“Which is why you have that partition to hide the guns and drugs you transport. Do they suspect you?”
“Hell no!”
“And four crates of rifles were stolen out of the van?”
“Yes.” She rubbed her sweaty brow, restless. Out front, Eduardo was dealing with customers who knew nothing of what had happened. Life went on.
“I’m sending my men up to Jackson Hole,” he said, his voice a low growl. “And they will take care of Garcia once and for all.”
“I don’t want a damn turf war here, Xavier! The police already suspect me! I had a clean reputation over in Cheyenne ever since I got out of prison. Now, I open my doors here and shit hits the fan! Worst of all, my daughter almost got killed in the attack!” Her nostrils flared, her voice becoming gravelly. “And I’ll be damned if she’s ever gonna be put in the line of fire again! You hear me?” She almost screamed into the cell phone, her nerves raw.
“Take it easy, mi corazón.”
“Katie is not baggage, Xavier! She’s my daughter!” Janet thumped her chest to emphasize the point. She rarely yelled at the drug lord, but today was different. Janet couldn’t shake the image of blood on Katie’s face and shirt.
“I understand. I do. Just have her work at the office, Janet. She doesn’t need to drive anymore.”
Janet jammed her finger down at the concrete floor where she stood. “I don’t ever want her anywhere near this place again, Xavier! Who’s to say Garcia won’t attack us here?” Janet added in a threatening voice, “I thought it was loco you wanted my daughter to work here. Our business is dangerous, dammit!”
“Calm down, Janet, calm down. Remember, your daughter working with you throws off the feds. It’s a family business. That’s why you need to keep this cover. The feds will suspect something if Katie suddenly disappears from your business, don’t you think?”
Pacing, Janet wiped her sweaty palm against her dark blue pantsuit. She was dying for some weed, maybe a Xanax to tame her screaming nerves. “I don’t know...I worry for her. She knows nothing about our cartel. I don’t want her to know, either.”
“I agree. Anyone looking at Mercury Courier Service will see a mother-and-daughter business. It throws off the feds, Janet. That’s why you must persuade her to work with you.”
“I don’t want her back!” Her heart felt ripped open. Seeing her daughter yesterday at the emergency room had shaken her in ways she’d never anticipated. She loved Katie. The shock of almost losing her in the cartel attack made her panic.
“You will allow her to work in the office, mi corazón.”
Janet wanted to curse Xavier. She heard the veiled threat in his low, modulated tone. No one disobeyed him. Working her mouth, she finally said, “Okay...okay...but I swear, Xavier, if anything happens here at the business, she’s gone. I will not allow Katie anywhere near this place! You got that?”
“Nothing is going to happen,” he soothed. “Your Katie will be safe there at the business. I’m sending men to hunt down and kill Garcia’s men. When I’m done with them, Jackson Hole will belong to us.”
“Fine!” Janet punched the off button. She dropped the cell on the concrete floor and angrily smashed it beneath her foot. Grabbing another phone from her pocket, she called her daughter at the raptor facility. It was 10:00 a.m. Janet desperately wanted to know how she was after a good night’s sleep.
* * *
JOE WAITED WITH Roger Hager and Deputy Cade Garner in a glass-enclosed office deep within the law-enforcement building. His nerves were jangled as he sat next to his boss. After their discussion this morning, he’d driven Katie to the raptor facility and she’d promised to show up at 8:00 a.m. to work with them. Would she? Miserable, he tried to focus on Hager’s information strewn out on the table before the three of them. He’d warned them Katie was angry with him. They knew Katie saw him as a traitor to her, a liar....
“Here she is,” Cade warned, standing and walking over to the door.
Looking up, Joe saw Katie approach the room. Her black hair was caught up in a ponytail and she was wearing her green baseball cap with an eagle embroidered across the front. Her face was set and lips thinned as she entered the room. The dark green T-shirt she wore emphasized her willowy upper body.
“Katie, I’m Deputy Cade Garner.” He held out his hand to her. “Thanks for coming in.”
