by Bella Juarez
Gavin left the room and joined McKay and LaFevre in the observation room.
“What the hell’s he doing now?” LaFevre asked, glancing at the one-way mirror into the room where James and his lawyer were huddled together.
“He’d better be getting his damn story straight,” Gavin said.
In exactly two minutes, Gavin returned to the interrogation room and sat across from Paul James.
“Let’s try again, Mr. James, and I want the truth this time,” he said.
“If he tells you what he knows, will you let him go free?”
“No. He’s involved in kidnapping a federal law enforcement agent who you handed over to a foreign organized crime syndicate. Then he gave me a false statement regarding that crime. As his lawyer and him a law enforcement officer, you two should know how serious this is,” Gavin said, looking at James.
“It was a joke!” James yelled. “She was supposed to be taken to Jax’s old bunk house on his ranch.”
“Say what?” Gavin asked, disbelieving.
“I got scared when I heard she went missing. It was a joke. We played a joke on her so she and Jax could work things out. That’s it. I didn’t turn her over to any cartel. A couple of Jax’s ranch hands helped me, and they were supposed to take her there.”
“Work things out? Who’s Jax?”
“Jax Macey. He’s her boyfriend.”
“As you can see, Agent Walsh, this was all a terrible misunderstanding,” Blair said, attempting to minimize the damage.
“How did she end up in Douglas, fifty yards away from the Mexican border?”
“I don’t know,” James said.
“When you kidnapped Agent Jensen why did you drug her with Rohypnol, restrain her, and stick her in a 125-degree attic? As a law enforcement officer, you should know that’s kidnapping and attempted murder of a federal agent and at least two other serious felonies.”
“What? No! I didn’t know she was drugged!”
“Why did you tamper with the dash camera in your patrol vehicle? That would also be a felony, destruction of evidence in a federal investigation.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! You’ve got to believe me!” He was getting desperate.
Gavin held up his hand to silence James and shook his head. “Wait a minute. You’re responsible for the kidnapping of a federal law enforcement officer. She wasn’t in any bunkhouse. She was in a stash house owned by a high-ranking member of the Montenegro cartel by the name of Juan Mora. They drugged her almost to the point of coma, stuffed her inside an attic where she almost died. No one’s laughing at your little joke.”
Paul James sat up and looked at him, now completely bewildered. Someone had played a joke all right, and the joke had been played on James. He really had no idea what the hell had just happened to his world. Gavin continued.
“After she was taken, you tampered with the onboard dash camera in your patrol vehicle. Let me add another felony, the attempted murder of a federal K-9 officer during that incident.”
“That dog tried to bite me!”
“I don’t give a damn if that dog thought you were a milk bone. That dog is federal property and was in pursuit of criminals. Now, one more time, from the top, and don’t fuck with me! I want the truth. Who’s your contact in the Montenegro cartel?” Gavin snapped.
James’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “I swear I don’t know anything about the cartel.”
“Agent Walsh?” McKay said as he poked his head inside.
Gavin glared at James before he stood and walked outside.
“What is it?”
“Me and LeFevre were thinking maybe we should bring in Jax.”
“Get ICE to bring him in and direct them to walk him past this room and put him in the next one over. Get a copy of that warrant for persons of interest from the conference room, and give it to them. Check out that bunkhouse, too.”
“Okay. We’ll get on it right now.”
* * * *
Being home with little to do made Rio crazy. She’d called the animal shelter where she volunteered on a regular basis and scheduled herself to work some hours. There was only so much lying around and TV watching she could do, so she asked Danny to drive her and Schotzie to the CBP station to pick up some paperwork. As they walked through the building, they passed the war room Special Agent Walsh had set up. He noticed her, and immediately dropped the papers he had in his hands and rushed for the door.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I’m a little behind on some paperwork. I came by to pick it up so I can do it at home.” Schotzie tugged on her leash and whined. She must’ve seen someone she knew. “Sit.” Schotzie did as instructed, but remained tense and alert.
