Forged in Honor (1995) (32 page)

Meg shocked him by jumping up, throwing her arms around him, and planting a big kiss right on his kisser. Backing up but holding his arm, she looked him over. "Ya look terrible. The army didn't take very good care of you. Come on, we've gotta talk."

Josh stopped her, for she was leading him up the steps of El Torito's. "Hey, I haven't seen Stef yet, and I gotta get rid of this bag, and I-"

She pulled him up the steps. "This is important. This is about Stef. She and Bob have been going out since you've been gone and-"

"Surprise!" yelled the assembled crowd.

Josh dropped the suitcase and slapped at Meg's arm, for she had reeled him in like a big fish. Stef, Bob, Charlie, his part-time employees, and all the restaurant managers rushed forward and mobbed him. Above the outside patio hung a banner that read, "WELCOME BACK HAWK!"

After the others shook his hand, pounded his back, and told him he looked shitty, Stefne looked him up and down and shook her head. "Dad, you look-"

"Come here!" He grabbed her and hugged her tightly. Finally releasing her, he handed her the present. "For my girl.

You've put on some weight, haven't ya? Or else I'd forgotten you're a grown woman."

"Daaad. Stop it."

He put his arm around her and made the rounds to thank everybody for the party.

Bob came up, put his arm around Stefne, and handed Josh a wad of money. "Ky sends his regards. His exact words were, "Bout time you come back, need two dozen bad.

Chinese cus-ta-mer willing to pay more money.' "

Josh laughed although he felt uncomfortable seeing his assistant's arm around his daughter's shoulders. He took Bob by the arm and led him to the patio fence overlooking the channel. "You see him?" he asked in a whisper.

"Nope, but he tore up another six traps. I built more and was able to keep catching a dozen a day. Ky is serious. He says he's got a Chinese customer who doesn't even ask the price per pound. He's raised prices twice. We're gettin' another dollar a pound."

Josh eyed his big-shouldered assistant. "How'd you find out about the price hike?"

"Hell, boss, I checked. I wasn't going to let that old goat cheat us. He bitched and moaned, but he paid."

Josh's face broke into a big smile knowing he'd found the perfect son-in-law.

Stefne came over and joined them, scowling playfully.

"That's it, you two, no more business talk. Dad, Glenn made it. She's over there talking to Meg. She checked on me every day while you were in Panama and told me when you'd be back. The party was really her idea." She moved closer and wiggled her eyebrows. "Dad, I really like her.... Don't you?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "Don't push your ole man, dear.

These things take time and the right person."

Stefne turned to look at the officer, who had changed into thigh-length shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. "I don't know how you old men judge women, but I'd say she's at least a nine, maybe a nine and a half. What do you think, Bob?"

Bob gave Josh a lewd smile. "She looks like a big ten to me, boss."

Josh waved his hand at the young couple. "You two go find something to do." He headed toward Glenn, but when he saw Kelly walking up the patio steps, he changed direction and faced the unkempt man. "Don't say it, I know I look like shit. How ya doin', Kelly? Who's been carrying your ass on the courts?"

Kelly smirked, walked past him, and attacked the food.

Once he had his mouth and plate full, he looked at Josh with a scowl. "They didn't have papers in Panama? Christ, didn't you watch CNN? Josh, there's a war on the streets. Racquetball? Shit, I've been lucky to see my family six hours in the past week."

Josh moved closer. "What war?"

Kelly looked at him with genuine surprise. "You really haven't heard? Hell, we've got nineteen stiffs in the city morgue, all unsolved homicides. The Chinese have taken over the dope market. Christ, it's worse than we ever imagined. It's not just D. C., either. In New York, they had twenty-two wholesalers whacked in four days. The whole East Coast is blood alley."

Kelly set his plate down but took a burrito and walked with Josh to the patio steps. "I gotta get back to work. I just wanted to come over and get some free chow. How's about breakfast tomorrow as usual?"

"You bet. I want you to fill me in on what's gone down."

