“We’re going to have you traced, and we will notify you if we find any activity. It’s easier for us to track at night, so although it’s going to be more dangerous for you, I’d prefer it. But be careful. And you got local drivers there, so hopefully they can get around anything that should come up. I’ll make sure the guys who have the eyes in the sky give us a major heads up in case something forms.
“Thanks, Peterson. One thing I didn’t mention before was that several of the drivers have family in the area and the word has gone out to them to bring back any local intel. Several of them have told us that there doesn’t appear to be anything going on here, so we think they’re either headed your direction or they’re even further south than you. But I hope we don’t run into anybody, and if so, you know we’ll deal.”
“Okay then, so I’m going to assume you’re on the road in like less than 10, right?”
“You would be correct. We’ll see you in about five, six hours?”
“No, I think it will be closer to sunrise. But you stay safe, hear?”
“Absolutely.”
Andy left the storage room and headed over to the surgery where T.J. was still instructing Flora on several items that he brought for her. He stashed a few things in bins that were mislabeled, to throw off anybody who might be looking for antibiotics or the pain meds, and they all agreed that most of the supplies needed to be taken on the road, since they had nearly 25 men to take care of. Andy told Flora that two guards were on their way over to give them extra protection, and then there would be at least five remaining behind to man the complex. He told her it would be okay to do minor triage and first aid for any of the men in the compound, but not to encourage locals to come in and seek medical attention, as might happen.
“Just tell them you’re a privately contracted clinic, if you have to say anything,” he added.
Andy and T.J. approached the trucks again. Sven had coordinated who was going to stay behind in the complex, and who was going to go with the group. Diku wanted to go, and he promised his second-in-command would take good care of the nurses and guard the complex. With some hesitation, Sven agreed after checking with Andy.
“I just want to make it so that they have enough protection for now, and I hope this guy isn’t going to leave. Diku, we can’t have this place abandoned while we’re gone, I trust that if you stayed, that wouldn’t happen. I’m going to be really pissed if these guys abandon their post.”
Diku shook his head. “No, man. They good. They good men.”
Sven pulled Andy aside. “I think they can be paid a little something, what do you think?” he whispered.
“You mean Kelly brought it?”
Sven nodded.
“Then I’d say yeah. Give them something. I’m sure it doesn’t have to be much.”
Sven brought Kelly over and the three of them discussed payment.
“Here’s what I propose,” Kelly said. “I got hundred-dollar packets, and five-hundred-dollar packets. I’d like to give the guards that stay a hundred-dollar packet. I think that’s good money to them.”
“Hell yeah,” Sven said.
“I think that’s half a year’s salary,” said Andy.
“So, I’m going to recommend giving a fiver to Diku, and tell him he’ll get a bonus when the mission is successfully rendezvoused with the other team? You okay with that?”
“Absolutely.” said Andy. Sven nodded. “Another five hundred to Sven for Adaze, too.”
“Completely agree,” said Sven.
“Okay then, give me two minutes with Diku, and I’ll make sure he gets his men paid.”
Two vehicles were loaded from the compound. One was the four-door pickup that they had arrived in, and one was a delivery van that would seat several more and carry most of their equipment. It was decided that the vehicles picking up the team at the airport would return.
With several guards left behind, that left five to accompany the team, and although it was a little light, Andy was grateful that with two men they could communicate with, Diku, and their driver, the others were just for extra firepower, should it be needed. It also added more legitimacy, since they were traveling in UNESCO trucks, and if there was not a local contingent, somebody along the way would notice.
They began their journey just before the stroke of midnight. Before they left, Diku had his man distribute water, and a small package of sweet potatoes, chicken, and leafy green vegetables of some kind, wrapped in a rice ball. It didn’t taste great, but Andy was grateful for the nourishment. The water was heavenly.
With any luck, they’d be meeting up with Peterson and his team, before morning.
Chapter 21
Aimee decided to drop by Shelley’s school, and found her car in the parking lot, so took Sandy and knocked on her classroom door. She could hear Latin jazz music playing loudly in the room, so when no one answered, she knocked a little harder.
Shelley’s unmade up face was quite the sight. She had a red bandana around her head, cutoff jeans, and a halter top t-shirt. Aimee laughed when she thought Shelley did not quite have the appearance of a respectable schoolteacher.
“Just wanted to introduce you to Sandy.”
Shelley kneeled and eyed Sandy’s face straight on. “What a beautiful puppy. She’s a girl?”
“Well, she’s not a puppy, she’s full grown, and she’s spayed. It’s Sandy. Sandy meet Shelley.”
Sandy put her paw on Shelley’s knee as if understanding the formal introduction.
“Aw, you are such a good girl. You’re going to keep my friend Aimee safe? Is that right?”
The dog’s ears went into alert, and then she looked up at Aimee.
Shelley stood, arching her back, with her hands on her hips. “So, I don’t think you’ve seen my classroom this year. I’m right in the middle of preparing a module on the oceans, which is the study they’re going to do for the next three months. You see?”
