Love and Death in Venezuela: A Love and Death Mystery & Political Espionage Novel

By Hal Graff

Welcome to the seventh exciting episode of the Harold Gatewood murder mystery series. 

      Harold Gatewood, again injured after his return to the big leagues, faces the end of his baseball career.  Despondent from the gruesome death of his Ko

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harold Graff II Publishing
• Release date: Dec 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9781962569897

Hal Graff

Dr. Hal Graff holds a doctorate in business administration. He is a native of Gibson City, Illinois. Hal is a proud father and grandfather. To date, he has published 104 books, including 96 novels. He has published over 6 million 900,000, words.

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Prologue

GATEWOOD HAD BEEN IN THIS POSITION BEFORE.  He had lost Lore Lehoi in Spain, Christina Abene in Cuba, and now Akemi Gang, who had become his wife, and future mother of their unborn son, in China.  He had faced the black demons of despair many times, and had fought his way back to normalcy.  Now, he must again decide what path his life would take.

He knew what he was, and what he must do to right the wrongs which had been heaped upon him.  American Indian lore states that a man’s greatness can be measured by the quality of his enemies.  Harold’s status had grown through deadly encounters with the AIO terrorist organization, the Cuban military faction that had attempted to overthrow the government, the Yakaza crime family, a jealous ex-lover of a woman he had loved, a mentally-challenged former girlfriend, and multiple political assassins who had tried to end his worldly presence.

He knew that his DNA was that of a baseball player.  He also knew that: The man can be taken out of baseball, but that Baseball can’t be taken out of the man.

He would be back.

Chapter 1

The Players

November 5

THE FIFTY-EIGHT YEAR OLD, short, five foot-six inch, mustachioed, dark haired, pock- marked faced man sat behind the ornate teak wood desk gazing at the pictures on the office wall that detailed his rise to power.  A picture of his early days in the military captured the determination and ruthlessness which would lead him on his rise to high rank and into politics.  It also showed his former thin, svelte figure, which had surrendered to a habit of overeating, drinking, and smoking fine cigars. The habit had presented him an annoying ever-present cough.

    He wondered why the years of his life had passes so quickly.  It seemed like yesterday when he remembered his military career in the jungle, and his first entry into the drug trade.  While he was not a user himself, he had seen the effects of the drug on many people.  The white powder was only a vehicle which had led to his association with his predecessor, and his climb to high government office.

    There had been casualties due to his brutal rise to power.  The murder of his comrades and his country’s citizens, and drug-related deaths of thousands of users in other countries in the world were two results.  He had pulled the trigger in some of the cases.  He was indirectly responsible for the drug deaths on far away foreign soil.

    Some of the addicted users had died quickly, and some had fought the battle to the end.  But, the result was the same as if he had pulled the trigger himself.  He had grown numb to what his did, and long ago had stopped viewing the consequences of his actions.  He did not care, and the deaths were meaningless to him, as power had rotted his morality.

    He had come to office due to the death of his mentor, from whom he inherited his current situation in the government.  He had been left a powder keg of brewing problems, and a host of nefarious individuals with whom he had to monitor.  It was a tough job that required a merciless strongman, a position for which he had been born to fill.

    Venezuelan President Ramon Nazoa rose from his desk, walked to the window, and saw two men exit a white, four-door government car in front of the palace.  A tall, thin, black-haired man, holding a satchel full of important papers, closed the front passenger-side door of the vehicle, removed his glasses, and cleaned them with the white handkerchief he had removed from his right back pocket.  Nazoa laughed at the man’s actions, as it was typical for an accountant.

    Juan Emilio had been sent to Venezuela from Madrid, Spain by the Basque AIO terrorist organization.  His job was to work with the government in the areas of terrorist training and the drug distribution.  He was detail-oriented and had developed into a valued member of the Venezuelan government’s cabinet.

    The second man, sporting black hair and mustache, a trim build, and dressed in the typical military khaki-colored uniform, exited the driver’s side of the vehicle.  He stretched his arms toward the bright overhead sun, straightened his brown tie, and walked around the front of the car.  He spoke to Emilio, and motioned for him to start the walk to the palace.

    Johan Diaz was the second most powerful man in the government, and Nazoa’s trusted ally.  Today, he and Emilio would be assisting the President in a discussion with the four major players in Venezuela in the drug trade.

