The Import, page 12
part #1 of Matthew Riker Series
“My apologies, Mr. Riker,” Dobbs said. “That took a bit longer than I thought.”
“Not a problem. Hendricks kept me entertained.”
“Excellent.” He clapped his hands together. “I was wondering if we might have a word alone. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Riker glanced at Helen, making sure she was all right being left alone with Hendricks. She gave him a little nod.
“Yeah, okay.”
“Great. If you’ll follow me.”
He turned without waiting for a response, and Riker dutifully followed. As he exited, he saw Hendricks pick up his phone, no doubt to Google the word crwth.
Dobbs led him to the office behind the French doors. He gestured to one of the chairs in front of the desk. Riker took a seat.
“Can I offer you a scotch?” Dobbs said.
“No, thank you.”
“Mind if I have one?”
“Not at all.”
Dobbs poured himself a drink from an expensive-looking bottle on the drink cart and took a seat in the chair next to Riker. “Helen gave me the rundown on the events of the past few days. It sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure.”
Adventure wasn’t the word Riker would have used, but he kept silent.
“What did she tell you about me?” Dobbs asked.
“She said you were a lawyer. A friend of her husband’s. She said you handle high-profile criminal cases.”
“That’s true. But, as you might have guessed, I do a bit more than simply try cases.”
“Okay,” Riker said, his face betraying nothing.
“My clients often require protection. Sometimes we have to dig up information to help with the cases. Hendricks and his team are helpful in both regards.”
Riker waited, saying nothing.
“What you said before about Helen and Li not being safe until we know who was after them, there’s a lot of truth there. I’m going to divert some resources into uncovering the truth of the situation.”
“Good. I’m happy to hear that.”
“My question for you, Mr. Riker, is what you plan to do next.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s clear you’re fond of our girls. And who could blame you? I’m rather fond of them myself.” He leaned forward, looking Riker in the eyes. “You’ve proven yourself capable. Are you ready to go back to your beehives? Or do you want to see this thing through?”
Riker didn’t answer.
Dobbs took a sip of his Scotch before speaking again. “Mr. Riker, I’d like to offer you a job.”
19
RIKER SAT UP A LITTLE STRAIGHTER, caught off guard by the offer. He had expected Dobbs to give him some money for his time and tell him to get lost. Rich guys always go for the money first. Dobbs had gone in a different direction.
“What’s the job?” Riker asked.
“I’m always looking for driven, talented people. After hearing the tales of your adventure, I believe you are such a person. Still, I would need to confirm that for myself so this would be a trial position. Think of it as a contract job. If it goes well, there is a lot of room for advancement in my employment.”
“And if it doesn’t go well?”
“If either of us is unsatisfied with the arrangement, then we end our relationship and go our separate ways.”
Riker nodded but said nothing. Dobbs sipped his drink waiting for him to start asking questions. When he didn’t, Dobbs broke the silence.
“We’ll need to investigate the men who have been following Helen. As you have seen, jobs like this straddle the line of the law. Judging by what Hendricks said and the resources that these men seem to possess they are likely tied to the mob. I don’t know if you are familiar with the way things operate here in New York, but crime and politics often work hand in hand to make the city run. We need to know more about who we are dealing with before we bring in any law enforcement. Ideally, I would like this situation to be handled without involving the authorities.”
Riker could tell that Dobbs wanted him to play a role in this conversation. He decided to let Dobbs maintain the illusion of control. “Why wouldn’t you want to involve law enforcement? Assuming there aren't any inside guys.”
“Helen’s husband was involved in some activities that were not entirely legal. If there is any kind of investigation, Helen may find herself in a very difficult situation. Handling this ourselves will be better for everyone.”
“You really think Tom was doing something illegal? Could he have been working for the wrong people without knowing the extent of his actions?” Riker watched Dobbs' reaction closely.
“I highly doubt that. Whenever the money is too good to be true, there is no question about where it comes from.”
“And how about you? Any reason you’d want to avoid the police looking into your affairs?”
Dobbs swirled the brown liquid around the glass. If Riker’s question angered Dobbs, it didn’t show. “As I said, New York is a complicated city. The machine that runs it has many pieces. I intend to keep my part of the machine running smoothly.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You’ll work with Hendricks. He will be leading this investigation. I need to check with some sources and see if we can find a place to start. Once I do, you and Hendricks will follow the leads until we find the source of this problem.”
Riker scratched at his chin. “I appreciate the offer, but I had no intention of getting involved in any of this. I may stick around for a few days and dig around a little. Then I’ll head back to North Carolina. It’s probably not worth the trouble of bringing me on.”
“That simply will not work. If you are running around the city performing your own investigation, it may interfere with the work we are doing.” Dobbs paused. “I suggest you try working for me for one week. I can offer six thousand dollars for your time. My office will set you up as a contractor and the funds will be wired directly into your account from one of our subsidiaries. If you are really interested in helping Helen, this is the best way.”
Dobbs' response spoke volumes to Riker. A powerful guy like this might want another lackey, but he wouldn’t care enough to press the issue. Dobbs wanted Riker to stay close.
