Duty Bound (1995) (33 page)

Stacy nodded once. "I agree to your rules, but I have a job to do. The first interview is in an hour. People won't talk to me if you three are standing over me. At least dress like you're members of the crew. Don't flash your IDs and guns around and don't be obvious."

"We agree to that," Eli said, "as long as we don't perceive there's a threat to you. From this moment on you'll introduce me and Ed as your personal bodyguards. Agent Sutton is your hairdresser. That's our cover. You got it?"

"Yes, I have it."

Eli kept a somber expression. "Ed, escort Miss Starr inside. Agent Sutton and I will join you in just a minute and explain the deal to Miss Lopez."

Stacy got out of the car but leaned back inside and touched his arm. "I'm sorry, Eli, but I have a duty, too. I hope you understand."

Eli took the cell phone from his blazer pocket. "Yeah, Stacy, I'm afraid I do." He sat up and said, "Park this thing, Sutton, while I call the SAC and tell him the bad news."

. * *

Eli still sat in the backseat of the rental car after completing his call to the SAC. Ashley began to open her door but Eli raised his hand. "Hold it a minute."

She turned with a one-eyed questioning stare. "What's going on?"

Suddenly the back passenger door opened and a tall, well built man slid into the seat beside Eli.

Eli raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

The man shook his head. "You first. She going to drop it?"

"Nope, she says the people have a right to know. What did you find out?"

"You were followed, all right. We spotted two pairs. One pair is parked across the street in the gray minivan. The other pair parked in the lot and is inside in the lobby keeping an eye on Miss Starr. We've got them covered and I've got a tech team monitoring the cell phone bands if they use a cell phone to report in."

Eli motioned to Ashley. "Howie, this is my partner, Agent Ashley Sutton. She and Detective Ed Faraday of the GBI are the ones I told you about."

The agent nodded to Ashley. "I'm Agent Howard Parker, your stand-in partner for Tanner. He's said good things about you."

Ashley's unbandaged eye bored a hole into Eli. "What's going on, Tanner?"

"Sutton, it's what it looks like. Howie tailed us from the airport to see if we were followed. We were, just like we thought we would be."

"Who are they?" Ashley asked, looking at Parker.

"We don't know who they're working for, but it's local contract surveillance boys, not hitters, which is good news.

I've got a squad parceled out watching both pairs, and they'll report all their movements."

"You get the stuff I requested?" Eli asked.

Parker smiled. "I'm way ahead of you. You'll find the equipment in your room. And like you requested, your room is next to Miss Starr's."

Ashley relaxed her stare. "Sounds like you two have been busy. I'm impressed."

Eli opened his door. "Come on, Sutton, it's time to go to work. We'll let Howie keep an eye on our backs."

Ashley quickly got out of the car and caught up to Eli, who was already heading for the hotel entrance. "Tanner, why didn't you tell me about Agent Parker?"

"Didn't have time. I had to get you and Ed up to speed on what the DEA knew before Stacy arrived."

"What's this about your room being next to Miss News?

You planning on visiting your lady friend after dark?"

Eli smiled as he kept walking. "Well, Sutton, if I do pay her a visit, you'll be the first to know. You're staying in the room with her."

"What?"

"You heard what I told her--one of us will be with her every second. While you're staying with her, maybe she'll pass her beauty secrets on to you."

"Keep it up, Tanner. I know you're enjoying this. Keep the surprises coming--you're really trying hard but you're not getting to me."

"Just doing my job, Sutton. I didn't volunteer to watch her."

"Tanner?"

"Yeah?"

"What did you mean that she might show me her beauty secrets? I look nice most of the time, don't I?"

"Drop it, Sutton."

"What is it? My hair? More makeup?"

"Drop it."

"Clothes?"

Less than three miles from the Hyatt, Ted stood on the balcony of a fourth-floor apartment just off Dixie Highway.

If he stood in the right spot, he could see between two high-rise hotels and actually see Biscayne Bay and, out much farther, Key Biscayne. Sitting beside him, Baby nuzzled Ted's hand with his nose. Ted broke his gaze from the distant key and patted the dog's head. "She's sleepin', huh? Sorry, but I can't take ya for a walk, either. I gotta get some sleep, too."

Glenn walked out onto the balcony. "I'm getting worried about you, Ted. You were talkin' to that mutt, weren't you?"

"He's no mutt. He's got better breeding than all of us put together. Ya couldn't sleep?"

"I will, just had to wind down after that long-ass drive. So that's it, huh? Key Biscayne out there?"

"Yep, that's where he is. According to the maps Gee gave us, his place is straight across the bay on this side of the key.

He's probably sittin' on his tiled patio havin' breakfast and lookin' across the bay at all us poor folks."

"We've got eleven mil of his money, Ted. We're not so poor."

"It's poor when he's sittin' on over half a billion. The rest of the guys sleepin'?"

"Yeah. Ted, we have to talk about Bonita."

"I was wonderin' when you'd get around to it."

"What are we goin' to do with her, Ted? When it's over she's still going to be hunted by Mendez's people. They won't rest till they find her, and when they do, they'll make her talk."

Ted faced his friend. "Glenn, I've decided that when it's over, she and I will take off together and hide out someplace down in Mexico. Sorry, but I guess we won't be startin' that business together after all."

"You're going to stay with her?"

"Yeah, I am. I made up my mind when we drove down here together--don't worry, if they do come after her, they'll have to go through me first."

"Ted, there is no if about it. They will keep looking for her. You'll both be running for the rest of your lives."

"At least we'll be together. It's fate."

"Fate?"

"Yeah, fate. We're supposed to be together. Look, Glenn, I've made up my mind on this. I'm goin' to stay with her and protect her. She needs me. And don't start in on that mistletoe thing . . . she's not like that."

