Page 100 of Compelled Obedience

“Yeah, he is, dude. I suggest you tell him what he wants to know,” Lachlan said. I didn’t need to look at my buddy to know he had his weapon in plain view as well. Sanchez needed to know we were dead serious.

The kid’s eyes darted back and forth and I twisted my hand on his shirt. “I’m going to let you go and we’re going to have a long talk. But if you fuck with me, you won’t leave this room. You hear me?”

He nodded, the anger returning to his gaze.

I backed away, giving him a hard look. When I took a single step, he did exactly what I anticipated, throwing a hard punch which I blocked with my forearm before throwing a jab under his jaw, the force pitching him against the piano then to the floor. The crack of wood indicated the poor instrument had taken a direct hit.

“Looks like you’re going to need to purchase a musical instrument,” Lachlan told me.

“I plan on purchasing several.” I moved toward the kid, pressing my boot against his chest and keeping him down. Then I pointed the weapon at his forehead. “I’m not fucking around here any longer, Sanchez. You know who I am and my guess is since you’re a highly intelligent kid that you know why I’m here. Now, where is she?”

“I got no idea who you’re talking about.”

“Then why are you in her classroom? Huh?”

Sanchez swallowed hard. I took my time crouching down, glaring at him with a smile planted on my face. He scuttled backward then sat up, glancing at Lachlan.

“Your choice, but I suggest you make it wisely,” I told him.

“I didn’t mean for her to get hurt. I swear to God.”

At least we were finally getting somewhere. “Go on. Why the fuck did you threaten her?” I moved closer, staring down at his neck. As I’d suspected, the tattoo I’d seen before had been nothing but a goddamn press-on to try to make Kerri believe Drago was back in town.

“Then why did you?”

“I had no choice, man. He was going to destroy my family.”

He.

I’d learned a long time ago what the sound of desperation sounded like. The kid was terrified but not of gang violence, expulsion, or even prison. My thoughts drifted to what Kerri had said about him. The only thing he became emotional about was protecting his sister.

“This person threatened your sister. Right?”

His eyes opened wide from shock that I’d figured it out. I stood, throwing out my arm to help him up. He glared at my arm, terrified of the gesture. When I nodded, he threw Lachlan another look then accepted it, allowing me to drag him to his feet.

I returned my weapon to my jacket, taking a deep breath as he raked his shaking hand through his hair. “LA Cartel.”

“Yeah, man. Bad news. Lots of shit on the street. They want to take over LA.”

“Yeah,” Lachlan said from behind me. “Fentanyl. Enough to kill every man, woman, and child five times over. You interested in selling it?”

As soon as my buddy mentioned the drugs, my belief was confirmed. Sanchez wanted nothing to do with the cartel or the money earned from selling drugs, even if it meant providing a better life for his family. Good for him.

“Hell, no, man.” He was nervous, rubbing his hands up and down his jeans. “Is teach okay?”

“No, she’s not. She was abducted and you know who took her. Don’t you?” When he didn’t answer, I growled. “Don’t you?”

“I got into some trouble a few months back. He was going to use it against me and my family since Pops is going to prison. I couldn’t let him break us apart. He made up shit too. My mom can’t survive on her own. He said I’d go to prison if I didn’t cooperate.”

Hold on. Prison? I glanced at Lachlan who shook his head. The kid needed to tell me in his own way but I didn’t have all night.

“So you were hired to scare Ms. Bettington.”

“Yeah. That’s what he wanted. I wasn’t gonna hurt her. I swear to God. Ms. Bettington is the only person who ever believed in me.”

“Well, you need to talk to me because I’m worried about her. The guy you’re talking about, Sergeant Randolph?” He seemed shocked I’d figured it out.

He swallowed hard. “Yeah. The guy’s an asshole. I’m telling you. He ain’t like no cop I’ve ever encountered. He’s dirty. I swear to God, he is.”

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