“Good to see ya, boy. Been a while,” Mike said, slipping into the seat across from Zach. He looked around him in that way that always reminded Zach of a rat making sure no cats were around to chase him off a piece of scrap he’d found.
Zach motioned for the barkeep to send a couple of beers their way. Once the waitress dropped their glasses off at the table, he watched Mike down almost half of his drink in one gulp. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“You remember my friend, Gus?”
“Big guy? Walked with a limp?” The two had been pretty inseparable on the docks.
“Yeah, got that injury from a shark bite down in Florida when he was first working a fishing boat. Decided working the docks and merchant ships further north was safer.”
“Gus got something to do with why you wanted this meet?” He was trying to keep his patience, but he knew Mackerel Mike would take fifty words to tell a ten-word story.
Mike nodded and downed a third of the remainder of beer in his glass, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket. “When the Brits decided to go to war with them Naa-zis, old Gus signed up to work on a merchant marine ship taking supplies across the pond. Didn’t know why he thought he had to do that. Told him so. He says to me, he says, ‘Mike, there’s good people in the world and there’s bad. Them Naa-zis is some of the baddest ones ever. Besides, I don’t like bullies.’ He never did. That’s how we met, you know. He jumped into a fight between me and four other guys outside a bar. Saved my hide.” Mike paused to take a breath, his eyes growing a little watery. He swallowed a few times, then shook his head. “Wish I could’ve returned the favor.”
“Something happen to Gus?” Zach prodded.
“Them U-boats attacked the convoy his ship was in carrying food to the Brits.” He paused again, the muscles around his mouth growing tense. “Not a soul from his ship survived.”
Zach understood his anger. With every American merchant ship that went down trying to send relief cargo to the British, the need for military escort became apparent to him. Problem was, too many Americans and Congressmen still believed they could remain on the sidelines while England took the next wave of attacks from the Germans. This tied the President and all of America’s military leaders’ hands.
“Sorry to hear about Gus, Mike, but not sure what I can do to help you.”
“Ain’t wantin’ you to help me, Lieutenant. I want to help you,” Mike said.
Zach couldn’t hide his surprise. “What are you thinking?”
“Seems to me, them Naa-zis might be getting information about the convoys from somewhere. Maybe along the docks somewhere,” Mike said, toying with the glass in front of him. “I know an awful lot of people workin’ those docks. Could keep my ears opened, work my way up and down the coast. See if I hear anything useful.”
Zach considered his offer a moment before replying. “Mike, I know you want to help, but I’m not in a position to make you an official informant. I’ve barely started working at ONI.”
“I know and I was real glad to hear you’d gotten that job. You always was good at listening and observing people, even down on the docks. Nothin’ much slipped by you. I ain’t askin’ to be official. Not askin’ to get paid. I’ll just keep my eyes and ears open, maybe join one of those German-American Bund groups…lots of guys on the docks are talkin’ about them. If I see or hear something useful, I’ll let you know.”
Zach gave him a nod. “Okay. You just don’t do anything dangerous. Gus wouldn’t want you doing anything dangerous.”
Mike finished off his beer and gave that sly grin that once more reminded Zach of a rat on the wharf just after eating its fill. “I promise to stay out of harm’s way.”
Only he hadn’t. Two days ago, he’d sent a message to meet Zach here, said he had something important to tell him. Whatever it was, it had gotten him killed and Zach couldn’t shake the thought it was his fault.
He crumpled his hand around the slip of paper he’d found in Mackerel Mike’s pocket along with his wallet. It had one sentence: Shanghaied in Wilmington.
* * *
U Boat 352, somewhere off the Atlantic Coast
March, 1941
“It is important that you carry out your orders with the utmost secrecy, lieutenant.”
“Ja, mein Kapitän,” the younger man stood tall and stiff at attention. “Our operative has been in contact with the local bund?”
“Ja. Our agent, code name Gatekeeper, has established contact with the bund’s leader and set up a meeting with you. You will put Gatekeeper to work testing the security at the main target. We need to prevent the Americans from replenishing the ships our wolfpack is sending to the bottom of the Atlantic.”