Unable to take Ted's stare, Glenn lowered his eyes.

"You're right, Ted; she's not like that. I see she really cares for you." He slowly raised his eyes. "She going to stay here while we do the op?"

"She's goin' with us, Glenn. She'll stay on the boat and keep an eye out for trouble. It'll make it safer for us. We won't have to surface to take a look around for reinforcements. We can stay under and go straight to the target."

"You're putting her life in danger doing that."

"It's already in danger, Glenn. She wants in--plus it's better all around. Once it's done, we won't need to come back here--we'll head up the coast to Boca Raton."

Exhaling, Glenn looked once again toward the bay. "I'm going to miss you, Ted."

Ted put his arm around his friend's shoulder. "We gotta a lot to do before we part ways, Glenn. Better get some sleep.

Later this afternoon I want you and the guys to go buy the boat and the rest of the gear we'll need. Tonight we'll make a recon to firm up our plans. I wanna make sure the hull of that yacht hasn't been reinforced in some way."

"I can't believe it, Teddy, the day has finally come.

Tomorrow night we get that son of a bitch."

Ted joined him in looking out toward the bay. "Tomorrow night it finally ends."

Across Biscayne Bay, seated on his patio in a silk robe and sipping orange juice, Carlos Mendez glanced up from the latest issue of the Horticulture Journal.

Raul approached with a smile. "Colonel, arrangements have been made for you to meet Miss Starr, but there is a complication. She is being protected by the FBI."

Carlos set down his glass. "How many?"

"Three that will accompany her and two others that will follow at some distance. It's not a problem. Our good friend who is helping us says she can ensure only one agent is with Miss Starr when Vargas makes the move--it's all arranged.

We have the schedule of her interviews; Vargas will have her by three this afternoon."

Mendez sighed as he looked out toward the bay. "Such fools they are--it ,is hardly a game worth playing anymore.

Inform Vargas the FBI agent who is with Miss Starr is not to be harmed. I am curious as to what they know. I'm sure the agent will enlighten me."

"I'll inform him, Colonel. There is some other news .. . but I'm afraid it is not good. Our people have not been able to find who the man was who visited Bonita at the lake cabin. Our people checked, and he was not a private investigator as the security guard had said. I assume he used a false name, as did Bonita, which means they planned in advance very well."

Mendez's attention quickly shifted back to his chief of staff. "I'm becoming very concerned about this, Raul. The use of false names and the professional execution of the raid tell us we are dealing with those who can think. What is of concern is what else they know--they knew of my arrangements with the group and knew the investment would be moved."

"Perhaps someone in the group told them of the investment, Colonel."

"No, they would not have known of our plans to move the money. We can rule out the authorities, for they would have seized the investment. We can also rule out a Mafia connection--they would have ensured that Inez and the others didn't talk. They are stupid but not that stupid."

Raul raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps an associate of ours?"

"None would dare be so bold as to defy me. No, I believe the key is Bonita. She made a mistake in going to the veterinarian . . . it was a stupid mistake. It is obvious to me she was not behind this. It was someone else . . . someone who thinks, collects facts, and weighs his options then acts decisively.

Remember, Raul, only four men were involved. That tells us much. They must be very confident of their abilities ... and confidence comes only from training and experience. They are also disciplined. They killed only when necessary and left no trace of themselves. The key is Bonita--she is the weak link. She made a mistake and she will again. Pull out the team that is looking for her accomplice--he is too smart to make an error in judgment now. Concentrate all our efforts on Bonita... and her dog. She would not have left the animal behind."

Raul took a step back from the table. "I'll send a description of the animal to all our people who are looking for her."

Mendez rose from his chair. "It is time for me to visit my children. . . . I will dine with Miss Starr on board tonight.

Have the chef prepare stone crab for the occasion. Tourists always enjoy stone crabs."

"And what of the FBI agent, Colonel?"

"No need to set a place for the agent, Raul. After the officer answers my questions, he shall be permanently retired. . . . Terrible how many tourists try to swim the bay, isn't it? They really should know better."

Raul nodded without a smile.

Chapter 17.

2:15 P. M., Little Havana, Miami.

The news van pulled to the curb. Wearing an ear radio receiver, Eli got out and looked up and down the side street, checking for suspicious people on the sidewalk. Seeing none, he raised his hand and spoke into the miniature mike pinned inside his blazer sleeve. "We've arrived at the newspaper office."

Another van pulled in behind them, and Ed Faraday and Ashley quickly got out and walked directly toward the entrance of the stucco building in dire need of paint. Ed stopped at the door and took up position as Ashley entered.

A full ten seconds passed before she came out and nodded.

Eli returned the nod and slid open the news van's side door. "It appears clear. Remember to stay close and to the left of me until we're inside."

Stacy Starr stepped out of the van with a frown. "We've done this twice already, Eli. I know what to do."

Rita Lopez stepped out behind Stacy and rolled her eyes.

"He's really into playing the part of a bodyguard, isn't he? I think he likes the control."

Eli ignored Lopez as he walked Stacy toward the entrance.

Once inside, a small middle-aged man wearing an open neck panama shirt approached. "Miss Starr, I am Hector Ramirez, editor of La Voz. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Stacy smiled as she shook the editor's hand. "It is my pleasure, Senor Ramirez. I hope we have not inconvenienced you with the security requirements."

Not at all, Miss Starr. Rita called and explained the concerns of your station manager. As you can see, the office is empty. I released my employees for a late lunch per the Instructions. Please come with me to my office, where we can talk."

Eli stepped in front of the editor. "Sir, I'll need to check the office first."

Stacy kept her smile. "I'm sorry, Senor Ramirez, this is Mr. Tanner. He is in charge of my security."