Page 42 of Under the Radar
22
Sitting under a palm tree on a deck overlooking the beach, the hot breeze fueled their thirst for locally brewed beers as they feasted on conch fritters, cracked conch, and freshly
roasted vegetables. Her favorites were the fritters with their peppery taste, dipped in Calypso
sauce. She licked her fingers to savor every drop, and through sheer willpower, pushed her plate
to the side.
“I’m saving room for dessert. There’s something on the menu called Dilly Crumble. It’s a fruit from the sapodilla tree they bake with spices and sounds yummy. Will you share it with me?”
Mac signaled for their waiter. “I’ll order two because I’ll eat a plateful by myself. You want coffee?”
“Yes, please.” She waited until he placed their order and laid her hand on top of his. “Hugh’s got quite the travel agency there, doesn’t he?”
“He does. He’s built that business from the ground up. Keeps him busy, and he likes the tourists. It’s nice to see a veteran make a good living once they retire.”
Mo narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but that travel agency is a facade for something else.”
Mac wiped the seasoning off his hands with the little wet naps provided. “Like what?”
“All the doors are made of heavy steel, and the front entrance has an air-lock when it closes.”
“The Caribbean has hurricanes, Mo. Lots of buildings have steel doors.”
She gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “And a receptionist who’s packing heat? Felicia was wearing a gun. I saw it when she invited me behind the counter to get my Switcha. She bent over to open a file drawer and the slit in her skirt exposed her thigh holster. Another was stuffed in her left bra cup close to her arm.” Mo tapped a glossy pink nail on the table and smiled. “Believe me, I store all kinds of things in that area. Phones, lip balm, money, an occasional credit card, but never once have I shoved a firearm in there.” She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips.
Mac’s lips quirked up at the corners. “I’ve been busted by my very observant and extremely intelligent lunch companion.”
“Uh-huh,” she laughed. “I never would’ve known Felicia was armed had I stayed in front of the counter like a customer. She invited me back. And don’t tell me that garage is just a garage. There are cameras and monitors all over the place.”
“It’s a Sanctuary depot, Mo. We have them around the globe. Hugh caters to tourists but also drives dignitaries and diplomats. A certain amount of security is necessary.”
Mo leaned back while the server set their dessert and coffee in front of them. “What business did you have there? I thought your unit was off for the summer. And that refreshment bag you’re hauling around weighs a lot more than a six-pack of Switcha. I tried to move it across the floor with my foot, and it’s really heavy.” She tasted the fruity crumble the second the waitress left. It was worth the hype. Freaking amazing dessert.
Mac took a sip of coffee and pushed his plate to the side. “You sure you want to know? I’d like to give you a carefree day in Nassau.”
She swallowed another mouthful of crumble bliss and pinned him with a stare. “You don’t need to protect me, Mac. Just say it.”
He placed his palms on the table. “Alright. After you told me what happened in Baltimore, I did some research. The heroin shipment in your car is worth millions.”
Old news. Brewster said that right away. She shrugged. “So what? That’s in Baltimore. I’ll deal with it when I get home. I’m sure Hadley and the cops are pissed off that I left town, but they’ll understand once they see my trashed apartment.”
Mac leaned forward and lowered his voice. “That’s not all, Maureen. We were followed in South Beach at the diner, the shoe store, and the beach.”
Mo crossed her arms and squirmed. “Why would you think that? You said it was the post-traumatic stress kicking in.” Ugh. She shook her head and winced.“I’m sorry to bring it up, but you did mention it at the time.”
“You’re right. I thought I was being paranoid. My senses feel the slightest change in wind direction, Mo. I’m telling you someone followed us yesterday, and we stayed one step ahead of them. That’s why I didn’t want to go to Little Havana.”
Oh, crap. She released a shaky breath and took a sip of water. “Okay, but now we’re in the Bahamas, away from the States. Whoever they are will have to wait until I get stateside to look for me again, correct?”
Mac rolled his shoulders, rubbed his neck. “It’s a small world, Mo. After you told me about the drugs, I contacted my friend at the BPD. The bags were numbered. Your car contained bags 1-10, 40-70, and various numbers up to 350. A portion of the shipment was in your car.” He tapped a finger on the table. “Where’s the rest of it? These people are pissed as hell that their delivery didn’t make it to the streets, and they possibly think you’re holding the rest. If we’re dealing with an international drug cartel, they have plenty of resources outside the US.”
Mo’s eyes bugged wide. “Are you telling me we’re in danger here—in Nassau?”
He slid his hand on top of hers. “I know we’re being tailed, and I’ve enlisted extra security for the day, just in case.”
“What kind of extra security?”