Wild Captive

by Tripp Ellis

  I liked the sound of that.

  She hung up the phone.

  I figured I'd log on and check my accounts when we got back to Coconut Key. There was a lot of money in those accounts before they were frozen. I thought I'd be more excited to hear the news, but the only thing I really cared about at the moment was that we reunited Violet with her father.

  Some things money can't buy.

  During the flight, Tony leaned across the aisle and tapped me on the shoulder. "I hear you've been trying to speak with Salvador Zamora."

  My face crinkled with confusion. "How did you hear about this stuff?"

  Tony shrugged. "I have sources."

  "Apparently."

  "Why are you interested in him?"

  "Two of his employees were killed with the same gun that killed my parents. I just want to ask him questions. I tried, but I can't get close to him."

  Tony thought about it for a moment. "Are you investigating him?"

  "He's not on my radar. I can't speak for any other agency." I paused. "Why? Do you know him?"

  Tony shook his head. "No. But I know people who know people. Maybe I can set up a meeting with you two?"

  My eyes perked up. "Really? That would be great."

  "It's the least I could do. I owe you." Tony cautioned, "Now, I can't make any promises. We don't have any affiliation. And, if I set this meeting up, you have to give me assurances that you will not go after this guy. That could reflect negatively on me."

  I hesitated for a moment. "Look, I have no interest in him other than finding out who killed my parents? Maybe he has some insight into the people who killed his men. That's the extent of my inquiry."

  Tony seems satisfied. "I'll pass the message along. And I hope you find what you're looking for."

  "Thank you."

  Salvador Zamora was a big-time trafficker, though no one could ever tie him to anything illegal. He ran an exotic car dealership in Coconut Key. The front business covered his extravagant lifestyle. He was a shrewd businessman and knew how to keep his nose clean. I doubted I would get any real information from him if we did have the occasion to speak, but I had nothing else to go on. I knew for a fact that my parents' boat had been re-titled and sold to Scott Kingston by someone with the initials XC. But despite my best efforts, I hadn't been able to identify a single suspect with those initials. There was no one on the radar. XC was a ghost. I was hoping that Salvador Zamora would be able to conjure XC's name.

  57

  It was a few days later when the scandal broke. Flight logs had revealed the names of countless politicians and celebrities who had visited the island. Senator Haklen was included among them. In total, 37 girls had been rescued from the island, not including Violet. The FBI took full credit for the bust, citing they'd been working on the investigation for months.

  I chuckled and shook my head when I heard the news.

  Everyone implicated declined to comment.

  There is no doubt the rich and powerful would hide behind their attorneys, and little, if anything, would come of it.

  I had Isabella transfer the bounty on Cartwright into Floyd’s account. I didn’t need the money, and he deserved it. He called me a few days later, and I could neither confirm, nor deny anything.

  Buddy was excited to see me when I returned. As usual, Fluffy couldn't care less. Reagan was still living on my boat, and I wondered if she had any intention of ever leaving—not that I minded terribly having her around. She was easy on the eyes, and just crazy enough to keep things interesting.

  We kept pretending not to be attracted to each other.

  Denise seemed to have forgiven me for putting her in an uncomfortable situation. Her efforts led to a massive bust that, hopefully, changed numerous women’s lives for the better.

  Things were getting back to normal in Coconut Key. I had almost forgotten there was a killer on the loose until a letter arrived at the marina, addressed to Reagan.

  Her eyes widened with terror when she opened the envelope. It was another bloodstained cryptic note.

  I was sure another body was soon to follow.

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  Author’s Note

  Thanks for all the great reviews!

  Hope you all enjoyed your summer. It went by too quickly. Thanks to everyone who sent a quick message letting me know you enjoyed the books. It put a smile on my face.

  I’ve got more adventures for Tyson and JD. Stay tuned.

  If you liked this book, let me know with a review on Amazon.

  My Max Mars series is sci-fi with mystery and thriller elements, you might want to check it out.

  Thanks for reading!

  —Tripp

  Tyson Wild

  Wild Ocean

  Wild Justice

  Wild Rivera

  Wild Tide

  Wild Rain

  Wild Captive

  Wild…

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  The Orion Conspiracy

  Blade of Vengeance

  The Zero Code

  Edge of the Abyss

  Siege on Star Cruise 239

  Phantom Corps

  The Auriga Incident

  Devastator

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