Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

something was happening out at sea with one of the boats—the Treasure Chest .
    The captain is a man named John Fergus and I’ve known him several years. He’s never given us any trouble. Several local businessmen own the boat and all of them have lived in the area most of their lives.
    Most own other businesses. I did a little discreet inquiry down around the harbor and turned the matter over to the coast guard, but, to my knowledge, they didn’t turn up anything unusual. Gene didn’t say anything further to me and I presumed the matter was taken care of. Obviously, I was wrong.“
    “Gene Dockins actually contacted Interpol, saying he thought there was smuggling going on. He thought drugs, or with the terrorist scare he was afraid a bomb might be smuggled into theUnited Statesvia this coastline. He and his son Jeremy had been doing a little undercover work and managed to take pictures of something being offloaded onto the Treasure Chest . As we knew this area was hot, we followed up on his inquiries and took him up on his offer to continue helping.”
    Jonas swore aloud. “Why the hell didn’t they come to me? For that matter, you should have come to me instead of using a local for your undercover work. Jeremy’s only a kid. Damn it!” He slammed his open palm against the steering wheel. “I should have been more on top of it. I knew Gene was concerned, but I thought once I’d turned it over for investigation he’d dropped it.” He sighed. “I sentJacksonto their home to break the news to Gene’s wife but I’d better warn him to keep on eye on Jeremy. That boy doesn’t have the sense to be afraid and I’ll be damned if I’ll let anything happen to him. If he comes around wanting to help by taking his father’s place, you tell him no.”
    Aleksandr waited before responding until Jonas finished his call outlining the dangers to Jeremy Dockins to his deputy. “Your report to the coast guard filtered through Interpol just about the same time Gene Dockins sent us the photographs and his concerns. We contacted Mr. Dockins and he agreed to help us by placing an undercover agent in his boat and on the docks working with him. It was the perfect cover for Danilov.” Aleksandr was damned if he was going to give Jonas the satisfaction of feeling his regret. Of course he was upset his partner was dead and the civilian fisherman was near death, but Aleksandr was doing his job and in his high-risk position danger went with the territory. Losing Danilov was a tremendous blow, both professionally and personally. He had been Danilov’s backup and he had arrived too late to protect him. It mattered little that Danilov hadn’t told him he was going out with Dockins that night; Aleksandr felt responsible.
    “I did a little research on you, Volstov, after you introduced yourself. There were a lot of gaps in your earlier years. Big ones. But I did find that you’ve spent several years working to bring down the Russian mafia. They’re a particularly violent organization. Are you trailing them? I’d like to know if they have a foothold in my jurisdiction.”
    “They’re inSan Francisco,” Aleksandr admitted. “But you probably know that. We were hoping they weren’t involved in this, but little happens inRussiaalong the smugglers’ routes without the mafia being involved.”
    “Is your name on a hit list?” Jonas asked bluntly.

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    Aleksandr felt Abigail tense in his arms. Her eyes opened and he held her gaze as he admitted in a low voice, “Yes. Very near the top.”
    Abigail blinked and turned her head away from him.
    Jonas turned the car onto the long, winding drive that led to a sprawling house on the cliffs. The house was an imposing sight, three stories high with a tower, balconies off of nearly every room, and a captain’s walk out over the sea. Wind-swept cypresses and groves of evergreen and redwood trees clung to the hillside and color exploded among the brilliant green plants as wildflowers fought for space among the brush. A heavy iron gate wrought with symbols of the earth and stars swung open as the vehicle approached.
    “What happened tonight, Volstov?” Jonas asked.
    Aleksandr studied the grounds carefully, noting every path and every locked gate. “I received a call tonight from Danilov saying he had some evidence that a shipment of stolen artifacts we were tracking had been spilled into the sea as it was