She pointed to a wall that was filled with cut out pictures of fish, looking like a huge kelp forest window with various sea creatures big and small. A list of vocabulary terms was listed on the side. It was a colorful display of Shelley’s creative abilities.
“We do this so that by the time the whales start moving, the kids will have some context. Most of the kids around here know quite a bit about sea life, because they live here. But many of them don’t know about the migrations and why they happen, and it’s I think my favorite module.” She examined her handiwork, turned to Aimee and smiled.
“That’s fantastic Shelley,” Aimee said. She was really a talented teacher, Aimee thought, and wondered what it would have been like to have a teacher like her growing up.
“So, we got the introduction out of the way, what are you really here for? Have you heard from Andy?” Shelley’s direct questions shouldn’t have been a surprise to Aimee by now, but they still caught her off guard.
“You promised you weren’t going to ask me that again.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Shelley put both hands up in the air and shook her head. “I forget, and I know you’ll forgive me.”
“Of course. But I do have some other news, and I would be bursting to tell Andy, but I’ll just have to do it when he calls me. I got a call yesterday that Carmen Hernandez passed away suddenly. The attorney asked me to come into his office this morning to go over some paperwork. And it turns out she has left me some money.”
Shelley stared at her, her eyes getting wide. “How much money?”
Aimee rocked her head from side to side, fidgeting with what she should tell her. “A lot. I mean, Shelley, it’s a lot.”
“Oh my gosh!”
“I don’t want you to breathe a word about this with anybody. I don’t want a soul to know, for obvious reasons.”
“Done!” Shelley said, crossing her heart.
“It gives Andy and I some flexibility, in what we do with the house, and other things too.”
“I’d say so. Then, why aren’t you like jump
ing for joy?”
“Because I just don’t feel this money is mine. I mean, I didn’t earn it. I’m not a relative of hers. I only got to meet her one time.”
“What do you mean? It’s what she wanted to do, Aimee.”
“It just doesn’t feel right yet. I don’t understand why she chose me. It’s like one of those things you always hear growing up, if it’s too good to be true it is. I just somehow can’t fathom that it’s real. I mean, this will change our lives for the remainder of the time we’re here. I can do things that I never thought I could do before. And it opens up a whole set of choices, that I just—Now I’ve got all these decisions I have to make.”
“You have to make?” Shelley asked with a scowl.
“No, it’s just that I want to be a good steward of it.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sakes Aimee, enjoy it. I think she gave you the money because you fell in love with her place, you were perhaps the daughter she never had. I think she wanted you and Andy to be happy. It made her happy knowing that. I wouldn’t question it any further. I would enjoy it. Why can’t you just do that Aimee?”
“I guess because I feel like I don’t deserve it.”
“Listen to yourself, Aimee. Just listen to what you’re saying. That’s nonsense. You have to embrace it and accept it and live your life to the fullest. You’re given an opportunity, to do something that like you said others can’t do. So, this is your chance. I mean in a way, it’s kind of your new job, right?”
Aimee thought about it for a minute and understood the logic. “It just hasn’t sunk home yet.”
Shelley grabbed her and gave Aimee a bear hug. “You are such a big doofus, Aimee. I think you’re one of the most honest, wonderful and loving people I’ve ever met in my entire life. I can’t wait to see what you do with that money. You deserve it.”
Armed with that bit of encouragement from Shelley, Aimee took Sandy to the dog park on the way home. She stared down at her cell phone, wishing she could get a call from Andy. She had not remembered being so anxious last time he was on deployment, but that was before they got married. She wondered why that would change, and then she started to think about all the other changes that had occurred in her life.
The money was certainly something that was occupying her mind, but Logan, and his reaching out to her, was also an issue.
And it all came at the same time when she was worried for Andy’s mission and safe return. She decided to just accept what was here today, and have faith that Andy would call her soon, and try to focus on some of the things she might want to accomplish with her new inheritance.
They arrived home, and Aimee fixed Sandy her dinner early. She sat in front of the TV with the dog at her side, eating a rice bowl. She was going to turn in early and watched the weather report which indicated there was going to be a huge storm arriving in the evening. Outside, she repositioned the chairs and secured a table, and made sure that the umbrellas were tucked to the side of the house so that any wind that would accompany the storm wouldn’t damage them.
She checked all the doors and windows, making sure they were properly closed and locked, brought her dishes into the kitchen, then took Sandy upstairs so she could read in bed. As she continued with Hank’s story, the wind started howling, Sandy’s ears peaking at the sound of thunder and lightning. It was going to be a wild night, she thought. But she was used to them now, even though this was an unusually late storm.
Out of her bedroom window, she could see white caps in the bay already, and hear the fronds of trees slapping against the side of the house and the wet road from Gulf Boulevard as traffic brought people home.
She turned off the light and decided to turn in. Again, she stared at the ceiling. She thought about the magic of the house. She thought about her future, filled with possibilities. And drifted then off to sleep.
It was sometime late in the evening when Sandy started to bark again, startling her. She slipped on her robe and followed the dog downstairs. The dog headed straight for the front door.
