Chapter 13
"You sound very much alive to me," I said.
"Not for long, if this continues."
"What seems to be the problem?" I asked, too curious to just dismiss it as nonsense.
"I don't feel well. I have a splitting headache, a fever, and I've been getting nosebleeds."
"Sounds like you need a doctor."
"I've already seen a doctor. They’re beyond useless. They wanted to admit me to the hospital.”
"Given the situation, that might not be such a bad idea."
"I’ll be dead within the next 48 hours. I'm not spending my last days in a hospital.”
"I still don't see how I can help."
"I told you. I need help to find out who's responsible and why. More importantly, I need to find a solution. You’re a man with a certain set of skills.
You have a reputation in the community. If I had more time, I could probably figure it all out myself.
But I don't. Right now, as cliché as it sounds, you're my only hope.” After a brief pause, she said, "I can pay you.
Name your price. Money is not my primary concern. I can't take it with me.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m not stupid. I’m calling from a pay phone.”
There weren’t many left on the island, and I knew where most of them were.
“Want to tell me exactly what’s going on?”
“I told you. Are you in or out?”
“I need a little more information. How about we meet face to face?”
“Fine. But I need certain assurances from you.”
“Like what?”
"I don't have time to waste with procedural bullshit. I don't need anybody who is going to get in my way.”
“Your way of what?”
"Getting to the truth and a solution.”
“Why don't you just tell me what's going on?"
"Not on an open channel."
"So where do you want to meet?"
"I need to know that I can trust you."
"You called me, remember. Do you want my help, or don't you?”
"Yes. I want your help. Stop being so difficult."
I chuckled. "I'm not the one being difficult. For someone who's short on time, you sure are wasting a lot of it.”
"Meet me at Key Bean in an hour.”
It was an eclectic coffee shop, popular with artists, writers, and the intelligentsia.
She was a little frantic and all over the map. Understandable in her situation.
"How will I know who you are?”
"I'll know you.”
She ended the call, and I slipped the phone back into my pocket. I finished grilling breakfast, then dished up a few plates and rousted JD out of bed.
I figured we’d chow down on the sky deck, then zip up to Key Bean to see what this was all about. I filled JD in on the situation as we soaked up the amber rays of morning, crunching on bacon and sipping coffee.
An attractive woman with short raven hair strutted down the dock. She wore a ball cap and sunglasses, along with tight black yoga pants, a gray crop top, and sneakers. She had a nice midriff. With casual glances around, she kept a watchful eye.
Then she crossed the passerelle of the Avventura, stepped to the aft deck, and knocked on the glass door to the salon.
I exchanged a curious glance with Jack before climbing out of my seat to see what she wanted. I had a sneaking suspicion. Something told me the meeting at Key Bean was misdirection in case someone was listening to our call. It was good tradecraft.
Buddy barked at our new visitor.
I hustled down the steps and crossed the salon to pull open the sliding glass door. I held Buddy back and kept him from pouncing on her.
She looked around with caution, then slipped in uninvited.
I closed the door behind her.
The mystery woman moved to the window and peered at the parking lot, making sure she hadn’t been followed.
"So, you're dying?" I said.
She looked at me and hesitated for a moment, sizing me up. All things considered, she didn’t look too bad. Pretty good, actually. The sunglasses shielded her eyes. Her face was a little pale and thin.
She turned toward the door. “I made a mistake. I should go.”
“Hey, hold up,” I said, stepping after her. “You’ve burned half an hour just coming here. It’s your time. Spend it how you like. But if you want to make the most of the next 48, you’d better allocate your resources in an optimal way.”
She hesitated and looked me over again.
“I promise. What’s said in this room stays in this room. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on.”
I had some theories brewing of my own.