Kelly began to take the first step down but looked over his shoulder. "Ya do look like shit. Didn't the army feed ya?"

He smiled. "Good to have you back, Hawk. I missed ya." He waved his hand, stuffed the burrito in his mouth, and hurried to a waiting squad car.

Josh watched the car disappear onto Maine Avenue. As he turned around, he nearly bumped into Grant as she walked toward the steps.

She stopped and said tightly, "Don't worry. I promised Stef I'd stop by, but I'm leaving."

Josh began to step out of her way to let her pass but reached out and took her arm instead. "Look, Glenn, I'm really sorry. Coming over and checking on Stef was way beyond the call of duty, and I can't tell you what that means to me. I apologize for being an asshole. Forgive me. If you want I'll get down on my knees in front of everybody and beg."

Grant patted his arm with a cautious smile. "I forgive you.

I wouldn't want the famous Hawk to make a scene. Get some sleep, Josh. You look like you're about to drop. I'll be over tomorrow to see you-sorry, but it's my job." She winked and walked down the steps.

"Hey, wait a minute! What time? Dammit, Grant!" He saw her fling her hair back as she walked and couldn't help but smile. She had spunk; he had to give her that.

Meg came up beside him and followed his gaze. She bumped his shoulder. "She's your type, Josh, and you sure ain't getting any younger. Come on, you've got to get to bed.

You've had it, I can tell."

The pair had taken only two steps when Stefne stepped in front of them wearing a halter top with colorful bright fish sewed on almost sheer white material. She grabbed Josh, kissed his cheek, and backed up, spinning around. "I love it, Dad! I never thought you'd get me something like this."

Josh closed his open mouth-the halter top exposed more of his daughter than he'd seen since she was six. "Uhhh I thought it had more material, but ... uhh ... it looks good on you."

Meg held up her hand. "Sorry, he's had it. I'm going to walk him to the boat, but I'll be back in a little while. Save me some margaritas."

Josh hesitated. "But what about work tonight?"

Bob smiled. "No sweat, boss. I got it. Get some sleep."

Charlie, the Hogate's bar manager, stepped up and put his arm around Bob's shoulder. "You ought to see him in action, Hawk. He's got the look down cold."

Meg pulled him forward and they walked down the back steps. Reaching the wharf seconds later, Josh took a deep breath. "You smell that, Meg? There's nothing like the smell of home, is there?" She put her arm around his waist and gave him a gentle hug: "We've missed you, Josh. Nothing is the same when you're gone. Stef looks wonderful, doesn't she?"

Josh smiled and said, "Yeah, she really does. She's in love, huh?"

" 'Fraid so."

"Guess it's not so bad. I like Bob. And he likes her for the right reasons."

They reached the Lil' Darlin', and Josh sat down on the cushioned pilot seat to look at his biggest love besides Stefne. He took the old girl in with loving eyes, noting that she had been cleaned recently and even had a fresh coat of spar varnish on the upper deck. He leaned his head back and looked up at the darkening sky. "I love it here."

Meg smiled. "I know. I'm gonna get back to the party. I don't want you sitting here very long. Get some sleep. And Josh? Welcome home."

Seattle Stephen placed another bag on the scale and took a step to the right. Chigger took Stephen's place, glanced at the scale weight, and nodded. "Yep, it's good. Next. Man, I'm hungry.

How 'bout you?"

Stephen made a mark in his ledger book, as Chigger did in his. The handoff process was complete as soon as Chigger's assistant took the half-kilo bag from the scale and placed it in a large soap box. Once the box was full he would load it on a truck backed up to the loading dock.

Stephen smiled. He was used to Chigger's voracious appetite. Over the past two shipments the two men had worked night and day weighing and keeping count of the shipment's half-kilo bags with occasional breaks for purity testing. Not liking the meals served in the kitchen for the workmen, Chigger had taken it upon himself to teach Stephen about the culinary delights available at American fast-food restaurants. Just three miles from the plant was a strip full of such places, and they had been to them all several times for breakfast, lunch, dinner, late dinner, and early-morning meals.

