Nighthawk: Chief Hazel

By C. Edgar North

Nighthawk: CHIEF HAZEL is a sequel to Nighthawk: AFRICAN ICE.

With her husband, Joseph Branson, in exile wanted by the FBI on suspicion of murder and smuggling, Hazel returns to the Midlake First Nations Reservation where she takes over as Chief. She has great ambitions for advancing the welfare of the members of the reservation and encounters some degree of success. She also resumes smuggling which was formerly run by Joseph but she encounters some difficulties.

Meanwhile, Joseph is profitably engaged supplying arms and munitions to Jihadists who wish to establish a caliphate in Eastern and Central Africa and with Naxalite Maoists planning an uprising in Eastern India. He is carefully watched by the CIA who use him as a valuable intelligence source.

Joseph is pulled back to the reservation when their daughter is kidnapped by North Koreans who demand Hazel smuggle a team of saboteurs into America. Hazel kills again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. Edgar North
• Release date: Dec 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463622155

C. Edgar North

C. Edgar North is a pen name for Glen Witter. He is retired from an eclectic career as a "workforce development" consultant on projects in over 30 countries for development banks, NGOs, aid agencies and private sector clients. He is writing fiction under the C. Edgar North pen name to maintain a separation from his many non-fiction publications. Inspiration for his books evolve from his many experiences in 30+ countries citing geography and enlarging some already larger-than-life characters encountered in his travels. His experiences as a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, in marine and mountain search and rescue and as a deckhand/diver with a fishing fleet also contribute. Favorite sport is scuba diving (wreck diving) with underwater photography. Second favorite sport is fishing. He is also a golfer (frustrated) and was a downhill skier until his knees blew out. So far, his fiction works are: Nighthawk Crossing; Blood, Fire and Ice; Nighthawk: African Ice; Nighthawk: Chief Hazel; and Nighthawk: The Deacon and The Art Flogger Although the plots are fictitious, technologies inserted tends to be accurate.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Maldives

Joseph was on the scrambler satellite phone talking with Donny Fortunato in Midlake, British Columbia who was saying, As far as I’ve been able to determine – and I have it on good authority – the FBI is still after you but only if you stray into America or an American possession. Apparently, from a legal point of view, the evidence they could take to court that may implicate you for murder and/or smuggling is quite weak.

Joseph pursed his lips. So, you think it’s all right for me to appear back in Canada, in Midlake?

The FBI isn’t allowed to seek extradition, if that’s what you mean. However, the Canadian police may be looking at you because they found the two helicopters on Midlake Indian Band land they’ve determined were used for smuggling. Remember, they found cocaine traces in each. As a result of that the RCMP seized them under the proceeds of crime law. They haven’t been able to link anyone to those but I bet they’ll want to talk to you because you were the Chief of the tribe at the time.

Interesting! I can handle that.

Yeah, you can. But you’ll be under their microscope for a while.

Well, I’ve got lots on the go over here. Business has been good. But I really want to get home for Hazel’s ceremony and to see the kids.

I don’t blame you. So, when can we expect you?

"A week or so. I’m bringing Igor Romanoff’s wife, Anna, along. Hazel and Anna are the best of friends since they’ve spent a lot of time together on Igor’s yacht. Igor would like to come as well but he’s got a major business deal under way. That’s why we’re anchored off a resort island in the Maldives, not far from the main town of Malé.’’

Must be nice!

It is! Warm tropical weather, clear, warm ocean, great scuba diving and the life of luxury on a 350 foot yacht.

Rub it in asshole.

Chapter 2

Pentagon, Virginia

Senior Liaison Officer Sanford Crosley of the CIA was chairing a meeting with some of his counterparts: Rod Menzes, from NSA; Leslie Pound from Military Intelligence; Jim Mason, the CIA Agent in Charge of the Pakistan Desk; and Elijah Watson, from NSA-ACWI (Atomic Capable Weapons Intelligence).

