Black Star Bay

by T C Miller

  Winfield seemed to have a whole security operation behind him that was probably better manned and equipped to look for Licia. He also seemed to share a healthy distrust of the Russians. He dialed the number on the card and a male voice answered with “Star Logistics”.

  They went through the verbal dance about Levinson being on vacation and he was transferred. The usual dreary music while on hold didn’t get to the chorus before the line clicked, “John Banner, who’s this?”

  “Doug Martinez, I own a mot…”

  “I know who you are and if you’re calling me there must be a problem.”

  “Call me Doug and yes there is. My daughter Alicia is missing. Called the sheriff’s office…They’re telling me there’s nothing they can do until she’s gone for forty-eight hours. I think Greg Peters is behind it…She had a run-in with one of his men. Licia wouldn’t up and leave without telling me…She’s a good girl…wouldn’t be like her at all. Thought you and your people might help.”

  “Wish I could help, but sounds like it’s a local police matter.”

  “Except they’re pretty much useless unless they’re writing a speeding ticket or taking a burglary report.”

  “Might give them a little more credit than that…I’ve worked with hundreds of small police departments over the years and they handle everything from traffic to shootings…Have a lot more experience than you might think and they can call in state agencies when they need to.”

  “Yes, but they…Will you excuse me for a second? Other line’s ringing off the hook…I’m the only one here. I’ll put them on hold and come right back.”

  “While I’m on hold I’ll have my people check on a couple of things.”

  Doug punched the button for the other line. “Seawind Bay Motel…Can I put you on hold?”

  “No, you miserable, thieving son of a beetch…Where is my shipment?” The thick Slavic accent identified the caller.

  “Still looking into it.”

  “Look harder, mister, ‘I am an important businessman in this town’…If you want your daughter back in one piece.”

  “I want her back now…and if there’s one hair out of place, you’re a dead man.”

  “You will threaten me? You must be very careful, little man…If I do not get my property by tomorrow at this time I will turn my men loose on her until they have each gone twice…You hear me, little piss ant?”

  “I’m not threatening you…but you must promise nothing will happen to her between now and then?”

  “Yes, of course…There is no need to amuse my men that way…Get the boxes to me by tomorrow night and she will be okay…Understood?”

  “I’ll find your damned shipment and get it to you…Just make sure she’s safe…if you know what’s good for you.”

  The line went dead. Doug punched the other button. “Mister Banner, are you still there?”

  “Yes, Doug, and please call me John. I had my people do some checking while I was on hold…”

  “You found her?”

  “Not exactly, but we have images of two men and a young woman getting into a dark sedan in the parking lot of your motel. We backtracked and the men came from the hardware store parking lot.”

  “You have pictures? Why didn’t they stop them…or call the police?”

  “Weren’t in a position to do anything.” What he could not say was their position was a satellite in medium earth orbit six-thousand miles above the earth. Three of the highly classified spacecraft were now being used to search the area around Seawind Bay for the missing nuclear weapons.

  “But you know where she is?”

  “Not exactly…They headed north along the coastal highway…Lost them soon after they left Seawind Bay.”

  “Sounds like they headed for the cannery…I’m going up there…”

  “Wouldn’t do that if I were you. There are things you need to consider. For instance, they have too many men for you to handle alone… And they’ve taken her for some other reason than a little spat at the hardware store. Is there something they want you to do against your will?…Or do you have something they want?”

  “I’m not sure I know what you…”

  “This is no time to be evasive…You have some idea what these men are capable of. I’ll do my best to help you get your daughter back, but you’re going to have to be straight with me.”

  “I know that…Did something I’ve never done before…not like me. Money problems were closing in…Behind on payments on the motel and to a couple of suppliers. Last tourist season was the slowest I’ve ever seen…I was desperate. The driver said nobody’d know any better…Be a piece of cake. I’m just a middle man…”

  “Whoa, slow down a little, there. Which driver…and what did he ask you to do?”

  “Tim, a driver from McGlothlin Cartage. Stays here every couple of weeks. Said he picked up a load from a computer plant in San Jose and the shipping department screwed up. Loaded fourteen boxes…invoice only showed twelve.”

  “Boxes of what?”

  “Computer chips in shipping crates, actually. Wanted help selling the extra boxes. Said security kept too close an eye on him…he needed a partner.”

  “Why would he approach you?”

  “Told him I have a brother who works for a distributor in Menlo Park…Thought maybe Joe could find a buyer.”

  “How much are they worth?”

  “Joe says about eight hundred thousand…half that on the black market.”

  “How much did he think he’d get for them?”

  “Depends…Used in special applications…Mostly military. Said we’d get a lot more overseas.”

  “What happened?”

  “Joe starts asking around and all of a sudden Greg Peters pays me a visit. Asks me if I know anything about some missing computer chips and where they might be. Says Tim told him he couldn’t go back to San Jose with them so he gave them to me to keep. Tells me I’d better come up with them fast or I’ll be sleeping with the fishes…like Tim.”

  “Where are the chips?”

  “Self-storage unit south of town…Couldn’t leave them here in case somebody came sniffing around.”

