Havana Hustle (Coastal Fury Book 6)

by Matt Lincoln

  “Agents Marston and Holm,” Philippe said by way of greeting. He held out a hand to Bill. “Philippe Molina. I am one of Señorita’s personal guards during this mission.”

  “A pleasure,” Bill answered with a welcoming smile. “If you all are ready, we’ll take this treasure to the back and see what we have.”

  The younger agent, a lean twenty-something we scooped up before the FBI got to him, lingered back in the shop. I had to think for a moment to recall his name was JoJo Starr and originally from one of the Great Plains states.

  “You can come see, too,” I told him, “but it’s gonna get tight in there.”

  Philippe gestured for Starr to go in. “I’m here to support Señorita Nuñez. History has never much interested me.”

  “Okay then,” Holm muttered as he helped me get the bin to Bill’s work area. “Hey Mike, long time, no see.”

  Mike nodded and smiled. The near-return to what passed for normal was a relief.

  Bill rubbed his hands and put on special gloves for handling the artifacts. On the table next to the bin, Bill had set out two clear containers with fresh saltwater so he could evaluate the best way to work with the materials. He drew out the first of the leather bags.

  “This was quite well made,” he observed. “They likely used a thick but flexible part of the hide and then oiled the heck out of it.” He eased it into one of the clear tubs. “You said you found these in a desk drawer?”

  “Yeah.” I moved to his right so I could get a better look as he worked. “The damn thing almost didn’t open. I bet it was a pain to use back in the day.”

  “Hard telling.” Bill worked at the lace at the bag’s neck. “It gets so humid that even the best woodwork gets sticky after a while.” He pointed to the window next to his back door. “Case in point, that darn thing hasn’t opened in years.”

  “We won’t tell the fire marshal,” Holm told him with a wink.

  “Are there coins in there?” Yoani asked. She edged up next to me, and her braid flicked against my arm. “They look like coin bags.”

  “I think that’s the general consensus.” I grinned at her.

  The stiff lace eased loose under Bill’s gentle touch. For a moment, I felt for the guy. He usually worked without six people crowding him for a first look. Then again, the man could tune out a hurricane if it meant discovering something old but new to him.

  Bill worked the bag open. A tear developed at the lip and ran down about an inch, but it stopped at the bag’s neck. Bill reached inside with the same care he’d shown with the lace. He frowned and cocked his head as he felt around. His expression did nothing to quell my anticipation.

  I opened my mouth to ask about it when he pulled his hand from the bag. Bill set a small handful of smooth, black stones next to the bag. Another handful followed. They were each about the diameter of a dime and half as thick.

  “I can’t say as I’ve seen anything like this,” he told me. “Let’s see the next bag.”

  Starr and Arturo drifted away as Bill went through the same routine with the second and third bags. Each had stones like the first.

  “Why would a colonial ship’s captain carry this many stones?” Holm crossed his arms and stepped back from the work table. “It doesn’t make sense.”

  “I’ll have to check with my friend in Charleston,” Bill said as he lifted the fourth bag from the first bin. “Hmm.”

  He gave it a gentle squeeze and then bobbed his hand a little.

  “What?” Yoani asked. “More stones?”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” Bill put the bag in the water with the other three. Tiny bits of debris floated around his hands. “Let’s see.”

  The bag looked exactly like the others right down to how the lace had been secured. Bill removed the lace with great care, as before, but a little faster. When he reached in, a smile spread across his face.

  “Good news?” I asked.

  “You decide.”

  Bill removed his hand from the bag and then placed a silver coin in almost perfect condition on the bottom of the tub. He pulled another silver, several coppers, and three golds from the bag. My heart pounded, and I couldn’t stop grinning.

  “By all rights, bags this old should’ve deteriorated in the warm seawater,” Bill told us. “You said the ship had been buried under the sand, right?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded toward Holm. “Robbie’s dad got a tip after the last big hurricane uncovered parts of the wreck. I got first rights on all of it.”

