Pete dug the two diamonds out first, then the emeralds.
“Yes, these look very nice.” Kirk moved to the microscope and examined each one, afterward placing them on a square of black felt. The diamonds only took a moment. With the emeralds, he stared at the first one for a long time then turned it on its side. He hummed with pleasure. Pete found a chair and sat, pulling a boating magazine from the basket on the floor.
Kirk then placed the diamonds in the apparatus. A strange light shown in the diamond.
“Good. I’ve never seen a synthetic diamond this big, but I need to check it. The inclusions look natural, but you know, they are getting better and better at growing these things to look like real gems.”
“What’s that machine?”
“It’s a prototype of a tester we obtained from DeBeers. It uses ultra-violet light to confirm the source of a gem. The synthetics give off a strange light due to the inclusion of chemicals used in their manufacture. I just put the gem on the stand, turn it on, and the sensor gives me a green or red light. Natural or synthetic.” Kirk smiled.
He took the stones and moved to a locked wooden cabinet. After pulling out a round key, he bent down and opened the high security lock. A steel door, hidden by the wooden veneer, swung open with a squeak. Inside sat a massive safe. Kirk spun the dial, and the next door whooshed open. Behind that door, six thin drawers lined the back of the safe, each with a label. Kirk set all of the stones in the top drawer, took out a yellow pad, and made an entry. He closed up everything and stood.
“We’re all done here. Where can I drop you?”
“Don’t I get a receipt for delivering the diamonds? I mean, how do I show my boss that I delivered the stones?”
“You’re still alive.” Kirk grinned, and started to put on his cassock. “That means you delivered. Oh, I guess you want your money.” Kirk went to his work bench and pulled a drawer open. He took out a bundle of twenty dollar bills bound with a rubber band. After taking out five bills and jamming them in his pants pocket, Pete deposited the rest of the cash in the breast pocket of his jacket.
“Here’s my card, my son,” Father Kirk said. “I think we’ll be doing a lot more business together. I don’t have to tell you that you never saw this place.”
Pete nodded.
A few minutes later, they merged onto the tollway.
“You never told me where I can drop you off.”
“I’d like to go to Sugarland. Is that too far for you?”
“Not at all. I live down south, too.”
“So you used to be a priest?”
“Yeah, but I like women too much. After just two years, I gave it up. I had a Master’s degree in Theology. But that wasn’t going to get me anywhere. Went back to school to get a law degree at Columbia. Since I was in New York, I figured that I ought to see the diamond district. I’ve always loved gems and jewelry. I got hooked, dropped out of law school and enrolled in gemology classes.”
“But you’re still connected with the church, I guess. They let you use their van,” Pete said. Kirk just laughed through his nose.
“No this is just some lettering I had done on my van. It keeps me low profile. I deal in gems that others…uh…don’t care to purchase. And I don’t like paying Uncle Sam a big portion of my profits. So, I run a cash business. What about you? For a courier, you seem, how should I say this? You seem a little under-informed about the workings of our business.”
“Yeah, you can say that again. I just got hired by Levi Fernandez. I needed the money, and he needed someone different to deliver.”
“He took a chance with you. Some guys would try to run knowing that they carried over a million dollars in jewels in their pocket.”
“What !?”
“You didn’t know?”
“I had no idea.”
“That canary diamond alone is worth over 700k for a quick sale. Two million to a retail customer.”
“Well, I want to make a lot of money. But not on one deal. Over the long term, so I don’t have to look over my shoulder all the time.”
“A wise choice. God blesses the wise man.” As he drove, Kirk held his right hand vertically and genuflected, denoting a blessing bestowed. Pete marveled at this contradiction of a man of God and an outlaw jewel dealer.
“This is my exit coming up. Is that close enough to Sugarland for you?”
“Yeah, this’ll be great.”
Father Kirk slowed the van down and pulled into a Denny’s parking lot to let Pete get out.
“Thanks for everything,” Pete said.
“See you next trip.”
