AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Myra decided to phone Charles. She hadn’t had a private conversation with him since she and Annie had arrived in Grand Cayman.
“Hello, love.” Charles’s smile could be felt over the airwaves. “Are you girls enjoying yourselves?”
“Very much so, but it would be much nicer if my favorite companions were here.” Myra sighed. “And, of course, you, my dear.” She laughed.
“Aren’t you being the funny one now?” Charles teased. “What is the latest, love?”
“Annie and I are going to the bank to close out Fielder’s account. Annie is going to open a separate account with the same amount of funds so as not to upset Mac’s applecart. The plan is to send Fielder’s funds to several schools who are in need of supplies.”
“Splendid idea,” Charles said. “That should fix the pants on that tosser. Do you want Fergus and me to send you a list? This way you can make all the transactions at the same time.”
“That would be very helpful,” Myra replied. “We also need you to get in touch with Pearl. Annie will send details. Sounds like she’s fitting Fielder and Walsh for concrete shoes.”
Charles laughed. “I haven’t heard that expression in a dog’s age. And I know better than to ask questions. What’s on your agenda for this evening?”
“Annie and I are going to have dinner on our beautiful terrace tonight before our call. Then we wait.”
“Right,” Charles said. “Enjoy your dinner. We shall see you in a bit.”
After Myra had ended her call, Annie pulled out the room service menus. “I think we should order a bottle of champagne.”
“But the mission isn’t over yet.”
“We have the routing number and there is no way Fielder can get to his account before we do.”
“You always put a positive spin on everything.” Myra chuckled.
“That’s my job.” Annie gave Myra a hug.
Santo Domingo
Alexis, Maggie, and Eileen made themselves as comfortable as possible within the close confines of the truck cab. Luckily Maggie was petite, but Alexis’s long legs were battling the dashboard. “I have to get out. I’ll stand on the other side of the truck,” Alexis said. The turquoise-and-white pickup was parked about a hundred yards away from the main entrance to the REBAR complex. They didn’t know which way the truck would turn when it exited, so Alexis had moved a little bit of brush out of the way in case they had to make a quick U-turn.
Just before nine o’clock a tractor trailer’s headlights almost blinded them as it made a sweeping turn into the driveway to the plant. They all ducked down. Maggie stretched her neck, Alexis peered over the truck bed, and Eileen snapped photos with a telephoto lens. The guard pressed a button inside the small hut and the gate swung open.
“This could be it,” Maggie said in a loud whisper. The truck was unmarked, but it bore a commercial rental license plate and sticker. “Figures it’s a rental.”
Eileen read the numbers off the license plate and Maggie scribbled them down. She tore off the page of her notebook and handed it out the window to Alexis, who sent the information to Charles and Fergus.
The women had waited for over an hour when they saw the gate swing open again. Eileen and Maggie switched places to give Eileen free hands to tag the truck. The big rig took another sweeping turn from the lot and Maggie inched their way onto the road. Lying flat in the back on the truck bed, Alexis sent another message to Charles and Fergus:
ON THE MOVE.
It looked like they might be late for their nine P.M. virtual meeting. They had to be sure to tag the truck before it got to the port. Otherwise, it could get lost among the dozens of carriers waiting to be hoisted onto one of the cargo ships.
* * *
Izzie, Yoko, Annie, Myra, Zoe, Charles, and Fergus called in and gave their updates.
Annie went first. “Alexis got the routing number for the bank. Myra and I are going to the bank tomorrow to transfer funds to schools. Charles, do you have that list for us yet?”
“Still working on it, but should have something by the time you get to the bank.”
It was Fergus’s turn next. “Alexis sent the plates from the truck we believe is carrying the merchandise heading to Italy. I contacted someone who contacted someone at the International Maritime Organization. They are going to do a ‘random’ check.” He raised his eyebrows, almost as if to salute. As the retired head of Scotland Yard, Fergus made every attempt to remain invisible and, if possible, anonymous. Using his complicated web of contacts in dozens of departments and organizations was a much better tactic then anything coming directly from “the gov,” which could be considered interfering with matters that should not concern him. It was good to know people who knew people.
Izzie told everyone she was going to New York the next day to visit Zoe, who was also on the call. “I need to talk to a few of you offline later,” Izzie said. She did not want to discuss Mason in front of Zoe.
Charles continued the conversation, bringing up Kathryn. “She was supposed to stop in Lincoln and deliver a trailer of bok choy to a grocery store chain, but she’s making a detour and is heading toward Florence.”
