CHAPTER NINE - REINCARNATION

Jamaica – Present Day

“Aunty, I dress like this because I know how to combine by outfits and my heels; it's not my fault that I can be thrifty with your money.”

“I don’t care. Why are you wearing that body hugging red mini dress to the office today?”

“I am coordinating my wardrobe to match the car that I am driving and who says I am going into office. Marcus needs me to go on a mission and the uniform issued to Corporal Stephanie Lisa will not achieve the desired outcome.”

“I am lost here, Stephanie; Marcus calls you to go on a mission and you put on a red thong, your red mini dress and drive the red convertible to meet him? Are you sure you are really going to work or it’s a date you are on with that superintendent of yours?”

“Hey, Aunty, it’s a Tuesday and I am feeling a little sexy today and guess what? I am tired of the tedious domestic duties and time is of the essence. Marcus Dean needs me and I am going; and besides, it’s an undercover mission and the call came in at just the right time.”

“Stephanie, be careful; you are not sending the right message to the wrong man.”

“Yes, Aunty, on the surface I have a nice life with all the things a girl could dream, a nice house, cars and a successful partner. I have been together with that man for too many years and even though he is a rising socialite and member of the powerful chamber of commerce; all of the above made him very attractive at first, but I know that I am not the only one that is attracted to him. Hey, let's face it, he is not the only one that can lead a double life.”

"Why the hell should I care about how he feels, Aunty? Life from now on is only going to be about me and the things I care about, eat your heart out. Besides, Marcus said he needed someone looking hot today and I intend to burn down the place.”

She grabbed her hand bag, blew Aunty a kiss and stepped through the door with the keys for the red convertible twirling on her right index finger.

Seven years had elapsed since the McNamara’s had left Jamaica. Lisa Whitman had graduated and spent twelve months at the Plantation and was convinced by Marcus Dean that her skill sets and aptitude best matched being a member of the institution with the motto ‘to protect and serve.’ A name change had to be done to provide a clean slate and creating the perception of distance from the family ties of her uncle. She joined the force under the accelerated promotion programme.

"Stephanie, something is wrong I have a strong feeling that you are in danger and that you are being watched or even followed, ever since your last mission.”

"Boss, I told you that we should have stayed away from the Syndicate, but no, you never ever listened and now you are telling me that I am in danger. She sucked wind through her teeth. Anyway, my phone is beeping and Antonio has been calling and nagging the daylight out of me. Darn, it is him again; I have to go, so I will be at headquarters shortly.”

Marcus perused the report Detective Smith had provided him on his surveillance of his team members. The confidential report had been leaked to the Syndicate; the document had him very confused and concerned. He actually felt quite jittery and the fifth cup of coffee since 7:30 a.m. was not helping. Marcus was rarely ever nervous, but this time reality was a little too close to home with his team member being in harm’s way. He read the line over and over: ‘There is a direct link between the Organisation of Antonio Sharpe and the Syndicate. The recent recovery of millions worth of dollars of counterfeit goods Downtown and the subsequent arrest of several persons have triggered an avalanche of reprisals in the underworld.’

“Smithy, you know it’s because of me why she is in this predicament right now; four weeks ago to the day I tasked Corporal Lisa with the mission and I remember everything like it was yesterday.”

Jamaica - Four weeks earlier

“Stephanie, we need someone to infiltrate the syndicated wholesales Downtown and determine their source of origin as well obtaining all relevant documents that can substantiate the disparity in the pricing mechanisms; and I recommended you to the Acting Commissioner as well as our colleagues in Customs.”

"What, Boss? Why me of all persons? I certainly don’t look like a member of the Syndicate or their family."

"No, Stephanie, you can fit in with the typical worker in the wholesale and with your adaptability you will make friends in no time and besides, no one else in this unit has the specific technical skills that you possess. I have already sold the idea to the Assistant Commissioner and the people from Customs and got the green light".

"All this because you can't understand why a pair of name brand shoes can be sold for $2,000.00 Downtown and is being sold for $10,000.00 Uptown. Why could you not give me the assignment to work Uptown where I can shop at your expense?

"Very funny, Stephanie. Remember… comply, then complain and guess what? It’s a very simple exercise; you will be in and out in less than a week."

Present Day-Jamaica

Detective Smith stood and watched as Marcus read the short report for the fourth time and he looked up on the senior detective and said,

"Smithy, why do I have to be the one to tell her that a contract had been put out on her head and are you sure that Antonio had taken out a sizeable insurance policy on her recently?"

