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“Who the fuck even cares about books?” Bannister stated, standing up and pacing. “I need to know how we’re going to get my agent back. Does anyone care about that?”
“Actually, yes, which is why I’d be happy if you sat back down and listened to the rest of what I have to say,” Damon said, cooly.
“Please, sit down, SAC Bannister,” Bradley said. “Let’s hear what Mr. Thorne has to say.”
“Fine.” She thumped back down in the chair. “Go on.”
“It doesn’t sound like Mancuso is currently inside the house with the rest of them,” Damon said.
“You know this how, Mr. Thorne?” SAC Bradley asked.
“Because he’s been talking to Filmore ever since he went in, giving him updates on the case and what we’ve been doing. He knows the FBI has put Raven and Miguel in protective custody. He doesn’t know where, but he was in the process of setting up a siege on your house,” Damon said, turning to look directly at us. “He knows you were moved. He figured that out about a half hour after the FBI moved you. Castillo’s men were all ready to set upon the house but he scrubbed that plan.”
“So, Filmore and Castillo are working together…I mean, it’s obvious since he’s now inside his house, but wow, that’s crazy to know they’ve been involved with this thing from the beginning,” I said.
Damon nodded. “From the outset.”
“Jesus,” Raven said. “And my grandmother?”
Damon grinned. “They don’t know where your grandmother is. Mancuso and Filmore think she possibly went back to the reservation. We know that, because there have been sightings of some of Castillo’s thugs in Arizona.” He held up his hand as Raven opened his mouth to ask for further clarification. “Don’t worry. They won’t try to hurt anyone since they don’t have the first idea where to look. They’re just desperate. Castillo probably threatened his own sicarios. He’s known for not caring who dies, friend or foe, if it accomplishes his—and his cartel’s—goals.”
I squeezed Raven’s hand, checking on him as I felt the tension going out of him. I turned back to Damon. “Now what?” I looked around at the others. “Is everyone on board with what was suggested earlier?”
“Drawing Castillo, Tawny, and Aston out while the tac teams go get Special Agent Willis and Brian Leopard, you mean?” SAC Bradley asked.
“I’d—” Bannister hesitated before finally nodding. “Okay, yes, the DEA would be on board with that,” she said. She exchanged a look with her two agents, then Lincoln, and Bradley. The two men nodded at her. She addressed Damon. “For what it’s worth, thank you for bringing Mark Evans into this and for using whatever tech was needed to get the information you did. If we’re able to save the life of Special Agent Trevor Willis, I’m going to see to it that you get a medal.”
Damon snorted and shrugged. “That’s nice, ma’am, but trust me, I’m retired and so is Mark. He’s got medals…plenty of them, and as for me, the last thing I need is a medal for serving my country with honor.”
Bradley had a slight smile on his face and seemed impressed. “If this is the way you work, Lincoln…hell, the way all of you work, I can see why you’re so effective.”
Lincoln grinned. “Thank you, sir.” He stood. “Okay, does anyone need a cup of coffee before we sit and figure out how we’re going to do this?”
I checked with Raven as people in the room started talking. “Coffee?”
He grinned at me. “Sure thing. You sit there and let me get it.”
I squeezed his hand as he stood up and brushed by several of the others. When I could finally drag my eyes away from his retreating form, Cassidy and Mike were standing in front of my chair. I rose to meet their eyes.
“We should probably get you back to the hotel so you can rest,” Cassidy said.
“I’m okay…I really am. The painkillers are doing their thing and honestly, I’d rather see that Raven gets back to the hotel to rest. He’s been so worried about me that I know he’s not sleeping.”
“That’s not gonna happen without you by his side, and don’t pretend you don’t know that,” Mike said with a grin. “You’re smarter than that, Miguel.”
I turned and looked at my man walking back across the room holding two cups of coffee. His brilliant smile lit up his whole face. I sighed. “I know it. I really do.”
Chapter Fifteen
RAVEN
I watched Miguel drinking his coffee as he spoke to Damon, Cassidy, and Mike. I was worried about him, not knowing how far I should push him. As much as I knew he needed more rest, I knew pressing him to go back to the hotel under FBI guard, was going to make him dig his stubborn heels in. Despite how he was feeling, he wanted to be part of what was happening, part of the team going into Oscar Castillo’s house to retrieve Tawny, Trevor, Brian, and even Aston, whom I hated.
I also knew Alex Filmore was in there with Castillo’s men, and he was a trained CIA operative who knew a hell of a lot of tricks of his own, possibly even torture. If Filmore knew he was close to being arrested and becoming a guest of some CIA black site hellhole the way his friends Rosina Cassanova, Lance Bishop, and John Mendez were, he was going to fight and fight hard.
As Lincoln joined them, I walked over to Miguel. He smiled as soon as he noticed me and slipped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me up against him and kissing the side of my head. I felt a brief smile there and turned to face him. “What’s happening?”
“The FBI is going to put you both on our plane to Grand Cayman in about two hours,” Lincoln said. “Is there anything you need from the hotel? If so, we need to go now.”