Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7), Kaylie Hunter [guided reading books TXT] 📗

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a stray hair or two, but he was video recorded trying to abduct me yesterday, so any DNA could be explained,” I answered as I lifted a bag from the passenger seat and handed it to Miguel.

Miguel looked into the bag, and this time, he did smile. “Thank you for providing me with an alternative, Ms. Harrison. I’ll remember you fondly.”

“No offense, Mr. Ramirez, but I’d prefer to forget you existed completely. Good day.” I walked back toward the warehouse with Tyler and Wild Card following.

“What was in the bag?” Tyler asked as he opened the door for me.

“Packages of plastic coveralls and gloves, so they can move the body without transferring DNA.” I called up to Jackson and Casey, “We’re clear. It’s safe to come down.”

I walked around the room, picking up the ropes and flex cuffs. Tyler dragged the chair to the corner office. Wild Card watched out the front window while we worked. When we regrouped in the center of the room, I knew Tyler was still trying to figure out what had transpired.

“Miguel promised to control Santiago, but Santiago’s obsessive, which makes him near impossible to deal with. Miguel also can’t outright kill Santiago because the cartel business could capsize. But if Santiago was arrested…”

“Then Miguel has full control and no one would doubt his place at the head of the cartel,” Tyler said finally seeing the full picture.

“Damn,” Casey said, looking at me. “That’s absolutely fucking brilliant.”

“Your talents were wasted as a cop, Sis,” Jackson said as he wrapped an arm around my neck and pulled me closer to kiss the top of my head.

“What happens to Shipwreck and Sebrina?” Wild Card asked.

“That’s not up to me. You, Donovan and the rest of your team will have to decide their fate, but as you already know, there’s video evidence you can use to turn them in to the DEA if that’s what’s decided.”

“Is that what you want us to do?”

“I’m fine with it,” I said, nodding as I walked toward the back door. “There’s been too much blood spilled already.”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Tyler drove my SUV, following me, as I drove the van to Chops’ shop. Both Chops and his lifetime girlfriend Candi were waiting as planned. They’d strip the interior of the van, acid wash the interior frame, before putting it all back together, including installing new carpet. I trusted them to do the job right and to keep me out of prison.

When we were almost home, I saw the Devil’s Players were closing down the store and the cars clearing out. It was a little after four, so they must’ve sold out of inventory early. I directed Tyler to drop me off at the entrance. Walking inside, I nodded to several familiar faces and helped start shutting down lights and cashing out registers.

“Well, don’t you look fancy for a rope pulling competition,” Lisa said as she walked over. “What brings you to the store?”

“I just finished a meeting and saw you were closing. Any problems?”

“Normal Saturday craziness. We had two shoppers arrested for fighting over a tank top, an insane bride-to-be who threw a chair at my head when I told her there was no way to alter a size two dress into a size sixteen, and Alex,” she paused while she rolled her eyes, “attempted to use a scooter in the store to move racks from the inventory room. He crashed into the wall. Luckily no one was hurt, and Katie wasn’t here to see it.”

“And the wall?” I asked, grinning.

“Goat says he can fix it.”

“Come on,” Alex called, running over to us and grabbing our hands. “We’ve missed all the best parts of the rope pulling. Let’s go.”

 “We still need to lock down the store,” Lisa said.

Alex shoved us toward the back door. “Goat and Carol said they’d handle it.”

“Wait,” I said, stopping to take off my shoes. “These look fabulous, but they’re killing my feet.”

We walked out the back door, across the lot, and into the field. The stiff grass felt somewhat comfortable under my aching feet. I waved to Hattie, Pops, and the kids who were watching us from the main house balcony. Six guards stood either on the balcony or in the surrounding area.

Turning my attention to the group ahead of me, all eyes turned to me as I walked their way. Several people snapped their heads from me to Charlie, then back to me again.

Wild Card and Donovan stood on the sidelines, waiting for me. “Sebrina and Shipwreck?”

“Bones and Grady are watching them until the DEA agents get here,” Donovan said.

“Why am I getting the feeling you were at more than just a meeting?” Lisa asked.

Several of the men, circled around us to listen.

“It was a meeting. Only it was with Miguel and Santiago Remirez.”

“Shit,” Wayne said, raising both hands into his hair as he stared at me in shock. “You met with the cartel and didn’t tell us?”

“I didn’t want anyone to worry.”

“That wasn’t your call,” Donovan said, wrapping an arm around Lisa, “but I get why you felt the need to handle it the way you did. We didn’t think much of Shipwreck missing, but when Sebrina slipped away, Grady asked us to postpone the competition and send a team with him. He knew something was going on, especially with Charlie pretending—very poorly—to be you.”

“Hey,” Charlie said, fisting her hands onto her hips. “It’s not easy pretending to be Kelsey without speaking or lifting my face to anyone.”

“You did good,” Tech said. “Sebrina never noticed, so that’s all that mattered.”

“Why didn’t we set a net to arrest Miguel and his men?” Donovan asked.

“And spend the rest of