  “And that’s why he kidnapped your daughter?”

  “Yes…Call I just took was Peters…Said he’d better have the chips by tomorrow night…or Licia pays for it.”

  “Well, then, guess you’d better give them to him.”

  “Just like that? Who says he won’t kill me and Licia? Cannery’s far enough from town nobody’d hear a thing.”

  “I’ll take care of that…Couple of my people will check into your motel tonight…Benson and Johansen. They’ll bring some gear with them to help track the chips and listen in on anything that’s said during the exchange.”

  “Two? Peters has two-dozen men…maybe more.”

  “I’ll have other people in the area. Getting your daughter back is important, but getting those chips back is vital to national security.”

  “Okay…what do I do?”

  “Call Peters in the morning…Tell him you’ll meet him at the cannery at seven…You can’t do it before then because you need to get them and have to wait for your evening desk clerk to come in. If he questions that, tell him you’re trying to make everything look normal…in case anybody’s watching…In fact, tell him you suspect a couple of people staying at your motel might be agents of some kind…So it might be better to not be seen together in town…Can you do that?”

  “For my Licia…I’ll do anything to get her back. Guess I’m in a lot of trouble though, right?”

  “Broken a dozen local, state and federal laws…But I promise you…Cooperate with us, we’ll keep your name out of it and you get your daughter back.”

  “Best news I’ve heard in a long time. Thank you, and I owe you…no doubt about it.”

  “We’ll talk about that later. In the meantime, do as I’ve said and I’ll get my people working on everything for tomorrow.”

  John hung up the phone, sat back in his
chair, and let loose a long sigh before he started a flurry of phone calls. Tomorrow’s gonna be one hellova day. He pressed the intercom button. “Melissa, get the section chiefs together for an emergency staff meeting.”

  “Yes, sir…Should I tell them what it’s about?”

  “No…But tell them to come loaded for bear.”

  “Do it fast as I can.”

  “Thanks, Mel.” He punched the button for the secure line and pressed the preset number for the Director. It was time to update him and get some advice at the same time.

  ***

  CHAPTER 21

  SEAWIND CAFE The small town café was bustling with locals enjoying an early supper. Two waitresses moved expertly between the tables, carrying large circular trays of steaming dishes above their heads. Neither was Joyce, who had finished her breakfast and lunch shift two hours earlier. A few of the diners paused to stare at Bart and Jake as they walked in and then returned to their food.

  Bart moved toward one of the waitresses, a short, heavyset young woman with frizzy brown hair tied up on one side of her head. Before he could reach her, his attention was drawn to a round table in the back of the restaurant where the staff usually took breaks. Joyce was seated with a man who appeared to be her husband. Bart strode toward them with Jake in tow.

  As he approached one table, a leg shot out and blocked his path. One of Greg Peters’ men looked up from his meal with a surprised look on his face. “Hey, what are you doing here…Are you still asking the questions about my boss?”

  Bart looked down at the muscular leg stretched in front of him. “You might want to put that leg back under the table before somebody steps on it, pardner.”

  “I ain’t your…how you say, ‘pahdnuh’? Besides, what can you do about it, old man?” Jake leaned down toward the man and said in a low voice, “I know you don’t know who my partner is, so let me give you some advice…Push him too far and your whole life will change in a flash. He destroys guys like you for fun…get my drift, pardner?”

  The short waitress now stood on the side of the table with a pitcher of iced tea. A brief glance told Bart she was planning something. Before he could say anything, she tipped the pitcher and splashed a cup or so of the cold liquid into the Russian’s lap. “Oh, I’m so sorry, sir,” she said with almost complete lack of conviction.

  She started to dab at him with a towel as he jumped to his feet. “Get away from me, you ignorant peasant!” He drew his hand back as if to strike her, but never got the chance.

  Bart wrapped his arm around the inside of the Russian’s arm and trapped it firmly at the elbow. He drew the Russian backward until he had him off balance—then let go and the Russian dropped back into his chair. One of his table mates started to stand, but the man seated next to him put a hand on his arm and whispered something to him…He settled back down.

  Bart leaned close to the guy. “Don’t know were you come from, tovarish…but we don’t hit women when they accidentally spill something…or any other time, for that matter.”

  The Russian eyed the faces of the diners around him. “There will be other time to settle this…Of that you can be sure, little piss ant.”

  Let’s step outside and finish this now, asshole. He held out his hand to the Russian to shake and said in a louder voice, “Sorry there, sir, didn’t mean to interrupt…You were about to accept her apology, weren’t you?”

  The Russian sneered and turned to the waitress. “To be sure, we forget little accident…for now…But don’t expect big tip.” He drew back his head and let loose a guttural laugh to accompany his attempt at humor.

  The other men at the table joined him in the artificial display of amusement. He turned back to the table and resumed pushing a piece of meat loaf around his plate without enthusiasm.

  Bart and Jake moved cautiously toward the back of the diner and the waitress followed a few steps behind. She waited until they were out of earshot of the Russian and tugged on Bart’s sleeve. “Hey, mister, thanks for pulling my fat out of the fire.”

