The reporter’s voice filled the room.“… in what officials are calling a major blow to cartel activity in the region, federal agents and local authorities executed multiple coordinated raids late last night.Warrants were served at several properties, including this rural compound believed to be owned by businessman Carlos Diaz…”
My breath stopped.
The gate behind her looked familiar from pictures in Jason’s notes.Long drive.Trees lining either side.Security cameras tucked into the stone pillars.
The footage cut to a shaky shot taken from a distance.Agents in tactical gear moved through an open gate.Vehicles lined the driveway.Men on their knees.Hands laced behind their heads.
The shot zoomed.
Diaz.Dark hair threaded with gray.Expensive coat thrown on over a T-shirt.Hands cuffed behind his back, face blank.
“… Diaz, long suspected of having ties to international drug trafficking, was taken into custody without incident,” the reporter went on.“Authorities also arrested several alleged associates, including Victor Alvarez, believed to be a key lieutenant…”
Victor.He appeared in the next shot, being shoved into the back of a car.Smirk gone.Eyes wild.
I realized I was gripping Kane’s cut so hard my fingers hurt.
He covered my hand with his.
“… sources say this operation was the result of a multi-year investigation led by Detective Brian Hanley of the Metro Narcotics Task Force, in cooperation with federal agencies…”
Hanley.
My throat burned.
Spade hit pause.
Silence filled the room.
Someone sniffed.Someone else cleared his throat.
Atilla leaned back in his chair, eyes on the frozen image of Diaz in handcuffs.
“There it is,” he said quietly.
“He’s done?Already?”one of the younger guys asked.
General shook his head.“A lot went into this.Hanley.Spade.All the threads connected.We pulled some.They pulled others.Now we see the result.”
“Prison won’t kill him,” another voice argued.“The bastard still breathes.”
Atilla leaned forward, knuckles white against the table edge.“For now.Men in his position fare poorly behind bars.He’ll spend his remaining days watching guards and inmates instead of sending men to our gate.I count this as a win.”
Spade yanked the tablet free from its connection and scrubbed his palm across his stubbled face.
“Federal agents raided four properties simultaneously,” he said.“The downtown condo.His office building.The port warehouse Roth mentioned.The main compound.Half his lieutenants went into custody.The rest scattered when news broke.Every account frozen.Every smuggling route compromised.His influence shrinks by the hour, though a few loyal rats might remain.”
“His family?”I asked, voice raspier than I meant it to be.
Spade’s gaze softened.“Elena and Sofia are out.Hanley made sure they were off-site before the compound raid.They’re not saying where, which is fine by me.Diaz will know they’re safe.It’ll piss him off that his wife is alive.That’s a bonus.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.“Good.He can rot without dragging them down too.”
Atilla looked around the table.“This doesn’t mean we let our guard down,” he said.“Cartel doesn’t vanish because one man gets hauled into a courtroom.Other crews are going to smell blood and try to move into the gap.Some of them may look at our town and see fresh meat.We stay sharp.We keep the kids drilled.We don’t get stupid.”
“But Diaz?”someone asked.
“Diaz is done,” Atilla said.“At least around here.This chapter?Over.”
