Page 59 of Naughty and Nice
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Nick
* * *
“What the actual fuck?” I asked as I entered el Patrón’s office. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“Don’t question me,” Jano said. “I’m in charge.” He sent a dark, chastising stare toward Em and back to me. “You weren’t supposed to know about it until you arrived.” He stood. “I decided you weren’t needed in the decision making.”
“He’s my father-in-law.”
“Was. Your bride payment is in limbo. You offered it to Socorro. He’s no longer in need of money. I was waiting to talk to you, to find out if you want it to go to Nailea.”
“Fuck.” I sighed as I fell back into a chair across from Jano’s desk. “You were sure of the intelligence?”
El Patrón nodded and sat. “After the wedding, Rei went with Em to pay a visit to our two guests in the basement of Wanderland.”
“And they confirmed Socorro was their source?”
Jano templed his fingers and nodded. “They did, but Rei later confirmed it. If we’d known earlier that night, you could have killed him right here.”
“How did Socorro know about the apartments?”
“Rei thinks he was the source. He remembered telling Socorro what a good job Liliana was doing.”
“Fuck, at least there’s no big conspiracy.”
Jano replied, “Rei wrongfully thought Socorro would give a shit about his daughter.”
“When Rei returned to Sacramento,” Em began, “he called Socorro in for a meeting. He told him it was about the bride price. I wasn’t in here for the excitement, but Socorro had to know he was on borrowed time after making a scene in el Patrón’s office after your wedding.”
“He thought he’d won,” I said. “He wanted cash, and I offered him twice as much as Gerardo.”
“Smug,” Jano replied. “I ordered Rei to show him the wrong of his ways. I meant punishment. That was before we learned he has been working with Cabezõn.”
“I can’t believe he was so fucking dumb to come here.”
Jano leaned onto his elbows on his desk. “He’s of the generation that think they’re so much smarter than we are.” He nodded. “Speaking of that generation, I was pleased that Nicolas agreed with your offer of the bride price.”
“I was too,” I admitted.
“He did well at Wanderland the other night,” Jano said. “Cabezõn’s men were looking for our guests. There’s no way to question Socorro. I wonder if he also told them about our interrogation room.”
I was trying to wrap my head around the revelation. “Socorro gave Cabezõn info on the apartments knowing his daughter could be caught in the crosshairs.”
“Sí,” Jano said. “The man’s a pig.”
“At the meeting,” Em said, “in Rei’s office, Rei demanded Socorro’s phone. Socorro didn’t want to give it up, but as we all know, Rei can be persuasive. He found evidence of Socorro’s communication with Cabezõn. Socorro even bragged to him about your bride payment.”
I stood, clenching my teeth. “I fucking should have killed him.” I turned to Jano. “What will happen to Nailea?”
El Patrón leaned back. “Liliana wasn’t guilty when Gerardo was.”
“Back then, she was a scared child. Nailea isn’t. She’s a grown woman. She knew, when they arrived at the wedding, her husband’s plans to try to extort money off the daughter they’d abandoned.” My mind was reeling. “Liliana was protected by the cartel. If Nailea isn’t, what do you suspect will happen to her?”
“There’s a chance Cabezõn will take her in,” Jano said. “She’s in her early forties and not bad looking. She has a few good years of work in her.”