As she shook Cade’s outstretched hand, she saw Joe stand, his eyes filled with sadness. Next to him was a man she assumed was his FBI boss. Cade introduced Roger Hager and she leaned across the narrow wooden table.
“Nice to meet you, Katie,” Hager said. He gestured toward a chair Garner had pulled out for her on the opposite side of the table. “We want to thank you for coming in. I’m sorry it’s not under happier circumstances,” he added, apology in his tone.
Katie sat down and took off her baseball cap. “I want the truth out of you, Mr. Hager.” Her eyes flashed with anger as she jabbed her finger at Joe. “Did you really send him out here to spy on me?”
Cade brought a cup of coffee over to Katie and sat down next to her.
“Yes, he was under my orders, Katie,” Hager admitted. “I chose Joe specifically because he was born here. We had to know one way or another if you were involved in your mother’s gun- and drug-running business.”
Katie swallowed hard. “How do you know my mother’s guilty of those things?” She clenched her hands in her lap.
Joe frowned. Katie’s voice sounded on the verge of tears. Right now, her expression was one of anger mixed with rebellion.
Roger handed her a file. “Open it, Katie. We need you to know, once and for all, that your mother is a major regional player in Xavier Lobos’s cartel from Guatemala. Please take your time and read it.”
Joe sat quietly for the next fifteen minutes as Katie plowed through the file on Janet Bergstrom. He knew it contained information from the FBI mole planted in Xavier’s cartel in Guatemala. Janet was mentioned often and was a key player in the west for the drug lord. There were transcripts, word for word, implicating Janet over and over again. He watched Katie’s face fall, her eyes tear up as she finished the last page of information. Damn, he wanted to protect her from all of this. Hadn’t she been through enough? Now she was being manipulated to help them to get her mother behind bars. It was a hell of a lot to ask of any daughter. What would Katie do?
Softly, Katie said, “Okay, this is to prove my mother never stopped working with Los Lobos?”
Roger nodded and gave her an apologetic look. “Yes, Katie, I brought this to you so you’d know the truth.” He glanced to his right. “Joe had to find out if you were part of her organization or not. From the beginning he was convinced you were not.”
Katie glared at Joe. “That’s damn decent of you.”
“Please,” Roger begged, holding up his hands, “he was only doing his job, Katie. I think you know we had to make sure you weren’t working with your mother. We were all hoping you were not.”
Some of her anger dissolved. “What do you want from me?”
Cade opened another file and handed it to her. “We know your mother has a hacker named Kyle who has set up her computers. The FBI hasn’t been able to crack the security firewall he built.”
Katie studied the information. “I’m not a geek.”
“No, but you have access to the computer,” Hager said. “We believe it provides information on the types of weapons and drugs being moved. We need to get a thumb drive into the computer to retrieve the partitioned software. Your mother has two types of software. One is the everyday, legitimate information on parcels and boxes people send through her courier service.”
Cade pointed to the file. “The other software is protected and the FBI can’t crack it. We know from picking up coded transmissions to Los Lobos, the secure information is probably about the illeg
al movement of guns and drugs.”
Katie pressed her fingers to her brow. The cut above her right eye was throbbing. She swallowed several times, grieving over her mother’s involvement. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t. The facts and figures were right before her. “Okay...but what can I do?” She looked over at Hager. “If you guys can’t crack the code, I know I can’t.”
“But you can take a harmless-looking thumb drive like this.” Roger handed it to her. “And slip it into the computer. I have a man flying in today, Katie. He’s our chief hacker. He will teach you how to force the computer to dump everything onto the thumb drive. Once you retrieve the information, you’ll bring it here to the sheriff’s office where we’ll all be waiting.”
Katie stared down at the drive in her fingers.
“You’ll have to call your mother and tell her you’re coming back to work tomorrow,” Cade said in a low voice.
