“Did my friend help you buy the guns?”
The question Pike had been waiting to ask.
“I knew nothing about this man. Rina’s sister, she worked for him. That is what I knew.”
“Was he helping you sell them?”
“No. I just tell you, no. I didn’t know anything about these people. Not even their names.”
Pike did not show his relief. Frank was clear. Always had been, and would be.
“I didn’t think so. If he was helping you, you would have had a buyer.”
Jakovich tried to act offended.
“I have many buyers.”
“If you had a buyer, the guns would be gone, and Darko would have no play to jam you. You need a buyer, but you don’t know anything about the arms market. I want to buy them, and I can eliminate Darko. I can kill him for you, or I can give him to you, let you make an example of him, whatever you like.”
Milos Jakovich cleared his throat. He rubbed at his eye, then cleared his throat again.
“This isn’t what I expected.”
“No. I probably know more about the guns than you. They were stolen by Indonesian pirates from a container ship bound for Pyongyang from Kowloon. They’re new, fully automatic weapons, still in their wrappers, but they won’t be easy to sell because of how they came to the market.”
Jakovich looked irritated.
“How do you know these things?”
“You’re an amateur at this. I’m a professional. The North Koreans still want the guns, but won’t pay for them-they would consider that a ransom. The Chinese want them back, but they’re going to kill the people who stole them, and they’ve let out word that they will view anyone who buys them as an accomplice to the crime. You don’t want the Chinese coming here to the marina.”
Jakovich pooched out his lips, probably imagining a Chinese invasion.
Pike said, “I want to buy them. If you agree, I’ll throw in Darko and your grandson as an incentive.”
“What kind of money are we talking about?”
“Three thousand rifles, five hundred per, that’s one-point-five million, but only if they’re fully automatic and free of rust and corrosion. I will check each weapon-not three or four, but all three thousand. If they’re missing bolts or receivers, I’ll still buy them, but at a reduced price.”
Pike never once looked away, and made his offer as businesslike as he could.
“That isn’t enough.”
“It’s more than you’ll get. And with me, you’ll get Darko.”
Jakovich wet his lips again, and Pike could see he was thinking. He was convinced Pike knew what he was talking about, but afraid. Pike’s offer had surprised him, but he was desperate enough to consider it.
“You have the cash?”
“I can have it by this time tomorrow. I will show you half the money up front. You’ll get the other half at the time I take delivery.”
Jakovich crossed his arms, resisting, but trying to talk himself into it.
“And how will you give me Michael?”
“He wants the rifles, too. If you make a deal with me, I’ll bring Darko when I pick up the guns. I will need one of the rifles to convince him, but I won’t tell him your people are waiting. Then he’s yours, and your problems are over.”
Jakovich slowly decided.
“Give me your phone number. I will let you know sometime tomorrow.”
“Don’t wait too late in the day. I can only get the cash during business hours.”
Pike left his cell number, then walked off the boat without looking back. He let himself through the gate and climbed back into the Rover.
Stone looked disappointed.
“I didn’t hear anything blow up.”
Pike made no comment for a moment, still thinking about Jakovich and how his plan was developing. One of the first rules of combat was that all battle plans change, and the winner was usually the guy who forced the changes.
Pike said, “Can you put your hands on a Chinese AK? New, still in the wraps?”
“Like the ones we’re talking about? Sure. Plenty of AKs around.”
“Has to be Chinese. Not a sporterized gun. A battle rifle.”
Stone shrugged.
“I know a guy who knows a guy.”
“Call him. Let’s go see Grebner.”
Stone made the call while he drove.
40
THERE WAS ONLY ONE guard this time, a short, muscular man who answered Grebner’s door with a scowl, and never had time to speak. Pike shut off his air, disarmed him, and marched him through the house. Emile Grebner was on the toilet when Pike found him. Pike made the guard lie on his belly, and told Grebner to stay on the can. It was hard to move quickly with your pants around your ankles.
Pike said, “Call Darko. I have the boy now, and that changes things.”
“How you mean changes?”
“I can get Milos Jakovich, and that means I can get his rifles. I will sell Jakovich to Darko for one third of the guns-two thousand rifles for him, one thousand for me.”
“You will sell him? What are you talking about?”
“It means if Darko and I can put our disagreement behind us, Darko can get rid of his competition. I wrote my phone number on the floor in your living room. Tell Darko to call.”
“These rifles, you have them?”
“Tell Darko to call. If he doesn’t call, Jakovich will sell them to someone else, and he can kiss his Armenian deal good-bye.”
Pike walked out of the house, and filled Stone in as they headed for Cole’s. The Jeep and Cole’s Corvette were side-by-side in the carport. They parked across the drive, blocking both cars, and Pike let them in through the kitchen. Stone hung on to Rina like she might try to run.
Cole had the boy in his arms, watching the Lakers. Cole was set up nicely by the time they arrived. Food for the boy. Pampers and lotions, and a baby-sized spoon set. Pike saw the stuff in the kitchen as they entered.
Cole stood as they entered and arched his eyebrows because he expected to see four people, and Yanni was missing.
“I shot him.”
Rina said, “I have to go to the bathroom.”
“Jon.”
Stone took her to the bathroom. He went in with her, and left the door open. She didn’t complain.
Cole came over with the boy. The little kid swiveled the big head around, saw Pike, and smiled. He flapped his hands. Excited.
Cole said, “He wants you.”
Pike took the boy, and propped him on his chest.
Cole lowered his voice so Rina wouldn’t hear.
“What happened?”
Pike explained what he now believed to be the truth, and described the play he was making on Jakovich and Darko.
“I’ll have to call Walsh. They’ll find Yanni’s car up in Lake View, so they’ll know he was at the scene. When the IDs come back on the stiffs at the scrap yard, and everyone shows a gang-set connection, the police will be all over it. I’m going to need her cover, and her cooperation pulling this off.”
“I don’t think she signed on for a war.”
“She signed on for three thousand combat rigs. She’s going to get them, and she’ll get the man who killed her agent.”
Pike jiggled the boy. The boy laughed, then pulled off Pike’s sunglasses. The last person who took Pike’s shades bought a three-week stay in the hospital. The boy waved them like a rattle.
Cole said, “What about the baby?”
Pike jiggled the kid again, and let the little guy punch him. Pike was fascinated by his eyes. He wondered what the boy saw, and why he took such delight in those things.
“He needs someone who’ll take care of him.”
“And that’s you?”
“Not me, but someone. Everyone needs someone.”
“Even you?”
Pike studied his friend for a moment, then gently took back his glasses. He didn’t put them on. The boy seemed to like him without them.
They handcuffed Rina to the bed in Cole’s guest room, then made a makeshift bassinet in the living room. The boy didn’t like the food Cole bought, so they made scrambled eggs. He liked the eggs fine.