The Rescue by T. Jefferson Parker

Author:T. Jefferson Parker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

* * *

Back in the conference room, LaDonna takes over.

“Our counter-op starts when El Gordo contacts you again,” she says. “He’ll do it soon. And so long as he believes that his pen pal really is you, Bettina, and you’re playing fair with him, he’ll keep his people under control.”

“Who are they?” asks Bettina.

“Joaquín Páez and Valeria Flores,” says Arnie. “A horse breeder and a hotelier. Married, a handsome couple, good English. Way up the Sinaloan chain, close to Godoy. Charged with international narcotics distribution five years ago, both acquitted. They’re money people, not in the muscle end of things. They launder cash, make investments, create and disband entities and accounts, as needed. They’ve got Southern California connections in the horse racing and hospitality industry. Horses and hotels. We’re a little surprised that they’ve been dispatched here to buy your dog.”

Felix looks at Bettina.

“They’ve been on our wish list for years,” says Arnie. “They’ll follow El Gordo’s orders until they get Joe. After that, anything can happen.”

Bettina’s foggy shock has lifted and she’s starting to feel the old fight coming back, her spark and flame and fire. “What do you mean by anything?”

Hearing her change of tone, Felix sits and looks up at her.

LaDonna is blunt and to the point:

“They might already be under orders to kill you both rather than pay the money. Godoy says he wants to use the dog against his enemies, but really, what does that mean? It’s the weakest part of his pitch. Whereas killing Joe is satisfactory revenge, and much easier. He can post it all on the Blog Narco: ‘The Robin Hood of Sinaloa Bares His Fangs!’”

Again, Bettina feels that light patter of heart, chokes back her disgust. “El Gordo would do that? This God-fearing family man, dog lover, friend maker? Slaughter a woman and a dog for revenge? For his losses? His hurt pride?”

“We can’t know what he’ll do,” says Arnie.

“I agree,” says Dale Greene.

“We have to assume the worst,” says Powers. “So our job is to make El Gordo believe that Bettina trusts him, is motivated by the money, and willing to deliver Joe to them. When you get your orders from El Gordo, we’ll be locked, loaded and everywhere. This is what we train for.”

Billy gives the agents a skeptical once-over. “Why can’t you keep Bettina out of this, just handle it yourself? Use an agent as a stand-in. She isn’t bait.”

Bettina sees the emotion on his face. And she knows that Billy—all of them—see the emotion on hers. She’s still clammy and cold from vomiting and fear. Weak. She breathes deeply, trying to will herself into calm action, as she so often has. “I’m all the way in on this, Billy. You know that.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“We can’t fake you, Bettina,” says Powers. “You’re a known quantity, recognizable. You are our voice, and our face. You can control Felix. We’re honored you brought this to us. We’re honored to be trusted by you. Mr. Crumley, we’ll guard this woman with our lives, and we may need your help.

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