“Put it that way, Chic, and I’d say we better lock and load.”
“I know one thing,” Danny said with a crinkled brow. “You know these guys only have long guns, and we only have pistols. That is a clear advantage on their side. We’ll have to find a way to get in close for a kill shot.”
Chic said he was working on the problem. “I’ll set up a protected area on what we think will be our firing position.” Chic removed the seats and leaned them along each side of the boat. Life jackets were placed between the hull and the boards. Every loose board, box, and book was added to the mix. In the most likely defensive positions, he placed the tool boxes. As on most fishing boats, there was a fair supply of tool boxes to aid in this effort. Reflecting even one bullet could help save a life.
Aside from protection from the junk he found, Chic knew he was an excellent shot and was fairly certain Danny was also. He also brought along an adequate supply of 9mm ammunition and left all but a few rounds of hollow points behind. If they needed the hollow points, they each had one clip.
Chic also found that there was a 12-gauge shotgun on board to use to fire flares. This could become useful. Chic laid out the shotgun along with all the flares in the protected spot he had selected.
“What do you think, Danny? See any way we can improve on this?”
Danny carefully surveyed their firing position. His expression told it all. They were vulnerable, and this was going to be a fight to the finish. “Looks okay to me, Chic.”
“The next question, Danny, is whether we should stay close to the shore where we can limit their approach and we can make a run for the shore, or go out to the middle of the lake. Which is better in your opinion?”
Both men went silent as they made their calculations. If they guessed wrong, it would be their last miscalculation.
Chis spoke up first. “I believe that close to the south shore is best. They can’t follow us in on shore with a vehicle, so we won’t be assaulted from land. It will have to be from the water. We can run to shore, get out, and use the boat as our barrier. They will eventually have to come closer to us, which will give us an advantage, as they’ll be moving and we’ll be firing from a stationary position. They’ll either have to come to us or wait for another time.”
“I agree. That’s as good a plan as we can devise. It’s better than running around in the open water.”
“Great. Run toward the south shore and stay out about a hundred feet. The minute they start firing, let’s move to shore and get out behind the boat, where they’ll have to come within our firing range to get us.”
The two assassins wasted no time. As soon as Chic and Danny left their mooring, Miguel and Lucas got to their boat and quickly left. Their assumption was that their target would head for the center of the lake and blast away at full speed. The assassins were no more than fifteen minutes behind their targets. They had sufficient speed to easily catch the fishing boat their targets were in.
The assassins actually passed Chic and Danny within twenty minutes of leaving the marine area.
Chic picked up the assassins in his binoculars as they sped by. Chic realized that the assassins had failed to consider that they might not be able to see an old fishing boat going along the shore backed up by verdant jungle. They could not easily see a slow boat. Chic’s boat was not a shiny white boat and was not easily seen.
“Pull into the shore, Danny, and let’s find a place to tie up the boat. If they find us, we’ll be in a position behind the boat.”
The assassins kept on for another fifteen minutes thinking the other boat was simply faster than they thought. They finally stopped their boat, drifting for a few minutes while they studied their situation. Now they realized their problem. They would have to backtrack along one side of the shore or the other. They couldn’t do both sides at the same time. They couldn’t go down the middle because then they wouldn’t be able to see either shore. This was going to be more difficult than they thought.
The assassins decided to backtrack on the south side of the lake, purely because the south side was closer to them than the north side. After much thought, they decided to turn and go back west about a thousand feet from the south shore. If they didn’t find the targets that way, they would simply have to go back to base and get them that night or the next day at their hotel. They reduced their speed to approximately fifteen knots where they could study the water to their north and shoreline to their left.
Chic found what was a perfect location as possible under these circumstances. They anchored the boat on shore, partially hidden by bushes and trees. The boat was pointed toward the open water. They actually were standing on a small, sandy knoll surrounded by water. They were protected by the boat and motor.
Thirty minutes later, Chic spotted the boat headed west back toward their area.
The assassins passed by them the first time. They came back in an easterly direction and finally spotted them. They could see the boat but not Chic and Danny. The assassins idled in the area with their bow pointed toward the shore.
Chic and Danny considered moving back into the jungle but decided the boat provided better protection.
The assassins decided to start firing from their present position. They let loose with a volley of twenty to twenty-five shots before they let up. They managed to shoot a few holes in the boat, but the engine protected them from any injury.
When the volley stopped, Chic was able to observe them close enough to realize they did not use a pair of binoculars. They were going to have to attack now or leave.
Miguel was behind the wheel, and Lucas was the shooter. Miguel gave full power headed toward Chic and Danny, and Lucas began firing with his rifle as they charged. At this point, it was too pistols versus one unsteady rifle. Miguel was headed directly at Chic’s boat. When they got within a hundred feet of Chic and Danny, they seized their opportunity. They were able to quickly take Lucas out with a couple of body shots, using the hollow-head bullets. Miguel got in closer and made a hard right turn, swinging the boat sideways to Chic’s boat.
At this point, Miguel was clearly in range and exposed.