“Can we talk a little more about what happened?”
Danny squeezed her hand, making her glance at him. By the scowl he gave Agent Walsh, he’d made it clear he didn’t like the idea.
“Sure, I’m fine,” she said.
Gavin led her into the conference room and asked Danny to work with Terry on another piece of digital evidence they were deciphering. Danny gave her shoulder a quick squeeze for reassurance and went to find Terry. They settled into two chairs at one end of the long table. Gavin got right to the point.
“Rio, what’s your relationship with Jaxon Macey?”
“There is no relationship other than a longtime acquaintance. We grew up together.”
“Have you ever been or are you now intimately involved with him?”
“What? No, why?”
“Knowing Paul James and Jaxon Macey as long as you have, could they be involved in criminal activity?”
“What’s going on?”
“I think they’re involved with the cartel. I haven’t quite figured out how, and I think they went after you for something you know.”
“Do you need help? I mean, a few of us here at the station grew up around here and know the locals pretty good.”
“Help is always good, and no, I haven’t really reached out like that.”
Rio stood and walked to the door. The small cubicles and desks that the CBP agents used were just outside in a big open area. Scanning the area, she saw most of her team milling about.
“McKay! Who’s on duty right now and in the building?”
“We’ve been shanghaied by this guy,” he said, nodding toward Agent Walsh. “So it’s me, LaFevre, Gonzales, and Salas, why?” Van asked.
“Perfect. Round them up, team meeting in five.”
A large map covered part of a white board that she needed to use. “Can I move this?”
“Sure,” Gavin said with a nod.
When her team entered the room they expressed their reservations at her coming back to work so soon. She thanked them for their concern, turned, and focused on her work. She had a feeling that something bigger could be going down, and her team would be ground zero. Her healing would be helped if she could find the people responsible for the nightmares that plagued her. This whole clusterfuck had to be more than one of Jax’s tantrums. So who pulled the strings and used him and his cronies to do their dirty work? The team settled in and got to work.
“We need to do some profiling and bring Special Agent Walsh up to speed on the players here in Bisbee.” She noticed Gavin watching them like a hawk. “Van, bring me up to date on everything since the night I went missing,” she said.
“You sure you want to know everything, Lil’ bit?” Van asked hesitantly.
“Everything,” she said, turning back to the whiteboard.
“Aren’t you supposed to be home recovering?” Alan asked.
“I’m fine. Van?”
McKay filled her in on details as she furiously made notes on the timeline she constructed. Being a visual learner, diagrams and charts allowed her to problem solve easily. She could simply follow the lines and pictures to a conclusion.
“Today, we found out the initial motivation behind what happened and we brought Macey in for questioning
. He was clueless, as usual. We also found three men murdered execution style at the bunkhouse where you were supposed to be taken. The scene is still being processed by the FBI,” Van said.
“All right,” Rio said, stepping away from her notes.
“There’s one more thing you should know,” Alan said as he and Van glanced at each other.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Eli Reyes was one of the guys who kidnapped you,” Van said.
Reyes was a professional and one stone-cold son-of-a-bitch. Rio’s knees got weak with the news, and she suddenly realized just how lucky she was to be alive. She’d arrested him for running weapons into the country, and he’d managed to get back to Mexico before they could make anything stick. She recalled with some uneasiness that he’d promised to come back for her and the way he’d said it had given her the creeps at the time.
While lots of people she’d taken into custody made threats before, Reyes had been the only one who now made good on his promise. For some reason, her mind drew an eerie comparison between Eli and Danny. They both liked to play head games and push her buttons. But unlike Danny, Eli was cruel, and his games often involved someone dying in the end. It was no small wonder why she hadn’t been able to get away; she’d been dealing with men who were trained military operatives. Why hadn’t he killed her when he had the chance? What had he planned on doing with her? A shudder ran through her as she mentally ticked off all the things he could have planned for her.
“You okay, boss?” Salas asked.