Sanford, after twenty-five years in the Central Intelligence Agency was a senior officer, one designated to work with the FBI and other agencies on issues of national security. Sanford was impeccably dressed in grey mohair suit, white shirt and navy blue tie and black oxfords, black socks. At a young-looking fifty six, he had greying brown hair cut short, parted on the left on his five foot ten, medium build, one hundred ninety pounds frame. He was fluent in Russian and French - a product of Cambridge University who had spent two years in the Peace Corps in Surinam after completing his M. A. in international economic history of the modern world.

Rod Menzies was speaking. I downloaded a video for you to see. They watched silently as a ship was quickly sunk.

Rod continued. "Our ROVER 3 satellite picked this up. The ship was about three hundred miles off Taiwan in the Philippine Sea when it was sunk. It was the M.V. Morning Glory, a North Korean container ship. It’s last stop was Colombo, Sri Lanka, where it took on twenty containers in a transshipment from Bahrain. We were watching the containers. We’re sure they contain the SHKVAL torpedoes that Igor Romanoff took in trade from the Libyan Jihadists."

Good! Good! said a smiling Leslie Pound. I hope we didn’t raise any suspicions when we sank the ship?

Sanford raised his hands. We have deniability. We didn’t do it. We had no assets in the area – no subs or surface vessels or aircraft. Same for the South Koreans. All their subs were in base visibly accounted for. All their surface vessels were also accounted for.

It was well done though. They jammed out all electronic transmissions during the sinking. ROVER 3 picked that up. Said Rod Menzies.

Leslie Pound asked the obvious. IF we didn’t do it, who did?

Well, let’s say, with a little help from our friends, word got to the Chinese about their neighbor getting more SHKVALs. Said Sanford. The Russians passed it along, actually. They mentioned it in negotiations to supply the Chinese with more of the advanced export model. Seems the Chinese don’t like their rather capricious neighbor too well armed, just in case they turn on them. Of course, the Russians sold the Chinese some more. They’re big on using them for coastal defense of harbors and channels.

Sanford went on. "The M.V. Morning Glory sank without a trace in a deep part of the Philippine Sea. It’s beyond North Korea’s capability to find it. We think the sinking was not observed – at least by ships at sea or aircraft. There’s the possibility it was picked up on another spy satellite but I highly doubt if anyone would inform the North Koreans."

Elijah Watson said, "We know Igor Romanoff got paid FOB Dubai. The transfer of the cargo back to Korea was at the risk and expense of the Koreans. The first leg from Dubai to Colombo was on an Egyptian ship and it went smoothly. The fact that the Morning Glory sank after the cargo was transshipped in Colombo created an air of deniability. Romanoff might think we had something to do with it through the fact that we have embargoed arms going to North Korea and are constantly stopping and inspecting ships in the East China Sea. But then, his resources will search and find we had no vessels, subs or aircraft in the vicinity – and his resources are very good. That should reinforce deniability and cancel suspicion. Besides, he may well be aware that his Russian friends told the Chinese about them."

Leslie Pound thought out loud. "We know the Morning Glory also took on munitions in Pakistan. There’s the chance Igor and/or the North Koreans might assume they blew and sank the ship."

"I wonder if the Chinese used their SHKVALs on the Morning Glory?" asked Sanford.

Well, they have lots of them, said Elijah, laughing.

Leslie said, It’s a good thing our Navy has the equivalent to the latest version of the SHKVAL!

Yeah. That’s one mean torpedo – at over 270 miles per hour underwater and with a range of six miles. Said Elijah. And capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Good thing the Libyan Jihadists decided to trade them in for ground warfare weapons and Khadafy didn’t have any nuclear warheads. Said Sanford.

Rod Menzes spoke. So far, we’ve been able to identify shipments and deliveries of ground warfare weapons and munitions – small arms stuff - to southern Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Chad and Eastern Nigeria. Igor’s using his depot in Bahrain for all the deliveries. It simplifies things for us. But we’ve been watching all his weapons depots. We’ve even been able to identify some of the terrorist training bases – especially in southern Libya. Joseph Branson’s led us to some good intelligence.