*****
Monday
06 December, 1999
1710
Echo Hotel
Houston, Texas
Jimmy Rooker walked into the hotel and flashed his best smile at the fat receptionist. She recognized him and gave him a little wave, her hand barely above the counter. She ought to remember me; I spend enough money in this place. The hotel was a well-known hot sheet establishment. In the fifties and sixties the Echo Hotel had been the prime destination for the rich and powerful who visited downtown Houston. The years caught up with the twelve story brick structure, and the business clientele moved to the Radisson or the Marriott.
After being abandoned, an anonymous businessman picked up the building for almost nothing. He spent a small fortune renovating the landmark.
With ads in underground papers and websites, the new owner re-branded the building as a playpen for businessmen. On the edge of downtown and featuring an underground parking garage, politicians, CEO’s, salesmen, engineers, and doctors found the Echo convenient and confidential. The hotel took cash. No drugs were allowed, and the security guards kept everyone civil. Several professional girls lived here, and many men rented rooms by the hour to meet with their mistresses. Since Jimmy Rooker gave out hints about beautiful girlfriends, this gave him a perfect place for his monthly meetings with Steve Joiner.
The elevator squeaked to a stop on the fifth floor, and Jimmy strode to his room, the old-fashioned metal key in his hand ready to open the door. A man exited another room as Jimmy walked by and both men kept their eyes lowered but offered mumbled greeting anyway. This was still Texas, where one is always required to offer a “How you doin’?” to passersby even in an embarrassing situation.
Once in the suite, he picked up the menu and decided what to order. They always ate dinner together. It gave them some time to talk, and time for the five o’clock traffic to subside for Steve’s commute north. The hotel offered room service from the excellent restaurant located on the second floor. The menu was divided into the four types of Texas food: steaks, regular and chicken-fried, hamburgers, Mexican food, and bar-b-que.
Jimmy only waited ten minutes, and then he heard Steve’s distinctive knock on the door.
“Come on in. I’ve already ordered dinner. A brisket plate or the hamburger. Your choice,” Jimmy said as he swung the door open.
“I’ll take the hamburger,” Steve said.
“Why the frown?”
“I think we’ve found our leak.” Jimmy felt the familiar stab of fear and put hand on the table to steady himself.
“Let’s sit down. Dinner will be here in a few minutes,” Jimmy said.
“Yesterday, I was up at Alliance for the intel briefing, and Tuffy Dupree asked me to stay around afterwards. He said that over the last month or so, he’s been talking to one of the secretaries who’s always interested in the DEA’s intel functions. Always wanting to improve, she says. He first thought her curiosity good, and hoped he might be able to promote her. But something stuck in his craw. You know Tuffy. He’s sharp. Didn’t seem right that a secretary would be hanging around the intel chief asking some pretty pointed questions.”
“That does sound pretty fishy.”
“Well, it gets worse. Tuffy put a tail on her. A man came to her house the other night, and they got photos. His arm is in a sling. It’s David Guaymas. His car was rented under the name of Jose
Leal.”
Jimmy leaned back into the couch and both hands went to his face, pushing back through his thick hair, and he breathed out hard. His heart pounded and his thoughts raced ahead.
“I’ve got to get out of Houston. I’ll tell them the wife and kids need an extended vacation. I won’t tell anyone where I’m going. Use cash…”
“Wait. Wait. Settle down.” Steve gripped Jimmy’s arm. “Breathe. It’s gonna be OK. They don’t know anything about you yet. We have most of their phones tapped. Just hang with me for a few days, and we can definitely link David Guaymas with Jose Leal. We’ll get him in custody, and you’ll have nothing to do with it. Tuffy will publicize that it all came from his office.”
A hard knock on the door caused Jimmy to jump. He peered through the peephole and saw the waiter and the rolling table with their dinner. He let him in and the short man set the meal on the room’s round table. Jimmy signed the ticket and palmed the waiter a nice tip. The waiter gave Jimmy a knowing smile and left. Jimmy and Steve both burst out laughing.
“He thinks we’re lovers,” Jimmy said between laughs, thankful for the break in tension. “That could be a breach of the rules. The man-on-man action is supposed to be limited to the penthouse. We might be asked to leave.”
