by Jay Giles
“No. She said we had to bring the bodies to them.”
“Why?” Soto made a face. “Hauling dead bodies around makes no sense.”
“I told her that. She wouldn’t listen.”
Soto threw his hands up in the air. “By 3:00? We can’t get to the island, have those bodies back here by then.”
“Want me to call her back? Get more time?”
Soto scowled, thinking. “No. One dead body looks like another. We’ll get two from the morgue to show her.”
Ruis had already punched in the number on his phone. Soto took the phone from him. When Monique answered, he said, “Señorita, we can bring the items to your house, but for a special delivery like this, there is a price increase.”
“How much?” She asked disgustedly.
Her tone made Soto double the figure. “One hundred thousand more.”
CHAPTER 126
Hanna woke first. She looked at her watch, saw it was already 10:30 a.m. Looked at Miles, saw he was still sound asleep. She slipped out of bed, walked barefoot to the room’s desk and used the phone. Her first calls were to Casper. She left a message on his room voicemail, then on his cell.
Next, she called the Sarasota Bureau office and talked with the Duty Officer, Bruce Hall. Hanna knew Bruce and quickly explained she’d located Albrecht and Silber, couldn’t rely on the police to take them into custody, needed Bureau assistance.
“What about Casper?” Hall asked. “I heard he went down there to help you.”
“I know he’s here, he left me a voicemail. But I haven’t seen him.”
“Really? You guys are in the same hotel, aren’t you?”
“Yeah. You’d think we’d connect. I just tried to phone him a minute ago, got voicemail.”
“How strange. Of course, he could be hiding in his bathroom afraid the sun’s going to get him.”
“Be nice, Bruce.”
Hall let out a long-suffering sigh. “I know. Listen, let me scramble a team here,
get you some on-site support. Try and stay out of trouble ‘til I call you back, okay?”
“I’ll try.” Hanna hung up, tried Casper’s cell again, was sent to voicemail. Maybe, he was hiding in the bathroom. She looked over at Miles, saw he was still sleep, decided on a shower.
When she emerged from the bathroom, towel wrapped around her, hair wet, Miles was awake, standing, looking the window. He was still wearing his cargo shorts, from yesterday. He smiled when he saw Hanna. “Good morning. Been up long?”
“Maybe an hour,” Hanna said, getting fresh clothes from her suitcase. “I’ve been on the phone. I called in the Calvary.”
Miles chuckled. “Good. We can use the reinforcements.”
“I don’t think they’ll get here today. But by tomorrow, we should have a team in place.”
“What about the Mexican police?”
“The Bureau knows Soto and Ruis are working for Albrecht. They’ll alert the Mexican authorities.” She made a face. “We can’t prove anything, though. They’ll walk.”
“Bummer. Like to put those guys away for what they did to us.”
“It’s their word against ours.” Hanna found the clothes she wanted, said, “Let me finish in the bathroom, then you can get it.”
“Go for it.”
Hanna dressed quickly. While Miles was showering, she tried Casper one more time, shook her head when she was sent to voicemail. Hanna worried Soto had done something to him, too.
Miles emerged from the bathroom dressed in fresh cargo shorts and a tee shirt. “Are you hungry?” He asked. “I’m starved.”
“I am, too,” Hanna said. She looked at the clock on the night table. Almost 11:00.
“So what’s the plan for today?” Miles asked after they’d been seated at one of the hotel’s outside restaurants.
Hanna looked at him over the top of her menu. “I think I need to stick pretty close to the room until I hear back from the Bureau.” She filled him in on her conversation with Bruce Hall, the Duty Officer, finished saying, “I would like to rent a car so we have transportation if we need it.”
“That’s easy enough. There’s a car rental place in the lobby. I’ll take care of that after we eat. After that, I may go for a run.”
Hanna looked at him incredulously. “I feel like I’ve been run over by a Mack truck and you want to run.”
