Nicolas speaks into my earpiece. “Target’s on the outdoor lounge area and balcony. His guard is standing on the west side inside an alcove.”
I don’t reply, nor does Nicolas expect me to. He’s too skilled, too familiar with this job—a tech genius, geek in glasses, who is also a killer. I almost like the guy but not really. I clear the second level and enter a dark hallway, flattening on a wall. In the distance, a muffled accented voice is speaking in Spanish, a one-sided conversation which means a phone call, something about a meeting that will end quickly.
I’m about to make my move when Nicolas warns, “Wait. Whatever you’re doing, wait. Fuck me. Kane Mendez just drove up in a fancy sports car.”
Of course, he did, I think. A two-for-one, but hell yeah, I’m all in. I eye a door that appears to be a closet, open it, confirm it is indeed an empty closet, and step inside. Voices echo and then shift, and a full five minutes later, I crack the door, confirming the voices are now coming from the outdoor area. Two voices. Nicolas seems to read my mind and confirms. “Juan Carlos and Kane are both outside at a table drinking whiskey. The guard is back in the alcove.”
I ease out of the closet and step into the hallway.
I hope Juan Carlos and his buddy Kane Mendez are enjoying an expensive pour since it will be their last.
It doesn’t take me long to cross the fancy living area and step through the open door into the alcove on the East side of the balcony. I share the same view the guard will own on the west side. As Nicolas indicated, Juan Carlos sits at a table opposite Kane Mendez, each holding a whiskey glass. Kane is wearing an expensive ass suit, custom fit and shiny. His dark hair is slicked back, his goatee trimmed perfectly. Juan Carlos is in jeans and a T-shirt, his thick hair curly and natural. Kane holds himself arrogant, confident, in control. Juan Carlos is cocky, on edge, shifting in his seat.
He’s nervous.
Interesting.
“I didn’t expect to see you here tonight, Kane,” he says.
“I could tell you that I’m here to check on my guest,” Kane replies, “but that would be a lie.” He doesn’t offer an explanation. “Why are you here?”
“I have business to attend to for your uncle.”
“He doesn’t know of any meetings.” Kane doesn’t sound pleased.
Juan Carlos laughs. “This is between me and your uncle.”
“If this was between you and my uncle, you’d be dead right now.”
Juan Carlos pales. “What are you talking about?”
“My father was a killer, Juan Carlos. A brutal killer. I hated him. My uncle is a brutal killer. I hate him as well. But both of them treated women with honor. My uncle has reason to believe that you do not share those beliefs and are in fact running a slave trade under his name. We know you’re here to negotiate the sale of a young girl.”
Holy hell, I think, drawing my weapon. I might actually have to save Kane Mendez’s life.
Juan Carlos sneers and his hand shifts under the table, and I watch the shift of steel above his lap. “You are not a part of this.”
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” Kane says as if Juan Carlos hasn’t spoken, “you will release the women and girls at the US border and offer them each twenty thousand dollars. Should you not do this, you will die. Every person who you sold a woman to, will be found, and you will buy back, out of your pocket, their freedom.”
I am liking this Kane Mendez fellow.
Juan Carlos stares at Kane, seconds ticking by before he abruptly stands and points the gun at Kane. I shoot him right between the eyes. Kane rotates toward me. “Behind you!” he shouts, pulling his weapon.
I have a split-second to decide what I trust and my gut wins. I point my gun over my shoulder, intending to shoot, but I never get the chance. Kane fires his weapon and the guard falls to the ground beside me. A second later, Kane and I are holding weapons on each other. “You didn’t come for me or you would have let Juan Carlos kill me,” Kane supplies.
“And you could have let the guard kill me just now,” I offer.
Our eyes lock and at the same moment, we lower our weapons. Mine right at the holster at my side, his under his jacket, in a similar holster. “Dumbass didn’t even check you for a weapon,” I muse.
“He wouldn’t dare,” Kane says. “I’m Kane Mendez, but I suspect you know that. I’d say you owe me your life but you saved my life. I paid you back.”
“I respect the hell out of your balls and your marksmanship.”
“Well a man does like to have his balls appreciated,” Kane says no change to his expression.
I laugh. “Rick Savage. And you’re right. I didn’t come for you but I would have killed you, even if you saved me.”
“But?”
“But you were here to save the women.” I laugh. “Your cousin runs the cartel. I’ll say what I thought when you got here: my fucking ass. It’s you. This is all you.”
“No,” Kane sharply. “I’m not my father or my uncle.”
“I just heard you give orders only a cartel leader could give.”
“There is value in being my father’s son when it comes to stopping bloodshed and torture, but believe me, if I could look away, and walk away, I’d do both, but I cannot.”
“Why not?”
“It’s all about a woman and what saves her life while saving me in her eyes.”
“A man speaking my language. Amen to that, brother.”
***
Present Day…
I step onto the hotel patio with that first encounter with Kane on my mind. It was our first. But it was not our last. He’d contacted me, a magician that had managed to find me when no one could. I’d done him a favor, helped him protect his woman from Pocher himself.
My cellphone rings and I answer with, “Kane Fucking Mendez.”
“Rick Savage,” he replies, his accent just rich enough to have a perfect “fuck you” flare without ever saying the words. That’s not his style. He’s not in your face like I am. He’s smooth as silk and as lethal as a Black Mamba. “Why did I know that one day you’d ask for a favor?”
“Because I saved your fucking life, Kane.”
“I do believe I saved yours as well.”
He’s not wrong. He did. “And I got rid of a problem for you. Now we have a new problem, a mutual enemy.”
“So you said on the voicemail. Who?”
“Pocher.”
He’s silent a moment. “This line is clear but not clear enough for this conversation, but you have my full attention.”
“Mine’s clear.”
“I’ll call you back.”
He disconnects, and he doesn’t have to say more. He’s in. He’s all in. Screw Aaron the ex-CIA Spook. Kane Mendez is the man for this job, right after me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Candace
After Rick’s quick departure to take a call, the room is awkwardly silent, which tells me the Walker team knows something I do not. I don’t like this idea, and I’m not one to remain silent, but my gut says that I need to just wait on Rick, talk to him.
Besides, Asher’s quick to begin quizzing me with a list of names that I might know through Gabriel. People he thinks connect the dots that might prove Gabriel has broken laws. The list is long and I down another cup of coffee while getting through a small portion of it.