“Not good news,” Isaak’s deep voice rumbles over the phone. “That big rig company Zedekiah works for is legit, but Mads hacked his company's travel logs, and he goes on runs to Jalisco twice a month.”
Jalisco. Classic cartel country. I’ve heard they work with the Texas MCs to move product.
“How has he not been picked up by border control?” I ask.
“He’s been stopped a couple of times, apparently, but he always checks out fine. Maybe he hauled clean loads sometimes and got lucky on those runs? Or maybe he gets tipped off. Who knows?”
“Lucky. Sure.” I glare out the back window at the private backyard. This bastard’s luck just ran out. “Do we know who he’s running the shipmentsfor? Harper said she thinks it’s an MC.”
“That’s the other news that just came in and why I texted. Mads also found some traffic cam footage of the bleeding fucker slung bitch over the back of one of the Harleys you saw.”
“So he’s still alive,” I growl unhappily. “I was hoping he bled out before the ambulances got there.”
“No such luck. If it’s any solace, it looked like he was in a lot of pain. Bad news, though—the camera got a clear pic of the cuts the bikers were wearing. Lonestar Kings.”
“Fuck,” I breathe out, watching my face go pale in the bathroom mirror.
Everybody in Texas knows the Kings. They’re notorious for their brutality working this side of the border in coordination with the newer, more entrepreneurial Jalisco cartels. They’ll work with anyone, not just their own supply lines, to traffic drugs, guns, and girls back and forth across the border.
The Kings have been around for decades, but ever since their partnership with the new Jalisco cartels, they’ve been more deadly than ever. Just a few years ago there was a shootout near Nuevo Laredo that took out five federal agents.
“There’s got to be a RICO case building against them, right?” I ask.
“Not in time to do your girl any good if she’s mixed up with them right now.”
I nod. “What’s their connection to Silas? Harper said Z was trying to force him to give her ownership of Carnal. What the hell does a random piece of downtown real estate have to do with any of this?”
“Still working on it.”
“Was Father Bane able to get in to see Silas?” I hoped at least Silas would be willing to talk to the priest to give us some insight into what thehellis going on.
“Bane got there right before visiting hours ended but was turned away. They said Silas wasn’t accepting visitors.”
I shake my head. “Do you think that’s the truth? Harper said he indicated the guards were in on it with the Kings.”
“Don’t know. But I’ve heard the Kings have networks all throughout the prisons, on both sides of the bars.”
“Shit. You think Silas is safe?”
“I think safety is a relative term, considering we have no idea what we’re wrapped up in.”
“Fuck.” I look back in the direction of my bedroom door.
I’m reunited with the love of my life, only to be put in a position where I’m not sure if I can keep her safe. It feels like that Christmas when Mom revealed her cancer was back all over again.
What if I can’t keep them safe?
What if I lose Harper?
My hands start shaking. Three. Seven. Eleven, thirteen, seventeen, nineteen?—
“Okay, our guys just pulled up outside your location,” Isaak says. “One will post across the street, one will take the backyard. I’ll keep you updated as we learn more.”
“Thanks, Isaak. I owe you one.”
“Don’t be dumb. You’re family.”
I huff out a short laugh as the phone clicks off in my ear. I should be relieved knowing we’ve got protection.