Page 71 of Over the Top

Gunner had to admit, it was darned near perfect.

Chas exclaimed from the bathroom, “Oh my God! You have to come see this! There’s a giant hot tub in here.”

Gunner stepped into the doorway and spied Chas already running water to fill the huge tub. The fireplace turned out to be two-sided, and the hot tub stood next to its far side. Chas looked up, his entire face lit with joy. “Order up a bottle of wine, will you?”

“I don’t know anything about wine.”

Chas straightened thoughtfully. “Ask for a port. It’s a red dessert wine, but with some brandy added in. More kick than regular table wines. I think you’d like it.”

“Will you like it?”

“I love the stuff. I’m a cheap drunk on it, though.”

Gunner grinned. “I’ll order two bottles.”

Chas rolled his eyes, but at least he smiled a little. Profound relief flooded Gunner. He hated being at odds with Chas.

While they waited for the big tub to fill, he placed a call to Spencer. “Hey, it’s Gun. Any information forthcoming from our guest?”

“Oh yeah. Took waterboarding him once, but then he sang like a canary.”

“And what did he sing?”

Chas tugged on Gunner’s sleeve, doing charades to indicate he wanted to hear too. “I’m putting you on speaker phone so Chas can hear too,” he told Spencer.

“I’m doing the same. Drago’s on with me.”

“Great. We’re all here, so tell us what you learned,” Gunner said impatiently.

“Our prisoner works for the Oshiro gang.” Spencer paused for a moment. “But he had an interesting tale to tell.”

Drago picked up the narrative. “Apparently the Oshiro gang is dealing with some internal politics. The old Oshiro leadership wants to sit pat on its drug smuggling in the United States. But a group of younger Oshiro lieutenants wants to go international. They think there’s more money to be made if they control both ends of the smuggling chain from Asia to North America.”

Chas asked, “What does that have to do with Poppy?”

“According to our prisoner, the splinter group of pro-expansion Oshiro guys kidnapped Poppy. Our guy thinks it was some sort of show of force to intimidate the Tanaka gang.”

“Do they want ransom for her?” Chas asked.

Spencer answered, “Our prisoner didn’t know. He thinks the Oshiro guys who took Poppy want something else from Kamiko’s grandfather, Yuzio Tanaka. He’s the head of his clan. We think it’s possible they’re trying to get control of a port currently controlled by the Tanaka clan.”

Drago took over. “Charles Favian has been digging around. He talked with the folks over at the CIA’s Asia desk, and they say Yuzio Tanaka and his son, Kenji, have had a serious falling out and aren’t on speaking terms.”

Gunner frowned. “Meaning what? The Oshiros aren’t going to get what they want from kidnapping Poppy because Grandpa is pissed off at Poppy’s daddy?”

“Potentially,” Drago answered grimly.

Chas frowned at Gunner. “What does that mean?”

Gunner answered, “It means they’ll need to dispose of Poppy, assuming they can get ahold of her again. They can’t just give her back when they can’t strongarm Grandpa into doing what they want.”

Spencer said, “I think we have to proceed on the working theory that once these guys figure out the old man isn’t going to bend, they will ultimately kill Poppy.”

“She’s a baby!” Chas exclaimed in a combination of horror and dismay.

Drago replied, “She’s a Tanaka. Which means she’s smack-dab in the middle of this feud, whether she deserves it or not.”

“Who doesn’t love their own grandkid?” Chas demanded indignantly.

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