“Whatever is easiest for you,” Jake replied. “Everything you cook is delicious.”
Jake could tell his compliment had pleased Hank as he turned back to the stove.
“How about an omelet? Have the fixin’s right here.”
“Sounds great.”
“Jennifer, why don’t you clear off our dishes and wash them up while I run and give Jake’s cabin a quick once over?” Kate spoke for the first time since Jake had walked into the kitchen.
“No need for that,” Hank said.
“Mom likes me to have a few chores,” Jennifer explained as she stacked the dishes and carried them to the smaller sink.
Kate was gone for only a few minutes and when she came back, she carried Jake’s used towels and threw them into the laundry room. Jennifer finished drying the dishes and hung up the dish towel.
“I’m ready,” she said.
Jake hurriedly ate the last few bites of his omelet and carried his plate to the sink and rinsed it off.
“Be off with ya, now,” Hank said. “Need my kitchen to myself, so I can git pies baked. Those fisherman shore do like my pies,” he added proudly.
Jake smiled as he withdrew cash from his pocket, peeled off a bill, and handed it to Kate in payment for his breakfast. “Okay, we’re off.”
Jake climbed the hill to his cabin while Jennifer skipped along beside him, after getting permission from Kate to sit in the front seat. When they stopped in front of the lodge for Kate, the Katie Perry CD was playing and both Jake and Jennifer were singing along with it. Kate couldn’t help but smile as Jake climbed out to help her into the back seat.
Jake smiled down at her, but he kept right on singing, bobbing his head in time to the music. Climbing back into the driver’s seat, he put the Jeep into gear and slowly pulled out of the driveway.
He enjoyed looking in the rearview mirror and watching Kate’s blond hair blowing around her face. When he glanced at the passenger seat he had to smile at the miniature of Kate sitting beside him. His heart swelled with happiness and he realized he had never had such an incredible feeling before. He certainly had done nothing to deserve it.
When they entered the city limits of Lava Cove, Jake called back over his shoulder, “Kate, since I have to stop at the bank, can I drop you off somewhere to shop and then come back for you?”
“Yes, drop us off at Target. Jennifer wants to get a journal for taking on visits to her dad.”
After dropping Jennifer and her mother off to shop, Jake drove straight to the bank. He was anxious to hear what Doug Sheridan had to tell him. He stopped at the receptionist’s desk to announce himself, then waited patiently until she had notified Sheridan that he had arrived.
“Doug will see you in his office.” The receptionist smiled up at him. “You know the way.”
He nodded and strode past her desk and into the banker’s office. Doug stood up to shake hands and then closed the door.
“I know you’re anxious to hear my news,” Doug said. “Sit down and let’s get right to it.”
Jake nodded in agreement and sat at the chair in front of the banker’s desk.
“This has all been pretty mind-blowing to me,” Doug admitted. “First, to find there is a Geisha House, shall we call it, right here in our area. But the most shocking piece of information is what I found in my research. Who the spa bank account belongs to.”
Jake wished the banker would forget his shock and tell him who the owner was. “Who is it?”
“Actually, it’s not just one person,” Doug said. “It’s a group of highly successful businessmen in Salt Lake. Four, as a matter of fact. They are the ones who bought out the old lodge and brought in the girls. I haven’t been able to find out who they are connected with as far as where they are getting the girls. But perhaps, USCIS can get the information as soon as I give you the names of the men.”
Jake watched as Doug took a piece of paper out of his desk drawer and slid it across the table to him. Jake picked it up and read four names, addresses, and telephone numbers. This was even better than he had hoped for.
“You’re sure of this?” Jake asked.
“Positive. I obtained the record from the county assessor’s office. They have no clue what the old lodge is being used for. Everyone believes it is what it claims to be, a health spa.”
“Great work, Sheridan,” Jake said as he folded the paper and put it into his pocket. “I can’t begin to tell you how much my boss and I appreciate this.”
“Will you let me know what happens?” Doug asked. “I’ve checked these men out and all of them are family men. This is going to tear their families apart.”
“I know, but unfortunately it can’t be helped. It is more important that we put a stop to this slave traffic. It is an absolute disgrace to know it’s happening right here in our own country.”
Jake stood, shook hands with the banker, and left the bank. Before picking up Kate and Jennifer, he would go to a pay phone and call his boss. He needed to pass on the information he had received from Doug Sheridan and get his instructions on how Mike wanted to proceed. Glancing at his watch, he walked across the bank parking lot. He knew there was a payphone in front of a grocery store and he would be talking to Mike in a matter of minutes.
“I want those four men thoroughly checked out,” Mike said. “We can’t afford any slip-ups, which might come from incorrect information or a big lawsuit on our hands if these men have nothing to do with the spa.”
Jake agreed. “Do you think there is any chance that these men might be owners only of the building and not know what is going on?”
“That is going to be your job to find out, which is going to mean another trip up to Salt Lake.”
