Charles lifted her face to his. “But she is back. And she is safe. Do I need to remind you of your credo? ‘Whatever it takes.’ You know we shall keep them safe.”
Myra looked up at him and smiled. “Or someone is going to be in very big trouble!” She laughed. Myra knew that when it came to their missions, the sisters were as adept as any special ops team. The Sisterhood had some of the deepest connections and access to information, people, places, and things. Whenever things did not go according to plan, they would change the plan. They were that adaptable. They had to be. Too often, circumstances would require a switch in strategy. Winging it wasn’t a preferred method, but the group was swift, stealthy, and ingenious. Plus, they had each other’s backs. Always. Myra hoped that things would progress smoothly and nothing go awry. First and foremost, they had to locate Gabby. Once she was safe, they could begin to take on the crew that had put her in peril.
Lady and her pups announced the arrival of Nikki with yapping, barking, and tails wagging. Just as soon as the ruckus subsided, it began again when Maggie pulled in. Over the next few minutes it would be a cacophony of yelps, hugs, and treats. The hugs weren’t limited to the pooches, either. High fives, hugs, and smooches were the typical greeting among the sisters. They acted like teenagers, including pulling stunts like sliding down the banister. Once the commotion was over, everyone took a seat at the kitchen table.
Before the women had arrived, Charles had set out a tray of scones, croissants, and muffins, along with a large bowl of fruit. Maggie was the first to dive in. “Oh, Charles, you always know what to serve.”
“As if it mattered!” Annie chortled.
Fergus stifled a laugh, trying not to choke on his coffee.
As they munched on the fine baked goods, Charles handed them burner phones and a flash drive with the latest information they had, while Annie gave them the run-down. “Maggie, you will go to the Herald and talk to a few of your colleagues while we try to unravel the shell companies The Haven is associated with.” Maggie nodded in response. “Yoko, you will go to the flower district and meet up with your distributor. He will bring you to the farmers’ market and have you work at his stall, so you can keep an eye on The Haven’s comings and goings. Alexis, you will go to the farmers’ market as a tourist and check them out front and center. Buy a few items, engage in conversation with them. See what you can find out about this woo-woo crew.”
Fergus informed them that even though Avery’s people weren’t available, he had asked a colleague who lived in Miami to scope out The Haven for any obvious security. “There doesn’t seem to be much. The area is fenced in, but more as a property marker than a deterrent. There are security cameras at the front entrance, the main house, and over the doors of the outbuildings. It’s simple loop video. It tapes over every twenty-four hours, so in essence there is no video-security history. All that’s on tape is the last twenty-four hours.”
Myra interjected, “We don’t want any of you approaching The Haven until we have more background information. We don’t want you walking into something we know little about.”
Charles added, “Fergus and I are looking into the shell companies. It still may take a few days before we can get banking information. Interpol is always closing the back doors to their technology. It doesn’t stop hackers but slows them down a bit.” A few guffaws filled the air. If anyone knew about hacking it was Charles, Fergus, and the Sisterhood. “We’re waiting for new Internet routing system codes.” Charles’s eyes scanned the room. Annie was biting her lip, trying not to laugh.
“What?” She looked at Charles, hiding her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle.
Charles cleared his throat, and continued, “We’ll conference in tomorrow evening at nineteen hundred hours.”
Lady was barking at the arrival of the car that was to take them to the airport. “Good luck, be safe.”
“Whatever it takes!” they cheered in agreement, high-fived, and hugged.
Annie pulled Maggie aside. “You will need this.” She handed Maggie a bottle of fifty SPF sunscreen. “Those freckles don’t have a chance in Miami! Be sure to use it.”
“And wear a hat!” they said in unison. They chuckled and hugged one more time before the girls headed to the car.
The plan was for Yoko, Maggie, and Alexis to take Annie’s Gulfstream jet to Miami Executive Airport. Once they landed, they would each rent a car and drive to the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
Miami-Dade County sits at the southeast corner of Florida, covering over two thousand square miles, one-third of which is part of Everglades National Park. Coral Gables provided easy access to the spiderweb of expressways they would have to travel to Downtown Miami, Homestead, or wherever their leads would take them.
*
It was almost noon when they arrived in Miami. The drive to the hotel had taken almost an hour. By the time they checked into their suite with adjoining rooms, it was close to two o’clock. Maggie checked her watch. “It’ll take me about a half hour to get to the Herald building. I’m meeting up with an old friend for coffee at four.”
“The flower market is also about thirty minutes from here. I told Freddie I’d stop by to grab a drink after work,” Yoko informed the others.
“I’ll review the files again while you’re both out,” Alexis offered. “I’ll order room service.”
“Ooohhh ... room service,” Maggie cooed.
“Girl, don’t you ever not want to eat?” Alexis chided her.
Maggie shrugged. “At least I haven’t bitten my nails in a while!” She grabbed the room service menu. “Just doing research.” She let out a big grin. “Depending on what I find out, I may not have time for dinner, so I want to know what I can plan on for later.” She gave Alexis a wink.
Yoko pulled out her phone and dialed Annie’s number. Alexis and Maggie could only hear one side of the conversation. “We’re here. Yes. All Checked in. Uh-huh. I won’t. Yes, I will. Thank you. You too!” She snapped the phone shut.
The other two women placed their hands on their hips. “Well?” “So?”
“Myra made me promise not to let you leave the building without the sunscreen, and to make sure you took your hat!”
Maggie gave Yoko a salute. “Understood!” She grabbed the tube of cream and lathered her face with it. “Happy?”
“I am. Thank you.” Yoko smiled.
“Okay, ladies, time for both of you to shove off before you get stuck in rush-hour traffic.” They all high-fived each other and went on their way.
On the way down the elevator, Maggie said to Yoko, “I’m really worried about Gabby. I want to go over to The Haven and see if she’s there.”
“Oh no you don’t. We have strict orders. Don’t be one of those nitwits in those thriller movies where the babysitter hears a noise in the basement and goes down to investigate.”
“I’m not an idiot. I am, after all, a journalist,” Maggie said in protest.