The Covert Element (33 page)

"Babe, it doesn’t matter how it affects our plans. We
have
to
tell Gunner and Bull. They’re both in this mess with us. They need
to have this information for their own protection."

I considered for a long minute before answering.

"You’re right, Beth. It’s just too dangerous for us to keep this to
ourselves. If Gunner or Bull reacts unpredictably, we’ll just have to
cross that bridge when we come to it."

I took a cleansing breath.

"I’ve gotta tell Gunner about the tied up Mexican anyway. If
you’ll give me those coordinates, I can kill two birds with one
iPhone."

Beth wrote out the GPS location on a scrap of paper and
handed it to me.

I proceeded to call Gunner.

"Chief Deputy Gunderson."

"Yeah. Hey, Gunner. It’s me . . . the guy that’s probably got
your house under twenty-four hour guard."

"As a matter of fact . . . . So are you bringin’ me more good
news? Our last plan sorta went in the dumper."

"It kind of depends on what you consider good news. First of
all, I need to report a kidnapping."

"A kidnapping! Who got kidnapped?"

"Me. I got un-kidnapped now. But the kidnappers are still at
the scene of the crime. One of them needs some help."

"I know I’m gonna wish I hadn’t asked this, but . . . what about
the other one?"

"Well . . . he’s sorta dead."

I cringed.

"How do ya get ‘sorta dead’? Never mind. I don’t want to know
that either. Where do we find these guys?"

I gave him the coordinates.

"No street address? Where are they? On the moon?"

"On a small island in the river. You won’t have any trouble
finding the cabin they’re in. It’s the only one on the island. Maybe
bring some EMTs, crime scene guys, you know, the usual
kidnapping crew. I’ll come down to the station and give you a
statement just as soon as the price gets off my head."

"Well . . . I’ll say this for you, Beck. You’re never a bore."

"That was the little news, Gunner. Now I’ve gotta fill you in on
something really big. Can you handle it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not really. I think you need to know this."

Gunner gave a big sigh.

"Okay. Lemme have it."

I proceeded to tell him the shocking news Beth and I had just
received from Dan Trew. At first, Gunner didn’t believe me. I
couldn’t give him my source. I offered to show pictures, though. In-person only. I couldn’t risk word getting out to the cartel.

"So what do you s’pose I should do with that tar-baby, huh?"

"I didn’t know you were a Br’er Rabbit fan, Gunner – using
‘tar-baby’ like that."

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just don’t appreciate
the sticky situation . . . that’s all."

"Fine. We’ll discuss the rabbit stories some other time, though,
if that’s okay with you."

"Oh, shut up!"

"I’m working on what I think we should do with this new intel.
You do anything you think you need to do in the meantime."

"Okay. So where’s this guy at anyway?"

"Sorry. Chhht. The line’s breaking up. Chhht. Gotta go. Bye."

"Well," Beth said. "That sounded like it went well."

Sarcasm.

"Not bad." I scrunched up my face as though fearing a right
cross.

"What was that Br’er Rabbit stuff about?"

"Oh, that. You kinda had to be there. No biggie."

Beth placed her arms across her chest. I decided to move
things along.

"So now that Gunner knows, I suppose I should go find Bull
and fill him in, huh."

"Probably a good move." Beth’s eyebrow was still raised, as
though she didn’t trust me.

Of all the undeserved insults . . . .

"Hey, Bull," I yelled as I bounded for the front door. "Bull . . . ."

I closed the door behind me, leaving Beth alone with her
thoughts.

* * *

I found Bull in the driveway washing down his Jeep.

"Hey, Bull. You want a beer?"

"No."

He kept scrubbing with a sponge.

"Where’s the Sergeant? He around here somewhere?"

"Nope. Went for a walk."

I moved close to Bull and whispered.

"We need to talk. Just you and me. I don’t want Fuentes to
hear."

"He’s gone for now."

"Yeah, but he might come back any minute."

"I’ll know when he comes back. I’ll tell you."

Uncanny hearing was obviously one of those Indian talents that
I would never comprehend.

"Okay. Here’s the deal."

I told Bull the same stuff I’d told Gunner – minus the
kidnapping of course. He already had intimate knowledge of that.
Bull kept sponging and spraying through my whole speech. He gave
no sign of surprise . . . or even interest. When I had finished
disclosing my "big news," I asked if he had any thoughts.

