Deep Into The Night (Hartz Island Series) (26 page)

They both groaned, but then pulled out their cellphones. They each called; two phones ringing at the same time would get someone’s attention.

Chapter Forty

J
ack stood next to Ray and Kip when their phones rang. Kip barked, “What the hell!” Ray expressed his displeasure with several expletives.

“I stand corrected,” Kip said. He threw up his hands. “Ray, do you know this place?”

“I do. Jack, follow me. Bring your camera.”

“So where are they?” Jack asked Kip, walking out to his Tahoe.

Ray had already backed out and was waiting for them.

“A neighboring piece of property looking down in the compound.”

“Ah, shit,” he muttered. No wonder Ray was pissed. “I thought they promised to stay away.”

“Evidently, I forgot to include the word compound in the promise. I’ll fill you while you drive.”

Fifteen minutes later, Jack parked next to Ray, who parked next to Kip’s truck. He handed Kip the camera, secured his gun and badge, and stuffed a dark cap in his pocket.

“I’m forgetting something.”

“Humor.” Kip smiled. “And patience.”

All three trooped across the field and reached the edge where the woods started.

“Where the hell are they?” asked Ray looking around. They spotted the three women waving. “Thank God they had enough sense to stay together,” he groused, walking toward them. “These people are no different than drug traffickers. They’ll stop at nothing for money. Do they not understand this?”

Jack understood Ray’s frustration and worry. “This is your jurisdiction. I’m just a Fed snooping around, but do you want me to deal with this?” he asked quietly. “Your patience is stretched.”

“Yes.”

Jack took the lead, approaching Jeannie, Cassie, and Montana. All three started speaking. He held up his hand, and they stopped.

“Keep your voices down. One at a time.” Jack saw Montana nudge Cassie forward.

She straightened herself and confidence vibrated. Very calmly and clearly, she outlined everything from Margery Anne going to the ferry dock to marching around the complex. Finally, he saw a glimpse of her old self.

“Okay,” said Jack. “Show us the rock.” He stepped forward with Cassie, and off they tromped through the woods. “Just out of curiosity, was this another nudist rock for you?”

“It might have been.” She smiled.

They stood at the base of the boulder and tree. Jack estimated it was a good twenty feet up. He glanced at Kip, who shook his head. Ray pulled up on the first branch and started the climb. Jack waited for him to jump over to the top of the formation before he started. Just like the women had done, they scooted forward on their stomachs to the edge.

“You have to admit, this is pretty ingenious of them to find this.” Jack clicked away with the camera.

Ray focused in with binoculars and sucked in his breath. “I am trying to imagine what Armstrong told the Black woman,” said Ray. “Watching her march a bunch of brides around, you might have to wonder if she really doesn’t know. Hopefully, she makes it out of this situation alive.”

Jack looked at Ray a little surprised.

“These shitheads are no different than drug lords. It’s just a different commodity. They kill when people get in the way.”

Jack had heard Ray’s background included the DEA. “You’re right. Are we finished?”

They scooted back and climbed down the tree. They filled Kip in on the details, and Jack clicked through the photos for him.

“Those photos should seal the deal on a search warrant with any judge,” said Kip. “The question becomes when. It’s Sunday. How fast do people work around here, Ray?”

“Honestly, I haven’t been here long enough to know.” Ray checked his watch. “I need to go let my dog out and make some phone calls. Why don’t we all meet back at the lodge at seven?”

“For dinner,” added Jeannie. “As repulsive this all is, we still need to eat.”

They all started walking back. Ray was in the lead, moving faster than the rest of them. He turned around and said, “Montana, are you coming?”

She sprinted forward.

“He can’t be too mad at her,” Jeannie said.

Ray and Montana trekked across the orchard before the others had reached the edge. The Jeep was long gone when they arrived back at the vehicles. Jeannie dangled Kip’s keys.

“Cassie’s stuff is still at Speedy Wash.”

“Then go. I’ll ride with Jack.”

They watched the women leave.

Jack turned around and stared out over the orchard. He raised his brows in question. “How agile are you these days?”

“Not like before, that’s for sure. Why?” Kip shifted his weight to the other leg.

