Free Mortal Dilemma by H. Terrell Griffin Page A

be their revenge for what I’ve been involved in.”
    â€œHow would anybody have figured that out?”
    â€œI don’t know, but the world is getting more dangerous. We ferretted out a mole in our operation a year or so ago. Maybe we missed one.”
    â€œAnd you didn’t tell J.D. and me that we might be in danger?”
    â€œI just figured it out. Sitting in a bar all day. I think the shooting up in Alachua County may have been connected to me. I was going to call you, but apparently I got too drunk to do anything but get shot.”
    â€œSomebody tried to kill you.”
    â€œI don’t think so. A pro would have gotten me. I’m thinking he meant to barely wound me. That would get you and J.D. here.”
    â€œHow would he have known that you carried the card with my name to call in case of an emergency?”
    â€œI’ve never had such a card, Matt. Somebody put that information in my wallet after I went down this afternoon. Somebody who knew you’d be here as soon as you heard I was in the hospital. Somebody who wants you here. I may be like the staked goat. Just the bait to get you and J.D. to the killing ground.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
    F RIDAY , O CTOBER 31
    â€œY OU ’ RE AWAKE ,” J.D. said, leaning in to plant a kiss on Jock’s forehead. “How’re you feeling?”
    â€œHung over, but I’ll survive.”
    â€œGlad you’re alive,” Galis said.
    â€œPaul. It’s always good to see an old friend. How are you?”
    â€œI’m fine, Jock. What can you tell me about what happened?”
    Jock told them what he’d told me.
    â€œAnd you don’t know who’s after you,” Galis said.
    Jock shook his head. “I’m not sure, but my best guess is that it’s some very bad terrorists. I’ve pissed a lot of them off over the years.”
    â€œWhat makes you think whoever is after you is here in Key West?”
    â€œI spotted a guy in the Tampa airport whom I thought might be following me. I wasn’t sure, and he didn’t get on the flight to Miami, so I didn’t think much about it. Nobody caught my attention when I got off the plane in Miami, but when I started thinking about it this morning, I remembered a young couple at the gate who didn’t seem to be paying much attention to anybody but each other. I don’t think they were waiting for anybody and there were no other planes coming in or leaving at that time of the morning. Maybe they followed me to the charter outfit and found out I was headed for Key West and passed the information on to somebody here.”
    â€œI don’t understand why anybody would lure us to Key West,” J.D. said. “Wouldn’t it be easier to take us out on Longboat?”
    â€œMaybe not,” Galis said. “There’s a better chance for them to get lost in the crowd here, particularly during Fantasy Fest and when a cruise ship is in port.”
    â€œThere’s also the fact that Cuba is only a couple of hours away in a fast boat,” Jock said. “And if you were killed because you came here to take care of me, there’d be no question in my mind that I was the cause of your death. Maybe they’d planned to do it on Longboat, but when I left suddenly, they made it up on the fly.”
    â€œI’m not sure any of this makes a lot of sense,” I said, “but we better take precautions.”
    â€œMatt,” Galis said, “I don’t like the idea of you staying at the Pier House. Too public. I’ve got a guest room that’ll fit you and J.D. just fine. I live up on Lower Sugarloaf Key, well away from the crowds.”
    I thought about that for a moment. J.D. nodded at me. “We’ll accept your hospitality,” I said. “What about the Pier House reservation?”
    â€œI’ll take care of it,” Galis said. “They won’t have any trouble renting that room