Matiasgrippedthepistolin his hand as he pressed it against the woman’s temple. “I’ll only ask you one more time. Who paid you to deliver this?” He held up a piece of paper in his hand.
“A man. That is all I know. He gave me five hundred US dollars to bring the letter here.” She held her hands in front of her face as she cowered away from him.
“Shit. That’s nearly forty thousand in pesos.” Cristian grabbed the letter from Matias and read over it.
“I think this is a joke. So, I’ll tell you what.” Cristian kneeled in front of her. “Take this,” he pulled out another hundred-dollar bill, “and go back and tell the coward, Jorge, to come here himself.”
“Get out.” Matias pushed her off the chair. “Go, before I change my mind.”
The woman scurried to her feet and bolted out of the office. They knew Jorge had sent the woman to Silva mining with the letter.
“It looks like he knows you have Katya.”
“Yep, appears so. Pedro,” Matias called out, beckoning Pedro into the room. “Go to my house and retrieve Ms. Ivanov. I don’t trust this piece of shit not to send someone there to get her.”
“Will do.”
“What about the crate? Any word on what was inside?”
“It was definitely a person. We just don’t know who.”
“This is getting more and more fucked up. Why would Ivanov transport a person here in a crate? And why would Jorge help him?”
Bastian stepped into the room. “Pretty sure Jorge is on his payroll.”
“Bastian, I didn’t expect you back so soon.”
“Yeah, funny story. The winery is closed to visitors right now. Apparently, they’re remodeling.”
“Remodeling?” Cristian rubbed his neck in frustration. “Does he seriously think we buy that reason?”
“I managed to pay one of the field hands for information. It appears Jorge had a large crate delivered a day ago. Seems like the crate Dmitri brought is being stashed on his grounds.”
“We need to know who or what was in that fucking crate.”
“Who?” Bastian cocked his head at me. “You mean to tell me the crate has someone in it?”
“Appears that way.”
“Fuck.” Bastian breathed out a heavy sigh.
Matias glanced up at Pedro, who was now standing in the doorway. “What’s the problem?”
“It appears someone tried to break into your house.”
“Fuck!” Bastian jumped up, knocking his chair to the floor.
“Katya?” Matias started toward the door.
“She’s cut up a little, but alright. I’m afraid they killed one of your guards during the break in.”
“Let’s go, Brother.” Bastian pressed his hand into Matias’ back urging him to move forward.
“Cristian.” Matias looked over at his brother. “I want that motherfucker’s head.”
Katyasatonthecouch; her knees drawn up to her chest. She stared at the lifeless eyes of the man who had stepped in front of the bullet meant for her. His head was at an odd angle as it rested against the tiled floor. Blood pooled around the gaping hole in his head.
“Katya.” Matias kneeled in front of her. “Are you hurt?”
