To Honor We Call You: A Florida Action Adventure Novel (Scott Jarvis Private Investigator Book 9)

by Scott Cook

  “We’re gonna find a place to stay, Mom,” Lisa announced.

  Aleja frowned, “you don’t have to, mija. I talked to George this morning. You can stay here.”

  “No, it’s for the best,” Lisa said. “I’m sorry about the boat, but I didn’t have much choice. But George seems to have more problems with us, or Scott or whatever, than just that. Its better if we’re not here and maybe he’ll cool down or whatever. Besides, we’ve got work to do. We can still hang out, Mom. We’ll do lunch and dinner and shopping and whatever else, we just won’t stay here.”

  Aleja looked crestfallen. I know she wanted us to stay. She loved having her daughter close at hand, “Oh, honey…”

  “Let’s see how it goes,” I said. “If George truly changes his mind… maybe we’ll come back tomorrow night.”

  Aleja looked into my eyes, “He didn’t mean those things he said, mijo. He admires you very much.”

  “Like I said to Lisa, he was probably just venting,” I shrugged, “but he still said them, Aleja. Words are like toothpaste. Once they’re out, it’s really hard to put them back in. Like I said, we’ll see. Besides, things are getting a bit intense anyway. I’d rather not involve you two in it.”

  I took a cup of coffee out onto the pool deck and called Ray Tavares. He needed to know what I’d found out over the last twenty-four hours.

  “Good morning,” he answered. “I hope all is well. Your grandfather?”

  I said he was and began to explain what had happened in Stuart and what had happened yesterday. Ray listened intently until I finished relating what had happened early that morning.

  He sighed, “I received a call from the Coast Guard about the boat. I was wondering what the whole story was. Ay dios mio… what are your plans now?”

  “First to find a hotel,” I said. “Then regroup and start figuring this out. I think it’s a lot bigger than just smuggling dope, Ray. There’s some connection to Nicaragua or Costa Rica or Columbia or all three… Manuel Garcia showing up like that is no coincidence. And he intimated that he was working with or for somebody else. I’m also curious about that Zodiac. It had to come from somewhere…”

  There was a long pause before Ray said, “My cargo ship carries a rigid inflatable boat just like that…”

  “And she’s at sea now?”

  “Si… she’s actually due into port today.”

  That was significant and not really a surprise, “yeah… I need to get aboard that ship. I also want it quarantined. Can you do that?”

  “I don’t know,” he said thoughtfully. “I can certainly order the captain and crew to stay aboard… but…”

  “But if there’s any shenanigans going on, that won’t stop them… maybe I can do something from my end, though. Ray… do you have any idea what that guy was looking for in your safe that night?”

  “Now that you told me about that map,” He replied. “I suppose that could be it.”

  “But why would they think you had it?” I asked more to myself. He wouldn’t have an answer. When he did though, I was more than a little surprised.

  “It could be… could be because my father wasn’t born in Cuba,” He said after a pause. “My father met my mother while visiting Cuba, but he’s not originally from there as I understand it.”

  That sent up a warning alert in my mind. I couldn’t have put it into words at that point, yet this bit of information started my little voice to chattering.

  “Hmm… interesting…” I pondered. “I didn’t know that… Where was he from?”

  Tavares paused and then sheepishly replied: “I don’t know, exactly. South America is all my mother would ever say. She never talked about him much and I suppose that in the big picture, it doesn’t matter to me.”

  I had a very strong suspicion about just where Ray’s father had come from. I only frowned and tapped my chin thoughtfully.

  “Do you think it’s significant?”

  “Probably… I think everything is significant, though,” I said with a chuckle. “All right, let me make a few calls. Once we get checked in someplace, I’ll call back or we can meet.”

  “I’m in the office all day,” He stated. “Yet do not trouble yourself about a hotel. Why don’t you stay aboard the yacht? She’s just sitting at the dock doing nothing anyway. There’s plenty of room.”

  “That’s very kind,” I said. “You’re sure that wouldn’t be an imposition?”

