Jacked Up (Bowen Boys #4)(54)

He used Bluetooth to call Mullen, who answered in two rings.

“Maldonado is in Boston. We’re going under,” he barked out before the FBI agent could get a word in.

“We lost him. Last we heard he was on a beach in the Caribbean. He must have flown straight from there to Boston.”

“No shit. Now he’s downtown, attending a fund-raiser.”

“Did he see you?”

Jack’s laugh was dry. “See us? We almost had dinner with the *.”

“Hell. Did he recognize Elle? Let me make a couple of calls. The FBI will have a safe house for you ready in no time.”

“No. Not risking another leak. I’m taking her off the radar. You do your goddamned job and arrest this guy.”

“We are doing the best we can. It would be much easier if you would let the girl be bait. Wire her up and send her to blackmail him for her silence,” he said, obviously not realizing Elle was listening. “The second we have his confession on tape, he’s toast. You know that’s the fastest avenue.”

“I said no,” Jack barked, watching as Elle processed Mullen’s words.

Outrage sharpened her features. “Jack, what the—”

“I’ll contact you later, when we’re set up,” Jack said, interrupting Elle and hanging up on Mullen.

“You bastard. Why didn’t you tell me about that option?” Her eyes were ablaze, boring holes in him. “Didn’t I have the right to know?”

“Not an option,” he let out in between gritted teeth.

Wiring Elle up and sending her into the wolf’s den wouldn’t end well. In the unlikely event she managed to get a confession out of Maldonado, she would never live to see it put to good use.

“That’s for me to decide, *,” she yelled.

“No.”

“Wrong again! I demand you stop right this frigging instant. I want to know where we are going. Then I’ll decide if I go or not.”

Tough shit. He floored the accelerator.



“So, why are you here?” Exxum asked, after they stepped out on the patio to smoke, his bodyguard by the door. “You come to pay me for that last couple of shipments of guns? Because I’ve known you for a while now and you don’t give a rat’s ass about abandoned dogs.”

True. He couldn’t care less. He’d fought them for scraps in the street.

“I’m still strapped for cash,” Maldonado admitted. It wasn’t as if he could walk to an ATM machine and withdraw a couple of million dollars to settle the score.

Exxum’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Unfortunate what happened to Aalto. Did you have a talk with the witness?”

Maldonado was not too thrilled to have Exxum in his business, but he’d had to give some explanations as to why he needed more time to pay for the guns. “Not yet. Nico is on it. She’s under federal protection, but not through the official channels.” He would have found her by now if that were the case. Too much paperwork and too many ears. Whoever had her was keeping everyone in the dark.

“Well, I wish you all the luck in the world with that. As for the money you owe me, this is not a good time. I’ve withstood some heavy losses myself.”

Maldonado didn’t know any specifics, but several of Exxum’s deals had fallen through, the police intercepting the supply lines. Which garnered him a measure of comfort. At least he wasn’t the only one going through difficulties.

“So if you’ve come for financial aid,” Exxum continued.

Maldonado shook his head. He wasn’t here for handouts. “I came to propose a deal. I have some logistical issues you could help me with. After all, a big part of the humanitarian relief operation is taking care of the logistics.”

David Exxum, apart from being a huge advocate of animal rights and doing sports like a nut and eating the weirdest things, was a very influential, respected, well-connected businessman who devoted himself to sending humanitarian relief to countries in need, Maldonado’s included. And selling guns to whatever faction needed them. Or both.

His cargo containers went through customs in a much-expedited protocol.

“What’s in it for me?” Exxum asked.

“Aside from helping an old business partner?”

Exxum made a scowl. Yeah, Maldonado guessed as much.

“Once the product has cleared customs, my cash-flow problems are gone, which means I can pay you what I owe you. Plus an increase of, let’s say, ten percent for the help provided.”

Exxum stared at him cockily. “Twenty-five.”

Maldonado gritted his teeth, but before he could answer anything, they were interrupted.

“Mr. Maldonado? There’s a gentleman outside who wishes to talk to you. Mr. Nico Grabar. He—” Nico was already walking toward them, Exxum’s bodyguard moving to intercept him. “You can’t—”

“It’s okay,” Maldonado said, “he’s with me. What are you doing in Boston? You already tired of Hawaii?”

Nico greeted Exxum with a nod and waited for the hotel security guy to leave. Then he said, “The person we are searching for is from Boston. Elle Cooper. Closest relatives are a mother and sister. Father and older brother deceased in a car accident over two years ago. The Coopers own Rosita’s, a small Italian restaurant on the outskirts of town. She’s the one that dispatched your flight. Marlene had a family gathering and they switched IDs.”