Miles grinned. “I’m sore, too. But a run will work some of the soreness out of my legs and shoulders. You can come with me.”
“Not on your life,” Hanna said emphatically.
“Easy out, easy back,” Miles teased her. “Nothing to it.” Little did he know the race his run would set in motion.
CHAPTER 127
“This, señor, is my best movie camera,” the salesman said enthusiastically. He unlocked the back to the glass showcase, took out the camera, handed it to Albrecht. “ It will take wonderful vacation pictures. You will not find a better camera. You will return home with many memories.”
Albrecht turned it over in his hand, looked at it. He’d never owned a movie camera, knew nothing about them.
“It is very reasonable,” the salesman said, mistaking Albrecht’s hesitation for qualms about the price. He took a small calculator from his pocket, did the pesos to dollars conversion, stuck the calculator in front of Albrecht’s face. “This is the U.S. price.”
Albrecht barely looked at the calculator. “Show me the widest shot it will take.”
The salesman took the camera from him, pressed a button. It made a soft whirr. He handed it back to Albrecht, indicated the eyepiece. “Look through here, señor.”
Albrecht did. He could see the width of the store. He tried to imagine seeing the area in front of his house. It seemed like it would work. He lowered the camera from his eye, handed it to the salesman. “I’ll need you to load it with film for me.”
“Certainly, señor,” the salesman agreed, happy to have made such an easy sale.
Albrecht looked at his wristwatch, concerned about the time. He still had to go to the bank and get the camera positioned on the roof.
CHAPTER 128
The cab dropped Casper at the Fiesta Americana. He walked briskly through the lobby to the elevator, rode up to his floor, walked down the hall to his room.
Inside, the phone message light was blinking. Casper sat on the bed, listened to his messages—all from Agent Chance. She’d phoned last night, several times this morning. Her last call just forty minutes ago. Casper called her room, hoping she was still there, but his call went to voicemail.
Dammit.
He slammed the receiver down on the cradle. Stood, stripped off yesterday’s clothes, threw them in his empty suitcase. He shaved, put on fresh clothes, tried Chance’s room again, then her cell. Voicemail both times. Where was she? He paced for a minute pondering, gave up, left his room, took the elevator to the lobby.
His plan for today was to stake out the yellow villa, make sure it was Albrecht’s. To do that, he’d need a car. He wished he had his Blackberry. Maybe after he got the car, he’d drive to Carla’s office, see if he could get it from her.
CHAPTER 129
Albrecht parked his Mercedes in the bank’s small lot. He took a black softsided suitcase from the rear seat, walked into the bank. As soon as he entered, the manager, Señor Calvo hurried over.
Calvo was a small dark-skinned man with beady dark eyes, oiled back hair, dressed in a well cared for but aged and frayed black suit. “Mr. Albrecht,” he said in English, “I am at your service.” He extended his hand. It fluttered in the air as he had to wait for Albrecht to shift the bag to his left hand.
Transfer completed, Albrecht shook the outstretched hand, found Calvo’s handshake to be a limp touch. “I appreciate your giving this your personal attention.”
“A transaction of this importance,” Calvo cleared his throat, “it is my honor. Please, come with me.” He led Albrecht to the vault where a women, dressed in a white blouse and dark blue skirt, sat primly
, legs together, behind a small metal table. “This is Marie, she will assist us in counting your funds.”
Marie nodded her hello, gave a wan smile.
Calvo took banded stacks of money from a drawer, placed the stacks on the table for Marie to count. Marie removed the band, methodically counted the money, replaced the band, handed it to Albrecht who placed it in his suitcase.
The process took just over half an hour. At the conclusion, Calvo wiped his hands nervously on the sides of his trousers. He was sweating profusely. “That is the entire amount—six hundred thousand dollars U.S. Five hundred from the wire transfer. One hundred from your personal account. Is there anything else we may do to be of service?”
