“Dario?” was how Zack answered.
“Yeah, Zack. I got Tommy here. You’re on speaker.”
Zack’s voice was low, by his tone I knew immediately that things were not good.
“We found Tessa. Or, I should say, the person who has her reached out to me. She’s okay. She’s safe.”
“Fuck,” Dare breathed out and ran his hands through his hair. I let out a big breath of my own. Thank God.
Zack continued, “Alessandro Romero has her. He did not abduct her but intercepted those who had her and made a deal. He’ll forgive you both for Juan Carlos and for Jesse. No retribution. He’ll give us back Tessa, unharmed.”
“What the fuck?” Dare’s eyes darted to me. His face looked as baffled as I was feeling.
“Say that again?” Dare asked.
Zack kept talking, “Denarda sold Tessa to a known flesh peddler in Tijuana. As you might know, Juan Carlos Castillo’s business was heavily into heroin but the
Romero side of that family are peddlers of flesh as their primary business. He knows who you are and knows who Angelica is. He purchased Tessa and doesn’t want the money back. He’s willing to release Tessa to you on just one condition.”
Dare’s face went stone cold and angry at the mention of his wife.
“What?” I asked.
Zack blew out a breath and then said, “You won’t try to take Holly from him.”
My jaw went tight and then I glanced at my brother.
Dare’s eyes closed and pain slashed across his features.
Zack continued, “Denarda had no intention of you ever getting Tessa back. He thinks he covered his trail and he made bank by selling the sister of connected guys to one of the bigger cartels, a cartel that did not like Tom Ferrano Sr. Shows his thinking, he’d rather do that to someone than take them out with a bullet because he knows this way will hurt more, even if you never found out what happened. Picking people with a beef with your father, it was also a power play, him showing you he’s got the means to make people you love disappear. He didn’t think you’d find her, I’m guessing, but probably thinkin’ that even if you did, you’d have a fight on your hands and make enemies tryin’ to get her back. We got almost enough to nail him for the kidnapping, though we think we know how to make him get put away for even longer for child pornography possession, so we’ll hold off. Need to interview your sister. And more on all that later. For now, we get her back, get him arrested.”
Not if I could help it. Leo Denarda wouldn’t see a jail cell.
“How does Romero factor into all of this?” I asked.
“Romero keeps his ear to the ground as a rule anyway but knowing about the connection between Holly and Mrs. Dario Ferrano? He’s probably paying even more attention, knew Denarda had put her up for auction, and paid through the nose to buy her. In other words, he did this because he found out you boys were nosing around for Holly Mooney and he wanted leverage.”
“How did he know that?” Dare asked.
“I called him,” Zack replied, “He’s knowledgeable and I hit a dead end. It was pointing one way and I had no idea at first that he not only knew who Holly was, but that he had her.”
Dare shook his head at me and kept talking, “What the fuck, man? We can’t let him keep Holly in exchange for Tessa.”
“Get Tessa back first. Then set up a meeting,” Zack suggested, “Try to negotiate.”
“We’re going nowhere near that fucker,” I bit off. “We’re supposed to believe he’ll hand our sister over without retaliation for what he thinks we did?” I wasn’t about to admit it, not knowing who else was privy to the conversation with Zack, Zack the fuckin’ fed.
Only a fool doesn’t try to think like someone who should be an enemy. No way would I negotiate with anyone who’d killed my brother. I might pretend for a heartbeat to get them in my sights and then I’d end them. How could Zack or Romero think we were this gullible?
“I’ll go,” Zack offered, “I’ll pick up your sister and see if it’s open for negotiation about Holly.”
“What the fuck?” I bit off, “Why would you go?”
“I have a strategic relationship with him. He’s not a good guy. But he’s an ally of mine. Nothing will happen to me if I go down there. I can get your sister back safe. Speaking of which, I need to meet with you both, today, have you sign non-disclosure agreements. In the meantime, I know you both know that this conversation is privileged.”
“He know you’re working with the Feds?” Dare asked.
I was grinding my teeth down so hard my jaw was beginning to ache.