The Double-Cross In Paradise; Episode 27, Prison Visit

   This is episode twenty-seven in the sixth novel of The Trace Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in
Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle. 

Prison Visit

  Later in the day, Trace informed Cooper of another passenger on The Tineytanic. Cooper assured him that even with the extra passenger, there were plenty of provisions for the voyage from Nida to Port Vila.

  Trace set out early the next day and walked to the prison. 

Trace and Franks sat at the visitors' table alone in the prison’s visiting room.

“I have a plan,” Trace said.

“I’d like to hear it,” Franks eased back in his chair and waited.

Trace leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.

“I need for you to put out the word that I have been running drugs ever since I’ve been in the South Seas. And that has been my only reason for coming here. Float the idea that the whole thing on Flint Island had to do with drugs. Anyone looking in from the outside might think it was a massive operation.”

“Agreed, that was impressive,” Frank said.

“And I’ve taken on a couple of partners,” Trace continued.

Franks raised his eyebrows. “And you want me to legitimize them also.”

“Exactly,” Trace said. “An older man named Cooper and a real sleaze bag named Kelsey. He’s from Western Australia and wants to get in on the action in the South Pacific.”

“And you are sure this will do?” Franks questioned.

“Everything is believable if it comes from the right source,” Trace said. 

“You’re hoping I’m the right source?” Franks questioned.

“You’ve got the most to lose by lying,” Trace said.

“With my credibility in question to the lowlifes of the South Pacific,” Franks said, “what sort of gainful employment do I have to return to when I get out?”

“You can always set up shop elsewhere,” Trace said.

“I like it here,” Franks said.

Trace laughed under his breath. He stared at Franks. He looked out the high windows of the visiting room. And then back to Franks. “I see your kid in you. That’s sort of funny. It should be the other way around. I’m thinking at one time you were your son, idealistic, a bit naive, maybe even a romantic. The person Paul’s mother fell in love with. And something happened. I’m thinking somebody close to you betrayed you. And I think you’ve been getting back at that person through the misery of others all your life.”

“Humph, seems like you've been trying to scrape deep into my psyche,” Franks said.

“It’s like a flashing sign,” Trace said.

“I wish I could have had your life,” Franks said. “You were born into it.”

“You wouldn’t last thirty seconds on a dude ranch horse,” Trace said. “You don’t know my dad or grandpa. I had to work twice what a ranch hand did. I came home with bleeding blisters and a sore ass. ”

“But you always knew what was waiting for you in the end,” Franks said. 

“Every man who works hard knows what’s at the end,” Trace said. “You couldn’t wait. You wanted it now. After the first time you made an illegal dollar, how long did it take before you were a millionaire?” 

Franks grinned. “Three years.”

“Franks, my friend,” Trace said, “how do you think this will end for you. Will you be staring out of a prison cell at the sky, the last breath you take, will it be a bullet, a shank, or surrounded by a family who loves you?”

“The moment you die, it stops making a difference,” Franks said.

“But what is the rest of your journey like?” Trace said. He looked around the room. “Can you say, so far so good. You can’t even take a leak without the cells on both sides of you knowing it.”

“You’ve seen how good I have it here,” Franks said. “I can come and go as I please. I run things in here.”

“A prince among thieves, murderers, and perverts,” Trace said. “I think you’re better than that.”

'Sell all I got and give to the poor,” Franks said sarcastically. 

“Your words, not mine,” Trace said.

“Don’t tell me you’re worried about my soul,” Franks said.

“I’ve grown to like your son,” Trace said. “I consider him a friend. And I’d like for him to look upon his dad the same as I do my own dad. It’s a gift. It’s a treasure.”

“I feel as if I’m beyond that,” Franks said. “It’s too late.”

“Too late is always the next day,” Trace said and stood. “Can you do this for me?”

“Consider it done.”

“Thanks,” Trace said.

“Will my son be in harm’s way?”

“I didn’t save him from coyotes only to be bitten by snakes,” Trace said. “I’m not putting anybody in danger but myself and the guy named Kelsey.”

Trace walked to the door of the visiting room. He rapped on the door, it opened, and he walked through.