All three shooters let loose with rapid volleys at about the same time. Miguel was taken down quickly but not before Danny took a shot in his left shoulder, and Chic was hit by shrapnel in the right temple. When the smoke cleared, Chic could see that Danny was shot in the shoulder area. Chic quickly got the first-aid kit from the barriers he had set up and went to work on Danny’s shoulder. It took awhile, but he was able to stop the bleeding. It looked like some bone may have been clipped, but it appeared there were no body organs or vital parts damaged.
For Chic’s part, a bandage took care of his problem until he could find time to check for foreign objects in the injured area of his forehead.
Chic made Danny as comfortable as he could, tied the assassins’ boat to his boat, and headed back to Fronteras. The trip to Lake Izabal, Rio Dulce, and Fronteras was a disaster for Danny and Chic. They never expected that the crooks they were investigating would be waiting on them. A betrayal almost cost them their lives. It actually cost the lives of two of their witnesses, Doug and Captain Hayes. Two assassins were killed, and he and Danny were injured.
When they arrived in Fronteras, the two dead assassins had to be turned into the locals and of course the process that was required involved a lot of people and the State Department, and depending on the will of the local police, it could take days. Only through the intervention of the State Department, Heath, and other law enforcement officers were they able to get Chic and Danny released so they could get Danny home as quickly as possible for medical attention. Fortunately, Chic’s injuries were not major, and Danny, after receiving some medical attention, was patched up enough to make the trip back home.
Suzy was going to be really upset about the gun battle and the fact that he received some injuries. Chic knew he should probably ca
ll, but he would see her within a few hours, and getting out of this area was the first priority.
Chic was deeply concerned that he had been the victim of the Renfro family at least twice. This one family, whom he thought so highly of in the beginning, was proving to be his nemesis. Was he losing his touch, or were they that good at deception? He reviewed everything he knew about Ken and his family, and even with hindsight, he couldn’t put his finger on the demon.
Chapter
13
Papan and Izel, Sinaloa hit men, left their migrant hostile in Eufaula, Alabama, where they worked in a chicken-processing facility. Their cousin, Antonio, was also their boss who directed them to Anniston, Alabama, to do a job. They liked this assignment because they were going home after they completed the assignment.
Izel, always the nervous type, kept asking Papan, “You sure you know how to get to Anniston? How do you know? You ever been there before? How long is it gonna take?”
Finally, Papan had enough. “Shut your mouth, Izel. You don’t need to know anything except when to make a shot and hit your target.”
“Okay.” He always let his brother know Papan was the boss. “I’ll shut up. You just make sure we don’t get lost. Are you sure Antonio wants us to go to Anniston?”
“I said, shut up. I’m in charge here. You just do what I tell you, and you’ll be okay.”
“Okay, okay.” As usual, Izel had a sheepish look on his face.
“Izel, you know Antonio gave us this assignment as a favor so we can go back home. It’s our turn. Antonio gave me the directions, and he’s worked out all the details. None of that is your concern. Our job is to follow instructions. I’m the one who has the plan, so that is not your concern. You understand?”
“Yes, okay.”
Papan was finally able to drive to the motel where they were staying in Anniston in relative peace. The next morning, on schedule, they met Antonio at 8:00 sharp. “Good morning, men. Hope you slept well.”
“Yes, very well,” said Papan, who was normally the spokesman for the two brothers. Izel was the shooter and was more reserved than his older brother. His job was to shoot, not talk.
“Eat up, guys. We have a couple of hours before I have to make my appointment,” said Antonio.
The men didn’t talk much during breakfast, but when they did, they spoke in English. They were well shaven and dressed in clean blue jeans and sporty shirts. When they finished their meal, they headed directly to their respective cars. Antonio was driving a Honda, and Papan was driving a Ford pickup with a camper on the back, which Izel could use as a shooting platform. They drove over to Quintard Mall where they parked. Antonio came over to the pickup truck to continue with his instructions.
“Now,” instructed Antonio. “I will give you a sign when the target exits the beauty shop. Both of you watch for my signal between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30. Now take the camper over to the right position.”
Papan was careful to park the camper truck into position, approximately three hundred feet from the beauty shop. He had the rear of the camper facing the target area.
Izel lined himself up in the camper, with the back hatch open, making sure he could see the target. He was now in position with his 9mm rifle and was ready to go.
“Izel, you be sure that I confirm the target. We can’t make a mistake on that. Antonio will identify the target, but I’m the one who will tell you when to fire and take out the target.”
“Okay, okay, Papan. I’ve got it. I’ll wait for you. Okay? What time is it anyway?”
“You don’t have to worry about the time. You just rest your little brain. Take a deep breath. You’ve got to make a good shot.”
“Okay, okay.”
At 10:40 a.m., Margie Beal came out of the beauty shop with a big smile on her face, obviously enjoying the beautiful day.
Antonio gave the signal.
“Izel. You see the target? She’s the one who just came out of the door. The small lady, red hair and white blouse.”
“Yes. I’ve got her.”
“Fire at will,” Papan instructed.
No one heard a sound. Margie simply collapsed to the ground, dead.
