A Dubious Curse (A Colton Banyon Mystery Book 8)

by Gerald J Kubicki

  “It’s going to be about four hours before the action starts,” Banyon finally announced. “Why don’t you guys get something to eat and grab some shuteye? We’ll wake you before the action starts. I want you guys sharp for this plan.”

  “I think we’ll take you up on that,” Darlene responded, looking at her people. They were barely awake.

  “Maya and Pramilla will help you with food and lodging.” Banyon nodded to the two Indian women.

  He turned to address Bart, who had stayed in the room. The rest of the bodyguards were not invited to the planning session. “Let’s get this show on the road,” he said, clapping his hands.

  “It’ll take us an hour to weigh anchor,” Bart replied. He went out the cabin door and began yelling orders to his people.

  “Colt, this is a pretty good plan you put together, especially considering that you put it together in about five minutes,” Loni admired, after everyone had left.

  “Actually, I’ve been thinking about the plan for a while. I just made a couple of minor adjustments when the NSA showed up. I couldn’t tell anyone, because Harold could hear about it,” Banyon replied.

  “But didn’t he hear about it just now?” Loni asked in confusion.

  “Wolf told me he will be busy doing something else.”

  “Doing what?” his little partner asked.

  “He and Wolf are discussing Maria Orsic. Then he is going to create another diversion. Wolf is pretending to be helpful to Harold,” Banyon said with a chuckle. “Remember, Harold doesn’t know Wolf is talking to me. He thinks it was Maria Orsic, and now she is gone forever.

  “I’ll bet that they are discussing her hair,” Loni knowingly interjected. Banyon smiled at her naiveté.

  Banyon continued, “At some point, Harold will realize we are heading back to Echo Bay and will muster Barry’s people. That is exactly what we want him to do.”

  “You’re so smart,” she flirted. “By the way, does this plan have a name?”

  “Yes, we named it ‘Plan Great Legs’,” he quickly replied. “In honor of your gams.”

  “You always know how to get me excited,” she cooed.

  hat’s he got?” Barry asked. The other players thought he was thinking out loud, but really, he was asking Harold what the other man had in his hand. Barry was currently sitting at a Texas Hold’Em poker table at the Rio Casino, near the Las Vegas Strip.

  “He has a pair of two’s,” the voice said in his head.

  “I’m all in,” Barry quickly announced, pushing his chips towards the center. The other competitor matched the chips and revealed his pair of two’s. Barry dropped a pair of six’s on the table and reached for the money. He was already up two thousand dollars and he had only been playing for two hours. There was a big smile on his face. He was finally having some fun using his new powers.

  It had actually been Wolf’s idea. Once Maria Orsic had left the spirit world, Harold mistakenly thought Banyon’s mentor was gone. He did not realize the real culprit was situated right next to him and had been there since Harold had arrived in the land of limbo. Wolf wanted Harold to take his eyes off of Banyon for a while, so Banyon could finish his plan to stop the Effort and Harold, so he spoke to Harold like a friend.

  “Why don’t you let your son have a little fun,” Wolf suggested to Harold.

  “Stay out of my business,” Harold threatened, as Wolf expected.

  “Perhaps, a little card playing would do him good. He could also win a lot of money,” Wolf further suggested.

  When Wolf mentioned money, Harold began to grasp the possibilities. “That might not be a bad idea,” Harold replied.

  Soon, Barry was seated at a poker table, Harold was watching the action and Wolf was telling Banyon he had a window to talk openly.

  When it came time to decide to stay in or drop out during the next hand, Barry once again asked, “What’s he got?”

  The reply was unexpected. “Drop everything, you idiot! The houseboat is coming back to the dock!”

  A look of confusion formed on Barry’s face. He threw his cards in and left the table. Once outside in the casino, he addressed his father again. “What’s happening?”

  “They are readying the boat to leave the channel. This is the chance I’ve been waiting for. Surely, they are heading back to Echo Bay, but we will be ready,” Harold said with excitement.