“Sandy, is someone there?” Then, she yelled through the door, “If you’re out there, I can’t talk to you. You can’t come by. You have to leave me alone. Please stop.”
She listened for a sign, but with the howling of the wind and weather outside, she did not want to open the door. She didn’t turn on any of the lights and moved to the kitchen window to see if she could detect anyone outside the front door area, but the area appeared clear. Sandy wanted to go out, but Aimee discouraged her. “I’ll take you in a few hours, in the morning. When it’s not so miserable and dark outside.”
Just then, several thunderous roars shook the whole house. It felt as if lightning had struck right there right in front of her or perhaps right on the beach as she’d seen from time to time. She stared out the sliding glass door and all she could see were raindrops flowing horizontally. Sandy ran over to the sliding glass door as another huge bolt of lightning went off. Aimee could see in that flash of light the figure of a man, leaning into the window. She jumped back, calling for Sandy. Another bolt of lightning illuminated the patio, and the area was clear.
Had she imagined this? Was there really somebody out there? Or was it just her mind playing tricks on her?
She looked at the cell phone in her hand and decided she needed to give Shelley a call first and then corrected herself and called the Pinellas County Sherrill’s Office.
The clerk who answered the phone was made aware of the fact that there had been an incident report on file, and Aimee asked her to look it up so she could give further detail. She asked if it would be possible for an officer to come over and check the grounds, making sure that Logan or whoever the person was wasn’t still in the area. She told the clerk that she feared for her life.
The dispatcher agreed to send someone over.
In less than ten minutes, two flashing police cars drove up through her carport. She opened the door and let them inside. Both of them were dressed in yellow rain slickers, water dribbling down their faces.
“Mrs. Carr?”
“Yes, I’m the one who called.”
“You reported a suspicious person?”
“Yes, I did. Please, come in.” She handed them a tea towel for their hands and face.
“Thanks, ma’am. Much appreciated. So, tell me what he looked like.”
“He was wearing a hoodie that looked like it was soaking wet and he was tall, thin. He could be my brother. The last time I saw him close was many years ago, but I think I’ve had a sighting since and this person looked like the man I saw in the parking lot a year ago. Maybe he wanted to come inside and get out of the rain, and—”
“No ma’am. If he’s leaning up next to the window, that’s breaking the law. Especially in the middle of the night. You were right to call us.”
“So, you’ll do a search and then come back and let me know what you find?”
“Yes ma’am, just give us a few minutes, and we’ll be right back.”
The two officers left their lights flashing as they began searching the area with flashlights. Aimee closed the front door. Sandy sat at her side.
The storm continued to rage, with intermittent thunder and lightning, which made her jump every time she heard it. Sandy’s head was whipping from side to side checking the front door and then the back sliding glass door at every thunderous noise. “That’s a good girl. This will all be over soon, I hope. The good guys are here Sandy.”
Several minutes later, she heard another knock at the door and opened to the two officers.
“Ma’am, we haven’t found anything, but it looks like you have some footprints on your patio and perhaps some prints on the sliding glass door. It’s probably not too much we can do tonight. But I’m going to recommend that we keep a patrol car here for the night just cruising back and forth on the street and throughout the neighborhoods. That would probably make you feel a little more secure, right?”
“Oh absolutely. Thank you so much, officer.”
> A squawking noise came over a little loudspeaker affixed to the officer’s chest. He answered the call and stepped to the side to have a private conversation with a dispatcher.
When he returned, he addressed her, “It appears that you have some neighbors nearby, who report a break-in. They’re outside. Mind if I let them in to talk?”
“Absolutely.”
The officer opened the door and a middle-aged couple emerged, in their pajamas, with rain slickers on and boots.
The woman started first, “We live just four houses up. We came back to Florida this afternoon. We’ve had the place rented, and everything was cleaned for us after the last tenant. But when we got here, and we walked in it looked like somebody had been living in the house. We found a side door unlocked, but nothing’s really damaged or anything.”
“Why do you say someone’s been living there?”
“Well, they left a backpack and an old smelly sleeping bag in the living room. So, when I saw the flashing lights and saw the activity over here, we just thought we should come over and tell you. We were going to go down to the police department in the morning and report it.”
“How long has it been vacant?”
She looked up at her partner, who answered, “It’s been three and a half weeks, almost four weeks.”
“Other than the sleeping bag and backpack, how could you tell that somebody had been living there?” the officer asked.
“Because whomever it was broke into our owner pantry, which we hadn’t unlocked yet. We had a bunch of items stored for us; granola bars, Gatorade, waters, things like that. It looks like whomever has been living there has been living off the juice and waters and snacks in the owner closet. There wasn’t anything in the refrigerator and he didn’t touch anything else, except he left a mess on the kitchen.
“Food and things? What kind of mess?”
“Some kind of a project. He got out one of our toolboxes and had pliers and things all over the table with shells and crap.”
The House At Sunset: SEALed At Sunset - The Beach Renovation (Sunset SEALs Book 5) Page 16
