“Perez,” he said. “Where’s Reyes?”
Perez looked uncomfortable.
“God damn it, Juan! Tell me!”
“With a gringo,” Perez said. “In the Hole, I think.”
Luna ran with Perez on his heels. They found Dugan lying on the concrete, Reyes above him, fists clenched, red faced with rage.
“Manny! No!” yelled Luna as they wrestled him away.
“Juan,” Luna ordered as he knelt beside Dugan, “get Manny out. Call a doctor.”
He touched Dugan’s face. Dugan winced and cracked an eye.
“Is he gone?” Dugan asked weakly, relieved when Luna nodded.
“Lie still,” Luna said. “A doctor is coming.”
“He’s not so fuckin’ tough,” Dugan croaked. “I was beat up worse than this by three guys outside a bar in Naples.”
“Seize my ship,” Captain Vince Blake said. “That’s piracy, by God.”
“Goddamned right,” agreed Chief Engineer Jim Milam, glaring defiance.
Rojas looked at Calderon and nodded. Calderon dialed his cell phone as Rojas turned back to the American captain.
“Capitán Blake,” he said, “to be clear, this was approved by your president.”
“Ray Hanley?” Blake asked, unable to picture the irascible president of Hanley Trading and Transportation parting with his brand-new ship.
“I refer,” Rojas said, “to the president of your country. You will, of course, need to confirm this. We have your embassy on the phone.”
Rojas nodded to Calderon, who passed Blake the phone. Blake put the phone to his ear and listened, thunderstruck, grunting an affirmation before hanging up and looking at the chief engineer.
“Son of a bitch. It’s true, Jim,” Blake said. “The president approved this.”
“And I voted for that asshole,” Milam muttered.
It was a done deal, thanks to Rojas’s preparation. He’d briefed the Panamanian president promptly, and when the inevitable phone call from the American president had come, asking “how can we help,” the answer had been “give us Luther Hurd.” The interests of one shipowner paled beside potential loss of the canal.
Blake took one last shot.
“But surely you have other ways to block the lock?”
Calderon shook his head. “Our temporary caisson gates are in Balboa. Even if we could somehow get them up into the lake, the damaged gates are obstructing placement. But a tanker just upstream of the damaged lock will work. We will ballast her until she grounds and build an earthen dam against her upstream side. Your ship is the ideal size, empty and clean. No danger from pollution or fire and explosion.”
“Hanley will do well,” Rojas added. “Above market rate during use, and a return to service at our expense plus five years revenue, guaranteed.”
Blake sighed. “When do we start?”
Rojas look flustered. “I’m sorry; I was unclear. There is nothing to start. We will remove the crew and place the ship with tugs.”
“You’ve discussed this with your pilots?” Blake asked.
“We’ve moved dead ships before,” Calderon said.
“Smaller vessels,” Blake said, “in still water with mules. We barely fit the lock; there’ll be current, no mules, and little room for tugs to maneuver. You’ll need the engine.”
“And you’ll need the plant up to ballast her down once in place,” Milam said.
“We’ll find a way, gentlemen,” Rojas said. “There are seamen among our employees.”
“Look, pal,” Milam said, “nobody’s gonna learn this ship in a few hours.”
“The chief’s right,” Blake agreed. “We’ll ask for volunteers. We won’t need many.”
The room grew quiet. “You would do this?” Rojas asked.
Blake shrugged. “We’re your only shot.”
“Long day,” Ward said, shaking Carlucci’s hand.
“Not over, I’m afraid,” Carlucci said. “Let’s talk while we walk.”
Ward followed him away from the Gulfstream toward his car.
“Dugan was arrested on arrival. I couldn’t spring him and smelled a rat because a cop named Reyes drove off with him solo.” He paused. “I called his boss, who said Reyes wasn’t working because his wife died in the attack and his kids are in the hospital. I filled him in, and he hung up and called back five minutes ago saying Dugan had an ‘accident’ but is OK. Translation — he got there before Reyes killed Dugan.”
Carlucci continued as they got in his car.
“We’re headed there now. I expect Dugan’s a bit worse for wear.”
Ward groaned. “Jesus H. Christ. Does it get any worse?”
“Yeah, it does,” Carlucci said. “Seems Reyes got a ‘confidential’ call from that asshole Gardner that Dugan was dirty and hinting he should be questioned aggressively.”
“That stupid son of a bitch,” Ward said.
“My sentiments exactly,” Carlucci said.
The Americans sat across the table from Luna, Reyes, and Perez.
“You can see Dugan,” Luna repeated, “when you explain your failure to warn us.”
Damn Gardner, Ward thought, trying again.
“Captain, we didn’t know. Just let us see Dugan, and I’ll tell—”
“No,” Luna said. “Tell us now. Or we resume questioning Dugan. File your protest. We will know everything before it works through channels.”
Ward sighed and nodded at Carlucci, who addressed Luna in Spanish.
“Capitán. We have your word this remains confidential?”
Luna nodded. “Juan,” he said to Perez, “go turn off the recorder.”
He turned back to Carlucci. “Is that sufficient, Señor Carlucci, or would you like to accompany Sargento Perez?”
“Your word is more than sufficient, Capitán,” Carlucci said as Perez left the room.
Luna nodded his thanks, and Ward began the briefing, including Dugan’s role in the operation.
“So,” he concluded minutes later, “we thought this trip to Panama was a ruse to get Dugan out of the way. We didn’t suspect the attack.”
“I am confused,” Reyes said. “You do not deny the truth of the information provided by Gardner — the money in Dugan’s offshore account and the fact Dugan was involved with Asian Trader just before she departed Singapore for Panama. And yet you seemed convinced of Dugan’s innocence. Why?”
“Because,” Ward said, “I’ve known him for over ten years and know he would never do this. And even if I’m wrong about that, I know he is far too smart to leave such obvious evidence to be found. Also, Lieutenant, ask yourself this: If you were Dugan and you had committed this heinous act, would you board a plane for Panama and land in the middle of the chaos? Only God and good fortune are holding the lake back. If things had gone a bit differently, Dugan could have deplaned in Tocumen just in time to be washed into the Pacific.”
Reyes and Luna nodded. After a long pause, Luna spoke.
“Very well, gentlemen,” he said. “You can see Dugan. Beyond that, I promise nothing.”
“Captain Luna,” Ward said, “as devastating as this attack was, I don’t think it is the final objective. Braun is still in place in London, and that tells me he has more attacks planned. I need to go there, and I need Dugan. His expertise may be vital in preventing another attack.”
Luna looked Ward in the eye.
“Agent Ward,” he said, “my concern is bringing the murdering bastards that did this to justice. I am not yet convinced Señor Dugan is not one of them, despite your assurances. He will remain our guest for the time being.”