Sanford spoke. "Yeah, he has. Joseph Branson will soon be on the move. He booked a flight to London and onward to Vancouver, B.C. for ten days from now. Looks as if he’s heading home to the Midlake Reservation. His wife, Hazel, was elected Chief of the Midlake Indian Band. She’s replacing him. I can see him wanting to attend the ceremony appointing Hazel as Chief.

"Apparently, she had some opposition for the job but that evaporated. Apparently the opponent, one Mrs. Sadie Jenkins, tried to have Mrs. Branson killed but it backfired. The opponent was charged with embezzlement and disappeared. Her house burned to the ground and it may have been to cover up her murder. Some feel she may have done it herself to disappear but that’s unlikely. There’s a rumor running around the reservation that Hazel confronted and killed Sadie Jenkins.

"Rumor has it that Chief Hazel is handy with a gun. She killed a woman who torched her house and tried to kill her. That woman was blaming Hazel for the death of her son, a drug dealer. Actually, he and her two other sons –teenagers – were involved in selling drugs to school children. Rumor has it that Hazel had the local drug lord stop supplying the brothers and maybe terminate the oldest son. The teenagers were later charged with murder in another drug deal and wound up in prison.

"After that, Sadie Jenkins hired that woman’s husband, who was in prison at the time, to kill Hazel. He broke out of prison and went after her. He wound up killed in a shootout where he killed four people while trying to get at Hazel. She confronted him and disarmed him with some martial arts then a wounded tribal police officer arrived and ended up killing the guy. There’s even a rumor that she killed the guy.

Apparently, she’s pretty popular. She’s won endorsement of all the elders of the tribe as she has good people skills and is very progressive seeking to improve the welfare of the Indian band.

That sounds like good intel. Said Leslie Pound.

A smiling Sanford said, Yeah. We’re keeping an eye on things in Midlake.

Joseph Branson’s proven to be a pretty good lead when it comes to tracking arms sales and deliveries by Igor Romanoff. said Ron Menzies. I’m a little concerned he’ll settle down in Midlake and we lose contact with some of Igor’s business dealings.

That’s always possible. Sanford said. But he seems to be making good money working with Igor Romanoff. We’ve followed their trading of arms for raw diamonds and opium and it’s obvious they’re doing pretty well converting the raw diamonds to finished stones then selling them. He’s been producing morphine from the opium. It also looks as if they’re arbitraging U.S. dollars for battlefield drugs they’re supplying from Venezuela. The Venezuelan currency has collapsed and U.S. Dollars have a huge premium on the Black Market. And, Venezuela has a high quality pharmaceuticals industry. They’re profiting from the black market there as well as selling at war zone premium prices when they deliver the cargos to countries like Nigeria.

Laughing, Leslie said, Those two make a great pair!

Yeah, said Sanford. It’s an interesting partnership where Joseph Branson does the leg work. Just remember, Romanoff’s dealings are far bigger than just what Branson is involved in. But we’ve been successfully following Branson. I want to keep him in place as he’s inadvertently provided us with a lot of leads to developing better intel on the African Caliphate threat.

You mean, if it looks as if he’s settling down again in Midlake, that we engineer his return to Romanoff? Asked Ron Menzes.

Precisely. Said Sanford. We’ll keep an eye on him.

After the others left, Jim Mason helped himself to another coffee and a cinnamon bun then sat beside Sanford, who was grinning and sipping Perrier. The grin was infectious. Jim started to chuckle then spoke. You had me biting my tongue in that meeting.

Sanford spoke. I know how you feel but the rest of the story is above their pay grade for now. Besides, the meeting was more to establish our position on observing Branson and Romanoff. However, I thought you’d like to sit in as part of the cargo – you could even say the real problem - originated in Pakistan.

"I appreciate sitting in. Thanks. It’s a good thing our Chinese friends picked a very deep part of the Pacific Ocean to sink the Morning Glory."

They were well informed.

