Suspicion At Sea (28 page)

“That is something I would pay to see,” Cody says and I can tell he is trying to stifle a laugh.

“Hey,” I scold.

“I'm sorry, but it would be kind of funny to watch.” He turns to me with a smile, but his eyes are soft.

“Better to laugh than cry, that's what my dad always said. I would look like a mental patient.” I laugh, picturing the sight of it.

“What do we have here?” Cody grabs my attention by pointing toward the house. Tammy and Bill emerge from the house and get in a beat up truck.

“Here we go,” I say when Cody starts the car and starts following the truck at a distance. The other car that is down the block pulls out behind us. Not to make it obvious, they turn and drive parallel to us on the next block. The truck takes a couple odd turns, which puts us on alert. It's like they know we are here.

“Turn here,” I tell Cody.

“Do you think we've been spotted?”

“Sure seems like they are trying to lose us, or spot us.” When you make odd turns and a car still follows you, that is when you know you are being tailed. It doesn't help that in the small island town there isn't much traffic.

“Tommy,” I call into the hotel. “Can you track Tammy's cell phone?”

“Sure can, princess, just a second and I will have it to your phone,” he answers proudly.

We stay out of sight of the truck, but know exactly where it is as it moves toward the edge of town. When it comes to a stop we move in and see the truck parked at a small dock. There are smaller speed boat type boats at this dock. When we spot the truck it is empty, and we arrive just in time to see a small boat with Tammy and Bill speeding away.

“Fuck, the signal is still stopped, she doesn't have her cell phone.” I stare at the GPS on my phone that is not moving as they get further away. I get out of the car and run to the dock. There are about ten boats bobbing in the water. I hop on the first one I can, and see that the keys are in it.

“What are you doing?” Cody catches up to me, staring at me standing in some random boat.

“Do you know how to drive one of these things?” I yell over the wind, the controls on the boat looking foreign to me.

“Ellie, back-up is on the way. We are not stealing a boat.”

“Not stealing, borrowing, and they will be long gone if we wait,” I argue and he knows I'm right. He jumps in the boat, starts it up, and backs out. I start looking around in different compartments until I find what I am looking for. I grab the binoculars from under the seat compartment and search the water in the direction they went.

“There,” I point north-west when I spot the boat. The ocean is rough in the tiny boat, making us go up and down with each wave. It's hard for me to keep an eye on them as we are tossed about.

“What's the plan here?” Cody shouts, holding on tight to the steering wheel.

“They are going there,” I shout back, pointing to a small island that has just come into view. I see them pull up to a sandy beach on the island and pull out an anchor. We get closer and can see almost with the naked eye as they go into a wooded area off the small beach.

“What are you doing?” I turn to Cody as he slows the boat down bringing it to a stop.

“We know where they are, we wait for backup,” Cody states firmly, taking out his phone.

“Why, it's just the two of them?” I contest his over cautiousness. “Come on, you don't think we could take them if it came down to it?” I know exactly how to get Cody to do something and that is to question his abilities.

“Ellie, please,” he warns, knowing exactly what I'm doing.

“What are you afraid of?” I challenge, getting more anxious as time is passing and we are losing them.

“A strong, tall, ex-Navy SEAL who would kill me for even thinking about letting you do this.”

“This is my job, Justin is not going to stop me from doing my job, now let's go.” I'm angry now and Cody knows it. “They'll be here soon and they can catch up,” I push, hoping that this will convince him.

Chapter 60

Justin

Denny ordered Cody to wait for back-up, but the last communication we received was that they were stopped off at a small island waiting for us. When we arrive there are two boats beached in the sand and no one in sight.

“I'm going to kill Cody,” I grumble. Why in the hell did they not wait for us? Denny, me, and four other agents head into the wooded area off the beach following foot prints as far as they go. The ground under the trees is covered in leaves and we can't make out tracks.

“Damn it!” Denny is just as pissed, we lost their cell phone signals about forty-five minutes ago. Both of them disappeared at the same time.

“Let's split up, Justin, you're with me,” Denny orders, and instructs the other agents to split into pairs and which way to go. We start walking at a fast pace through the timber.

I'm silently fuming as we trudge through the heavily wooded area.

“Denny, we found something.” We hear a voice come out of the walkie talkie and run to the location they give us.

“Holy fuck,” Denny exclaims when we arrive at a cave that is on the side of a rocky cliff. The smell hits us first, and causes me to cover my nose and mouth with the collar of my shirt. Agent Nelson is standing outside the cave with a flash light in hand. We follow him into the entrance of the cave.

“Jesus Christ.” I cough as we see the three rotting bodies of the McGill brothers. The smell is so bad in the small cave we turn around and leave. The first thing I notice is how packed down the ground is. There is also small wheel imprints that are indented so deep that it would appear it was hauling something very heavy.

I start following the trail. If Ellie and Cody found this they would do the same thing. I hear Denny behind me on the phone, calling in the bodies and that they need CSI here. He explains to whoever he is talking to the scene we just left.

The trail is going to the other side of the island. I can hear the waves as we get closer to the shore. The first thing I see when we reach the beach is a body crumpled on the sand. My heart sinks, my stomach in knots instantly as I run to the body and realize it is Cody. Ellie is nowhere in sight.

“Cody,” Denny shouts, rolling him over checking for a pulse. “He's breathing,” Denny announces. He is knocked out cold and there is blood dripping from his hairline.

“Where's Ellie? Fuck, Cody, wake up!” I'm frantic, falling to my knees beside Cody, shaking him to wake him up.

