Cargo: A Leine Basso Thriller (10 page)

Kibwe had been
partially right about the amount of fuel in the lifeboat. Twelve hours later the little craft’s engine sputtered, coughed once, and died. Leine was sitting outside on the bow in the relentless tropical sun when it happened. Land was still miles away, tantalizingly close yet too far to swim.

“Claire—” Derek called from inside. “I need your help.”

She dropped through the hatch. With no power, they’d be subject to the whims of the prevailing currents, drifting toward the busy shipping lanes leading to Dar es Salaam. Thankfully, the weather was cooperating with a slight wind from the northeast and calm seas.

Derek was near the stern. Oars from an equipment locker lay at his feet.

“Here,” he said, handing her one. “You prefer port or starboard?”

“Starboard.”

“I’ll take port.” He handed her several rations of water. “You’ll need these.”

Leine grabbed the compass from the steering station, and they both climbed through the hatch. Oar at the ready, she knelt on the right side of the bow. Derek did the same on the left.

“I’ll call the strokes,” he said, and waited until they’d both hydrated themselves. “Now row.”

Leine carved her oar into the water, matching his stroke.

They continued for twelve strokes, and then rested for a few moments before rowing another twelve. Leine relaxed into the rhythm of paddling followed by short rest periods. The lifeboat crept through the glare of sun on the water’s surface, headed for the shimmering continent.

They made landfall several hours later. Exhausted from the grueling workout, wind- and sunburned, they left the lifeboat where she ran aground. Checking on their supplies, Leine grabbed as much water as they could comfortably carry and shoved a couple of energy bars into her pockets. They bandaged the worst of their blisters before setting off down the white sand beach.

“We’re going to need money,” Derek said. “I’ve got a bit back at my place, but if the ship’s already in port, then Wang’s found out we escaped. It won’t be safe.”

She gazed at the lineup of ships on the water, waiting their turn to pull into port. “I assume his ships are able to bypass the line?”

Derek shrugged. “I wouldn’t doubt it. Grease the right palms…”

“I can send a message to my employer to wire funds.”

“You’ll need a passport.”

“Not if they wire the funds to you.” Leine figured Lou would be able to find her a passport, but it could take days. They didn’t have days. She could go to the embassy, fill out the paperwork to get an emergency passport, but she didn’t have time to go through the red tape and long lines, and Derek had mentioned that Wang had friends who worked there. She didn’t want to

Derek nodded. “All right, then. Cyber café it is.”

He hooked a sharp right and led the way through palm trees and heavy vegetation to a dirt road where they began to walk. The sun had just dropped below the horizon and everything was bathed in a dark orange hue. The dust of the road rose to greet them, settling on Leine’s skin like a fine talc.

Derek waved at an ancient, overloaded
dala dala
as it chugged past them. Its sole brake light blinked on and the rusty, derelict bus slowed to a stop. Derek jogged to the open door and spoke rapidly to the driver. He turned to Leine and nodded at the roof.

“He says we can ride into Dar on the top of the bus for free if I promise to help his cousin.”

Leine cocked her head but didn’t say anything. She grabbed hold of the metal bars on the open-air bus and climbed to the roof. Derek followed close behind, flopping onto his back on top of a large canvas bag.

“I have the feeling the man’s cousin is going to be disappointed,” Leine said.

He grinned at their fellow passengers and winked.

“Fuck it. It’s Africa.”

***

Traffic in Dar es Salaam was purported to be some of the worst in the world, and that evening’s slow crawl into the city did not disappoint. It didn’t take long before Leine had enough of diesel exhaust and sweat, mixed with the steady honking of impatient and hostile drivers. As soon as she spotted a sign advertising Internet access, she signaled to Derek she was getting off. He followed her into the small store, complaining loudly that she had gotten off too soon.

“I’m done, Derek. I can’t take the slow pace. We can walk faster than that. Besides,” she said, indicating the crowded café, “this should work nicely.”

“And just how the hell are we going to pay for access? Did you happen to pick up a few shillings?”

Leine glanced at his backside and arched an eyebrow. Derek shook his head and stepped away.

“Oh no, no, no. There’s nothing left back there. I gave Kibwe all I had.”

Leine shrugged. “You’ll figure it out,” she said, heading to a recently vacated computer. “Use your charm.”

Still grumbling, Derek walked to the counter and engaged the clerk in conversation. A few minutes later, he was back and handed her a slip of paper.

“Here’s the code. You’ve got twenty minutes.”

“Let me guess. You’re going to help his sister?”

“Just send your message. Use this bank.” Derek scribbled a name on a piece of paper.

Leine logged into a secure chat room and sent a message to Lou, detailing that she’d found Kylie, what had happened since Bangkok, and why he hadn’t heard from her, adding a line asking about April. It was before dawn back in LA, but Lou was an early riser and tended to check his email first thing. Then, she sent a note to Santa, letting him know she was all right and not to worry.

