Sins of the Fatherland (Scott Jarvis Investigations Book 6)

by Scott Cook

  Lambert frowned, “That means you let him find those boats. That’s what I hired you to prevent.”

  “You hired me to make sure we found U-2626. That we prevent Brody from salvaging those canisters. Well… the best way for me to keep an eye on him is to be aboard. If I go out with your friend, then we stick out like a sore thumb, fishing boat or not.”

  “But you’ll be out on the Middle Grounds,” Lambert insisted, “In a fishing vessel. A perfect cover.”

  I blew out my breath, “Hank… there are already several intelligence agencies sniffing around this thing. I honestly can’t believe that they wouldn’t be able to track us. So I go out of Clearwater and lead Brody to the wreck. Maybe I don’t know it at the time. Then he comes in in the dark or maybe after we leave the station if we don’t get those canisters up or destroyed right away… on the other hand—“

  “On the other hand,” He said resignedly, “you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. You may be right. Brody has the tools and the talent. So we all work together. Okay. I think you’re in the right of it. Then Juan and I are coming with you.”

  I gaped and so did the young Cuban.

  “Don’t gimme that look,” Lambert grumped, “I ain’t dead yet, boys. I still got enough piss and vinegar aboard to take a goddamned boat ride! You’re talkin’ to a Navy man got thirty years in the fleet.”

  “Ay dios mio…” Juan muttered once again.

  “Audrey will kill me,” I said by way of a not-too-ardent objection.

  Lambert laughed, “From what I hear, she’s not all that thrilled with you now. But I think this’ll patch things up.”

  He waved a hand at the charts that I’d rolled up and set on the table. In truth, I wasn’t all that worried about taking him. My instincts told me it could be handy having him aboard, considering he was the last living eye-witness.

  “All right, gents,” I said as I got to my feet, “Pack your sea bags. We’re gonna go hunt us a U-boat.”

  Chapter 28

  The reception I received when the three of us strolled out onto the docks at Marina Jack was… interesting to say the least. I’d called Ariel aka Imani back and informed her that I’d be arriving at the ship sometime in the early afternoon. The whole gang turned out to meet me, too.

  At the bottom of the railed gangplank that angled down from the Robert Ballard’s main deck stood Brody, Al-Rajid, Ariel, McClay and Audrey. Brody’s people were mostly indifferent to Juan and Hank, but Audrey’s face was red and set into hard lines of anger.

  “What in the hell do you mean by bringing my grandfather here!” She all but bellowed at me, “Have you lost your mind?”

  “At ease, Bunny,” Hank said in a voice that would’ve nailed even the most seasoned sailor to the spot. Yet there was a note of kindness in it, too. Or maybe tolerance, “It was my idea.”

  She scoffed, “Then both of you should know better. And you too, Juan. Granddad, you’re ninety—“

  “I know how goddamned old I am, girl!” Hank snapped, his Master Chief’s tone of command now absent of the understanding he’d just shown.

  This was obviously a sore spot for him and I couldn’t blame the old boy. For a man in his early nineties, Hank Lambert was remarkably spry. He may move a little slow but he wasn’t weak or doddering. I’d probably react the same way in his shoes.

  Audrey was a little taken aback. She toned it down a notch. A small notch, “I just worry, grandad…”

  “I appreciate that, Bunny,” Lambert said more evenly, “but I’m a grown man. And as long as there’s breath in my body, I’m not out of the game. This is too important. Besides, I brought Juan here to look after me.”

  This last was said with a smile. A small concession to her maternal instincts. She sighed and shrugged, offering Hank and Juan a conciliatory smile.

  Then she turned her gaze on me and the look was dirtier than a buffet sneeze guard, “if anything happens to him…”

  “Why don’t you introduce me to your friends,” Lambert interjected, “Since it looks like we’re going to be working together.”

  That shocked her into silence. It also brought Al-Rajid and Brody forward. Ariel only cocked an eyebrow at me. McClay’s face was absolutely expressionless.

  “Well, we meet at last, Mr. Lambert,” Brody said, extending a hand to the old sailor, “I’m glad to have the chance.”

