Harrison shot him an annoyed look.“Our actions have impeded their operation, either directly or indirectly.Locals were afraid to speak out against them because they knew the police had no control.The police weren’t involved this time,” he continued, looking around at his team.“The Panamanian military stepped in, and that may be making their citizens bolder in reporting the cartel’s crimes.”
“And now they’re crying online to their little Internet buddies,” Sawyer finished.
Harrison cleared his throat.“It appears that way.But anger can lead to planning and plotting.The timing is interesting given that Luciana’s father has now appeared repeatedly on the news.”
“I don’t like it,” Ryan said.“Juan Rodriguez expressed zero interest in Luciana at all for well over a decade.Avery told me Luciana never spoke with her family again after she fled the home.”
“She told me the same,” Harrison said.“We’re going to look deeper into what the connection is.We believe Rodriguez has ties to the cartel through some sort of business dealings but don’t know in what exact capacity.It was difficult enough to uncover his shadow company.”
“Do you think he was buying properties for the cartel to use?”Wyatt asked.
Hudson scrubbed a hand over his jaw.“Or maybe he’s buying goods from them—drugs, women, whatever the commodity of the hour is, and storing them there.”
“But he’s selling the properties, too,” Wyatt pointed out.
“Maybe the goods are a gift with purchase,” Hudson quipped.
Harrison looked at him, frowning.“I don’t know what to make of it, but the number of real estate transactions was highly unusual.We’ll dig deeper and see if there’s a connection between who the buyers are.Anything’s possible at this point.I’m not concerned about our safety, as they have little way of IDing us.But Luciana....”He trailed off.“Her father has been showing her photo on the news.If the story breaks here, and it damn well might, then her face and name could end up everywhere.”
“We’ll keep her safe, commander,” Ryan told him, anger crossing his face.
“Damn straight we will.But I want to cripple this organization before it comes to that.”
Chapter 23
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LATE THAT EVENING,Harrison sat beside Luciana on the beach.He’d grabbed a big blanket before they left, and she’d prepared a picnic dinner for them.With the sunset over the water and a beautiful woman at his side, it felt more like a date than a simple meal.He wasn’t complaining.Far from it.Being with Luciana felt natural.
They’d taken his SUV rather than his Harley, and the only thing he’d missed about it was her pressed up behind him.Maybe that made him a cave man of sorts, but he’d loved feeling Luciana’s feminine curves against him.
She sat mere inches from him now, and he kept his hands to himself.Barely.She was enjoying herself, too, and they’d talked and laughed through dinner, the night perfect simply because he was with her.
The waves lapped against the shore as they gazed out at the sunset, the sound of the water soothing.Luciana had kicked off her sandals and was barefoot, her toes in the sand.Her toned legs were stretched out before her, svelte and sexy, but it was the smile on her face that slayed him.He loved seeing her so damn happy and content.
“This was a good idea,” he told her.
