed on their targets the whole time, recording the date and time.
Novak was soon back aboard, watching with binoculars when the two men disappeared below decks on the cabin cruiser. When they came back topside, both were carrying large red Igloo ice chests. They loaded them on the smaller boat, where the two women poured in bags of ice, then stowed food on top.
“Okay, they just made the transfer,” Novak told Lori.
“Yeah, and we got it on film.”
“Now they’ll wait a bit and take off back the way they came.”
That’s exactly what happened, but it was closer to an hour later. The boats had lowered the black pennants now. The small boat remained at anchor, the family waving goodbye to their drug-smuggling buddies. Novak waited until the cabin cruiser was a mere dot on the horizon due south of them, then weighed anchor and set sail. The Hilton Head couriers were back in the water, splashing and playing, and didn’t seem to notice Novak’s departure. He was relieved to see that they had the same two children with them, so at least those kids were not human cargo. It seemed to him that these drug mules were acting a bit overconfident, or were new at smuggling—or maybe they had just been lucky and never gotten interdicted by a Coast Guard cutter. Their apparent nonchalance would someday turn out to be a mistake.
Novak hugged the coast far enough out to avoid most boat traffic for the rest of the day. The big cabin cruiser eventually came into sight through Lori’s field glasses. By their direction, it appeared they were also keeping parallel to the coast, while bypassing Georgia completely. They were heading into Florida waters, just as he had predicted.
Hours later, when he caught up to them, they were stopped off Jacksonville Beach. The sand was teeming with sun worshippers, and the cabin cruiser cut its engines and moved down a canal that led inland, probably heading back to a marina. They could own the boat, but that would be risky. This pipeline was too well thought-out to allow that kind of mistake.
“Okay, this is their next base, at least for this trip. I think they’re using the same towns, but most likely different marinas. This family will probably wait a few days until they receive drugs coming up north. That’s going to give us time to get back to Hilton Head, check this boat in, and bring Sweet Sarah down here. We can sail down overnight and watch from out here on the water.”
“Are you planning to follow them all the way to their source? That’s where we will contact the authorities. Right, Novak? I do not want you to go at this alone. It’s too big. These guys are organized. We’re going to end up dead if we take them on without law enforcement having our backs.”
“I’m not going to take them on alone. We’re just gathering information right now. The FBI and DEA will need more than we’ve got to coordinate and raid the homes of these couriers. I think their starting point may be somewhere in the Florida Keys. That’s where they’ll bring in the drugs first. It only makes sense.”
“From Mexico?”
“Probably, we’ll soon find out.”
“That could take time.”
“I’ve got the time. You need to go back to work and let me keep you posted.”
“Well, I must say, I didn’t expect to spend my vacation out here chasing drug dealers. Strike that—knowing you, I should’ve known something like this would happen.”
Novak nodded. “I’m going to make up lost time with you, once I’ve got these guys rotting behind bars.”
“You bet you are, unless, of course, we’re both dead by then.”
“There’s always that.”
Chapter 16
Novak called the marina and told them he was leaving their rented speedboat at the Westin, and authorized the charge for not returning the boat to the marina. They got into the Zodiac and took it back to the Sweet Sarah, pulled anchor in a hurry, and sailed south again, keeping one eye on the GPS signal attached to Blackwood’s wheel well. The Senator and his gang of goons were already on the move, driving south on I-95, probably on their way to Jacksonville or the next stop after that. The dark-haired family was still at Blackwood’s beach house on Hilton Head, no doubt waiting for their next arrival of poison, death, and destruction.
Novak felt a white-hot knot of suppressed rage growing down deep inside his chest, scalding his emotions as he realized the enormity of destruction perpetrated by Blackwood’s drug empire. His only relief was his determination to bring it crumbling down atop the old man’s head.
The GPS trackers were proving to be golden. They knew where Blackwood was all the time, providing he didn’t get out of the car somewhere, which Novak was pretty sure he wouldn’t. Novak was certain they were headed to the next drop. It did surprise him that Blackwood took this much direct involvement, instead of kicking back and riding his thoroughbred horses, reaping all the benefits while others took the risks. He
felt Blackwood was either keeping a close eye on his people, which meant he didn’t trust them—another good thing—or he was instrumental in some way to the day-to-day operations. Novak didn’t think it was the latter, but couldn’t be sure yet. He still believed their ultimate destination was Miami or Key West or somewhere in that vicinity, but he didn’t know how many more stops they would make along the way.
