Chapter Twenty Six
The 235 miles between Santo Domingo and Port au Prince took Brian and Andrea over four and a half hours to complete. Although they arrived in the city as anticipated, neither felt in a very festive mood and not in the least bit tired.
“It’s after eleven but let’s do some sleuthing.” Brian looked toward the hotel where Jason stood under the street light. “Jason hasn’t seen us yet. The last couple of days we’ve accomplished some things, but with Camilla in tow, we’ve been restricted. Now…”
“I agree. We should be able to travel freely…for a while at least.” Andrea liked the idea of following someone instead of someone following them. Since Jason seemed to always be on their horizon, he was the perfect choice. After a quick bite, they returned to their car and sat off to one side of the harbor road waiting to see if their ‘friend’ would leave for another location.
“While we’re waiting, why don’t we pray for Camilla. I miss her so much already.” Praying with their eyes open was not new to either of them. Andrea started. “Lord, we know that Camilla is more precious to you than she has become to us. We also know that you guided our steps to Troy and down the path to the orphanage. Please protect her and give her the knowledge she needs to fend for herself. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.”
“Lord, I too pray your special blessing on Camilla, but also on Andrea and myself as we follow your leading to find Diane and Trent. Keep them safe wherever they are and protect us as well. Help us to find the way to them and keep us from harm while we dive tomorrow night. Amen.” Just as he finished, Brian watched their quarry as he lit a cigarette. The lights were on in the rooms that Jason thought they occupied. Thanks to the concierge, their rooms appeared as if they were planning on staying in all night.
Brian and Andrea watched Jason walkover to a young boy. He handed him some cash. Jason pointed to the rooms on the second floor of the Al-B Oloffson Hotel, then got back into his car and turned on the ignition. Stepping on the gas pedal, he maneuvered into traffic and headed away from the harbor but into the business section of the city. Brian and Andrea followed a discreet distance behind in their rented vehicle until they saw Jason stop in front of the police station.
“Let’s follow him and see who he talks to.” Andrea already had a hand on the door handle of the car in a hurry to follow Jason inside the building. She slid out of the passenger side of the car just as Brian did the same on his side, and both quickly walked across the street. As they reached the entrance to the police station, they peered around the corner only to see Jason’s pant leg disappear down a hallway to the right. They entered the building and walked up the short flight of stairs before peeking down the hall in the direction of their quarry.
They saw Jason enter a doorway and followed, making sure not to look too conspicuous. When they arrived outside the selected door, they saw the name of the police captain on the door. Brian raised his finger to cross his lips in a signal for silence. Andrea motioned that she knew that. They could hear voices inside.
Pretending to read a newspaper that he had brought with him, Brian lounged against the wall. Andrea bent over to straighten her pant leg.
“You had better be clear about what you can and cannot do in my city.” The other voice spoke first. His gruff manner clearly stated who was in control, but Jason was not to be deterred.
“I think you will be a little more cordial when you see what I have brought you.” Jason’s familiar voice carried well through the closed door.
“Oh oui and what could that possibly be?”
“Here, see for yourself. I represent some people who would not take kindly if anything were to happen to someone connected with them and their plans.”
“And just what might these plans be?” Each voice was so distinct that Brian and Andrea had no problem distinguishing who was speaking.
“You don’t need to know the details. Just turn your head whenever one of the boys or I am in your city, that’s all. And forget about pursuing any rumors you might hear about the ceremonies held in the clearing to the north of the city.”
“Oh, ho, so you are the ones responsible for the disappearances. Well… we have too many of those cardboard box people anyway. Ha ha, cardboard box people! Makes them seem less valuable, non?”
“Just remember who’s paying you to look the other way and we’ll all be laughing someday.”
“Oh, oui, we have a deal then. I will receive more of the same soon, non?”
“You will get the same amount every week, at this same time. In the meantime, can you keep an eye on two people for us? They are staying at the Al-B Oloffson Hotel and could be trouble for us. So far they seem to be having the time of their life as tourists, but I know they are up to something. The woman, Andrea Wilton, told me as much in the United States. The man, Brian Strait, is her accomplice. They are looking for some friends who happen to be helping us at the moment. We don’t want them found.”
Andrea gasped and then put her hand over her mouth. Jason did know where Trent and Diane were! She looked toward Brian who was also listening very intently to the conversation on the other side of the door.
“That will cost you extra, non?” The Haitian officer obviously wanted his fair share.
Jason sneered. “How much extra?”
“The same amount, I think…paid tomorrow before I begin that job.”