  He made a dismissive sound, “Not at all, amigo. You may have full run of the vessel. The galley is well stocked and I can even have our cook come back aboard if you wish.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” I replied. “But I think we’ll take you up on the accommodations. Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Find out something?” Jackie asked as she appeared in the open sliding glass door with a cup of coffee. She sat on the lounger next to me.

  “Quite a bit,” I said. “I think I also need to get in touch with the Colonel.”

  She scoffed, “y’think?”

  “Are you always this insubordinate, Gunny?”

  “Nope,” She said, sipping from her mug. “I’m usually much worse… sir.”

  22

  The first thing we did was to deliver our baggage to Reina de Las Olas. The yacht was moored downtown not very far from Ray’s office, which was convenient. I suggested that I should stroll over and speak to him in person.

  I was overruled, however. The two women combined forces and represented to me that nothing further would happen until I went to the ER to have my back looked at. I tried to protest, indicating that I felt like one hundred of the crispest frogskins, yet my pleas fell upon deaf ears.

  So, after a quick trip to the ER… and after only a lightning fast ninety minute wait… I was sewn up, patched up and doped up. I felt far worse after the ministrations of the admittedly caring ER physician. We then went back to the yacht to regroup and possibly acquire some sort of sustenance, as your hero was feeling a bit sharp set as the kids say.

  It was lunchtime, so Lisa offered to make us all sandwiches. I suggested that there was probably plenty of leftovers from the dinner party two nights before and that I’d be happy to whip something up. Once again, I was overruled and forced to stretch out in a very comfortable lounger on the upper sundeck with Pirate Radio Key West playing on the sound system and a cold Red Stripe at my elbow to relax while two very pretty women waited on me hand and foot.

  Life is so unfair…

  “So where do we go from here?” Jackie asked me as she and Lisa settled into loungers of their own.

  “Well, let’s tally it up,” I said after swallowing a bite of a hand-carved turkey sandwich. “Yum… Ray Tavares thinks that one or more of his agua-centric concerns is being used to slip yayo twixt dem fiddies--”

  “What the fuck…?” Jackie giggled.

  “Mr. Tavares believes that his water-related businesses and their associated infrastructures and operational procedures are being utilized to initiate illegal narcotic shipments into the United States regardless of contra-indicated legal doctrine,” I explained passively.

  “Which, apparently, they are,” Lisa said and shook her head.

  I nodded, “one of his shrimpers is late coming into the dock and he asks the Monroe County Sheriff to take a look. Pelton found nothing, but the boat’s captain and first mate quit. Further, the captain and crew of Tavares’ cargo ship are living large of late. Kicking up Bob’s a’dying on shore, as our friend Jack Aubrey might say.”

  “Pretty fishy,” Jackie pointed out.

  “Ha! Fishy! Cuz’ of the shrimp boat, right?” I asked.

  Lisa laughed, “What the hell did they shoot into you… and can we get some?”

  “Oh Jesus…” Jackie said with a giggle of her own. “And he’s drinking a beer on top of it.”

  “Then the very day we arrive,” I went on, hoisting my bottle. “One of his motels is set on fire. Not proven yet, but I have a suspicion. Also, a crazy nutjob breaks into the sa
fe aboard this very yacht looking for something.”

  “And at the same time your grandparents’ home is invaded for the same reason,” Lisa stated.

  “Yeah… and we know what those cats were looking for,” I grumped.

  “Then in comes Nikki Sloane,” Lisa pointed out.

  I sighed, “Then in comes Nikki Sloane… dating the captain of one of Ray’s charter boats. On the same day we find out that the Morris brothers were killed. We find out that the Maestro Pescador met the shrimper they captained a few days after the boat met a mysterious Zodiac out at sea.”

  “And it turns out your ex-girlfriend is a dirty agent,” Jackie said. “Mixed up with none other than Manuel Garcia, who got away from your raid on his base this summer. Sounds like a dun, dun, dun is in order.”

  I scoffed, “Yeah, and that ain’t all, kids! Colonel Grayson drops the bomb on me that the Nazi U-2626 I found in February was not empty, as we were led to believe. On the contrary, a private yacht registered in Panama went to the spot and evidently made off with some of the deadly cargo the ship was carrying.”

