“Some old shit from the convent. Dude nearly pissed his pants when I took it from him and destroyed the footage of the kids from the security cameras. I know you hate leaving any sort of trace behind.” Mateo gets up and paces near the table. I push farther back, praying he doesn’t spy me up here.
“One problem,” Mateo says. It looks like he’s struggling with what he wants to say. “When I woke up after she cracked that bottle over my head, my gun was gone.”
Thomas puts everything back in the bag and asks, “What do you mean gone?”
“The gun is gone,” Mateo bites out.
The difference between Thomas and Mateo are obvious. Whatever Mateo is feeling shows in his face, his movements, and his voice. But Thomas is completely different. Right now, he looks calm and relaxed but I know it’s not real. I wonder if Mateo knows that.
Thomas waits a moment before changing the subject. “And what about Williams? Where is he?”
“In Mandeville. Didn’t think you’d want him in the Quarter just yet, but he’s close enough to be here within a few minutes. He’s about to blow a gasket trying to figure out what’s going on and where the boy is. The last message I sent said that he would get instructions today about where to meet. And as far as I can tell, he hasn’t called anybody yet. Too scared about what will happen to the boy.” Mateo laughs and I instantly feel sorry for Agent Williams. He must be in hell wondering how his grandson is doing.
“And how is the boy?” Thomas asks. “You’re not to touch him, remember?”
“He’s fine, but I think you’re making a mistake there. Just think howusefulhe could be if we kept him a while.”
It’s the way he saysusefulthat makes my skin crawl. Thomas may be a cold-blooded killer but Mateo seems pure evil.
“This is my show so my call. Don’t touch him,” Thomas says in a relaxed tone. I wish I knew what he was thinking. “And what about Riley?”
Who’s Riley?
“Yeah. All set.”
“And no problems with the group in Arkansas?”
I slide down the wall. Is he talking about our families?
“It’s getting pretty tense but they’re still on the island. Checked the webcam a few hours ago.”
Mateo waits a moment before saying, “I’m surprised you let the other two go. Seems like you’re getting soft.”
There’s a threat there that even I can see. “Again, not your concern. I will clean up those loose ends. You don’t need to worry about them.”
“Everything that happens here is my concern.”
I can’t breathe. I can’t believe how stupid I was. Ethan and Teeny aren’t safe…not at all.
I’m waiting for one of them to throw a punch but Mateo finally relaxes. “So, it’s still on for this afternoon?” he asks.
“Yes. Three p.m. Everything has to be ready by then. And Hammond, where is he?”
“Close. Still in the Quarter. He still thinks he’s communicating with Williams instead of yours truly. Said he saw the kids near Café du Monde and they ran from him. He couldn’t understand why.” Mateo pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, offering one to Thomas.
He accepts the smoke and says, “Good. For this to work, he needs to be killed at the site. We’ll bring him in after we’ve finished with Vega. Once they find the pictures and reports, Hammond’s guilt will be sealed.”
Hammond isn’t the mole? He chased us but he wasn’t trying to hurt us. God, we were so naive. Thomas just wants the agency tothinkhe’s the mole. So who is it?
“When do you want Williams to show?”
“By three thirty it should be done. We just need to make sure it’s laid out just right.” A thin stream of smoke drifts up from Thomas and hangs suspended in the air in front of me.
“And Anna?”
“I promised Ty she wouldn’t get hurt.”
Mateo chuckles and shivers race down my spine. “She’s going to get hurt, no doubt about it. I’m not risking everything for her to run back home and spill her guts to anyone who will listen. There will only be three people who know what really went down here—me, you, and Riley.”