The Double-Cross In Paradise; Episode 26, A Phone Call With Kelsey

This is episode twenty-six in the sixth novel of The Trace Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle. 

A Phone Call With Kelsey

 The next day, Cooper purchased supplies and stocked The Tinytanic. Trace stayed out of sight. He was certain Kelsey would know that he had been given the slip. 

Mid-afternoon, Trace called the front desk of the hotel.

“Suva Regency, Maxwell speaking. How may I help you?”

“There’s a man in a blue sedan parked a few spaces from the front of your hotel. He’s a police officer. Send a bellhop for him. I have an important message.”

“We normally don’t do that sort of thing.”

“Maxwell, you don’t normally do it, but you will do it. This is urgent.”

“I’ll put you on hold and send someone right away.”

Trace waited. 

Kelsey got the phone from the front desk clerk.

“Hello,” Kelsey said.

“Kelsey, this is Troy. Got to some place private.”

“Hold on,” Kelsey said. He spotted a chair in the middle of the hotel lobby and dragged the phone and cord to it. He sat down. “Where the hell are you?”

“I can’t tell you. But I want to keep you in the loop as much as I can. It’s not that I can’t trust you, but I’m being followed by people other than you. I can’t have them knowing what’s going on.”

“If you got something up your sleeve, I’d sure like to know what it is.”

“How much freedom do you have?” Trace asked.

“What do you mean?”

“How often do you report to your superiors?”

“Only, when I have to. I’ve gone almost a month.”

“Look, Kelsey, I want you to get a big fat pat on the back with an attaboy to go along with it. But I need your confidence and trust.”

“Like you trusted me?” Kelsey said sarcastically. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t take chances,” Trace said. 

“Okay,” Kelsey conceded. “This stays between me and you.”

Trace relaxed and said, “I need you to make like there’s somebody following you. In fact, you may be being followed. You’re too busy following me to notice it. Anyway, in two days, be at Naisoso Island. It’s an island just a couple of hundred feet from Nida; no more than a channel separates the islands. Don’t be dressed like a cop. You have to cross a bridge to get to the island. Immediately after crossing the bridge, there is a green. Wait there. Have your suitcase, but when you're there, hide it somewhere so you don’t look conspicuous.”

“What then?” Kelsey asked. 

“I get you and we sail to Port Vila.”

“Sail!” Kelsey exclaimed.

“Have you ever sailed?”

“I’ve been on a ferry.”

“It’s pretty much the same thing,” Trace assured with not a lot of confidence. 

“You mean we’re taking something like a ferry?”

“Well,” Trace said, “it floats just like a ferry does.”

“How big is it?”

'Twenty-five feet,” Trace feigned confidence.

“That’s not big,” Kelsey said. 

“It’s how we get to the island without being recognized.”

“Couldn’t we charter a plane?”

“And do what, parachute in?” Trace said.

“That, I can do,” Kelsey said.

“I need you to look like you’ve been at sea, not like you’ve been sipping rum and Coke in the shade. Four days at sea ought to add some color to your cheeks.”

“Why do I need to look like I’ve been at sea?”

“You probably know all there is to know about drug trafficking in the South Seas, but you don’t look the part. You may need to look the part if we are going to get close to the guys you want to shut down.”

“How do you propose getting close to those guys?” Kelsey asked.

“Leave that to me,” Trace said. “Does anyone in the South Seas know you by sight or name?”

“I don’t think so, but one can never be quite sure.”

“Look,” Trace said, “you’re going to be a drug trafficker from the other side of Australia. Can you play a convincing role?”

“I’ve done it before,” Kelsey said. “And I’d still like to know what you have in mind.”

“I can’t tell you any more than I have already,” Trace said. “I have to get things in motion first. If I tell you now, I will always worry that I told you too much. I trust you, but you do have loyalties that extend far beyond me. You have people whom you have trusted with your life. You hardly know me. And for that fact, I hardly know you.”

“Fair enough,” Kelsey breathed deep. “I’ve seen a dossier on you. You know how to organize an operation. You’re a good planner.”

“Are you familiar with American football?” Trace asked.

“Yes.”