Albrecht zipped up the suitcase. “Not today. You have been most helpful. Thank you.” He extending the handle, rolled the bag after him, found it not as heavy as he feared. He stopped, turned back to Calvo. He had to be sure. “You will be discrete about this, yes?”
Calvo mopped beads of sweat from his forehead with a white handkerchief. “You may rely on us, Mr. Albrecht.”
Albrecht gave him a stern look. Calvo’s reply was almost word for word the assurance Ruis had given Monique about protecting them.
CHAPTER 130
Marike had spent the morning by the pool, resting on a chaise. Once or twice, she’d gotten in the water to cool off. Mostly, she’d dozed.
She wanted to be well rested for her evening out.
Tonight, she was going to break into Albrecht’s house. The thought of it made her smile. She couldn’t wait to confront the fool and his new woman.
She’d catch them in bed, asleep, put the gun barrel to the woman’s temple, tell them to get up. They’d be in their nightclothes, embarrassed for her to see them like that. Marike would herd them at gunpoint to chairs. She’d have the woman duct tape Albrecht to a chair, Marike would duct tape the woman to another chair.
Then the fun would start. Albrecht would refuse to tell her the location of the money. Marike would counter by pistol whipping the woman. She doubted Albrecht would let her inflict much damage before he caved in.
She also doubted he’d tell her the location of all the money, immediately. He’d try and give her some low-balance account, tell her that’s all the money he had left. If he tried that, she’d have to hurt the woman more, possibly even hurt him. Eventually, Marike would get it all. She was in no hurry. She’d have all night.
Marike rose from the chaise, gathered her towel. She still had a few preparations to make.
In her room, she used the phone to book flights the following day, took a quick shower, put on olive green cropped pants, black tank top, running shoes.
Once she was done with Albrecht, she’d need to get rid of him. A fire might do that nicely. For that, she’d need a tin of gasoline. She’d seen a gas station outside of town. She was sure they would sell her what she needed.
On her way out, she grabbed a hat.
CHAPTER 131
Miles had rented a car, returned to the room and given the keys to Hanna before changing into his running clothes.
He did some stretching in a grassy area in front of the hotel, started off at a slow jog towards town. He ran on the sidewalk next to the road. He passed a few walkers, had to contend with car traffic at the intersections.
He’d covered about a mile, was just beginning to feel loose, when something caught his eye.
Waiting at a traffic light was a red Jeep with the top down. Behind the wheel was a blond woman. Miles would never have paid attention to her, except for one thing.
She wore a blue ball cap with Go Nols on the front.
CHAPTER 132
Albrecht got the aluminum 10-ft. ladder from the garage, propped it against the front of the house. He climbed gingerly as if afraid he would fall, held tightly with his free hand as he used the other to place the camera on the roof. Task completed, he climbed carefully down. When both feet were back on the ground, he felt better. Albrecht glanced up, checked his work. Satisfied the camera was in the right location, he replaced the ladder in the garage, went to the kitchen to wash his hands.
“Is it finished?” Monique asked from behind him.
Albrecht nodded.
“You can see the whole courtyard?”
Again, Albrecht nodded. He turned off the water, reached for a towel, turned around to face Monique as he dried his hands. “This camera has a remote.” He put the towel on the counter, reached into his pant’s pocket, took out the device to show her.
“When I press this button, the camera will begin filming.”
Monique looked at the remote, smiled. “And the money? There were no problems at the bank?”
Albrecht put the remote back in his pocket. “No, it went well. They were very helpful.”
“It all fit?”
Albrecht knew she was asking about the suitcase. “Yes. I had the carry bag, as well, but didn’t need it.”
“Good. Where did you put it?”
“In the hall by the front door.”
Monique stepped forward, put her arms around him in a congratulatory hug. “Tomorrow, this time, this will all be behind us, Dieter.”
She felt the rise and fall of Albrecht’s chest as he sighed. “You believe it will go well?”
She pulled away, met his gaze. “Of course, we have planned for every contingency.”
