Obsidian (2 page)

“But you didn’t.” Instead, he’d been sent home with an escort and warned not to set foot on the base until he was sober again.

“No, I didn’t. But the only reason I didn’t was because you were hurting.” McAlvey eyes narrowed as he scrutinized him across the table.

“Yes, well I guess putting me on enforced leave will at least make me more rested.” He may have been drunk, but he’d had a damned good reason. And the reason hadn’t changed during the time he’d been away.

“It was either enforced medical leave or find some other way of making you deal. Besides, you needed the time to heal your leg and you were due some leave. You’ve haven’t had any down time for two years.”

“I’ve been busy.” He couldn’t help but let the sarcasm he was feeling come out in voice. Yes, he’d been too busy to take leave. For the last two years he’d been chasing drug runners and smugglers and the effort had taken a toll on more than his body. His last smuggling case had lasted six months and had netted a ton of cocaine and three major players. It’d also been the last case he’d worked on with David.

“You deserve the time. You needed to get your head on straight.”

Head on straight
. He wanted to laugh. Doing his job was the only thing that had mattered for years. David had understood that it was more than just a job. It was a mission. David had gotten that.

They’d been like brothers. Rivaling brothers, but brothers all the same. It was David who had pushed him into the Special Investigation unit. It was David that had loved the excitement and the adrenaline. He’d just loved the commitment.

“I want to know what happened to David. I want the truth.”

McAlvey looked over the top of his beer at him. “Those records are classified.”

“And I’ve got the clearance. You can open them up for me.”

“I can. But I won’t.” There was a tight edge to McAlvey’s voice and Jamie had known him long enough to know that when pushed, his CO would push back.

“I was really hoping your time off would’ve calmed you down some.”

Hell.
“Are you saying that the death of a friend wouldn't make anyone edgy?” There was that anger again, and it came out in the tightness of his voice.

McAlvey shook his head. “I’m still your CO, Rivard. You’d do well to remember that.” But they weren’t on the base and there was no place for decorum in this dingy little bar.

“I’m not giving up. I’ll find out what happened. Boats don’t just explode without good reason.” Jamie set the bottle on the table a little too hard, rocking the table with the force. He knew damned well there was more to David’s death than what McAlvey was telling him.

“Even if you could see the report, it isn’t going to tell you anything more than what I’ve already told you.” He shrugged. “You should be thankful you weren’t on board when it happened.”

“I guess that’s something, isn’t it. I guess David wasn’t so lucky.”

McAlvey raised an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t come here to debate.”

Jamie doubted that very much. “You said in your message that you have information for me?”

“I can’t tell you anything officially.” McAlvey’s eyes narrowed as he looked for a reaction, but Jamie didn’t give anything away.

“Of course,” he said, his nerves cranking up a notch. “But off the record . . .?”

“But off the record, we know that when David died he was close to making a break in the trafficking case he was working on.”

“And something went wrong,” Jamie said.

McAlvey nodded. “He was working a lead about some activity by a Maine lobsterman, named Case. David suspected Case is the connection between the supplier and shipper. He believed that he was working as a go-between.”

“So, if he had something, how come you’re backing off the investigation?” Jamie leaned forward, bracing the beer bottle between his fingers as he tried to assimilate the information.

“Because we’ve been ordered to refocus our manpower on Homeland Security. We’ve had reports of a credible threat. Everything else is on the back burner.”

“And you’re telling me this why?”

McAlvey shrugged. His beer was empty. “Because I know that while officially this investigation is over, you’d want to know why we aren’t going forward with it.”

There was more to it. McAlvey was giving him the information for a reason.

“Where’d the tip come from?”

“A small, Maine fishing community called Chandler. You have connections to Maine?” McAlvey leaned back, shrugging and settling his shoulders against the back of the chair.

Jamie did. “I did. My family has a summer cottage near there.” But he hadn’t been back there in fifteen years.

“The Maine coast is ripe for this kind of activity. With that much coastline there are any number of places they can hide.”

“And you think David was killed because he found out about this Case person?” Jamie twisted the bottle between his fingers, peeling the label off the bottle.

“Perhaps.” McAlvey’s shoulders straightened as he leaned forward, pushing his weight against the edge of the table and motioning Jamie closer.

“Look, I don’t need to tell you that this is a delicate matter. I’m taking a risk telling you anything.”

“But you told me anyway.”

McAlvey leaned back in his chair again, assessing him. “I came here today to help you.”

“And I appreciate your effort, but somehow I get the feeling there’s more to this than what you’re telling me.”

McAlvey was silent for a moment. “I could be court-martial for this.”

They were going round and round. McAlvey wouldn’t be here if there were a chance this would affect his career. Which only left him wondering what McAlvey was really after.

“How close was David to making a bust?” Jamie let the question slide between them.

“David intercepted a small-time hustler making a gun exchange out of a pawn shop here in town. The guns were military issue, the same as were lifted from the base two months ago.”

“So, why not shut down the pawn shop and follow the leads from there?”

“We tried, but before we could get there the shop was cleared out with no trace of them. Our information indicates they are shipping the guns to a paramilitary faction in Northern Ireland.”

“And this guy in Maine? How does he figure into it?”

“When the locals investigated they found a washed-up box containing guns. The same as the guns lifted from our base.”

“So why didn’t they investigate it instead of having it fall to the Special Investigative Unit?”