“Let’s try to connect the dots with Montenegro and Jax’s gang. What do we know?” she asked, attempting to focus on something else.
“Jax, PJ, and Seth are dumbasses who couldn’t find their way out of a shit house with a map to the exit,” Alan said.
Rio smiled and looked at Gavin, who chuckled.
“Seriously,” she said.
“Yeah, they’re seriously dumbasses,” Salas agreed.
“Stop! Focus, guys. Could they be dirty? And how did they hook up with Reyes?” Rio asked, sobering the mood.
“That’s a serious implication, boss,” Gonzales said.
“Yes it is,” Rio said.
“Anything’s possible, Lil’ bit, but why? What’s the motivation? Jax and Reyes wouldn’t be able to work together. Reyes would put a bullet in him and consider it his one good deed for mankind,” Van said.
“Yeah, but they might work together if they have to. Remember Reyes is a soldier and takes orders,” Salas pointed out.
“Jax is an overgrown baby, and when he doesn’t get his way he throws a tantrum. Really, he’s pretty harmless. PJ’s a possibility. He’d hook up with those guys because he’s a conniving, opportunistic, back-stabbing, SOB. I’d count Seth out. He’s probably the most reasonable and levelheaded of the three,” Van observed.
Rio noticed Gavin studying her timeline, and absorbing their profiling information.
“What’s the motivation?” Rio asked.
“Revenge,” Gonzales said. “Reyes and Jax have a hard-on for you, boss. But honestly, I don’t think Jax would go so far as to get involved with a cartel and murder three of his father’s hands for revenge. He’s not that smart. I mean, the worst he’d do is try to kick someone’s ass, but I don’t think he’s got the brains to plan a kidnapping and a murder.”
“What about PJ and Reyes?” Rio asked.
“Now, that’s a possibility. PJ could easily hook up with them and cut a deal. After that bust you headed, Reyes would volunteer for that mission. And they’re both that smart,” Salas said.
“Do you know what I think? I think PJ could easily lead Jax into something if it sounded good. And I think Jax’s dad is behind the whole thing. Wes Macey is up to something, and he would make a deal with the devil if it would fatten his bank account,” Rio said.
The men who were familiar with the history of Bisbee and its residents went quiet for a long time.
“That takes this to another level,” Alan said, shaking his head
“Yeah, the pros. Jax and his gang are amateur hour compared to Reyes and Wes Macey. It’s no secret that as a real estate developer, Mr. Macey has been involved in some questionable deals,” Salas said.
“Exactly. Why else would Reyes show up? Reyes and his bunch are in another league and the best Montenegro has. Have you noticed how busy we are all of a sudden? I mean, more than usual. The cartel is shot gunning us. Remember the last time they did that?”
“Yeah, when we busted Reyes for running all those weapons,” Van said, sitting back.
“It’s happening all over again and I think we found out why last week,” Rio said.
“Are you thinking Macey’s in bed with Montenegro?” Van asked.
“With what I found last week, I think it’s something bigger. Macey’s been buying up all the property on the border from Naco to Bisbee. There are three of us that haven’t sold yet. My family is one of the hold outs. Wasn’t it about six months ago when he tried to move in on the casino at the reservation? Remember what he did to them, how he tried to go around federal law? And everyone found out his silent partners from Tahoe were tied to the Genovese crime family?”
“Okay, being tied in with the mob is one thing. Was he ever charged with a crime? We need to prove a tie to Montenegro. That being said, why would he come after you?” Gavin asked.
“The Lazy J. That all makes sense now. Montenegro is going for a double play. Hold you hostage until your family sold the ranch and Reyes gets a little revenge. We’ve been a real pain in the ass to the Montenegro cartel. Normally, Reyes and his gang wouldn’t have messed around like that. Your ranch has to be the only reason they kept you alive,” Alan said.
“But why didn’t they move you into Mexico right away? They had plenty of time,” Van said.
Thank God they didn’t. Rio cringed at the thought.
