Author's note: This is a work of fiction. All characters are fictitious and over the age of eighteen. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
Chapter 1
Captain James Hendricks scowled at the Miami Police detectives sitting across from him. Detective Levan Harris, the younger of the two, opened the file and flipped through photographs while his partner, Detective Carlos Espinoza, summarized the plan for the fourth time.
"I know it's risky," Espinoza said. "I know we've already lost one officer and two informants while trying to infiltrate the Las Casas organization."
"Without a goddamned trace," Hendricks snarled. "And without producing a scintilla of admissible evidence."
"This is our best chance to get close to the target," Espinoza countered. "All she has to do is plant the bug and get out."
"How reliable is your information?"
"I told you--it's good. He's never lied to me or withheld anything useful--not once."
"What do you have on him?"
"Three parole violations. If we take him in, he's going away for life."
"Can you vouch for him, Harris?"
"I can't attest to his reliability, Captain, but I was the one who caught him moving product, so I am certain of his motivation." Harris pulled the informant's rap sheet from the file and handed it to Hendricks. "I don't know if he would lie, but he has ample reason to cooperate."
"You two do realize, I hope, that if anything goes wrong your careers are as good as over," Hendricks said. "We have concurrent jurisdiction with the Feds in coastal waters. The Coast Guard, the FBI the DEA and ICE will be all over our asses if you fuck this up. I won't be able to save you. Hell, I won't be able to save myself."
"Relax, Captain, relax," Espinoza responded. "We've covered all the bases."
"I don't like it," Hendricks wipes his brow. "Does it have to be a fucking cadet?"
"No one else could pass," Harris answered. "Every woman who works at Renee's is under 25, has a rock hard body, and is gorgeous. We don't have a detective young enough or pretty enough to get inside."
"How about a uniformed officer? We have over seventy female officers in this department. At least one of them has to be hot enough. You can't tell me they all belong in the K-9 unit."
"Captain, we have as many attractive women working in the department as an organization this size reasonably should have," Harris answered. "But there are none who are both young enough and sexy enough. Not a one. If we send somebody who doesn't meet the profile, she'll be made immediately, and probably our informant, too. We can't take that chance."
"I don't like it."
"Just talk to her," Espinoza pleaded. "Talk to her first, and then decide."
"I'll talk to her, but I can tell you right now I'm going to say no. The risk is too great."
"I'll go get her," Harris stood up and walked toward the door. "One second."
Hendricks reached for the file and reviewed the notes. He looked at the informant's mug shots and rap sheet, and then pulled out the surveillance photographs, the most recent of which were two years old. He closed the file and stroked his goatee just as Harris returned with a young woman wearing a police cadet's uniform.
Despite tailoring designed to render the clothing as sexless and unappealing as possible, the shapely young woman looked stunning in the pressed blue uniform. Her small breasts stood up firm and proud while a hint of nipple protruding through her shirt emphasized her femininity. Her long legs were covered by creased blue pants that failed to hide the swell of her hips and the round curves of her ass. Her auburn hair was tied up and pinned tight against her head. She wore no jewelry or make-up on her golden skin. A light smattering of freckles on her cheeks and nose made her appear even younger than her twenty-two years.
"Captain Hendricks," Harris said, "I present to you Cadet Dana Alvarado."
Hendricks stood up and extended his hand. A low whistle escaped his lips as he eyed the woman up and down.
Harris turned to the young woman. "Cadet Alvarado, Captain Hendricks."
Alvarado took the older man's hand and gave it a firm shake.
"Be seated," Hendricks said. "Let's get this over with so I can get on with my day."
"Tell me about yourself, Alvarado."
"Well, Captain, where would you like me to start?"
"How about, where were you born?"
"Here in Miami, sir. I'm second generation Cuban-American. My father is from Havana, my mother is American."
"Go on."
"Yes, sir. I graduated from Hialeah High. After that I attended Florida International University, where I majored in Criminal Justice. I entered the Academy right out of school. I hope to be a detective, and eventually I will go to law school so I can become a prosecutor."
"You must look damn good in a bikini, Alvarado. I can see why Espinoza and Harris recommended you for this assignment."
"Thank you, sir." Dana blushed while trying to hide her involuntary smile.
"How much do you know about the operation?"
"Not much, sir. Only that it requires a female officer to go undercover in a bathing suit, sir."
"In other words, Alvarado, nothing. Espinoza, tell her the rest of this so-called plan."
"Of course, Captain." Espinoza turned his chair toward Alvarado.
"We have been tracking the Las Casas drug cartel for the past two years. The leader of the cartel is a Columbian, Jorge Las Casas. His top lieutenant is another Columbian, Arquilio Crespo. We believe that Crespo heads the Las Casas operation in Florida. He lives in Honduras, but he travels between Las Casas bases throughout the Caribbean. The Las Casas organization is responsible for over seventy-five percent of the cocaine that moves through Miami-Dade County. The cartel is also behind at least six murders that we know of, including a cop and two informants.
"We have information that on the twenty-third of this month Crespo will be hosting a party on his yacht. That ship will be parked somewhere off the Florida coast where it will be accessible to his guests and associates."
"Probably just inside the Gulf Stream," Harris interjected. "Our intelligence says that's as close to shore as he likes to venture."
"Whatever," Hendricks said. "Go on, Espinoza."
"As I was saying, at 8:00 a.m. on the twenty-third, a fishing boat will be leaving the Coconut Grove Marina. On that boat will be two crews from Renee's Catering. The first group of eight women and one man will include the serving women and the chef. The chef is our informant. He's going to get you on that boat."
"Who's in the other crew?" Alvarado asked.
"Prostitutes," Espinoza answered. "Renee's Catering is really a front for an escort service owned by Las Casas. That's why we can get you in as a server--Renee's has no regular employees, just stringers who work on an as-needed basis. Our man, the chef, will drug one of the serving girls and you'll take her place."
"OK. Then what?"
"You'll be carrying a bug and a transmitter. We need for you to plant the transmitter somewhere on the deck. It doesn't matter where, just somewhere out of sight. And then we need you to plant the bug somewhere inside, either in the main cabin, the conference room, or the entertainment salon. Just get in, plant the bug, and get out. We'll pick you up at the dock when the boat returns."
"Sounds simple enough. Just one question--why doesn't the chef plant the bug?"
"Crespo's goons will be watching him," Harris answered. "They won't be suspicious of a serving girl in a bikini."
"A bikini?"
"The serving girls will all be wearing bikinis. Very small bikinis, actually. Do you have a problem with that?"
"Um, no, but where will I carry my weapon?"
"Thank you, Alvarado," Hendricks interrupted. "Go ahead, Espinoza, tell her this part."
"You won't be carrying a weapon. Or a radio. Or a phone."