Page 139 of Risks of Temptation
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Malin
"She has a daughter named Millie.She would be five now. Santiago took her," I tell Gustave.
His eyes widen. The pain I saw when Bridgette was kidnapped floods them. "Why didn't we know this?"
"Louis hid it from us. Or William didn't report it? Emilia only told me now."
"When did Santiago take her?"
"A few days after he kidnapped Penelope."
He shuts his eyes. "That was over eighteen months ago."
"Yes."
"Does Andre know?"
I shake my head. "I don't think so. None of us knew. Penelope told Axel. Emilia said he told Penelope he would look for her."
"Nothing has turned up for any of them yet. Everyone is off the radar," Gustave says.
My gut drops. Our team has never been separated like this before. "Someone has to show up soon. Are the phone lines in Honduras still out?"
"Yes. The earthquake did major damage."
"Tinker's cell number is disconnected."
"A lot of the towers went out."
I run my hand through my hair. "If we knew where they were trying to go after Omoa, it would make it easier."
"I'll ask Louis tonight. See if he knows anything and will share." He gets up and walks to the window. "Eighteen months is a long time for a child."
I ask the elephant in the room. "Do you think Santiago would keep her alive? You've met the man. I only got close to shooting him." Now I have another regret for not taking him out.
Gustave sighs. "My guess is that is how he was able to get Penelope to willingly be at his side. I was at his compound when she was there. I wish I had known. I could have somehow taken her aside and asked her about Millie."
The hairs on my arms stand up. "You knew Penelope was Santiago's prisoner before you gave me the files?"
Gustave turns. His face is hard. "Yes. I originally met her when she was with William."
Anger rises. "And you did nothing?"
"I couldn't. The time wasn't right. There was no directive from Louis. For all I knew, she was William's spy, and he planted her there."
"Why would you ever think that?" I belt out.
"Have you met the woman?"
"Yes."
Gustave crosses his arms. "She's poised. She doesn't flinch. She sat on Santiago's arm like the queen of England and never once gave any indication she wasn't there on her own accord."
"It's Santiago Gómez for God's sake," I seethe.
"Yeah. I get that. But you haven't seen all I have. You don't know the political maneuvers I have to make. I would think after last night, you would understand there are things we have to do we don't want to do and a timeline for everything."