"I am confident, Boss and if you want to be sure for a small change I can arrange a meeting with my confidential informant and as it relates to Antonio's business dealing with Quan Yu, the local head of the Syndicate, I did a little digging electronically and I have copies of a few transactions between the two individuals. I can tell you that the Syndicate has links in almost every country. The Syndicate has been the ultimate mastermind behind the networked distribution of goods, services and manufacturing sector. It seems the young corporal had acquired too much data in executing her duties, Boss".

"Smith, this information stays between you and me and no way the team can know that we have deployed surveillance on them. Thanks, Smith; that will be all."

Smith rolled his frog like eyes and quietly turned, walking briskly through the door while Marcus rocked back in his executive chair and looked out the window of his 6th floor office window on the south tower.

“The sea was beautiful at this time of the morning. I’d much prefer to be on the beach relaxing and eating some escovietched fish and bammy or drinking some nice conch soup instead of pushing paper behind this desk,” he muttered.

He put his hand with its protruding veins into the drawer and took up the plane tickets he had been saving for a while and muttered,

"What story am I going to tell her now? It will only be a matter of time before she finds out the truth. I am the one that would not listen and practically forced her to go. What if the hit is carried out before I can stop it? Worse how do I tell her about Antonio?”

His chain of thought was broken by the ringing of his cell phone and he took it up and smiled as Stephanie was video calling him.

"Hi, how come you are calling me with a video call, Steph?"

"Don't you want to see how fantastic I look before I got into office, Boss?" she responded.

"Wow,” he responded, “I wish I was a single man or Antonio right now. Did he see you before you left the house looking like that this morning?”

"Sure he did, I told him to eat his heart out."

“Hey, Stephanie, by any chance do you have your passport with you and is your visa current?”

There was a long pause and quizzical look on her face as her eyes searched his for an answer followed by a terse reply,

"Yes and why?"

"Why do I get the impression that you are going faster than the speed limit, Corporal? I can see how fast the fence posts are passing by the car and the background seems to be a blur,” he said as he tried to avoid answering her question.

"It's not every day I get to drive Antonio's car and when I do I make the car feel appreciated and loved by giving it as much gas as I can; and besides, I can’t get a ticket remember," she replied as she winked at him.

“When you get here, do not do your usual rounds; come straight to me office and if you can use the back entrance please. I don't want anyone's saliva on the floor just in case some of our male co-workers see you dressed so provocatively.”

"Hah hah," she laughed, “just wait until you see the entire package. Hey by the way, why are you dressed so casual; I thought we were going somewhere together?”

"Change of plans, just hurry and get here, Stephanie?"

"I thought you wanted me to slow down, you are so confusing; one minute ‘you are going too fast’ and then the next minute ‘hurry up’" she replied.

"There are times I believe that you don't remember that I am a senior officer and you must show respect, corporal."

"Boss, that only happens when we are in public and right now it’s only the two of us on a video chat while I speed down this highway at 150km per hour. So, what so important?

"Someone's knocking on my door; I have to go, Steph."

“You are lying, I did not hear a knock."

"Bye, Stephanie, I will see you in 10 minutes," he hung up the phone.

Marcus Dean swung his chair around and resumed looking through the window and contemplated what he would say to Stephanie and the rest of the team. The truth was always best but not in all circumstances because of the sensitivity.

There was a knock on his door and as he swivelled in the chair and turned to face the door, he fell out of the chair - a result of the view that presented itself in the doorway.

Stephanie laughed at the sight of her boss on the floor and walked around the desk to help him regain his seat.

"Shoot, Stephanie, I said dress hot, not as an inferno. Wow girl you are breath-taking. That dress hugs your curves and guess what, you can’t stay in the office like that. Even I would be tempted to look or touch a body hugging red mini outfit with those legs and base, not to mention those breasts. Oh, crap, my blood pressure."

Stephanie laughed and the laughter sounded as if it was coming from the bottom of her stomach and when she finally got control of herself she said,

“Marcus, I wasn't planning to stay in office like this. Aren’t we going somewhere today and you said I should dress up?”

“Yes, I had a black tie brunch to attend and I needed an attractive escort, so I asked you, but there is a change of plans; and if you haven’t had breakfast, let’s go and get some food and chat a little about some changes in our lives.”

Stephanie was puzzled and she searched his face with her eyes to see if she could fathom what he was talking about. She noticed the black heads in his face and in her typical forthright manner she asked,

“So, why didn’t you ask Molly to come with you to the brunch and what are the changes that are coming into our lives, Marcus?”

“You are too curious and it’s precisely that which has caused me so much headache right now, Stephanie and wait until we are on the outside before we discuss the things that really matter. If you noticed, I said ‘attractive’ regarding the brunch and it would be too early to wake up Molly and then I would have to answer too many questions about why and how and with whom. Oh, crap, I am being interrogated anyway, so I might as well have asked my dear wife to accompany me anyway,” Marcus thought to himself.