“She already called me,” Katie told them. “She asked me to come back to work at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. I’ll work my office station. She said I’ll never have to drive a van again.” Her voice grew hoarse. “I—I just have a tough time believing all of this. My mother was crying on the phone to me. She said she loved me....” She stared over at Cade. The deputy gave her a gentle look of understanding and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“We’re all sorry about this situation, Katie. We know you just found your mother. It’s bad timing, but we’re going to have a cartel war erupt in this area very shortly. If you can get us the information, we can move swiftly. The names, addresses and cell numbers of Xavier’s soldiers will be on it. We can gather a task force and stop the war. If we don’t, many innocent lives may be lost. I know you don’t want that.”
Staring down at the thumb drive, Katie felt her fingers become damp. She couldn’t look at Joe. If she did, she knew she’d burst into tears. “If I do this, Cade, will it help my mother?”
The deputy looked over at the FBI agent.
Hager cleared his throat. “Katie, your mother is deeply involved. I—”
“Mr. Hager, you will do something to help my mother in all of this. If you don’t, I refuse to work with you,” she said harshly.
Joe noted the stubborn set of Katie’s jaw. Her blue eyes blazed as she challenged Hager. His boss moved uncomfortably. In his heart, Joe knew Katie was desperate. But wouldn’t he be, too? What if he were in her situation? He’d fight for his mother, too.
“I can call the attorney general,” Hager said. “I can’t promise anything, Katie.”
“Then I can’t do it.”
Hager scowled.
Cade stirred. “Sir, can’t you offer Janet a plea deal? What if your guy can crack the code on the thumb drive? What if we ask Janet to turn over evidence? She could become an insider who gives us information on the whole cartel.”
Katie heard the persuasive tone of the deputy. She shot a look across the table at Hager. She could see him considering the deputy’s argument. She held up the thumb drive. “Before I retrieve this info, Mr. Hager, I have to have this in writing and signed by you and the attorney general. You will allow my mother to come in and give evidence against the cartel. And she will be given a plea deal.”
Nodding, Hager said, “Okay, okay. I think we can do that.” He glanced at his watch and pulled out his cell phone.
Katie listened to Hager talk directly with the attorney general. It was a short call. Her nerves were frayed. She gripped the thumb drive. Somehow, she had to save her mother. Somehow...
Hager flipped the phone closed. His jowly face appeared serious as he lifted his eyes and met hers.
“Okay, you got a deal, Katie.” He stood and extended his hand to her.
Katie stood and shook it. Looking around the room, she said, “Tomorrow I meet with your hacker?”
Hager smiled a little. “Yes, Jerry Bower is his name. He used to be a hacker until we employed him. He’s one of our best. Can you be here at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow morning? It will give you the time needed to be taught the PC commands and take them to work with you.”
Katie nodded. “I want it all in writing, Mr. Hager. Signed by everyone. If those papers aren’t here when I come in to be trained by Mr. Bower tomorrow morning, I’ll refuse to do it.”
“I promise, they’ll be here,” Hager said. “We need your cooperation and we understand your position, Katie.”
“My mother wants to meet me for breakfast over at Mo’s,” she said, looking at the clock on the wall. “I’ve got to get going.”
The men stood as Katie rose out of the chair.
Katie refused to look at Joe. Turning on her heel, she marched out of the room, the thumb drive in her purse. She quickly pushed through the main doors and out into the summer sunshine. Everything around her looked peaceful and calm. She felt anything but. As she walked to her truck, the guilt ate at her. What had she just agreed to? Now who was the traitor who couldn’t be trusted?
Once in the truck, she put on her sunglasses and stuck the key into the ignition. Tears welled up in her eyes. Katie felt as if she were in a vise. Law enforcement wanted her. Janet was manipulating her. They all wanted a piece of her. What was she going to do?
She was slowly shredding, her heart filled with pain over the loss of Joe, her only defender. Katie wiped her eyes. She couldn’t cry! Not now. Her mother would see her reddened eyes and would want to know why she was upset. Katie pulled on the inner strength that had gotten her through her life up to this point. Now she was going to lie to her mother. A mother who had told her this morning in tears, that she loved her. Katie took a ragged breath, drove out of the parking lot and headed for Mo’s.
