“What is this?”
Bruno was nervous, but it was obvious he wasn’t certain who I was.
At least at first.
I could tell the instant he realized the judge was standing right in front of him. After giving him a onceover, I pointed the barrel of my weapon as his shrinking cock.
“Who are you?” he asked, trying to play the tough guy, but he was failing badly. I’d seen many a strung-out kid who believed they had what it took to be in a gang only to be eaten alive or killed within weeks. It took a special breed to be successful in cartels and crime syndicates.
“I think you know, Bruno. And I believe you’re aware that I won’t let anything happen to Valentina.”
He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. “Is she okay?”
“What do you fucking care? Now, I will admit that calling to warn her that she was about to be abducted did take guts.”
Glancing at Maverick, he seemed to know what I needed, immediately turning off the water.
“You did call and warn her. Didn’t you?”
“Ye… Yes.”
“Why?” When he didn’t answer right away, I closed and rubbed my eyes. “I’m tired. I’m cranky from finding the need to beat the shit out of Worthington’s mole. I stink like gasoline from torching his car. I nearly got my nuts blown off when torching one your boss’ warehouses and I might have a slight buzz from being around too much cocaine. So as you can see, I’m all out of patience.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. “What do you need me for? You got it all figured out.”
“One simple thing. I need to know the date your boss is planning on hijacking the Colombian ship.”
That was only one part, but I didn’t want to overwhelm the guy. I needed him to lead me to the truth about what was really going on.
“Fuck you. I can’t do that.”
“I think you can,” I countered. “In fact, I know you can.”
He licked his lips out of nervousness. “You don’t know what Delgado will do to me.”
I pressed the barrel against his balls, adding some pressure. “And you have no clue what will happen if I pull the trigger. And don’t let the fact I’m a judge fool you. I was called The Butcher in the Marines for a reason.”
He was a pasty white boy, but he paled even more, his lower lip quivering. “They’ll hurt her. They’ll hurt Bella.”
“Well, at least you know your daughter’s name.”
“Of course I do. I love them. I just…” He looked away as if hopeful of finding answers.
“Then tell me what I need to know and maybe one day you’ll get to spend time with your daughter. When is the ship being hijacked?”
More silence.
“When?” I all but shouted, my face barely an inch from his. Exhaling, I calmed my nerves. “Then let’s try this. What terrible thing did you do? According to what Valentina told me, you admitted you did something horrible. What was it?”
“You don’t get it. Delgado controls this town. He’s very dangerous.”
“Oh, I do get it. What I also get is that the bullshit with the Colombians, this fight that you’re in is fake. It’s merely to disguise what’s really happening. Isn’t it? What did you apologize to Valentina for? Is this about drug smuggling or human trafficking?”
When he still didn’t answer, I slammed the weapon against the tile next to his head then pointed it at his face, making certain the weapon was ready to fire.
“Okay. I sold her to Delgado. He has a buyer. I was high. I owed him money. I’m so sorry. That’s why I called her. You got to believe me. I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Now he was blubbering.