Riker sat silently for a moment, pretending to consider the offer. “That sounds like a fair deal. I’ll take the job for the week.”
“Wonderful. I’ll make the arrangements for your payment. If you are as capable as I am led to believe, you’ll do very well here.” Dobbs stood and shook Riker’s hand. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I need to check with some contacts. Hendricks will give you instructions as soon as we have a plan.”
“Thanks. I’ll find a hotel room close by. Just give me a call when you need me.”
“There is no need for that. I’ll have my housekeeper set up one of the guest rooms. My house is your house for the week. If you decide to stay longer, we can work on getting you more permanent accommodations.”
Riker went back into the TV room and found Hendricks still watching the game. “Looks like we’re going to be working together.”
Hendricks paused the TV and looked up at Riker. “What did you say?”
“I said that we are going to be working together. Dobbs just offered me a job. I’m going to help track down the guys who are after Helen.”
“Bullshit. I don’t need some dumb hick messing up the investigation.”
“Hey, I’m just letting you know what I just agreed to with Dobbs. If you have a problem with it, talk to him.”
“I think I’ll do that.” Hendricks pushed himself to his feet. “Don’t get comfortable. I’ll let him know that my team is full.”
Riker shrugged. “He’s in his office. Let me know how the conversation goes.”
“I will, you arrogant prick.” Hendricks made a beeline for the office.
Riker found Helen, a glass of red wine in her hand. She sat at the table watching the eternal spring of the fountain in the backyard. He took a seat next to her.
The large oak trees and bushes around the yard formed a barrier from the outside world. The perfectly manicured backyard looked like an oasis. It was as if there were nothing beyond it. Looking at the small peaceful world made the city and all its troubles seem like they were worlds away.
“It feels so good to be here.” She turned to Riker and put a hand on his arm. “Thank you for everything you did. I really thought that I was going to die.”
“Helen, I still don’t think you’re safe. I know how easy it is to slide into the wrong situation. One small step at a time and you can end up a million miles from where you wanted to be. I want to help you and Li get some real peace.”
She looked down for a moment, then back up at him. A soft smile played on her lips. “You have helped us. Now that we’re here, Dobbs will be able to take care of us. I’m hoping that you stay too.”
“I guess he told you he was offering me a position.”
Helen nodded.
“I’ve accepted. On a trial basis.”
Helen looked relieved. “That’s great. I’m really glad that you took the job. I’ll feel better with you around.”
“How well do you know Dobbs? Do you think I can trust him?”
“I trust him completely. I know that he can work outside of the lines, but he is really good at getting things done. He is incredibly loyal to the people who help him. Once you prove yourself to him, he is a great friend to have.”
“I’m not planning on sticking around too long. I’ll see things through with you and Li, but then I’m heading back to North Carolina.”
Helen took a sip of her wine. “Do me a favor.”
“What?”
“Keep an open mind about Dobbs. He employs a lot of people like you, and he treats them very well. You may find a place here. I know I’d like it if you did.”
“Okay. But I want you to do me a favor, too.”
“What?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Think about getting out of this place. Whatever Dobbs is involved in, I don’t want it to suck you in. Once we get you out of this mess, you may want to consider finding a little safety. Maybe start over somewhere besides New York.”
She laughed. “Not in this life. I’m a city girl.”
“I suppose I knew you would say that.”
Helen finished her wine and put the glass by the sink. “I’ve had all the adventure I can take for a day. Good night, Matthew.”
“Good night, Helen.”
Riker walked through the house again. He looked out the windows checking for any signs of danger. There was a car parked in front of the house with tinted windows. Riker couldn’t tell how many men were inside the vehicle.
Hendricks walked up, a grin on his face as he saw what Riker was looking at through the window. “No need to get scared. Those are our guys. In fact, the entire perimeter is covered. No one is getting in here.”
“Good to know.” Riker looked at Hendricks. “Did you straighten Dobbs out and tell him to get rid of me?”
Hendricks tightened his jaw. “Looks like I’m stuck with you for the week. I start the day early, so be ready. You are working under me, and I expect you to do as you’re told. We’ve got a lot going on tomorrow. Don’t fuck up my day.”
Riker stood toe to toe with Hendricks. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s goddamn right. Your room is upstairs. Third door on the left. I suggest you get some sleep.” Hendricks turned and marched out of the room.
Riker went upstairs to find his room. He noticed a light coming from one of the doors in the hallway and the soft sound of a child singing. He knocked lightly on the door. “Li?”
“Jin Lai,” a high-pitched voice called out. Come in.
Riker entered the room. Li was lying on the bed with a comic book laid out in front of her. She looked back and saw Riker. She jumped up on the bed and said, “Look at my magic.”
Li took a penny off of the nightstand. She held it in her right hand and moved her other hand in front of it. She fumbled it from right to left. Then she held out her empty right hand and shook it. Her left hand moved up and she stuck the penny in the back of her hair. She waved both hands with the fingers spread open.
“Ta-da! I am magic.” She had a huge grin on her face.
“That’s amazing! How did you do it?” Riker smiled. She was so proud of the trick.
