Page 22 of Erase Me
I motioned with my bottle towards the yacht.“Don’t look now, but I think duty calls.”
Without another word, he turned and disappeared along the walkway.
After Volpe’s dates cleared out, I had a little time to kill.Occasionally, I heard low voices from the yacht.One sounded like it belonged to a woman.
Vaughn never mentioned that.Maybe he wasn’t so perfect.
A few minutes later, that conversation stopped altogether.I put my feet up on the bench and listened to the muffled sound of the surf.As I waited, a single motor launch idled past on the far side, and I heard strains of some Frank Sinatra song float across the marina from a few docks over.Other than that, it was dead quiet.
Just as I decided it was time to go, I spotted my new friend coming off the yacht.A moment later, he reappeared beside my boat.
This goon and his partner must have felt I was still too close for comfort.Well, their instincts were good, at least.
“Decided to take me up on the offer?”I got up and stretched.“Normally, I’d take a check for the four hundred K, but this late at night, I only take gold bullion.”
“Funny.But I actually might be interested.”Very casual.Like a very burly fox.“I’d like to see the rest of the boat.”
I’m sure he thought he was being clever.He knew that if this really was my boat, I’d have access to the forward cabins.
“You’re serious?”
“As a heart attack at sea, pal.”
I shrugged.“Okay, come aboard.Hope you don’t mind the mess.”
He stepped onto the stern swimming platform and followed me into the galley area.Here, we were out of sight of his partner on the yacht, if he was watching.And I was pretty sure he would be.
“Oh, wait.My keys,” I gestured toward the bench where I’d been sitting.
That was all it took.As he turned his head, I hammered him hard on the temple with the base of my beer bottle.He went down like a sack of billiard balls.The only sound as he hit the deck was the crack of his head when it bounced.
I checked his pulse.He was out, but I didn’t know for how long.I took the pistol from his waist holster.
Going out, I dropped the gun over the side and hurried along the dock to Volpe’s boat.Sure enough, the other goon was staring at me from the deck.
I tried to sound scared.“Hey, a guy just slipped on my boat.I called 911, but it’ll be a few minutes, they said.Can you help me?He banged his head hard.”
The bodyguard stared at me for a few seconds, then hopped down onto the dock.I bolted ahead; his footsteps close behind.
When we reached the boat, he saw his partner on the deck in the dining area and shoved by me.That worked just fine.
As he crouched down, I chopped at his neck.Normally, that would have been enough to stop a bull, but this guy was only staggered a moment.He started to rise and reach for his gun at the same time.
I beat him to it, yanking the pistol from its holster and tossing it behind me.I heard it clatter across the deck outside, but I already had more pressing concerns.
The goon began to turn, but I stayed behind him, snaking my arm around his neck and clamping down hard on his windpipe.
The owner of the boat was certainly going to wonder what had happened to security in this marina, because the bodyguard threw himself backward, slamming me against the glass slider.The barrier gave way, and we toppled onto the rear deck.
He tried rolling and kicking and reaching for me.But I managed to keep clear of his big paws, and I kept squeezing.It wasn’t long before I felt him start to weaken.Even a bull needs air.
I held on until he went limp...and then a little longer.
Shoving him off of me, I made sure he was still alive.He was, but just barely.
Still, I’d have to move.I didn’t want these two coming up behind me.
I found the pistol on the stern deck and dropped it into the marina waters with the other.