Janet was pacing outside Mo’s when Katie drove up and parked. She looked strained and tired. Even with the thick makeup, Katie could see dark circles beneath her squinting eyes. Despite this, Janet appeared prim and businesslike in her dark blue pantsuit, white silk blouse and gold jewelry. Climbing out of the truck, Katie forced a smile.
“Katie!” Janet threw her arms around her daughter. Kissing her on the cheek, she placed her hands on her shoulders. “How are you doing?”
“I—I’m okay, Mom. Just a little sore.” How many thousands of times had Katie dreamed of this moment when her mother would embrace her, kiss her and show caring? She held up her right arm, bright purple and blue with bruising. “See? I can use it.”
Scowling, Janet patted her shoulder awkwardly. “Well, once is enough. You look pale. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Where did lies begin and end? Confused, Katie stammered, “Yes, I’m okay....”
“You stayed with Joe last night?” Janet opened the door for her.
Katie stepped inside. “Yes, but that isn’t going to happen again. I’ll be back at my suite at Iris Mason’s ranch from now on.” She ached to tell her mother what had happened, but couldn’t. Katie began to hate herself as she sat down in the red leather booth with Janet. She was no good at this. Not at all.
“Oh? You were sweet on him. What happened?” Janet sat down opposite her. The waitress came over and delivered ice water and menus.
Katie wasn’t hungry. Her stomach felt as if it would drop to her feet. “Oh...nothing, nothing. I just need time, that’s all.”
Janet said, “One thing with men, honey, you learn real fast they think between their legs.”
Managing a partial smile, Katie tried to focus on the menu. It was impossible for her to tell if Janet was lying to her, manipulating her or telling the truth. Her hair was neat and piled up on her head, her fingers decked out with heavy rings. Katie’s own fingers trembled as she closed the menu. All she could stomach was eggs. She folded her hands and looked at her mother.
“What did the police say about the accident?”
“Not much, dammit,” her mother groused. “There were no eyewitnesses when it happen
ed, Katie. You told the police what you saw, didn’t you?” Her brows rose, her eyes narrowing speculatively upon her.
“Mom, I don’t remember much.”
“Did you get a license-plate number?”
There was a sudden edge in her mother’s tone. Katie saw small beads of sweat popping out on her brow. If she had a license number, the police could find out the owner. And from there, she was sure the cartel members would be outed sooner or later. “No...I didn’t get a license number.”
“Oh...oh, too bad.”
The waitress came over and took their order.
Janet forced a smile after she left. “I want you to come back to work with me, Katie. I know you’re feeling punk right now, but could you come back to work tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.?” She gave her daughter a pleading look.
“Sure I can,” Katie said. “I like working with the computer.” It would give her time to get instructions from the FBI hacker before showing up to work. Her mother sat up, pleasantly surprised, a smile suddenly wreathing her mouth.
“That would be great! I really miss having you there.” Janet reached out and patted Katie’s clasped hands. “I guess it took an accident to make me realize a lot of things.” Her voice fell to a whisper. “Katie, I love you. When I saw you in the E.R. yesterday, it felt like someone tore my heart out of my chest.” Her fingers tightened around her daughter’s hands. “I know I haven’t been much of a mother to you. But yesterday...well, it shook me up. You’re my daughter. I carried you for nine months. And when we met this time, twenty-six years later, I guess I was just in shock over it all. But now...now...I want you in my life, Katie. I really do want to get to know you.”
It took every bit of Katie’s strength not to sob. Katie relished her mother’s warm fingers across her hands. How desperately she wanted to believe every word her mother said. Oh, God, what was the truth? What were the lies? How much of it did Janet really mean? Or was it all a maneuver to get her to come back to work? To help her run guns and drugs?
A cold shiver worked its way up Katie’s spine as she held her mother’s warm, teary gaze. “I—I’ll be happy to work with you.” She couldn’t force out Mom. What mother would use her child like this to get guns into the hands of cartels invading this country? What mother would knowingly sell drugs to people and ruin their lives?
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