  “As am I,” Al-Rajid said affably, joining in the greeting, “And I hope that any misunderstandings that have come as a result of our common goal can be set aside and we can work together.”

  Lambert nodded at each man and gave Imani a considering glance and smile. He focused back on the two men again, “And what’s your goal, gents? To find a downed submarine full of Nazi gold?”

  Brody chuckled, “I think we can drop all the pretenses now. I think that you know as well as we do that the Dogfish doesn’t exist. We’re out to find the Bull Shark and the Ariovistus, Master Chief. We’re out to find that deadly cargo.”

  Lambert nodded again, “Good. If we can have honesty, maybe we can bury the hatchet. I’m assuming Bunny already knows this.”

  “I do,” Audrey said flatly.

  “And should we find those canisters of death,” Lambert went on, “assuming they’re not already destroyed… what is your intention regarding them?”

  “Either destroy them or turn them over to the U.S. government,” Brody said, “I’m a salvager, Mr. Lambert. I’d like nothing better than to mark those wrecks and maybe bring up a few… souvenirs. I have no interest in germs.”

  “I only want to make certain they don’t fall into anyone’s hands,” Al-Rajid said, “I’m a Dubai business man. I have a museum there which Jack helps me to stock with fascinating and important historical curios. But I’m not naïve. I know there are those in the world who would wish to get their hands on this deadly Nazi cargo.”

  “The news is out,” Brody continued, “Even a small leak can founder the mightiest vessel, as you well know, Master Chief.”

  Lambert seemed to appreciate the respect he was receiving. He nodded, “It sounds good… yet I have to say, Mr. Brody, I’m not such a fan of wreck raiding. At least when it comes to modern warships.”

  “An old debate,” Al-Rajid said, sounding sympathetic.

  “It’s controversial,” Brody admitted, “But Mr. Lambert… can I call you Henry?”

  “Hank,” Lambert said, “Both of you just call me Hank.”

  “Okay, Hank,” Brody said, “I’m not out to raid the tomb of our brave sailors. Believe it or not, I have a tremendous respect for them… for men like you who went to war for us. But I also think that even now, those men, our country as well, have a responsibility to share their stories. What I do shines a light on the past and in some way, brings those ships and men to life again.”

  “For a profit,” Audrey cranked, her arms folded tightly over her breasts.

  Brody shrugged, “True. Is there anything wrong with that? This kind of work takes big money. And if we make a living as a result… is that so wrong?”

  “I suppose in fairness,” Lambert said, “That’s up to your public to decide. Since there’s no legal way to stop you, apparently, the world will have to leave it up to your discretion. And that’s part of why I’m here. Why I hired this strapping young buck here.”

  He indicated me with a nod of the head.

  Al-Rajid chuckled, “To keep us honest, eh?”

  “And swab the decks with your asses if you don’t,” Lambert said firmly.

  Brody laughed, “Damn! I like you, Hank. Far as I’m concerned, you’re all welcome on this expedition. Could use a few extra hands, anyway.”

  “If you think…” Al-Rajid attempted delicately, “if you think you’ll be… comfortable enough.”

  “Son,” Lambert told the much younger man, “I started out cuddling up to a mark fourteen torpedo with barely a foot between my nose and the bunk above me. Your fine vessel here is a luxury yacht by comparison.”

/>   That seemed to end the discussion. Al-Rajid took Lambert’s elbow and led him to where McClay and Imani stood. After making the introductions, they led him and Juan up the brow.

  “Maybe it’ll be okay after all,” I said to Audrey.

  She only huffed and stalked past me and up to the deck.

  “Yeah… this is gonna be a swell cruise…”

  I turned and headed back toward the parking lot. Imani, I had to think of her that way in public so I wouldn’t screw up, called down to me, “Scott! Where are you going?”

  “Got to grab a few things from the car,” I said, “Sea bag, and some charts.”

  “May I be of some assistance?” She called back.

  “Sure,” I said with an elaborate shrug of indifference.

