Crime of Retribution
Book 2 Austin and Archer Mystery Series
Book Excerpt
A murdered migrant farm worker;
A young girl coerced into working for an escort agency;
A cold-blooded assassin taking shots at Dan Archer.
Will the detectives solve the murder in time to rescue the young woman,
Or will Lea become a victim while trying to protect her partner?
BOOK EXCERPT
When they pulled into the harbor, they parked in the lot closest to the area where rental boats were docked.
At the slip painted with the name Admiral, they saw a double- decked yacht packed with people. A guard at the top of the ramp leading to the boat greeted arrivals. He directed each guest who presented a card to the main deck.
“How do you want to play this?” Woody asked. “Looks like we need an invitation to get on board.”
“We have to find Adriana’s cousin and get her out before they start the cruise around the harbor,” Dan replied.
“Without a warrant, we can’t force them to tell us where she is,” Woody pointed out. “We need an excuse to search from room to room until we locate her.”
“How about this?” Dan suggested. “I’ll act like an irate father looking for my daughter. That will give you an opportunity to sneak past the guard.”
“Do you think the guard will believe you?”
“Don’t worry, I can be convincing. I’ll act as I would if I caught Ashley in this situation.”
“It might work. You search the starboard side. I’ll look portside. We’ll meet at the bar when we’re finished. Hopefully, one of us will have Luisa in tow.
Dan climbed the ramp alone.
“Sorry, sir,” the security person told him. “This boat has been rented for an exclusive affair this evening. Only guests with invitations are permitted on board.”
“I’ve been told my daughter is here. She’s too young to attend an event like this. I want to find her and take her home.”
“I don’t mean to interfere in personal business, sir, but don’t you think your daughter can decide herself whether to be here?”
“She’ll make her own decisions when I say she’s mature enough to make those decisions.”
The guard looked dismayed. “You put me in an awkward position. I have firm instructions that no one comes aboard without an invitation.”
Dan took the guard’s elbow and led him away from the ramp. “My daughter is only fifteen and if I know her, she’s drinking. I guarantee her actions won’t lead to a good result for any of us.”
He glanced over the guard’s shoulder and saw Woody sneak past. “If anything happens to her, I’ll hold you and your boss responsible.”
The guard appeared to be barely of legal age himself. “I suppose I can let you in for a quick look but we’re ready to get underway.”
“I’ll have her out of your hair before the boat leaves the dock,” Dan assured him. “You made the right decision. Your employer will thank you for this.”
The young man looked doubtful as he turned to greet new arrivals.
Dan entered the main deck which featured a dance floor, a full- service bar, and a buffet. Waiters carried trays of chilled champagne and food delicacies through the crowd of mingling guests.
Off to one side, couples gyrated to music played through loudspeakers. Men loosened their ties. Women, several of whom appeared to be escorts, slipped off their high-heeled shoes and joined the dancers.
Dan searched the sea of smiling faces using the description furnished by Adriana. He walked past a bar where men stood talking to women half their age. One couple stood at the handrail enjoying the view. She voiced no objection when the man’s hand slipped down her back. An older, executive-looking type expounded on numerous subjects while a bevy of junior associates hung on every word.
Dan ran up the stairs to the viewing deck where he found couples engaged in activities other than star-gazing. With a growing sense of anxiety, he broke into the ladies’ room.
“Anyone here?” he yelled as he moved from stall to stall pushing doors open.
Having no luck, he rushed into the corridor where he ran headfirst into his friend.
“Anything?” Woody asked. “Nothing. How about you?”
“I came up empty as well. Maybe we were given faulty information.”
“You think Jewel gave me a bum steer to buy time to clear out?”
Woody shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out if she doesn’t show up for work tomorrow. In the meantime, all we can do is maintain surveillance at the club until Luisa’s date returns her.”
Dan sighed. “I suppose you’re right but Adriana will be disappointed.”
“We better go before the guard discovers me.”
“Give me a minute. I’m going to hit the john before we leave.”
In the restroom, he found a man sniffing coke from a shelf above the sink.
“C’mon, baby, join me. You want to have a good time, don’t you?” he asked someone across the room. “The evening’s young. You and I are just getting started.”
Dan turned to see who the guy was talking to.
Huddled in the corner was a wide-eyed Luisa, trembling and clutching her arms. It was obvious her notion of having a good time had been dispelled.
Dan approached her, trying not to frighten her further. “Are you all right, miss?”
She scrunched against the wall.
“Adriana sent me to find you.” He pulled a paper from his pocket and handed it to her. “She knew you might be afraid so she asked me to give you this.”
After reading the note, the girl looked at him. “Adriana says I should trust you and it’s safe to leave with you.”
“That’s right but we should hurry.” As he helped her to her feet, he was grabbed from behind.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Besides being high on drugs, the man reeked of alcohol. “Go find your own woman. I paid for this one.”
Luisa stood behind Dan and pointed angrily at her flustered escort. “He told me the party would be fun but I haven’t had fun at all. This bully is a pig. He tried to force his way with me.”
“There are people you need to tell but this isn’t the time or place. Right now, we’re leaving.” Dan pushed past her date. “Move aside, sir. This young lady is done partying for the evening.”
“Says who?” the big man sputtered. He stood in their way, his face purple with rage.
“Says the person walking out of here with your date.” In one swift move, Dan delivered a blow to the man’s paunchy stomach. “Any objections?”
His adversary hunched over, too winded to speak.
“I didn’t think so.” He inched closer and whispered in the man’s ear. “If I ever hear of you forcing yourself on a woman again, I’ll hunt you down and finish what I started.”
“Take it easy, fella. Why are you so worked up over a worthless—?”
The second blow prevented him from finishing his sentence. He leaned over the sink to stop the blood flowing from his mouth.
Dan grabbed Luisa’s hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
As they raced down the corridor, she asked breathlessly, “Will I be able to keep the dress?”
“Sure, why not? Your date can afford it. He put more than the cost of your gown up his nose.”
They found Woody waiting at the top of the ramp. “Is she okay?” he asked.
“A little shaken up but she’s fine. Her only worry was losing the dress.” Dan grasped the handrail to descend the ramp. “The way things were going, she would have lost more than the garment before the night was over.”
“What happened to your hand?” Woody asked. “Your knuckles are bruised.”
“I was teaching her date some manners.” “Did it work?”
“That kind never learns but I keep trying.”
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