"Figures."

"Whattya mean, it ‘figures’? None of it ‘figures.’ It’s a total
surprise. Therefore, it absolutely cannot ‘figure.’ You gotta be nuts."

"Figures you’d say that."

He grabbed the hose off the pavement and sprayed the car –
and anyone in the vicinity – vigorously.

At least I had done my job. I had told both Gunner and Bull my
earth-shattering news. It seemed like Gunner didn’t want to know
and Bull already knew. Sometimes it’s hard to be a volunteer do-gooder. There’s just no appreciation in the job anymore.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

As darkness began to fall on the bluff tops, Sergeant Fuentes
returned from his walk. I checked the local radio news station. No
word of a bombing. That was good. Fuentes wasn’t in the mood to
chat, though.

"Mind if I take your Jeep into town, Bull?"

Say "no." Say "no."

Bull fished a beer out of the fridge, then tossed Fuentes the
keys.

"
Gracias, Amigo
. Don’t wait for me. I may be late in
returning."

I couldn’t believe Bull had just set Fuentes up with
transportation to go blow up the meth lab. As soon as Fuentes left, I
confronted him.

"What the hell were you thinking? You just gave Fuentes a ride
to blow up Bellechester Organic. He’ll probably do it tonight, before
we can get the cops in there. Dammit, Bull."

Bull sipped on his bottle of Summit Ale.

"Well . . . what do you have to say to me?"

Bull thought for a moment.

"You want a beer?" He motioned with his bottle toward the
refrigerator.

I wasn’t sure whether I should laugh or cry.

"You worry too much. I’ll take care of Sarge. He won’t blow up
the lab tonight."

"Oh, for God’s sake. How do you know that?"

"He’s not ready."

Bull put down the empty amber bottle and returned to the
fridge for another.

I was doing deep breathing exercises as fast as possible without
hyper-ventilating.

"You relax tonight. He’ll try to blow up the lab tomorrow."

"How do you know that?"

I was sounding like a broken record.

"He won’t wait for the cops. Tomorrow he’ll try."

I was dumbfounded.

"I don’t suppose you know
what time
tomorrow he will try to
blow up the lab?"

Bull popped the cap off the Summit with his pocket knife. He
took a pull on the beer.

"Nope."

A twenty-four hour window is not exactly ideal when you’re
trying to catch someone in the act. But it is workable if you have
enough reinforcements.

Within minutes, I was back on the phone with Gunner. He
would have to come through big time to stop Fuentes and make this
whole bust work.

About 10:00 p.m., Bull headed for the door.

"I’m going for a walk now. Don’t wait up. I’ll be late."

Before I could even think of what to say, he was out the door. I
stood to follow him. By the time I reached a window I could see him
jogging down the drive.

Man, that Indian could get my goat.

Now he and Fuentes were both gone, and Beth and I were
supposed to "relax."

Just freakin’ great!

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

It was close to midnight, and the Bellechester Elevator was
dark and quiet. Raphael Santos worked quickly. He knew exactly
where he would place the
Dos Equis
bottles filled with C4 to achieve
maximum effect. It took him less than an hour to rig everything as
he wished.

Now it was best to leave town until the appointed hour when
Dosdall and Ashcroft would arrive.

Tomorrow would be the beginning of the end for
Los Cinco
.

* * *

Though Santos could not have known, he was not alone on this
night. A shadowy figure kept vigil from behind the trunk of a stout
elm. The man was pleased with what he saw. This was going to be
easier than he had thought.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

I awoke with the sun the next morning – the day on which Bull
had said the bombing would occur. Though I’m usually a light
sleeper, I hadn’t heard either Bull or Fuentes arrive home the night
before.

I slipped out of our bed, trying not to wake Beth. I was relieved
when I checked their rooms and found both of them asleep in their
beds.

I needed to speak with Gunner to see if he had found success
with federal or state backup. I slid quietly out the door.
Remembering Bull’s incredible hearing, I walked down the
driveway to the main road before placing my call to Gunner. Even at
this distant location, I would speak in low tones.

"Chief Deputy Gunderson."

"You’re up early this morning, Deputy."