The Scorpion's Tale (21 page)

Harry rubbed his fingers together, making the
universal sign for money. “Munoz terrorized people all over the
world. He went straight a decade ago. To atone for his sins, he
gives a lot of money to charities and to the local government; he’s
a local celebrity. But there are still many people who want him
dead. That’s why he’s got an army.”

The detective raised his eyebrows.
“Impressive. Maybe I should do some research before I head south of
the border. How about giving me a ride back to my hotel?”

Harry laughed. “Go to hell! I don’t like you
that much!”

Detective Johnston stood to leave. “Now we’re
even.”

“How do you figure?”

“Yesterday you tried to have me run over.
Today, I danced on your face. As far as I’m concerned, we’re
even!”

Harry smiled. “It wasn’t personal. I just do
the Scorpion’s bidding. He knows about you. If the Scorpion wanted
you dead, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. He wanted me to
scare you. Why, I don’t know, so you can add yourself to the
‘unexplained list’ along with Steven Capresi.”

Detective Johnston shivered at the thought
that somehow he was now trapped in the Scorpion’s game, playing by
the Scorpion’s rules.

-------------------

Twenty-two hundred miles southeast of Vegas,
a man sat alone in a sports bar in West End Village, Roatan.
Dressed in torn, faded blue jeans and a white tee shirt, he admired
the ocean view and enjoyed a Cobb salad amidst occasional glances
at the soccer match playing above the bar. He always enjoyed
visiting this spectacular island, even if it was only for a short
stay.

He gazed at the peaceful ocean. Why was
everything so complicated? For a brief moment, he wondered what it
would be like to relax and casually stroll along the edge of the
tranquil sea; perhaps take a boat out and go sailing. He noted the
relaxed demeanors of the other patrons and for a moment, was
envious of their mundane existences. That was a luxury never
granted to him. Still, there was nothing as exhilarating as the
hunt and, like the thrill of a seduction, the more difficult the
conquest, the greater the exhilaration when accomplished.

-------------------

Detective Johnston needed authorization from
his chief to fly to Roatan. “Sandra, this is Johnston. I need to
speak with the Chief.” Sandra was one of two receptionists at the
switchboard at the precinct.

“He’s in a real foul mood. We’re all keeping
our distance.”

“Why should this day be different from any
other?” he said.

Sandra laughed. “Hold on and I’ll connect
you.”

Johnston didn’t like his boss, who held the
job for less than a year. The Chief was a political animal with
ambitions way beyond the police department. He fantasized about
being mayor or governor and he meticulously cultivated every
relationship that he thought might advance his future
aspirations.

“Dawkins here.”

“Hey Chief, it’s Johnston.”

“Hey, Johnston,” the Chief answered in his
monotone voice. “What do you want?”

“I’ve had an exciting morning,” the detective
said, hoping to get a rise out of his boss. “And I almost got
killed yesterday.”

“That’s great,” the Chief mumbled, barely
listening.

Detective Johnston continued with his report,
undaunted. “I’ve received reliable information that Capresi is
headed to Honduras. I want to fly there today and head him off.” He
knew this request would get the Chief’s attention.

“The only place you’re flying is back to New
York,” the Chief snapped. “I want your ass back in the office
tonight!”

Detective Johnston grimaced. He loathed this
arrogant son-of-a-bitch! “Listen to me, Chief,” he pleaded, “this
is important. Let me explain.”

“Stop whining. You’re not going to Honduras
or anywhere else. You’re coming back here!”

Detective Johnston knew he was fighting a
losing battle. “Chief, I think he’s in danger. He’s visiting some
major scumbags down there and I think he’s being set up. Give me
one more day and I’ll be back tomorrow night!”

“Get back here today. Drop off your reports
in my office and we’ll meet tomorrow. I’ve got someone waiting for
me. Have a good trip.”

Detective Johnston heard an abrupt “click”.
What a total asshole, he thought. Steven was on his own now. The
detective knew that following Steven to Roatan would be the end of
his career. That, along with the fact that he would need to
infiltrate the world of Pablo Munoz made it even less appealing.
Hopefully, Steven would manage to stay alive until the detective
figured a way to get back into the game.

