M.I.A. Hunter: Miami War Zone (28 page)

"And speaking of rules,"
Allbright
said.

"What about them?"

"Stone lied to us. He didn't cooperate at all."

Rosales smiled. "We didn't cooperate either. We didn't tell him about the drug lab. He had to find it out on his own."

"He did it pretty fast."

"A good thing, too. If he'd waited another two, three weeks, why, we'd have beat him to it."

W
illiams was not pleased when he conferred with Bass, Benton, and Ferguson at their office.

"Stone screwed it all up," he snarled. "We had ourselves set up, with
Wofford
right in the thick of things. He was out on a buy that could have eventually led us right to Mr. Big."

Ferguson snickered. "Bigger than
Feliz
, Crazy Charlie, and Don Vito?"

Williams glared at him. "How can we be sure that they weren't just small fry? And now we'll never know, because Stone has killed them all."

"But how about the drug lab?" Benton asked. "We've been after that one for years, and we never even came close to finding out the location, much less doing anything about it."

"We would have gotten around to it, one of these days. It was just a matter of time."

"How much time?" Bass wanted to know. "We've been working for years, and Stone is in town twenty-four hours and takes it out."

"I don't want to hear any more about that goddamn Stone!" Williams yelled. "And where's
Wofford
? Answer me that one. Where's
Wofford
?"

They all knew the answer, had all heard it from Rosales, just as Williams had, but nobody said a word.

"I'll tell you then. He's dead. Just like everyone else that Stone got mixed up with. I think we could have gotten him out alive if Stone hadn't butted in and ruined things."

"I don't see how," Ferguson said. "We didn't even know where he was." He took a cigar out of his coat pocket and put it in his mouth. He didn't light it.

"We would have found him—"

"—eventually," Benton finished. "But by then he would have been just as dead. We all know that."

"I don't know that!" Williams roared. "You don't know that! I think something should be done about Stone!"

"And what would you suggest?" Bass asked.

"Stone should be arrested."

"You saw his credentials. We're not interested, right, gentlemen?"

"Right," Benton said.

Ferguson rolled the cigar around in his mouth and nodded. "Admit it," Bass said. "He's broken the back of the pipeline. Drug Alley won't ever be the same after this."

"Yes it will!" Williams stormed.

"No, it won't. There'll be a power struggle, maybe a few more deaths, and some new strong man will come out in the open. But there won't be an organization like
Feliz's
again for a long time. And I doubt that there will ever be another drug lab like the Colombians had. We ought to think about giving Stone a medal."

A lot of the steam seemed to go out of Williams. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do. We all feel the same way."

Williams shook his head. "Maybe you're right, after all. I hate to admit it, but maybe you're right."

S
tone and his team were wrapping things up at the safe house. Carol had booked a commercial flight for them early in the evening, but most of their gear would have to be transported another way. Since there was no rush, they had arranged through their Fort Bragg connections to have it picked up at the safe house later.

Stone was packing his
camos
when he remembered the papers that he had picked up in the drug lab. He knew that Rosales would want to see them, and so would the D.E.A. He called police headquarters and got through to Rosales.

"Meet me at the airport at nine-thirty. I have something for you."

"What is it?"

"Just a little present. It may be nothing."

"That's all right. I'll be there. I want to thank you."

Stone broke the connection and called the local D.E.A. headquarters. Williams was there, and they had a similar brief conversation.

There would also be a third party meeting them at the airport.
Kathi
Wofford
was flying in to claim her husband's body. She would be arriving at nine o'clock, and they had arranged to meet.

Stone wanted to tell her in person that he was sorry he had been unable to reach Jack in time, and Hog wanted to tell her about Jack's death.

After hanging up the call to Williams, Stone thought he might have a look at the papers himself. He never knew when such information as they might provide would come in handy. He was not ready to devote his life to stopping the drug traffic, but if he ever found himself in a situation where he had to deal with it again, he wanted to know all he could.

He found a chair and rustled through the papers, stopping every now and then when he came to some interesting point.

Hog, Loughlin, and Carol went on with the packing. Stone seemed to show no particular attention to any one page, but they all thought he would tell them if there was anything they should know.

When he was finished, he folded the papers and put them in his pants pocket. "Ready?" he asked.

"Just about," Hog said. "I think we've got time to eat before we get out to the airport. I'd hate to leave anything in that refrigerator. I'm so hungry I can see cornbread
walkin
' on the ground."

"We don't have any cornbread," the Brit reminded him. "I'll have to fix you some one of these days. But right now, a sandwich would go just fine."

K
athi
Wofford
stood with Stone and his team in the Miami International Airport and listened to their story. She would allow no apologies.

"His death accomplished more than he would ever have thought possible," she told them. "All these years, he risked his life, but he never really stopped the drugs for more than a week. Now he has, with your help. He would have been proud to know what he was a part of."

