Chapter 5 Cabin & Suitcases

Jim drove the Lexus slowly along Sundown crest while he recalled the events of the past few days. Tailing Tami has been as easy as eating juicy apples from an apple tree. So far Tami hadn't suspected anything or done anything suspicious either. Just the usual ramblings of spoilt rich kids, partying overnight, buying expensive items they probably don't need from designers stores just to show off, chasing pretty girls, nothing off the chart.

"Even the amount of air he inhales" Rebecca had said.

Well Jim was still a long way from doing that he thought and swung the Lexus sharply to the right, slightly missing a red and flashy Range rover as it sped hopelessly down the road. He had managed to catch a glimpse of the driver. He was a fair skinned man, in his forties and probably short, judging from the way his head was almost level with the steering wheel. He had a determined look on his face like an actor in an action movie rushing off to make life more miserable for some other fella.

Jim was pretty sure Rebecca knew all about Tami's youthful exuberance. He was certain that he wasn't hired to tell her all about his escapades, Hell! Any kid with a hand lens and a pocketful of candy could have easily discovered that. The Johnsons were impossible to ignore and every newspaper man out there was probably following up on their lives like a celebrity reality show that was too good to miss.

There was something else, something she wanted to be certain of. Jim guessed she had an inkling of what it was, judging by the way she paused when she had spoken the other day. She was careful not to give me too much information just in case it all turned out to be a false alarm.

Jim had discovered something else. Something Rebecca probably didn't know. Tami had a cabin on the beach coast. It didn't seem much at first, considering that beach coast was also called the millionaire's playground and a lot of rich folks owned similar cabins on the coast, But when Jim noticed that Tami changed his clothes and car before going to the cabin and he went there only at night, Jim began to wonder if there may be something in it after all. He seemed really determined to avoid being noticed.

Even as Jim rode along Sundown crest slowly edging his way towards beach coast, he didn't feel overly excited. It could be something, it could also be nothing. There was a possibility that Tami took his women to the cabin and didn't want to be embarrassed, Jim didn't know, but he had to check it out. Jim didn't feel he had earned the dough Rebecca was paying him. Right now all Jim had was just an old story, handing in such a report to her was like telling a centenarian a Cinderella story and expecting him to get excited. He needed something more, something to make his report page swell like the fat envelope she had given him.

Another left turn, and Jim found himself facing beach coast. A long line of oak cabins spread across the far side of the beach in a semi circle like a crescent moon in the night sky. Each cabin was fairly spaced from the next one with each having a nice balcony where you could sit with a lover drinking freshly fermented wine, while watching the night sky. It had the kind of setting you could easily see in a romantic movie. Even though it was just some minutes past six, he could already see some stars twinkling in the sky.

"A nice time to grab your kid's hand and sing the nursery rhyme about stars in the sky", he thought, he had no kid, so he remained in the car and watched, Jim could easily see the spot where he had laid the previous night watching Tami. Jim had seen Tami arrive by some minutes after nine with two of his friends, he had gotten out of the car and cocked his head sideways in swift motion. Jim guessed he was watching to see if any of the people in the occupied cabins close by was paying him any attention. His buddies had gone to the boot and took out two suitcases which they carried into the cabin, by the way they limped lightly, Jim had guessed that the cases were heavy. They had spent thirty minutes in there before coming out getting into the car and driving off.

Jim had been ready to jump in like an Australian kangaroo and search the cabin at that moment when two dreamy eyed couple strode out of a cabin close by. They had their backs to him and he couldn't make out what they were saying. Jim remained there for another thirty minutes before deciding that these couples may remain there for a longer time. He had picked his way back to the car silently and driven off.

Now he was staring at the very same cabin today, waiting patiently for forty five minutes till it was dark. The sun had gone down below the sea level and would provide a fitting cover. After a while, Jim climbed down from the Lexus and made his way towards the cabins on the far side. It was still some distance from where he parked his car but he had preferred to walk instead of driving closer to the cabins. Jim was worried that the sound of the car engine might alert any nosey neighbor.

Also, even if Tami came to the cabin he wouldn't suspect anyone was inside, which would give precious seconds he may need to get away. Moving cautiously, Jim approached the cabin and mounted the wooden stairs, his rubber soled shoes making as little sound as possible, he stopped at the cabin's door and picked the lock which was easy. Just then a woman giggled in a nearby cabin.

He paused in the darkness for a few seconds, watching, no one came out. Then, gently pushing back the handle, Jim entered into the cabin. Being careful not to put on the lights, he pulled out a small pen torch on which a slightly larger head containing powerful led lights could be fitted and scanned the room.