During dinner Steve laid out the plan to lure in David Guaymas. At 1910 Steve left for home, and Jimmy waited in the room. He would give Steve fifteen minutes to let him get out of the building and on the road. That way they wouldn’t be seen leaving together.
His cell phone rang, and not recognizing the number, figured it must be someone calling about one of the aircraft he had for sale.
“Hi, this is Jimmy Rooker,” he said in his best ‘happy salesman’ voice.
“Jimmy, it’s me. Pete. Pete Dolan.”
“Pete! It is good to hear your voice. Where are you?”
“I’m here in Houston. I need to see you.” Jimmy’s curiosity overcame his fear.
“Do you know where the Echo Hotel is?”
*****
At eleven o’clock, Pete wheeled the rented Dodge into the underground parking lot of the Echo Hotel. Finding Jimmy’s room was easy. He beat on the door, not knowing why he felt so happy. Maybe it was because he was reconnecting to his real life.
“Pete, come in,” Jimmy said, pulling on his arm, and slamming the door closed. They looked at each other for a moment, and then hugged.
“It is so good to see you,” Jimmy said. “We were afraid you were dead, you know. When Steve told me he had heard from you, well… I don’t know how to tell you how good it was.” Jimmy looked down at the floor. “Pete, I am really sorry about your family. Man, I never thought those guys would go to that extreme.”
“None of us did, Jimmy. None of us.”
“Come, sit down.” Jimmy motioned to the couch. “Would you like me to order something for you? How about a drink?” Jimmy poured himself a stout shot of Jack Daniels.
Pete could feel the fear oozing from Jimmy. Maybe it was the way his eyes darted back and forth, or the posture. He couldn’t quite pin it down, but even so, the terror was real.
“No, no thank you.” Pete looked around the room, not knowing what to expect. He guessed the real use of the hotel from the gaudy signage and the innuendo ladened wording advertising the services and restaurant. He was glad there were no girls in the room.
“Wow, we were hoping to break up the Turks and Caicos operation, but, man, what a way to do it!” Jimmy flopped down on the big couch. “Sit down. Talk to me.”
“I need some help.”
“Yeah. Those murder charges are bad.”
“I’m not talking about that. I want to find Jose Leal.” Pete leaned forward, and he knew he was letting too much emotion show. “He killed my family, he killed my girlfriend. They were innocent. They knew nothing.”
“Easy. Easy now.” Jimmy leaned forward and grabbed Pete’s arm. “I want to get Jose Leal arrested, too. I’m hanging way out there, too, you know.”
“Arrested won’t do it. I want him dead.”
“Oh. Well, that’s another story.” Jimmy looked up at the ceiling in the far corner of the room. Pete could see Jimmy’s brain clicking through possibilities, and Pete cocked his head trying to figure out these signals. As a slow smile came to Jimmy’s mouth, Pet realized that Jimmy would be delighted if Jose Leal went away.
“I need to find Joan Merkam. She should be able to point me in the direction of the cartel. I just have to stay away from her husband.”
Jimmy looked surprised.
“You don’t know? The stress over losing the deal caused Wilson to have a massive heart attack. He died on the jet enroute to Ft. Lauderdale. By the time we landed, he was gone. He died in Joan’s arms. I tried everything I knew about mouth-to-mouth and beating on his chest, but he was gone in just a minute.” Pete saw the sorrow in Jimmy’s eyes. He grabbed Jimmy’s shoulder.
This guy is on the edge. He looks like he’s going to crumble, Pete thought.
“I know you did your best,” Pete said. After a moment of silence, Jimmy perked back up.
“Here, let me get you Joan’s number. She knows Jose Leal by another name: David Guaymas.”
“Write that name down for me.” As Jimmy wrote, Pete could see the giddiness and relief in Jimmy’s body language.
Chapter 4
Tuesday
07 December, 1999
0715 Western European Time
Ambassador Hotel
Rome, Italy
Waldo Baranski put down his fork, angered that his breakfast was interrupted. He picked up his cell phone with his right hand and admired the temporary prosthetic hand fitted to the stump of his left arm.