“Justin, stop.” Denny puts his hand on my chest to push me away from the unconscious Cody.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” I stand and search the open ocean for anything. There is a Zodiac floating in the water about a hundred yards out. I jump into the water clothes and all and swim through the rough waves.

My heart sinks even further when I see the insignia on the side of the Zodiac. El Corazon, this is a Zodiac for one of Alejandro's, Fausto ships. I climb into the small rubber boat that has blood on the side. They were in a hurry if they took off without their life boat. I start it up and drive up, beaching it in the sand.

El Corazon is a large ship, we have to be just on their heels. A vessel that large won't be far.

“Fausto has her,” I yell to Denny who is helping a now conscious Cody up. I want to knock him back out. “What the fuck were you thinking,” I shout at the groggy looking Cody.

“I'm sorry, it was a trap,” he answers, putting his hand up to his head as he tries to stand, but Denny holds him down.

“They have the gold, but Ellie was the biggest payday. They are going to take her to one of Fausto's hideouts,” he explains, the look in his eyes is utter regret and sorrow. “They weren't alone, we thought it was just the two of them. They've been working with Fausto the whole time.”

“How long has it been, how far ahead of us are they,” I bellow.

“An hour at the most.” Cody wins his fight with Denny and stands on wobbly feet. “She's alive and fine. I heard one of them say that Fausto will kill anyone that hurts her. Tammy was getting rough with her, because you know Ellie, she was fighting like hell.”

“We need helicopters, now,” I bark to Denny. “We also need to find out how El Corazon is in American waters.” This must be where Adrian Lewis has been playing his part.

“We are going to get to the bottom of all of it, but first let's find Ellie.” Denny tries to be calm, but I see the panic in his eyes also. If Fausto can pull this off from a jail cell, what else is he capable of and just how far can his reach be?

Chapter 61

Ellie

They have me tied to a chair on the deck of the boat. Once again, Fausto has me. He's in custody, but somehow pulled this off. We thought it was just the two of them on the island. Never in a million years did I think Tammy Coons would be smart enough to pull off the trap they set for me.

When we found the cave, the stench of the rotting bodies was apparent once we were within fifty feet of it. We saw the crew of men, including Jake Coons, hauling the gold bars in a cart toward the shore. We stayed in the cover of the trees counting at least ten men. Cody mumbling under his breath about how we should have waited.

We were so busy watching the carts of gold being funneled from the cave that we did not hear them behind us.

Second time in a week that Fausto's men captured us, and now being tied to this stupid chair on this stupid boat just pisses me off. What kind of agent am I, completely underestimating my opponent?

“Maybe tonight when no one is watching, you and I can have some fun.” Jake comes up behind me, putting his slimy hands on the back of my neck. I jerk away causing him to grab the nape of my neck hard. Putting his face in mine, “You have no idea how much I am going to enjoy this.” His breath hot on my face, I turn my head.

“Jake, sorry, bro, but you know you can't have her.” Tammy stands next to her brother, arms crossed. Head tilted she stares down at me, studying me. “Personally, I don't see what the fuss is about. She's kind of plain and ugly,” Tammy scoffs. “You’re too good for her anyway, you'll have girls swooning over you once we get to Belize. Living the life of the rich on the sandy beaches.” She pats her brother on the arm, but he continues to stare a hole through me.

“You really think you are going to get away with this. Fausto is in custody. Do you really think he is going to be getting out anytime soon?” I retort, and this causes them both to start laughing.

“Oh, he will be out soon and on his way to Belize. The Judge will make sure of that.” Tammy unknowingly reveals that he has a judge on his payroll.

“What about the coast guard, this is a known ship of Fausto's. You don't think they are going to stop you?” I dig.

“Nope, you really don't know who you are dealing with, little girl.” Tammy leans forward, her arms still crossed in front of her. “Everything has been planned from the beginning. Who do you think got Jade working with Fausto? Other than the morons trying to hide the gold, pretty much everything has gone as planned,” she says confidently.

"So I take you are not pregnant with Jade's kid?"

"No, that was to torcher Suzy a little more," she snickers. Just when I thought I couldn't think any less of the skanky bitch, she says this.

“You killed the brothers?” I ask, her pride is making her reveal her secrets to me one by one.

“No, that was all my pleasure.” Bill Pelletier joins in, the three of them now standing around me. “The only thing I regret is not seeing poor Momma's face when she finds out her babies are dead,” he says with a wicked smile on his face.

“I had the pleasure of meeting Mary McGill. What a bitch. She sure doesn't like you, that was very apparent. I believe she regrets you were even born.” I stab and twist the knife of hate he has for his mother.

“You little bitch.” Bill pulls me off the chair so I am standing, but my arms are behind me still tied to the chair.

“Bill, no,” Tammy yells, grabbing his arms.

“Fuck Fausto, this fucking cunt is not going to get away with talking to me like that.” He pulls on me harder and I scream out in pain as the weight of the chair dislocates my shoulder.

“He'll kill you,” Tammy pleads. Leaning down, she pulls out a knife and cuts the rope that has me tied to the chair. My wrists are still tied behind my back and my shoulder is throbbing.

“Not if I kill him first,” Bill sneers, squeezing my arm and snarling in my face. Everyone is distracted by the sound of the helicopter in the distance.

Bill grabs the knife from Tammy and turns me around so that my back is facing his front. Instantly he has the knife at my throat. Tammy and Jack scramble, yelling for others to come. “
Armes de fuego!!
” She orders in Spanish for them to grab guns.