“You’ll have your money as soon as I get it. Don’t get upset. I should have it by tomorrow night anyway.”
“Then I start looking after the two Americans.” Andrea and Brian heard a chair scraping. They moved swiftly towards the entrance of the building, out of sight. Jason emerged from the police captain’s office just as they reached the stairwell. Andrea opened the outside door and they ran towards their vehicle parked one block away.
Brian and Andrea watched as Jason lifted his eyes to the bright moonlight as he stepped onto the sidewalk. He looked both ways, maybe sensing someone watching. They hoped not. Jason walked around to the driver’s side of his black mustang, a car clearly not the same as the one seen in the U. S. , but similar.
“He must really like Mustang convertibles.” Andrea settled back in her seat for another clandestine trip following Jason. “Max was right. The police aren’t to be trusted.”
“Can you believe that police captain? He almost said that the people living in cardboard boxes needed to be exterminated. What kind of policeman would agree to something like that, and for a few bucks at best?” Brian clearly wanted to strangle someone.
“I don’t think Jason just gave him a few dollars. Oops, speaking of Jason, there he goes. Let’s follow to see where he leads us.” They followed Jason back to the front of the hotel. He made sure the boy he’d paid was doing his job and then left without getting out of his car. He drove to the west side of the city in a manner that suggested that he knew exactly where he was going.
“I think Jason is planning to get the extra money for the police captain from those men who took the people during the last ceremony. Otherwise he would have been able to give it to him sooner. I’m sure he will be only too happy to give the job of following us to someone else.” Brian seemed to be puzzled over this added information. Andrea concurred, however, since this seemed to be the most plausible explanation.
“That will give us time to execute the plan to follow their boat before we have someone else tailing us, someone we don’t recognize.” Andrea tried to put a positive light on this new development. “Tomorrow we have that lesson with all the new equipment. I wonder if they will question our use of it again. I can’t imagine they care as long as they get paid.”
“I gathered that as well. They seemed conscientious enough though to make sure we knew how to operate it.”
“Yes, but they also make money on the lessons. Let’s take our time tomorrow so we’re really comfortable with all of it.”
“Andrea, do you have any more concerns about what we’re planning to do tomorrow night?
We could maybe follow another way. I don’t know how, but maybe we could think of something.”
“No, this is the best way. If they catch us, we won’t stand a chance of finding out where Trent and Diane are. Jason said they were working for his friends. Somehow I can’t imagine that they are doing anything for those people willingly. Oh look, Jason’s stopped in front of that house. I wonder who he knows there.” As if on cue, a young woman emerged from the dark interior of the house. “Why, she can’t be any more that about sixteen or seventeen.”
Brian looked towards the house just as the young woman threw herself into Jason’s arms. He walked into the house with her arms wrapped around his waist. Jason kissed her just before entering the building. The lights went out and all was quiet.
“How long are we going to stay here?” Andrea was disgusted. “It’s obvious that he plans to spend the night.”
“We might as well go to our hotel. We have a long day tomorrow.” With that Brian pulled the car out of the shadows. They headed back to the Al-B Oloffson Hotel, parked behind the building at the staff entrance and entered through the back door. They bid the concierge goodnight and took the elevator to their floor.
Brian stopped with Andrea in front of her door. They looked at each other with the same feelings clearly visible in their eyes. Camilla was not with them anymore. He held the woman who had become a friend in such a short time. They both sighed deeply, missing their little friend immensely.
Brian was the first to speak. “I feel as if we left a part of ourselves back there. You must feel it even deeper since you shared your room with her.”
Andrea leaned back to peer into his face. “It’s hard to imagine how we’d feel if we’d kept her with us longer. It’s only been a couple of days since we found her. I dread even going into my room without that bubbly spirit in there when I open my eyes tomorrow morning. However, it will make our job a lot easier if we don’t have to worry about her.”
Andrea didn’t want to think about the little girl becoming a pawn in their game of cops and robbers, but she could very well be in danger just because of their quest to find the Michners. Brian shook his head as if reading her thoughts.
“She was such a sweet little girl for someone who had such a hard life.” He shook his head. “See you tomorrow, bright and early, okay?”
“I’ll be ready. Have a good night’s sleep.” Andrea walked into her silent room and locked the door behind her. She began to get undressed for bed, but then decided to check out the window to see if their watcher was still in the shadows. She opened the blinds and peered into the darkness. If he was there, she could see no sign of him. Staring into the blackness, she noticed something else though. Another little girl was combing through some garbage cans… another little girl who needed a home like Camilla had found.