“I am magic!”
“You should be asleep, little wizard.”
“No, I’m not tired. We should play.” She bounced up and down on the bed.
“Playtime is over today. I’m sure you will get to do lots of fun things tomorrow.”
“Read me the story.” She picked up the comic book off the bed and held it towards Riker.
“Will you go to sleep if I read it to you?”
“Yes!” She clapped her hands together and smiled.
Riker pulled back the covers and tucked Li under them. He sat on the side of the bed and read through the Hulk comic. After ten pages, he looked over and saw she was out cold. He tucked the blanket tight, turned off the light, and headed to his room.
She seemed so safe lying there in peaceful slumber. Riker knew that she was in mortal danger. He also knew he would do whatever it took to get her out of it. There would be time to sleep, but first, he needed to research.
20
RIKER WOKE up the next morning to the sound of footsteps outside his door. For a moment, he was disoriented, unsure of where he was. The overly soft mattress he was lying on, the way the window was situated on his right instead of his left like back home, even the subtle smell of whatever laundry detergent they’d used to wash his sheets—it was all unfamiliar. He was still trying to remember where he was when a heavy hand pounded on the door. The door opened and Hendricks stuck his head inside.
“Up and at ‘em, Riker. We’ve got an assignment. Grab a quick shower, and I do mean quick. Then meet me downstairs.” He shut the door and trudged away, his shoes clomping loudly on the hardwood floor.
Riker lay there for another moment, remembering everything now. Dobbs. Helen. Li. Hendricks was right; he had a job to do.
He got up, threw his clothes on, and walked across the hall to the bathroom. While he’d slept, someone had been kind enough to lay out a towel, washcloth, deodorant, toothpaste, and an unopened toothbrush. He tore open the toothbrush and cleaned his teeth. After that, he felt almost human.
It took him a few moments to figure out how to operate the shower. When he got it turned on, water cascaded at him from multiple directions. It wasn’t an unpleasant experience, but it was another reminder of how far he was from home. While he showered, he went over the information he’d found on his phone the previous night.
The first thing he’d done was visit the website for Dobbs and Associates, his new boss’s law firm. The website surprised him. He’d expected such a high-priced outfit to have a very professional, ultra-corporate website. Instead, he’d found a single page with only the firm’s logo and nothing more. There wasn’t even a phone number or email address. It was as if they’d decided anyone who wanted to contact them would already have their number, so there was no need to list it. Riker figured the only reason they had the website at all was to keep someone else from buying the domain name and using it to poach clients.
After looking at the website, he’d moved on to a more general search for information on Paul Dobbs. Sometimes it was difficult to find much information on a person, but Dobbs presented the opposite problem. There’d simply been too many search results to sift through. Most of them had been news articles on cases he’d been involved in or society pieces about charity events he’d sponsored or attended. Riker had read through five pages worth of that drivel without finding anything useful before he’d finally given up and gone to sleep.
After washing, Riker allowed himself thirty seconds to stand under the flow of the shower, enjoying the feel of the hot water against his skin. He reluctantly turned it off and got out. He put his dirty clothes back on, realizing he was on his third day of wearing them. Then he went downstairs.
He found Hendricks in the kitchen, finishing up a plate of eggs and a cup of coffee.
“Where can I get some of that coffee?” Riker asked.
“No time,” Hendricks said, clearly taking pleasure in it. “You took too long in the shower. We gotta hit the road.”
Riker pushed down his annoyance. “Okay. Let me at least say good morning to Li and Helen before we head out.”
Hendricks stood up and brushed the crumbs off his sports jacket. “I don’t know how they did things in the Navy, squid, but in the Army when it was time to head out on a mission, we dropped our cocks and grabbed our socks. They didn’t give us time to kiss our mommies goodbye.”
“So that’s a no, then?”
“Follow me,” Hendricks said with a frown.
Hendricks grabbed a bag off the counter and led Riker out a backdoor and down the winding path to the garage. As they walked, Hendricks looked him up and down. “If you’re going to work for me, we’re going to have to get you some new threads. I don’t want people thinking I’ve got a homeless guy following me around.”
“Sorry, my tailor’s on vacation this week.”
“I’ll take you to my guy this afternoon. He’ll get you sorted.”
They entered the garage and walked past a Porsche on the way to the Audi Hendricks had driven the previous day.
“Dobbs’ car?” Riker asked.
“One of them.”
They got in the Audi, and Hendricks reached into the bag.
“You’re going to need a sidearm. I’m partial to the Beretta M9 myself, and that’s what most of my guys carry. But Dobbs said he thought you’d be more comfortable with this. He had it delivered special last night.”
Hendricks pulled out a pistol and handed it to Riker. It was a SIG Sauer P226, the model of service pistol that had been used by the Navy SEALs during Riker’s years of service. Apparently, while Riker was researching Dobbs, Dobbs had been researching him right back. He wondered what kind of person could have a specific model of handgun delivered in the middle of the night. He supposed the same type of person who owned a six-bedroom house in Queens, had a Porsche in the garage, and a guest bedroom with a shower that sprayed water at you from five directions.
