Bluewater Jailbird: The Tenth Novel in the Caribbean Mystery and Adventure Series (Bluewater Thrillers Book 10)

by Charles Dougherty

  He had retained his insider status in the country's security organization and leveraged it to insure his success in the gray-market endeavors that had made his fortune. He still had some official status in the government, but it was of no consequence to him. He was one of the hidden ones, the ones who kept the government afloat, and he prospered as a result.

  He rarely set foot in his mother country now, preferring to live aboard Platinum Odyssey in the warmer parts of the world. In one more day, he would be in the azure waters of the Caribbean, where he would enjoy the months leading up to hurricane season. By the time the storms began brewing, he would be back in the Mediterranean for the summer.

  Between now and then, he would meet this man and see what he was made of. If he measured up, Danilov would fund his "epic fantasy film." He grinned at the Hollywood hype. Whether the film succeeded or failed would matter little to him. He would have a new game to play, new people to manipulate. And a big cash flow to hide some less-than-pristine revenue streams from his other, more profitable, activities.

  His rumination was interrupted by a knock on the door.

  "Come in," he called.

  The door opened, and a wiry man entered, his white uniform stained with fresh blood. He bowed slightly.

  "Well?" Danilov asked.

  "She still won't talk. I had to stop; if she dies, we will learn nothing."

  Danilov nodded. "Have you tried the drugs yet?"

  "No. She's not a good candidate right now. There's some indication of some sort of programming in the way she responds to my questions. If we use the drugs, the risk is that we'll hear only what we were meant to hear."

  "Well, you're the doctor. What do you recommend?"

  "We will get answers from her eventually. I need to let her recover a bit, and then I'll begin a new cycle."

  "Recover? Why?"

  "The same reason I don't want to use drugs. If I trigger a mental breakdown, we'll hear the program."

  "How long until you can start again?"

  The man shrugged. "Twenty-four hours. Maybe 48. She's lost a lot of blood; she's in shock after what you and Angelika and Baklanov did to her. If you have a deadline, we can always try the drugs."

  Danilov thought for a moment. "No. At this stage, accuracy is more important than speed. Carry on."

  The man nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

  ****

  "You know, the problem with a show named Off the Edge is that we have to film it in all these places that are a pain in the ass to get to," Blaine Wilkes said, sliding the key card into the door of the run-down motel near Miami's International Airport. He held the door open for his wife.

  "Don't be such a wuss," she said, brushing past him as she struggled with her share of their luggage. "It's a living, and we get to see some pretty out-of-the-ordinary places."

  "Yeah, I guess. But this isn't one of them."

  "Well, by this time tomorrow night we'll be on a luxury yacht in Antigua. And don't forget, there're two hot babes running it, in case you get bored with your wife." She dropped the heavy, armored case on the floor and slid it out of the way with her foot.

  "Careful with the cameras, Mindy," he said, dragging the two heavy duffle bags in behind him and kicking the door closed.

  "They'll survive; they've been through worse. Now, lighten up, will you?"

  "Yeah, yeah. You're just bent out of shape because the captain's not a hot guy; can't fool me. And don't give me grief about those two women. You made the charter arrangements."

  "I did," she said, "but I saw the way you were studying their pictures on the website."

  "I'm a photographer, Mindy; I was — "

  "Hey! Come on, Blaine. Can't I tease you? When you get all nervous and jerky, it makes me wonder if — "

  "It's always the same tease, Mindy. One lousy time I messed up. How long do I have to pay for one mistake?"

  "Okay, okay. But you've got to admit, she was a doozy."

  "Yeah, she was. But you got some good footage while I kept her busy."

  "That's true. Until she saw me filming and raised her price midstream. Your face when she stopped cold like that is what sold it. After that, she was trying to be an actress. Not what we usually shoot, but, hey! We did make some money off that little side job."

  "Speaking of making some money on the side, we need to follow up on that rumor about a movie in the works in Antigua." Blaine kicked his shoes off and sat down on the edge of the bed.

