Chapter 9

C hapter N ine

Michael was right, damn it all. Thor had spent three hours in the bar attempting to hold a conversation with Peter and getting a cold shoulder in favor of the blonde who came over to talk to him. And she was followed by a brunette that Peter talked up for an hour and eventually left the bar with. Thor sighed, paid his bill, and left, heading back to the hotel.

"Did you have any luck?" Michael asked when Thor called him from the car.

"Nope. So I'm going to need to switch to plan B. Let me know when he gets home, and I'll talk to him there. I hate to speak with people on their home turf, though." He pulled to a stop at one of the lights, waiting for it to change. "Miller came through with more information, and the coast guard confirmed that the boat that sank was the one we've been following. But it's in an area with strong rip currents and it would be dangerous to try to retrieve it."

Michael was quiet. "I'm at home now. But I might be able to help you. I'll call you later."

"Either that or you could just tell me in person."

"Give me twenty minutes," Michael said before ending the call.

Thor grinned as he continued on his way to the hotel and went inside. He locked the door and flopped down on the bed, his mind running through ways to get Peter to come clean about what he was doing. He probably had enough to scare the guy half to death, but what was really important was to get everyone who was involved and that meant being more subtle.

A knock on the door startled him, even though he knew Michael was coming. He checked and then opened the door. "What did you find out?"

"Peter is going to be at the job site tomorrow afternoon. I told my father that I needed some help because of a plumbing issue… that doesn't exist. Peter has basic skills, and Dad said he'd send him over." Michael grinned. "I simply played into my father's narrative that I can't do anything right, and Peter can do no wrong, and I got what you wanted. There's a construction trailer there that you can use to talk to him." Michael drew closer, his eyes growing darker. "Now, what about what I want?"

"And what would that be?" Thor asked as Michael closed the distance between them.

"Let's just say that it isn't likely you're going to get much sleep tonight." He stayed close enough that Thor could smell his warm breath, and Thor wound his fingers around the back of Michael's neck. A lack of sleep was a small price to pay for a night with him.

Damn, it had been difficult to get his eyes to stay open. Thor had no idea how Michael had managed to get up and out of the room so damned early. Thor remembered a kiss and then falling back into a restful sleep almost immediately. His phone had woken him, and now he was on his way to Michael's worksite after making a call to Constantine Construction inquiring about Peter and being told he was going to be on a job site. That call would give Michael cover. He'd be damned if he'd cause trouble for him.

The site was crawling with workmen all going about their tasks. Thor strode up to Michael, giving no indication that they knew each other. "I'm looking for Peter," he said softly.

"Right over there," Michael said, pointing him out and following Thor as he went to where the younger Constantine brother hauled supplies to some of the work teams. It seemed like chaos to Thor, but as he watched, some of the movement patterns began to make sense, with men working and others supporting them, making sure they had supplies and the tools they needed.

"What do you want?" Peter snapped when Thor stopped him. "I have plenty of shit to do, and I can't wait to get the hell out of here."

"Construction not your thing?" Thor got a snort in return as Peter set down the sheet of greenboard.

"Wouldn't be here unless my dad told me to be. I want to finish the hell up and get back to more important things."

"Like what?" Thor asked.

Peter paused, his gloved hands resting on his hips. "What are you—the none-of-your-fucking-business police?"

Thor paused. "No. I'm the guy the coast guard called when they located your drug boat at the bottom of the ocean, and I'm the guy who can take you in for meth distribution. It was found on the same boat while it was laid up in Noyo Harbor, before you had one of your friends retrieve it." He smiled. "Now, you can lay off the attitude and answer my questions, or I'll make a few calls, and you can be taken into custody right here in front of all these men."

Peter stood taller. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Other than trafficking drugs along the coast. Your boat was used to run drugs out to the pickup point where they're transferred. Now, like I said, all I need to do is make a call."

Peter turned to look around, his face growing paler by the second.

"Can we talk in there?"

Peter nodded, and Thor led the way, pulling open the trailer door, ready in case Peter decided to try to make a run for it. He climbed the steps, and Thor followed him. "I only let them use the boat."

"Let who use it?" Thor asked as a knock sounded on the door. He opened it and sighed, letting Michael inside.

