Kingfish

by Frank Perry

quiet and probably more scared than before. He couldn’t help it. She needed to know to be careful. He added, “Look, I need to make some calls on some things. I’ll walk you to the Metro.”

  She agreed. “Okay, Hunter, but I’d like to spend the night here tonight.”

  He couldn’t tell if she was scared or wanted to console him. “I’d like that.”

  “Good. I’ll stop by my place tonight and come by for dinner. You can cook! She was smiling.

  “I’d love to.”

  She added, “I’ve got a ton of work, so my computer and I will be busy all night, but at least we’ll be together.

  They were watched, leaving his apartment, but nobody followed. They assumed he was walking her to the station, since it was the only reason to be walking up the street in the morning. He wasn’t carrying anything. Besides, they knew where she worked and lived. They waited to verify that Hunter came back alone.

  Hunter returned after she was on the train, and he confirmed that no one followed her to the platform. In five minutes, he was back in his apartment, getting ready to call Claire when his phone rang. “Hello.”

  “Hunter, it’s Jim Hollis.”

  “How are you, Commander?”

  “I’m fine. Petty Office Leeks said you planned a perfect op.”

  Hunter smiled. “Pretty easy, Jim. It was almost identical to Panama. He’s a good man, Leeks.”

  “Yeah. He’s one of our best and brightest, but we’ve got a lot of those. Reminds me of you.”

  “Well, thanks, Jim. We’re doing a service to major crime reduction, and it was fun to be tactical again.”

  “Excellent, Hunter. I wanted to give you an IP address to tag into for the GIS on your boats.”

  “I’m good to go Jim, what’s the numbers?”

  Hollis gave him the computer numbers to retrieve the data, coming from the transponders then said, “They haven’t moved yet.”

  Hunter responded. “It might be a while. I don’t know what the schedules are.”

  “It’s okay, Hunter. They transmit for years with those ocean-powered cells. We just need to get them off before the next yard haul.”

  “I think we’re good to go there, Jim. Both bottoms were clean. I don’t think they’re coming out for at least two years. When do you need the tracker’s back?”

  “Well, you know, Hunter. We never know. I’ve got one or two locked away, so it could be never. I could be next week, but I think you’re okay for a few months.”

  They talked briefly about the team and some of the people Hunter knew. Some were still aboard, some had transferred, and a couple had followed Hunter out of the Navy – both were Government contractors working as Mercenaries in Afghanistan making huge salaries. Hunter had never wanted to be a hired killer. In fact, he really didn’t like that aspect of being a SEAL at all.

  After talking with Hollis, he called Claire in her State Capital office and explained the new situation.

  She responded. “Hunter, it was always a long shot. José never expected them to carry it this far. The original plan was to get it through the state and fight it in the Supreme Court if the Fed challenged the constitutionality. We’re probably back to that plan. You’ve been amazing getting it this far.”

  He wasn’t pleased with himself. “Claire, I’ve been here almost a year, and it seems like a waste.”

  “Look, Hunter. In politics and in the law there are no certain outcomes. If you continue to work for the state, you’ll need to get used to some failures. But look at it this way, you’ve gone the distance in Washington. Most of our state bureaucrats have never had that experience.”

  He grinned. “Next you’ll want me to go to law school.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “Forget it, sis. I’m not the student type. So, what do you think about Sue Ann?

  “I don’t know, Hunt. I haven’t figured it out yet. I feel sorry that some rich guy could buy her. I just find it hard to believe she would go as far as she did.”

  “Look, she was family before she was a traitor. Let’s keep an eye on her. She may be in extreme danger now that she’s confessed to us.”

  Claire continued. “Hunt. I think I’ve got to tell John Richards about Sue Ann. He’s working with the FBI and they need to know she’s come forward to us.”

  “I know, Claire. I think you have to tell John. No way to avoid it if he’s keeping us in the loop and pressing for Jose’s killer. I just wish...I don’t know, something is odd.”

  “About John?”

  “I don’t know, just something clicked when we talked to him yesterday. It’s like he’s taking it too slow.”

