Page 93 of Cartel Viper
“I know you won’t. You wouldn’t do that to Javier because it would implicate him. And like it or not, anything that happens to this family would trickle down and hurt Laura because it would draw attention to her family too. Syndicate life is a four-party cold war. It’s a war of attrition based entirely on mutually assured destruction. It’s why the balance of power exists. These families may take turns being on top, but it’s really a seesaw. What goes up must come down over and over. It’s in everyone’s best interest to keep that seesaw balanced lest both sides—or in this case, all four sides—fall off. The men talk big games about which family is the most powerful. It’s no secret Enrique is the most powerful leader of them all. But even this family takes turns coming in first. Machismo and bravado might keep them from ever admitting that amongst the men. Trust me. It won’t take you long to understand I’m right. Their posturing is as much about their ego as it is convincing the rest of the world they’re too strong and too dangerous to come after. Drew thinks he can be a major player in this war, but he’s not. He’s just part of a proxy war.”
“Sort of like how the Korean War and the Vietnam War were really just battles in the bigger war between democracy and communism?”
“Yes, exactly. Fights involving the O’Sheehans are stand-ins for conflicts between the four major families.”
I consider what Elle’s explaining to me and realize I’m getting more insights than anyone else will probably ever give me. It’s not that Laura will believe I couldn’t understand this. It’s not that she doesn’t already know this. I’m sure she does. But if I stay with Javi, which I know I will, then Laura and I won’t always be playing on the same team anymore. Even though we’ll haveeven more in common than we did the last few years, this isn’t the sort of stuff we’ll discuss.
It’ll lie between us. I don’t think it’ll get in the way or push us apart. It’s something we’ll silently acknowledge but can never really talk about. I don’t want to think it comes down to picking sides, but Elle is already a Diaz, and she believes I’ll become one too. As I look at her, I realize she’s not actually old enough to be my mom. She’s younger than Enrique by at least a decade, so she really is like an older sister. That’s probably why she reminds me so much of Laura and not really of my mom.
“Thank you for explaining this to me. It’s a lot to take in, but that makes sense.”
I’m about to say more when a light flashes in the room’s corner. We both turn toward it.
“Stay here. Somebody arrived.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Javier
“Hermano, it could be worse. We could be over on that side.”
Jorge jerks his chin toward the oncoming traffic. It’s the end of rush hour, and there are far more people coming on to Long Island than leaving it. So at least we’re on the reverse side of traffic. But it still doesn’t feel like we’re moving nearly fast enough. Even thoughTíaElle lived not far from where she andTíoEnrique now live, it’s still over an hour’s drive from Long Island to that neighborhood in northern New Jersey when there isn’t traffic. We’re nearly at two hours since we left the bodega.
I’m waiting for Joaquin to give me more information. He’s had me on hold without any shitty elevator music to distract me.
“Joaquin, come on. Is there nothing else you can find?”
“I’m digging, but I can’t make the internet move faster than the internet’s going to move. I found banking records. I can see who’s paying them. From the leapfrogging I did, it looks like the Tremblays have done some deals with them recently. My guess is the Canadians are only doing it as a favor for Shane, and some of that money will make its way to the O’Rourkes rather than staying with the O’Sheehans. I can see money going out.My guess would be for the shipment they just got last week from their brethren in Ireland.”
They must be smuggling more whiskey than we realized. Booze or guns is what usually comes in through the Irish. Not exactly the most original.
“What about who just attacked them? Can you get into any of the CCTV’s feeds?”
“There aren’t any around them. It’s a residential area.”
It’s not like I ever want us to be captured on a recording, but there are times when it would be great if the tri-state area was covered in cameras like half of Europe. Since we tap into all the city’s surveillance cameras, having more would be useful.
“I need confirmation it’s Drew who went after them and not somebody connected toTíaElle and her old life.”
Jorge snorts. “It’s not like you have ever believed in coincidences.”
I glare at my younger brother.
Even though I’m sitting next to him, I can see him frown and roll his eyes as he speaks. “What part of any of this makes you think it’s a coincidence? Sure, somebody could come out of the woodwork afterTíaElle, but it seems pretty unlikely when you consider what’s going on right now with Maddy.”
None of us want to say wishful thinking since none of us would ever want something to befall our aunt. But lord knows we wouldn’t be surprised if a ghost from her past life came back to haunt her—there’s enough of those.
“Our guys gave me the plates already, but as you’d expect, they’re coming back fake, so it’s taking me a moment. Javier, I know you need this yesterday, but I can only go as fast as I can go.”
That’s the second time he’s basically reminded me this situation isn’t entirely under our control. No shit, Sherlock. But I can’t say that to my brother. It won’t get us anywhere, andthere’s no need to be mean when he’s already trying to help me. We can only do what we can do. But I feel like climbing out of my skin as I wait to see Maddy. There’s a beep on the call, and I look over at the screen on my dash. Jorge and I exchange a quick glance.
“Joaquin, I gotta call you back. It’s that fucking piece of shit.”
“O’Sheehan?”
“Yeah.”
“All right. Talk to you soon.”