Dear Lord, how many of these children have to live on garbage and without proper care in this country. Please look after this one for the night and place someone in her life who will rescue her from the life she now leads. Also Father, keep Brian and I safe tomorrow and lead us to the place where Trent and Diane are. They have been missing for a long time. Father, keep them protected wherever they are until someone can rescue them. Amen.
•
While Andrea was praying about the Michners and the little waif at the garbage cans, Brian was going over their plan to follow the boat tomorrow night…if those men came back again. He knew they could not count on police support in this country, but did Max also mean that the police back home were not to be trusted as well? Maybe they needed to involve the FBI, he thought. No, he decided to himself. They didn’t have enough evidence of foul play in the case of the Michners yet, but then he wondered if Lieutenant Kurshner had uncovered anything in the death of Max.
Taking the time difference into consideration, Brian decided to make a long distance call. When the police station answered on the fourth ring, he asked to speak to Lieutenant Kurshner and was put straight through. “Mr. Strait, I’ve been trying to reach you. Have you discovered anything else about your friends? Are they back from their vacation?”
“Vacation!! We told you they are not on vacation. They would have said something to us. Have you found out anything, or are you even looking?”
“We’re looking, we’re looking. Keep your shirt on. I was just testing you. We haven’t uncovered anything in their disappearance, but we have some interesting news about Miss Wilton’s friend, Max. Max visited the Caribbean at least four times every year, and he had a substantial bank account to which Miss Wilton has had access. Did you know that?”
“No…no. . I didn’t. Why is that important?”
“We’re not sure yet, but we think Miss Wilton knows more about this case than she lets on … and we think you’re not telling us everything either. Why don’t you come down to the station tomorrow morning and bring Miss Wilton with you?”
“Uh-h-h, we can’t lieutenant. We’re out of town. But we’ll see you as soon as we get back.” Brian hung up quickly deciding that now was not the time to confide in the lieutenant. They would have to wait until they discovered where the boat would lead them before calling in the authorities. Then it had better be the FBI since the Michners had been taken across state lines. Although he didn’t know for sure that the police in the US were involved, he couldn’t take the chance that they were.
Knocking gently on the door connecting his room to Andrea’s, Brian whispered, “Andrea, are you asleep yet?”
“No, I’m just lying here thinking about tomorrow. Come on in.” She sat up slightly just as Brian entered. “What is it?”
“I just talked to Lieutenant Kurshner. He thinks we both know more than we’re telling them, and he knows about Max’s bank account as well as your access to it. He wanted us to come down to the station tomorrow, but I told him we were out of town. I’ve been thinking about what we should do as far as involving the authorities. We know we can’t trust the police here, and we aren’t sure about the police back home. I think the FBI would be our best bet if we find out something tangible tomorrow. What do you think?”
“First of all, have they found out anything about the Michners?”
“No, that’s still a blank wall as far as the police go.”
“Well, I agree that we don’t know who we can trust. As far as I know, the FBI is the agency if someone has been taken against their will into another country. But you’re also right that so far we have nothing to give them. Let’s hope tomorrow is more fruitful than the last couple of days have been.”
“I just wanted to fill you in. Go to sleep now and forget about tomorrow. Remember what the Bible says about worry. Take care of today and let tomorrow take care of itself, remember? Do you want to pray together about this stuff?”
“Oh, Brian that would be great.” Andrea’s bowed her head. Brian began, “Lord, we love You and we thank You for allowing us to see where Camilla will live and for allowing us to have a small amount of time with her. We ask You to love her through Father Bertrand. I ask now that You would protect Andrea and help her get a good night’s rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
“Lord I too come to You tonight and thank You for allowing us to know Camilla. Help us to remember to seek help for the orphanage when we get back home and to send special gifts to Camilla from time to time to let her know we haven’t forgotten her. Now Lord, I ask You to grant Brian additional wisdom as You have already done. Protect him tomorrow and give him Your rest tonight. Amen.”
“Thanks Andrea. I’ve never prayed with a woman before except in groups at church. This is different, don’t you think? I’m not sure where the Lord is leading us, but I am sure He is leading us together. I mean, He is leading us somewhere … oh … I’m not sure what I mean. Good night again, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Andrea giggled when she saw the red coloring appear around Brian’s collar. “Good night, Brian. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.” When the door had closed behind him, she lay down with new thoughts
filling her head. Did Brian think that they could be more than friends?
“I guess that wouldn’t be such a bad idea.” She spoke out loud and then giggled again before she turned off the light one final time. Her sleep was filled with dreams again, some not so awful this time.
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