“Baranski,” he said.
“Waldo, this is Steve Joiner. I just heard from one of my guys that Pete Dolan is in the US looking for Jose Leal. He’s getting too close.”
“What do you want me to do about it?”
“You two are tight. You can talk some sense into him.”
“Give me his cell number and I’ll call.”
“He doesn’t have one that I know of.”
“Well, great.” Waldo paused for the dramatic effect. “Do you expect me to drop everything and fly over there? It would be late tomorrow before I made it to Houston, even if I could catch the morning flight from Rome. Besides, I have work here that I just can’t leave.”
“Alright. I just thought you could help. He’s gonna get himself killed”
“Look, he’s a nice guy and all, but we’re finished with that op. I have a life.”
After Steve hung up, Waldo called his travel agent.
“Book me a first class seat to Houston on the first available flight. I’m on the way to the airport now. Call me with the details.” His excitement shimmered in his gut and the light seemed to shine out of his eyes. Maybe Pete’s got a line on Jose Leal. Only one way to find out.
Baranski went to his room to pack. He sat down at his computer and started to type out an email to Pete. But then he stopped and shut down his computer. I’ll bet he doesn’t have access to email right now. But I’ll find him. He packed, humming “Amazing Grace”.
*****
Tuesday
07 December, 1999
0900 Central Standard Time
La Quinta Hotel
Sugarland, Texas
Joan Merkam’s phone rang several times. She probably doesn’t recognize the number, Pete thought. I hope she picks up the phone. But then she answered with, “Hello?”
“Joan, this is Pete Dolan.”
“Oh, my word! Is that really you, Pete? I thought you were dead. Where are you?” A flood of words poured out of her. Pete had to interrupt.
“Listen, Joan. Just be quiet. Listen. I’m here in Houston. I need some help. Can you meet me?”
“Sure, but wouldn’t it be easier for you just to come by my house?”
“No. I don’t know if anyone’s watching your place. We need to meet somewhere a little more privat
e. Why don’t you go to Dillard’s? The one at the Sugarland Mall. Pick out a nice formal dress and go into one of the dressing rooms. But leave the door unlocked. I’ll open it and we can talk inside.”
“Sounds like fun. But I’m not dressed yet. Say I meet you there at 11:30.”
“See you there.”
Two hours later Pete entered the Sugarland Mall. He stopped at a food kiosk and ordered a cinnamon pretzel. Strolling back and forth, he gradually made his way to Dillard’s department store and scanned for anyone seeming to be interested in him. I wish I had listened better in those counter surveillance classes we had.
When he worked as a DEA pilot in Guatemala, there were days when the rains drowned out all operations. Stuck in the crew house, different guys would give classes in the living room to ease the boredom. With no TV and no internet, the classes were fascinating. First aid, helicopter aerodynamics, close quarters gun fighting, and “field craft”. The last were classes from the CIA visitors on how to make contact with agents, do dead drops and pickups, and how to surveil and keep from being surveilled.
That was eight years ago, and now he needed that counter-surveillance skill. He glanced at his Seiko. 1115. He floundered about the Dillard’s store and stopped to look at the book section.
1125. Time to move into position. Weaving his way across the store he felt more confident that there were no watchers. He started to dig through the bargain rack of men’s shirts. This location gave him the best viewing angle on the approach to the women’s formal wear.
“Sir, can I help you find anything?” The young salesman stood a little behind him.
“No, I’m just looking. Killing some time while I wait for my wife. You married?”
“No sir, but I am engaged.” He smiled, and it warmed Pete.
“Get used to waiting. Especially when they’re shopping.” The young man nodded his head and walked away looking for the next target.
Joan walked past in a white blouse, black pants and high heeled sandals. Her head held high, she never saw him lurking to her left. Pete smiled as he realized she was fixated on the long dresses. She picked out two, one black and one white, and, folding them over her arm, went into the dressing room. Pete had to move fast to get the angle and see down the hall so that he knew which door she entered.
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