Tropical Threat (#3 - Semper Fi Series )

Chapter 4 - Jump

Natasha speed dialed #3, and waited for an answer. “Joe, this is Graves.”

“What can I do for ya gorgeous?”

“I need you guys. Do you want the long story or the short story?”

“I may as well hear the whole story. Cammie and Ethan are resting, and I have the day off. My time is yours.” Joe’s wife had given birth to their firstborn a few months ago: a wonderful result of their decision to work their marriage out.

Natasha recanted the whole story, finishing with the latest news about the threats from the drug dealers. “This is big, Joe. The body count is adding up and... Hang on, I have another call.” She switched to the other line and listened as Billings gave her more news; none of it good.

“Miranda Simmons, who also worked with Marilee, was found brutally beaten. She’s still alive, but barely. She may not make it through the night. She fought her attacker with everything she had. She’s is still in a coma in I.C.U.”

“Thanks, Bill. I'll get a guard on her, too. I have Joe on the other line. We’re setting up reinforcements now.”

“Okay. I’ll letcha go, then.” They said their goodbyes, and Natasha switched back over.

“Joe, we have another victim She's unconscious, but she's alive. She’s in I.C.U. She’s the only one who can identify her would-be assassin. I suspect he’s the same that blew up the pharmacy and killed the other two. Now, what I need is some of the guys from the team to guard two ladies in the hospital and another in her home.”

“I’ll call you in fifteen minutes, Tash. We’re glad to help. That’s what Semper Fi is all about!”

“I await your call. Thanks, Joe!”

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He didn’t dare go back to the hospital now. He’d have to find a way to get those two lovelies forever silent. He was formulating a plan to remove the Nosey Detective. She’d never see it coming in a million years.

He started his car and headed for home. He had more preparations. He was still in shock that Miranda had survived. He had been careless. She should have died before he moved her. He was too hasty, and now she could identify him as the person who was responsible for all of this.

He would call those that were left of the local drug cartel. He could use their fire power, so to speak. They aided, after all, with the “closing” of the pharmacy: providing military-grade explosives, finding key hiding places to put them and accelerant for the front of the building so it would catch fire. These guys weren’t your average drug pushers that tried to get kids at parks to try dope. They were so much more. And now, they were helping him, though they didn’t know it. If he played his cards right, they’d go down for the attempted murders of Kerri Corliss and Miranda Simmons. Unfortunately, they had nothing to do with the murders, but he was happy that they’d share responsibility for the other two.

He dialed Tony, who happened to work at the pharmacy with him. “Tony? Jeremy. Hey, I was wondering if you were able to meet me for coffee tomorrow.” Tony was none the wiser about Jeremy’s other life. He wasn’t about to clue him in, either. He was just curious about Miranda and Kerri and was sure they both had him on the list of “acceptable visitors.”

“Um, yeah, I guess so. I have an appointment in the morning, so I’m not sure what time I’ll be available. How ‘bout I call you when I’m finished?” Tony was a bit leery about this call out of the blue. He and Jeremy were former co-workers, and not close ones at that. He wasn’t sure what Jeremy wanted, but he was sure he wouldn’t like it. He was going to see the detective at the Sheriff’s Department. He had information for them. Then he was going to see Kerri and Miranda. “Well, Jeremy, I have to go. Talk to you later.”