Without fanfare, Izel closed the camper rear gate, and Papan drove the camper from the scene and headed up I-20 toward the shopping center where the vehicle exchange would occur. At the next intersection, he exited to the right and entered the shopping center’s parking lot. He found the Honda that he was to take. The keys were on top of the left front wheel. The keys to the truck were left in the truck’s glove compartment. They got into the Honda, and in the glove compartment were their plane tickets for the 4:00 p.m. flight on Delta, along with passports and some cash. They also were left two carry-on bags where they could change clothes, leaving their old clothes in the carry-on bags. The rifle was hidden in a designated place in the camper. That very night, Papan and Izel were able to eat supper at their favorite restaurant in Isla Mujeres, Mexico.
Chic and Danny’s flight back to Atlanta was very uncomfortable. Danny was in severe pain. Chic arranged for an ambulance to be waiting on him as soon as they landed in Atlanta. Heath would be there to debrief Danny and to make sure that he was properly cared for at the hospital. Then it was obvious to Chic that the criminal gang would not give up. At this point, the criminal enterprise had lost too many assets as a result of Chic’s activities to be ignored. He and Suzy would both be high on their hit list. It was clear that he had to identify the crooks and beat them to the punch.
Suzy would take this very hard. Then she would have to be told about Danny, and she would see the bandages on his head. Suzy would probably be more disturbed that he had not called her from Belize and let her know that all of them were in real danger.
Chic knew he had to brace himself. As he had reminded himself many times, “Put on your big-boy britches.”
It took Chic approximately seven hours to get out of Atlanta and drive home to Pensacola. As Chic got his bags out of the car and headed to his front door, he was physically and mentally wasted. Chic put his bags down, got his key, and opened the front door. He was shocked to see Suzy leaning against the wall with the phone in her hand, crying. Red alarm bells went off in his head.
Suzy collapsed into a chair next to the phone. Her sobbing became uncontrollable. All she could get out was, “My fault! My fault! Why Mother! Why did those bastards kill Mother?”
Chic grabbed her hand, knelt down, and attempted to give her someone to lean on. Suzy was not responding. She grew stiff and balled up into the fetal position. She dropped the phone and remained in the fetal position as Chic attempted to caress her. Suzy was clearly exhibiting an escape response from a present physical threat in her mind.
Eventually, Suzy allowed Chic to hold her, but her body remained stiff. All of her muscles were taut, and she was unable to respond verbally.
It took more than forty-five minutes to gain enough control to at least attempt to speak to Chic. She had not really noticed his presence and certainly had not noticed that his head was wrapped in a bandage.
Eventually, between sobs, she managed to get out, “Chic, those bastards killed Momma! Why would they do that? If they want to kill someone, kill me. It’s all my fault anyway!” She then went back into that dark place in the mind where there is only fear and anger.
“Suzy, it’s not your fault. Those demons did this to hurt you as much as they could. I’m here. I’ll look after you. Don’t fear.”
“You can’t help me, Chic,” she continued in a distraught tone. “We’re fighting a major cartel, just you and me. There is no hope. If I hadn’t been acting like a cheap whore, we wouldn’t be running for our lives.”
Chic took some time, hugged her, rubbed her back, spoke softly into her ear, and then softly lifted her face to his. “But, love, you and I would never have met any other way. For me, all the risk in the world is worth the pric
e. Please don’t ever doubt that. God has a plan. We have to have the faith.
“Baby, there’s no way I can remove the depth of the pain for your mother’s loss. I can only imagine how I would feel if I lost you. It would be an unspeakable loss.”
And so Chic continued to minister to Suzy’s need. He continued to stroke her gently, and he gave her space as she needed it. Eventually even in life’s worst circumstances, the pain gets gobbled up into all those necessary rituals the living have to do in these circumstances. When Suzy had quieted down enough to notice his head injury, Chic felt like he could assure her that he would talk to the sheriff in Anniston and make all the arrangements for the funeral.
The thought of the funeral set Suzy off again.
Chic was in a state of shock. He and Danny had barely escaped with their lives from Lake Izabal. He didn’t find out about Margie’s murder until he got home to Suzy. It blew Chic’s mind that during the time he was flying back from Cancun to Atlanta, Margie had been murdered. Suzy and Chic’s lives had been changed by this murder in a flash. The reality of the situation took time to sink in.
Chic was able to contact Heath, who was equally shocked by the events. But he agreed to dig up as much information as he could and call him on his cell.
Chic eventually got the location of Margie’s body and the name of the funeral home.
The drive to Anniston was difficult. Suzy was still in total shock. If she could have relived her life and not had all these horrible experiences, she would have gladly done it.
Perhaps it was the quietness of the car ride, or maybe the inner strength she felt sitting next to Chic, with his arm around her, that helped the fog lift a little bit. Suzy realized that she and Chic were now in a fight for life. Finally, Chic decided that Suzy was far enough along for him to tell her the rest of the story of Lake Izabal.
“Sweetheart, I didn’t expect them to come after your mother or my family either. I guess I should’ve told you earlier, but the two guys I was looking for at Lake Izabal, Doug and Captain Hayes, were also killed. We found this out by pure chance. The yacht we were looking for left the first night we were there. I really didn’t see any reason to disturb you about that because it didn’t seem to pose a threat to you.
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