Yeah. We’ve been watching the Pakistanis and the North Koreans working up a deal for quite a while now. Both the Russians and the Chinese were well aware of the Pakistani deal with the North Koreans. Neither the Chinese nor the Russians were going to tolerate the Pakistanis selling nuclear warheads to North Korea. And, neither will we – especially now that their intercontinental ballistic missile capability is nearing readiness.

There are now fifty nuclear warheads sitting in one of the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean – well out of the hands of the North Koreans. Said Sanford.

Sometimes it pays to cooperate on a project of mutual interest.

You bet! Now, what about the Pakistanis and the Saudis? Asked Sanford. You’ve been watching that.

"Saudi’s new King is a problem as he favors the religious fanatics. He’s flexing Saudi’s military might as he thinks its time to support the Jihadists and take the Arabian Peninsula for the Wahhabi Sunnis – the sect he feels are the only true believer Muslims. He wants to provoke Iran into war which he feels he can win through nuclear annihilation. He feels he can take over Yemen and he’s willing to move in to fill the vacuum in Iraq and Syria. After consolidating that, Israel will be history.

Worse thing right now, he feels he can pull Russia into supporting Syria and drag them into battlefield use of nuclear weapons. That will pull in Turkey and their NATO partners – including the USA to support a Saudi invasion of Syria where the USA winds up supporting ISIS who are Saudi’s creation. Add to that, he’s supporting the African Jihadist movement. Right now, he’s pouring billions into Libya and parts south.

Sanford commented. The warning signals are there. He’s even sabre rattling by declaring Saudi possesses seven nuclear warheads.

Hah! Said Jim. The Pakistanis have supplied them with more than seven! You know the Saudis have been financing Pakistan’s nuclear weapon development for decades. We’ve seen more than just seven warheads transferred.

Are we looking at World War III?

Let’s say, the doomsday clock is just a few minutes away from striking. I can see the conflagration running up into Southern Russia and the ‘Stans and down through Central Africa. Add in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Southern Philippines as potential hot spots too.

Ouch. I hope we don’t get pulled into this too much! Said Sanford.

Amen, brother.

Chapter 3

Andy

Where does a handsome, charming, newly-minted millionaire bachelor go for holidays? Andy was in his early forties, handsome with full head of curly brown hair, perfect teeth, brown, innocent-looking eyes, and a well-built six foot two hundred ten pound frame. He came across both in appearance and speech as someone you can trust.

Andy had to leave his cushy venture as a gem and jewelry shopping advisor with a Caribbean cruise ship line after customers lost confidence in him. As a former US Navy SEAL, he had served with Joseph Branson and was fortunate to link up with him on his African diamonds dealing. Joseph was pleased to have someone whom he could trust covering his 6 (backside) when negotiating to trade guns and munitions for raw diamonds.

Andy’s contacts in the Caribbean jewelry industry paid off when he took some of his pay in the form of processed diamonds and sold them in Antigua. This led to him brokering a deal between Joseph and a Colombia drug lord to trade Joseph’s diamonds for less mobile US dollars. The commission on the first deal earned Andy a small fortune.

Antigua

Andy flew to Antigua after he was paid his share of the Colombia diamonds-for-dollars deal. Joseph told Andy to take a month or so off while they were setting up the next deal and while Joseph went home to Midlake to attend Hazel’s inauguration ceremony. After renting a car at the airport and settling into his usual hotel, Andy’s first task was to see his jeweler friend, Freddy Schafer, and pay him his portion of the commission earned on the Colombian dollars-for-diamonds deal for introducing Andy to the drug lord. This time, Freddy was pleased to accept a wire transfer to his bank account.

Freddy was happy not only with Andy following through with his commission and the size of it but also with the fact he had taken Carlos, the Colombian cocaine producer, to Miami and found an easy sale for his diamonds. Freddy reported that Carlos was happy as the funds from the diamonds went into an offshore account. Apparently, he and Santiago, his father, were anxious to do another exchange to trade their immobile US dollars filling a barn in the Colombian jungle for diamonds and had already talked with Joseph.

