Gone Too Far (Devlin & Falco #2) - Debra Webb Page 0,85
thing, considering my position.”
She says these things with such detachment. Perhaps because of the subtle form of hypnosis. There were times when she grew emotional. But not now. Not about the pregnancy.
“I would think this new development would have bonded you even closer to Eduardo.”
“It did. He asked me to marry him. He was thrilled. The old man didn’t appear to hate the idea, but who could say. He rarely got excited.”
“And the girl? The daughter, Isabella?”
“Eddie didn’t want her to know in the beginning.”
“I see.” Holden hesitates a moment. “What happened to the wedding plans? I’m assuming you did not marry him.”
“Around that same time there was growing unrest in another cartel. There was talk of a war. The tension was mounting. I could feel it thickening with each passing day.”
A long silence follows this explanation. Does she fear what comes next? Who wouldn’t?
“Did something happen in January, Sadie?”
“There was a meeting. I can’t remember the exact day. But, at some point in January, I overheard a telephone conversation between Eddie and his father and a female. The woman was on the phone; she wasn’t there at the compound. The call was on speaker, and the three were arguing. The woman seemed to be winning. It was very strange. Whatever she suggested, the old man agreed. Eddie not so much.”
“Did you know this woman?”
“No. I didn’t know her . . . don’t know her.”
“She was never addressed by her name?”
“No. Carlos referred to her only once or twice by manita.”
“Little sister.”
“Yes.”
“Were you or those in your task force aware Carlos had a sister or someone to whom he referred as sister?”
“No. The existence of a female relative was never proven. To my knowledge, it was decided she was some sort of business partner. An outsider with some other source of power besides blood.”
“Eduardo didn’t refer to her as aunt or by any term of endearment?”
“No. He was very angry during what I heard of the conversation. I can’t remember specifics, but I got the impression he didn’t like her.”
“Was there anything about the conversation that proved particularly important to your assignment?”
“Yes. The decision was made to initiate a strike against the other cartel. I passed this information along to my contact that same day.”
“Why would a strike against a rival cartel be of significance in your operation?”
“It was the DEA’s plan to boost the rival cartel’s means so they would be able to defeat the Osorio family. A surprise attack wouldn’t bode well for that end.”
Holden says nothing else for a while. Eventually, he asks, “Is this common practice for an agency to use a criminal element to help accomplish their goal?”
“Happens all the time.”
“How did this development affect your situation?”
“Passing along this information blew my cover. I was taken into custody by the old man’s security regime.”
“Did Eduardo intervene on your behalf?”
“No. When the commander of the security team told him what I had done, he turned his back and walked out of the room.”
“He said nothing to you or to the commander?”
“‘Make the call.’ That’s all he said.”
“Meaning the decision or an actual call?”
“I don’t know. My memories of that time are less than reliable.”
“You were extremely lucky.”
“I guess that depends on how you define lucky.”
“You lived.”
“Did I?”
28
Friday, April 16
8:30 a.m.
Birmingham Police Department
First Avenue North
The LT wasn’t buying the scenario that Sue Grimes was dead because the BPD had a leak.
Kerri wanted to scream. Right now, this minute, she should be working the Kurtz case with her partner. Falco was handling this high-profile damned case alone. Because Kerri was terrified for her daughter.
Actually, at this point, Kerri was beyond desperate. “You are the only person besides Falco I told about Sue’s story.”
The accusation hung in the thick-with-tension air. Brooks stared at her in a sort of stunned silence.
“Are you accusing me of something, Detective?”
Kerri refused to back down. “No, sir. I’m accusing someone you may have spoken to regarding the situation. Sue Grimes is dead. I can’t believe her murder, less than twenty-four hours after telling me that story, is a coincidence.”
The LT had offered her a seat the moment she’d entered his office, but Kerri hadn’t been able to sit. She stood there now, hands on her hips, waiting for his reaction like a prisoner about to be executed. She felt exactly as alone as a prisoner on death row. Her entire career, this was the one place she had never felt alone or out of place.
Until now.
“You see, that’s the problem, Devlin,” he said, leaning