Chapter 5 #2
“He totally is,” Jessie says, succumbing to a fit of giggles. “We have it on video. Wanna see?” She pulls out her phone, but Roger quickly snags it out of her grasp.
“There will be none of that,” Roger says firmly.
Jessie uses the back of her hand to hide her mouth but doesn’t bother to talk softly. “I’ll show you when we get some girl time, Harper. Until then, there is a picture of the incident on our ‘Wall of Shame’ back at headquarters that you can check out.”
Roger fights back a smile. “Right next to yours, Jessie. Although it’s hard to tell it’s you, considering the only part of your body not swallowed up by an overly large couch cushion were your eyes.”
“You’re no fun!” Jessie pouts. “Harper, make sure you show this old man a good time.”
I feel the heat creep down my cheeks and chest, “Please tell me you mean to show him how to have a good time and not to show him a good time.”
She grins mischievously. “Po-tay-toh, Po-tah-toh. Just don’t call the whole thing off.” Jessie sings the last part and very poorly at that.
“Can we get back to the matter at hand?” Roger asks, changing the subject.
Elijah chuckles. “Sure, but I just want to say one thing first. You and Harper look absolutely adorable with your matching blushed cheeks. It’s even the same shade of pink.”
Roger turns the laptop in front of him so that we can all see the screen. “Why, thank you. Now that we have the whole ‘His and Hers’ gift of embarrassment out of the way, let’s get down to business.”
We wait a moment as a video call connects, and Ethan’s face fills the screen.
“I just got off the phone with Director Marshall Whitman, and I informed him that we would be investigating the disappearance of Robert and Eloise Finnegan. Harper, I’m sure you can imagine that it didn’t take him very long to figure out you were the one who came to us and sought out our help.
However, I didn’t mention that you were actively involved in this case, but Whitman’s not an idiot.
Should he call you, then what you tell your boss is directly up to you. ”
“Thank you for the heads up, Ethan. Did Whitman share anything new with you to give us a starting point?” I ask.
“Yes. There was additional blood found at the scene that belonged to Sergio Alvarez, the new leader of Los Reyes Demonios—The Demon Kings. They are a cartel in the northern part of Columbia that has gone into hiding after it was discovered they had been smuggling drugs and weapons into the US. A few months back, your father was instrumental in providing support and helping us take them down. As you know, there were some major players in the game, and trials are still ongoing.”
“So that’s why Whitman believes my parents’ were taken out of the country. He thinks they are being held in Columbia.”
Ethan folds his arms across his chest and leans back in his seat. “Correct. Whitman believes that the abduction has a two-fold purpose—for revenge and for trade. Several key leaders of the cartel are currently in prison, and your father makes an enticing bargaining chip.”
I drum my fingernails on the table, which is a bad habit that manifests itself when I’m deep in thought. “Whitman will never go for it, not with the United States’ stance regarding negotiations with terrorists and kidnappers.”
Carter huffs. “That’s the word on the street, but history has proven that the United States is willing to exchange prisoners. If The Demon Kings have your parents, then we need to confirm that.”
Ethan listens intently as the team works through the situation, only chiming in when necessary.
“Whitman is unable to confirm. As of now, Whitman’s conclusion is a working theory based on what little information the FBI has at its disposal.
During the time of the attack, the cameras were malfunctioning due to a power outage at the resort. ”
“Was the power outage man-made or an act of God?” Roger asks.
“Ultimately man-made,” Ethan replies. “A tropical storm with high winds passed over the islands, and a tree fell on the power lines. When you look at the pictures of the tree, the break is clean, as if someone had used a chainsaw to cut the tree down. I’ll send you an encrypted email with the file that Whitman provided me. ”
“Is there anything else that Whitman failed to share with me before I came to you and wasted your time?” I ask, embarrassed by the amount of information that was kept from me.
Roger reaches over and grabs my hand, rubbing his thumb in circles over my skin.
“You haven’t wasted anyone’s time, Harper.
There is still plenty to be discovered, and that’s what we’re going to do.
The Demon Kings didn’t operate solely in Columbia.
Miami was also a major hub for them, as well as other port cities.
Your gut says that Robert and Eloise are close by, and I have to agree, especially if The Demon Kings are behind this. ”
“We all do,” Jessie agrees.
“One last thing before I go,” Ethan interjects. “Whitman is fully onboard with us helping the investigation after some cajoling and promises from me. We need to keep him apprised of any information we uncover. He knows what this team is capable of and that we don’t stop until we get answers.”
I pray that’s true because I’m not leaving here without them.