  “Hunter. He’s being cautious. Peña could rabbit out of here if they don’t have him boxed in concrete. John just doesn’t want another high-profile California case going south because some prosecutor is shooting blanks.”

  “Yeah. You’re probably right.”

  Stalemate

  There was nothing he could do. A few phone calls confirmed that the language in the Appropriations Bill was out. All he could do now was wait to confirm it. Laura spent most of her nights with him. She probably wasn’t in much danger now, but he felt better having her with him. The threats from Peña were still lingering in the background. There was nothing that he needed to do to kill the language, but he still worried.

  Claire told Richards about Sue Ann’s deception. She didn’t know about the transponders on the ships. That was Hunter’s private undertaking that might be on the fringes of the law. He didn’t want to compromise his sister, the state attorney or the FBI. He had the ability to track the ships, and he would decide how and when to use the information.

  At the end of the week, on Friday, he checked the location of the ships. Ocean Wanderer was at sea, heading south. Ocean Queen had not moved since he installed the transponder. This would be the first chance to map the route of Peña’s drug trade, assuming it wasn’t a fishing trip.

  That night, he took Laura to the Kennedy Center where the Prague Philharmonia was performing. It wasn’t his natural inclination to attend formal concerts, but it was one more dimension to explore with Laura. She seemed to like it, which justified the expense, but it wasn’t likely to be something they would do again anytime soon. They returned to his apartment late, and he checked the street in both directions before unlocking the door. “Stay out here while I do a quick recon.”

  She just nodded, understanding why he was cautious. It took only a minute for him to check both levels and turn on several lights. That night, they finished a bottle of red wine and shared a passionate bed.

  He rose at six in the morning, curious about Peña’s ship’s progress. Ocean Wanderer was in international waters off San Diego, but Ocean Queen had also left port. It was about three in the morning in California, and the ship was at the mouth of SF Bay, heading due west. He made coffee and thought about running, but it was Saturday, and he wanted to monitor the ships, even if they only moved at twelve knots (fourteen MPH). Laura slept until almost ten o’clock, secure in his apartment. Ocean Wanderer had progressed past Ensenada and Ocean Queen had reversed course at the Farallons, apparently heading back to port in San Francisco.

  He watched both ships for several hours, off and on, until Laura and he left for the afternoon to visit her parents on the Eastern Shore. It was after ten o’clock when they returned to the Capitol region, and he dropped her at her apartment. There were still some limits to their “togetherness” that he respected.

  Before going to bed, he checked the transponders. Wanderer was nearing the Costa Rican coast by Puntarenas. Queen was tied up again at her dock. He recorded the time and date of Wanderer’s progress. He ignored the Queen except to note its brief excursion offshore.

  Earlier in California, Sue Ann awaited Luca’s car on Saturday night. He had invited her to an installment ceremony as President of the San Francisco Community Fishing Associatio
n. It would take place aboard his ship, the Ocean Queen, where he would meet her. Her enthusiasm was gone since learning the truth about her boyfriend, but she was determined to help convict him of Jose’s murder.

  The car pulled up to the ship, and the driver opened her door. She was dressed in an expensive sleek dark blue cocktail dress that Luca bought for her. She wore the expensive-looking jewelry and shoes they bought together after selecting the dress. It was his favorite gown, showing her figure to full advantage. She had visited the salon to have her hair put up. She looked stunning, like the centerpiece celebrity she had become.

  The driver escorted her to the gangway and stood, admiring her walking ahead. Halfway, she turned and asked, “Where is everyone?”

  The driver responded, “We’re a few minutes early, ma’am, I’m sure Mr. Peña will be along shortly.”

  She complained. “It’s cold out here tonight.”

  The driver continued standing on the dock at the end of the walkway. I’m sorry ma’am, but the galley is just through that hatchway at the end of the plank, that’s where everyone will meet. It’s warm, and I imagine the caterer has everything set up if you’d like a drink while you wait.

  Something alarmed her. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she had never felt alone with anything involving Luca before. He always said that security was a concern because of his wealth. Why was she alone on the gangplank?

  She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to appear alarmed in front of