The fine weather held, with bright and clear blue skies, brisk southerly winds ballooning his sails, and warmer temperatures the farther south they sailed. White cottonball clouds scudded ahead of them, pushed around like sky-strewn tumbleweeds. The hot sun felt good on his bare skin. He’d never liked cold weather. He almost wished he and Lori were simply out on a cruise, with no cares or worries, just having fun and making love. Too bad that wasn’t the case. They were no longer happy-go-lucky. They both were dead serious, all business, thinking only of the endgame. They wanted to destroy Senator Blackwood and everybody around him. It would take some time, but once they’d gathered enough evidence to turn over to the Feds, they could bring down every point of transfer, every courier family, and every single facet of it. Novak wanted to be able to hand over Blackwood’s entire syndicate, wrapped up in a big red bow.
As it turned out, the black Lincoln bypassed the city of Jacksonville and stopped just down the coast at Daytona Beach. Again Novak anchored the sailboat offshore, but close enough to surveil the beach. They were able to pinpoint the exact address according to the GPS signal and set up surveillance. This time they didn’t catch the actual transfer, but they got good photo evidence of the family of four who visited him at the beach house. Novak had no doubt they’d be out on the ocean, flying that significant black trident pennant high in the wind. They tagged the make and year of the courier’s car so they could trace it to an address later. The extended days Blackwood and his entourage spent there gave them time to remain right on his heels and document every move. They knew now for a fact that drugs were moving up the coast, boat-by-boat, resort-to-resort, but Novak wanted to nail down the initial source before he returned north. He wanted the exact point of distribution and where it was coming from.
The winds continued to hold when they went on the move again. He hugged the shoreline, not wanting to drift out into the Gulf Stream, which flowed close to this part of Florida. They seemed to fly over the waves, making excellent time. When Blackwood reached Miami, he surprised Novak by not stopping there, but heading down Highway 1 to the Keys. They just might be able to beat the Lincoln to Key West. Feeling a bit more in control of the situation, Novak asked Lori to phone Sokolov and get an update on Irina’s condition. She should have been out of the hospital and in rehab by now, hopefully making good progress. She made the call on his sat phone, and by the look on her face when she hung up, he knew something had gone wrong.
“What happened? She’s still okay, isn’t she?”
“Irina’s gone missing. Somebody must have gotten to her.”
Novak could only stare at her in disbelief. “How? Where the hell was Sokolov? He was there to protect her.”
“Nobody knows where he is, either. He’s gone missing, too. The hospital suspected foul play and called the cops. There’s a BOLO out on them.”
“Either they took off together, or they’re both dead. That’s the way Petrov would play it. If at first you don’t succeed, kill everybody in and around your target.”
Lori kept shaking her head. It made her ponytail swirl around. “I don’t think they’re dead. Maybe Petrov found them and sent men out to kill them, and they botched the hit somehow. That would force Sokolov to take her and go on the run. Those thugs aren’t exactly military material. They could very well have flubbed it. What it probably means is that they know she’s alive, that she survived the overdose.”
“I can’t believe they could’ve found her that fast. They were both in that car headed south.”
“Maybe they had somebody watching us, or somehow got a tracker on this boat.”
“I’m almost positive they didn’t know I even had a boat, much less followed me without out one of us knowing. Doesn’t seem likely, or they would have tried to put us down the first time we got near their couriers.”
“The nurse I talked to said Sokolov was in Irina’s room the night before last. She said he’d been staying overnight since she’d gotten there. Two hours later, she said they were gone without a trace. Nobody saw them leave. Nobody saw anything. No sign of them on the hospital security cameras, either.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Was Irina okay when she disappeared?”
“The nurse said she was better but not out of the woods. She’s a long-term addict, Novak; she’ll never be free of it, not without a lengthy stay in a good rehab center. Maybe not even then.”
“Blackwood’s guys could be holding her. If they are, Sokolov is already dead. He would die to protect her. We haven’t spotted Petrov for a while. He could’ve gotten a flight back up there to do the job himself. He’s good at assassinations. The question is, how did he find them so fast?”