  “Jesus my head hurts,” Lisa half joked.

  “Oh, oh, and don’t let me forget!” I exclaimed. “Who owns this super yacht? None other than EcoLife, the company that wants to build a green city in Central America. Holy sweet feathery Jesus hammered to an elm tree for Jackie’s sins!”

  They laughed and Jackie looked at me with her head cocked, “My sins? What’d I do?”

  I harrumphed, “You know what you did. Okay, so anyway, what’s the common denominator in all this clustered fudge? Me. Or my family at any rate. It don’t take no brain scientist or no rocket surgeon to see that somethin’ ain’t stirrinn’ the Kool-aid, G.”

  “So the question still remains,” Jackie stated. “What do we do now, TM?”

  “We need to find the connection between Garcia and Tavares,” I stated. “We need to find the connection between EcoLife and Garcia… again. Maybe more than that. The Colonel tells me Garcia has a brother and father he might not know about. I think we should talk to Mrs. Tavares. I think we should make a report to Grayson about Nikki and Garcia. I also think we should get me another Red Stripe.”

  “They’re right inside, at the bar,” Jackie jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

  “But the wound…” I groaned pitifully. “Oh, the aaaaaa-go-neeee…”

  “Weren’t you the guy who said you didn’t want to go to the doctor this morning?” Lisa asked.

  “Yeah, said it was just a scratch and that you’d just walk it off?” Jackie needled.

  “You must be mistaking me for someone else. I’m virtually helpless.”

  Lisa sighed dramatically, “That’s too bad… Jackie and I were just talking about how much fun it would be for the three of us to get naked together. Oh well…”

  “I feel great,” I said, struggling to my feet.

  “No, no,” Lisa held out a hand and got to her feet. “Just sit down. Clearly you’re like half in your grave. Most unfortunate… guess we’ll just have to proceed without you.”

  Jackie chortled.

  “You guys suck,” I cranked.

  “That’s the idea,” Jackie dead-panned and then they both laughed.

  “All right, children,” I continued when Lisa returned with another cold beer and a kiss. “We have a lot of work to do. For the moment, I think there are at least two distinct actions we can take. One of us, Lisa or me, should find and speak to Mrs. Tavares. I suspect she might have something interesting to say. We also need to get ahold of the Colonel and brief him on what’s happened. I’d also really like to find out who chartered the EcoLife yacht.”

  “I’m sure ICE can find that out,” Jackie said.

  I sighed, “You’d think so… but the Colonel has already informed me that you… I guess we… haven’t been able to find that out. Not remotely at any rate.”

  Jackie’s face fell a bit and she sighed, “We need to report poor Diego’s death, too.”

  I frowned, “True enough… and I’d like to know more about that. If ICE had an operative working with Garcia, or Cooper or whoever…”

  My phone began to ring with a special ringtone. I met Jackie’s eyes and then Lisa’s and put it on speaker.

  “Good afternoon, Colonel,” I said. “We were just talking about you.”

  “I hope you’re well, Scott,” Grayson said. “And Jackie and Ms. Lisa as well?”

  “We’ve been better,” I stated. “Some… things have happened. By the way, how are my grandparents?”

  “The Admiral and your grandmother have been flown where they wanted to go,” Grayson replied. “I’ve assigned two of our agents to keep a discreet eye on them, but I don’t see any difficulty there. What’s going on at your end?”

  I chuffed, “Plenty, Colonel, plenty. First off, I’m sorry to have to report the death of Petty Officer Diego.”

  There was a significant pause, “Since you know about him, I assume you know what he was doing and with whom.”

  “Not really, no,” I stated. “Colonel, if you know something, if you’ve got information about this… case… then I would appreciate it if you’d share it. I had no idea Diego was with us until the last minute. Now what the hell’s going on?”

  Grayson groaned, “He was assigned to infiltrate the smuggling operation. It took us six months, but we put him inside the organization of Raul Montoya, one of Miami’s most notorious, and most successful, cocaine kingpins. Sloane and Cooper made contact with him and that’s where the thugs came from. We also think Montoya supplied the men who broke into your grandparents’ place as well as Tavares’ yacht. Diego was going to confirm that for us.”

