Decker's Dilemma (20 page)

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

1840, Thursday, February 20

“He'll be in there a half hour at best. And another half hour working on his hair.”

“I wish you had another bathroom.”

“Me too,” Vega said, turning behind her. “The boys are back. Wait here.”

Vega returned with two new t-shirts and shorts. She held the shirts up for Hack to see.

“I'll take the blue one.” Hack said.

“Good choice.” She handed him the shirt and a pair of light green shorts. “This will actually look nice together. Better than the other pair.”

“I wish I could at least put the shorts on,” Hack said. “It's a little embarrassing.”

“Don't be embarrassed,” Vega smiled. She unwrapped the towel off her head and tossed it at Hack. “Put this on if you'd like. I'm done with it.”

“Thanks,” Hack mumbled as he wrapped it around his waist.

Vega sat on a plastic chair and lowered her head so her wet, frizzy hair draped over her face. Hack leaned against the wall and watched as she brushed lightly until the curls straightened to her satisfaction. A flip of her head sent her long brown hair backwards. She blushed as she opened her eyes and saw Hack watching her. “Sometimes I think about cutting it,” she sighed.

“It looks nice long,” Hack said.

“Thanks. I like it too, but I'd fit in better at the station if I had it shorter. I'd look more like a man that way.”

“I doubt that.”

Vega smiled. “I'll take that as a compliment.”

“It is.”

Vega sat back and let out a sigh. “I know him.”

“Who?”

“Agana. My brother worked for him.”

“Your brother? Decker never mentioned you having a brother.”

“Ato. Antonio. I don't talk about him very often. And I haven't really told Decker everything about him.” She eyed Hack. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“Sure.”

“It's part of the reason I moved back to the Philippines.”

“To take care of him?”

Vega shook her head. “No, to take care of
Tatay
. That's the Tagalog word for ‘father.' My brother's eight years older than me. He was taking care of me, but I wish I would've been able to take care of him.”

“When did he work for Agana?

“When he was sixteen as soon as he graduated from high school. I know my father was worried about it. He'd write me letters and call me. He'd always try to sound positive but I always knew something was wrong.”

“Does he still work for him?”

“I don't know.”

“What do you mean you don't know?

“I haven't seen him in two years.”

“Is he still in Olongapo?”

“I have no idea. He disappeared a week before Christmas a couple years ago and no one's heard from him since.”

“Did you see him much when you moved back with your father?”

“I saw him all the time. We lived together. I was only twelve, but I took care of the house. Our father was sick at the time. Heart problem. Liver infection. Ato made a lot of money. He said he was working for a businessman. But
Tatay
knew he was up to no good. Most Filipinos don't make that kind of money.”

“Did you ever meet Agana?”

“Just once. When I was a little older, probably fourteen or fifteen, I followed my brother to work one day.”

“A young detective.”

Vega smiled. “I guess I was. I wanted to know where he was working. I followed him to the same place we visited today. I walked in and when Ato saw me he got me out of there. But I saw Agana. He didn't speak to me but I got a bad feeling just seeing him.”

“How did he get hooked up with Agana?”

“Through basketball.”

“Basketball?”

“
Tatay
had big dreams for Ato. He played in high school and two years of college at Far Eastern University near Manila.
Tatay
was so proud of him. Said he was going to be the next Sonny Jaworski.”

“Who?”

“Sonny Jaworski. The Michael Jordan of the Philippines.”

“It doesn't sound like a Filipino name.”

“It's not, but he grew up in Manila. His mom's Ilocano. I think his dad's an American.”

“Your brother was that good?”

“I don't think so, but
Tatay
always bragged about him like that. The sad thing is our father died without ever knowing what happened to him.”

“Why did he only play two years in college?”

“He hurt his left knee. Ended any hope he had of playing professionally.”

“Where does Agana come into the picture?”

“He got a job with the San Miguel Beermen.”

“My favorite team name of the Philippine Basketball Association,” said Decker as he strode through the doorway wearing a red towel wrapped around his waist. He held out his underwear for Vega to take. “Of course there's stiff competition with the Tanduay Rhum Masters, Great Taste Coffee Makers, and Hills Brothers Coffee Kings.”

“I'm not touching those things,” she said, holding up the plastic bag. “Put them in here.” She sat the bag on the patio and threw him a T-shirt and pair of shorts. “And here's something to wear. I'll let you guys borrow some flip-flops. I've got plenty of old pairs.”

Decker held up the yellow t-shirt with prominent red vertical stripes. The words “I've Got Style!” were printed in white across the chest. In his other hand he held up the shorts. One leg was pink. The other orange. A bright blue stripe ran across the bottom. “You're kidding, right?”

“That's what the kids bought.”

“My money paid for these things?”

“It was worth every peso,” Vega laughed. “It's the irony I love best.”

“Very funny,” Decker said. “Hey, what did you get?” But Hack was already indoors.

Decker slipped the shorts on under his towel and put on the t-shirt. He looked at his reflection in the glass door and shook his head. “Why were you talking about Philippine basketball? I don't think Hack is much of a fan. Mo's your guy for sports talk.”