  The look she got from Audrey wasn’t any worse than the one she’d graced me with a moment before. Then again, once you reached loathing and contempt, there wasn’t much further your hate could go. Sort of like boiling water… once it boiled, it boiled, no matter how much heat you applied to it.

  Then again, you could heat a gas so hot it became plasma… so maybe we were doomed.

  Imani didn’t even bat an eye. To her credit, she also didn’t gloat in any way. She simply strode down the companionway with her head held high and stepped in line with me as I walked.

  Once we were out of earshot of the ship, Ariel took my hand and squeezed, “I was so worried about you last night… and lonely as well. I feel we have left much unfinished.”

  I chuckled and squeezed back, “I just hope the shot in the pills I got last night hasn’t gummed up my works.”

  She cocked an eyebrow at me and smiled mischievously, “I’m sure I can coax some life back into you.”

  “I’m surprised to hear that you were so worried,” I said, “I’d have thought this kind of thing was just another day at the office for a Mossad assassin.”

  She laughed, “An intelligence agent I may be, but an assassin? You give me too much credit, Scott. Are you sure you’re all right? You look a bit battered.”

  I shrugged, “I’ll be okay. Have you heard from Conklin or Santino? What did McClay have to say?”

  We were at my Jeep by now. She raised a finger to her lips as we approached and I nodded. One could never be too careful, especially with all of these intelligence agents flittering about like so many moths to a camp lantern.

  I slung my small duffel over my shoulder and handed her the rolled up charts. I then motioned for us to continue walking. As we did, I pulled out a special flip phone that I’d been carrying around for nearly a year.

  “Scott,” Santino’s relieved voice said when he answered, “Glad to hear from you. Charles and I were worried about you and what might have happened after we split this morning.”

  I chuckled and filled him in as quickly as I could. The selection of curses that came in response was brief yet admirable in intensity and in the fact that some were in Italian.

  “Who was the assassin?”

  I sighed, “I don’t know, Gregorio. And that worries me. I’ve got all the parties concerned aboard the ship now, with one notable exception. That private investigator from Orlando, Greg Foster. Not sure if that’s important… but it’s a loose end.”

  “What can we do? Should Charles and I come over there and volunteer as crew?”

  “I think that’d go over like a turd in a punchbowl… No… I’m not sure what you can do yet. I’m going to give you a set of coordinates, though. Please write them down.”

  I gave him the latitude and longitude that I’d worked up that morning. He repeated the numbers back to me.

  “What should I do with these?” He asked, “And what do you think you’re doing next?”

  “I don’t know on question one,” I replied, “As for question two… I’d think we’re about to shove off. Now that I’m about to give them a starting point to search, I’ll bet everyone will want to head to sea and get started.”

  He grumbled something, “All right… we’ll stand by. I think, then, that considering all you’ve said, you should destroy that phone. I’ll get you another one.”

  I agreed, thanked him and hung up. Ariel was eyeing me curiously.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You think you’ve found the submarines?” She asked with a smile.

  I shrugged, “I think I’ve got a place for us to begin searching. It’s based on an old man’s seventy-five year old memories, but it’s a place to kick off.”

  She laughed lightly and shook her head, “amazing… you’re in the wrong business. You should be in intelligence.”

  “Nah,” I joked, “I ain’t near savvy enough fer that, ma’am.”

  She laughed again and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around me and standing on tiptoe. Our lips met and the kiss was as bitingly electric as the first. Her lips were full, moist and her mouth and tongue hotter than a summer’s day.

  “I want you,” She whispered huskily, “I need you… like an oasis in the desert.”

  “Christ…” I breathed and crushed her supple firm body to mine, “I know what you mean… but maybe we should be careful.”

  She grinned. Her mouth was so close I could feel it on my lips, “It was nearly impossible to be quiet outside last night… but I was.”

  I chuckled, “that’s not what I meant. And I thought you just didn’t like it.”

  She swatted my backside playfully, “You know better, love. And I know what you meant. I can be quiet out of necessity… but I don’t think I have the discipline to avoid you for long. Come, though, we should get back.”