“I thought I’d go check out that fence line. Do you want to come along?”

He grinned. “I thought you’d never ask. Wire cutters?”

“In the back of the truck.”

Kip and Jack skirted around the rock formation and cut through the thick undergrowth until they came to the fence, which butted up to the boulder. Hiding behind Douglas fir trees, they studied the terrain for any detection devices. They saw nothing, not even a trip wire.

“What are you thinking?” Jack asked.

“I say cut the fence and let’s see if they come running. Then, we will know.”

“So will they.”

“What we need is a rotted tree to fall on the fence.” Kip rechecked everything.

“Or some very large rocks to tumble down.”

Through the brush, they climbed back up the small incline to the boulder and the grassy meadow. Like Jack thought, other rocks were in the ground near the base of the large formation. He took off his jacket, zipped it, and knotted the sleeves. They filled it with the largest stones they could find. After several trips up the tree to the boulder, Jack felt they had enough aggregate to tumble down and create a disturbance. He tossed the various sizes of rocks over the ledge and hoped a few might land on both sides of the fence.

Jack scrambled down the tree. He and Kip made their way through the thicket, back to the fence where they hid. The whine of dirt bikes pierced the air. Coming in fast, two bikers whipped around and stopped near the fence. Each had rifles strapped to their backs. They surveyed the debris and pointed up to the formation. Only one of the men examined the fence. Satisfied, they left.

“Holy shit,” said Kip. “That answers our question. Something more is going on in there. High stakes for this sort of security.”

“Did you hear the language?”

“No, not really. Korean maybe?”

“This is really pissing me off.”

Out of defiance, Jack found a rock and threw it with all his might at the fence before following behind Kip.

Chapter Forty-One

J
eannie and Cassie glanced up from baking and prepping for dinner when Kip and Jack entered the lodge kitchen. Cassie smiled at Jack and sighed quietly.

“What took you so long?” Jeannie asked.

“We were just checking some things out.” Kip kissed her on the cheek and aimed his finger for a scoop of dough. She slapped it away.

“Did that include climbing a tree?” Jeannie took two big spoons and scooped out chocolate chip dough. She handed each of them one.

Jack stuffed his in his mouth. His eyes settled and on Cassie, making goofy faces at her with his spoon tucked firmly in his mouth. She rolled her eyes at him, laughing. Had he always been such a goof ball?

“No. Both feet stayed on the ground at the same time, just like the doctor ordered. Didn’t they, Jack?”

Jeannie pointed to the outer room where voices boomed back. “You need to go check that out. We have a lot more for dinner than the six of us. Ray called in the troops.”

Kip swiped a cooling cookie and left, but Jack stopped next to Cassie. “Honey, are you learning how to make these?” He pilfered a cookie.

“Yes. Among other things.”

“Good.” He kissed her and followed after Kip.

Cassie smiled and sighed.

For a moment, Jeannie studied Cassie before she said, “You do realize he’s in love with you.”

Cassie gasped and stared at her.

“I see it in his face, just like I see it in yours. He might not know it yet, but he is. Jack is a good man.”

Her mouth curved into a slow smile. “Yes, he is.” Cassie gazed out toward the big room where Jack had gone. “Jeannie, thanks for telling me. Sometimes I get so anxious and worried.”

“Someone told me that too, and I just had to believe. Trust your instincts.”

Five San Juan County sheriffs and the county prosecuting attorney had boated over from Friday Harbor. The Coast Guard had just tied up to Eagle’s Nest pier. Ray waited for everyone to join him before he made the introductions and called the meeting to order.

Ray briefed everyone on what they knew, with the last detail being the breach at the fence.

“Their quick response means some high stakes. I’m beginning to think something more is going on in addition to human trafficking. Any thoughts on what else it could be?” Ray asked the group. He passed around one iPad that had a display of the compound via an earth map, and another that Jack had downloaded the photos of the compound and Margery Anne marching the women around.

“Meth lab?” a sheriff suggested.

“You said the two bikers had assault rifles strapped to their back. What about illegal weapons?” another said. “If there is a Russian or Chinese connection, they could be shipping into Canada to be smuggled in.”

