Chapter 5: New connections

Sam put the fork down on the plate as the woman walked by his table. He recognized her from the pictures. She sat three tables away. Young and beautiful with dark green eyes and long brown flowing hair, she was unmistakable and remarkable. The heat and humidity didn't seem to affect her the way it effected him.

It had taken all four days to find out that Jonathan Coopers wife frequently ate breakfast at this cantina with or without her husband. Today she was here, and he wasn't. Sam wasn't surprised. He still had not checked in with his handler and the trail was getting colder with each passing day.

Information had been slow moving. A visit to his coffee shop and storage had yielded very little in the way of information into his disappearance. If people knew something, they were being very quiet about it. His employees continued their work. Coffee beans came in from their farmers. They were processed, bagged and shipped out. They did not talk about where their boss might be.

Sam had gotten inside. His cover was investigating a new bug. One that had been reported in small cases to eat coffee beans. A devastating possibility since the entire region grew coffee. With this cover, he was able to go into Cooper's coffee house to take samples. It took some convincing, but ultimately it worked. Once there he could ask questions and demand to see the boss after a harmless planted bug was found. Unfortunately, the employees were not talking. He managed to get close to one and she only revealed where to find his wife. Maybe she would know where to look.

So Sam had breakfast each morning and looked for the woman. Finally she had come. This was his opportunity. Approaching the table he removed his hat. "Good morning" he said looking around. He knew she was being followed and waited as two men approached him.

"Why do you bother this woman? She is here for a few moments of relaxation." A large man of dark complection and larger features said with some force.

"I am sorry to bother you, Miss." Sam began as the man pushed him back. "I am from the ICGA, The International Coffee Growers Association I was sent because of the bug found in your coffee." He rambled as he was getting shoved.

"Wait!" The woman said. "Let him join me."

The two men looked at the woman and then back at Sam while letting him go.

Sam fixed his shirt and came back to the table.

"I am sorry about my...cousins." She smiled as she hesitated. "There has been a lot going on here. They are just worried about me. Please sit, Mr . . . "

"Mr. Finley." He pulled up a chair and sat across from her. As the two men sat down behind him at a table that was very close.

"I know of your organization. My husband spoke of it many times in his business."

"Is he around, I would love to talk to him?"

"I am sorry. He is... away at the moment."

Sam noticed her face change and a look of worry filled it for a moment until one of the men behind Sam looked in her direction.

"On business." She continued.

"Do you know how long he will be gone?" Sam asked to see if he could get more out of her.

"His business sometimes takes him away for weeks if not months." She said looking past Sam to the man behind him.

Sam watched as she looked at the men and then back to Sam again.

Sam smiled. This was good contact.

"Well, then let me get right to the point then. Will you be handling Coopers Coffee House in his absence?"

"I will, for now." She swallowed hard and blinked twice.

Sam knew to be careful. She was giving signals. Operative signals. Jonathan Cooper married this woman because he loved her and because he trusted her.

"I believe your coffee has been infested with the Reocto bug. As you know, it eats coffee beans, not only in store houses, but also in the wild. If it does not get eliminated soon, it will multiply and destroy the crops in this area."

"I need a little more access to your coffee stores, but also to the crop. It is a simple bug to defeat, but it must be found. There is a nest somewhere."

"Of course. I will help you any way that I can. This business means more to me than you think. I will call and allow you full access. Maybe later today we can meet for dinner?"

"I would like that Mrs. Cooper. You can contact me at the Mayan Hotel. Please "

Sam returned to his table and watched her go. She was followed by the two men who escorted her to her SUV and then driven from the restaurant. He hoped she had not revealed too much.

Sam hurried back to his hotel and removed the Satellite phone tapped to the bottom of the bed.

"Mike. I made contact. She came to breakfast."

"That is great. Did you get anything?"

"I mentioned the ICGA and she gave me real information Mike. I think she is in."

"What does that mean?"

"I think she was working with Cooper. She recognized the code. She gave me as much as she could with two body guards present."

"You think she wants to help."

"Yes I do. We are meeting for dinner tonight."

"Good, maybe it will get me out of this car. See you after dinner." Mike said as he sat with Fi. Their car sitting in the shade of a palm tree with several native bushes surrounding it. It was good cover from the road. They had been there for the better part of two days and both were hot, tired and cranky. The road they were parked just out of sight of was the only road leading to the main compound of The Manuela Family. They hoped to get several cars that they could follow, but the task was easier said than done. Two days out here had been difficult. The weather and the bugs had not cooperated.

Yesterday they had two cars. Both followed by Sam, but one lead to a food store and the other to a bar and later to a brothel. Sam had followed and tried his hand at information in the bar, but it was a dead end. The man turned out to be kitchen staff that knew what they ate for dinner, but not where they held captives. Michael had hoped they might lead to where Jonathan Cooper might be, or to his wife. Either would be a start, but this op was slowly going no where.

"What did he say?" Fi said opening her eyes. It was her turn for a nap and the inside temp of the car had risen in the morning sun making it uncomfortable and nearly impossible to fall asleep again.

"He has a lead, Coopers wife made contact as we thought she might. She seemed to recognize the code."

"Is he sure?"

"Sam thinks so."

"That could be very dangerous for all of us if she is on the wrong side of the fence Michael."

"I know Fi, I know. We don't have anything else." Michael pressed his hand into his forehead and closed his eyes tight.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing." He shot back a little too quickly.

" Liar! That is about the fifth time I have seen you touch your forehead. Now what is wrong?"

He knew she would not leave him alone until she had an answer. He relented. "It is just a headache. It is from the heat."

Fi looked at Michael and squinted her eyes. "Michael, you have been in Miami for four years and you don't sweat." She reached across to feel his forehead and the perspiration soaking his brow. She pulled back quickly. "Michael, you are burning up. How long have you had a fever?"

"I'm fine Fi. It's just the heat." He lied back to her. He could feel something growing within himself, but he had been trained to ignore it and move on, finish the mission.

"You are not fine, and tomorrow is a big day. You need to be at the top of your game for the buy tomorrow. Besides, I can do this without you."

"I'm not leaving you out here by your self."

"Michael, I will be fine. I can hike up to the compound again and take a few more photos. From there it is just a short hike down to the river. Juan and other captains go up and down that river all day. I will grab a lift and be back in a few hours."

"No. It is bad protocol to leave you out here by yourself. "

" It is bad protocol to have you out here when you are sick." She shot back.

He was about to respond when she continued.

"I need you well tomorrow. I need you to cover my back, and Sam can't now that he has made contact. If I get in trouble, I will take the sat phone. Help will be just a phone call away. Besides a day in bed will do you a world of good and save this operation. That buy tomorrow needs to go well and without a hitch. I can't order you to get some rest, but..."

"OK Fi." Michael said, knowing he would not win. "I will go back to the hotel."

Fi smiled and grabbed her back pack and climbed from the car. "I will wake you up when I get back."

"OK." He hesitated.

She could feel his delay. "Go Michael!" She demanded.

He took a deep breath, looked at her through the open window and pressed on the gas. She was right, with the way he felt he was no good to her or himself. Rest is what he needed.