“The cops are becoming an increasing problem,” Mark said.
“Take care of it,” an ominous voice replied.
“How?”
“How did you take care of the other problems?”
“This really isn’t my area of expertise.”
“We must all learn to adapt.” The voice on the other end of the line disconnected.
JD and I shared a look.
He asked, “Who do you think he’s talking to?”
“Whoever is funding this operation.”
“Three-letter agency, foreign intelligence, non-state actor?”
“Any of the above,” I said.
“We can do a routine compliance inspection of his boat or get the Coast Guard to do a more extensive search.”
“Weaver’s not dumb enough to leave anything incriminating on board. I say we give him enough rope to hang himself. He’ll come to us.”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little tired of people trying to kill us.”
We left the restaurant and headed back to theAvventura.I took Buddy out for a walk. When I got back to the boat, my phone rang with a call from Mark’s wife, Claire.
"What can I do for you, Mrs. Weaver?"
"It's not going to be Weaver for long.”
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"No, you're not.”
"Well, I'm sorry that you have been betrayed.”
She paused and took a breath. "I would like to apologize. I misdirected my anger toward you.”
"I understand.”
"Turnabout is fair play. One betrayal should be met with another, wouldn't you agree?"
In this circumstance, it was exactly what I wanted to hear.
"Come by the house. I have something for you.”
Knowing that Mark probably wanted us dead, I regarded her offer with an appropriate amount of caution. "What is it?”
"Everything you're hoping for.”
56
"Mark left his laptop here," Claire said when we caught up with her at the Stingray Bay mansion.
JD and I stood on the porch, keeping on high alert.
