Necessary Retribution (11 page)

“You going to tell us about him?”

“Oh, Dad!”

“C'mon, you have to tell us something about him.”

“I'll tell you about him!” Eddie offered. “He's a senior, an honor student and a half-back on the football team. He wants to be a fighter pilot and he's helping me get better at football.”

Laurie's eyes slid over to Eddie with a dark glare.

Eddie just grinned back

“Does he have a name?” Robin asked.

“His name is Dan Hansen,” Laurie sighed with exasperation.

“He sounds like a good guy.”

“I think he is.”

Robin put his arm around his daughter's shoulders. “I'm glad you're doing well here, honey.”

Robin walked up to the receptionist at the Island County Sheriff's Office.

“Hi, I'm Robin Marlette and I have a nine o'clock meeting with the Sheriff.”

“Oh, yes, Mr. Marlette. He's expecting you. Come with me.” The receptionist let the Sheriff know his nine o'clock was here and led Robin to the end of a short hall.

The Sheriff was a tall, blond muscular man who looked vaguely familiar, but Robin didn't say anything.

“Come in, Mr. Marlette.”

“Please call me Robin.” He shook the sheriff's hand. “It's nice to finally meet you.”

The sheriff smiled. “Call me Pat. We've met before.”

Robin took a deep breath. “I was afraid of that.”

“I used to be a team leader on the Seattle SWAT team. I attended a conference in Phoenix where you gave a presentation on the tactical aspects of taking down air smugglers and I talked to you afterward. Don't worry, I have a good idea of what's going on. As you know us SWAT guys have occasion to come in contact with some lesser known federal agencies, so it wasn't hard to figure out what's going on when I saw your name in Mel's case report. I haven't
mentioned this to anyone and I won't. I'm just glad the rumors of your death are premature.”

“Actually, the rumors came close to being true for several of my team, but we all survived, although some of us not in the same condition as before.”

“Well, I appreciate what you did for us the other day and whatever you're doing now, I just want you to know if there's anything we can do to help out, let us know.”

“I appreciate the offer and if there is anything my team can do, just let me know.”

“I will. You don't have to worry about going to court on the armed robbery. Mel tells me the suspect is going to take a plea.”

“That's a relief. Mel struck me as good detective. Has is priorities straight.”

“He's my best.”

“The young trooper did a good job too, really. I think he figured the bad guy was out for the count and I was his only threat. He'll grow into a fine officer.”

“I guess you haven't heard about Trooper Echoles.”

“No, I haven't.”

“He was arresting a suspect on a felony warrant. The suspect started to resist and they struggled in between their cars. A drunk slammed into Echoles’ patrol car pinning Echoles and the felony suspect. The suspect was killed and Tim is in critical condition at Harborview.”

“Damn, the same thing happened to some of our guys in Arizona. One of them died. What are Tim's chances?”

“They think he'll survive, but the doctors are saying he'll never walk again, which might kill him in the end.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tim lived to be a trooper. He has a master's degree in economics and a doctorate in business administration, but he loved being a trooper and that's all he wanted to do. Now, that's over.”

“Sheriff, please keep me informed of Trooper Echoles’ condition and if his family needs anything, I want to know about that also.”

“The State Patrol is doing a good job of taking care of them, but if I hear anything, I'll let you know. They have set up a fund for the family with Whidbey Island Bank.”

“Thanks for the information. I've got to get going, it's been great talking to you.”

“Same here, Robin.”

“I'll be seeing you, Pat.”

Robin left the Sheriff's Office and walked over to Whidbey Island Bank where he transferred ten thousand dollars to the Echoles fund as an anonymous donation.

Two hours later, Robin walked into his warehouse office suite. Ann Newman, who now handled all of the business phones and clerical work followed him into his office. Ann was the sister of Fatboy's navigator/pilot, Eric and the wife of a lawyer that the team put in prison for life. Ann divorced her husband and refused money the government offered her as a settlement concerning the seizures of all of her husband's assets because it was “dirty money.” When the team became operational, Robin hired her.

“I'm sure glad you're back here.” She plopped a stack of folders a foot high on his desk. “You need to make some decisions on the shipment and purchase contracts or Worldwide, Inc. will be out of business before you can say Worldwide, Inc. We're backed up with the ones you need to make decisions on. We also need to decide what shipments we are going to pick up in our plane or have shipped by common carrier.”