  Bill shook his head with a long whistle. “You have the luck of the devil, Ethan.”

  Mike cleared his throat behind me. I turned to find him looking at me with a serious gaze.

  “I think I earned a coin or two for hazard pay,” he announced.

  Yoani gasped, but I laughed. “I’m going to cover the bill for your arm. We’ll have a party at your bar, while we’re at it.”

  Mike broke into a grin. “That’ll work.”

  “You’re so full of crap,” Holm said with a laugh.

  They both knew I wouldn’t shut out my friends. Hell, I wouldn’t have gotten half as far without the people who had become family. A tension knot unwound in my belly as I saw Holm and Mike interact on a friendly level.

  Bill shook his head at our banter and took the last bag out of the bin. The lace broke at a light touch, and the bag tore down the side. Gold, silver, and copper coins spilled out, and they appeared to be from myriad sources.

  “Ooh!” Bill sifted through the pile. “If this is what I think it is, you have something really special here.” He looked up. “I’ll need some time to research all of this.”

  “Will it take long?” Yoani asked.

  “I’m not sure. It depends on what I find. I don’t want to speculate too much yet.” Bill smiled at her. “If it’s not before you go home, I’ll make sure to let you know.”

  “Thank you. This is amazing.” She met my eye. “You are full of surprises, aren’t you?”

  “I try.” I turned to Bill. “What about that wood box?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not going to touch that one,” he said. “One of Emily’s old classmates is handling other artifacts for me. I’d like to have him check this out for you.” He pulled the box from the bin and put it into the third tub, next to the one that held the bags. “It looks a bit swollen, but it has been preserved as well as the bags.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  Something about that box felt important, and I couldn’t help feeling that it would be a game-changer. The Dragon’s Rogue was closer than ever, and I had every intention of being the first one there.

  CHAPTER 37

  Yoani, Philippe, and I left the others behind for a little field trip of our own. I would have liked to dump Philippe, but there was the whole international cooperation thing. The good news was that he relaxed as I drove them to South Pointe Park at Miami Beach. By the time I found a decent place to park, he was in a downright good mood.

  “I’ve always wished to see the boardwalk,” he admitted as we got out of the car.

  Yoani craned her neck to stare up at the condo buildings that loomed above us. White coral and blue waters reflected in the sky sparkled in the sunlight.

  “These towers are all younger than us,” Yoani said in a soft voice. “They look so new.”

  I didn’t have the heart to point out that those buildings were more than twenty years old. The newest towers in Havana were built in the fifties. They hadn’t looked bad, but they did show age. It was time for a subject change.

  “The boardwalk lies ahead.” I pointed east. “After you, my lady.”

  That one made Philippe scowl, although it was difficult to tell beneath his straw fedora and oversized sunglasses. He glanced his shoulder against my arm as he went to shadow Yoani. I clenched my jaw but said nothing. There was nothing to gain by calling him out at that moment.

  Yoani was quiet as we made our way to the South Beach section of the walk. A smile played at the corners of h
er mouth as she took in the tree-lined, paved walkway. To our right, the surf was a little higher than usual and crashed against the short. To our left, traffic and construction noise from a couple of blocks away mingled with the occasional strains of music.

  “It doesn’t sound the same as the Malecón.” She tugged at her sun hat as she took in more of the Miami Beach buildings that sprouted up behind the trees along the left side of the path. “It’s noisy, but not the same.” A gull swooped past her. “Except for the seagulls.”

  “Want to see the beach?” I asked.

  “That sounds wonderful. I haven’t been to a playa for a long time.”

  Philippe slid his sunglasses down and gaped at her.

  “Why haven’t you said so?” He pointed toward the nearest access point. “We will fix that right now.”

  She looked to Philippe then me. An impish grin overcame her.

  “Yes, let’s do that!”

  She bolted toward the white sand. Philippe and I both laughed and ran after her. She tore off her sandals and made straight for the water. I slowed up and slipped out of my boat shoes. Philippe pulled off his loafers and socks as well. He smirked at me and jogged into the ankle-deep area where Yoani was already wading.