  She kissed me one last time and turned back toward the docks. I waited a second or two just so I could admire the firm roundness of her buttocks as they swayed and flexed beneath the soft fabric of the sun dress she wore… she wore over nothing.

  Everyone was gathered in the dining saloon around the large table. There was enough room for all of us, so I figured this would be a good place to lay out my plot. I stood at the end of the table and gazed at the unlikely collection of people gathered before me.

  Hank, Audrey and Juan sat on one side. Al-Rajid, Brody and McClay sat on the other. Ariel stood next to me helping me to unroll the chart and bathymetry map and to use her oceanographic knowledge to compliment my information. Everyone looked attentive for the most part. Juan was somewhat indifferent, only there to help Hank, and Audrey seemed to wear a permanent scowl, especially when Ariel came anywhere near me.

  Oh well. She brought it on herself.

  “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve asked you here tonight,” I said with a grin, “You’ve all wronged me at some point in the past—“

  “Can we just get on with it minus the foolishness for once?” Audrey snapped, cutting me and the chuckles from the others off.

  “Bunny,” Lambert tried to soothe, “it’s just a little fun.”

  “Yeah,” She cranked, “Maybe if he took things more seriously, we wouldn’t be in this position now. Life isn’t a damned joke, Jarvis.”

  “That’s uncalled for,” Ariel said firmly, “You’re insulting a good man.”

  Audrey speared her with a look that left no doubt as to her feelings for the other woman, “Oh? And just how good was he, sweetheart?”

  “That’s enough,” I barked.

  My words crackled through the air and carried the same sort of steel that Hank Lambert could call on in his Master Chief’s tone of command. I was secretly impressed with myself. It shut her up, at least. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened but no words came out.

  I glowered at her, “you’ve made it quite clear how you feel about me, Miss Lambert. As far as I’m concerned, our relationship is strictly professional. Why don’t you try and act that way from now on. What I do or don’t do with whomever I do it or don’t do it with is none of your goddamned business. So unless you have something constructive to add, sit there and keep your mouth shut!”

  Her face went beet red with rage. Surprisingly, though
, nothing came out of her mouth. I was sure that it would sooner or later, though. She wasn’t the type to take being told to shut the Christ up in stride. Of course, since she was the type to tell others to do so, I wasn’t overly sympathetic.

  “Sorry, Master Chief,” I said, “But her attitude since last night toward me has been nothing but vitriolic. If we’re going to accomplish this mission, we all need to get along or at least tolerate each other.”

  Hank nodded, “Agreed.”

  Ariel’s hand brushed against mine and lingered for a split second. Long enough to let me know I had her support. I took a deep breath and centered myself once again.

  “All right,” I said, “After speaking with Hank over the past few days and getting the details of the story of the two submarines’ last day, I think I’ve managed to work out a plot.”

  “That’s a tale I’d like to hear,” Brody commented.

  “As would I,” McClay added.

  “Well, gents,” Hank said amiably, “You serve me a good single malt and a fine cigar and you’ll be amazed at what an old man remembers.”

  That got a soft chuckle from most of the room, thankfully.

  “Now,” I said, tapping the chart, “I think I’ve narrowed the potential sinking point down to this general area here. Just on the edge of the lower Middle Grounds, about a hundred and seventy miles west, northwest of Tampa Bay. This bathymetry map, while pretty sparse, seems to support my findings. Imani?”

  Ariel stepped forward and touched the point I’d made on the map, “As some of you may know, the Middle Grounds is a granite bank that lies off the northwestern Florida peninsula. It stretches from near the big bend area down almost level with Tampa Bay, although the main fishery portion is a bit north. This shelf rises to about one hundred feet at its shallowest point, rising from several hundred feet between the coast and the start of the bank. Then around two hundred miles or so from the coast, the depth drops off abruptly at the edge of the continental shelf into the mid Gulf abyssal plain. Although this is somewhat inaccurate, as the deep portion of the Gulf is bowl shaped. Much of it lies in the bathypelagic zone, but it does drop into the abyss near the center.”