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“Is that what the drugs were about?” I was still having a difficult time believing the attacks were all about the next possible president of the United States.
Emmanuel was having a good time providing scorching information, so much so I was finding it difficult to keep my anger in check. “They ceremoniously erased the Mexican cartels who provided it to the United States. Now, they are going after the other countries. They won’t stop with South America.”
“So let me get this straight. They are funding their operations through the control and money earned off capturing the entire fentanyl drug trade.” Dante shook his head.
“That’s exactly right. I suspected it for years, but Desposito was good enough to confirm it.”
“So they planned on framing us for the overdoses that occurred in Sitka.”
“Possibly.”
I thought about what he was saying and while almost everything was coming together, I wasn’t buying the reasons. “We’re missing something.” Dante and I looked at each other and I sensed he agreed. Going forward would include removing Michael Crawford from the picture, but we’d need to be careful doing that. Although the information I had on the man’s proclivities could prove to be helpful. It was something else Xavier had taught me. In keeping your enemies close, you gained their trust by providing them with ways to unravel their sense of decency. The new cruise ships would make that easier. But with Crawford, it had been nothing more than inviting him to a lavish affair after a movie premiere. It was likely something he didn’t know I had, including the glossy photographs.
Although I’d prefer killing the man, disgrace was a viable and very useful option. Perhaps more so in this case.
“We need to put all the pieces together. And we need to clean up Sitka. The people there are nothing more than watchdogs.” I made the statement absently, not necessarily to anyone in particular.
“I agree with you that there are pieces of this missing, which another reason I wanted to come to you in person.” Emmanuel studied me directly.
The lilting sound of piano music coming from another room surprised all of us, me included. I’d seen Sabrina’s face when she’d noticed the baby grand that had been suggested by my designer when decorating the house. The sound was melodic, allowing a few additional very lurid thoughts about my talented guest to enter the forefront of my mind.
It was a song I’d never heard before and the way she played was beautiful, as if she was a concert pianist.
What I didn’t expect was the strange look crossing Emmanuel’s face or the way his body swayed when he rose from his chair. “Who is that?”
“A guest,” I answered.
He didn’t hesitate to storm toward the closed door of my office, throwing it open.
“What is he doing?” Ivan asked.
“I don’t know.” I immediately followed, Dante trailing behind me. As we walked into the living room, Emmanuel was standing just a few feet in front of the piano.
Only when Sabrina finished the piece did she lift her head, obviously confused as to the interruption.
“Senorita Margarite,” he said softly, much more so than I’d heard from him.
Sabrina glanced in my direction. “No. I’m sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone else.”
“What is going on?” I asked as I moved closer, glancing into the man’s eyes. He was mesmerized by Sabrina’s beauty, which I could certainly understand but there was more. It was as if he was looking at a ghost.
He wiped his jaw. “Forgive me. What is your name?”
“Sabrina Rose.” Her expression was full of concern.
When the man took a backstep, his eyes opening wide, I instinctively reached for her.
“What the fuck is going on, Emmanuel? May I remind you that you are a guest in my house.”
He slowly lifted his head, and I could swear there was mist in his eyes, a sadness that came from a dark place.
“Forgive me, Sabrina, but you look just like your mother.”
“How do you know my mother?”
He took a deep breath, pressing his hand over his heart. “Because she was my goddaughter, a girl I raised from the time she was three years old until she disappeared from my life forever.”
CHAPTER 27
