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CHAPTER TWENTY

“I was approached by what I thought was a legitimate business consortium in Kingston six months ago. They wanted to establish trade routes through New York.” Wei Chen crossed her legs. “I intended to talk to Yuliy and Giovanni about it if my background investigations proved to be satisfactory.”

Delphine watched the Triad leader carefully, looking for any tells that she was lying. She might have trusted Navarro, but she wouldn’t bank on Wei Chen being completely truthful in her interactions with them.

So far, the woman appeared to be telling the truth.

“By trade routes, you mean drug routes,” Vlad said flatly.

“Yes.” Wei Chen’s expression hardened. “Whether we like it or not, the Caribbean crime syndicates want in on the East Coast action, Vlad. Better that we supervise their operations than let them run riot around ours.”

Vlad lowered his brows.

Delphine broke the strained silence that followed.

“Let me guess. Your background investigations were far from satisfactory.”

Wei Chen nodded. “Yes. I discovered the consortium was a front for Santana Isaacs.”

Navarro leaned forward. “Isaacs is what we call a ghost crime lord. He’s been running one of the most brutal syndicates in the Caribbean for the past fifteen years, but almost no one knows who he is or what he looks like. Those who accidentally do…” He trailed off.

“—end up at the bottom of the ocean,” Cortes finished in a chilling voice.

Navarro nodded.

“The man Isaacs hired to act as the leader of his syndicate is a puppet,” Wei Chen added. “A very convincing one. If it wasn’t for James’s instincts, we would have fallen for their ruse.”

Vlad scowled. “And you didn’t think to mention any of this during our peace negotiations?!”

“I couldn’t. I was working with the DEA by then.” Wei Chen’s face tightened. “My nephew got caught trying to smuggle cocaine through Miami International. Charlie made a mistake, but he’s a good kid. This is his first offense. He’s the only one in our family who doesn’t want to be in the business.” She glanced at Navarro. “The DEA offered him a deal on the condition I help set up a sting operation to capture Isaacs.”

Vlad clenched his jaw. “You used me as bait.”

Navarro ignored his bitter words. “We needed a legitimate reason for Isaacs to come to New York,” he said steadily. “Taking the Black Devils down a peg or two was a challenge he couldn’t resist, especially considering the benefits he could reap if he were to gain the upper hand.”

“Except something went wrong,” Delphine said quietly.

The agent’s expression grew troubled. “We were planning to capture Isaacs when he attempted something against the Black Devils .” He hesitated. “We didn’t know about the attack or the sorcerer until it was too late.”

Delphine’s scalp prickled at his tone.

“What aren’t you telling us?” Vlad asked stiffly.

Navarro and Wei Chen exchanged a look.

“We just found out that Isaacs’s uncle came to New York with him,” the agent finally said. “His name is Manuel Isaacs. He disappeared from Haiti fifteen years ago, around the same time Santana started building his empire.” His mouth flattened. “Local legend says he practiced magic while in Haiti. The kind that requires a human sacrifice. There are rumors he was behind the disappearance of dozens of women and children who have never been found.”

A chill danced down Delphine’s spine.

She and the mercenary corps she worked for had dealt with men like Manuel Isaacs plenty of times before. Monsters who deliberately used innocent women and children in their despicable schemes to gain power or maintain it. She’d seen plenty of unmarked graves containing the remains of those who’d lost their lives for a madman’s ambitions.

“So Santana Isaacs’s rise to power coincided with his uncle’s disappearance from Haiti,” she said in a hard voice. “I’m guessing you suspect Manuel’s magic played a part in that.”

“We believe so.” Navarro’s expression grew grim. “Every rival who stood in Santana’s way died under mysterious circumstances. Some went mad. A few wasted away from unknown diseases. Others simply vanished.”

“Like those women and children in Haiti,” Cortes said darkly.

Delphine noted Vlad’s white knuckles underneath the table. She clamped down on the urge to touch his shoulder and focused on the conversation.

“You have to believe me, Vlad.” Wei Chen’s face tightened. “I didn’t know about Isaacs’s uncle until yesterday.”

A muscle jumped in Vlad’s cheek.

“We’ve been trying to get to Santana Isaacs for years,” Navarro said, a hint of an apology in his voice. “This was our best shot.”

“Your best shot went sideways in a major way,” Vlad grated out. “And now I have less than thirty-six hours to break this damn curse before it becomes permanent!”

Wei Chen paled. “The curse can become permanent?”

“Yes,” Vlad said bitterly.

Navarro grimaced guiltily. “The reason we called you over is because we found out where Isaacs might be hiding and we’d like you guys to assist us in taking him and his men down.” The agent removed a file from his jacket and placed it on the table. “We’ve been monitoring a property in Queens. Our surveillance suggests Isaacs is using it as his base of operations in New York. Rumor on the grapevine is they have a boat coming to pick them up soon.” He opened the folder and pushed it toward Vlad.

Delphine’s pulse quickened as she studied the photographs it contained.

The building was a three-story warehouse near the waterfront.

“How sure are you about this intel?” she asked the agent sharply.

“Very.” Navarro indicated one of the images. “That guy is rumored to be Santana’s right-hand man. And those”—he pointed at three figures in dark clothes entering through a side door—“are his enforcers.”

“When was this taken?” Vlad demanded.

“Yesterday morning.” Navarro’s expression hardened. “We believe Santana himself arrived in New York five days ago.”

The hairs lifted on the back of Delphine’s neck. She exchanged a startled look with Vlad and Cortes.

That would coincide with the attack at the Oro Divino .

Vlad’s next words sent a jolt of surprise through her.

“Give us twenty-four hours,” the incubus told Navarro in a steely voice. “Let us deal with this our way first.”

The agent frowned. “This operation is ours to lead in the first place. There’s no way we’re letting you guys go in there on your own.”

“Vlad is right,” Delphine said with a frown. “Considering they managed to give you guys the slip and attacked the Oro Divino , it could be there’s a mole in your agency.”

“She has a point,” Wei Chen murmured in the tense hush.

The lines around Navarro’s eyes tightened.

“I can’t deny that possibility,” the agent admitted grudgingly.

“They’ll be looking out for a large sting operation,” Delphine said. “We’ll have a better chance eliminating them with a small group of people.”

“And a tiger,” Wei Chen murmured.

Navarro drummed his fingers on the table.

“Look, you have nothing to lose,” Cortes said with a shrug. “You can be the backup if you’re that worried about us.”

Navarro made a face. “The only time you’ll ever need backup is if Hell freezes over.”

Cortes smiled flintily.

Navarro deflated, his expression suggesting he was acting against his best judgment. “You have eighteen hours. After that, we move in.” He pushed back his chair and rose. “I’ll be in touch. Good luck.”

They watched the agent leave.

“Is he always that blunt?” Vlad said to no one in particular.

“Yes.” Wei Chen sighed at Vlad’s cool stare. “I truly am sorry about what happened.”

“Save it,” Vlad snapped. “I thought we were friends.” He narrowed his eyes. “You used me.”

“Yes, I did.” The Triad leader met his gaze without flinching. “And I’ll pay you back for it.”

“There is only one way you can pay me back,” Vlad grunted.

Wei Chen steeled herself. “What do you want?”

“We’re finishing that peace talk when this is all over.”

Wei Chen blinked at the incubus’s gruff words. Her shoulders relaxed. She smiled faintly. “Alright.” Her smile faded a little. “But Marco stays home this time.” She shuddered. “I hate that little toad.”