Page 79

“Any takers?”

“Usual nutcases, but the Feds aren’t keeping me up to date,” Gray hissed. “None of our business.”

“Of course not.” The likelihood this had anything to do with what happened in the past was zero. That didn’t mean reliving the trauma wouldn’t make the situation and every reaction a tightening of a noose around her neck.

“Do me a favor, Kage, and stay on the downlow.”

“You’ve heard something.”

“Let’s just say the people who took her are unhappy.”

“Who are they, Gray? I need to know what to look for. That shit the Bermuda police tossed out is crap and you know it. There’s not a gang in any country organized, structured, and funded enough to pull off what was about to happen to Juliette. There are too many questions. Who owns the goddamn property in Bermuda? Is her father selling to the wrong people or is the man dirty? Shit like that keeps me awake at night.”

“You have your own personal demons keeping you awake at night, buddy. Maybe you need to deal with that.”

I sucked in my breath and pulled the phone away from my face. After exhaling, I resisted the urge to punch my fist into the windshield. “Fuck you, Gray. Find someone else to be your flunky.”

“I’m sorry, Kage. That was fucking uncalled for.”

“Yeah, it was. How’s your conscience treating you lately, Gray?”

“Fuck,” he muttered and I glanced into my rearview mirror for a third time.

Force of habit.

I wanted to make certain I wasn’t being followed. Maybe leaving her alone wasn’t a good idea, but we hadn’t been followed into town. I’d made certain of that and at this point, the property was still listed in Henry’s name since I hadn’t decided completely if I wanted to sell the place. What bothered me was the limited protection I could offer. Even the woods, while providing some cover, could also be considered a liability given the dozens of access points. The only saving grace was there were two main roads leading to where I lived.

“The property in Bermuda is owned by a shell corporation. It took me a while to run it down but South American owners.”

“So cartel?”

“That’s what it looks like. The man in charge is Juan Degardo. He’s been on every law enforcement’s radar for almost a decade. A brutal son of a bitch. But he’s not into human trafficking, at least not that the DEA can determine. All this is classified and I can only provide you with so much information.”

“I got it.” I pulled into the liquor store. At this rate, I’d need to up the whiskey content. “What do they want with her?”

“That’s the classified part. All you need to know is that Juan is a son of a bitch who sold his own daughter off to some American crime lord after dismembering the man’s son. That’s some sick kind of payment.”

“So he’s psychotic.”

“Exactly.”

“Fine. That I can handle.”

“Not if he sends his death squad.”

I snorted and jumped from the cab. “Does Juliette’s father know she’s alive?”

“He knows she was rescued, but I’ve kept her whereabouts from him. I’ve stalled things to buy some time for you. However, I’ll need to provide him with proof soon enough. He’s still offering a reward so try and keep her out of the public eye.”

“Is he still a suspect?” There I went gritting my teeth again. Now my jaw ached. Keeping her locked down was going to be difficult as hell.

“He’s a decent man, Kage. I don’t think he wants his daughter hurt.”

That didn’t mean he hadn’t gotten himself in over his head and someone was coming after him. Gray was hiding one too many things, but I was only the hired gun, not the commander as I’d been told more than once. “Why are you doing this, Commander?”

“You know why.”

“There’s more to the story.”