Cold Blooded III: Sins and Sanctions (Nick McCarty Assassin Series Book 3) (22 page)

Rachel sat down. “Sorry everyone. Jean and I had to define the future war zone parameters for a moment. Ed, Mona’s son, and my first husband Rick worked in accounting and IT for the Tanus Group in past times. That must be an amazing opportunity with a large string of stores involved. I bet you’re on call 24/7 to counteract problems.”

Ed sipped his Scotch while nodding with a smile in agreement. “You have it down perfectly, Rachel. It doesn’t seem to matter how well trained my managers are, I always get involved no matter what measures I have in place to counteract problems. I answer only to the store owner, David Huxley. He understands the glitches in IT departments so I never have to worry about nitpicking oversight. I explain everything in detail as problems arise.”

Nick and Gus exchanged a poignant moment of recognition at the mention of Huxley’s name with Nick shaking his head slightly.

“I know how important having an understanding boss is,” Rachel replied. She did not miss the silent exchange between Gus and Nick, nor did Jean. “The Huxley’s chain must be a sure thing. Are they like Walmart?”

“We try to please a broad consumer clientele like Walmart,” Ed hunched forward, obviously excited by his job. “We only deal in the furnishing, lighting, and appliance type products. It’s an incredibly competitive field. We have to keep up on market trends and competition on a daily basis. Dave loves the challenges and competition. He says it makes us stronger when cutting costs, and doing specials, while keeping our expenses in mind.”

“I don’t think I could handle a job like yours,” Nick said. “I bet the market fluctuations in products must drive you nuts.”

“Yes!” Ed became animated in spite of Celia’s calming hand over his. “We adapt almost on an hourly basis in some respects. You and Rachel seem very knowledgeable about franchises like Huxley’s.”

“We have some common ground,” Rachel said.

“There’s an understatement,” Jean tagged the conversation with a nine year old’s lance.

Nick immediately thwarted Jean’s attempt at a backdoor end around her Mom. “This chain franchise has always been a mystery to me, Ed. The hierarchy and chain of command must be intricate in design as well as implementation. How far does an owner like Mr. Huxley stay in the background? It would be incredibly tempting to try and run everything no matter how competent the people handpicked to run the operation.”

Ed settled with a noncommittal wave of one hand, and his Scotch in the other. “You’re right. There are overlapping intrusions, depending on the market, and the product involved. Dave keeps a tight rein on furniture shipments around the country, for example. Although they represent a small portion of profitable sales, Dave is in love with the movement of his company’s products to the far reaches of not only North America, but also overseas. We try to stay as cutting edge as we can get with designs and materials.”

“Markets overseas must be a scary entity in these times. I’m surprised Mr. Huxley feels they’re so valuable. I wouldn’t have thought furniture to be an overly profitable venture in these times. What’s your best market overseas?”

“Europe,” Ed stated. “We have an Avant-garde living room set that has caught fire there in sales. Dave is personally overseeing all aspects concerning that market. He checks constantly from when the shipment is loaded into the container to when it leaves the dock onboard a ship.”

“Dave stopped over our house last night,” Celia said. “He was upset about something, and wanted Ed to go over all the details for the container ship leaving port on Monday. He asked Ed if we’d like to accompany the shipment this time.”

Nick frowned as he pictured what accompanying the shipment meant. “Isn’t that rather unusual? I mean a container ship is not exactly a pleasure boat.”

“It would mean seeing Europe on the company’s dime,” Ed replied. “Dave wants me to oversee all deliveries. It seems like a big deal, but it’s more a reward. On the business side, I will meet with all our contacts overseas on a personal basis. One on one relationships with our business associates at the delivery level, instead of flying over on a chartered corporate jet where I’d meet with other suits in a boardroom, Dave believes will cement our position in over there.”

Nick watched the excited glow emanating from Ed’s features as he discussed the venture. His actions against Blackbeard and his gang had stirred David Huxley into action, worrying the shipment leaving port in less than two days could be at risk, because of what might have been found by the authorities at Blackbeard’s place. That meant to Nick that Blackbeard had been in charge of more than what he had claimed.
I must be losing my touch
.