CHAPTER 133
Marike couldn’t believe it. The Mercedes salesman. Alive. In Puerto Vallarta.
Judging by his face, he’d recognized her, too.
Don’t panic, she told herself. He can’t know Albrecht’s location. Then again, he had to know something or why would he be here? The coincidence was too great.
Marike pressed her foot on the accelerator.
• • •
Miles turned, started running back to the hotel. If Silber got to Albrecht first, she’d get the money, get away.
Miles picked up his pace, he wasn’t about to let that happen.
CHAPTER 134
Soto parked the police panel van in the loading area of the Puerto Vallarta morgue, went inside. His nose immediately wrinkled. He didn’t know which he disliked more—the smell of bodies or of disinfectant.
The place was silent, dimly lit. The walls were covered in four-inch square, white ceramic tile. Every so often there was a dark green door, with a name on a frosted glass panel. Soto was looking for one marked Morgue Storage.
Inside that room, one of the attendants, Nestor Garcia, waited for Soto. He was tall—a good head taller than Soto—thin, with a beak nose, and hair that covered his ears and hung down in his eyes. He wore a lab coat that was too small for him, the sleeves ended mid forearm.
He scowled when Soto entered. “I don’t like this.”
“Nestor, you worry too much,” Soto shot back. “Remember, I am the chief. No one questions me. Let me see what you have.”
Garcia led Soto to two gurneys lined against the room’s back wall. On each was a body covered by a sheet. He lifted the first sheet. Soto leaded over, saw the face of a young man, no older than 25.
“A little young,” Soto groused.
Garcia shrugged. Lifted the sheet on the other gurney so Soto could see the woman. She was older, perhaps 35, not pretty to look at. Her face had been caved in.
“My God,” Soto said unconsciously.
Garcia replaced the sheet. “Auto accident.”
Soto took a couple of steps away from the bodies. “They’ll do. Let’s get—”
“They have to be back by shift change,” Garcia warned, hostility showing on his face.
Soto held up his hands in a placating gesture. “Two hours, Nestor, no more. No one will even know they’re gone.”
CHAPTER 135
Marike drove directly from the gas station to her hotel. She didn’t waste time. Simply got her gun and ammunition from the safe, stowed it along with a roll of duct tape in the straw shoulder bag, headed back out.
• • •
Mile
s arrived back at his room panting from exertion. “Hanna, Hanna.” He called out, his gaze taking in the empty room. He threw on a tee-shirt, went down the hall to her room, knocked on the door. “Hanna?”
No answer.
Where could she be? He checked the restaurants. Didn’t find her. Checked to see if the rental car was still in its parking place. It was. Unsure where else to look, he returned to the room to wait. Fifteen minutes later, she walked in, a stack of papers in hand.
“Where have you been?” Miles asked, his eyes wild.
“The business office. The Bureau faxed warrants.”
“I saw her,” Miles blurted out.
“Who?”
“Marike Silber. And she saw me. Hanna, she’s going to go after Albrecht right now. I’m sure of it.”
Hanna’s face turned determined. “What a great opportunity to catch the two of them together.”
• • •
Dennis Casper waited in Carla’s outer office, leafing through outdated issues of People magazine, before he heard the clip, clip, clip of Carla coming up the stairs. She arrived, Blackberry in hand, apology on her lips. “I am so sorry. I forgot I had it.”
“Not a problem.” Casper said taking it from her. “How were your appointments?”
“Good, good.” She looked at her watch. “I have two more,” she told him with a smile, “but I’ve got time for a drink first. You up for that?”
“Absolutely,” Casper said taking her arm. What difference could half an hour make?
CHAPTER 136
Soto met Ruis, drove the panel van with the bodies to Albrecht’s villa. The two men did little talking. When he turned onto the drive that led to the house, Soto looked at his watch—3:05—right on time.
He drove the van part way around the circular driveway, stopped with the truck’s rear door facing the house, cab headed out.