The discussion continued through dinner. Ray drew a diagram of Armstrong’s house, the county park, and the compound. He wrote WHO/WHERE/HOW at the top and stepped away. Cassie stood in the doorway and cleared her throat. She held up a tray. Ray nodded to Jack. In three steps, Jack was next to her and took the tray, setting it so whoever wanted to munch away could grab and gab. He followed her back into the kitchen.

“Just out of curiosity, what have you three been doing back here?”

“Well, Montana has made her own diagrams and positioned us on where she thinks we should be. Jeannie is placating her but also shaking her head a lot. Montana said all ops should have a name so she dubbed it
Your Cheatin’ Wife
, singing but improvising with her own words.”

He laughed. “Let me see what Montana has dreamed up.”

On the counter, Montana had a huge piece of white butcher paper. On it, she’d drawn a diagram of the island and placed pink packets of artificial sweetener for women and blue for men. She was more than happy to explain it all to him, moving packets around like game pieces.

When she finished Jack said, “You have some excellent ideas.”

“Why, thank you.” She grinned, looking very happy.

“In fact, I’m going to reiterate what you’ve just showed me.” Jack returned to the meeting area where everyone had dived into the cookies and were standing around talking. He motioned to Ray and repeated everything.

Jack was pretty certain Montana had been watching. As if on cue she came through the door with a tray of warm oatmeal raisin cookies. The scent filled the air, and she took her time, making the rounds until she reached Ray and Jack. Not wanting to be privy to the conversation, Jack excused himself leaving her with Ray.

“Ray, you know I’m right. The three of us have ears and eyes, and that makes three extra you don’t have.” Montana didn’t budge and held her ground until she saw him nod his head. She returned to the kitchen. She wasn’t totally defeated.

Jeannie was the first to ask, “So what did he say?”

“Not much. Just that he would consider everything.”

The three women cleaned up the kitchen and put the last of the dishes away. Montana sighed. “I just wished there was a way to see what they were doing without being seen.”

“Actually, there is,” Jeannie replied.

Montana cleared her throat for her to continue.

“If you crouch down on this side of the door frame, you can see all the way out to the fireplace, but they can’t see you.”

Montana moved cautiously to the frame. Like Jeannie had said, she could see all the way out. Cassie joined her.

“What’s going on?”

“Something’s up. Jack’s on the phone, and the other sheriffs are headed this way.” Montana almost tripped over Cassie running back to where they’d been sitting.

The officers went through the kitchen and headed down to the boats, followed by the Coast Guard. Ray stuck his head in the door and asked the three of them to come out to the big room.

Jack and Kip stood next to the whiteboard. Under Kip’s name, their names had been written. Everything else on the board had been wiped clean.

“Because of Kip’s injuries in Indonesia, he is taking a less stringent role.” Ray paused and then smiled. “Let me rephrase that. It will be stringent, but not physical. He has volunteered to coordinate the three of you, if you want to help.”

All three chorused that they did want to help.

“Take it away.” Ray motioned to Kip. He and Jack left the room.

Kip pointed to the farm, “This is where we will be, out of the way but able to get places fast. We want no vehicles in sight. Ray and Jack will be dropped off so they can head into the woods for surveillance. We’ll pick them up from point B. Depending on what happens, we will improvise. This will be a waiting game until conditions are correct. Then, all hell will break loose. You three will be with me.”

Montana squirmed in her seat. This wasn’t quite the action she had in mind. “Ah, Kip, what about Armstrong’s house? Who will be watching that?”

“Coast Guard and Sheriff Marine patrol will be out on the water.”

“What about the county park?”

“Ray will be positioned in the woods, watching both entrances.”

“And MAMW?”

“That’s where we might need to improvise.”

“Glad you thought of something,” she mumbled under her breath.

Ray and Jack came back, each carrying a gear bag, as did the county sheriffs. Twice Montana tried to catch Ray’s eye, but he wouldn’t look at her. Ray strapped on his bullet proof vest and secured his gun on his hip and one on his leg.

He walked over to her. “You look disappointed.”

“Maybe,” she said quietly.

“I want you safe.” He leaned in so fast she never saw it coming, and he kissed her.