Page 93 of Compelled Obedience

The LA Cartel remained first and foremost on the list for lowering the crime numbers prior to the election. If I had to venture a guess, I’d say the mayor had gotten wind of the fact either Drago had never been sent to prison or had elegantly orchestrated his escape. Either way, coupled with the fact Mayor Stoney likely had found out Drago was a former member of the club meant I had a big red X on my forehead.

Add onto it that Tristen had pushed hard gathering additional information, and the mayor’s red face had everything do to with me. Aww… What a shame.

“Cut the crap, Grant. You’re a smart man. You orchestrated this meeting and you know it.”

I allowed my grin to be wider than normal before glancing at the unknown man. “Only so that I could bring all the parties together who seem highly interested in a man who all but disappeared.” When the three men looked at each other, I shook my head. “Drago Santiago?”

Silas frowned as he looked at the unknown representative, encouraging him to talk to me. “When I saw you with Ms. Bettington, I knew it was only a matter of time until we talked.”

“You should have said something then.”

“I doubted you wanted anything dropped in front of the kid. Did you?” Silas asked.

The mystery guest finally walked forward. “Mr. Wilde, I’m Garrison Palmer with the US Marshal’s office. Is there somewhere we can talk in in private? There’s some things you need to hear and in turn, I think you can help with an ongoing case.”

“You came to visit me before,” I said, ignoring his comment.

“Yeah, I did. I’ve needed to know who I could trust and what Ms. Bettington was doing working here.” When he didn’t easily provide the real reason why, I could tell he was attempting to keep his cards well hidden. That wasn’t going to happen.

“Marshal Palmer, there’s nothing that can’t be said in front of my two partners, Jameson Stark and Lachlan McKenzie.” I knew exactly what we were talking about given the department he worked for. “This is about the fact that someone under your direction walked out of the Witness Protection Program. I assume that’s Drago Santiago, a former Carnal Sins member as well as the man responsible for providing evidence enabling the DEA to convict the leader of the LA Cartel several years ago. However, you now believe Drago has returned to his life of crime, potentially handling the explosive situation with fentanyl coming into this country. Is that pretty much what we’re talking about here?”

He lifted his eyebrows in limited surprise then chuckled. “Silas mentioned that you were sharp. That is correct, although the DEA continues to handle drug trafficking.”

But it was his reputation on the line or that of his department.

“It’s my understanding that members can leave at any time. Yes?” I inquired.

“Yes, they can.”

“And you came to talk to me about whether or not if I know of his whereabouts.”

Palmer glanced at Silas who chuckled under his breath. “That was my initial reason for stopping by.”

“Because the millions of dollars missing from the Department of Drug Enforcement Administration’s coffers are still unaccounted for and someone is hoping that Drago will lead a member of law enforcement to the tidy sum of money. Correct? Fifty million is a lot of money to be sitting around unused.”

“You’re sharper than I originally believed. You are also correct,” Palmer answered truthfully.

“A black mark on the entire investigation that you wouldn’t mind getting cleared up,” Jameson offered. “Or helping the DEA do so.”

Palmer glanced in his direction. “Let’s just say that while the DEA was happy to finally convict the LA Cartel, within hours Rivera had taken over, initiating a war against every law enforcement agency. Then the money went missing. Between the number of undercover agents killed prior to the arrests made in two thousand nineteen and today, the DEA continues to take hits. If Drago returned to his lifestyle, there isn’t a law enforcement agency who won’t want to track him down before the drug hits the streets. The shit concocted is five times more powerful.”

“Five times more deadly,” I added and he nodded.

I was beginning to see what was really happening here. Someone on the inside had leaked information to Rivera or to one of his soldiers.

And they believed that to be Drago Santiago. Or it was completely the opposite. What had become painfully obvious was that neither the DEA nor the cartel wanted another hit.

“I’m curious as to why you led people to assume he was in prison.” I lifted my gaze, studying all three men.

Silas took a deep breath, studying my buddies for a few seconds.

“Wait a minute. That wasn’t WITSEC’s doing. Was it?” Lachlan asked, his tone incredulous.

“We have no control over how the DEA handles their business operations, Mr. McKenzie. We provide an opportunity for a new life to those who are determined to turn their lives around. It was a tactic used successfully before to try and draw out other players. This time it backfired.” I thought about the man seen at the restaurant. Was it possible Drago had dared come to LA? The jury was still out.

“You’re laying it on pretty thick, Mr. Palmer. Aren’t you? I can appreciate the company line but you’re not standing here for the sole purpose of touting the benefits and successes of the Witness Protection Program.” I folded my arms, noticing the good mayor could barely stomach what he was listening to.

Garrison chuckled. “You’re right. However, what I said was the truth. What the DEA does we can’t control, although sometimes we’d like to. However, in this regard, they had nothing to do with a lie. There are certain prison individuals who are loyal to Rivera.”

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