Adrenaline

by Bill Eidson

  “Got it,” Geoff said briskly. Putting across a little impatience and sincerity at the same time. “You do what I want, she goes free.”

  “Bullshit.”

  That gave Geoff pause. “How’s that?”

  Steve leaned forward, his voice low. “We both know you’re lying. So this is the deal: I do whatever it is you want—and then you owe me a fight. One-on-one. No weapons. Lisa’s right there. The winner walks away, the loser dies.”

  Geoff put his hand out. “What’s not to like?”

  They towed Steve’s dive boat down to Duxtable and left it on the trailer in the town ramp parking lot while Geoff had Steve drive past the gates of Raul’s compound. Geoff told Steve he knew the man had money on his boat without telling about Carly or how Raul had burned him.

  Back at the boat, they flipped through Steve’s charts and Geoff pointed out the approximate location of Raul’s mansion before they put the boat in and powered off in search of Raul’s yacht. They found it quickly, the only boat in the mouth of a small cove.

  “Take the wheel,” Steve said, circling the location on the chart and noting a red nun buoy nearby. He saved the position on the GPS. “Okay, it’ll be easy to get back here at night.” He took out a pair of binoculars and looked at the yacht. “It’s a big Donzi, about fifty feet. White Angel.” He put the binoculars down and turned casually to Geoff. “There’s a couple of guys in a Mako, looking my way. Just stay where you are and I’ll be blocking you from view.”

  Geoff opened the throttles up and the twin outboards made the boat fly.

  “What’s your plan?” Steve asked.

  “Don’t worry about me. All you’ve got to do is drop me on the boat, get me into the cockpit there. Then give me some covering fire—you’ll have your friend’s rifle—while I go down for the money. And then you’ve got to get me off. Simple.”

  Steve snorted. “Have you ever done something like this?”

  Geoff looked at him blandly. “I’ve been doing all sorts of new things. I’m good on my feet.” He sawed the wheel back and forth, making the boat throw up huge sheets of water. “Sucker handles. You do good solid work.”

  “Yes, I do. And if I learned anything along the way it’s that nothing is as simple as it sounds. And that plan of yours doesn’t sound simple.”

  “Me, I always did real well on balls alone.” Geoff kept playing with the boat, cracking up the throttles a bit more. Now that they were heading away from shore, the ocean swells gave him an opportunity to launch the boat a little. But still the Blue Water handled well. “Not bad at all,” Geoff said. “See, I’ve come around to Jansten’s way of thinking. You and I could make a good team.”

  “You’re not listening. What about the guys in the Mako? They probably have automatic weapons, and I bet they’re good on their feet, too. And if they come out to meet us while we’re on the boat, we’ve lost the element of surprise. Do you know exactly where the money is? You can’t be digging around looking for it while people are shooting at you. What if this Raul has guests onboard? Are you going to massacre all of them?”

  “We’ll handle it.”

  Steve shook his head. “Even if these are drug dealers, I’m not killing people for you.”

  “Lisa’s going to take that hard, you ranking a dealer’s life over hers.”

  Steve ignored that. “Besides, you could get killed, blowing in like that.”

  “Your concern is touching.”

  Steve ignored that, too. “Let me plan this out.”

  “Not a problem.” Geoff slapped the throttles down so the boat flew over the swells, crashing from one to the next. He grabbed Steve by the arm and drew him close so that he could be heard over the screaming outboards. “Jansten just got it backward: I’m the leader—you’re the detail guy. Just make sure I’m the one going in on that boat. I’ll want your plan by tomorrow.”

  Chapter 33

  Steve went to the Boston Public Library late the next morning. He had already been out to Alex’s boat and found some of what he wanted: an underwater propulsion unit and an electric outboard motor that could push his dive boat along quietly at trolling speed.

  The book he wanted was in the old part of the library. The place smelled pleasantly of polished wood and old books. The ceilings were barely within a stone’s throw. It was altogether an incongruous setting to be checking out a book called Terror Tools. The woman behind the counter looked at his card carefully and handed him the book without meeting his eyes.

