The Devil's Syndicate

by Chris Draper

  Contents

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  24

  25

  26

  Epilogue

  The Devil's Syndicate

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved

  Copyright © 2019 Christopher Draper

  Cover Illustration Copyright © 2019 by Matthew Flute

  Additional formatting by Rebecca Li

  Author photograph by Iris Chia

  1

  Simon Hawk had returned from fishing in the San Francisco Bay and was on his houseboat cleaning his fishing rods, sitting in a fold out chair sipping idly from a can of Corona. He'd purchased the boat from a retired navy man in Riverside and 'Little Giant' as he called it boasted a 55-foot aluminium hull, dual 100-horsepower inboard motors and a custom 8K watt generator which was more than enough juice to allow him to cruise the harbour waters with ease. He even had a smaller 10-foot fishing boat with a separate engine moored to the side that he used whenever he felt the itch to do some fishing, and today was a perfect day for just that.

  The weather that July had been pristine and he'd spent most days lounging around in a pair of khaki shorts and his favourite tropical dress shirt that he'd picked up on sale at a shop in the Wharf. On a good day his plastic pail held a collection of both fresh and salt water fish including Yellowfin Goby, Arrow Goby, Starry Flounder and if he got lucky, maybe some Pacific Herring too which was becoming more scarce in the Bay. He would sometimes skin and cook the fish on his boat and share it with his friends on the harbour – or other times might sell it to a local fish market in the Wharf called Benny's.

  The boat bobbed gently with the crosscurrents sifting in from the Pacific as Hawk finished cleaning his last rod, then he gazed out at the waters with a breeze wafting his sandy-coloured hair. He enjoyed the freedom of being able to drift aimlessly around the harbour on lazy summer afternoons such as this one. His cat Sprinkles, a Siamese he'd picked up from an animal shelter with his wife Helen, jumped up on his lap and he stroked her behind the ears. He shut his eyes and listened to the soft lapping of the waters against the side of the boat when he thought he heard some footsteps walking on the wooden docks nearby. They grew louder until they stopped near the side of the boat to his right.

  Hawk opened his eyes, looked over and saw a slim man with a briefcase wearing a dark business suit standing on the dock smiling at him. Hawk thought he looked to be his early forties and thought at first that maybe it was someone from the judicial system paying him a visit about the Tony Risotto case. Then he remembered that the case wasn't due to start for another month and it would be too early for someone to come and see him. Before Hawk could think about it any further the man called over.

  “Hello there Captain! Am I free to come aboard?”

  Hawk looked at him for a second, scratching the stubble on his chin, nodded. “Sure, why not. The entrance is just around the side or if you prefer you can hop over the railing there.”

  “Thanks.” The man clumsily brought one leg over the side and Hawk thought he might trip and fall into the water but then balanced himself with the boat's sway and brought both feet down on deck. Hawk motioned with his head toward an empty seat nearby and the man sat down across from him. He saw the man was looking around at all the fish scattered in white pails on the deck and suddenly felt a little self conscious. It wasn't everyday someone in a swanky suit showed up on his boat and it wasn't everyday his boat stank like raw fish, stale beer, and salt water either.

  “Sorry about the mess.” Hawk said. “I was out fishing earlier and haven't had a chance to clean up yet.”

  “That's quite all right with me.” The man said and Hawk noticed he spoke with the air of someone well-read. Maybe he was a lawyer after all. “Catch anything good?” He asked.

  “I think so.” Hawk said. “I can always tell I've had a good day by how my cat reacts.” Sprinkles was on the deck now pawing at one of the pails of dead fish. “See if I bring in a haul and she ignores it then I know I made a bad catch for the day. But if she's down there like she is now, pawing away at them, that means she's happy and I've done well for myself.”

  They both chuckled and watched Sprinkles for a moment as she inspected the fish like a pet detective, sniffing the air around the pails and peering over into them.

  “So how can I help you mister --”

  “Mr. Wagner.” The man said cutting in. “Mr. Harvey Wagner.” He stood up and they shook hands. “Glad to meet you Mr. Hawk.”

  “You know my last name. I take it we've met before then?”

  “Well yes and no.” Wagner cleared his throat. “You see, I've heard about you a great deal through the press over the past year, although I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you face to face like this.”

  “I hope it was worth the wait.” Hawk said. “What can I do for you?”

  “Well you see I am facing a personal crisis of sorts of which I feel you may be able to assist me.”

  “And what kind of personal crisis would that be?” Hawk reached over and grabbed another beer out of the cooler and offered one to Wagner.

  “Oh no thank you I never drink while discussing business.” Wagner said. “To get to the point, my daughter Dottie has been missing and I heard you may be able to help me locate her. A friend of mine said he read about you in the paper and mentioned you were a bounty hunter.”

  “I prefer the term bail recovery agent.” Hawk smiled. “It sounds more modern than the phrase bounty hunter. Otherwise people think they're hiring some sort of desperado, which I'm not.”