  "Yeah. I hear Antigua's like a small town. It probably won't be too hard to pick up on what's going on there. Maybe the two women who run the boat will even know. I'll bet they spend enough time there to be plugged in to what's happening."

  "It'd be great if we could get some candid shots of some big names while they've got their, um ... hair down. We haven't sold anything to the tabloids in a while."

  "Yeah, well, if it happens, cool. But we gotta stay on track. Off the Edge is a steady income, as long as we meet the deadlines. I don't want to screw that up because you're trying to catch some starlet with over-sized implants sunbathing nude."

  "Me? How about that time you fell out of the tree right in front of ... what the hell was his name, anyway? That guy that was chokin' his chicken by the pool at that place in Thailand? He used to star in — "

  "Oh, shut up, Blaine. This is the last night before we have to behave ourselves." Mindy stepped out of her jeans and pulled the T-shirt over her head before she dove onto the king-sized bed. "Make me feel good, lover."

  Chapter 2

  "I didn't, Liz!" Dani smacked her coffee mug down on the cockpit table.

  "Only because I put a bar hammerlock on you. I saw that look in your eyes."

  "It could have been passion; you didn't know."

  "It was passion, all right. You were about to passionately kick his ass. Don't tell me I can't read the signs when you're about to lose it."

  "Well, he provoked me."

  "No doubt about that. You were doing well until you decided to waste him, though."

  "So you don't think I'm a total failure?"

  "Not total, but you definitely need some more work. Did he really ask if you were lesbian?"

  "All but. I guess I could have handled that better, huh?"

  "It all depends on what you wanted to get out of the encounter. He was awfully good-looking."

  "Yes, that's true. But he was soft; he wouldn't stand a chance in a local bar on Saturday night where I grew up."

  "Neither would Genghis Kahn — not if you were there. But I've told you, this is practice. We're not talking about mating for life, here. You just wanted to be able to meet new guys when you felt like it. If you're looking for somebody to cover your back in a fight, you don't need my advice."

  "That's true, oh Liz the Love Guru. Speaking of which, are you going to keep seeing that guy in St. Lucia?"

  "You mean Cedric?"

  "Yes. What's his last name, anyway?"

  "Jones."

  "You're lying; Cedric Jones is my father's age. I know Cedric Jones."

  "The police commissioner's his uncle, Dani. He's named after him."

  "Oh. Well, anyway, do I need to be looking for a new partner?"

  Liz laughed at that. "Dani, he's just a nice guy, okay?"

  "I saw the way you looked at him when he met us for drinks the other night."

  "I've told you, if you want a man's attention, how you look at him is important."

  "But you touched him on his arm, and when you walked out of there, he put his arm around you and rested his hand on your hip, like ... "

  "Like we were dancing, Dani. Or practicing judo, maybe, to put it in terms you'd grasp."

  "So, are you two dating? Or just ... "

  "Dani, he took me out to dinner. We enjoyed one another's company for the evening. That's it. Full stop. I wouldn't say we're dating. It might come to that, but I doubt it. The chemistry's not really there — not for me, and I don't think for him, either. But we might go ou
t together when we're in St. Lucia, if neither of us is in a serious relationship with someone. We had fun; it's a good way to meet people who might turn into romantic interests."

  "So you're saying I should have let that shithead take me out to dinner?"

  "I wouldn't presume to tell you who you should go out with; I'm just here to coach you on tactics. Matchmaking's out of my league. If he made your skin crawl, then you were right to cut it off. You could have probably done it more diplomatically, though."

  "Why? I don't care what he thinks."

  "No, but there were other guys in that bar that were attracted to you until you squared off with him."

  "How do you know?"

  "I saw the looks you were getting before you flamed out."

  "Before I flamed out?"

  "Yes. After your little bit of theater, you were getting a different kind of look entirely. They looked a little scared, as you might imagine."

  "Scared?"

  "Yes, in a 'there but for the grace of God go I' kind of way."

  "So I flunk being a barfly pick-up?"