  For the next hour, he brushed up on the art of setting bombs in roads, under car seats, under bridges—down to booby-trapping pens, briefcases, even a police whistle. There was an entire chapter devoted to blowing up boats and ships. And another on what to look for in a radio-controlled detonator. Some of it he remembered from his days as a navy diver. Some of it was new.

  Even though he was desperately concerned about Lisa, his concentration was good. It was one of his strengths, one of his advantages over Geoff. Steve could sweat the details.

  After returning the book, he pored through back issues of Yachting Magazine until he found a foldout ad for the same size Donzi as White Angel. The ad included a schematic of the whole boat. He ripped it out and put it in his notebook. On the way downstairs, he stopped at the phones to place a call to Ed from Mr. Grim.

  “Okay, here’s your C-4.” Ed unwrapped two bricks of plastic explosive and several detonators. He proudly pulled out a small radio-triggering device and showed Steve how to use it. “Flip that, and ka-boom. What else can I do for you today? I brought along a few extras.” He opened another bag and carefully laid out some of the guns he had shown before, plus a variety of weapons and devices, including mace, a blackjack, handcuffs, a Tazer gun, and gloves with sand lining the knuckles. “Got a shipment of police equipment,” he said. “Back in my L.A. days, a cop with weighted gloves knocked me on my ass. I only joined the frigging demonstration ’cause a girl with nice tits asked me. Lost myself a tooth, but that chick was crying over me when I came to, and I got myself laid that night. Probably why I’m in this crazy business now.”

  “Just these.” Steve selected two pair of handcuffs. He considered buying the Uzi, too. But he laid it back on the bed, envisioning Geoff spraying bullets into a crowd just for the rush.

  Geoff had agreed quickly to the idea of creating a diversion with an explosion. Said it would do some good just to scare those bastards straight. He had said it with such vehemence that it made Steve hungry for the specifics. But so far, Geoff wasn’t volunteering any information.

  The gun dealer counted the money quickly and said, “Me and that Chastity have quite a thing going. You’re helping romance bloom, buddy.”

  Steve looked at the dealer more carefully. He was wearing a Stones T-shirt and one big hoop earring, like some kind of goofy pirate. His good humor about the hooker seemed genuine. And Steve remembered Geoff saying something at breakfast about Jammer being a pimp. And what had Geoff called the girl the time she was holding a gun on Lisa? Cary? Kelly? Carly. That was it. Carly, like Carly Simon, the singer.

  Steve asked the gun dealer if he knew a pimp by the name of Jammer or a prostitute named Carly.

  “Do whores give hummers?” The dealer grabbed his crotch.

  Steve blinked. “That means yes?”

  “Jammer comes through with some sweet chicks. Carly, now she’s a stunner. Got an attitude, though. And she’s been out of my price range for some time. But I heard Jammer’s been kicking her out onto the street for a while, teach her a lesson. I went looking for her a couple of days ago, see if I could help her along. No luck.” He fanned the money, smiling slyly. “You’ve always got the cash, have you screwed her yet?”

  Steve shook his head. “Where can I find her?”

  “How come you know her name but not where to find her?” Ed was all business now.

  Steve held out a twenty. “The address.”

  The dealer cackled as he added the twenty to his roll. Putting his hand on
Steve’s shoulder, he brought him over to the window. The man smelled of gun oil, old sweat, marijuana. “Third apartment building from the corner. Fourth floor. That’s their window, right there. You might try Darlene if Carly’s not there. She’s Jammer’s other live-in. She’s not as fine, but she knows where everything goes.”

  The blond woman opened the door as far as the chain. “Closed for business,” she said, dully. “Under repairs.”

  Her right eye was blackened. Her lip had been split open, and Steve saw the white of an arm cast. She started to shut the door, and he put his foot in the way. “Hold up, please. I know you’re hurting, but just give me a minute.”

  “Mister, I’m really not in the mood.” Her eyes seemed out of focus and she looked at a spot over his head. He waited until she slowly turned her attention back to him. “I just took a pill, okay?”