That evening, Andy wound up at one of his favorite bar-restaurants and met up with three of his ex-pat lady friends whom he generously treated to drinks and dinner to help celebrate his successful deal. All were nurses from Australia working at the hospital on the island. Individually, Andy had had lustful encounters with all three. Two were casual about it but Mary Jane Andrews was possessive – which made Andy nervous.

When Andy was alone with Mary Jane while the other two went to the powder room, she said, We’ve got to talk. Can you drive me home when we’re finished here?

Sure. No problem.

Mary Jane was quiet on the ride home. When Andy pulled up in front of her apartment and turned off the engine, she said, Andy, I’ve got a problem – well, we’ve got a problem.

Uh oh, here it comes, Andy thought. He looked at her cautiously and said, What kind of problem?

Avoiding his eyes, nervously wringing her hands and looking straight ahead, Mary Jane spoke quietly. I’m pregnant.

Not by me you’re not! We always used a condom! And you told me you were on the pill. You even showed me the pills! You’re a nurse, for Christ’s sake! You know how to take precautions.

Yes, I’m pregnant by you!

Not in a million years!

She began to cry. I want you to marry me! I love you!

You’ve got to understand something. I’m not the marrying kind. I’m a mercenary for Christ’s sake! I’m not one to settle down! You’ve picked the wrong guy!

In tears, she got out of the car and ran into her apartment building. Angrily, Andy started the car and went back to his hotel. He stopped in the hotel’s bar and nursed a drink while he cooled down. Time to move on.

Early the next morning, Andy was awoken to someone banging loudly on his door. He opened it and confronted two uniformed police officers. One asked, Mr. Andrew Smithson?

Yes. What can I do for you officers?

Sir, we have a warrant for your arrest.

What’s the charge?

The alleged charge is rape of Ms. Mary Jane Andrews, an Australian citizen working here on Antigua as a nurse.

I know her but I deny the rape charge.

Yes, sir. We have to read you your rights and advise you that you have the right to seek a lawyer. We have to take you to jail until you can bail out.

May I make a ‘phone call?

The lead officer, a uniformed sergeant of African lineage, looked at his watch and said, Sure. No problem if it’s a local call. Do you know a lawyer?

Andy picked up his cell phone from the night stand and speed dialed. No, but I know someone who does. When Freddy answered, Andy explained the situation.

Freddy listened and said, I’ll see you at the jail and I’ll bring one of our best lawyers. In the meantime, go along quietly. I know most of the police. May I speak with the officer in charge?

Sure. Hang on. Andy turned the phone over to the police sergeant, who introduced himself as Sergeant Ted Donald.

It turned out he and Freddy were on friendly terms. Although Andy only heard one side of the conversation, it seemed Freddy was explaining that Andy was a good friend and business associate and was asking Sergeant Donald to treat him well. When he rang off, Sergeant Donald turned to Andy. Freddy say’s you’re a business associate, a great friend and a man of substance. He guarantees you. We’ll try to speed things up and treat you well – if you get my drift?

Andy nodded knowingly.

But sir, regrettably, procedure requires we handcuff you and take you to the station for processing. We’ll have to put you in a holding cell until our detective can interview you – but that shouldn’t be too long. Freddy wants your lawyer present during all interrogation. That is your right. If you’re lucky, we can get you bailed out by the end of the day. He nodded to the other officer who produced a set of handcuffs and proceeded to frisk and cuff Andy. As you know, the police station is only a couple of blocks away. You got your passport?

Andy was put in the back seat of a dilapidated marked police car and driven the short distance to the Police Station. He was taken into a booking area where he was finger printed and photographed. He surrendered his wallet, passport, belt and other items from his pockets which were sealed in an envelope and placed in a safe. He was then hand cuffed to a ring on the wall above a bench and told he had to wait for the detective to arrive.

After about a forty-five minute wait, Sergeant Donald returned with a tall stocky person of East Indian lineage in a brown suit whom he introduced as Detective Ken Jacobs, who had been assigned the case. Detective Jacobs had graying hair in a brush cut and appeared fit in his mid-fifties. Sergeant Donald removed Andy’s handcuffs and Detective Jacobs said, Let’s go to the interrogation room. Freddy’s waiting there with your lawyer.