“Anybody can draw up a play,” Trace said. “It’s all in the execution. I can’t get overconfident.”

“See you in a couple of days, mate.”

Trace hung up the phone.

The Double-Cross in Paradise; Episode 25, Scrambled Eggs

  This is episode twenty-five in the sixth novel of The Trace Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle. 

 

Scramble Eggs

The next morning, Cooper prepared breakfast. They sat at the dining room table, eating the meal of scrambled eggs, bangers, toast, and sipping coffee.

“Do you still own The Tinytanic?” Trace asked.

“It appears to be my white elephant,” Cooper said.

“Asking too much?” Trace asked. 

“I’ve lowered the price to the point that it’s almost like giving it away,” Cooper said. “Folks who come here to buy want yachts. A buyer will come along someday. There’s a funny thing: I take her out for a while, and when I’m out there on the water, I’m glad she’s still mine. Do you know what I mean?”

Trace smiled and bobbed his head. “I do. It makes you feel like it’s not meant to be.”

“She’s still useful to me,” Cooper said. “She brings me comfort and solace.”

“What if I were to buy her?” Trace said. 

Cooper swallowed hard and leaned slightly forward as if examining Trace’s sanity. “You want to buy her?”

“I guarantee I would pay you more than what you’re asking,” Trace said. 

“You don’t know what I’m asking.”

“I trust you.”

Cooper pressed his lips.

Trace smiled. “You’re the first sentimental Englishman I’ve ever met. You don’t want to sell her, do you?”

“Well, it’s not so much that as it is finding the right buyer who will look after her properly. And why exactly do you want to buy her?”

“Why would you care?” Trace offered a crooked smile.

“Well, I would want her to be treated good,” Cooper stiffened in his chair.

“Cooper!” Trace said, “It’s a boat, not a pet.”

“What have you got in mind for her?” Cooper asked.

“The people who are following me think I’ll be lying out of here,” Trace said. “I think I’ll sail out of here. It will take a little longer to get back to Port Vila, but I think I’m going to need the time.”

“You will buy The Tinytanic for one trip to Port Vila?” Cooper asked.

“I’ll tell ya what,” Trace said. “I’ll sail it over and have it sailed back.”

“And what,” Cooper said, “let it rot in the harbor?”

“I’ll sell it back to you for half of what I paid,” Trace said. “And you can continue the charade of trying to sell her.”

“Why not both of us sail to Port Vila, and I sail back. There’s no exchange of money; speaking of charades.”

“Are you sure you want to be a part of this?” Trace asked.

“A part of what, sailing to Port Vila and back? People do it all the time,” Cooper said. “When do we leave? Oh, wait, there’s a plan, right?”

“Are you sure?” Trace cocked his head.

“What! I’m a boring Englishman,” Cooper proclaimed. “I need something to liven up my life.”

Trace grabbed the coffee pot and filled their cups. 

“I’m going to lay low tomorrow,” Trace said. “I’d like for you to stock The Tinytanic for a trip to Port Vila.”

“I tag along, right?” Cooper asked. “That way, I can sail her back myself. I just want to get this straight. I don’t want you coming back here in a day or so, saying, I got things mixed up. People think because you’re old, all that’s left upstairs is scrambled eggs.”

“I’d hate to see you mixed up in all of this,” Trace said.

“Mixed up in what? Sail with an old friend to Port Vila and sail back. That’s all it is, right? I old. I forgot the other stuff.”

“That’s all it is,” Trace assured. 

“What’s the plan beyond tomorrow?” Cooper asked.

“The day after tomorrow, I will visit an acquaintance who is in prison. Early, the day after tomorrow, I want you to sail to Nadi. Have you ever sailed there before?”

“Yes,” Cooper said, “a few times.”

“Are you familiar with the bay?” 

“I don’t know it like the back of my hand, but I know it.”

“That’s fine,” Trace said. “Do you know Naisoso Island?”

“Yes,” Cooper said.

“Find an empty slip on the island,” Trace said. “I’ll be there in three days from today.”

“How are you going to get there?” 

“I’ll take a bus to the airport,” Trace said. “I’ll buy a ticket to Port Vila, but I won’t be on the plane. The airport is a stone’s throw from Naisoso Island. Wait for me there. I’ll find you.”