Robin stared at the stack. “Transfer the phones to the com center and bring the rest of the stuff in. We'll work our way through them until we're finished.”

It took twelve hours to plow through half of the contracts and after a two hour drive home it was three in the morning when Robin finally crawled into bed.

Karen spooned her body along his and wrapped her arm around his waist. “Do you really think you can run this company and command missions all by yourself?”

“I honestly don't know.” Robin relaxed in Karen's warm embrace. “I didn't think the business end would get this busy so quickly. Our in country reps are working their tails off. They're finding great products at good prices, finding good markets for US products and products other reps are finding in other countries. The logistics are a nightmare and keeping up with import/export laws and taxes is almost worse than SEAL training.”

“Can't any of the other guys help?”

“They are. Ernie's managing the facilities; Burke's managing the loading docks and the other guys are managing the country reps. These two back to back missions really screwed up the business end of things.”

“You need to hire more people.”

“Ann said the same thing.”

“We women always know best.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

“Is there any way I can answer that without getting into trouble.”

“Just agree.”

Robin chuckled and laced his fingers through Karen's. “I think I'll go to sleep now.”

But Robin didn't sleep. Ann and Karen were right. He had to find some good people to manage the day to day business of the company. The reps were relying on the home office to process orders and shipments in a timely manner. He just didn't know where to start looking for the kind of talent who could deal with the other side of the business and keep it secret.

T
HIRTEEN

BARZAN AL TIKRITI
listened intently to President Hussein's words. That is what one did if he expected to survive a meeting with his Excellency.

“We must show the Americans this war they have fostered upon us will cost them dearly.”

“Mr. President, I will immediately issue strike orders. I already have a list of targets and plans for attack as you ordered when you decided to take back our land. We should be able to strike within thirty days.”

“Very good, Barzan. I'm sure you have enlisted the assistance of our Palestinian, Korean and Libyan friends.”

“Yes, sir, and the Russians and the Chinese have offered logistical support.”

“Good…and Barzan…”

“Yes, Excellency?” Al Tikriti looked into Hussein's dark narrowing eyes.

“Do not fail me.”

Mark Warren held Jessica Lanthrop closer as they danced, elated he took the chance and called the number she had given him in Mindanao. He took her for a quiet dinner and now they were in a
night club in downtown Seattle. Jessica took her head off his shoulder and smiled at him.

“You're not nearly as intimidating as the night you rescued me.”

“I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you, I was just ready to fight for your life. It takes a certain mindset and I'm sure it showed on my face.”

She put her head back on his shoulder. “I feel safe with you.”

Mark's heart pounded. Jessica's perfume was intoxicating and her body pressed against his stirred intense desire in him he never felt before. The band finished the slow song and launched into a rock ’n’ roll number.

Jessica took Mark's hand and led him out of the club. “I need to smell the ocean.”

“I'll get a cab.”

“No, Mark. I want to walk and don't tell me it might be dangerous. I think I'm with a man who can handle anything…and I felt your gun.”

“Okay, we'll walk.”

As the couple strolled down towards the Seattle waterfront, Jessica took Mark's hand. “How come you don't have a girlfriend?”

“I haven't met anyone who interested me enough…until tonight.”

Jessica smiled at Mark. “You must be demanding!”

“No, I don't think so. It's just I know when I fall in love, I'll devote myself to that person. So, she needs to steal my heart.”

“And no one has?”

Mark did not answer for a moment. He stopped and took Jessica into his arms. “Not until tonight.” He kissed her softly.

“Do you live far from here?”

“My condo is just two blocks away.”

“Will you take me there and make love to me?”

Mark became a little embarrassed and looked down. “Jessica, I never…I'm a virgin.”

Robin walked into Tim Echoles hospital room.

“Remember me?” Robin approached the hospital bed and shook the state trooper's hand. Sheriff Pat Stewart told Robin Trooper Echoles’ recovery wasn't progressing as it should. He seemed to be almost fighting his physical therapist's attempts to facilitate his healing.

Tim nodded his head.

“What's the matter? Can't you talk?”

“I can talk. I remember you.”

“I just talked to your wife. She's really worried about you. In fact, everyone's worried about you.”

Tim turned his head away.

“Look at me!” Robin snapped.

Tim's head jerked back. “Who in the hell do you think you are?”

“I'm exactly who you think I am and I'm the guy who is going to offer you a job.”