CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
put the pedal to the metal and hauled ass to the marina, hoping that Jordie had done as I'd asked and called the cops. Riza was on the loose and she was dangerous, and I didn't want to take any chances that she was actually going to harm Brooke.
"Foolish!" I yelled as I slammed my fists against the steering wheel. "Foolish and stubborn and reckless!"
I could feel the panic rising in my chest as I thought about what Beck had told me and how I'd entrusted everything to the one person who was intent on bringing me down. I couldn't understand why Riza was so angry and resentful. I'd done everything her father had ever asked, and I'd made sure that the business stayed intact, despite the fact that running drugs had never been my choice for how to make a living.
But Papi had saved us. He had made a home for us when no one else could or would, and I owed him. I was loyal and I did what I said I would do! Now, I was being punished for decisions that hadn't even been mine to make? It wasn't fair!
I was furious with Riza. Why hadn't she talked to me about how she felt? Why hadn't she said she was mad that Papi didn't leave the business to her? I would have found a way to make it right! Instead, she spent years nurturing an unnecessary grudge that now threatened to end in violence. My heart felt heavy just thinking about it.
And, poor Beck had been the pawn in her game. He hadn't wanted to be a junkie, but she'd made it so easy for him and encouraged his habit, even when he'd wanted to quit. What kind of person destroys the people who love her?
"Dammit, Ri! You should have told me!" I yelled in the empty car. I felt angry and sick, and my feelings were bouncing back and forth between rage at Riza for what she'd done and worry over what she might still do. I had no idea where Brooke was or if she was okay. Come to think of it, I had no idea if Ri was working alone or with others. She might have an entire posse of people who were helping her pull this off. I slammed my fists on the steering wheel and pushed the car up to the outer range of acceptable speed on the highway, hoping that the cops wouldn't stop me.
I pulled into the parking lot at the marina in record time and was frustrated when I didn't see any cop cars. I saw several cars, but none looked familiar. I wondered how Brooke had gotten to the marina since she didn't own a vehicle. I peeked in the windows of the cars in the lot and quickly found the one that Brooke must have borrowed. Her briefcase was in the front seat and next to it was her cell phone. I cursed her for leaving her phone in plain sight in a locked car and made a mental note to scold her for it.
I walked over to the manager's office and pounded on the door. When no one answered, I went around back to the door that Mick, the manager, used when he didn't want to deal with people. He'd let me in on the secret because, as he'd said, "You're not an annoying asshole."
I pulled open the door and cursed under my breath when I saw Mick lying next to the backdoor out cold, bound and gagged. I pulled him off the floor, put him on his bunk, and untied the ropes around his wrists and ankles before I removed the gag. Mick started to come to as I went to grab a glass of water for him.
"Wha…what the hell?" he said in a groggy voice as he reached up and rubbed the back of his head. "Who the hell are you?"
"It's me, Mick, Dax Malone – you know, the one who's not an asshole?" I grinned as I handed him the glass of water.
"What'd ya hit me for?"
"I didn't hit you," I said. "I came out to the marina and when you didn't answer the front door, I came around back to check that you weren't having a heart attack or something."
"Somebody hit me," he said as he raised the glass and sipped gingerly. "Man, my head fucking hurts!"
"Yeah, that'll happen when you get smacked," I nodded. "Any idea who hit you?"
"Nah, I was working the front desk and I came back here to grab another cup of coffee and whammo!" he said slapping his free hand down on the bunk next to him. "What time is it?"
"It's about half past six," I said. "Why, you got a date or something?"
"Actually, yeah, I do," he grinned. "Good looking chick with long black hair said she wanted to take me to dinner and a movie."
"You sure that didn't happen while you were out?' I asked as I quickly pulled together the missing pieces and decided that it was most likely Riza who'd knocked him out.
"Nah, she was a real live girl all right," he grinned. "She's been coming by here every couple of days for the past few weeks and working on your boat. Hey, I thought you'd hired her! She said she was there to clean things up and get it ready for some kind of trip."
"What else did she tell you, Mick?" I wanted to get as much information as I could before I confronted Riza. She was angry and knew her way around a lot of different kinds of weapons. At this point, I wouldn't have put it past her to have stocked up the boat for a long trip straight out of the country. What I was worried about was who she might, or might not, be taking with her.
"She said she was looking forward to a big dish of rice and beans and a cold Dos Equis down on the coast," he said as he drank a little more water and swung his legs over the edge of the bunk.
"Take it easy, sailor," I said. "You've suffered a blow to the head and you might want to get that checked out."
"Eh, I've had a lot worse in my day," he smiled as he rubbed the spot where she'd nailed him. "This is just gonna be a good goose egg and little bit of bruised ego."
"Mick, I need you to do me a favor," I said as I quickly shifted tracks and thought about Brooke. "I need you to get up and call the cops and have them come out to the Isabella."
"Why? What's up?" he asked. "You done something illegal, son?"
"No, not me," I said. "But I think your dark-haired beauty is about to, and I need to stop her before it's too late."
"Aw, man," Mick groaned. "I hate the cops."