    Still gazing out the window, Nazoa waited for the two men to make the trek to his office.  He watched the birds in the courtyard.  He admired how they flittered from tree to tree, seemingly without a care in the world.  He longed for his lost youth when he too was happy, carefree, and not cursed with the burdens of running a country that might soon explode and be ripped apart at the seams by economic, financial, and social problems.

    After their Emilio and Diaz’s arrival, Nazoa welcomed them and asked them to sit down.

    Welcome comrades.

    Both men replied that they were happy to be there, and that they had brought the requested reports.

    Gentlemen, our guests today will be our good friends in the drug trade.  We will enlighten them on the developments in the cocaine distribution chain and the political events in North America, Europe, and the Caribbean.

    Johan Diaz asked, Sir, will we discuss the potential political problems in our own country?

    No.  We want to keep that information from them.

    Juan Emilio asked, Sir, will all of the major players be here today?

    "Yes, with the exception of the person we believe is the man behind the throne, the real head of the Mountain Production cartel in Columbia. 

He has managed to keep his identity secret, despite our efforts to find out who we are really dealing with in that organization."

    Diaz replied, Yes, the Mountain Production cartel, the Montanas las Productores, is secretive.  We are still dealing with Lino Pascual correct?

    Yes.  Lino ascended to the front man of the cartel when his brother Ruben was arrested, extradited to America by the Columbian government, and convicted on charges under the racketeering influenced and corruption organizations program, the RICO act.

    He is in jail now.

    Yes, he is, and he will be for many years.  The RICO act allows the United States to bring leaders of foreign criminal organizations to trial.

    The Mountain Producers cartel is the strongest drug producing organization in Columbia.

    Yes, they have been shaken by Ruben’s conviction.  But, they are still going strong again.

    Sir, do we have any new leads on the identity of the real leader of the organization?

    No, as I mentioned we have not made any progress in the last week.

    He must be a very clever, powerful man, or woman, to remain unknown.

    Yes.  The real leader is probably a man, as women do not enjoy the same respect as men do in Columbia.

    What is the strength of the cartel’s production system?

    They operate in the mountains, in the think jungle, and enjoy the support of the locals, many of whom are still being paid by the cartel to grow cocaine.  They are a guerilla organization with deep ties to the area.  The Columbian military has not been able to dent their organization.  Their network uses producers who are loyal, and feel a kinship with the organization.  The cartel members live like animals in the jungle.  They are a tough bunch, a true adversary of the Columbian government.

    Sir, if I could add, they are also a very good supplier for our distribution system.  Yes they are.  We do not think that they will be opposed to our proposal today, as we are their first choice as a distribution outlet.

    Diaz asked, Sir, our other Columbian producer, the Carmelo Cartel, will also be here today.

    Yes.  That organization is headed by Rafael Carmelo, the Hombre del Carmelo.  His nickname means the candy man.  He heads the crime family which has paid us handsomely to bribe our military and politicians here in Venezuela for our distribution systems.  He is a good customer.

    Yes.  We are still using some of the older distribution routes to move most of his product.  We are still moving cocaine from Columbia to here, then to Central America, then Mexico, and finally into the United States.

    Yes.  Carmelo has friends in the Central American and Mexican governments that work with him.  He also pays large bribes to the United States border agents to allow shipments to cross into the Southwestern states.  He knows which agents can be corrupted.

    Yes Sir.  The American border patrol has many good people but Carmelo can get to the bad apples and move his product across their border.

    Truthfully, it is a pity.  The American politicians will not enforce their borders. Their inaction has resulted in a business boom for us.  The last eight years have been open season for drugs, and terrorists, to move into the United States.  We could not have placed a more beneficial person for us in their White House as they did when they elected him years ago.

    Yes, the whole world is laughing at him.

    We should not look negatively at such a wonderful, unexpected gift as we have received Johan.

    You are correct Sir.

Nazoa continued, Fabbri Durante, of the Durante crime family, will also be here today.  He heads the Italian and European distribution system once the cocaine reaches that continent.  He moved his organization here from Italy when the political climate became too hot for his operation.  He thrives here and still has an organizational structure in Italy.  With help from our friends at the AIO in Spain he moves the finished product in Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, and the connected countries in Europe.

    Sir, do you think he will be receptive to our new program?

    Yes I do.  He is a smart businessman, and knows that there will be strong long- term gains by joining us.

    What about the AIO in Spain and France Sir?  Are they being productive for us?  They seem to be more concerned with their new aggressive political terrorism approach than with our services.

    They are supportive and will be on board Johan.  They need funding, and our operation is a money maker for them.