  “Ready to do what?”

  “Collect as many of the Effort men as you can, son. We are going to get the book of the Vril, and we are going to kill everyone on the boat.”

  “Everyone?” Barry asked with concern. Lisa was on the boat, too.

  “Don’t worry, you can have your little tramp,” Harold said with disgust.

  he houseboat chugged along at top speed, which was only eight knots. Bart was at the helm and most of the people were relaxing on deck or sleeping. They were about an hour away from Echo Bay and there was not much to do.

  Bart had been right: it had taken almost an hour to get the big boat moving. Heather and Steve had to take the conveyer system back up to the top of the bluff to dismantle the sensor equipment and send it all down the conveyor belt. Steve slid down the system and splashed into the water. Heather unhooked the pulleys and dropped them over the side for the guards on the boat to haul in and repack. She began the climb back down the sheer-faced cliff as several people watched in fascination from the stern of the boat. Eric was one of them. Eventually, she sprang from the cliff, near the bottom, and landed in the lake. Eric pulled the exhausted woman from the water.

  “You are a remarkable climber,” he admired, gripping her tightly while she regained her strength.

  “This is not a good idea,” she whispered into his ear. “Your wife or one of her sisters may be watching,” she explained with a hint of sarcasm. Eric immediately let her go and backed up a step.

  “You be careful today, please. I look forward to seeing you in the office,” he muttered under his breath.

  “The feeling is mutual,” she replied officially, reaching for a towel to dry off. She turned her head towards him and winked.

  Loni, who was lounging with Banyon on the upper deck, had watched the exchange. She quickly sat up and turned to Banyon.

  “Is something going on between Eric and Heather?” she asked, searching his eyes for a hint of a lie.

  “Loni, you don’t know this, but Heather is an ex-pornography star. She has made a lot of movies. Eric has seen some of them. So have I. He is just being a fan of a celebrity; there is nothing going on.”

  “What about Mandy, the receptionist? I’ve seen the way she looks at you when she thinks that I’m not looking,” Loni blistered. “I’ve been very close to stomping on her little, tight, girlish body,” Loni recounted with closed fists.

  “Come on, Loni,” Banyon responded. “She is young enough to be my granddaughter, and she likes to flirt. I have made her a lot of money. She wants to make more. She flirts with me because I don’t flirt back.”

  “Well, I don’t like it, Colt,” Loni said through gritted teeth.

  “Okay, then what about you and Steve? I’ve seen you openly flirt with him. Explain that.” Banyon shot back quickly.

  “Oh, I didn’t think that you noticed,” she sheepishly replied.

  “Loni, I notice everything about you. You are my true love, okay?” Banyon pressed the advantage.

  “Do you think I should make some pornographic movies for you? I’m sure that I can get the Patel sisters to help.”

  Banyon was stunned by her reply. But before he could reply, Lisa appeared on the deck. She still had on her light green bathing suit, but it was covered by a white see-through lattice wraparound, which did nothing to hide her features. She had gotten it from Previne’s luggage.

  “How do I look?” she asked as she twirled around. “Do you think this is enticing enough?”

  “Has he ever seen you dressed like this?” Loni quickly asked. Loni knew a lot about seduction.

  “Well, maybe
when I was ten,” she answered after she had thought about it. “It was when he used to babysit me.”

  “Oh, I think you’ll have his complete attention,” Banyon offered.

  “I hope I can do this,” she said nervously, rubbing her hands together.

  “Previne and Loni are going with you,” Banyon told her. “Everything will work out just fine.”

  Steve’s voice came over the loudspeaker. “We have just returned to cellphone range. Your phones will work now, once you put the batteries back in them.”

  “Lisa, it is time to make the call,” Banyon told her.

  olf heard Banyon tell Lisa to make the call and knew it was his cue to divert Harold’s attention again. He looked towards Harold’s bubble and saw him frantically moving from screen to screen. He was trying to watch the houseboat, check the roads for signs of law enforcement, and also watch Barry as he attempted to deploy twenty armed Effort people to the marina.