“I have a copy of the County Assessor’s documentation showing beyond any doubt the four men are the owners. I will go up to Salt Lake and check everything out. I will contact each one of them at their place of business, on some pretense or other.”
“How about the newsman cover story? Do you have those credentials with you?”
“I do. I can say I’m doing a piece for the New York Times on what it takes to build a successful business.”
“That will work. You’re good with that cover.” He laughed. “You even had me believing you were a news reporter.”
Jake and Mike talked for a few more minutes, laying out a careful plan to finish the assignment, agreeing Jake should go to Salt Lake immediately. Jake didn’t tell Mike he had brought Kate and Jennifer into Lava Cove with him, which would require him taking them home before he could go to Salt Lake.
He wanted this to be an efficient operation. He wanted to finish with it and hand in his resignation. But he had to figure out some way to ascertain the four men were aware of what was going on at the spa. He had to make sure there wasn’t some in between group running it that he knew nothing about, a group leasing the building from the four owners.
His thoughts turned to Kate. He hoped she would agree Jennifer and he were becoming friends. She must realize there would be times when Jennifer and he might have a run in with each other. But didn’t that happen in well-adjusted families?
“I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” Jake said as he stopped in front of Target.
“Actually, we just walked out of the store,” Kate said. “There were quite a few choices. Jennifer had a hard time making up her mind.”
“Jake, do you want to see the one I chose?” Jennifer asked.
“I certainly do.” He smiled as she climbed into the front seat beside him.
She lifted the frame out of the plastic bag and proudly displayed it. “Look, I can insert my picture here and it will be framed right on the outside cover. Isn’t it neat?”
“It certainly is,” he agreed. “What color hair are you going to have?”
&n
bsp; “I would like to do red, but I think I will wait until school starts. Then after I get my school picture taken, I’ll put one of those in.”
“The next time you do your hair in Kool-Aid red, I’m going to take a picture of you.”
“Really?”
“You bet. I’m going to have it blown up and framed. Then I will hang it on my living room wall.”
“Really?” Jennifer asked again.
“Where are we having lunch?” Kate asked, interrupting their repartee. “Shopping has made me hungry.”
“How about Chinese?” Jake asked.
“Sounds good to me,” Kate said.
“Jennifer, how does it sound to you?” Jake asked.
“Fine with me,” she said, looking up from her examination of the journal.
“Then Chinese it is.”
Kate was pleased to see the relationship developing between Jake and Jennifer. She liked the way he treated her, respecting her opinions as though she was an adult. She hoped nothing would happen to ruin it. She wanted so much for them to be a family.
When Jake had taken them to church the previous Sunday, no one in the congregation appeared surprised to see them together. They had been greeted with a great deal of handshaking and hugs. She had to admit, Jake seemed perfectly at home.
As they were led to a table in the Chinese Restaurant, although she wanted Jake to slide into the booth beside her, he chose to sit beside Jennifer and proceeded to give her most of his attention. As he teased her daughter, he turned to wink at Kate.
Kate found it hard to believe she had ever felt uncomfortable with Jake. It had happened on the night they had attended Cats when she was able to tell him how she felt about him and her worry about Jennifer. She had been afraid he would be offended, but he hadn’t appeared to be. She was beginning to have the feeling she could talk to him about anything and he would understand.
He always listened intently to anything she said, offering his opinion or advice in a gentle way even if it didn’t agree with hers. As in the case of Stephanie Wilson. Occasionally, he still teased her about her lunch with the other woman, asking her if she was feeling hungry for Mexican food. Then adding that he would be happy to drive her down to Lava Cove for a couple of enchiladas.
She had to admit he was usually right, but he didn’t appear at all controlling the way her father and husband had been. He never said, “I told you so,” if she didn’t take his advice and something didn’t work out the way she had planned. And she would be eternally grateful for the way he had handled the visit to the State Prison.
Kate knew she was in love with him, but she wanted to give it more time. She didn’t want to spring anything on Jennifer, now she had made her peace with Walt being in prison for many years to come. In fact, she had a feeling, if she didn’t push it, Jennifer, herself, might broach the subject of her marrying Jake.
After Jake took Kate and Jennifer back to Lava Cove, he packed a bag with his suit, a white shirt, tie, and his shaving kit. He would wait until after dark to put it in his jeep and then leave early in the morning. He didn’t want Kate asking questions about this trip to Salt Lake. He couldn’t afford to let anything slip that might blow his cover.
At four the next morning, he climbed into his Jeep. Everything was dark and quiet at the lodge. He put the Jeep into neutral and leaving his headlights off, he coasted down the hill past the lodge and made it a short distance down the road to town before he had to start the engine and turn on the lights.
He calculated he would reach Salt Lake about nine, check into the hotel, change into his suit, and call for a rental car to be brought to the motel. For the work he had in mind, it wouldn’t do for him to show up in a Jeep with California plates on it.