"He knew something, there at the drug lab," Hog told her. "I don't know what, but he
knew
."

She touched Hog's massive arm. "Thank you." She turned to Stone. "I'm glad you saw him, talked to him. I know it helped him, having you there."

"I was glad to be there," Stone said. "He was a brave man."

He raised his gaze and looked down the corridor. There were the usual travelers, a few small children, baggage handlers, and a cart going by making its warning noise. At the metal detector, Rosales and Williams were showing their badges and being allowed to bypass the alarm.

"Here are two more people you should meet," Stone told
Kathi
. "One of them was your husband's boss. The other is head of the Organized Crime Division of the Miami police."

Rosales and Williams walked up. Stone made the introductions.

Williams made the expected remarks to
Kathi
Wofford
about her husband's bravery, his service to the agency, how much he would be missed.

Then he began to thank Stone. "I know I didn't want you here. I thought your methods would cause nothing but trouble. Not that they didn't, but at least they were effective. I was wrong, and I want to apologize."

If Stone was surprised, he didn't show it. "I knew you wouldn't like my being here, but I have to admit I thought you overplayed your reaction. Now, though, I understand why."

Stone reached into his pocket and took out the papers that he had found in the drug lab. He handed them to Rosales.

"These came from the Colombians. Among other things there, you'll find the names of their major suppliers. And you'll also find out why someone might not have wanted Jack
Wofford
to be rescued."

Rosales flipped through the papers. "Not wanted him rescued? Why?"

"Because someone was afraid that
Wofford
, being captured, might learn that this someone was taking money from the drug dealers, something Jack wouldn't have learned on the streets. The someone's name and number are listed, along with some others the Colombians bought. I expect our bad apple was selling information to the Cubans, too. Maybe even to Don Vito and Crazy Charlie."

Rosales was running his finger down a page of names. He looked up at Williams. "
You!
" he said.

Williams didn't hesitate. He grabbed
Kathi
Wofford
around the throat and pulled her in front of him. Then he drew his pistol, a short-barreled .38. "You should have left quietly, Stone."

Stone cursed himself silently for not warning Hog and Loughlin about Williams. They would have prevented the scene now confronting them, but he had thought of Williams as a blustering coward, not as someone who would take action. He had made a cardinal mistake. He had underestimated an opponent.

Williams dragged Mrs.
Wofford
backward toward a baggage car that was being unloaded at the counter. He got on it, still holding her, and began to drive away.

"Hey!" the skycap who was unloading the cart yelled. "You can't do that!"

Williams didn't bother to answer.

Loughlin, Hog, and Stone were off in pursuit of the jangling cart. Carol Jenner was right behind. They had no weapons, but they could not afford to let Williams get away. Stone, particularly, did not want
Kathi
Wofford
to get hurt. He felt a personal responsibility.

Rosales trailed along behind them. He was the only one with a gun, and he had it out and ready. He could not shoot, however. There were too many innocent people in the way. He was afraid that any second now airport security would get into the act and bullets would begin to fly. If that happened, it was only too possible that someone would get hurt.

Still, Rosales felt a slight thrill. He had been on the sidelines throughout the whole episode involving
Wofford
, and he had felt not only left out but guilty at his lack of accomplishment.

Now he had a chance to redeem himself. He ran faster.

W
illiams hoped he would not have to kill the woman. He had been the cause of her husband's death, indirectly of course, but still the real cause. He had sent
Wofford
to Miami only because he was a familiar face there. He had thought that
Wofford
would prove ineffective and the whole operation would be canceled. But it hadn't worked out.
Wofford
had been recognized, all right, and then used as a pawn. Who could tell what he might have overheard?

The cart careened down the corridor, people jumping to the left and right to avoid it. Let them. Williams didn't care. He'd hit them if he had to. He had to get out of there. Stone was crazy. He would kill Williams as he had killed all the others.

Williams flew past souvenir stands, newsstands, fast-food restaurants. He knew the others were behind him, but he was gaining. They didn't dare shoot, not in the terminal.

He came to the main doors, stopped the cart, and got off. He tapped
Kathi
Wofford
behind the left ear with his pistol and tossed her aside, strolling through the doors as if he were a casual visitor.

Outside, he was in an area of taxis, minibuses, and automobiles. He looked for the way to his car in the parking lot. Stone came through the doors.

Williams hadn't expected him so soon, and pumped off a shot reflexively.

Stone ducked and the bullet slammed into a blue
Samsonite
bag being put into a taxi by a tired traveler, who looked up, startled.

Williams began to run.

Stone followed, and Rosales came through the doors. He had left the rest of Stone's team with Mrs.
Wofford
. Seeing Williams and Stone, he went after them.

Williams was sweating inside his suit in the muggy night air. He had taken a wrong turn and couldn't get to the parking lot. He didn't know where he was going.