The cabin had two bedrooms, a sitting room and a kitchenette. The sitting room was small, stuffy and sparsely furnished. Two small couch lay facing each other with a glass table in between them. A Turkish rug which felt too expensive to step on covered the wooden floor. There was a small wooden stand which held exotic drinks and a pair of loafers which seemed out of place, lay underneath. He quickly scanned the sitting room and deciding that nothing could be hidden in there, promptly moved to one of the rooms.

Although Jim had almost two hours before he expected Tami at the cabin, he was anxious to leave before any one came around. He turned the knob and opened the door slowly. Jim raised his pen torch and surveyed the room. Apart from a bed which stood at the edge of the room; the room was empty.

He closed the door and moved to the other room. H turned the knob, but this room was locked. He had come prepared.

Working quickly and precisely like a surgeon in a theater, he picked the lock and opened the door. This room was roughly the same size with the first room, but unlike it, it was well furnished. A big bed stood at the corner of the room with a small standing oak paneled wooden locker by the side of the bed. There was a fairly large wardrobe, a small mirror, a mini rack which held two shoes, and a small lounging chair. Jim guessed this was Tami's private room. Diligently, he began to search the room. he opened the locker and pulled out its contents.

There were a few letters in there and he quickly glanced at them. Letters from a lady from Florence in Italy which didn't give away much. He made a mental note of her name and neatly shoved back the letters into the locker. There were a few other things in the locker also, but nothing of particular interest caught his eyes. He moved briskly to the wardrobe.

Even though he tried to remain open minded, Jim knew that he had come down here particularly because of the two suitcases which was brought into the cabin by Tami's friends the previous day.

As if reading Jim's mind and deciding to save him a few calories, the two suitcase bounced out of the wardrobe as soon as he had opened it.

"Game time!" he whispered and licked his lips.

He pulled open the straps that held the case and stared into the case. Then like a schoolboy desperately trying to get his homework from his bag to avoid being punished, he tore open the other case and stared blankly at them like a two week old orangutan. The cases were empty.

"Impossible", Jim muttered under his breath, he knew that something was in the cases the previous night, and judging by their weight they couldn't easily be hidden. Jim's mind went into over-drive, and he began searching the room in desperation, still he found nothing.

After a few minutes of poking around, Jim sat down on the bed and though for a while. He was certain that something were in the two suitcases and that it was still in the cabin, so that left him with the question, where had Tami hidden it?. An idea popped into his head and he squatted on the floor and began to feel the spaces in the floor looking for a gap, a trap door or anything.

Then It hit him like a bullet shot at close range.

He dashed out of the room, forgetting to close the door and moved into the first room, with his expert eyes surveying the floor, Jim didn't look too hard before he found it. Just very close to the foot of the bed was a small dent in the otherwise polished floor. He pushed the bed aside and carefully lifted a board. It wasn't more than three feet into the ground and a few inches apart, but it was good enough to hold its intended contents.

Carefully stacked into the holes were brown paper bags, about a hundred or so if he could guess. Jim carefully lifted one and inspected it, it was sealed and he couldn't see what was inside without cutting the bag. Placing the bag on the floor, he took out his pen-knife.

Carefully, making a fine thin slice along the base of the paper bag, He gently shook the bag and some substance poured into his hands then he froze. Jim had been totally engrossed in searching the room that he hadn't noticed that someone had walked in quietly.

He was now staring into the terrified face of Tami. His blue eyes were as hard and as cold and sharp as stalactites. He instinctively flexed the muscles on the arms and Jim saw two sharp knives jump into his hands. Tami took one good look at the paper bag on the floor and lunged at Jim, the two blades glittering in the pale moonlight coming from the small window.

Jim tried to turn as a sharp blade sank into his shoulder slightly missing his jugular by an inch or so. He came crashing down, his head hitting the hardwood.

Jim screamed and tried to throw Tami off, but he pressed his weight on Jim, sitting on his stomach and trapping Jim in-between his body. Tami was surprisingly strong for his age and also he had some fighting skills. With blood still dripping from the sharp blade, he saw Tami raise his right hand. Jim knew he was finished if the blade hit its target. He managed to twist his body slightly to right as the knife came down and buried itself deep into the hardwood missing his neck again!. Tami hesitated for a moment deciding whether to remove the blade buried in the floor, that was all Jim needed,

Moving fast he threw two quick punches to the side of Tami's ribs and watched the air leave his body. Jim rolled under Tami throwing him to the ground and kicked his left wrist which held the second blade. Tami scream in pain as Jim turned and bolted out of the room.

Pushing the door rapidly and running into the sitting room towards the door, and flinging it open. He jumped the stairs, was already in mid air but stopped quickly. Gravity and fear combining brilliantly to bring him crashing back down to earth. Jim stared bleakly, a soft moan escaping my lips. He was looking down the barrel of a .45 semi-automatic colt pistol.

"Hello, fancy boots".