"Well, Dave, I must say it's good to see you again," Jack Garrett greeted his old friend. "May I ask what brings you into my sphere of expertise?"
Jack Garrett and his team were in the police station at San Juan, Puerto Rico, investigating a case concerning a missing group of tourists.
"A little birdie just may have whispered in my ear that you have a case on the island here," Dave Rossi grinned. "And, as I just happened to be in the area – "
"You're hanging around Puerto Rico these days?" Jack asked. "Not one of the smaller, off-the-beaten-path islands? And, please, the next time you speak with Penelope, tell her I said 'Hi'."
"I will!" Rossi promised. "And, yes, I was in the area. As you know, Aaron is still missing and I am following up on a lead - or should I say a hunch."
"Hunch away and let me see if I can help," Jack replied.
"You're still looking?" he added. "What has it been – A little over two years now?"
"A good man like Aaron deserves an all-out effort to bring him home," Rossi said. "And, yes, I do believe he is still out here somewhere, I just don't know where."
"I couldn't agree with you more," Jack quickly replied. "Now, what do you have in mind?"
"If, as we suspect, these people are holding a group of captives, they have to be getting supplies somewhere," Rossi explained. "So I have been checking out the main ship's chandlers warehouses throughout the Caribbean islands. The fact that so many of the cruise ships restock here in San Juan brought me here. I figured that maybe these guys would be banking on being able to disappear in the crowd."
"Your reasoning sounds about right," Jack replied thoughtfully. "But to get information from the various suppliers you'll need an 'In'. They don't talk about their customers to just anyone. We're almost done with our case. If you don't mind waiting a few hours, I may know just the person to introduce you to."
"Patience is my middle name," Rossi declared as he settled into a chair and took out his cell phone. "Have you ordered lunch yet?" he asked.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Okay – So you are looking for a boat that shows up at irregular intervals and buys supplies that aren't necessarily needed for the boat and its crew," the dark-skinned man who had been introduced as Joe reiterated what Rossi had told him.
"That's about it," Rossi agreed. "What would stand out would be kid's items – Toys and clothes and such."
"I can't say I have noticed anything exactly like that," was the slow reply. "However, there is a boat that shows up periodically loaded with fresh fruits and items for the tourist trade. And the supplies they purchase are in quantities far in excess of what the ship's crew would need. I always figured they were reselling them on the outer islands."
"What is the name of the ship and how often does it come in?" Rossi asked.
"I don't think it has an actual name," the man replied. "I don't deal with them all that often. Mostly they do business with H & J down at the end of the wharf. You probably need to speak with them. Ask for Archie and tell him Joe sent you."
"Thanks – We really appreciate your help," Jack told the man as they shook hands.
"Hope you find what you're looking for," was the reply.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Yeah, I know who you are talking about," the man named Archie told Rossi and Jack. It had taken some doing to get him to talk, and eventually Jack had been forced to show his FBI credentials.
"They're one of the boats that contracts to make pick-ups and deliveries throughout the islands," he continued. "They show up here periodically with all kinds of fruits and tourist items. It's always top quality product, so I buy from them. Once a year, in the fall just about when the cruise ship season begins, they bring in multiple shipments over a period of several days and then I have enough product to sell not only to the resorts but also to the cruise ship procurement agents."
"How are they paid?" Rossi was trying to remain calm.
"Cashiers check or money order," was the reply. "Although I think they get cash when they come in with smaller shipments and deal with some of the other agents."
"Do you know where they are coming from?" Jack asked.
"I don't know for sure," the man said. "I have always assumed it was one of the Leeward Islands. There are a number of those which are actually private property."
Jack's cell phone rang and he moved away to answer it.
"So, when was the last time you saw this boat?" Rossi asked.
"About three weeks ago," was the reply. "They brought in one of their smaller shipments – Mostly strawberries but also some tourist items. I bought the entire shipment. Before they left they mentioned that they would be bringing in a delivery of cotton sometime in the near future."
"Cotton?" Rossi questioned. "You mean like cotton that has been picked from plants?"
"I would assume so," the man replied. "Several of these islands were originally settled as cotton plantations and some of them still raise the crop. Obviously that shipment would be taken elsewhere."
"Do you have any idea where?" Rossi asked.
"There are several cotton dealers on the island," was the casual reply. "Most of them are over on the next wharf. You can use my name when you ask for information."
"Sorry," Jack returned to where the two men were standing. "But I have to go. We have a case."
"I understand," Rossi shook hands with him. "And thanks for your help. I think I'll be hanging around here for a while waiting for the return of this mystery boat."
"And I'll keep in touch," Jack promised. "Just in case my team and I can be of any help."
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"Garcia," Rossi was on his cell phone a short time later. "I have something specific I need you to look for. And, I have a specific area for you to look at. You might want to get Monty involved in this."