Page 60 of The Devil's Daughter

“What?” Baz says, shaking his head. “She knows we don’t blame her. You were the one we were pissed at.”

“All the same, you haven’t called since.”

Baz and I share a look from across the table where he sits beside Elle, Drake and Arturo taking up either end.

“Bring her to the gala,” Drake says. “I didn’t add either Elle’s mother or Elena to the list, which was probably an oversight. I can change that easily with a call right now.”

“Does that send the right message, though?” I ask. “I mean,areyou dating our mother?”

“It wouldn’t be a date, necessarily. Just an excuse to see you,” Drake says. Then to Papá, “Unless you plan to make it a date. I didn’t get the sense you and Elena were involved.”

“We aren’t,” Arturo says. “What happened between us is in the past. She’s a dear friend, and one of my oldest employees, but not a romantic interest.”

“She should come,” Elle says. “I wish mine could. I’ll check with Mason, but I don’t think she’s well enough yet to make the trip.”

“Your mother is more resilient than you think,” Arturo says. “I can ensure everyone arrives safely, no matter who agrees to come. Now…” He sits forward. “Let’s discuss the reason you called me today, Elle.”

She looks at Papá, as if she’s entirely forgotten our dilemma in the midst of all the other revelations, but I answer for her.

“Who would have it out for Drake enough to plant cameras all over his place like that?”

He sighs and shakes his head. “That I can’t help you with. I knew Gregor Stavros well enough, but I cut ties with him the very second he invited me to invest in his new business venture. I didn’t want to be involved, so I don’t know who else might have been.”

Elle sets down her fork, looking alarmed, not to mention betrayed. “What? Why couldn’t you tell us this on the phone? That was the entire reason I called!”

“The devious old bastard just needed an opening to come talk to us. To clear his fucking conscience,” Baz says. “And you gave it to him. So I guess we’re back at square fucking one.” He throws his napkin down and scoots his chair back, fishing into his pocket for his phone. “Thirty-six hours until the gala. Elle, we need to get back to work if we’re going to find the bastard.”

Drake and I share a dark look, then turn to Arturo, who doesn’t seem fazed by our anger. He spreads both hands flat on the table and leans forward.

“Stop,” he says in a clipped, commanding tone that makes all of us sit up and pay attention. “What Icantell you is that there is a short list of underworld organizations operating in Southern California who might have been involved. And an even shorter list of people who know who they are. I could give you the names of the organizations, but if you want details without alerting the FBI, the Zavala Cartel is who had that kind of intel. César Zavala would have known more than I do.”

“Except that fucker’s dead now, thanks to Gustavo Delgado,” Baz snaps. “How is this any help?”

I’m about to interject with my own profanities when I notice Papá sharing a long stare with Elle, and her eyes go wide.

“I have it,” she whispers. Papá gives her one of his enigmatic smiles and nods.

“You havewhat?” I ask.

“I have Zavala’s intel.”

“How the fuck…?” I begin.

“Elle, what aren’t you telling us?” Baz asks.

She shakes her head. “It wasn’t relevant until now. What you guys don’t know is that when Mason was supposedly dead, he was working undercover with Zavala tostealthis intel. He failed, but ultimately wound up going back to make a deal to get it. When he brought it home, before he turned it over to the Feds, he made copies for each of us, so if Amador or anyone like that ever came for our family, we’d have dirt on them to force them to let us go. He’s used it before. Sam used it to help get Toni free from Amador. Now you’re telling me that something in there is going to tell us who’s after Drake?”

“I don’t have the answer,mija, but if anyone did, it would have been Zavala. Sex trafficking is dirty business, and exactly the kind of business the Zavala Cartel was involved in. If Gregor Stavros was part of it, he likely did business with Zavala at some point. Which means that intel would include dirt on him. Zavala always made sure he had insurance on the people he did business with.”

“Do you remember seeing my father’s name in the files?” Drake asks.

Elle shakes her head. “I don’t know… I mean, I wasn’t ever looking for it. I only absorbed the intel that affected our family. Anything mentioning Amador or Flores. But there was alotof other stuff.”

“Do you have it here?” Baz asks, leaning close, his body strung tight as a bow string.

Elle nods. “I always keep it with me. I can look, but it might be quicker if I just call Sam. He’d know off the top of his head what was there or not. Mason and Maddox would too. One of the many things Idon’tshare with them is their photographic memories.”

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