  He held a twenty between his fore and index fingers through the door. “Just a few minutes’ conversation. About Jammer and Carly.”

  Now she looked scared. “Haven’t seen them.” She shoved on the door. “Move your foot, okay? I gotta go.”

  He left his foot there. “You get beat up about them? Who did it?”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “Then who did it?”

  “None of your business. You another cop?”

  Steve shook his head. “I’m just looking for a friend.” He added another twenty. He saw her considering the money. “It’s got to be tough, you can’t work when you’re hurt like that.”

  “That’s a blessing, man.”

  “You say the cops have been by?”

  She licked her lips, wincing when her tongue reached the cut. “I’ll tell you about that.” He held back one of the twenties and gave her the other.

  She said, “Yeah, twice I saw them. A black guy and white guy, detectives.”

  “How come?”

  “They wanted to talk to Jammer about his cousin, Ball. The guy got himself stabbed. Dead. Over in Roxbury. Anyhow the cops came by, couple of times.”

  “They find out anything?”

  She shrugged. “Dunno. Ask them. Lasser and Bandman or something, I can’t remember.”

  “Jammer have anything to do with it?”

  She snorted, didn’t bother to answer.

  He held out the other twenty. “Did you ever meet a blond guy, about my age and height, named Geoff? He’d know both Carly and Jammer.”

  She eyed the money in his hand and he gave her the second twenty.

  She said, “I told the cops I never met the guy. But I kinda know who he is. He’s the guy who helped Carly out on the street when Jammer was gonna beat her. She figures he’s her white knight. But she’s got some weird ideas, let me tell you.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like this guy’s going to come through for her. Like he’s not going to let guys like Raul … or Jammer grind her up like hamburger.”

  Steve saw how just saying the drug dealer’s name scared the woman. “Raul knows Carly?”

  Darlene started to close the door and he shoved back. He said, “How’s she know him?”

  “How do you think? She’s a call girl; he’s got a phone.” Darlene held up her broken arm. “His guys came by yesterday, beat the shit out of me. I said I hadn’t seen them for over a week.”

  “Jammer and Carly?”

  “Yeah. And they wanted to know about the other guy, Geoff. They broke my arm because I didn’t know where they were. Wouldn’t have told them where Carly was if I did and I guess they figured that out. They said that Raul was back in town early, and he wanted Carly delivered for the screen test last night. Jammer’s supposed to deliver Carly to Raul.”

  “Deliver?”

  “Yeah, deliver. She told me what she did. She cut the man, little while ago.”

  “Jammer?”

  “Raul.” The frightened look was back in Darlene’s eyes.

  “It was brave of you to hold out on them.”

  She stared at him, perhaps trying to see if he meant it. She must have decided he did, because she shrugged and looked faintly embarrassed. “Yeah, well, for the arm and the lip I could take it. Carly really is a sweet girl. And Raul’s a movie freak. You know the kind I mean? I heard stories. I heard that sometimes he does more than hurt a girl. Most guys out there like seeing a movie of us fucking. But then there’s some who want to see us dead. They want to see it happen. And Carly cut Raul. I know what he’s gonna do if he gets her alone with his camera. And I don’t know this Geoff, but if he’s like any white knight I’ve ever known, he’s gonna fold soon as Carly turns out to be too much trouble. And believe me, Raul is too much trouble.”

  Chapter 34

  “All the food has gone bad,” Geoff said. “But there’s beer and wine.”

  They were alone in Geoff’s apartment.”

  Get this straight,” Steve said. “I’m not your friend. I don’t want to eat with you, drink with you, or do anything but figure this out so that I can get Lisa back.”

  Geoff sat on the arm of the couch, sipping a beer. “I suppose you’re the one who broke my door in—find anything?”

  Steve glanced around at the pictures, the sports equipment, and sighed.

  “All right, impress me,” Geoff said. “Tell me how I’m going to become rich again tomorrow.”