  “So you knew Nikki Sloane was bad?” I asked, anger rising in me. “That’s information I could’ve used, Colonel! Goddamit, if I’m going to be part of your little organization, here, then I need to be told things. Especially things that directly relate to me.”

  “We didn’t know she was,” Grayson said. “And we still don’t. She’s working undercover… or it’s more apt to say she’s working as a double agent. It was need to know, Commander.”

  I clenched my teeth and Lisa met my gaze. Jackie just looked passive and listened.

  “I needed to know, Colonel,” I said. “I was captured and nearly killed last night. So my report is this… Nikki Sloane has gone bad.”

  I related the events of the previous day and night. Lisa’s findings as well as what happened aboard the fishing boat. Grayson listened intently and waited until I finished, even about the ER.

  “I’m glad you’re all right,” He said, having the decency to at least sound somewhat chagrinned. “Based on all this evidence, though… I’d say we at least know why all of this is happening. It’s all about that map that Catherine Cook passed down. Somebody wants it, and my guess would be Garcia’s unknown half-brother.”

  “Makes sense,” I agreed. I noticed that my phone was beeping with another call. “Maybe its best if I get it to you and have it secured someplace.”

  “I’m on my way down,” Grayson said. “I can land in Miami or Homestead, Marathon or even Key West. Where do you think we should meet?”

  “Well, I’m in Miami now,” I said. “Aboard Tavares’ yacht.”

  Lisa’s phone began to ring. She scowled and answered it.

  “Very good, I’ll land in Miami and meet you,” Grayson replied. “I’m over Georgia now, so about forty-five minutes before we land. I should be to you in a little over an hour. Please don’t do anything heroic until I arrive, will you?”

  I chuffed, “Like I’m in any shape for that.”

  “Scott…” Lisa said, her face going a little pale. “I think you’d better take this.”

  “Put it on speaker,” I said. “Colonel, I hope you can hear this, not sure what it is, but…”

  Lisa set her phone down next to mine and a familiar voice filtered through the speaker. It was Garcia.

  “Buenos dias, mi amigo!” he said pleasantly. �
�I hope you’re doing well this day after that daring escape last night.”

  “Just dandy, Garcia… what do you want?” I asked tightly.

  “Oh, so many things, my friend. So many things. And, in a twist of irony I think you can appreciate, they are even more possible now… thanks to you.”

  “Uh-huh,” I intoned. “If that’s so, then you shooting me in the back last night wasn’t a very smart move, was it?”

  “A reflex… and I wasn’t aiming to kill.”

  “Speak your peace,” I growled.

  Garcia chuckled, “We can discuss my larger plans later. There is something specific that I want, and you are going to provide it.”

  “If it’s a swift kick in the ass,” I replied. “Then I’m all about it. When and where.”

  He laughed again, “So amusing. No, senor, what I want from you now is very simple. Just two sheets of paper. That’s all.”

  “Any old sheets? Or did you have something more specific in mind?”

  “You know what I want. The map and land deed your family has kept safe for over two hundred years. A claim you have no right to… but that I do.”

  “How do you figure that?” I asked. “As I understand it, you have to be Columbian and of Incan or Muscan descent. You’re from Nicaragua, Garcia. That’s assuming the Columbian government would even acknowledge let alone honor this old Spanish claim on top of all that.”

  He chuckled with evident self-amusement, “How little you know, Jarvis. However, whatever the case may be… I want the deed and map to El Dorado… and you’re going to give it to me.”

  I knew there was an implied threat there. I simply waited with the rest of us to hear it. Finally, after a few seconds of silence, Garcia spoke again.

  “If you do not agree to hand them over… I will kill agent Sloane.”

  I scoffed, “You mean the dirty FBI agent who set all this up and nearly got me killed? Go ahead. Good riddance to bad rubbish I say.”

  He laughed heartily at that. To my chagrin, he wasn’t alone in his mirth. A familiar woman’s laugh joined in.

  Nikki Sloane said: “After all we meant to each other, that’s your attitude?”