The Double-Cross in Paradise; Episode 24, Visiting Cooper Caswell

This is episode twenty-four in the sixth novel of The Trace Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle. 

Visiting Cooper Caswell 

Trace quietly opened the door to his hotel room. He eased the door open and methodically examined the room before stepping in. He searched the bathroom, checked the closet, and looked beneath the bed. He searched the room for listening devices. 

He sat on the edge of the bed. He no longer felt comfortable staying at the hotel. He thought, ‘If I choose to stay with somebody in Suva, who I know, they might be in danger and this might tangle them up in this mess.’

‘Cooper Caswell!’ He thought. ‘Of course. No one knows that I know him. It’s been a couple of years. He’s up there in age. I hope he remembers me.’

Trace grabbed his duffel bag. He opened the door to his room and looked both ways down the hotel hallway. He closed the door quietly and headed to the fire escape stairway. He slung open the door and slipped through the doorway. He glanced through the door’s window to make sure no one followed. He scurried down the steps to the ground floor. Before exiting, he stuck his head out the door, making sure nobody was in sight. He parted the door slightly and slipped out. 

He walked casually, yet as if going somewhere.

“Cooper Caswell,” Trace murmured spontaneously and thought, ‘Maybe I can stay with him. It’s been a while since we chatted over a cup of tea.”

Trace walked along the winding tropical streets of Suva. He climbed the steep street leading to Cooper’s house.

Trace stopped at the walkway and looked both ways down the street, assuring himself nobody had followed. He walked briskly to Cooper’s front screen door. He knocked. 

“Right there!” said Cooper from the rear of the house. He came to the door. “Trace! When did you blow into town? Come on in. I was about to eat supper and made enough for two Englishmen and a Scotsman.”

Trace shook Cooper’s hand. “How have ya been? And I’ll take you up on supper.”

“I’m fine,” Cooper said. “And again, when did you blow into town?”

“Early today,” Trace said. “The Tramp Islander is in Port Vila. I flew in. Had some urgent business.”

“So you’re still sailing The Tramp Islander?” Cooper said.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “it’s been great.”

“I’d have thought by now you’d have been married, a kid, and one on the way,” Cooper chuckled.

Trace grinned. “That’s not for me, yet.”

Cooper walked Trace into the dining room. They sat. Cooper brought a meal of roast beef, boiled potatoes, and stewed tomatoes. Small talk ensued as they ate. 

Toward the end of the meal, Cooper filled their tea cups from a china kettle. Trace dropped two lumps and added a dash of cream.

“This visit is not entirely social,” Trace said. “Although it mostly is. I’m being followed and I need a place to get out of the way for a while.”

“So,” Cooper smiled, “you found your way into trouble again.”

“It has a way of finding me,” Trace said. “I want to be frank.”

“Well,” Cooper said, “you are from Texas.”

“I’m trying to help a guy who is on the run,” Trace said. “He’s suspected of murder—of his best friend.”

“And you are sure he didn’t do it?” Cooper said.

“Ninety-nine percent sure,” Trace said. “He was naive and greedy enough to allow himself to get tied up in something much bigger and more nefarious than he ever imagined. He thought he’d have an enjoyable summer of making a bunch of money and returning home; sort of a summer job for a college student.”

“It’s an old story,” Cooper said. “Once you’re in, you’re in, and there’s no way out.”

“He has drug transport charges to worry about,” Trace said. “He’s on his own for those. It’s the murder wrap I’m concerned about. I’m sure after this experience, he won’t even buy aspirin for a friend. He’s not the type to live a life of crime and danger. He knew how to fly a plane and thought that’s all there was to it.”

“How long do you need to hole up?” Cooper took a sip of tea.

“Tonight,” Trace said. “I’m sure no one will connect us. I walked here. Nobody followed. As far as I know, everyone thinks I’m staying at a hotel. If this is too much for you, I can go elsewhere.”

“The thought has never entered my mind,” Cooper said. “You can stay as long as needed.”

A pleasant evening followed. And Trace stayed in the apartment Cooper rented to him two years earlier.