  “Yes that is a good point you have there.” Wagner said. “I will keep it in mind.”

  “So why did you decide on me for this job of yours?” Hawk asked. “If you know who I am you must also know that I have some baggage...for lack of a better word.”

  “I looked more into your history and was impressed by what I uncovered. You had the highest closure rate of any vice officer in San Francisco history and I also must admit that your personal story had quite a sway on me as well. You've had quite an interesting year.”

  “That's putting it mildly. How did you find out where I lived?”

  “Simple really. I have friends in high places: politicians, businessman, journalists, it didn't me take long to receive word you were living on the harbour and when I found out you were here, I simply asked one of your neighbours to tell me which boat was yours. People seem mighty friendly on the piers.”

  “Nice to know I have my privacy.”

  “You have nothing to worry about, I'm not one to divulge information to others. Unless it involves my own sanity of course. Which is why I've come to you to help me find my daughter, she has been missing for close to three months now.”

  “So why only start looking for her now? Why not three months ago?”

  “I tried to find her on my own but had no luck. I guess I kept hoping she would come back on her own but when a few months went by and she still hadn't returned I knew it was time to seek help elsewhere. Plus, I'm not a man of action anyway. I suppose I could have went to the police but I didn't
want them involved as the publicity wouldn't have looked good on the Wagner name. I assume you know of the Wagner's?”

  Hawk nodded. “I recall hearing the name from somewhere. TV I think.”

  “Then you might also know that I am a prominent healthcare investor and businessman in the San Francisco area. Dottie is my only daughter and means everything to me. I must find her.”

  Hawk stood up and walked over to the railing with his back to Wagner. He could see Alcatraz island floating in the distance with its lone watch tower perched high above the rest of the Bay like a guardian of the seas. He wondered if this hotshot businessman really knew what he was getting himself into.

  “I think you're forgetting something though Mr. Wagner.” Hawk said keeping his eyes fixed on the island. “I'm not in the business of tracking down missing people. That's the job of a private investigator and you could easily find fifty of them in this city alone. My job is to find and apprehend criminals who have jumped bail, hence the term bail recovery agent.”

  Mr. Wagner came up beside him and rested his hands on the rail. “That's not what you did when you found Tony Risotto though, you killed his men and brought Tony back with more than a scratch.”

  “That was different. They fired on me first and Tony tried escaping while we were on the highway. Plus if you read the papers you would also know that Tony --”

  “ -- was responsible for the death of your child and the injuries of your wife. Yes I know this already to which I must say I am very sorry. But you see, that's also one of the reasons why I came to you. If you must know, I did speak to other private investigators before stumbling upon your name and they all lacked one thing that you have.”

  “Which is?”

  “Loss.” Wagner was looking at him again in a searching way, trying to find that flicker of emotion he thought he'd seen when he mentioned Hawk's wife and child. He had to admit that this former cop hid it well. “You know what it's like to lose someone you love. And maybe I haven't suffered as greatly as you have, but I still know you must be able to empathize with me at least a little bit. And after reading about you further I feel that it's this emotion that would drive you to search for my daughter like no one else could. That is the reason why I came to you. And that's why I know you will say yes.”

  “And if I don't?”

  “I know you will.” Wagner said. “I feel taking on my case would be extremely, how should I put it, advantageous to your current situation.”

  “What makes you think that?”

  “Well, it's no secret that you're currently embroiled in the Tony Risotto case that must take up much of your time. It's also no secret that your wife Helen is in a special care unit that requires quite a bit of cash to keep her there. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you spend on employing the care of that facility?

  “About $100,000 per year.”

  “Yes that's right. Plus the extra costs of medication as well.”

  “You seem to know a lot about me Mr. Wagner. I'm not sure I like that.”

  Wagner smiled warmly. “As I mentioned before, I do have friends in high places and I needed to make sure you were the right person for the job. So I had them do a bit of research for me. Please understand it wasn't meant to do you any harm.”

  “So you've told me what you need done. What you haven't told me yet is how all of this is supposed to help me.”

  “I apologize for digressing. I can offer you five hundred thousand dollars to find and bring back my daughter, half of which I can deposit in your account tomorrow if you decide to take on the case.”

  Hawk whistled. “That's quite a tidy sum. Even for a man of your means. You must really want to find her.”

  “Of course I want to find her.” Wagner said. “And the money is inconsequential – it's to ensure you do the best job possible. And the other reason why I think you should take on my case is that being involved in the healthcare industry enables me to know many important people.”

  “Yeah I get the point, you're kind of like Mother Teresa minus the stripes and sari. Is that it?”

  Wagner laughed and shook his head. “No I wouldn't say that. What I mean is that I am friends with many of the best doctors in the world and I'm confident that one of them would be able to do something for your wife.”

  “Go on.”