Pablo and Steven sat on the veranda
overlooking the ocean, sampling freshly made conch chowder. Pablo’s
luxury estate occupied five acres of tropical paradise bordering
the sea. Four bodyguards sat a few yards from their table while
three armed guards patrolled the private beach. Pablo sensed
Steven’s discomfort with the presence of so much security.

“I have many friends in Roatan and around the
world,” Pablo said, “but I also have enemies.”

Steven dabbed his mouth with his napkin. “You
don’t have to explain anything to me.”

Pablo pointed to the guards on the beach.
“You see these men? They would lay down their lives for me.”

Steven nodded.

Pablo laughed. “But life is cheap here.
Roatan has a collection of ex-patriots from all corners of the
globe searching for a fresh start. Some are fugitives; some are
running from enemies. Others are merely searching for their
personal Shangri-La or simply trying to disappear.”

“I think everyone is running from something,”
Steven said. “Most just don’t admit it.”

“What are you running from?”

“You know about me. I’m running
toward
someone.”

“I know nothing about you, at least not yet,”
Pablo said.

Steven studied the face of the older man.
Steven could only imagine what he had done to earn his fortune and
fierce reputation. “Why is it necessary to know anything about me?”
Steven asked.

Pablo leaned forward in his chair. “You have
come seeking an audience with the one man in this world who I trust
with my life.
I
would die for
him
. I am Joaquin’s
gatekeeper and I take my responsibility very seriously.”

“Does Joaquin need a gatekeeper?”

“Only with respect to the Scorpion,” Pablo
replied. “We fear the Scorpion’s sting.”

“May I assume that you don’t personally know
the Scorpion?”

“I know his legend and I have worked with
him. But we have never actually met.”

“Then how can you help me?”

“I cannot personally help you,” Pablo
replied. “All I can do is to send you to Joaquin. Very few people
know how to find him. That is my value to you and the reason Billy
Veeksburn sent you to me. Without Joaquin, your quest ends.”

“What must I do to get an audience with
Joaquin?”

Pablo smiled. “You must impress me. Remain in
Roatan awhile and get a taste of our island.”

“Impress you?”

“That is all,” Pablo replied.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the sights of
your paradise,” Steven said, changing the subject. “This is a long
way from New York.”

Pablo laughed. “I have bittersweet memories
of New York. Some of my best and worst times were there. That
doesn’t matter anymore; I can never return.”

“What happened in New York?”

Pablo carefully studied Steven’s face.
“Perhaps later we will find the time to discuss New York. For now,
we need to get you prepared for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Steven asked, surprised. “What’s
happening tomorrow?”

Pablo smiled. “Tomorrow morning we will dive
‘El Aquila’. It’s a huge wreck at a depth of one hundred feet.
”

Steven did not mask his distress. “I tried
scuba once many years ago, but I hated it. I certainly don’t plan
on reliving that experience.” Steven hesitated, hoping for a
sympathetic response, but Pablo only stared at him.

“Don’t worry. I am an expert diver and I have
the most advanced equipment money can buy,” Pablo replied.

“Pablo, with all due respect, I’m not going
scuba diving. I’m a land loving, city boy, and the thought of deep
sea diving is completely unappealing.”

Pablo raised an eyebrow. “That is
regrettable. Diving is a rite of passage and a requirement for the
information you seek.”

Steven was astonished. “Are you telling me if
I don’t go diving, you won’t help me?”

“I need to know something about you–something
which is meaningful to me. Everything I need to know will be
revealed when we dive.”

Steven thought about his options, knowing
there was only one. This was madness but unfortunately Pablo was
calling the shots. “Pablo, I’m scared of the ocean, and terrified
of diving,” Steven confessed, hoping that this admission might
exempt him.

“You can’t swim?”

“Sure I can swim. But I prefer large pools,
lounge chairs, and waitresses serving piña coladas. That’s my idea
of an aquatic adventure!”

Pablo chuckled. “You are a funny man!”

“May I at least consider your ultimatum?”

