Cobb (Lighthouse Security Investigations #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,94

Bert?”

Timothy sighed, his chest deflating and his chin dropping. His head shook slowly from side to side. “It’s not Bert. He would never do anything to you.”

“Then what is she talking about?”

“It’s his… um… habit.” Lifting his head, he added, “It’s just recreational, I swear. But it was enough for her to hold over our heads. She promised a way to make a lot of money. Bert didn’t even know what she was talking about but said ‘no’. Same with Roberto at first, but then he came along with me. We partied together, gambled together, but Bert was never part of her deal.”

Her wariness was still heightened, although fatigue was nipping at her heels. “None of this makes sense.” She kept her eye on Carmen, who seemed to swell with vibrating anger as Timothy seemed to deflate.

“It was just supposed to be a way to make money,” he said. “That was all. I swear I didn’t know we were in bed with a drug cartel. I had no idea that was where the money came from. It was supposed to be just like investing. Put a little in and hope you come out with a lot.”

“What’s the matter with you? If you’re doing that illegally, then it’s just wrong. You can’t make it sound like it’s anything else but just wrong.”

He lifted his gaze to her, defeat written on his face, and whispered, “But it felt so right.”

“Getting your friend hooked on drugs to keep him complacent? That felt right to you? Kidnapping me? Threatening me? What’s next? Killing me?” Josie’s voice lifted with each word, her chest hurting with the exertion. Her anger rose to rage burning in her heart, and it focused on the sneering woman standing next to him.

“No!” he shouted. “That’s not going to happen!” He shifted his gaze to the side. “Right, Carmen? You’re just questioning her?”

A perfectly arched brow lifted as Carmen sneered. “You really are pathetic. A sniveling excuse for a man.” Casting a glance toward Josie before pinning him with a glare, she added, “You just might be next after her if you’re not careful.”

Timothy gasped, but Carmen ignored him as she peered down into her small handbag and pulled out a plastic case, then extracted a hypodermic needle. Smiling at Josie, she said, “Don’t worry, sweetie. You’ve already had this done once today, only this one will be a little bit more permanent.”

She barked at Timothy to hold Josie, but he threw up his hands and stepped back. “No, no!”

“You know what will happen if you don’t. It will be a lot more unpleasant than this. The people we work with would be much more likely to handle you the same way they handled Caesar.” Carmen took a step closer, but Timothy intercepted, swinging out to hit Carmen’s hand.

Fury flowed through Josie’s veins as much as the drugs still in her system, and she swung wildly, her fist connecting with Carmen’s face as the door slammed open, bouncing against the wall. She screamed, “That’s for getting my cousin hooked!” Pain rocketed through her hand and radiated up her arm, and she dropped to her knees, ignoring the blood running from Carmen’s nose.

The room filled with so much vibrating electricity, she swung her gaze over just in time to see her warrior enter the room.

27

Having stood directly outside the door, Cobb had listened to Josie’s scream. His knees nearly buckled at the sound of her voice. Tate’s hand landed on his shoulder, the barest touch that let him know his friend knew exactly what he was feeling. The two men lifted booted feet and kicked out in unison, easily popping the door open. With weapons drawn, they rushed in.

His gaze instantly took in the occupants of the room, zeroing in on the threat facing Josie as she punched outward, her small fist making contact. Carmen, blood streaming from her nose, stumbled backward, her arms windmilling to remain upright. Drew rushed forward, his immense height towering over the woman as he grabbed her wrist, exerting the pressure necessary for the hypodermic to drop from her hand. Tate’s weapon was trained on Timothy, but the younger man’s hands were in the air as his body shook. Bray quickly bagged the hypodermic, placing it in a container before shoving it into his bag.

Cobb dropped to his knees and grabbed Josie, who was staring at him through wide, still-dilated eyes. Swinging her up into his arms, he stalked over to the edge of the bed and