Gina Cresse - Devonie Lace 01 - A Deadly Change of Course--Plan B by Gina Cresse

on?”
    “Okay, but you have to promise to keep this to yourself.”
    “You know I will.”
    “Remember those cases I got at the auction?  One of them had a half a million dollars in it.  The other one had a nine millimeter gun with a laser sighting scope and a silencer.”
    “Come on, Dev.  Quit kidding around.  You promised you’d tell me what was going on.”
    “I’m not kidding, Jason.  What’s more, I showed the gun to Joe, over at the pawn shop.  He had a friend of his take a look at it, and now Joe is dead.  I think his friend might be a traitor.  When I went back to my boat, there were two guys snooping around, trying to get in.  I overheard them saying they were supposed to ‘take me out’ after they got the money.  That’s why I took off and came here.  They followed me and boarded my boat while I was sleeping.  I managed to get them off, but I’m really scared, Jason.”  My voice trembled.
    “You’re serious.  Joe is dead?  Why haven’t you gone to the police?”
    “I don’t know.  I guess at first I was afraid they would make me give up the money.  But now, after what happened to Joe, I think I’d better go to the FBI or CIA, or whoever the heck you go to when you’re afraid for your life.”
    “Why not just go to the police?”
    “ I think I need the big guns.  That file cabinet that I stored in your warehouse is full of newspaper clippings.  They all describe the deaths of quite a few prominent people over the last fifteen years.  Remember that plane crash in Mexico last year?  The one that killed all those people on board?”
    “The one where the pilots got off-course and plowed into the side of a mountain?”
    “That’s the one.  That was the last article.  Whoever rented that storage unit was a hired assassin and that plane crash was his last job.”
    “This is incredible.  But who killed Joe?  And why?”
    “I don’t know why, but the only other person who knew about the gun was Joe’s friend, Tony Marino.”
    “Tony Marino?”
    “Yeah.   Have you heard of him?”
    “That friend of mine I told you about, the one who works for the San Diego Police Department — he told me about a local mobster named Tony Marino.  He has some sort of export business that he uses for a front, but his ties to the mob go pretty deep.  If he knows about you and the gun and the money, then I’d say you’re in quite a bit of danger.”
    “I didn’t tell him or Joe about the money.  I don’t see why anyone would kill Joe just because he knew I had the gun.”
    We got to the end of the dock and stepped onto the deck of my boat.  Jason opened the hatch and we went below to the galley.
    “Sit down.  I want to get that electronic box and the computer before we head back to San Diego,” I said as I made my way back to my cabin.  I opened the closet doors.  Everything seemed to be in order.  I grabbed the two items and closed the doors.
    “I want to see if I can get a power cord for this laptop.  The battery is dead and I can’t power it up.  I guess I’ll take this mystery box to the FBI.  Maybe they can identify it.”
    “That’s a good idea.  What about the money?  Do you still have it with you?”
    “Are you kidding?  I put it in a safe-deposit box.  It’s going to stay there until this thing blows over.  If anything happens to me — ”
    “Don’t say it,” Jason said.  “You’ll be fine.”
    We walked back up the dock to the house.  I handed Jason the computer and the electronic box.  “ Can you take this stuff to the Jeep?   I just want to let Arlene and Doug know I’m taking you back home.  I’ll be right there.”
    Arlene looked disappointed.  “You mean you’re friend isn’t staying for lunch?”
    “No, Aunt Arlene.   I need to get him home, and I have some business to take care of in San Diego.  I shouldn’t be too late, but don’t hold dinner for me, in case I get tied up.”
    “Okay, honey.  How’s your head?  Are