“I’ve reviewed the orders and studied all the targets in the area.”
“Good. You will focus on the main target first and if possible destroy the others, too. You will also bring out the plans for their navigation system and weapons. That is of extreme importance.” The SS captain lifted his pipe and puffed on the end a few times, filling the cabin with the scent of fruited tobacco, letting his words sink in. “The other members of your team have been in place several months. Along with Gatekeeper, they will meet you at the coordinates and help you establish your identity. The pair are American-born but have sworn their loyalty to the Fürher.”
“Can they be trusted?” the lieutenant asked. He knew many American-born Germans professed loyalty to the Fatherland and met to support the Nazi ideals in small groups known as German-American bunds, but living in the capitalist, all-men-are-equal country of America had made them lazy. Not as strong in discipline and loyalty as a German raised in his beautiful country.
“There was a small problem with a possible informant. Our agent and your team dispatched him without any consequence. They’ve proven their loyalty. Time for you to get ready. You’ll be landing in two hours. You’re dismissed.”
The younger agent saluted with his right arm held up straight. “Heil Hitler!”
As he turned on his heel and went for the door, he fought hard to contain his excitement. A dangerous assignment on enemy shores was just the reason he’d joined the ranks of the Abwehr.
Afterword
Writing a book about law enforcement always has me talking to actual police about how things are done. This time it was members of the Cleveland Police and Coroner’s Investigator’s offices, as well as Blood Bank personnel. I want to thank them all for their input to guide me along the path in this book.
DRAINED is a work of fiction, and because of that I took some leeway in the protocols Detective Jeffers would follow and push to the limits. Also, with regards to Blood Bank procurement and safety protocols in place, the killer’s ability to infiltrate their system were all a work of fiction and no way reflects the security of our blood bank supplies. Brianna’s ability to recite facts and numbers does give accurate statistics to America’s use and need of blood on a daily and yearly basis.
Any mistakes or wrong turns that happened in this book were mine alone. Any resemblance to any person or event is completely coincidental and unintended.
Also by Suzanne Ferrell
WESTEN SERIES
Close To Home, book 1
Close To The Edge, book 2
Close To The Fire, book 3
Close To Danger, book 4
Close To The Heart, book 5
Christmas Comes To Westen (book bundle):
Close To Santa’s Heart
Close To The Mistletoe
Close To Christmas
EDGARS FAMILY NOVELS
Kidnapped
Hunted
Seized
Vanished
Unmasked
Exposed
NEPTUNE’S FIVE
(EDGARS FAMILY PREQUEL SERIES—WWII)
Shanghaied
HISTORICALS
Cantrell’s Bride
Turner’s Vision
About the Author
USA Today bestselling
author, Suzanne Ferrell discovered romance novels in her aunt’s hidden stash one summer as a teenager. From that moment on she knew two things: she loved romance stories and someday she'd be writing her own. Her love for romances has only grown over the years. It took her a number of years and a secondary career as a nurse to finally start writing her own stories.
The author of 16 novels and an Amazon best-seller for both her series, the Edgars Family Novels and the Westen series, Suzanne's books have been finalists in the National Reader's Choice Awards--SEIZED (2013) and VANISHED (2014). Suzanne was also a double finalist in the Romance Writers of America's 2006 Golden Heart with her manuscripts, KIDNAPPED (Long Contemporary Category) and HUNTED (Romantic Suspense).
Currently working on more books for her Edgars Family series (KIDNAPPED, HUNTED, SEIZED, VANISHED, EXPOSED and Capitol Danger) and the Westen Series (Close To Home, Close To The Edge, Close To The Fire, Close To Christmas, Close To The Mistletoe, Close To Santa’s Heart and Close To Danger), Suzanne hopes to bring readers more passionate and suspenseful books to fill your reading moments.
Suzanne's sexy stories, whether they are her on the edge of your seat romantic suspense or the heartwarming small town stories, will keep you thinking about her characters long after their Happy Ever After is achieved.
You can Find Suz at:
Website: http://suzanneferrell.com/
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