  I stalked over to them and worked to get past my irritation with Philippe’s posturing. All I wanted was some time to get to know Yoani without having to look over my shoulder at him. I put on a cheerful face and cut between Philippe and Yoani.

  “What do you think?” I gestured toward the cityscape and then to the water. “It’s a hell of a view.”

  She swung her sandals by the straps and sighed.

  “I spend all of my time between work and caring for Mami.” She swirled a perfectly shaped foot in the sand below the water. “I haven’t been to the beach since before her diagnosis.” She looked at me. “I should call Mami to see how she and Rosa are doing.”

  “You can borrow my phone.”

  I started to pull my phone out, but she held up her free hand and shook her head. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Philippe wade off in another direction.

  “That is kind of you,” Yoani said, “but we don’t have a working phone in our apartment.”

  “Were you disconnected?” I cringed. That wasn’t my business. “Sorry, that was nosy.”

  She shrugged. “In a way. The lines in our building are old. Telephones stopped working a few… They went out a while ago.”

  “Will your office arrange to have someone take a mobile phone over?”

  She stopped walking and blinked. “I don’t know. We have to check out the phones because we don’t have enough for everyone.”

  “I’ll have Director Ramsey speak with Sanchez for you.” I smiled. “I have a hunch that’ll get better results than if you or I give him a ring.”

  She lit up and grabbed my hand.

  “That would be wonderful.” She looked down at our hands and yanked hers away. Her cheeks darkened. “I’m so sorry. That was unprofessional. Please forgive me.”

  I glanced toward Philippe, but he had his back to us for the moment. Yoani looked in his direction also and then back at me.

  “It’s okay,” I told her. “We’re off the clock.” I jabbed my thumb toward Philippe. “He’d mind it more than I ever would.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “I wish he wasn’t on this assignment. He has always been overprotective of me. I used to think he was in love with me, but he doesn’t act like it. He has never asked me out.”

  “His loss.” I swallowed. If Philippe hadn’t been so close, I would’ve taken her hand back and kept hold. Instead, I took a few steps north and waved Yoani in the same direction. “How did you meet him?”

  A tight smile crossed her face.

  “We met in school when we were twelve or thirteen.” She moved closer as we waded, but not close enough to touch shoulders. “He was mysterious yet, hmm, I think the word is ‘charismatic.’” At my nod, she continued. “I decided to give him a chance, and we became friends. He liked to spend time with my father. When we lost Papi, Philippe decided to be my protector. He even joined my department to stay close.”

  I looked over my shoulder. The man in question followed us just out of earshot. The scowl wasn’t present, but I felt it simmering beneath the surface. His actions sounded creepy as hell to me.

  “That closeness worry you?” I kept my voice low as a chill settled in my belly.

  Yoani bit at her lower lip and didn’t answer. She handed me her sandals and then rolled her capris up to the length of shorts. When I gave her sandals back, she went knee-deep into the water.

  “You’re going to get wet,” I warned. “Those swells…”

  It was too late, but she didn’t seem to care as the water crested at her hips. She threw her arms wide and looked to the sky. Her sun hat tumbled to the water, and I snatched it up before the tide swept it away. She laughed into the wind and spun around twice through another swell that went up to her waist. Hair had escaped from her braid at some point, and it now fluttered at her shoulders.

  This side of Yoani was free and happy. It hit me that as we spent time together, she’d evolved from a tight-lipped liaison suspicious of foreigners to someone able to dive into the moment. The version of Yoani in the waves before me made my heart beat faster.

  When she had enough of the water, she ran straight at me and launched into a hug. Her laughter tinkled in my ears and turned contagious. I spun her once and set her back on her feet. Her smile glowed like the late-day sun, but then it vanished in a gasp.

  “Look—”

  Her warning was cut off by the force that slammed into my side.

