Page 194 of Haze of Obedience

"That's not true. You belong there and should have gotten there before you switched managers," Dirk insists.

"Maybe, but we'll never know, will we?"

He snorts. "I know."

"Well, your opinion is the only one that counts," I tease.

"Yep."

Naomi claps her hands. "Stay focused, you two."

Dirk smiles, but then it falls. "Wait. We know why the President is trying to increase the budget."

"We do?"

"Yes." His eyes darken, and my stomach flips. "We need to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Andre asks.

I swallow the thick knot in my throat.

"We can trust them."

I nod. "You do it."

Dirk holds my hand. "Santiago Gómez is dead."

"We know," Andre states. "I killed him."

"You did?" I shriek.

He pulls Naomi into him. "Yes. After what he did to Naomi, I wasn't going to let that bastard live."

"I killed Jonas Torres," I blurt out.

Silence.

Dirk clears his throat. "When I rescued Zoe, I shot Jorge Cano and the Mexican Ambassador Eduardo Macias."

"Why?" Blaise asks.

"They touched Zoe."

Andre holds out his fist, and Dirk bumps it. Blaise whistles.

"So the three largest drug cartel leaders are dead, and the only one they've publicized is Santiago," I add.

"What would be their reason for that?" Andre asks.

Dirk squeezes my hand. "Zoe and I believe it's to take control of the Mexican and Belizean drug cartels."

Silence is deafening.

"And if they increase the War on Drugs budget..." The color in Naomi's face drains, and I get goosebumps.

"Their power escalates even quicker. They now have complete control of supply and demand."

The waves lapping on the shore is the only sound.