“You look a bit grim, Nick,” Celia commented. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” Nick realized he had allowed his alter ego to surface for a moment.
This is what happens when I stop being a psycho, and start allowing family life to invade my other reality
. “I didn’t mean to put a damper on our dinner get together. You know how it is. I started thinking about sales, publishers, book signings, and the end of a long East Coast tour. I think it’s wonderful you and Ed can make a European tour with your company’s merchandise. I hope the merchandise will not be mishandled, my friends.”

The waitress arrived, took their orders and left. She returned with drink refills as Jean sensing something ominous in the prior conversation tried directing it with her own interrogation. “Uncle Ed. What would you do when the ship gets to port. How would you know who to contact or what to do?”

“Good question,” Ed answered, appreciative of Jean’s interest. “I have a number to contact when we’re nearing port. Dave said I’d be meeting with not only the dock crew responsible for accepting the container, but also a couple of our European connection’s people in charge at the retail level.”

“That must be a big container,” Jean continued.

Ed chuckled. “Actually, it’s four containers, honey. Each one has twenty of our living room sets packed so no harm can come to them.”

“Wow. I thought with all the terrorist threats, the authorities would check everything,” Jean said, leaning forward in an interested posture. “Don’t they rip your packing all apart before it ever leaves the docking area?”

“Most docking facilities have infrared scanners, but also scanners able to detect explosive materials. When they see furniture crates, they do a quick check during docking if they do it at all. They also have the offloading area under 24/7 surveillance. Besides, the containers have already been loaded awaiting departure.”

Jean smiled. “That’s good. What about drugs? Aren’t the port authorities, especially overseas, always inspecting for drugs? I’ve seen those movies where people in charge of railway stations, ports, and airports, frame people for extortion overseas.”

Jean’s observation amused the group, Ed in particular, but Nick and Gus not so much.

“I like your thinking, young lady,” Ed complimented her, “but we don’t ship drugs - just furniture. I doubt they’d plant drugs in our containers. I realize they do it all the time in the movies. The idea would make a good book though. Don’t worry, Jean. We’ll be fine.”

“I hope so, Uncle Ed.”

Tina saw Gus taking tiny sips of his drink with a big smile. “I figured you’d be on your third double by now, Gus. The signing’s over. I thought you and the famous author would be tossing them down. Soon, you two will be sitting on Otter’s Point beach with charged up coffees.”

“Gus and I are taking it easy on the sipping tonight,” Nick replied. “We’re thinking of going sailing when we return home. We need to make a couple of check lists for the trip.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Rachel agreed, noticing the undercurrent of purpose in Nick’s tone. “We’ll have a movie night with Mona tonight on the big-screen in the room, if that’s okay with you, Tina.”

“Sounds good to me,” Tina replied.

“This tour business is pretty tough, huh?”

“Yeah, Ed,” Nick answered. “Sometimes our schedule gets a bit hectic, filled with unexpected twists and turns.”

“And a Twilight Zone moment once in a while too,” Gus added.

* * *

Alone in the room’s office like décor area, with their female cohorts watching movies with popcorn, Nick poured two doubles. He called Paul with his secured satellite phone. “Did you find out anything, Paul? Gus and I did.”

“Quite a bit actually,” Paul answered. “I’ve been following your style on the news. That was really convenient of those bad guy neighbors to kill each other like they did. As to Blackbeard’s info, it seems he was entrenched in Huxley’s empire deeper than I figured.”

“Wait. Let me guess. Huxley had Blackbeard escorting a furniture shipment to Europe, right?”

“That’s damn good, Nick. I hate coincidences, but lay it on me.”