  “I should be thanking you.”

  He read her name tag. “Thanks, Misty…That was an awkward moment…You handled it just right.”

  “Can’t have you guys like, busting up the place or nothin’… I mean, it’s where I work, you know.”

  “Sure. Say, we have a few questions about some strange

  doings around town…if you have a minute.”

  “I was passing out checks you know, and I’m off in a few

  minutes…Have a seat over there and I’ll be right back.” She

  pointed to an empty table across from where Joyce and her

  companion sat. “Like, what can I bring you to drink?” “Couple cups of coffee’d be great.” Bart and Jake sat down

  opposite each other at the table so they could watch each other’s

  back. The steady hum of conversation had returned to normal. It took Misty less than five minutes to return to their table

  with the coffee. She sat at one side of the table and held her

  hands out in front of her. They were shaking and she clasped

  them together to still them.

  “That was like, a really dumb thing to do…you know?” she

  murmured. “Bet I hear about it.”

  “It was a brave thing,” Jake replied, as he placed his hand

  over hers. “Get a lot of trouble from that bunch?”

  “All the time…Just never enough to get them barred…and

  they do leave big tips…Still, you know, I’m always a little leery

  when one of ‘em comes in.…Somethin’ kind of creepy ‘bout

  most of ‘em.”

  It was Bart’s turn to ask, “Ever heard of them doing

  anything illegal?”

  “Lotta talk goes ‘round.” She paused and looked down at the

  table. “Maybe I shouldn’t say nothin’…Like, maybe I said too

  much already, you know.”

  “What are you afraid of?”

  “Things…Like no streetlights and I gotta walk home at

  night…Be real easy to get snatched off the street an’ never seen

  again…You know…like Kasey Mitchell.”

  “What happened to her?”

  “Says no to one of ‘em when he asks her out…She’s like

  seventeen and he’s old.”

  “How old?”

  “Real old, you know…Like maybe thirty five.”

  Bart smiled to himself. “So what happened then?” “She disappears after pulling an evening shift. Some people

  think she run off with her old boyfriend, Josh…Others say she

  moved to San Francisco…I don’t believe none of it…‘cause

  that’s just crazy talk.”

  “Did the police look into it?”

  “Not really…Sent some lame cop from Point Arena to check

  it out. He spends maybe an hour and goes back.”

  “Did he talk to her parents?”

  “Mom’s been dead like, forever and her dad’s a

  trucker…You know, on the road all the time. He tells the deputy

  she probably run off with some guy and he don’t blame

  her…Says he’s been trying to get outta here all his life, you

  know, like most of us.”

  “Where could we find her father?”

  She chewed on a cuticle and finally spoke, “Who

  knows?…That was like over a year ago.…Somebody says he

  moved to LA to work for some movie company as a

  driver…‘cause that’s his thing. Kasey’s the only family he had, you know…Says there ain’t nothing to keep him here no more…Some even say Greg Peters give him the money to get

  there.”

  Jake exchanged glances with Bart and turned back to Misty.

  “Why would Greg Peters give him money to leave town?” “You’d have to ask him…Guess maybe ‘cause Kasey’s dad

  used to work fo
r him hauling shi…I mean stuff all over the

  country…Be gone a week or two…Come back and buy some

  gnarly stuff for Kasey…You know, to make up for when he’s

  gone…Gets her a bitchin’ Mustang…Bright red with all the

  good stuff in it…Like a really rad stereo.”

  “Think he’s still running loads for Peters?”

  “Guess so…Shows up now and then. Ain’t the only dude

  doin’ stuff for Peters, neither…Guys do stuff for him all the

  time.”

  “What kind of stuff?”

  “Like runnin’ up to Point Arena to pick up dry cleanin’ and

  drop off packages. Pays a lot, too…from what I hear.” When

  she spoke again, there was a mixture of fear and secrecy in her

  voice. “Look, I’m gonna be in a whole world of trouble if I

  don’t watch it…You know, runnin’ off at the mouth and stuff.” She leaned in toward them, “But there’s other things too,

  you know…Like under the table kinda stuff.”

  “Such as?” Bart tried to reassure her with a smile, but it

  didn’t seem to be working. She’s itchin’ to tell us something. “I

  know you don’t know me, but we’re looking into some things

  here that might not be on the up and up…”

  “You mean you’re like cops? She whispered the words and

  the concerned look on her face turned to one of fear. “Oh, geez,

  now I ‘m really in deep shit…I mean, like, dead.”

  “Hold on a minute…We’re not cops…At least not the way

  you think of them and we’re not here to bust your friends. Greg

  Peters and his crew are the only ones were interested in, okay?” She took a deep breath—shuddered—and made an obvious

  effort to calm herself. “What do you want from me? Long as I

  don’t gotta rat out my friends…I’ll tell you whatever you

  want…I liked the old Seawind Bay…you know, before they

  showed up.”

  “I’ll keep your friends out of it…promise.” Bart crossed his

  heart with his finger and Misty offered a wan smile in return. “You remind me of my uncle…J.T.…He’s like way cool.