They walked up a flight of stairs to the second floor of the police station and entered Interrogation Room A. When they entered, Freddy and the lawyer exchanged pleasantries with the officers – apparently both were well-known to Detective Jacobs as well as Sergeant Donald. He introduced Andy to his lawyer saying, Andy, this is Robert Richards. He’s agreed to represent you. Andy and Robert shook hands. Robert appeared about fifty years old, of African lineage. He sported a bald, shaven head and a large black and grey mustache on his six foot, two hundred pound frame reflecting an athletic physique – which Andy later learned was polished by his passion for tennis. He was formally dressed in a blue suit, white shirt and red tie, brown Oxford shoes and brown socks. He sported a gold Rolex watch and a pinky ring displaying a three carat diamond. Andy felt some confidence as Robert oozed quality. Andy’s second thought was this is gonna cost plenty!

Detective Jacobs motioned for Andy to be seated on the side of the table beside Robert and Freddy. He and Sergeant Donald then took seats on the opposite side. Detective Jacobs opened a manila folder and glanced at the document it contained then glanced up, looking Andy in the eyes. We have a young lady, one Ms. Mary Jane Andrews, who has laid a claim that you raped her last night.

Andy quickly retorted, I did not!

Robert jumped in. Andy, say no more! He looked at Detective Jacobs. Ken and Ted, as you know, I’ve just met my client. I need some private time with Andy to learn his side of this and then we can get to the bottom of it. O.K.? This was agreed and the officers left the room.

Robert then turned to Andy. Before I hear your story by the way, I don’t care if you’re guilty or not. I’ll give you the best possible representation anyway. You understand?

Freddy stepped in. Andy, Robert’s one of the best criminal lawyers – if not THE best - in the Caribbean. You’re in good hands.

Thanks.

Robert clapped his hands together, flexed his arms shooting his cuffs revealing gold cufflinks each with a huge three carat solitaire diamond. Now, down to business. I don’t come cheap. You get what you pay for and a claim of rape is often difficult to defend.

Andy took a deep breath before gritting his teeth. What’s your fee? What costs can I expect?

Freddy raised a finger. First, Andy, you’ve got to understand that the Judiciary of Antigua and Barbuda has a rough history. You could get lost in the system. There are people sitting in the prison who have been awaiting trial for four or five years. And prison conditions are not good. It’s overcrowded, gangs rule and it’s very violent and filthy.

Robert commented. The police are under-trained, lacking equipment and technology. Add to that, they’ve got poor morale due to poor pay and working conditions.

Right! Said Freddy. You already owe me a thousand dollars which I slipped to Sergeant Donald to make sure you were treated with respect. You understand?

I do! He looked Robert in the eyes. I’m prepared to pay to resolve this as quickly as possible. I’m sure Freddy has told you I have good financial resources.

He says you’re a diamond merchant and a business partner. That you’ve got a military background?

Yeah, we’ve been working on a project together recently that’s been successful.

O.K., now, to my fees. I charge $1,000 US an hour for my time and the meter only recognizes quarter hours. Court time triples that. Plus expenses. I want a retainer of one hundred grand up front that I will bill against. If we exceed that, you refill it. If I feel we need a private investigator, you pay for that separately. Freddy will look after what we call coddling of the police and others as I want to keep a distance from that.

O.K. When I get my cell phone back, I can transfer funds to you. Bear in mind, I’ve got to get back to work soon. I hope you can get the charge dropped quickly. There’ll be a bonus in it if you can.

Freddy said, Not to worry, I have assured Robert I am your guarantor. It’s covered.

Good! Robert said, Now that’s out of the way, let’s hear your story.

Robert carefully interrogated Andy. Together, they wrote up a statement in long hand. Freddy went back to his jewelry store and Robert called in Detective Jacobs and Sergeant Donald.

Detective Jacobs outlined