Alpha Threat (22 page)

Being a Beach Patrol lifeguard was a calling in a way.
 
Most folks fresh out of college wanted the big bucks, to make a big splash in the business world.
 
Wayne had always loved the beach and was a lifelong resident of Miami.
 
Doing this was a natural progression.
  
He always said he had no urge to be in the real world.
 
 

Sherrie, on the other hand, had studied law in college but became disillusioned with the law profession after her brother was killed by a Miami drug lord seven years ago.
 
The subsequent trial was a farce in her eyes and the perpetrators got off scot-free.
 
The whole situation turned her against the law profession.
 
Her second love, the ocean, took over and here she was.
 

The door flew open and Sherrie and Hugo entered in the middle of a conversation.

“Ah, bull,” said Hugo, “No way.”

“I swear that was what he said,” Sherrie retorted.
 
“I couldn’t believe it either.”

“Good morning, everyone.
 
How’s the beach today?” Dane asked, trying to get their minds back on work.
 

“Morning!” said Sherrie in her best bubbly voice.

“Hey, boss,” a typical reply from Hugo.
 

“How are things going out there?”

Sherrie responded, “Beautiful.
 
No problems at any towers.
 
The crowds seem to be thinning.
 
I guess the weekend is finally over for the hard chargers.
 
The folks out there seem to be handling themselves well, although it is still early in the morning for most of them.
 
What’s up on the home front?”

“Not much.
 
Wayne is trying to sell me on the gold market,” answered Dane.
 
“Other than that all’s quiet.”

“Gold again, Wayne?” asked Hugo.
 
“Watch out, Dane.
 
He was trying to sell me on it the other day.”

“Speaking of gold, did you hear about that guy getting killed last night?
 
It’s all over the news this morning,” added Sherrie.
 
“That’s all we heard on the radio while we were checking out the beaches.
 
Someone cut the poor guy’s head off.”

“Cut his head off?” asked Dane.
 
“Good God!
 
How did that happen?”

Hugo chimed in, “Evidently he was walking somewhere downtown and someone jumped him, took his briefcase and valuables and literally cut off his head right there on the spot.“

“Holy crap, who did he piss off?” asked Wayne, walking over to hear more.
 
“It must have been some drug cartel.
 
Now, those guys can get real brutal.
 
I’ll bet we will find out that this dude was buying drugs with gold and someone decided to do somebody wrong.”

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to run into ‘em,” said Hugo.
 
“They sound like bad folks.
 
It had to be some sort of drug type thing if I had to guess.”

“One would think that but this guy was a gold dealer here in Miami.
 
Those folks usually don’t get tied up with the drug guys,” said Sherrie, fixing a cup of coffee.
 
“Anybody want some coffee, Dane?”

“No, thanks.
 
I have some here.”
 
 
  

Wayne stepped up.
 
“Who was this headless guy?
 
Did the news reports have a name?”

“Nader, I think, was his name.
 
He had something to do with International Investments,” answered Sherrie, taking her first sip of coffee.
  
“Mmmm, the coffee is good this morning.”

Wayne stopped dead in his tracks.
 
“My God, did you say Nader?” Wayne burst out.
 
“Klaus Nader?”

“Yeah, I guess so.
 
I didn’t catch the guy’s first name.
 
What gives?” asked Hugo.
  

“Klaus Nader is Wayne’s friend’s father,” Dane said standing.
 
“Is this the same guy you told me about a few minutes ago, Wayne?”

Wayne leaned against a desk looking stunned.
 
“Klaus Nader.
 
Yeah, that is him.
 
He’s my friend Nathan’s father.
 
I didn’t know Mr. Nader very well, but he handled some gold transactions of mine.”

“Damn.
 
Sorry, Wayne,” said Sherrie walking over to him.
 
“I’m very sorry.”

“No, that’s okay.
 
Like I said, I didn’t know him very well at all.
 
I had only met him once in person.
 
He was a very nice guy.
 
I need to call Nathan and find out what happened.”
 

Wayne walked over to his locker and dug through the mess to get his cell phone to make the call.
 
Meanwhile the rest of the group returned to their normal duties.
 
Dane walked out on the balcony.
 
Dane loved the beach, especially Miami Beach.
 
The sun was as bright as always and the sea breeze warm.
 
There was always something going on.
 
Between the topless little old ladies and the gorgeous tanned college girls, life was fine here.
 
He watched a young couple strolling down the beach, a family of four playing at the edge of the surf and two middle-aged guys standing knee deep in the water, beers in hand talking about something.
 
It must have been a bathroom break.
 
Dane smiled.
 

His attention went from the beach to offshore.
 
He could see several cargo ships about four miles out passing the Miami area.
 
Dane always wondered where they were going.
 
He also loved watching the myriad of cruise ships as they left port. It was a weekend thing since most cruise lines sailed from the Port of Miami on Saturday and Sunday evenings.
 
The ships were filled with all of the happy folks ready for their time at sea.
 
Since it was Wednesday the cruise ships were not due back in until early Saturday morning.
 