  Steve opened up the chart they had bought earlier. He had penciled in a large triangle representing White Angel moored inside the little cove, and a smaller triangle representing his own dive boat just outside. “Okay, we anchor the Blue Water just here, out of sight. I go in underwater using the Powersled.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s an underwater propulsion unit. It can haul me along at three miles an hour.”

  “James Bond. Better be one for me.”

  Steve didn’t answer that. He continued, “I’ll set up a charge on the very bow of the White Angel, just under the waterline. Then I’ll go back and get the Blue Water. Tomorrow night is supposed to be cloudy again, and there won’t be much of a moon. With that dark navy blue hull, I’ll be almost invisible. Silent, too, using the electric outboard. Then I’ll open up the gas outboards once I’m in close. I expect Raul’s guys will want to see what all the noise is about, maybe they’ll want to send someone off in their Mako. That’s when I set the charge off.”

  “Just where are you going to get explosives?”

  “Alex had everything I needed,” Steve lied. “Part of his salvage business. Anyhow, the blast should be just enough to make a small hole in the bow, scare the hell out of everyone, and start the boat sinking. But there should be time.”

  “You’re sounding like a one-man SWAT team. Where do I come in?”

  Steve nodded to the picture on the wall of Geoff skiing off a fifty-foot drop. “I know what you’re after—that’s why I’ve saved the hot seat for you. Right on the yacht with them. You’ll overpower them while they’re confused, get the money. You won’t have any weapons, since I presume they’ll check you out thoroughly. So you’ll just have the element of surprise. And your speed. If the money isn’t there, if they’ve moved it off the yacht, then it’s a wash. I get you off, then you owe me what we agreed. You think you’ll be able to do your part?”

  Geoff looked at him closely. “What makes you think they’ll let me on board?”

  Steve said, mildly, “They want Carly. And you’re going to deliver her.”

  Geoff was stunned. “How did you know her name?”

  “You’ve been screwing up. You mentioned her name, you mentioned Jammer’s. You told me he was a pimp. I’ve asked questions.”

  Geoff felt the blood rush to his face. He stood up. “You son of a bitch. If you’ve talked, Lisa’s already dead. Count on it.”

  “Nobody talks more than you,” Steve said, irritably. “I just spread some cash around with a few street hookers. Found out that this Carly of yours cut Raul and he wants her back. And that his men are looking for her, you, and Jammer.”

  “Hoo
kers in the street?”

  “Several knew that much about it,” Steve lied. “Now tell me what happened with Raul so I can figure the best way to make this work.”

  Geoff opened his mouth, then shut it. Steve must be lying, he thought. That many people couldn’t know.… Yet Geoff liked what Steve had outlined before. Geoff didn’t want to give up on that kind of action. But he didn’t like the authoritative tone Steve was taking. Geoff was tempted to hurt him. Find out what sort of double-cross he had in mind. Guaranteed there was one.

  And that realization made Geoff relax.

  Because Steve was trying to put him on the defensive. Sitting there looking calm, dropping these little bombs. Well, fuck him.

  Geoff smiled. “Sure, I’ll tell you what happened.”

  “Tell me exactly. How you got on the yacht. How many people were with Raul, and how they were armed. Where is the money? What kind of bag or box is it in? Describe it. Describe all of it.”

  Geoff did.

  Steve listened quietly, taking it all in. When Geoff was finished, Steve remained silent for a few moments, his eyes far away. Then, he said, “You’ll definitely need to bring Carly. You won’t even get on the boat without her.”

  Geoff shook his head. “No. I’m not going to risk her.”

  “We need her.”

  “Screw you. You’re just trying to get her away from Lisa, hope she’d break free, probably.”

  Steve was surprised. The guy was showing real concern for the hooker. Steve leaned forward, speaking softly. “How do you explain it to yourself? How is it okay to kidnap Lisa, put her in a box—but it’s not okay for Carly to be in danger?”

  “She’s been in danger since she was a kid,” Geoff snapped. “Besides, she’s mine.”

  Steve pulled back. “And you want an adventure, don’t you?”

  “That’s about right.”

  “Well, let me put it to you this way. Adventures don’t come to people who seek them out.”