“Because of the nature of the case. This would look particularly bad if it were to get out that these were Coast Guard guns.”

“So, we’re being given a chance to redeem ourselves.” By catching those responsible and keeping it from the press.

“Exactly. But there is one other thing. There’s a local woman who runs the wharf there. She’s got ties to Case. From what we can tell she also has major access to the traffic going to and from the harbor.”

“Quite a coincidence.” Jamie stared at McAlvey across the table.

That niggling feeling he always got at the back of his neck when McAlvey was around was sending out shock waves the size of an earthquake. Either McAlvey was giving him his chance or there was more to the story than he was letting on.

“So, what is it you’re not telling me?”

McAlvey’s eyes narrowed, glaring at him over the table. “Only that each time they received a report and tried to investigate the activity stopped before they got there. It’s as if they knew we’re coming and bailed. They were gone, all traces erased.”

“Someone on the inside is leaking information?” Jamie shook his head.

McAlvey nodded. “That would be the rational line of thought.”

Jamie sat back in his chair for a moment. He couldn’t believe he was actually considering it. Was he really thinking about going back there after all of these years?

“I want to take some of my leave time” Jamie said.

“I can’t stop you. But if you should decide to take a trip to Maine keep something in mind, Rivard. If there’s any trouble on your so-called vacation there won’t be any immediate help available. You’ll be on your own. Then again, you always did work well solo.”

“Sometimes, It’s preferable.”

Silence filled the space between them. They were two opponents squaring off, and neither trusting the other. There was no love lost between them.

“The specifics?”

McAlvey pulled a white, letter-size envelope from under his shirt and slid it across the table to Jamie. “You’ll find all you need in here.”

Jamie stuffed the envelope into the back pocket of his shorts.

“There is one more thing I should tell you.” McAlvey
looked down at the empty bottle in his hand. The hair on the back of Jamie’s neck rose in anticipation.

“There’s reason to believe that David was involved in the original disappearance of the guns. He had special access and, over the last few months, he flashed around a pretty big amount of money. Money that couldn’t be traced.”

Jamie’s stomach dropped to his knees. “Why didn’t I hear about this?”

McAlvey shrugged. “It’s only recently come to light. The investigation was just getting under way.”

“You swore to me that David wasn’t working on anything when he was killed. I asked you and you denied it.”

McAlvey shook his head. A worried expression creased his brow and his lips were tight and thin, and glued to his teeth. He looked around for anyone within earshot and then leaned toward Jamie across the table. “It was need-to-know.”

And there was more to this than what was on the surface. “You and I both know David wouldn’t be involved with something like this. He couldn’t have done it and I’m going to prove it if it’s the last thing I do.”

“I’d expect nothing less.” McAlvey stood up, tugging at the edge of his shirt and settling his sunglasses back into place. “Look Rivard, I know his death has made it tough for you. But when this is over I hope you find some peace.”

Jamie eyed the hand extended over the table to him. Something about it made his hackles rise. He ignored McAlvey’s hand and after a minute the older man pulled it back, having the good graces to be embarrassed.

“You’ll see me again when I’m through with this. Then, we’ll deal with the rest of our unfinished business.” He grabbed his beer, draining the contents into his mouth. He fought the bitter edge of lemon left at the bottom of the bottle. Kind of like the bitter edge of his life lately.

The last, late summer twilight was going down over the Atlantic as Jamie eyed the envelope in his hands. The gritty sand dug between his toes and he wiggled them, liking the feeling against his bare skin.

It had been a lifetime since he’d been to Maine.

Going back meant more than finding the answers behind David’s death. It meant facing the demons he’d been running from for years.

His cell phone rang and he scooped it up from the blanket beside him. The number was familiar. He punched the button.

“Hello Mother,” he said, forcing a pleasant tone.

“Jamie Paul, it is high time you answered your phone. You’ve been ignoring my calls for weeks.” Using his full given name meant she was pulling out the big guns.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.” A simple lie, but one meant to sooth her. He had no delusions that his mother would believe him. She knew all too well that the reason he didn’t call had nothing to do with being busy.

“Are you healing? Are you eating okay? You could come home so I can take care of you.”

That was the last thing he needed. His mother was a kind soul who never gave up on his wandering ways or trying to repair the soul of the family that was lost when Sam died.

“Mom, thank you, but you know I can’t.” Too much had come between him and his father to repair now.

“He’s worried about you.”

Jamie chose to ignore this.

“I’m healing well, mom. So well, in fact, that I’m heading back out on assignment. You may not be able to get a hold of me for a while.” The less she knew the better.

“Jamie you can’t run forever. At some point you and your father need to settle this. You should call him.” But ten years of silence from his father couldn’t be undone with a simple phone call.

“We’ll see.” But they both knew it wouldn’t happen. “I’ve got to go, mom. I’ll call you as soon as I can.” He gave her his best, most cheerful tone. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” The sadness in her voice lingered long after he’d hung up. With his brother’s death his family had disintegrated. Now, the best thing for everyone would be for him to stay away.

Right now, he needed to focus on the job ahead. He pinched the envelope McAlvey had given him between his thumb and forefinger. Inside, there were very few answers to his questions. He knew the basics, and evidently, it was all he needed to know.

He took a lighter out of his pocket and lit it; pushing the flame against the paper and watching it burst with heat. It crumbled into blackened ash much the way David’s boat had erupted into flames.