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His voice had shifted on that last word. Kenna frowned, wondering if it was worth calling him on what exactly he meant by recon. In the end, she simply said, “The FBI needs intel so they can plan an effective takedown. Ideally, that means you get photos of missing people who are being held captive. Or some other kind of irrefutable proof that Doctor Buzard, or whoever is in charge down there, is breaking the law. Got it?”
“Probable cause,” Ramon said. “We’re on it.”
“It’s a long shot.”
Ramon said, “Isn’t that what you’re all about?”
That made her feel better. As a former FBI agent himself—even if it had been a long time ago—Ramon knew what she meant. He understood the gravity of the situation and the fact the FBI couldn’t go in without a warrant. They couldn’t throw their federal law enforcement weight around without a good reason. Otherwise, there would be entirely too much fallout.
The feds didn’t need any more bad press. They needed to give the public as many reasons as they could to continue trusting them.
Men like Earnest Albertson gave every cop a bad name.
Her phone started vibrating against her ear. “I’m getting another call.”
“Later.” Ramon hung up.
She clicked over to the other line, a number that wasn’t saved in her contacts. “Banbury.”
“I suppose you have all kinds of people calling you with information.” The voice belonged to Gregorio Santino. “But this isn’t hearsay.”
She sank back onto the stool while Melissa tapped away, clicking and swiping through the information the way Maizie did. Absorbing data at high speed.
Kenna asked, “What do you have?”
He said, “We’re keeping an eye on your friends.”
“My friends?”
“Those old coots and their secrets. We can’t let them disappear, not if they’re protecting that doctor. He’s got my Nicola, and he needs to answer for it.” Gregorio barely took a breath. “For all we know, they’re the ones who kidnapped her, and they probably blew that house so we wouldn’t find anything.”
So, he had no idea what she’d found. He’d never seen those two men inside, Lorin and Walter. He had no clue that the FBI now had a hard drive and a letter explaining how the two of them had been caught, which solved a decades old cold case.
Kenna asked, “Any idea where they are?”
“Like I said, we’re keeping an eye on them.”
“And?”
Gregorio hedged. “Are you gonna bring your FBI friend?”
“My husband?”
“I guess it’s better than your associates. Any of the other ones—those lawyers or the two who work with you.”
“Gregorio, are you actually going to tell me what you want or what’s going on?” She blew out a breath, not meaning to sound irritated. “If you need help, just ask.”
He snorted. “These guys are your problem. I just want Nicola.”
“Where are they?”
It figured that if the men from the retirement home wanted to protect Buzard so they could continue to get their treatments, then they could be going to him to warn him. But Gregorio was continuing to act as if he didn’t know who they were. At thehouse, it had been clear that the men knew each other. Which made sense if Nicola and Dana had been close for years and Dana was, in fact, Three’s daughter.
Gregorio said, “They drove like their car was on fire and headed out into the middle of nowhere. Parked at the base of a hill, got out, and hiked up. Probably going to meet him.”
“Where is it?”
“I’ll send you my location.”