Riven mumbled something but then said, “Where do you want us to go?”
Cross leaned over and put the phone on mute. “Billy, where can the ladies wait until all this is over?”
“There’s a diner not too far from there.” He supplied the address. “It’s an all-night place. Tell them to talk to Marissa, the waitress. Tell her they know me and are waiting for me. She’ll take care of them.”
Cross relayed the message to Riven and then killed the call. Billy was still on an open line. “Call Patch,” he directed Tessa. What he didn’t say was that they were coming up against Tessa’s deadline. She had to call Rodriguez by eleven so he didn’t think something was up. Cross didn’t want her to make the call until they knew who the dirty ATF agent was, just in case Rodriguez used him and his crew as backup.
Tessa followed Cross’s order, and Patch’s voice filled the space. “Nothing so far.”
Cross wanted to slam his fist into one of the nearby crates. The stress of waiting was getting to him. He laced his fingers together behind his head and blew out a long breath.
“Did anyone else report anything?” Savvy asked.
“Yeah,” Tessa said, filling them in on Riven and Frankie’s situation.
“So it’s either us or Billy and Wallace,” Patch confirmed.
Tessa wrapped her arms around her waist. “We’ll keep both lines open. Yell out if you see anything.”
“Will do,” Patch confirmed.
Tessa glanced at her watch. “It’s eleven. What do you want me to do?”
McGuire glanced at Cross but said, “Just wait a couple more minutes. I don’t want Rodriguez to change his mind and decide to wait for the official exchange without us knowing who thecrooked cop is. We need to make sure he’s taken off the board before anything goes down.”
Cross agreed wholeheartedly, but he also knew they may not have the luxury of time in this circumstance. Drew might not have much time. That’s what he was thinking, but he didn’t have the heart to say it out loud. He was suddenly very superstitious. Like if he said the words out loud, that might make it come true. He swallowed and ran his hands down his face.
“Billy, you got anything?” Stone asked.
“Nada.”
“What about you, Patch? Anything?” McGuire asked.
“Nope. Nothing doin’ over here.”
“Shit,” Cross mumbled. “What do we do?” He glanced at his watch…it was already five after. They had to make the call, and soon, or Rodriguez would know something was up. The room stayed quiet, but Tessa studied him. Finally, he nodded at her. “Make the call. We don’t have a choice.”
Tessa nodded and then called Rodriguez.
“Hola, puta. Where is my shipment?” Rodriguez’s voice filled the office.
“Hello, asshole,” Tessa responded. Then she rattled off the address of the warehouse they were standing in. “One hour. Don’t be late.” She quickly disconnected the call.
McGuire took up pacing from Cross. “We might have to rethink things. Billy and Wallace might need to come back here to help us if we don’t know which cop is dirty. The last thing we need is Rodriguez showing up with his guys, the cartel goons, and a bunch of bent ATF agents.”
“You really think they might come to the exchange with Rodriguez?” Stone asked.
Cross shrugged. “Tessa, you know him best…What do you think?”
Tessa bit her lip. “I’d say…it’s a possibility. Rodriguez does not want to be out-gunned and the cartel guys are not his muscle. If he brings his bent AFT guy or guys, then it’s more firepower for his side.”
Cross bit back an oath. He couldn’t stand this much longer. Drew was out there, and he needed to get her back. Hell, he’d wanted to go get her from wherever Rodriguez was holding her, but the guys had quickly disabused him of that idea, citing the fact that they had no way of knowing for sure where Drew was being held and they didn’t have the manpower to find out in time.
“Anything?” he finally growled loudly enough for both groups to hear him through the phones.
“Nah, I got noth— Hold,” Billy directed. “I’ve got movement.”
Savvy said, “We got nothing. Just some overweight white guy walking around like he’s lost.”