  CHAPTER 38

  The impact broke me free of Yoani’s hug and knocked us all into the shallow surf. A fist hurtled toward my face, but I stopped it with both hands.

  “Philippe, stop,” Yoani cried. “Stop! What are you doing?”

  Her so-called friend yanked his fist out of my grip. He kicked me in the side, just below my shoulder holster, before I got a chance to block. I rolled away from the blow and up to my knees. Philippe backed away a little as I sprang to my feet. His hat had survived the initial tackle, but he threw it and the sunglasses toward the beach where the lifeguards started blowing whistles at us.

  “What the hell, dude?” I yelled.

  “You’re not worthy of her,” he hissed, barely audible above the surf. He raised his voice. “I know men like you. Bed the mujer, throw her away like garbage.”

  I stilled. “I treat women with respect. Always.”

  Philippe sneered. “All scum say that.”

  “Do all men stalk women they like?”

  He roared and charged me. I dodged at the last second and shoved at his shoulder and upper arm. He went off balance and stumbled to his knees. I swooped in, grabbed his arm, and twisted it behind his back. He thrashed but couldn’t break the hold.

  “Break it up!” A bruiser of a lifeguard sprinted toward us. Two others trailed him to provide backup. “Back away from each other.”

  “Had enough?” I growled in Philippe’s ear. “You do not want to push this.”

  He turned his face toward me, and I caught a whiff of booze. Damn. How had I missed him drinking?

  “Let me go,” he spat. “I’m done with this.”

  I released his arm as the first lifeguard reached us.

  “You’re done here, Molina.”

  I turned to the lead guard as Philippe fished his shoes from the water. The lifeguard’s eyes flicked between us.

  “Get off the beach,” he ordered. “I don’t want to see you back here.”

  “Dave, he’s that fed that was here a while back,” one of the other lifeguards told him. “The day some maniac shot up the beach.”

  I groaned. It seemed like every time I tried to take someone to Miami Beach, the day imploded. At least no lead was exchanged this time.

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “We got those bastards, though. So there’s that.”

  Dave r
ubbed his face. “I remember. Agent Marston. Go to North Beach next time, would ya?”

  “I’m thinking it’s safer.” I attempted a cocky grin, but it hit me that I was missing something. Or someone. “Hey, where’s Yoani?”

  Philippe’s glare could melt lava. “You find her. I’ll meet you at your car.”

  “Are you talking about the woman who was with you?” Dave asked.

  At my nod, he pointed toward the lifeguard tower. Yoani sat against one of the tower’s posts. Her head was in her hands, and she looked very alone. Someone handed me the soaking, crushed sun hat that had landed under me when Philippe attacked. I thanked the lifeguards, found my waterlogged boat shoes, and headed up the beach.

  Yoani looked up when my shadow fell across her, but she put her head back down. I sat next to her.

  “Nobody’s hurt,” I told her. “Philippe’s waiting at the car.”

  Yoani lifted her head and sniffed. The sandals still dangled from her hand, and her eyes were red.

  “I didn’t think he would do that.” She shuddered through a deep breath. “You asked if his actions troubled me.”

  “Yeah, I did.” I leaned my head back against the post. “You don’t have to talk about it right now.”

  “It’s okay… It’s just that he never scared me before.” She brought the back of her hand to her face but stopped. She wiped the sand off her hand and then rubbed at one eye and then the other. “People always ask if he is my boyfriend. If I say no, they tell me to be careful.”

  “He’s going back to Cuba on the first plane in the morning,” I told her. “I’ll make sure of it. Your department can send someone in his place.”

  She tried to smile, but tears spilled over again.

  “That’s for the best.” Yoani touched my arm and then got to her feet. “Maybe we can call him a car, so he doesn’t ride with us.”

  “Okay. I can do that.”

  I got on the phone with Diane and recapped the situation as Yoani and I made our way back to the parking lot. She promised to dispatch a junior agent to take on Señor Molina back to the hotel, under guard.