them is the beach down at the Ocean Air.”
Jakes started up the car, getting back on the mike. “All cars, park on the street in front of the vacant property next to-”
He reached over and punched in something on his mounted computer. I could see the screen as Google Earth came into view.
“-next to eighty-two-eight hundred Old Highway.”
He pulled up and parked. “Oh, and Joan, get a search warrant for that property and the adjoining properties.”
“It may take a while.”
“Wake somebody up. We need it now.”
We were looking at each other, wondering if we should have gotten involved. We’d already had our excitement for the night and now-
“You three have jumped this fence?”
“Oh, no, officer. We just were walking the beach one night and-”
“Jumping the fence, that would be trespassing.”
“Yes, sir.”
He stepped out of the car and popped the trunk. We heard it close and he walked around the side of the car and up to the heavy metal fence. In the faint streetlight we saw him with what appeared to be a big pair of metal cutters.
Working the thick, rubber-coated handles, he brought the blades together and sliced that steel like butter.
“Are they allowed to do that?” James asked.
“James,” Em gave him a puzzled look, “when did you ever worry about what you were allowed to do?”
“But he’s a cop and all.”
Within minutes he’d opened a hole wide enough to squeeze through. After putting the cutters back in the trunk, he leaned his head in the window.
“I checked that fence. There’s an opening that somebody must have cut. I’m going to walk in and have a look around. For security purposes. You three-”
“We know,” I said. “Stay in the car.”
He worked his way through the narrow hole, fighting the trees and brush, and was lost from sight.
“I’m not staying in the car.”
“No door handles.” I had just realized.
James climbed over the driver’s seat and opened Jakes’s door. We followed.
“Now what?”
“Our usual spot?”
We walked over to the south side, kneeling down and looking through the opening in the foliage. There was Jakes, walking down by the boat dock and, almost immediately, I spotted a light just off to the east. It appeared that the boat would make an appearance this morning.
“He’s going to be right in their headlight.” Em pointed.
“Don’t worry. He seems to be pretty sharp.”
“How sharp can he be, amigo? He listened to you.”
We heard the other cars pull up, the soft purr of the engines and the silence when they turned them off.
The boat was closer and now there was no sign of Officer Jakes. He’d disappeared. The west gate opened and we could hear the two dogs, their high-pitched whining now etched in my mind.
“Watch the gate by Ocean Air.”
The north gate opened and I could make out the Indian doctor as he strode through. Nodding at the man who held the dogs on a leash, he moved down to the dock. The throbbing engine sound became louder and louder as the watercraft approached.
There was a gentle thump as the fiberglass boat bumped the wooden dock and then they were tossing ropes and tying up the vessel.
As before, the passengers paraded off the deck, onto the dock and dry land. The dogs sat on their haunches, whimpering, waiting to attack someone. Anyone.
Malhotra was pointing the way to the north gate, and that’s when the lights came on.
A sudden burst of spotlights, some were from the squad cars on Old Highway, some were beams from heavy-duty Maglites carried by the officers. The field lit up like a firecracker and for a brief instant everyone seemed to freeze.
“?Vamonos!” Somebody was shouting, and the Cubans started running. Some for the gate as two officers ran in, guns drawn.
There was mad scramble as the immigrants looked for an escape, and within seconds saw their only hope was to find another gate or vault the fence. Suitcases were dropped and bags were thrown at deputies as the boat passengers darted this way and that.
The dogs were yipping, growling, and roaring as if someone had let them off the leash and they had free will to maul whomever they wanted. Just as suddenly as they unleashed their fury, they were silent.
“Tranquilizer gun. Jakes called in that there were dogs. I’d bet on it,” James said.
Two bodies dropped from the fence five feet from us and took off running. We backed off, crossing the street in front of the block houses.
Three more immigrants hit the sidewalk, picked themselves up, and jogged toward the highway, having no idea where they were going.
“Damn. This is a circus.” James watched the action passing us by.
“We started it.”
We could hear commands from inside the fence. “
It seemed to have little effect. The scramble continued, and we could see shadows of people running up the street just yards away from us.
We eased along the sidewalk, back toward the police cars.
“Want to get back in?” Em asked. “It seems like the safest place to be.”
“You know, our truck is just a couple of blocks away.” James looked at me. “You got the extra key?”
I did.
“Let’s go. I think these guys have their hands full.”
“Thanks to you.” The voice was cold, chilling.
He stepped out from the shadows, a pistol held firmly in his hand.
“Should have gotten rid of all three of you when we had the chance.”
Dr. James O’Neill stood there, staring at us.
“I think maybe we should just walk back to my office and think things through.” He wrapped his free arm around Em’s throat and shoved the gun in her ribs. “I would hate to see this young woman get hurt.”
We didn’t argue and followed him to the office. The craziness behind us didn’t seem to subside at all.
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
We sat in an examination room, Em on a table, James and I on chairs. The doctor stood in the doorway, the gun hanging by his side.
“The last time we met, I think you got the better of me.” He smiled. “Didn’t happen this time, did it?”
“The last time we met, we didn’t know what a sleaze you were.” James had obviously had enough of being pushed around tonight.
“I’m a businessman. An entrepreneur. And, might I add, a very successful one.” His cell phone chirped and he answered.
“Praveen, I’ve got the three kids who are responsible. Where are you?”
He listened, nodded, then hung up.