  “You’re doing it all wrong,” Wolf said to Harold.

  “I’ve told you to stay out of my business before,” Harold shot back.

  “Your deployment is all wrong,” Wolf restated. “The bay is like a big clamshell. Pull back your view a little and you can see.” Harold did as he was told and realized that any entry into Echo Bay had to pass through the overlapping spits of land.

  “What do you know about ambushes?” Harold asked.

  “I was once in the German Army during World War II,” Wolf truthfully replied.

  Suddenly, feeling like he had found a sympathizer, Harold cautiously asked. “How would you execute the ambush?”

  “Put your men on the two peninsulas and then, you will have them in a pincer. They will have to protect both sides of the boat. Then you should have two speedboats, which can race to the front of the houseboat and board it,” Wolf calmly replied.

  “We tried the front boarding once before without much success,” Harold told his new friend.

  “Yes, but you didn’t have me to help you and the Orsic woman was helping them at the time,” Wolf said as he set the trap. “She is gone now.”

  “I think you are right. How else can you help me?” Harold inquired.

  “Well, once you tell your son the plan, I’ll show you how to use split screens. You won’t have to keep switching from screen to screen.”

  s instructed, Lisa waited exactly five minutes before she made her call. Barry answered on the second ring.

  “Lisa?” He couldn’t believe she called him. He looked around to see if any of his men was watching him. He felt a little guilty about taking the call.

  “Barry, this is all so wrong,” she whined into the phone. “A lot of people could be harmed and even killed if you attack the houseboat. Violence is senseless. You know how I feel about that, don’t you?”

  “What makes you think we will attack the houseboat? We tried it before, and it didn’t work.”

  “I’m not stupid, Barry,” she replied like a wife who had caught her husband in a lie. “I know you are planning something.”

  “I promise no harm will come to you,” he sincerely replied. “I hate violence myself, but I must get the book of the Vril, or the Effort will never stop hunting you. I may not always be able to protect you.”

  “I miss you, Barry,” Lisa continued in a sweet voice setting the hook.

  “I miss you, too,” he replied sadly with an emotional tug on his heart.

  “I want to see you and I don’t want anyone hurt, Barry.”

  “All I want is the book to give to the Effort. I want us to return to the way things were, Lisa.”

  “Then we should meet privately. Let’s see if we can end this before the shooting starts. I’ll bring the book.” she pleaded.

  “Just you and me?” he quickly asked, confused. According to Harold, she was part of the enemy camp and could not be trusted.

  “There is a small beach just outside the bay to the north. You can walk there from the marina. Meet me there in twenty minutes. I do so want to see you,” Lisa urged him. “Say you’ll come alone.”

  “I…don’t know what to say,” Barry admitted. “How do you know I’m near the marina?”

  “Just say you’ll come,” Lisa replied seductively. She had made a mistake.

  “I want to; really I do, but…”

  Lisa cut him off. “Just show up, Barry. I’ll be waiting in a green bikini. You won’t be able to miss me,” she implied more than she said.

  “Okay,” he finally said.

  “At least your father can’t stop you now,” she added just before she hung up the phone. Her words stung him deeply, as he knew Harold would attempt to prevent him from going. To hell with Harold, he thought. This is my life, he already screwed up his.

  he plan started as soon as Lisa had completed the call from the houseboat to Barry Bass. She told Banyon that Barry would be on the beach on time. She said she was sure he would show.

  While she stayed on the upper deck and talked to Banyon, Loni and Previne changed back into the jeans they had worn the day before. They drew guns from their inventory and earpieces from Bart. They wanted to be in constant communication. An additional earpiece was given to Banyon. Then they piled into the speedboat, along with Lisa, and headed for the beach. Banyon stayed on the houseboat.