  “Many of these doctors are working on revolutionary techniques that haven't yet seen the light of day. If I tell them about your situation, I know they would be more than willing to help Helen.”

  “So you're saying if I find your daughter you'll make Helen well again?

  “I'm not saying it's 100% but I am saying that we will do the best we can.”

  “Hmm.” Simon got up and walked inside to the boat's cabin and Wagner followed behind.

  “You know, if I take on this case, there could be legal barriers I could run into if Dottie is found in another state. Not all state's accept people like me with open arms you know. Oregon for instance bans people in my trade altogether.”

  “You let me worry about that. All you have to worry about is finding Dottie and bringing her home safe. Besides, when did the law ever stop you from doing what you wanted before?”

  “True.”

  Wagner leaned over to pick up a photo of Helen sitting on a small coffee table. It was a wedding portrait taken the day she and Hawk were married and Helen looked radiant with her glowing olive complexion and long dark hair hanging down one side of her face. Hawk remembered the day like it was yesterday.

  “She's very beautiful.” Wagner said inspecting the photo. “I'd love to have the chance to help her if you'd let me.”

  Wagner handed the photo to Hawk and he stared at it briefly before placing it back on the coffee table. He felt Wagner watching him, perhaps to look for a trace of sadness, but there was none. Hawk had learned long ago how to hide his feelings from the prying scrutiny of others. It went hand in hand with being a former cop. Hawk changed the subject. “And what will happen to the Tony Risotto case if I have to leave the state to find Dottie? I just can't take off in the middle of something so important.”

  “I give you my word that if you need to be back here for anything I'll cover your travel fare at a moment’s notice. I would also need you to sign a contract stating that you would make me and my case your sole priority. That means you wouldn't be able to take on any other cases until this one is complete.”

  “And what if I don't find her?”

  “Then you will receive half of the money and I will still see what I can do for Helen.”

  “So what's stopping me from just sitting on my boat for a month, then lying and telling you I didn't find anything?”

  Wagner smiled and his front teeth showed over his lip. “I know you better than that. Judging from what I've read and heard, you're not the kind of man who would screw somebody over. You have too much integrity for that.” He paused, then: “So will you find my daughter Mr. Hawk?”

  Sprinkles came in and rubbed herself against Hawk's leg. He knelt down and rubbed her back and she toppled over on her side and stretched out her arms and legs. Hawk asked, “When would you need an answer?”

  “You have exactly one minute to decide.” Wagner said checking the time on his phone. “If not I have an appointment with another bail recovery agent as you put it after I leave here. If you take on the case I will let him know his services are no longer required.”

  “If I take your case I do things my way, that means I don't have any outside interference from you unless I ask for it.”

  “I wouldn't have it any other way.” Wagner said pulling out some papers from his briefcase as well as handing Hawk a USB flashdrive. “You can have free reign of your search for Dottie so long as you keep me informed of your progress on a weekly basis. I have a cellphone number that's been registered as a toll free that you can call anytime you need to reach me. Everything you need is on that USB drive as well as in the folder if you need printed copies. It has all of the information
I have on Dottie including current photos, her last known whereabouts, places where she could be, etc. The folder also contains the contract I'll need you to look over and sign. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call. All of my contact information is in there. Now if you excuse me I have to cancel that other meeting then head to a charity event.” Harvey Wagner walked back towards the boat's entrance and Hawk stood up and followed him.

  “I'll need to come by your place tomorrow to go through her room and see if I can find anything.” Hawk said. “I'll also need access to her computer if she has one and anything else you think is relevant.”

  “I will arrange to be there all day tomorrow.”

  “Oh and I wanted to ask you something else. Can you think of any reason why someone would want to kidnap your daughter?

  “None whatsoever.” Wagner looked worried for a moment. “Are you insinuating that she could have been kidnapped?”

  “Right now I need to consider ever angle, which means I can't overlook the possibility she might have been kidnapped.”

  “If you read through some of my notes in the folder, I noted that I believe Dottie ran away. The day after I found out she was gone, I discovered that I was missing a large sum of money from my wallet. Which leads me to believe she took the money and went off somewhere.”

  “Is there any reason why she would want to run away?”

  “I don't think so. I gave her everything she could want. We were very financially stable.”

  “Okay well let me go through the folder you have here and see what I can do. Tomorrow I'll have more questions for you.”

  “Yes I expect you will.” Wagner stepped off the boat onto the dock and shook hands with Hawk once more. “Thanks again for doing this Mr. Hawk, I have faith you will bring my daughter back to me.”

  ≈

  After Wagner left Hawk stood there for a moment thinking about what had just happened. A man he had never met before stopped by his boat and asked him to find his missing daughter. The entire situation had caught him off guard and now that he was alone again he started to have doubts whether he could even do the job. He had a second thought to call Wagner before he visited the other person he'd considered for the job and tell him he couldn't do the case but then stopped himself.