“Somebody had to have tipped Petrov off. Guess who that sounds like to me? Your so-called friend, Sokolov. I never trusted that guy, not for a single second. He’s way too slick. I told you that. You didn’t listen. So what do we do now?”
“We don’t know for sure Sokolov had anything to do with it. It’s more likely that he’s dead.”
“True, but he was the last person seen with her inside that hospital room.” Lori sighed. She leaned back in the seat and stared out at the distant horizon. “The nurse also told me that Sokolov rarely left her bedside. Apparently, he was the picture of fatherly concern. You’re right to say that doesn’t sound like a man planning to turn her over to a bunch of brutal killers.”
“No, so maybe it’s simpler than we’re thinking. Maybe they got nervous and went underground once she was well enough. Maybe Sokolov sensed the bad guys were coming back for them. Maybe he found out somehow before they could get her.”
Lori didn’t buy it. “Thing is, if he got her out, why not call us and let us know? Why isn’t he picking up that phone you gave him? More likely, he’s playing both ends against the middle. Worst case scenario? He’s just a damn liar that we never should have trusted in the first place. How well do you really know him anyway, Novak? You sure he’s not working for them? You check him out?”
“I checked him out first thing and found nothing, one way or another, other than his background in espionage. It doesn’t make sense for him to be working for them. Why would he help us get the girl away from Blackwood? He went to a lot of trouble to do that, including leading us to where they were.”
“And how did he know that? He was a Russian operative, right? Setting up cells in the United States? He’s just as much an enemy to us as Petrov. They both were trained by the GRU, right?”
Novak knew that Lori’s dislike of Sokolov was visceral, and had been all along. She was smart to be suspicious. “You could be right. I don’t get why he’d go to so much trouble convincing me that Irina’s his daughter if he’s working for them. He helped us get her to the hospital. That doesn’t make sense, either, if he wants her dead.”
“He’s given you no concrete proof to back up any of his story, has he?”
Novak frowned, not wanting to believe he could be so wrong. “Nothing black and white, but he told me where to find them and what was going on with the drugs. Why would he carry it that far?”
“Hell if I know. I do know they’re both gone now under mysterious circumstances. Either he’s got her somewhere or he delivered her into their hands. Maybe he gave her up to save his own neck. If that’s true, that poor kid is definitely dead now.”
Novak considered everything she’d said. He had always considered himself a good judge of character. Sokolov had come across as fairly legit. “No proof, one way or the other. Again, why would he show me where she was, only to giv
e her back to them?”
“Maybe it’s something else, a whole different track. What if she’s a Russian national, a criminal over there, or some dissident on the run whom their government wants dead or in jail? Maybe they want to use her to blackmail Blackwood. He was privy to international secrets; maybe he still is. Maybe she’s an agent herself, groomed from birth. Sokolov and Petrov were spies, for God’s sake. Blackwood knows lots of state secrets, believe me, and they could be using her to coerce his cooperation. We need to turn this thing over to the CIA, right now. It’s too big for us.”
“Espionage plays a part in this, I agree with that. I’m just having trouble figuring out the who and why of everything.” Novak concentrated on steering the boat, but his thoughts riveted on their problem, because he knew Lori could be right. It could all be connected to espionage, with people manipulating him the whole time. Sokolov could have duped Novak with the abuse story so he’d help get her out, but Novak had seen the senator hit her with his fist. “It’s possible they are using me, but there would be better ways. I was a totally random player until Irina pointed me out inside that steakhouse.”
Lori mulled it over in her mind. “Well, maybe you weren’t a random player. Maybe they knew all about you, your history with the SEALs, your military record, your abilities, everything. Maybe you were their target all along.”
The possibility of being played for a fool made Novak sick to his stomach. He considered her theory. “No way. They couldn’t have done that. I spent the last four months recuperating at Lake of the Ozarks, out in the woods of rural Missouri. Few people even know where Lake of the Ozarks is, much less that I was there. You saw how remote the place is. The Russian government wouldn’t give a damn about me anymore. I’ve been out of the game way too long.”
“What about Petrov? He was at the other end of what you did on your SEAL team. He could want you dead for that alone.”