Rage travels from the top of my head straight down my body. “They didn’t even know Ant was alive until recently. Once again, he was willing to trade his grandson to get out of trouble with this syndicate,” I say, utterly disgusted.
“I told him not to do it,” she says, her voice wobbling. “I told him there had to be a better way, but…he said he didn’t care because his grandson wasn’t worth protecting.”
“Did he saywhyhis grandson wasn’t worth protecting?”
She nods. “I love my daughter, but I wish I’d never had a child with that man. I was very young when we got together, but now I understand how conditional his love is.”
“We have to get a few things cleaned up around here, blood and bodies. Can I take you to a separate room so you and your daughter can wait for us?”
She agrees, and we have them close their eyes as we pass her late husband’s body. I guide her along the hallway to the next door down. We check the room and get them comfortable, then join Ant downstairs.
Ant must’ve found someone close to his size. He’s wearing clean clothes that are only a little big on him, and there’s a lightness to him that I don’t think I’ve seen before. He runs up and gives me a hug, and I kiss his soaking-wet head.
“Is he dead?” Ant asks, whispering the words into my chest.
“Yes. Javier and I took care of him together.”
He nods and snuggles in closer. “Good.”
“We also discovered that he got remarried to a young woman, and they have a daughter. Maybe five or six.”
“Wait. I have a new aunt?” he asks.
“Yeah, I guess. I don’t know what you want to do with them, but they look like they were caught up in this like your mom was.”
He nods. “I’m sure the Wimberley team will want to double and triple verify that for us.”
“You bet your sweet ass we will,” Anders says, his voice coming in over the comms.
Shit. I’d forgotten about the comms.
“Why haven’t you been chirping in my ear?” I ask. “What good is a Bat Phone if y’all aren’t helping us?”
Ant gawps at me. “You actually called the Bat Phone?”
“Yeah, but Anders answered, so…wah, wah,” I say, grinning as I point to my earbud.
“Oh, shut up,” Anders responds sourly. “So, cousin, what’s the status with everything?”
Javier joins us and hands Ant his comms device.
“Ant took out, like, twenty guys on his own. Javier and I got the grandfather.”
Hugging my side, Ant says, “Yeah, but the dead guys’ radios have been squawking this whole time. I have a feeling we need to get out of here fast.”
“Nah. Don’t worry about that,” Anders says in that far too laid-back tone of his. “There’s no rush.”
Ant’s eyes widen and he starts shaking his head. “I’d bet everything in my bank account they’ve already got a fresh new group of guys on the way up here from Mexico City or someplace closer.”
“There was a group, but they were on the way down from Tamaulipas.”
“Were?”
“Wimberley got their nerds on it, and they played the world’s fastest game of drone versus car,” Anders explains, sounding disappointed.
“Cousin, I take it you’re not a fan of drones.”
A familiar cackle floats across the line, and Ant starts laughing too. “Hop, buddy, is that you?” he asks, squeezing me tight.