"I'm his brother and this is my job site," Michael said. Thor wanted to tell him to leave, but didn't have time for an argument.

"Stay quiet and out of the way." Thor turned back to Peter. "I think you better start from the beginning."

Peter practically collapsed into the chair. "I have been trying to start a charter boat business out of the area. Take people out fishing and things like that. But it's impossible. The weather is too unpredictable, and there are too many days when no one can go out, so bookings had to be canceled and refunded. I was losing my shirt. Then I was approached to use one of the boats on a regular basis. They paid me good money."

"And you didn't think about what they wanted it for?" Michael asked.

"How was I supposed to know?" Peter really seemed clueless.

"They retrofitted part of it to hide and transport drugs. And they nearly sank it a week ago. It came in damaged and was repaired."

"Yeah, I know. Wally said he fixed it, and I paid him for his work." Thor wondered how Michael's brother could be this stupid.

"It was a temporary patch," Michael broke in. "Wally needed to make permanent repairs."

"And now your boat is on the bottom out there. The insurance isn't going to pay because it was used to smuggle drugs, and you're out a boat." Thor found a pencil and paper and placed them in front of Peter. "I want everything you know about the people who rented the boat. What the dates were, what they did. How they looked. Everything."

Peter sat at the small table against the wall and began writing. Michael took the chair across from him. "How did you meet these people?" he asked, but Peter continued writing a second before pausing, looking at Michael and then Thor.

"Who the hell are you?" Peter asked. "You're not a cop. I know the local ones."

"I'm with the DEA," Thor answered.

Peter nodded and slowly turned to Michael. "Are you working with him?" Peter asked Michael. "You seem pretty chummy even if you're trying to act like you aren't. You two knocking boots or something?" Peter was clearly trying to get under Michael's skin, and Thor wasn't going to allow it. He needed to be the one in control.

"You write. That's your job. And answer your brother's question. How did you meet these renters?"

Peter continued looking at each of them.

"Whether you believe it or not, Michael is trying to help you."

"Hank Robards introduced me. They seemed nice enough, and they paid in cash up front for three months. It was enough to keep the business afloat." He sighed. "I should have fucking known it was too good to be true."

Michael's expression softened. "That's what usually happens." He leaned over the table. "Swear to me that you didn't know what they were using the boat for." He held up his hand. "Remember when I found you and Sally up in the treehouse when you were fifteen?" Thor wondered what this was about, but he kept his mouth shut. "Mom and Dad never found out. And remember what you swore then? So swear you didn't know." The intensity in the shed was almost overwhelming. "And if you lie to me, I will know."

"I swear I didn't know. I thought they were going fishing."

"In the evenings in the fog?" Thor pressed.

"I didn't know when they used the boat. They paid me to have it at their disposal, and they paid extra after it was damaged. I think they just wanted to keep me happy."

Michael nodded. "You give Thor everything you have on them, and if they come calling again, you tell them that your boats are all spoken for and that you have nothing available right now." Michael was impressive. "Don't try to find out who they are or press for any additional information. Just say thank you for their business and walk away. If you know nothing, they might just leave you alone."

Peter groaned. "You think they'll come after me?"

"Not if you make like you know nothing about what they were doing. The boat sank, and they can't expect you to keep supplying them after that. So just walk away and keep yourself safe. If they think you're a danger to them, they will come after you." He couldn't stress that enough, and Peter seemed to understand, judging by the way he paled.

"Am I going to get in trouble?" Peter asked.

"As long as you stop letting them use your boats and you didn't know, then you'll be fine," Thor explained. "But keep your eyes open. Looking for the quick fix is a surefire way to get yourself in deep trouble." Hopefully they had gotten to Peter before he was in too deep.

"Are you done?" Peter asked.

"Have you written down everything you know?" Thor looked at the page. "Include how they contact you and any phone numbers or email addresses. How they paid. Was anything sent to you? I need everything. Did they only rent the one boat?"

Peter paused, and Thor held his gaze, not letting him off the hook. "The first time, they rented one of the other ones, but it was a mess when they returned it. I cleaned it up myself and then only let them use the one boat. It was one I bought at a police auction, and I didn't pay all that much for it."