Yeah,
she thought,
that’s gonna happen.
The man sitting at the computer to her left stood and walked out of the café, his screen showing several minutes remaining. Then the woman to her right scowled at her and did the same. Leine scanned the room, searching for the reason they’d left, but didn’t notice anything unusual. Was it something she said?

A few minutes later, Lou replied, confirming the amount and the bank’s address. He added that one of his old contacts in the city should be able to get her a passport quickly. His answer regarding April was frustratingly vague. Leine glanced at the clock on the wall behind them to see how much time they had left. Five minutes. Derek walked over to speak with the clerk in order to give her some privacy.

Deciding to pursue Lou’s non-answer about her daughter once she had more time and resources, she replied that she’d lost Kylie, who was now most likely on her way to Wang’s camp somewhere in Tanzania. She sketched out her plan to use Derek’s help to find the camp, mentioned that he asked for payment, and that she’d offered to get him out of the country. She waited for a reply, but Lou didn’t respond right away. Derek returned and now it was his turn to get antsy. He started agitating for her to end the session since their time had almost run out. Leine ignored him.

“He’ll reply,” she said, hoping she was right. Every time she cut off communication with her handlers in her former profession, it was like severing an umbilical cord. Once she broke contact she was literally on her own, and if she fucked up, anyone associated with her or her mission would disavow all knowledge.

Granted, this time wasn’t quite the same, but it was still like being cut loose.

Another glance at the clock told her they had less than a minute remaining. The clerk was giving them a dirty look. Derek crossed his arms and tapped his foot. Leine moved the cursor to close out of the chat room when a message from Lou popped up on the screen. She allowed herself a sigh of relief and read it.

“He says a passport can be expedited. It’ll be ready tomorrow afternoon.”

Derek whistled. “He’s got some kind of connections. That usually takes days.”

“Former life,” she said, by way of explanation. Lou also gave her the go-ahead to track the container and pay Derek. He added that he’d contact Kylie’s parents with an update.

She wrote down the address where she was to pick up the passport and logged out of the program. “Where do you suggest we spend the night?” she asked, standing. “Your place won’t be safe, and neither of us has any money.”

“I know just the spot,” Derek said.

Leine followed Derek
up three flights of stairs in the well-lit block building, then down a long hallway to the third door on the right. Although it was obvious that he’d been there before, perhaps many times, there was no number or letter signifying that it was a separate residence.

Derek rapped on the door two times, followed by three short knocks. Leine stepped back in an attempt to get downwind of him, but then sniffed her own underarms.

And gagged.

Jesus.
No wonder the people at the cyber café had gotten up to leave.

The door opened and a stylish, statuesque woman who would have looked at home on the cover of
Jet
or
Vogue
appeared, expectation bright in her dark eyes, a delighted smile on her full lips. The smile dissolved when she caught sight of Leine. With a frown, she pushed the door open with her foot and stood aside, arms crossed. Ignoring her scowl, Derek walked into the apartment and leaned in for a peck on the cheek. She sniffed and waved at the air. Wary of the woman’s displeasure, Leine followed him in.

The clean, sparsely furnished apartment had been decorated in bright colors: a cheery yellow print covered a futon resting against one wall. A brilliant red and black tablecloth covered a wooden dining table with matching chairs next to the small kitchen area. Similarly bright fabric had been used as wall hangings. All in all a cheerful place—and in direct contrast to the woman’s current mood.

“Who is this?” the woman asked Derek in Swahili, nodding at Leine. Hostility radiated off of her, her expression practically shredding Leine where she stood.

Leine made a mental note to sleep with the knife from the lifeboat if they stayed.

Derek turned, smiling, and held out his arm in an expansive gesture. “A friend I met on my trip over from Bangkok.” He stepped closer to whisper in the woman’s ear. Whatever he said, it did little to break the tension. “Claire, I’d like you to meet Nia. Nia and I go way back. She’s very special to me.”

Somewhat placated, Nia let her arms fall to her sides and lifted her chin in a defiant gesture.

“It’s good to meet you, Nia. Derek’s told me so much about you,” Leine said.

Derek ignored the sarcastic remark but Nia brightened somewhat, apparently thinking Derek had been talking about her. Although she didn’t smile, judging by her posture she’d relaxed a bit.

“Welcome,” she said, stepping closer to Derek. Though he was easily six feet, Nia was taller than Derek by several inches. “How long will you stay this time?” she asked him.

He cupped her chin in his hand and gave her a longing look. “Only one night, my love.”

Leine had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Nia’s expression softened, and she took him by the hand, leading him across the small apartment toward a door that apparently led to the bedroom.

“First, you need a bath. Then, we can greet each other properly.”

Derek hung back. “Nia, I’m afraid I won’t have nearly enough energy unless I get something to eat. I’m happy to go out, if you’d like.”

Nia sighed dramatically and dropped his hand, obviously annoyed. “There is a tin of fish and some biscuits in the cupboard. You’ll find olives in the icebox.”

