24. Dominic
Dominic
“Idoubt they’ll continue meeting in Puerto Rico,” Leo says, leaning against the bookshelf in my office. “We’ve lost the ability to survey them.”
“We know most of their aliases now,” I point out. “We can watch commercial travel and chartered flights.”
Leo rocks his head side to side. “Yes, but just like us, they have ways of getting around detection. Especially now that the Medina organization is taking a foothold in the Mexican Riviera, it’s fairly easy for Kozlova to have someone else charter a flight for him in Russia, which he controls, jump on undetected, and land in Cancun, where Perez is influential. ”
“Yeah, and Kozlova would blend in as a tourist, even if they drove down to somewhere like Tulum,” Marco chimes in from the other side of the room.
I rub my eyes, frustrated with our sudden lack of knowledge. “Have Lucas have some of our men watch that area.”
“We don’t know that’s where they are,” Leo counters.
“It’s the only guess we have.” I stand and walk to the front of my desk, crossing my arms and leaning against it. “I really wish our guys hadn’t lost them in San Juan.”
“I know.” Leo runs a hand over his face. “But once they fled into the rain forest, it was impossible for our men to track Kozlova and Perez’s Jeeps in an unmodified sedan. They tried.”
The three of us sit in silence, all working through the current dilemma.
Sure, we took the offensive, disabling Kozlova and Perez’s main mode of transportation. We sent a message, which we had to do, but we also gave away our cards.
I scan the wall of pictures behind Marco. Each frame contains a defining moment in my life.
A picture of my family at the Romano vineyard in Italy when Marco and I were boys. My grandfather and me on the day he handed me Il Palazzo. Cassandra and me at our engagement party.
I have to put an end to Kozlova and Perez. That’s the only way to protect the family I have, and the one I’m working to build.
“I’m going to keep watching.” Leo breaks the silence. “We burned a bridge with Santos. He’s not going to tell us a damn thing, but Nico is in touch with Cillian O’Shea in Boston, who has a close eye on Miami’s operations.”
I nod. It’s nothing I don’t already know.
“It’s a bump in the road,” Leo says. I wish I believed him.
“I’ve got Il Palazzo work to do.” I sigh and return to my seat behind my desk. “Marco, Dad and I have a meeting with Michael Ryan at two. I’d like you to sit in; he’s got some questions about updating his security protocols.”
“Got it.” Marco gives a thumbs-up before heading through the door.
“We’ll figure this out,” Leo says. “It’s not the first time the Romanos have fought a war; it’s just the first time you’ve been in charge of it.”
I give him a wry smile. He acknowledges my skepticism with a nod. Agreeing that we’ll talk later in the day, he departs.
While my laptop comes to life, I fish my cell from my pocket. I had put off a phone call this morning that I have to return.
I balance the ringing phone between my shoulder and ear and type in a series of passcodes to open my financial spreadsheets.
As the program opens, a gruff voice on the other end of the line says, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Nice to talk to you, too,” I quip.
“So, San Juan, huh?” Agent Bain huffs.
My lips twitch as I attempt not to smirk. Even though he can’t see me, I don’t need to be cocky with my future father-in-law. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t be a smart ass, Dominic. Somehow, Kozlova and Perez have to charter flights out of Puerto Rico after a mysterious fire destroys two jets at an airport that caters to private planes?
And then, three known Romano-Tariello associates are spotted arriving on a boat in Miami.
You know our field office in Boston is watching that port carefully. ”
“Yeah, everyone in Boston seems very interested in Miami.”
“Is that so?” Jonathon asks. “Is that something you and I can collaborate on?”
I roll my eyes, tapping my mouse so the laptop doesn’t go into screen saver mode. “The Boston syndicate isn’t mine, Jonathon.”
“Right.” He scoffs. “So, did you set the fire, or did you order your henchmen to?”
I let the smirk free. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
The frustrated sigh that travels over the line makes me laugh. I have to place my hand over the receiver to muffle the sound.
“Did you gain any intel before you set the planes on fire?” he asks.
“I’m not admitting to setting the planes on fire,” I note to cover my ass. “We did, however, gain some information before that happened. Kozlova and Perez orchestrated the Pharaoh’s Temple incident, which we already knew. Same as the attack at Sadie’s baby shower.”
“I’m still considering killing you for that one,” Jonathon grumbles.
“Trust me, I’d let you. Kozlova and Perez are insistent on setting up a trafficking ring in Las Vegas.
Anatoliy more so than Esteban. They’re putting together an army to take us down.
So far, we’ve been able to fight them off, but I am concerned about our numbers versus theirs.
My cousin in Chicago may be able to recruit men to help, and Victor Cortez in Los Angeles has offered assistance, of course, but now that Anatoliy and Esteban know we’re watching them, it’s going to be a lot harder to gain information. ”
Jonathon hums, thinking for a moment. “I may be able to jump in at this point. I’ll check with my international agents and see if we can get them working the case. Do you have any idea where the meetings will take place now?”
“We’re watching the Mexican Riviera,” I say, “but it’s just a guess.”
“I’ll focus there until we get more intel.” He pauses as the conversation shifts. “How are your guys that got hit during the baby shower mess?”
I rock back in my chair and run a hand through my hair. “We lost two. Their families got paid generously, but that doesn’t fix their grief.”
Jonathon grunts in understanding.
“Cassandra’s bodyguard got hit protecting her.”
“Which wouldn’t have happened if he got her to the safe room in the first place,” he grits out.
I huff. “Trust me. I know. But he’s going to be okay, just out of commission for a while. We were worried about my driver, but he just got grazed. He took cover and was able to hold off a couple of gunmen until my father’s snipers took them out.”
“It could have been much worse.” Jonathon’s words are more of a warning than a statement.
“I’m doing everything I can to keep Cassandra safe,” I argue. “If you haven’t noticed, she’s not great at following directions.”
Jonathon laughs, and for a moment the mood lightens. “You should have seen her as a teenager.”
“God, I can’t even imagine.”
“I want to say one thing.” His voice drops low.
“I gave you my blessing to marry my daughter because I saw that you’ll go to the end of the Earth for her.
But, so help me God, if anything happens to her, I will butcher you, cut you into little pieces, and feed you to sharks in the Pacific Ocean. Are we clear?”
“Sir, if anything happens to her, you have my permission to kill me however you see fit.”
“Glad we’ve got that cleared up.” Jonathon clears his throat. “Keep me posted if you find out more about Kozlova and Perez, and I’ll do the same. Otherwise, I’ll see you next week.”
“I’ll be the one waiting at the altar,” I say with a grin.
The call ends, and I turn to my spreadsheets.
One week until Cassandra is mine forever.