Page 113 of Devil's Property

“Unfortunately, yes. I needed confirmation. What I didn’t expect was the chain of events that followed.”

“You mean for so many people to lose their lives over a struggle for power.”

“Navarro, you’ve been in this business more than half of your life. There are always struggles for power and money.”

“Yes, but innocent people died. That’s not something we prefer to see happen.”

“You are correct, but often there isn’t anything we can do about it. Lucian knew what he was doing. Where are you going with this? I’m terribly sorry about your family. Don’t you know your father was my friend as well as someone who worked for me? Lucian was like a son just as you’ve been. You already know that.”

“Did Lucian volunteer to try and discover the truth?”

He cocked his head, narrowing his eyes as he studied me. “If you’re asking if I ordered your brother into a dangerous situation, the answer is yes. But I can tell you that he was more than willing to do so.”

“To pay off the debt he owed you.” I allowed the words to fall, uncertain what to expect.

Rafael’s features softened and he walked closer. “Is that what he told you?”

“That’s what he muttered just before his death.” I was caustic with my words on purpose, only mildly surprised when his eyes clouded over.

“You don’t remember demanding I tell you if that was true the night your brother died.”

I took a deep breath. “I was angry.”

“Yes, you were, Navarro. Rightfully so. Son, I’m no saint. I expect my men to follow orders just like Jago expects of his soldiers. Including you. However, Lucian didn’t owe me anything. The beauty of having an extended family is that you will go to great lengths to ensure their safety and keep them fromendangering themselves. There’s rarely a day that goes by when I don’t think about what Salvatore did to that boy and to many others.”

He looked away and immediately hairs rose on the back of my neck. I’d been right in my assumptions. Another ache formed, this time in my gut. More lies told.

“Are you certain Salvatore was to blame?”

“You know he was. He was labeled the Brain. Remember?”

“There was no truth serum, Rafael. There never was.” I allowed the first bomb to drop, curious as to his reaction.

“What are you talking about? Of course there was.” He turned to me fully, his eyes narrowing. I could tell he was lying.

I pulled the vial from my pocket that I’d had tested. “No, there wasn’t. Was my brother tortured? He was, but his death didn’t come from something Salvatore had created in some lab. He was working on something entirely different, which you know about.”

When he started to become angry, I threw my arm out.

“I’m not finished. This was found in one of Eduardo’s warehouses. You knew that because you orchestrated our assistance in Mexico.”

“Son, what are you talking about? What is that?”

Hearing footsteps, I cocked my head. As expected, Jago strolled into the room.

“The game is up, Dad,” Jago said in a stilted voice.

Rafael huffed. “What game?”

“The compound in that vial was what Salvatore was working on twenty years ago, Pops. A chemical used to induce carbon crystallization, which in turn speeds up the process of making incredibly authentic synthetic diamonds.” Jago moved closer, taking the vial from my hand. “A truth serum wasn’t used on Lucian. He was poisoned, but not by Salvatore. It was one of Jamal Fassi’s men after he’d been tossed out of the Aldero compound.”

Rafael was more rattled than I’d ever seen him. “What are you saying? That Fassi was around twenty years ago?”

“That’s exactly what we’re saying,” Jago snapped. “No more lies. No more fucking bullshit.”

After placing the drink down, I pulled out the photograph I’d found in my father’s things. “Tell me who these men are at the alliance table, Rafael?”

His face paled and he purposely kept his eyes pinned on mine.