Page 23 of Rectify

“I thought you were here to help find Mateo,” Aedan growled.

“I am,” Stanton replied calmly.

“Then what’s with all the personal questions?” Aedan asked.

Natalya sent him a grateful look.

“Because if she wants her son back, then I need to know exactly what I’m going up against. I’m not sending my men in to risk their lives against the fucking Fuerte Cartel without knowing everything.”

“Everything?” she asked.

He gave her a deadpan look. “Do you want your son back or not?”

Aedan watchedthe way Natalya’s eyes flared with temper. The old Natalya would have chopped off Stanton’s balls and handed them to him on a platter. Aedan knew that’s what she longed to do. But the last three years had obviously honed her control. Is that what living with Mota had taught her? How to temper her reactions?

Stanton tapped on his tablet. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll start with what I already know.”

Where the hell had Rogan found this guy?

As Stanton recited everything he knew about the Fuerte Cartel and Diego’s background, Aedan gestured to Rogan and walked over to the other end of the room. Natalya watched them go, but Stanton didn’t even look up, as though they’d ceased to exist for him.

“I didn’t think you were getting involved?” Aedan asked.

“He’s just a child. He needs help.” Rogan watched him for a long moment. “And I want you to be happy, Aedan.”

“What does that mean?”

“You haven’t been happy since Natalya left. You weren’t happy before you met her. She made you happy.”

“Yeah, and then she left me for a violent, dangerous criminal.”

Rogan glanced over at Natalya, who was staring at Stanton with a mix of amazement and confusion. Stanton continued to recite everything he’d found out about Diego.

“Sometimes life takes a turn you don’t expect,” Rogan said quietly.

“You’re getting all philosophic on me now?” Aedan asked incredulously.

Rogan just shrugged. “Despite his poor social skills, Stanton really is the best. He’ll find the kid. Whatever else happens is up to you.”

He walked back over to Stanton and Natalya, leaving Aedan staring after him in disbelief. Did Rogan seriously think he was about to get involved with Natalya again? After the way she’d treated him?

Natalya looked dumbstruck as she stared at Stanton. “How do you know all this?”

“This is my job. I had my hacker gathering info while I flew here.”

“How did they manage to find this information in such a short time?” Natalya asked.

“Because she’s very, very good. This information is really just the surface stuff. Give her a bit more time and she’ll dig deeper. Word of warning. Never buy anything online. And don’t put anything in an email. Someone is always watching. Even someone as cagey as Mota can slip up and leave information where it can be found.” Stanton scowled. “Damn government is always poking its nose where it’s not wanted. I don’t use emails, not anymore. Everything is done on burner phones. I replace them every month.”

Was this guy insane? “That must get expensive. How do clients contact you?” Aedan asked.

Stanton shrugged. “Through a third party.”

He was paranoid, rude, and possibly a bit nuts. But Rogan had said he was the best, and Aedan knew they needed all the help they could get.

“So, what’s our first move?” he asked.

4

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