"Thor is going to need to see that first boat," Michael said. "I know you cleaned it, but they might have left something behind that he can use."

Peter seemed defeated. "Okay. It's in storage at the moment. I was paying docking fees and no one was renting, so it was cheaper to take the other boats out of the water. If I get a job, I put it in the river and we go out."

"Okay. You finish with that and then we'll take a ride." Thor let Peter complete his task as Michael watched his brother closely.

"Are you working with him?" Peter asked as though Michael had betrayed him somehow. "Did you set me up to get me here?"

Thor smacked the top of the table, making both Peter and Michael jump. "This is not a family crap thing or anything between the two of you. I could have simply gone to your house and held you for suspicion. The reason I'm not is because of Michael… at least in part. We're talking here because of him, and I'm going to run down your story to verify it. But know this: you're getting the benefit of the doubt because of your brother, so think about that."

"Why?" Peter asked. "You don't owe us anything."

Thor met Michael's gaze. "You may not know your brother as well as you think you do." He flashed a smile and then gave Peter one his coldest looks. "He's honest and caring, and he takes a lot of shit from his family because he's loyal, and he cares." Thor had stopped giving a shit about what most of his family thought of him a long time ago. "So you don't get to blame him for what you've done. Understand?" He took the paper from Peter, read it over, and had him sign it. Then he folded the page and put it in his pocket. "Now let's you and me take a ride so I can see this other boat."

Peter nodded and stood. "What about Michael?"

Thor was glad Peter couldn't see the shine in Michael's eyes. "He may have work he needs to finish here, but if he doesn't, he knows where we'll be." Thor opened the door and followed Peter out. "We'll take my truck." He had no intention of giving Peter a chance to run. Thor waited until Peter was inside, then climbed into the truck, started the engine, and pulled out, not surprised at all when Michael followed them.

Thor climbed onto the boat. This was much nicer than the one he'd searched in Noyo harbor. "I can see why you'd want this kept nice."

"I got a good deal on it. The boat had been repossessed a year ago, and the bank needed to sell it," Peter said. "I love taking it out, but I don't get too much of a chance. Renting it is a little pricier than what most people would pay," Peter explained as Thor started in the very front of the cabin, methodically working his way through. He had hoped that Peter had missed something, and it was ten minutes before he found what he was looking for in the one of the compartments under the table.

He took pictures and then got some samples, then opened the portable drug kit and swabbed the area, the test coming back positive. He bagged the rest of the substance as well as the test results and continued searching, but came up empty otherwise. Once he climbed on deck, Peter and Michael stood together, both looking at him. "I have a positive test."

"Shit…," Peter grumbled. "Are they going to impound my boat?"

"I don't know," Thor said softly. "But I suggest you cover it and leave it where it is; don't try to take it anywhere. We may need to access to it later."

Peter nodded and swallowed hard. "What about me?"

"Provided everything you've told me checks out, I'll treat you as a witness. But if it doesn't, I will come after you. This sort of thing is not taken lightly by anyone." He held Peter's gaze until he nodded.

"I told you everything I know," Peter said. "Can you take me back to my car so I can go home?"

"Yes. But don't leave the area." Thor got in his truck and waited for Peter before driving him back to the construction site. "If you are contacted by your renters, don't promise them anything, but be sure to let me know. Pay attention to anything unusual that might allow us to find them."

"I will." Peter got out of the truck. "I want this over as much as you do. I didn't know, and I feel so stupid for letting one of my boats be used for something like that." Thor didn't say that he should, but he thought it. Peter closed the truck door, went to his fancy car, and pulled out. Thor followed him a little way, making sure he actually went home.

His phone rang, and Thor smiled at Michael's name on the display.

"What do you think? Is Peter in as much trouble as I think he is?"

"I told him the truth, and I hope he did the same." Thor pulled off to the side of the road. "I meant what I told him. Now, I need to know where I can find Hank Robards. I think he's the next person I need to speak with."

"I don't know, but some of the guys will. I'll ask a few of the guys I can trust and get back to you." Thor pulled back on the road, and Michael called back five minutes later. "He hangs out at The Wheel in Fort Bragg."

"Cool. Looks like you and me are going out tonight."