“Rachel’s sister-in-law, Celia Dalman, and her husband Ed work for Huxley. In fact, Ed is one of his area managers. On top of that cute coincidence, Celia and Ed were asked to sail with the shipment leaving Monday for Europe. The containers have already been loaded with avant-garde furniture bound for buyers in the old country supposedly. Is there any chance of getting the shipment hit before Rachel’s fall-guy in-laws board with Huxley’s drug shipment?”

“How certain are you the drugs will be stashed with the furniture?”

“I haven’t done one of the DEA’s two year stings, but I probably have as good a chance as if they had. Tell them to have the dogs sniff Huxley’s containers. I’ll bet they get excited. I’m more interested in what plans you have in mind for Huxley.”

“Are you worried about the in-laws? Huxley’s already stressed with his main man, Gustoff Banning found dead of an apparent suicide. A mystery like that coupled with Banning’s men suddenly having a shootout will have Huxley in a state of shock.”

“Gus and I figured the same thing,” Nick replied. “He’s putting the Dalmans in a spot to take the fall in case the shipment gets hit overseas. Who better than an area manager with access to the entire product line. What I don’t want is for the shipment to get hit here before it leaves, and Huxley put out a contract on the Dalmans, thinking they fingered the shipment.”

“What action do you have in mind?”

“It will have to happen shortly after or before the container search.”

“Today’s Saturday. Even the famous El Muerto would be taking a chance with such a task. I know Banning told you where to find him, but he skipped explaining the fact he ran the dock operation. We found his extensive overseas trips, where Banning worked the dock, shipped out with the container ship, and then flew home after delivery. I’ll do what I can to back your play. Any ideas on where and how?”

“It would be a fluke to catch him before the shipment hit,” Nick admitted, “but after the hit, he’ll be heading for the tall grass. He’ll know his ass will be on the no-fly list. Gus and I are looking for a little known place he owns where Huxley could lay low for a time. It will mean a slight gamble, but if he arrives at the place I stake out, it could mean a chance to sanction him without any aftermath. I could make it so no one knows about Huxley’s demise, or fix it so his body’s not found for a week.”

“Not bad, but what if you’re wrong?”

“I’ll have to do something more subtle,” Nick answered. “If not for the Dalmans, I’d let the cops handle Huxley any way they wanted. Family life’s complicated. What can I say?”

“I’ll let my DEA contact go ahead with the shipment raid then. I’ve heard on the grapevine your US Marshal friends are reaching out to you about Nancy Pettinger. Did you decide whether to deal with her for them? That’s a tricky one, Nick. The DOJ will throw you under the bus in a heartbeat if somehow you become a suspect.”

“I know. Any chance of you keeping her under observation. I’d like to know where to find her once I’m enlightened regarding the parameters my two rogue Marshal friends have in mind.”

“I can do that. Let me know if I can help with Huxley. If you locate a target area, I’ll open a door for you to access satellite data on your own. I know how you feel having more than us in on this, so I’ll send you a code access for a bird covering the next few days.”

“I appreciate that, Paul. It’ll help with our accelerated planning. I’ll be in touch.”

“Good luck, Muerto. Be aware with your notoriety, there will be heightened attention to anything done in the Charleston area.”

After Paul disconnected, Nick grinned at Gus. “It seems the higher echelon want frontier justice out here in the field, Payaso.”

“They sure are helpful. I like Paul. I know he’s playing his own angle, but I like the fact he distrusts letting more people in on this than absolutely necessary. If we find any property Huxley owns in the boonies, we’ll still be at risk for interception.”

“Are you trying to insult me, Payaso?”

Gus shook his head. “Sorry, Muerto. Let’s find the information. We’ll retrieve the satellite data on the target, and you’ll plot out where an interception team would stake you out from. I remember how you screwed the crap out of Frank and his NSA rogue unit in Colorado. You aced his interception team before killing the Senator.”

Nick bit his lip. “My Rachel told you too much, Payaso. Did she share the whole Senator deal?”

“She did, but only because Rachel needed to convince me trust is an ongoing project. I kept my mouth shut until now. Let’s assume I know what you’re capable of, and get on with this project planning sorry for the brief delay.”