Page 14 of Sold Blood
"So, you never found out who the driver was?"
"No," Miguel says, rubbing his chin. "I think it may have been Julia or maybe a Morales. The weaker they made me, the more I would need them to help me stay afloat. Maybe what happened to Joey has nothing to do with you or him. Maybe it was pure coincidence."
I laugh, rolling my eyes. "I think we both know better. Nothing in this life is a coincidence."
"I agree," Mateo finally chimes in. "Why do you think Santana is involved?'
"Because the only thing found in Joey's car was a bag of product with Santana's logo on it. One of his men must have left it behind. Either being careless or as some kind of signature. Maybe they want me to go after Joey."
"Perhaps. If you do go after him, you will need to be smart about it. Do you know of anyone else involved?" Mateo, leans against the mahogany desk.
"I'm not one hundred percent sure on this one, but I'm thinking the Mendez brothers are involved somehow. The man who tried to take us down two years ago has been sneaking around our clubs the last few days and is a known member of a large sex trafficking ring the Mendez brothers help run. I believe Santana has a deal with them. When these men responsible get taken down, they won't know it's coming. I knew better than to go myself and sent someone else. Someone I trust more than anything. If anyone can find Joey and bring him home it's Carlos Castaneda."
My father and Mateo both go silent with widening eyes. The room is still and nothing moves, but the flicker of flames from the fire.
"You sent Carlos Casteneda? I guess it makes sense why he all of a sudden dropped off the face of the earth and hasn't been answering Gabriel's phone calls," Mateo says, scratching his chin. "Do you have a way you've been in contact with Carlos?"
I nod, patting the burner phone in the pocket of my black jacket. "I do. I'm trying my best to limit the calls as much as possible."
"Good," my father says. "You may have to call him here in a bit. He will need all the help he can get while alone out there. I have friends all over who may be able to lend a hand. Where did you say he went?”
“I didn’t. It’s only a guess and I’m hoping it’s right. The Mendez brothers are attending two auctions in Florida which is known to be one of their main locations. I believe somewhere near Palm Beach, but once again this is all a guess.”
“We better find out for sure then, huh? Do you have a picture of this man with a scar on his face?”
I nod, pulling it from my pocket. My father's eyes go wide when they land on the spider tattoo. “That man goes by the name El Potero. He has represented Santana before. He helps to ensure the drugs and the merchandise get safely across the border. He is known as Santana’s gatekeeper. He makes sure the Mendez brothers are doing what they’re supposed to do and are holding up their end of the bargain. Looks like you’re right. Joey was taken and it won’t be easy getting him back. These men are smarter than you think they are.”
“Carlos is smarter. I have complete faith in him.”
“Yes, but now that he has help and leverage, he can be a lot smarter. You get him to mess up dealings between Santana and the Mendez brothers, he has fewer men to worry aboutkilling. Let’s say something goes wrong with the next drug and merchandise delivery. Since there are two auctions this week, they will need to make sure they have plenty of merchandise and ways to keep merchandise maintained. We find the next delivery truck and stop it from getting to its location then you would have helped Carlos without even needing to be in Florida.”
“How exactly do we find the next delivery truck?”
“I’ll call up a few friends who will know the people who work some of the truck driving jobs. There’s a main truck stop they have been known to use for transportation in Texas, just outside the border. Once the truck is located, we will make sure it never makes it to Florida. It's usually surrounded by trucks full of meat and fresh produce, disguising itself as a regular food truck. I know this, because Santana wasn’t the one who always did dealings with the Mendez brothers. Before him, it was Julia’s father. I put an end to it the minute the old man kicked the bucket, and that was where my dealings with Santana came in. I let him control the depot and he left what was mine alone, including mi familia.”
“Until now.”
My father sighs heavily. “Until now. He fucked up. He will soon know what happens when he doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain and tries to screw over the Juventinos.”
My father recognizing Joey as one of us isn’t something I thought I would ever be alive to see. Things have changed since I was last home. Julia and her father are gone. There are no more threats being held above my father's head within his own home. He is free and hopefully soon I will be too. As long as Joey is held captive and suffering, I will be right there beside him with shackles around my heart.
Eight
Carlos
I leave the hotel, badly wanting the night to end so I can take a hot shower and get a short nap before figuring out how I am going to get to that auction in time. It's in Florida and it would take way too long to drive there. I needed to be on a flight five hours ago and it would be better if I was on a plane without any layovers. I need to make a few phone calls after I'm done meeting Malcolm’s friend at some hole in the wall place.
I was told in the instructions not to get out of the car, so I pull in the back of the club, driving a little past the dumpster. A red and black motorcycle slowly approaches me with a man dressed in black wearing a pink helmet riding it. I roll down my windowand he pulls up beside it with most of his face covered and only his eyes visible. "Are you Lo?"
I nod and hand him the envelope filled with money. "You can count it if you want, it's all there."
He spreads the envelope apart with his fingers, glancing inside before sliding it beneath his coat. He pulls out another envelope, handing it to me and when I try to grab it, he quickly tugs it away. "This is the invite you'll need to get inside the event, and inside is also your new identification card and passport. When you arrive in Florida, you will no longer be you and will become Brian Masters." He lets go of the envelope the next time I reach for it. "It's a pleasure doing business with you and a little word of advice? Try not to want it too bad or everything will go south real fast. Desperation leads to thoughtless actions." He starts his bike back up, hitting the gas and rides off toward the road.
This is the reason I'm the one going after Joey instead of Isaiah. He wants this more than anyone in the world. I'm only doing this as a favor for a friend, at least that's what I keep telling myself. I can't let Isaiah mean to me what he did all those years ago. I have to continue to separate my feelings. It is better for us if I did, better for Joey.
Splashes of water hit my windshield and I roll up my window as the rain begins to pour down harder. An upbeat song fills the car when I turn on the radio as I drive toward one of our rentals. I often stay in one when I am doing more dangerous jobs, worried I'll be followed.
After a while, constantly being on the go and rarely ever being able to go home was wearing me thin. The older I got, the more I missed those simpler times when I would lay in bed listening to the rain fall against the roof while Isaiah nudged against my chest. The soft sounds of water hitting glass seemed more soothing than they do now, crashing hard against the windshield, working against the fast moving wipers.