“I was telling him about my brother.”

“Oh.”

“And his connection to Agana.”

“The same Agana?”

“
O o.
It's something I've never told you about.”

“You've said he worked for a basketball team and then a local businessman. You sure it was Agana?”

“Positive.”

“How did he get hooked up with him?”

“Through the basketball team. I think he was some sort of assistant to the coach with the Beermen.”

“I still don't understand how that led to Agana.”

“It was gambling at first.”

“Your brother was involved with gambling?”

“That's what
Tatay
suspected. The government owns the casinos and those close to Marcos probably benefitted the most. Sports betting has become a big-time business since Marcos legalized gambling two years after the PBA formed in '75.”

“Rusty told me Agana's father knew Marcos during the war.”

“Then we can assume Agana gained access to Marcos through his father.”

“But Marcos is out of the picture now,” Decker said. “Rusty told me Agana's switched allegiances to Cory Aquino.”

“Makes sense,” Vega said. “I'm sure he's been playing both sides for a while waiting to see who would win the election. But that doesn't really matter. The problem we have—we, the police—is that he's in business.”

“You're right,” Decker agreed. “And it's a maze of political relationships that I don't even want to try to figure out.” He started to pace around the patio. “So how does Chief Fray fit in?”

“That's your deal. I'm not so sure he's involved.
Someone
is helping Agana from inside the base, but I'm not sure it's someone on the
Harvey
. More likely it's a sailor at the supply depot. Maybe Agana even has some Filipinos working for him inside the base.”

Decker folded his arms and looked at a bird flitting in a nearby tree. “Chief had the initials A.A. on a note.”

“Could be someone else's initials.”

“But he also had “J-Bee” written next to the initials. There's a Jollibee near Agana's.”

“And several more Jollibees in Olongapo.”

Decker suddenly remembered something that Ponytail had said. “I thought I heard one of Agana's men say the name ‘Pinto.'”

Vega laughed. “Now Pinto is involved, too?”

“What does
kaibigan
mean?”

“Friend. Why?”

“I thought I heard that word, too.”

Vega began to brush her hair again. “What would be his motive to help Agana? Or any American's motive?”

“Money. It's always about money. Or a woman.”

“We can rule out a woman. No need to risk jail time for that in Olongapo. There are plenty to go around.”

“Then it's money.”

Vega set aside her brush and began to braid her hair. “I doubt if Agana would pay someone that much money.”

“You said your brother was getting paid.”

“For a Filipino it's a lot, but not to an American. Especially someone of Chief's rank. Plus, there's too much to lose if he gets caught. Significant jail time. No retirement pay. Plenty of reasons not to get involved.”

Decker rubbed his chin. “Maybe Agana has something on Chief?”

“Like what?”

“I don't know. But there's a connection. We just need a break.”

“A break from what?” asked Hack, emerging from the apartment freshly showered and sporting his new outfit.

“Not a break
from
something,” said Decker. “But a break in the case.”

“You need to stop investigating,” Vega said. “Let the police handle it. I shouldn't have encouraged you guys to snoop around in the first place. And I definitely shouldn't have gone to Agana's with you. I could lose my job.”

Decker ignored her. “Hey, you never did say what you saw behind Agana's place. Any Navy parts?”

“Could've been, but I couldn't tell.”

“What did it look like?”

“A bunch of crates, but I didn't get a good look at them. I had a hand feeling me up and Agana's men running out the back door towards us. Not much time to look at the surroundings. I read an address on the crates, though.”

“Do you remember it?”

“Mahárlika and Co. 228 Palanca St. MM”

“What's the ‘MM' stand for?”

“Metro Manila.”

“When are we going?”

“
We
are not going,” Vega said, firmly. “Let me handle it.”

“But you'll need help. Hack and I will be glad to tag along.”

“Speak for yourself,” Hack countered. “I'm with Vega. She can get along fine without us.”

Vega stood and put her hands on her hips. “There are way too many protests going on in Manila after the presidential election. It's not a good place for Americans to be.”

“We won't get mixed up in any of that,” Decker said. “How are you going to get there?”

“I don't have a day off until Tuesday. Maybe I'll catch a bus.”

“What about your boyfriend?”

Vega shrugged. “He works all the time. I'll take a bus.”

“I've got a better idea,” Decker said. “I happen to be off work that day. A planned vacation day. I'll ask Rusty to drive us. He has a friend with a car and he's mentioned this guy in Manila, Ducky, who maybe can help us.” He turned to Hack. “Take the day off, too. We'll run over to Manila in the morning, let Vega take a look around Agana's place, have a quiet lunch, and then be back in Olongapo before dark. It's as simple as that.”

“Nothing's ever as simple as you say,” Hack said.

“A car ride rather than a crowded bus sounds nice,” Vega said. “And having Rusty along would be reassuring.” She sat in silence for a minute in obvious contemplation. She finally stood and eyed the two sailors. “Okay, we can go on Tuesday, but don't wear anything yellow.”

“Why not?” asked Hack.

“Cory's supporters have adopted the color. They're all wearing it. Although I support the revolution, I don't want to get caught up in it, especially with you two with me.”