  "Well, as I said, you need more work. The good news is, at a resort like that, there's a lot of turnover. You'll have a whole different audience for your next — "

  "Hello, Vengeance!" The harbor master's launch drew alongside, interrupting Liz.

  "Good morning, George," Liz said.

  "Morning, ladies. You pickin' up guests? Or just visitin'?"

  "We're working," Dani said. "Guests are coming this afternoon."

  "You gonna come inside? Pick 'em up at the dock?"

  "We'll stay out here, I think, and pick them up in the dinghy," Dani said.

  "Well, I'll be around. Just give me a call if you need a slip, or if they've got too much luggage for your dinghy. I'll ferry their stuff out if you need a hand."

  "Thanks, George. We'll let you know," Liz said. "Speaking of that, I need to get moving. I want to stock the galley before they get here."

  ****

  "I'm looking for a charter yacht run by two women," Kev Strong explained to the woman behind the counter. He was in the marina office in English Harbour, a short walk from the resort where he'd met Dani last night. The clerk smiled and shook her head. "Do you know the name of the yacht?"

  "No. Just that these two women live on it."

  "You know their names?"

  "Danielle Berger is one of them," he said.

  She tapped on the computer keyboard in front of her and studied the display, her lips pursed. Scrolling down the screen, she shook her head. "Sorry. I don't see anything. Are you sure they're staying here?"

  He shook his head. "No. I met her at the bar in the resort across the bay last night, but I didn't get the name of her yacht."

  She smiled at that. "And you say she runs charters on it?"

  He nodded. "She and her partner."

  "Just the two of them?"

  "I think so. Why?"

  "That would make it a smaller yacht, probably. Most of the charters that come in here have larger crews. Same with Falmouth Harbour." She studied him as she spoke, a slight frown giving way to a smile. "A handsome fella like you would make some gal's whole day. I'm surprised she didn't make it a little easier for you to find her."

  "Um," he said, a sheepish look on his face, "we, uh, we had a little misunderstanding."

  "Mm-hmm," she said. "Maybe go look in Jolly Harbour. A lot of the smaller charter yachts use it; it's a little more laid back."

  "Jolly Harbour?" he said. "There's another golf course there, right?"

  "Yes," she said. "But most people staying here play the other course."

  He nodded. "That's what they said at the resort. Is Jolly Harbour far from here?"

  She shook her head, smiling. "You take a taxi. Just go right out the front gate. They all know it."

  "Thanks," he said, turning toward the door.

  "You're welcome," she said. "Oh, and, sir?"

  He paused at the door and looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"

  "There is a flower shop at Jolly Harbour. They will deliver to the yacht. Roses are always a nice way to smooth over a misunderstanding."

  "Thanks," he said.

  "She's a lucky lady," she said. "I hope you find her."

  Strong walked out into the midday heat and decided to have lunch before he went to Jolly Harbour. He walked around the complex and studied the menus on display, finally selecting an open-air place that afforded a view of the harbor.

  After he ordered, he sat at a table under a ceiling fan and sipped at his glass of ice-water. He thought about the girl, clenching his teeth at the memory of his gaffe. Still, she had a short fuse, even given his faux pas. He'd thought for a moment that she was going to attack him, before the other girl had put an armlock on her. That must have been her partner, or at least someone Dani knew, judging from the way she'd backed down.

  When the girl first interceded, he'd half expected Dani to turn on her. He'd been thinking about how to calm her down when the bartender had stepped in front of him. Now he recalled the bartender had been passing time with the other white woman, the one who had grabbed Dani. They had been talking like two old friends. Before he went to Jolly Harbour, he'd go back to the resort and see if the bartender knew where to find them, or the name of their yacht.

  He dressed the hamburger that the waitress brought him, and thought again how perfect Dani would be for the role of Cassie. Even the fiery temper would fit; he'd have no trouble getting her to project Cassie's bottled-up anger. And besides, when she turned those sea-blue eyes on him, his pulse raced. It was all there, in that one package. He would have her, and make her a star, to boot. Lucky lady, indeed. He smiled at the words of the woman in the marina office and took a bite of the burger.

