“You could take that risk. But you should know there will also be five other of my men in the woods surrounding the camp. Not as uniquely talented as Mandell, but all equally qualified to blow you all to kingdom come. And yes, I know about Stockton. That’s why you’re going to have to be very plausible. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem. Zwecker said that you keep Stockton firmly under your thumb.”
“You’re the one who’s at risk. How do you expect to get Patrick out of the area? There are checkpoints on every road leading from the camp to Bogotá. They wouldn’t ask questions; they’d just blow you away.”
“All the roads leading north. Only one checkpoint on the one road leading south. And that’s where there’s a helicopter pad that Nicos uses when he comes down here to supervise your work personally. I imagine he’s been down here to see you while you’ve had Patrick here. He likes to observe. It’s really rough country and it’s unlikely that anyone would be coming by ground from that direction.” He paused. “And so Mandell ordered his men to take out that checkpoint. Mandell’s men are all excellent and it will be done quietly and efficiently. Ten minutes later, a helicopter will be arriving. The pilot will wait there until I show up with Patrick.” He smiled. “And then we’ll be off to the private airport outside Bogotá where I have my Gulfstream waiting.”
“And you think it will work? Too many things could go wrong.” Brukman said through his teeth, “You’re crazy.”
“Yeah, I’m certainly a little off balance. It’s been a long hunt and stress can do that to you. So don’t push it.”
“Pay the money.”
“Not one penny. But I’ll still deal with you. After we get Patrick safely out of that camp and I’m through with you, I’ll put you on a plane out of Bogotá to the destination of your choice. After that, you’re on your own. You’d better run hard and fast. Because we both know that Nicos will be after you the minute he finds out you helped me. And so will I.”
“And that’s supposed to be a deal?” Brukman asked scornfully.
“It’s all you’ll get from me. A running start. You’ll probably get lucky, because I intend to take Nicos out. Then you’ll only have to worry about me. But do worry, Brukman, because you’re definitely on my list. I just have to give you a lower priority at the moment.”
“I could go to Nicos and tell him that you forced—”
“And you think that would save you?” He shook his head. “No, you don’t. He wouldn’t care. Betrayal is an automatic death sentence with him. You have to know him better than that.”
He was silent. “And what’s to keep you from killing me the minute we leave the camp?”
“Nothing. Except for the fact that I want to keep Nicos from knowing that I’ve taken Patrick from you for the next twenty-four hours. I need a safety net to get Patrick to a secure medical facility. You might get a text or a phone call from Nicos or Salva and I’d want you to give the appropriate answers. That guarantees that you’re alive until then.” He paused. “That’s twenty-four hours longer than I want to give you. So take that plane ticket, Brukman.”
“The hell I will.” His eyes were blazing into Lassiter’s. “That’s all bullshit.”
“Yes, the hell you will,” he murmured. “I’m so glad you refused. Did I mention that I was with both the Special Forces and the CIA? As you know, they make sure we have very good training in your particular speciality. I’d bet that I might be as good as you when I have motivation. I do have motivation now. Mandell was saying that you’re tough and might be difficult. I don’t doubt it. But you’re also practical and greedy, or you wouldn’t have made the deal with Zwecker. I think you’ll opt for a way to live and fight another day. So you’ll take some token punishment and then cave. Because I have two hours to convince you that I’ve offered you the deal of a lifetime. Your life. Two hours should be plenty of time.…”
Hyatt Hotel
Montego Bay, Jamaica
10:40 P.M.
“Ah, ready and eager to go,” Nicos said mockingly as Margaret threw open the door to her room at his knock. “I approve, Margaret. You’re starting out as I’d like you to continue.”
“I’m not eager,” she said as she passed the guard in the hall. “I just want this over. Where’s Salva?”
“He’s closeted with a few of the local distributors and decided that he wasn’t needed to escort you. I agreed. I wanted this time alone with you.” He added sardonically, “I want to watch you while you do your magic.”
“You’ve seen me work with the dogs at airports before.”
“But you told me that your magic was stronger now.”
“You won’t be able to tell a difference from what I do tonight.” She didn’t want to be alone with Nicos. This morning had been a little too much for her to cope with. “Why don’t you send one of the guards with me?”
“Because I don’t choose to do that. And everything you do and are is because I choose for it to be so. I thought I made that plain.” He punched the button for the elevator. “Here’s what’s going to happen tonight. We’re going to the house of Julio Ramirez. He owns and trains two German shepherds who are considered the finest substance-detector dogs in Jamaica. Julio Ramirez and his son, Alfredo, work together as a team at the airport, and you’ll have to deal with both dogs when that shipment comes in.”
“There’s usually only one dog at customs.”
“Not this time.” They were off the elevator and crossing the lobby to the waiting car in the driveway. “There have been a few suspect shipments in the last couple months. I didn’t have you to smooth things over. The local DEA requested that the security be pumped up to maximum.”
“And yet you still arranged for the shipment to come through Montego.”
“It was easier to transport out of Jamaica. I was considering changing it, but then I heard I was going to have you returned to me.” He added mockingly, “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to Lassiter. You can see how much I trust you, Margaret.”
“But you’re still taking me out to Ramirez’s house to make sure I don’t screw up.”
“Merely a safety measure. And, as I said, I want to watch you perform your magic.” He nodded to his driver. “Let’s go, Nardo.”
Twenty minutes later, they were parked down the street from a good-size property that consisted of a house, garage, and a rolling field that had several empty pens and dog-training apparatus. The house was dark except for a single porch light.
“Empty pens,” Margaret said. “They keep the dogs inside.”
Nicos frowned. “Is that a problem?”