There was always something going on at the beach in Miami.
 

After a few minutes Wayne stepped out and stood beside him.
 

“Find out anything?” Dane asked.
 

“Yeah, probably too much,” Wayne said softly.
 
“Evidently Mr. Nader was not the sweet man I thought.”

“Well, none of us are that.
 
What happened?”

“Nathan was down at the police station.
 
The Feds have been called in.
 
Nader was carrying millions of dollars worth of gold stocks.
 
The FBI and Homeland Security have been crawling all over his books and have questioned Nathan.
 
He’s been down there since late last night.
 
They believe he may have something to do with his father’s dealings.”
 

“Sounds like there was more behind this than just a robbery then, especially with Homeland Security being involved,” said Dane.
 

“Mr. Nader, from what they have been able to piece together so far, is up to his armpits with some pretty bad folks funneling gold all over the world.
 
It certainly looks like this guy was a real live smuggler.
 
Can you believe it?”

“I’ve seen worse,” said Dane, not wanting to say I told you so.
 
Wayne’s story about a friend of a friend and gold investments did not sound too kosher from the start.
 
But Wayne was so intent to invest.
 
Dane didn’t feel it was his place to tell him what to do.
 

“Anyway, Nader was killed by professionals, according to the FBI and Miami Police.
 
Nathan says they are asking him about his knowledge of his father’s network in Miami and around the world.
 
Mr. Nader’s company, Investments International Group, was raided this morning.
 
Nathan said they got a load of evidence on the whole operation but haven’t arrested anyone yet.
 
Anyway, Nathan is in shock and scared to death.”

Dane looked out over the water again.
 
Then he turned to Wayne.
 
“You think he had something to do with his father’s dealings?” asked Dane.
 
“You think they will want to talk to you?
  
You know we would have to report that downtown.
 
That may cause you some problems.”

Wayne jerked his head around toward Dane.
 
“Hell, Dane, I don’t know anything.
 
All I did was invest a few thousand in gold.
 
I didn’t do anything wrong.
 
I swear!”

“Calm down, Wayne.
 
I’m sure you didn’t, but I would have to report it.
 
I doubt anything would come of it but we have to be completely open about this; especially with the FBI and other Feds involved.”

“Yeah, I know,” a slightly calmer Wayne answered.
 
“Boy, did I step in it this time.”

“Nader’s gold network must be pretty big if the FBI and Homeland Security are looking into it.
 
Homeland Security usually only gets involved with national security issues,” explained Dane.
 
“Look at it this way, Wayne.
 
You did nothing wrong.
 
If the authorities want to talk to you, so be it.
 
Tell the truth and everything will work itself out.
 
Remember, we are all behind you,” reassured Dane.
 

“Thanks, Dane.
 
I didn’t want to keep anything from you.”
 

The door to the office cracked open.
 
It was Hugo.
 
“We have an emergency call from South Point Park.
 
Sounds like some dumbass cracked his head on the jetty rocks. I dispatched the EMS and I’m running down there.
 
Want to go, Boss?”

“Yeah, sure.
 
Meet me at the truck.”
 
Dane turned to Wayne and gave him a pat on the back.
 
“Don’t worry.
 
Talk to you later.”

“Thanks,” smiled Wayne grimly.
  
He knew from what he heard from Nathan this was bigger than merely a street murder.
 
Nathan’s father was in with some very nasty folks and there must have been millions involved.
 
It was not the first nor last time someone died over gold.
 
Wayne watched the patrol truck leave, turned and walked back into the office.
 

“You all right?” asked Sherrie, clearly seeing that Wayne was upset.
 

“I guess so.
 
I just can’t believe it.
 
I’ve never been this close to a real murder.
 
It’s weird,” explained Wayne.
 
He sat down at his desk and put his head in his hands.
 
Sherrie walked over and tried to console him.

“I know it’s a shocker but you’ll get over it.
 
Hey, want to go with my cousin Stacy and her fiancé, Bill, and I to dinner tonight?
 
We’re doing sushi at that place you like.”

“I don’t know.
 
I probably wouldn’t be good company,” Wayne lamented.
 
“I probably should go see Nathan.”

“Come on with us.
 
It will take your mind off of all this.
 
It sounds like Nathan has his hands full right now anyway.
 
It might make more sense to stay out of there while the cops are still looking into all of this.”

Wayne looked up and smiled at Sherrie.
 
One couldn’t look at Sherrie and not feel better.
 
She was one of those people that exuded nice.
 
Besides, sushi was one of his favorites.
 

“Okay.
 
You win.
 
It’s hard to stay worried with you around,” he said, shaking his head with a weak smile.
  

“Great!
 
Meet us at Sushi Siam at seven.”
 
Sherrie tapped her hand on Wayne’s desk and said, “Oh, bring some cash.
 
I may be running a bit short.”

Wayne burst into laughter.
 
“Now I know why you asked me!”

Sherrie shot out of the door onto the balcony.
 
She did her job.
 
She cheered Wayne up and got his thoughts away from the Nader situation.
 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011