  ****

  "Did you find everything you needed?" Dani asked, as Liz stowed groceries in the galley.

  "Well, I found enough. I should be able to manage with fresh stuff for a few days. I wish I knew where they wanted to go. I hate to load up the freezer if we're going to Martinique, or even Bequia."

  "I guess we'll know in a few hours. There's still time for you to make a last-minute run here, if you need to. We'll have to go in tomorrow morning for our departure clearance anyway," Dani said, closing the engine compartment and wiping oil from her hands on a piece of paper towel.

  "Unless they want to spend a few days here in Antigua," Liz said. "Are you happy with the engine?"

  "Yes. I just wanted to check the oil and top it off while it was cold. It's fine. Are you fixing lunch, or are we eating ashore?"

  "Either one's okay with me," Liz said. "Why? Do you have a craving for something?"

  Dani smiled. "I smelled the curry from the little snack bar by the gate to the boatyard when I went to get engine oil."

  "A roti sounds good," Liz said. "Especially if I don't have to cook the curry. Are you — " She reached for the phone that was buzzing on the nav station, glancing at the caller i.d. screen as she lifted it. "It's Elaine," she said, and answered in speakerphone mode.

  "Hi, Elaine," Liz said.

  "Liz?"

  "You have us both," Dani said. "What's up?"

  "Good. I think you both need to hear this. I just had the strangest call about you two ... "

  "Okay," Liz said. "You have our attention. Tell us about it."

  "Well, it sounded normal to start with. This guy was looking to charter Vengeance. Someone had recommended you; he didn't say who."

  "That's great!" Liz said. "It would be nice to know who's sending us business, but still ... "

  "Right," Elaine said. "Actually, I asked him that, but he kind of blew by it, saying he was interested in a long-term charter starting ASAP in Antigua. I told him you were busy for the next few weeks; I couldn't remember off the top of my head how long the Wilkeses had booked. I offered him Diamantista II instead. Connie and Paul just finished up a charter in Martinique. I told him it was a sister ship, and that they could be in Antigua in a day or two."
<
br />   "Too bad," Dani said, "but there's nobody we'd rather lose business to than them."

  "Uh-huh, that's what I thought. I told him they were friends of yours — that I was sure he'd have a great time with them. That's when it got strange."

  "Strange how?" Dani asked.

  "He wanted to pay to transfer the Wilkeses' charter to Diamantista II. I told him that wasn't something that we normally did, unless there was some problem with the boat or the crew, and he began to get huffy. He said money was no object; he'd pay the other people's expenses and give them a week's extra charter fee for their trouble."

  "Now, that's strange," Liz said.

  "Who was this guy?" Dani asked.

  "Victor Laszlo was the name he gave, but I think it was bogus."

  "Why?" Dani asked.

  "Well, he got my curiosity up, so I Googled him after we got off the phone. The first hit I got was for a character in the film Casablanca. Besides, it didn't ring true when he gave it to me; there was too much hesitation, you know?"

  "How did you leave it with him, Elaine?" Liz asked.

  "I told him I'd talk to you and get back to him. I mean, I knew the answer, but still ... it was just so odd that I thought I should talk it over with you. I've never had one like this before."

  "So he left a callback number?" Dani asked.

  "No. He said he was traveling and that he'd check back with me, which I also thought was strange. Who doesn't have a cellphone these days?"

  "Creepy," Liz said. "I don't want any part of this one. How about you, Dani?"

  "No, thanks. I wouldn't wish it on Connie and Paul, either."

  "No. I agree," Elaine said. "It is creepy. That's really why I called. I thought you should know. I'd already decided that if he called back before I could reach you, I'd tell him I couldn't help him."

  "Well, thanks for the warning," Dani said.

  "Since you called," Liz said, "do you know any more about the Wilkes?"

  "Not much. They called the other day to ask about video equipment, but it all fits in a small case. She said it was carry-on size, so I didn't think that would be a problem."

  "Video equipment?" Dani asked. "I thought they were travel bloggers, or something like that."