Page 84 of Morally Gray Daddies

“Ric, this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this. While I’m cognizant your preference of late has trended toward abduction, I’ve not forgotten your exemplary work with a certain Ms. Wilkerson, nor Olivia Caen.”

Fuck. “That was a long time ago. I don’t do torture now.”

“Please.” Colbie snorted. “You’re a sadist. You’ve simply redirected your cruelty in a different direction and tailored it accordingly. I’m well aware of the methods you employ in your current iteration.”

God, he wasn’t giving up on this. “Still not interested. Pass.”

For the first time in the call, irritation crept into his voice. “Ah, my apologies, I’ve been remiss and given you the impression I’m asking. Please pardon my lack of clarity.”

Well… shit. “Seriously?”

“I grow tired of this portion of our conversation. Consider it finished.”

Shit, shit, shit. I really didn’t want this assignment, but it was becoming clearer by the moment Colbie was going to foist it on me whether I liked it or not.

“Okay, Colbie, who’s the target?”

“Are you at your work computer?”

“I am.”

“I’m sending you a dossier. Let me know when you have it.”

The Toolbox—a large, chunky gray computer tower the CIA had supplied me to use strictly for my business with Colbie—whirred to life. A few seconds later, a prompt flashed on my monitor, and as per protocol, I unplugged the ethernet cable from the back of the workstation.

“You have it?” he asked as a folder appeared on my desktop.

“Yes,” I murmured, clicking it open.

“I’ll give you a few minutes.”

I used the time to scan the files he’d sent. Skimming through the written data, I searched for keywords and phrases to uncover the gist of what this op was about. It didn’t take long to determine most of it focused on one person.

“Wait… Delgado? Antonio Delgado. Of the Delgado family?”

“One and the same.”

I blew out a soft whistle. “That’s a big family to cross.”

“We’re not crossing them,” Colbie corrected. “We’re working with them. This has already been vetted at the highest level inside the family. Antonio Delgado has chosen to try and play both ends against the middle between us, his own familia, and the Sinacola cartel. Rather than remove him outright, an agreement has been reached to provide him some… guidance. Motivation to help him see the error of his ways.”

“And that would be?”

“Sonja Delgado.”

I searched quickly through the file until I found her name. “His daughter.”

“Yes. Intelligent young woman, quite fetching, I might add. Chemistry major at the University of California, Davis, less than a year and a half to go before she graduates. I see a potentially bright future ahead of her at DARPA or perhaps even the CIA.”

“After you’ve had her tortured to send a message to her father.”

Colbie gave a quiet huff. “She’ll never know the source behind what’s going to happen to her, nor will her father.”

“And you call me a sadist,” I mumbled.

“It’s valuable in our trade to have multiple skill sets to draw upon.”

I took a longer look at the contents of the folder this time. There were several pictures of Antonio Delgado, plus an equal number of his daughter. Some were of each of them alone, a few with them together. Colbie was right; Sonja Delgado was a very alluring young woman, black-haired and sienna-skinned like her father, and equally as attractive as he was handsome.

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