Pablo grinned. “You amuse me. It’s not an
ultimatum, only a request. Take your time to decide.”

The chef brought a large platter filled with
local fruits, surrounding a lobster salad stuffed into its
shell.

Pablo speared a chunk of lobster with his
fork. “Enjoy. The boat leaves at eight o’clock sharp. If you’re
there, we go diving. If not, we will have lunch again tomorrow
before you return to Miami.”

-------------------

That night, Steven lay in his bed unable to
sleep, agonizing over the imminent confrontation with his fear. He
thought about Detective Johnston. He owed him a call. He found his
old cell phone and held it, thinking of what he was going to say.
The phone rang twice before he heard Johnston’s voice.

“Steven? Could this possibly be you?” the
detective answered sarcastically. He was sitting at the gate
waiting for his flight to New York.

“Hello, Detective,” Steven said. “I’m
sorry.”

“Are you okay?”

“So far, yes.”

“You’ve been keeping me busy. How are you
enjoying Roatan?”

“What are you talking about?” Steven
stuttered, taken off guard and stalling to collect his
thoughts.

“Well, I assume you are still down in Roatan
with Pablo Munoz.”

Steven was speechless. If Johnston knew about
Pablo Munoz and Roatan, who else knew? “Do you want to tell me what
you already know so that I can save you time and you can keep me
from embarrassing myself?”

Detective Johnston sensed that Steven was
getting nervous and he didn’t want him to hang up. He changed his
demeanor. “I know a lot,” the detective replied. “I’ve been
following you for a while. As a matter of fact, I’m leaving Las
Vegas now.”

Steven’s heart was racing and he suddenly
felt ill. “What are you doing in Vegas?”

“Following you. I was too late to meet Billy
Veeksburn, but I did spend some quality time with Harry Chesney,
your cab driver. Did you know Harry and Billy were partners?”

Steven paused to digest this new information.
“No, I didn’t.”

“Well, it seems that Harry was the Scorpion’s
informant and he was responsible for getting Billy and three women
killed at Turtlehead Peak. Chesney told me he had no choice but to
betray Billy, because the Scorpion would have gotten the
information elsewhere and killed both of them.”

Steven couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Billy Veeksburn is dead? What happened?”

Detective Johnston immediately softened his
tone when he realized Steven hadn’t known about Billy’s death. He
didn’t want to lose Steven. “They found his body at the base of the
summit along with the bodies of three women. Each had been shot in
the head.”

“Holy Jesus!” Steven cried. “I saw those
women. They were drinking wine when I was talking to Billy. He was
going to escort them back to their cars. That’s why he didn’t hike
back with me.”

“The coroner placed their deaths between four
and six o’clock in the afternoon.”

Steven tried to recall the faces of the young
women.

“Are you there?” Detective Johnston
asked.

“I’m still here.”

“I bet you crossed paths with this psycho.
Can you remember anyone else you encountered on your hike?”

Steven remembered the athletic hiker in the
baseball cap and glasses inquiring about how many people were at
the summit. Steven focused in on the memory like a satellite
zooming in on a military target. He recalled the man’s physique and
height.

“Holy shit!” Steven exclaimed. “I actually
spoke to him! He was going to the summit. I can’t believe it! I had
him in my grasp!”

“You are extremely lucky to be alive. You
should have been the fifth body on that trail.”

“I guess you know that the man who killed my
family is the Scorpion. What else do you know?”

Detective Johnston considered lying to
Steven, but thought better of it. “I also know about Charlie in
Chicago, and that after your visit with Charlie, the Scorpion paid
him a visit as well.”

“Oh no,” Steven groaned. “Charlie’s dead
too?”

“No, Steven. That’s what has me puzzled.
According to Harry, the Scorpion left Charlie alive.”

Steven breathed a sigh of relief. “I can’t
tell you how glad I am to hear that! Look detective, I’m sorry. I
knew you wouldn’t let me do this, so I kept you out of the loop.
Don’t give up on me.”

“Are you telling me you actually may need my
help?”

“I don’t know.”

“Where are you going now?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying, and I’m sick of playing games
with you. I’ll ask you one last time.”