    Sir, would you like the report on our military’s actions in the distribution process?

    Yes, please tell me.

    Our system remains sound, as we have officials in army, navy, air force, and national guard branches of the military who are on board with our assistance in drug trafficking activities.  We have all levels of the distribution system protected, from bribing the border guards to allowing the air force personnel to allow flights from the country to the Caribbean countries of Cuba, Hatti, and the Dominican Republic, and the United States territory of Puerto Rico.

    What is the situation in Cuba?

    Sir, since President Bertalina took office we have been encountering resistance.

    Yes.  It is a shame that General Domingo’s attempt to take power failed.

    Yes.  That American baseball player, Harold Gatewood, was responsible for saving Bertalina’s life and his Presidency.

    Perhaps we can offer assistance if the Cuban military wants to try to take out Bertalina again.

    Yes Sir.  That would be better for our interests.

    Please talk to the Cubans about that possibility.

    I will Sir.

    And, I might add, that we have also strengthened our practice of giving criminal immunity to our government and military personnel who are arrested for drug trafficking activities.

    Yes Sir, that practice has helped immensely.

Nazoa’s phone rang, and his secretary mentioned that Rafael Carmelo, Lino Pascual, and Fabrri Durante were present.  The President asked her to send the three men into his office.

    Gentlemen, welcome.  We appreciate you coming here today.

    All three men exchanged pleasantries and hellos with Nazoa, Diaz, and Emilio.

    We trust you had a good trip here.  We have important issues to discuss today.

    Rafael Carmelo, sat motionless in front of the president.  He was a handsome man, with movie star looks, and an air of confidence which bordered on conceit.  He was immaculately dressed, and wore enough gold jewelry to pass for an Olympic athlete who had won five gold medals.  He was a ladies man, with a girl in every port.  He eyed everyone in the room with caution and was uncomfortable being in Caracas with his cocaine rivals.  He had agreed to the Venezuelan government’s previous distribution and protection terms but he had always followed a success plan which was founded on the principle of trusting no one and remaining cautious.

    Lino Pascual was seated on Nazoa’s right, next to Diaz and Emilo.  While Pascual was not the true head of the Mountain Producers cartel he played the part well.  He was dressed conservatively, like a businessman, in a beige-colored suit, beige shirt, brown tie with white dots, brown socks, and a pair of highly-shined brown slip-on shoes.  He was typical Columbian looks in terms of his skin and hair color, facial hair, dark eyes, and straight, white teeth.  He too was suspicious of the purpose of the meeting and was looking forward to hearing the details of the program.

    Fabbri Durante was seated on Nazoa’s left.  He was nervous, and shifted his body continuously in his seated position, as if his pants were sticking to the chair’s seat, and that his movement would give him freedom.  He could have played a part in a Hollywood mafia movie, as he had the look of a gangster.  His olive skin, dark eyes, heavy eyebrows, and stocky build were stereotypical Italian.  He was bald, with long hair on the sides head pulled back into a small ponytail at the back of his head.  His persona was that of a mean man, and it was accurate. 

Nazoa continued, My friends, we are here today to talk about the status of our joint venture in the cocaine trafficking business.  Several factors are impacting our efforts.  The American government has become more supportive of the current Columbian leadership.  Jointly, they have increased Columbian government raids on your operations.  They have also embarked on a program to pay Columbian producers to grow crops such as bananas rather than cocaine.

    All three invited guests nodded their heads in agreement. 

    As you know gentlemen, the Columbian government has also conducted peace negotiations with the leftist rebels to stop aerial spraying the cocaine plants.  As you have informed me, this practice will result in an increased supply of cocaine this year if production levels are kept at the same level or if production is increased.  This supply decision is also tied to the increased use of methamphetamines and heroin at the expense of cocaine use.  Demand is changing.

    Carmelo, Pascual, and Durante all agreed with the analysis.

    My friends, we are now faced with a need to cooperate in our joint efforts.  We need to decide if we should flood the market with more cocaine, cheapen the price, and drive competitors out of business.  If we initiate that action, we can gain market share, and then raise prices after we get more customers hooked again on cheap cocaine.

    The same question was asked by the three men.  How much market share will we be able to gain?

    "The gain would be a massive amount Gentlemen, in the thirty percent range of a gigantic market worldwide.  In order to accomplish this we must bombard the market with increased supply.  You must also not try to gain at the expense of each other.  In other words, there can be no infighting or