Page 16 of To Have and To Hold

“You don’t think it’s Volkov? We know Volkov is communicating with Herrera.”

Nick shook his head and squinted toward the screen. “Stop the video there.” He had my attention. “Go back. Stop.”

I stood and walked around the desk to see what they were seeing.

Nick pointed at the screen. “Can you zoom in on that man, the one who just fired his gun?”

Jano pulled the picture to increase the zoom while at the same time decreasing the clarity. “Fuck.”

Fuck was right.

Nick pointed. “Look at that tattoo. That’s definitely Kozlov’s mark.”

Jano sat back against his chair and raked his fingers through his hair. His dark eyes smoldered black and his nostrils flared. “Fucker is upping the attacks. Herrera is funding him. I feel it. I know it.”

“We should up the number of guards at Wanderland and the apartment building,” I said, thinking of the woman arriving today. “With both the Herrera cartel and the bratva watching us and willing to take out bystanders to make their point, we must protect what is ours.”

Jano roared as he stood, slapping his palms on the maps littering his desk. “How did they know we had a crew at Pacific Beach? We’ve changed our pickup schedule, and they still fucking knew.”

“They could have gotten lucky,” Nick said. “Casing places in case we show up.”

“That takes a lot of men,” I said.

Jano clenched his jaw. “Or someone told them we changed collection day.”

“No one would do that,” I replied. “Jano, the dealers know not to double-cross you.”

He paced to the wall and back. “I need more men.”

“Bring some down from the north,” Nick suggested.

“No. We’re vulnerable there too.”

“Mexico?” I suggested.

“No. Except for a few, our men in Mexico are compromised.” Jano stopped walking and turned to us. “It’s time to call in a debt.”

“Which debt?” I asked.

“Rei and I went to Kansas City and took out Myshkin. Now, we need the famiglia to back us up out here in our territory. Fucking alliance works both directions.” He rubbed his fingertips over his beard growth. “Herrera isn’t risking his own men to bring us down. Somehow, he’s convinced Kozlov to do the dirty work. We need reinforcements to get Kozlov out of the way so we can get to Herrera.”

There was no arguing with Aléjandro. Ever since the execution of his father, he had been hell-bent on Herrera’s destruction.

El Patr?nstood tall, looking more like the boss than he did a few months ago. With the stress of his new position, he’d lost weight but not muscle. His cheekbones were more defined and a vein in his forehead bulged with each word. “Tonight, I want all the lieutenants and available soldiers at the warehouse. Leave a skeleton crew of soldiers on the streets.” He turned to me. “And keep Wanderland and the apartments well-guarded. Everyone else is to be there, including both of you. Ten o’clock. Be my eyes and ears when I can’t be. I need to see their faces, to watch their eyes. If there’s atraidoramong us, I’ll fucking gut him in front of an audience.”

“Do you want me to keep looking for more evidence?” I asked.

Jano went back to his tall chair behind his desk and shook his head. “Both of you, go. Tell your fathers what’s happening. Have them deal with Wanderland. Em, secure the apartments and Nick, get word out about tonight’s meeting. If any soldier isn’t where you tell them to be, there will be consequences.”

“Sí, jefe,” we said in unison.

Aléjandro picked up his phone. “I’m calling the capo.”

As we were walking out, Jano called to me. “Em, so I can tell Dario, who did you find to babysit the princess?”

The princess.

“Horace Torres. He works with the whores at Wanderland. That familiarity will help Isabella.” Plus, he was married to the same woman for over fifteen years. He’d kept his hands clean of abuse with the women at the club. I believed I could trust him with Isabella. I may also have threatened him.

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