“And if they’re scammers, they likely have the nerve to plan an attack,” Mack said. “What are their names?”
“Joshua Ross, Randy Turner, and Eric Woods.”
“Get going on researching them, and I’ll ask Eisenhowerto put a tail on each of them. Then Sean and I’ll research the border crossings.” Mack looked at Sean. “You take San Ysidro, and I’ll take Calexico.”
“On it.” Sean opened his laptop.
Mack sat next to Addy and wished he could talk to her about the kiss. But getting agents on the tail of the three men and researching Calexico was far more important. His personal happiness had to take a backseat to a violent man selling monster guns.
Mack got out his phone and called Eisenhower. After hearing about the latest development, he promised to have someone surveilling these men by the end of the day. Mack could always count on Eisenhower. He possessed more of a sense of urgency than any boss Mack had worked for.
Confident the task was taken care of, Mack opened his computer and got started on his research. He read article after article about the Calexico crossing, learning statistics and issues, but found nothing that helped move their investigation forward. He raised his fist in frustration, planning to slam it against the table.
“Mateo Pena!” Sean called out, stopping Mack’s hand midair. Sean focused on Addy. “Name ring a bell?”
She looked up from her files and shook her head.
“Should it?” Mack asked.
“Maybe.” Sean dipped his head to focus on his computer. “Not long ago, he tried to cross the border with four barely concealed semiautomatic pistols, fifteen AK-47s, thousands of rounds of 7.62 ammunition, and over thirty high-capacity magazines. Serial numbers were obliterated on all the weapons. This was enough to shock the guards, but then they found a big military-style battery with a heavy-duty electric cable. Took some time to figure out what it was, but it’s the power supply for a minigun.”
Mack let out a long whistle, and his radar went up. “This guy wasn’t messing around. Where did he try to cross?”
“San Ysidro. He’s in custody there.”
Mack jumped to his feet. “I need a plane ASAP. I’m going to talk to Pena before the day is out.”
“You’d rather follow this lead than the guys I found?” Cam asked.
“Absolutely.” Mack met and held Cam’s gaze. “If we stop the guns before they enter the country, these men can hardly use them, can they?”
Chapter 20
ADDY STOODWAITINGin the jail hallway, thinking about the military flight she and Mack had just taken to San Ysidro. She’d likely ridden in a military aircraft as a member of the RED team, but she sure didn’t remember it, and the sounds and smells were memorable. She’d sat next to Mack but couldn’t talk to him about their trip or Mateo Pena. Privileged conversations were out of the question in a plane carrying airmen who didn’t have clearance to overhear such a discussion.
She’d had to settle for reading Pena’s file. An American citizen, he had a long sheet of minor charges from his teen years. Burglary. Assault. Disorderly conduct. But no weapons charges of any kind, making this arrest unexpected. Even more so, as it had been six years since he’d had any interaction with law enforcement at all.
A tall uniformed deputy who looked harried and overworked joined them. He rested his hand on the interview room doorknob and looked back at them with interest. He probably didn’t have many Feds visit the prison, especially those from out of state. Yet possessing this illegal machine gun was a federal crime, which gave Addy and the team jurisdiction wherever their investigation led in the country.
“This guy has been very cooperative,” the deputy began. “Seems scared to death. But you never know with these gunrunners. Keep alert, and I’ll be right outside the door.”
She gave a sharp nod and stepped into the room, Mack following.Pena was dressed in blue prison garb. His shoulder-length hair was deep brown, and he had sparse facial hair that looked like he’d been trying to grow a beard but failed.
She held out her ID, then they introduced themselves.
“Yeah, yeah,” he said, sitting forward. “They told me you was coming. I’m Mateo. I think I really screwed up.”
“How’s that?” Addy asked as she took a seat.
He laid his cuffed hands on the tabletop. “I mean, I’ve been in trouble before, but nothin’ like this. I didn’t know, you know? What was hidden in the car. I just agreed to go to Mexico, pick up the car, and drive it over the border for a grand.”
“Come on, Pena.” Mack gave the guy an incredulous look. “Your rap sheet says you’ve clearly been around the block. You had to know there was something illegal in the car.”
“Yeah,” he said, staring at his hands. “I mean ... sure, but I figured it was smack or something. Not guns. And not that battery thing.” He shook his head, his hair brushing his shoulders. “They seem more upset about that than the AK-47s.”
“Do you know what the battery is for?” Addy asked.
He looked up at her. “Nah. They didn’t say—just that it was big.”