  Ten minutes later, Lisa spread a blanket in the middle of the sandy beach. She put the box that contained the book of the Vril on the edge. She loosened the wraparound and fluffed her blonde wig. Previne stood next to her, giving the nervous woman instructions. Loni had already scaled the dune surrounding the beach and had taken up a position to watch for anyone coming. They all hoped only Barry would approach. Eric sat in the speedboat offshore, waiting for the signal to return to the houseboat or to race in and make a rescue.

  “I’m so nervous,” Lisa told Previne. “I feel like I’m going on a first date.”

  “Lisa, today will be the first day of a whole new life for you,” Previne replied confidently. “Are you sure you are up to it?”

  “I’m a college professor, for God’s sake,” she retorted. “It’s just that I don’t think I am very good at the seduction game,” she admitted. “I mean, I know how to seduce a man but have never done it.”

  “Just be yourself. You are very beautiful and you look stunning in your bikini. Once you have his attention, simply tell him what you want. He won’t be able to resist,” Previne cheerfully promised.

  A few minutes later it started. “Barry is coming by himself,” Loni said into her earpiece. “He does have a gun in his hand, though.” Eric immediately turned the boat and headed back to the houseboat and Previne scampered off to hide behind some rocks. Lisa reclined on the blanket, facing the water. She made sure her long, tapered legs were in full view. She was nervous, but she was also resolved to entice Barry.

  As he finally approached her, he said, “Lisa, this had better not be some trick. I’m already in enough trouble with my father.”

  “I brought the book of the Vril,” she replied sweetly. “That is what you want, isn’t it?” She moved it between her spread legs. “Want to see it?”

  He looked at the box between her legs, but found himself searching other places. “You are so beautiful,” he stammered.

  Lisa’s earpiece quickly came alive. “He’s taken the bait. Just tell him what you want,” Previne whispered into Lisa’s ear.

  “First, put that gun down, Barry,” Lisa said patiently and flicked her hair. “You have no need for one around me. I am not here to harm you. Then come and sit by me, please,” she said, begging him.

  Barry immediately threw the gun onto the sand and attempted to place his large frame on the blanket, but it just didn’t bend the way he wanted and he toppled over, pinning the spread-eagled Lisa under his large body.

  “Oh, my God,” he quickly said, attempting to get off of her, but Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Now, I’ve got you just where I want you,” she huskily replied, hanging on to him. After a f
ew seconds, she grunted under his weight, “Well, maybe I should be on top. Roll over.”

  Barry slowly rolled over while she continued to cling to his body. She smiled seductively at him when she was situated on top. Her long legs straddled his big body.

  “There, that’s better, isn’t it?”

  The wraparound had opened in the process and revealed her creamy skin underneath. His eyes and his hands were glued to her torso. She could feel his passion rising. She knew she had power over him.

  “Lisa, I…” he stammered, but she cut him off and placed a finger on his lips.

  “You get a kiss for doing that right,” she announced, leaning forward and bringing her lips close to his. She grabbed his head in both of her hands and felt his body shudder as their lips touched. The sand was warm, and the lake was so calm that it looked like glass. They were in a secluded part of the beach, all alone, except for Loni and Previne.

  “You’re doing great,” Previne whispered into Lisa’s ear. “Now raise your body slightly, so he can adjust and be more comfortable under you. It wouldn’t hurt to jiggle a little. Then, pop the question,” Previne coached Lisa from behind her hiding place. She was a master at seduction and felt a tingle of excitement herself.

  Once she did as she was instructed, Lisa suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, so you are happy to see me.”

  “More than you know,” Barry passionately groaned.

  “Barry, do you trust me?” Lisa suddenly asked, searching his eyes and holding his head with both hands.

  “Yes,” he moaned like a helpless boy.

  “I can fix everything for you and me. I can stop this insanity, free you from your father, end the search for the book, and give us the freedom to explore a true relationship together. Do you want that? I do.”

  “More than anything,” he uttered.

  “Then you must listen to me. You must hear what I whisper to you and you can’t resist or try to stop me. Just look into my eyes. Is that clear?”