Stephen placed another bag on the scales. "Where are we eating this time?"

Chigger cocked his head to the side in deep thought.

"How's about pizza?"

"Didn't we have that for lunch?"

"Oh, yeah, okay, then Kentucky Fried Chicken, without the skins-I gotta watch my weight, y'know." He looked at the scale and nodded, and made an entry in his ledger.

His assistant picked up the bag but rolled his eyes. "Man, let's check out the steak place. I'm tired of fast food."

Chigger gave the man an evil glare to remind him who was calling the food shots. "Shut your face. We ain't got time for steaks or we'll fall behind. Right, Steve?"

Stephen put another bag on the scale and shrugged. "You are my culinary teacher, U Chigger."

"See?" Chigger said, emphasizing the point by patting Stephen's back. "My man agrees-it's KFC or the fish heads they got in the kitchen."

The assistant shook his head in defeat. "Shit, man, them fish heads ain't food."

Chigger checked the weight, nodded, and made an entry.

"One more and then we're outta here for chow."

The assistant sighed as he took the bag from the scale and dropped it into the box at his feet. "This one's full, and this box fills this load. Where's this shipment goin' again? I gotta tell the driver."

Chigger glanced at Stephen and saw he was busy with the scale. He had been told not to let the Burmese know where the shipments were going. He leaned over the table and whispered, "Don't be askin' them questions in front of these dudes. It goes to Carlisle, P-A, dummy. Damn, we're only shippin' to three warehouses. Can't you keep it straight? The last load went to Sacramento and the one before that to Kansas, remember?"

The assistant rolled his eyes. "Fuck, man, I can't keep all this shit straight. We been keepin' such weird hours I don't even know what day it is anymore."

Despite the whispers, Stephen had heard the conversation, but he paid little attention. All he thought about when Chigger wasn't talking to him was going home.

Chigger looked at the scale, nodded, made an entry, and picked up his jacket from the table. "Come on, Steve, I'll drive this time. You picked up your kid's skateboard yet?"

"Yes, I went to the mall like you advised and purchased it on sale."

"Good. Ole Chigger don't give no bad poop. I'm gonna make you into a regular Kmart shopper by the time you get outta here."

Captain Sing strode out of the glassed-in office and stepped in front of Stephen. "Where are you going, U

Kang?"

Chigger turned around and tapped the broad-shouldered security man's back. "What's it to you, man? You've always got an attitude. Steve is going with me to get some real food.

Now how's about gettin' out of the way?"

Sing turned and looked at the stocky black man as if measuring him for a casket. "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice. I am doing my job."

Chigger stepped closer with his own bad-news stare.

"Well, do your flicking 'job' outta my face, and don't be talkin' shit 'bout my tone of fucking voice."

Sing's eyes narrowed and his lips tightened. He opened and closed the fingers of his right hand as if he were waiting for Chigger to draw. He took a step to the side instead and motioned with his hand for Stephen to go on but kept his cold glare on the black man. "You have very bad manners."

Chigger snorted a half laugh. "And you got fish-head breath, asshole." He stepped back and took Stephen's arm.

"What you gonna have? I suggest their chicken nuggets and corn on the cob. They got beans or coleslaw, and for dessert you got a choice of ..."

Captain Bwin stepped out of the office and watched the men walk out the loading dock door. He turned to look at Sing. "Be patient. The handoff will be complete tomorrow night, and the colonel wants it done once the Shan returns to the hotel. I think the parking lot would be best"

Sing calmed himself by taking several deep breaths. "I would like to kill the Wa American as well. What does it mean when he says I have an 'attitude'?"

Chapter 16.

26 June, Washington, D. C.

Josh walked into the cafe and took his usual seat by the window. He heard Jean coming by the smacking of her gum.

He looked up and smiled. "Hi, pretty lady, did ya miss me?"

She set a cup of coffee in front of him and tossed down the paper. "Yeah, sure, you up and take a vacation without so much as warning me. Kelly Special or what?"