Free Decker's Dilemma by Jack Ambraw Page A

thought. A few moments later, he dropped his hands. “Okay, I’ll do it,” he said, avoiding Vega’s stare. “But you’ve got to be sure you keep an eye out for me.”
    Decker raised his beer bottle. “Believe me, you’ll have nothing to worry about. I’ll be on the lookout. It’ll give me a reason to stay awake while I’m on watch.” He turned to Vega. “Do you have something to write with? I’ve lost my pencil.”
    Mo laughed and finished the last of his beer. “You guys are nuts. This is crazy.”
    â€œIt’s not crazy at all,” replied Decker, taking a pen from Vega she had dug out of her purse. He glanced behind him to see if anyone was standing nearby. Satisfied that they had privacy, he pulled his chair close to the table and wrote a series of numbers on a napkin. He handed it to Hack and cleared his throat. “Okay, here’s the plan.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN
    2015, Tuesday, January 7

    The plan was simple. Hack would walk aboard ship on Decker’s duty night while he had the quarterdeck watch from 2000 to midnight, the perfect spot to be a lookout and the perfect time of night to snoop around while most people were off the ship. If all went well, it’d be a routine evening. No one in the duty section would suspect otherwise.
    Hack spent the early hours of the evening pensive, walking around base for two hours. He met Lee at the Sampaguita Club for a beer. She could immediately tell something was up.
    â€œYou’re acting weird.” she said. “You’re not breaking up with me, are you?”
    Hack sat his beer down and put his chin in his hands. “No, of course not. It’s nothing like that. I have to go back to the ship tonight.”
    â€œFor work?”
    Hack shook his head. “Not exactly. Decker and I are planning a break-in.”
    â€œA break-in of what?”
    â€œPromise not to tell anyone?”
    â€œOf course, silly goose. Who am I going to tell anyway?”
    Hack whispered quietly about what Vega had said about the black market operation, its possible connection, in Decker’s mind, to Kippen’s death, and the plan to break-in to Chief’s safe.
    Lee listened with obvious skepticism. “I knew Decker’d get you involved in something like this. And his girlfriend sounds just like him.”
    â€œDecker’s not getting me involved. I agreed to help. And Vega’s got nothing to do with it. It’s our idea.”
    â€œIt’s Decker’s idea,” Lee corrected him. “So what do you expect to find?”
    â€œWe’re not sure, but it’s strange.”
    â€œWhat is?”
    â€œNo one but Chief has the combination to the safe.”
    Lee laughed. “What’s wrong with that? That’s the whole idea of having a safe, sweetie. It keeps people like you and Decker out of it.” She sat back in her chair. “How are you going to open it if you don’t have the combination?”
    â€œDecker figured it out. He’s been watching Chief the past few months.”
    Lee reached across the table and held both of his hands. “You shouldn’t get involved like this. Do you have any idea what could happen to you if you get caught?”
    Hack squeezed her hand, running his thumb in tiny circles on her soft skin. “I try not to think about it. Decker has quarterdeck watch so it’ll be safe. I’ll have a lookout. If he has the right combination, I can be in and out of the safe in five minutes.”
    Lee let go of his hands and sat back in her chair. “I still think you shouldn’t do it.”
    â€œI have to. I promised,” Hack said, looking at his watch. 2030. “In fact, I need to be going. I’ll stop by tomorrow night.”
    Lee finished her beer and pulled out five dollars from her jeans. “I’ll buy,” she said. “I’ll save the rest of my money to bail you out of the