“It was supposed to be a practical joke. Who knew how to switch up the plan?” Gavin asked.
“Those dumbasses couldn’t come up with something that complicated. Someone’s dirty and used that situation to his advantage,” Van said.
“Follow the money. Look at Wes Macey and all of his dealings right now. I wondered why he wanted our ranch so bad. I’ll bet my next paycheck he’s dealing with someone connected to Montenegro,” Rio said, pointing at Macey’s name.
“That’s a hell of a bet, boss,” Salas said, sitting back.
“Yeah, but it all comes together,” Alan said.
“I don’t think it’s PJ, that’s for sure,” Gavin said frankly. “Based on his interrogation, I actually think he may have been set up.”
“It would make sense. He’s the newcomer. He’d be the perfect scapegoat,” Van said.
The concentration in the room shattered when Schotzie suddenly sat up and started barking ferociously. The hair rose up along the ridge of her back as she snapped and growled. Rio commanded her down. Instead, she bolted for the conference room window and clawed as she jumped against it.
“Down!” Rio commanded the dog firmly.
Schotzie lay down and whined as she barked at the window. Van picked up her leash and attempted to calm her. Glancing out of the window, Rio saw what had caused her dog’s sudden outburst. Jax had spotted Rio through the clear window while she talked with her men, and he made a beeline for the room. No longer considered a mere nuisance, she bristled because Jax had become a real threat to her safety. Being so attuned to each other, Schotzie sensed her mistress’s sudden change in mood and picked up her vicious barking again. The men turned to look behind them as the conference room door flew open.
“Lil’ bit…” Alan said as he stood when Jax stalked into the room toward her.
“Tell them to stop!” Jax said as he pointed to Gavin who also stood.
Everything she’d endured for the last week came screaming back at her with every inch Jax gained toward her. Never mind that she’d just determined he’d been used, her feelings of helplessness, fear, loss of hope that
anyone would come for her, and the realization that she might die rushed into her memory. Suddenly, the nasty smells and oppressive heat of her makeshift prison filled her senses once more.
Their practical joke had almost cost her life, and Jax wanted them to stop? Who the fuck would stop him? Schotzie continued her wild barking and snapping as she tugged away from Van. Salas grabbed the leash and had to hold on with both hands. She glanced at her dog and recalled how her cries sounded so helpless when she’d been shot. Her best friend and partner had been another innocent victim of him and all his bullshit. Now beyond all reason, in her mind, she no longer stood in the safety of a CBP conference room. His appearance had taken her back to the attic where she had to fight for her survival. As he came closer, she had a new objective: stop this son of a bitch from ever hurting anyone again—at any cost.
“Fuck you!” she roared, throwing down the marker in her hand as she charged forward.
Someone caught her from behind—and had just saved Jax’s life.
“Let me go! I’ll kill that bastard for what he did to my dog!” She screamed as she fought to get away from the person restraining her.
People shouted in the background, and more than one set of hands held her back. Her only mission in life had become pummeling Jax Macey into the concrete foundation of the building where she stood.
He had to be stopped, right now, before she took another breath. He had to be stopped.
“It’s not worth it, Rio. Remember who you are. Let’s get them the right way,” a deep voice urged close to her.
Watching him walk away was unacceptable. She fought even harder. She had to keep him from leaving. She’d had enough and wouldn’t rest until she stopped him, for good. His games had endangered people’s lives, and he had to be punished this time. Being held back by someone much stronger and impeding her mission, irritated her, and now she had to deal with escaping someone else’s clutches. The feeling of helplessness added to her fury, and she kicked and fought even harder.
“Rio, babe, stop. Look at me.”
She heard a soft, gentle, familiar voice penetrate through her rage. Danny? Taking a deep breath, she gripped the lifeline he’d thrown her. When she regained a sense of balance, she realized his hands were cupped around her face and his thumbs were stroking her cheeks. His touch made her body go slack. She focused on the deep, comforting, black pools of his eyes.