P.J. Alderman - Ghost Ship

Perhaps it was time to contact several businessmen with whom he was acquainted and offer to purchase their interest in the newspaper for a sum far greater than current market value.

MICHAEL had returned to his hotel suite and was sealing with wax on the last of the purchase offers to local businessmen when Remy and Max arrived. Tossing Sam Garrett into the room, they positioned themselves as sentries just inside the door.

Garrett picked himself up from the floor, brushing his clothes. “Really, Seavey, all you had to do was request a meeting—I would’ve been happy to oblige,” he said in a show of unconvincing bravado. “Sending your thugs was a misjudgment on your part.”

“The misjudgment is yours, if you had any role in the disappearance of the Customs agents last night,” Michael replied. “I warned you to cease such reckless and ill-conceived actions, or there would be consequences.”

Garrett swaggered over to sit in the chair across the writing desk from Michael. “And I made it clear you aren’t the arbiter of the decisions I make with regard to my side of the business.”

“I did not give you leave to sit,” Michael said. “You will stand where my men indicated. Now .”

Cold rage flared in Garrett’s eyes, quickly banked. After a tense moment, he rose to casually move about the room. “The Customs agents were becoming a nuisance, and it was necessary to get rid of them.”

Michael slowly drew a breath. For the first time in years, he was deeply worried. The wrath of the authorities over such an incident would not be easily controlled. “You fool. We could both hang for this.”

“Not if they don’t find the evidence linking us to the crime.”

Michael caught the slight smile on Garrett’s face, stunned to realize that the emotion behind it was pride. The idiot was pleased with his accomplishments. Perhaps he had even experienced a thrill in the killing of the two officers.

He’d seen the attitude before, of course. Some men, once having killed, actually felt a need to continue. He suspected Garrett was one such beast, and that it hadn’t been a difficult decision to take two lives. Further, it was clear he failed to be plagued by any remorse over the murders. Which made him a very dangerous business associate indeed. Michael had no stomach for men of his ilk.

Garrett moved over to study a watercolor that Michael had purchased on a recent trip to the Seattle waterfront, then turned back to give him a sardonic look. “I’d assumed you wouldn’t be baring your soul to the authorities regarding this matter. But perhaps I underestimated the depth of your current failures and the effect they’ve had on your ability to run your businesses.”

Michael refused to respond, waiting him out.

Garrett grinned. “I admit, Seavey, I assumed you wouldn’t tolerate any interruption in the flow of goods. But I can see now that your newfound—shall we say, hesitancy? Or shall we just name it what it is, cowardice—holds more sway over your business decisions than I had previously thought.”

Remy uncrossed his arms and took a step forward, but Michael waved him off. “Enough, Garrett. You may taunt me all you wish, but it is a waste of your breath. We both know you’ve made a grave error in judgment, from which you have little hope of evading the consequences. However, I have no intention of paying the price of your mistakes. As of this moment, our business association is henceforth dissolved. I have no knowledge of your activities, in the past or present. I will immediately notify our suppliers that you are no longer my representative. Indeed, I will suggest that they will find it far too risky to conduct business with you at all. I suspect they will heed my advice.”

“You won’t do that,” Garrett scoffed. “You have no current method of transporting the drug. And we both know your customers will exhibit no loyalty in the face of the numerous alternatives available to them here in town.”

Though Michael had no intention of informing Garrett of the imminent launch of the Henrietta Dale , he replied, “On the contrary, my customers find my willingness to provide adequate camouflage for their illicit activities to be quite beneficial. Indeed, they would be relieved to hear I have eliminated what could potentially have become an embarrassment and risk to them, that being even the most tenuous connection with your recent activities.”

“We have an arrangement, Seavey.” Garrett’s tone had turned cool. “Break it, and no one along the waterfront will work with you in the future.”

“Oh, I doubt it will be my reputation that suffers,” Michael retorted, refusing to acknowledge that there was some truth in Garrett’s statement. This business would certainly feed into the rumors already circulating, of that Michael had no doubt. It would be necessary to control the damage. However, he had no choice in the matter—any further association with Garrett was far more dangerous than the nuisance of rebuilding a bit of trust among his business associates. “Regardless,” he continued calmly, “you won’t be around to hear of any rumors in that regard. I expect you to leave town within the hour and not to return.”

Garrett barked out a laugh. “You can’t be serious!”

“I assure you, I’m deadly serious,” Michael replied. “Leave town within the hour, or my men will assist you. And I guarantee you’ll find their ‘assistance’ less than pleasurable.”

“You son of a bitch! I have no intention of leaving town. Honor our arrangement, or I swear to you, you’ll be sorry.”

“Get out,” Michael said. “You disgust me.”

This time, he didn’t intervene as Remy and Max took hold of Garrett’s arms.

“We had a deal, Seavey!” Garrett shouted as he was dragged from the suite. “Mark my words, you’ll pay!”

Chapter 14

JUST because the money wasn’t in the safe, doesn’t mean the burglar wasn’t after it,” Darcy argued while Jordan pulled beers. “You still have a problem.”

Tonight’s entertainment was a local jazz band that never failed to draw a large crowd. Jordan hadn’t stopped mixing drinks since she’d stepped behind the bar. Fortunately, with Bill taking the drink orders, she didn’t have to worry about ghosts ordering drinks they wouldn’t consume, because he couldn’t see them to ask. That kept the orders down to a manageable level.

“I’m not too worried about someone trying again.” She shrugged. “I can always put two notes on the front door tonight: one that says I don’t have the money, and the other that says I don’t have the papers.”

Jase reached around her to snag a bottle of Scotch. “You want me to sleep on your front porch again tonight?”

“Not necessary,” Jordan replied. “Try to beat back those chivalrous inclinations.”

“You’re no fun at all.” He gave her a wink, then took a tray of drinks from her and handed them across the bar to Bill.

Darcy raised a brow, refraining from making a comment.

“So spill,” Jordan told Darcy.

Darcy merely snorted. “I talked to eight of Holt’s past girlfriends today. All of them have ironclad alibis, and they all were supremely unconcerned about admitting to an officer of the law that they were thrilled someone else had done the job for them. Somewhere in Port Chatham tonight, there’s a hell of a party. Several mentioned calling Holt’s other old flames and getting together to celebrate his demise.”

“So the murderer probably isn’t an old flame.”

“It’s looking less likely,” Darcy agreed morosely.

Jordan asked Jase for mixing instructions for a whiskey sour.

“You’re kidding, right?” Darcy asked in disbelief.