Dante led Sean into a well-appointed library. If Sean were in the mood, he would have enjoyed the room, with books and art and a state-of-the-art computer system. Dante waved off his security and closed the door so he and Sean were alone.
“Sit.”
“No.”
“Kane at least plays the game.”
Sean grunted out a laugh.
“In his own way.” Dante walked over to his desk and leaned back in the leather chair. “You want me to broker a deal.”
“I want my brother.”
“And your brother wants the kid he was hired to retrieve. Some sort of domestic issue.”
“I’m just his pilot.”
Now Dante laughed. “Oh, Sean, that is so ridiculous. Do you think I’m an idiot? Just a pilot. You think you’re immune to this world, flying your brother around and guarding the plane? That anyone would even believe it anymore? The wrong people know exactly who you are. You can’t be a Rogan on this planet and not have the wrong people keep tabs on you. Your brother did you a grave disservice if he didn’t teach you the laws of the universe long ago.”
Sean crossed the library and put his hands on Dante’s desk. “I want my brother back. I don’t care about the kid, I don’t care about Flores or your ego or your love-hate relationship with my family. I want Kane. I have seven million dollars-one million in cash and six million in bearer bonds. Call Flores and tell him I want to make a trade.”
Dante stared at him for a long minute. Sean could see his brain running through all the possible scenarios. He was definitely intrigued. Then he said, “I want one thing in return.”
“What?” Sean said through clenched teeth.
“Not now. But I will call for a favor, and you will not say no.”
Sean didn’t want to be beholden to this man. He knew nothing about him other than what Kane and Jack had told him. But he knew that Dante was the only one who could broker this deal, and getting that meeting with Flores was crucial to rescuing Kane and Jesse.
“Okay.”
Dante smiled. “Kane is a man of his word, and I will assume you are as well. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Make the call.”
“Dear Sean, this is a game I am exceptionally good at, do not tell me how to do it. I will call you with a time and place.”
“I want my gun back.”
“Of course. It’s a dangerous city. I would never let you walk out of here unarmed.”
Dante made sure Sean Rogan had his weapon and phone returned, then went back to his office.
Six million in bearer bonds.
Kane Rogan was playing a dangerous game, but Dante knew exactly what was going on. Kane, the brilliant fool, had let himself get taken. He wouldn’t tell Sean where that money came from, but he knew that as soon as Sean came to him-and who else would Sean go to in Guadalajara who had any information about where Flores was keeping his brother?-that Dante would know exactly what Kane wanted him to do.
But he had Gabriella to think about. His beautiful, smart, revenge-driven sister.
He closed his eyes and played through every scenario he could imagine-something he was exceptionally good at. And in five minutes he realized that Kane must have gotten to Gabriella. Something he said or did or promised had Gabriella helping him.
Possibly. Sometimes, Dante didn’t understand his sister. Hell, he didn’t understand women. But he did understand Kane Rogan, and he decided that it would be fun to play along and see what happened.
Because Dante knew every party who wanted those bearer bonds. Every. Single. One.
Including the person Kane and JT had originally stolen them from.
It would also greatly benefit him to have Sean Rogan alive.
Sean Rogan who now owed him a favor. A favor that Dante couldn’t wait to call in.
Sean Rogan. He hadn’t seen him since he was a kid, but he was everything he expected. A bit hotheaded. Smart. Manipulative. That kid didn’t know his value. Or maybe he did… which made this deal all the more interesting.
He picked up his secure phone. First he called the eldest Flores brother. Dominick was the only sane one in a family of lunatics. He would take the money over killing Kane-at least, he would be willing to consider it.
It took him a bit of time to get through to Dominick. “What is it, Romero?”
“I’ve been hired by Rogan’s family to negotiate for his return.”
“He’s not up for negotiation.”
“Six million in bearer bonds, plus some cash.”
Silence.
“Do you have the money?”
“The family has it.”
“Who?”
“Sean Rogan.”
“I’ll call you back.” Dom hung up, but Dante knew the Flores family. They would argue, but they would want the money. So he’d either call back and set up the trade, kill Sean and Kane and take the money, or call back and set up the trade and let Sean negotiate.
This was a dangerous game, because there was no doubt Flores knew that Sean was a computer hacker. These people always wanted the best to help them secure their illegally gotten gains. Of course, Dante understood this because he, too, wanted the best.
Either way, Sean would go to the Flores compound with the money and bonds. And it would happen quickly.
Dante dialed a number he hadn’t called in years, but the phone was picked up after two rings.
Dante said, “I found your bonds. And I know who stole them.”
He gave the information to his old friend and they discussed what to do about the situation.
Then he made a third call and left a message.
“I have information you want and it’s free. You have my number.”
He hung up.
Kane Rogan made one fatal mistake. He may know who was looking for the bearer bonds-many people over the years had been looking for them for a variety of reasons-and he may think he would be able to capitalize on that knowledge to create a diversion at the Flores compound. But Dante knew who he’d stolen them from in the first place. And he couldn’t wait to expose Kane.
He truly hoped both Kane and Sean survived Dominick Flores and the rest of the Flores clan. Because the real fireworks were to come later.
And Dante, for one, couldn’t wait to witness that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Adam Villines walked out onto the porch of Honeycutt’s house and told Nate and Lucy, “I have a general location of George’s phone.”
John came out of the house. “I’m coming with you,” he said.
“No,” Adam said.
“Adam, you don’t understand! This girl-she’s been through hell. And now three cops are going to storm her place? She’ll be terrified. She needs to see a friendly face!”
Lucy rose from the bench. She still felt queasy, but she was pulling herself together. “John, she will see a friendly face. Siobhan Walsh is a friend of mine. She’s been looking for Marisol and Ana ever since they went missing. She’ll be with us.” Lucy pulled the photo of Marisol, Ana, and Siobhan from her file. “This is Siobhan with the girls when they were younger.”
“But-”
Adam put his hand on John’s shoulder. They were both tall men, but Adam was broader and more muscular than his brother-in-law. “Johnny, stay with your parents tonight. Keep the house locked up, guns by your side, just in case. Call me if there is anything suspicious going on. And I give you my word, we’ll do everything to help those girls.”
John nodded, though he still looked unhappy. “Thank you, Adam.” He turned to Lucy. “Anything my parents and I can do, we’ll do. We don’t have a lot of money, but we have this property-a safe place for them to stay. Food. My mom was a school nurse for thirty-five years, she can take care of them. Their-special needs.”
The compassion she witnessed helped Lucy more than she could have explained to John or anyone. Here was a family willing to share everything they had to help someone they had just met. Not just Marisol, but them. Both the girls. The babies. The Honeycutts were the light in the world, a light Lucy desperately needed right then.