Derek gave her a grateful smile and walked over to investigate the contents of the cupboards. In a matter of minutes, he’d created a passable meal for the three of them, and they sat down at the table. Nia ignored the fish and had only one biscuit, but brought out two bottles of lager, one of which she split into two glasses to share with Leine. The other she gave to Derek.

As they were eating, Nia’s gaze trailed down Derek’s torso to the rust-colored bloodstain saturating the left rear section of his pants. She glanced at Derek, concern etching her face.

“Have you been injured?” she asked.

Derek shrugged. “A bit of minor surgery. Nothing to worry about. I might have you take a look at it, though. See if you can do a better job with a bandage.”

Nia leaned back in her chair. “How did the two of you meet?” she asked, nibbling her cookie and sizing up Leine.

“We were on the same ship and ran into a slight problem,” Derek said.

“You have been quite generous under the circumstances, Nia,” Leine added. “Thank you for your hospitality. I will leave if my presence in your home makes you uncomfortable.”

Nia studied her for a moment before she got up and walked to the sink with the dishes. She came back and stood behind Derek, placing her hands on his shoulders and leveling her gaze at Leine.

In a voice reminiscent of a queen, she said, “Your friend may sleep on the futon.”

Derek smiled and nodded, patting her hand. “Thank you, Nia.”

***

The next morning, Leine was awake and ready to go by the time Derek made it out of the bedroom. She’d woken repeatedly during the night due to the rantings of an upstairs neighbor, an apparent insomniac who enjoyed yelling at himself. In contrast, Derek sported a relaxed yet irritating “just had mind-blowing sex” smile. Along with the tousled bed-head, he appeared supremely happy, giving Leine a sharp pang of Santa-longing.

Shrugging it off, she glanced at his bush pants, expecting to see the bloodstain. It wasn’t there.

“Change of clothes?” Leine asked, wishing she had something, as well. The quick shower she took earlier didn’t help much, since she still had to wear the same clothes. She was damned sick of smelling herself.

Derek nodded. “I’d ask Nia if you could borrow something, but I think that might be pushing it.”

“No problem. After the bank there should be time to pick up a change of clothes before we get my passport and head out of town.”

“Sure, sure.”

Derek avoided her eyes and appeared distracted. Leine wondered if he’d changed his mind about helping her find the camp.

“So what’s the plan?” she asked.

“While you’re picking up the money, I’ll check with a couple of contacts, get an idea where Wang’s camp might be.”

“What if Wang’s gotten to your contacts and they know there’s a price on your head?”

“Yeh, that’s the only problem. I’m not sure who I can trust at the moment. Only money speaks here.”

“That’s true everywhere,” Leine said. “May I suggest setting up a meeting with whoever you think you can trust, and wait for me to join you? There’s safety in numbers, and I can act as point.”

Derek studied Leine for a moment before he nodded. “That’s a sound plan. There’s one more thing. We’re going to need tools.”

“You’re talking about guns and gear, I take it?”

“Yeh. Even if we do find the camp, we won’t be able to accomplish much without some kind of serious persuasion.”

“And that means going to your place.”

Derek nodded. “I guarantee Wang will have someone there watching. He doesn’t take kindly to looking the fool.”

“I’ve had some experience in surveillance and can help you check things out before we go in.” Leine walked to the tiny kitchen sink and filled a glass with water. “We’d be better off waiting until dark, although it wastes precious time. Could we purchase the tools we need, rather than risk a trip to your home?”

“I’d rather not. Once word gets out that I’m in the market for weapons, they’ll be on us like jackals.” Derek shook his head. “No, we need to get into my place, grab what we need, and get out. Besides, there’s a Range Rover in the carport. Beats taking the bus.”

“Good point,” Leine conceded. “Do you know how Wang transports his girls once they’re off the ship?” she asked.

“Trucks them out in the containers.”

“How long do you think it will take for them to offload?”

“The ship has to clear customs, but Wang’s got connections so it doesn’t normally take long. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were on the road in the next twenty-four hours. That’s if the ship’s here. The way Kibwe was talking, they’ll be in port by now. Probably last night.”

Nia emerged from the bedroom wearing a short silk robe and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Tea?” she asked.

“None for me, thanks.” Derek grew silent for a moment, thinking. “Would you be willing to do me a favor, Nia? It won’t take long. You can complete it before you go to work.”

“That depends. What is it?”

“I need you to check on a container shipment for me.”

Nia considered Derek for a long, slow moment. Then she turned to Leine. “You are unable to do this because Wang is looking for you, too?”

“Yes.” Surprised Derek had told her that much, Leine didn’t go into detail. The less she knew the better.

“I can pay you.” Derek kept his eyes trained on Nia. That was probably a good thing, since Leine was watching him with a bemused expression. She knew the type. As long as it was someone else’s money, he was more than willing to pay.

Whatever gets me closer to finding Wang’s camp
.

Nia glanced at the clock hanging on the wall over the futon. Six thirty. “I can give you two hours,” she said.

“Great. Here’s what I need you to do.”