He switched the Katie Perry CD he and Jennifer had been listening to the previous day, and settled back for the drive. He hoped he could finish what he had to do in a couple of days and get back to Mountain Springs.
He couldn’t help but fantasize about what life would be like living with Katie and Jennifer. If it did all work out and he married Kate, they would have to find a house in town. There wouldn’t be enough room for all his things along with Kate’s in the apartment above the lodge.
He had his eye on a house on the road to Mountain Springs Health Spa. It had a beautiful view out over the valley. He had checked with the realtor and knew it was something he could afford. When this was all over, he would make an appointment for the three of them to see it.
He reached the hotel shortly after nine and after checking in, he headed for his room and a quick shower. He made arrangements with the desk to have a rental car delivered. As he settled into his room, he went over the cover story he and Mike had made up to explain his reason for contacting the four businessmen.
The first thing he needed to do was replace the limousine driver. Jake needed someone from the agency driving. It would be necessary for him to go by the lodge and pick up the agents who were arriving in Mountain Springs. Afterward, they would need the limousine for taking the girls to a safe house. Replacing the driver would be the hardest part of the whole operation.
One day when he was talking to the driver, Jake brought up the subject of the murdered girl, Kioko. The driver had told him he had overheard the passengers on one trip back to Salt Lake, talking about her. They said she was complaining to anyone who would listen.
Kioko told a couple of the men she had been promised an American husband, but instead she had been brought to Mountain Springs and made to work in the spa. She had asked one of the men for information as to how she could report this problem to the authorities. Jake was sure her complaints had been the reason for her death. Someone had wanted to keep her quiet.
Somehow he had to get rid of the driver without telling him why. Otherwise, he would pass on the information to the owners of the spa, since his loyalties would lie with them. Mike had suggested they present him with an airline ticket to Hawaii, with the explanation he had won it in some kind of drawing. Research had shown he had a wife. It would require two tickets and a hotel stay in Honolulu for five days.
Someone in Mike’s office had designed the brochure for the award winning trip and obtained airline tickets to Fed Ex to the driver. Since he had met the driver several times at the lodge in Mountain Springs, he couldn’t present them to him personally, but would have one of the girl’s in Mike’s office announce the winning of the trip through a telephone call.
If for some reason the driver objected to taking a trip, Jake and Mike would have to come up with another plan to replace the driver. Jake hoped the operation would go smoothly. He couldn’t wait to have it over and done with. He was impatient to get on with his life with Kate and Jennifer.
He didn’t dare allow himself to think Kate would refuse him. It was obvious to everyone he and Jennifer had established a great rapport between them. It had all happened so naturally. He was happy he hadn’t had to work at it.
When Kate went to the kitchen for breakfast, Hank told her Jake was gone before he arrived at the lodge to start his day of cooking and baking. He had no idea where he had gone. He admitted it was not like Jake to take off without telling either him or Kate where he was going. Even if it was only down to Lava Cove.
Kate was sure he would return before the day was over with an explanation. He had become very reliable about letting her know his plans. She ate her breakfast and went to the cabins to do her daily chores. When she entered Jake’s cabin, she searched for a note. He knew she made a pass at his cabin every day, even though he had told her it wasn’t necessary.
She was disappointed to find he had not left anything giving her a clue as to his whereabouts. She tried not to feel let down, but continued on with her chores. When she was finished she took the towels and sheets down to the laundry and threw them into the washing machine.
As she entered the kitchen, she heard Jennifer asking Hank where Jake was and Hank’s response. She had hoped Jake might have called when she was up at the cabins. She tried not to let her disappointment show as she greeted Jennifer.
“I have all my chores done for the morning,” she told her daughter. “Why don’t we go up to Reynold’s Stable and go riding? We could have Hank pack a lunch.”
“Cool,” Jennifer said, her face lighting with pleasure. “Maybe Jake will come back before we leave, and he can go with us.”
“Finish your breakfast while I run down to Connie’s for some fresh vegetables for Hank. And don’t forget to do your dishes when you’re through.”
As she turned to leave the kitchen, Hank asked, “What would ya like in ya’re lunch?”
“I’ll let Jennifer choose,” she said. “Anything is fine with me. Do you have any pie left from yesterday?”
“Yep. Got a couple of pieces of chocolate meringue.”
“Put that in with a couple of sandwiches, chocolate milk, and some fruit. Jennifer can help you. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Kate went out to her SUV and as she was climbing in, she glanced up the hill toward Jake’s cabin as though his Jeep might have miraculously materialized in front of it. She chided herself for wishful thinking. If he had come back, they would have heard the sound of the engine and the loud blare of music.
She drove down the hill to the nursery and Connie’s first comment was about Jake. “Jake and Jennifer seem to be hitting it off. You can tell she absolutely adores him. Everyone was pleased when the three of you started showing up at church.”
“I should have been attending church as soon as I moved to Mountain Springs,” she said. “But with everything that happened, I must admit, I became a little bitter.”
Murder in Mountain Springs Page 13
