AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What does he want with Morgan?” asked Matt.
“That I’m not sure of,” said Brooke, shaking her head. “When he got word that Ramos was either dead or had disappeared, that was the first question he asked. I had no idea who Morgan was, then learned later that she was his daughter. The only thing I can think of is that she has something that he wants either from Ramos or that was left to her by her mother.”
“Her mother?” said the men simultaneously.
“Yes. She was killed in front of her, but her mother was the one who had all the money. That huge mansion up near North Franklin Mountain is her mother’s home. Except it’s been sitting vacant for years. She put in her will that the mansion could not be sold or torn down unless her daughter made that decision – willingly.
“Whatever was in her trust, it provided for lawn care and maintenance of the home forever, and it ensured that Green couldn’t touch it. It named Morgan and an attorney in Utah, as the executors, with Morgan as the sole owner.”
“How is the mortgage paid?” asked East.
“It’s not. It’s paid for. Outright, in cash. A trust was set aside for maintenance and insurance, which the executor in Utah handles. Mrs. Sutton was a wealthy woman by legitimate means. I haven’t been able to figure out why Green would marry a woman with millions only to use that money for illegal activity.”
“Because he’s fucking greedy and stupid,” frowned Matt.
“Probably, but he’s also singular in his thinking. Ramos owned everything in the region but was using Sutton and Paulo Rivera, out of Los Angeles, to get everything over the border. Sutton killed Rivera three months ago, taking over all of his interests.
“Now, think about that. Sutton now controls guns, drugs, people, everything from the West Coast, Los Angeles on down, and across Texas, all the way to Houston. On Friday, he’s expecting Lomas Rivera, Paulo’s brother, for a meeting. Lomas Rivera controls everything coming in through the Gulf, and Sutton doesn’t like that at all.”
“That’s what he wants me for,” said East. “He wants me to kill someone, and I’d bet a million bucks it’s Rivera.”
“You can’t. You know you can’t,” said Brooke.
“I’m well aware, honey, but I could bargain. If I asked for my payment to be half and you, he might buy it.”
“But you can’t kill Rivera!” said Brooke. “He’s been feeding us information for a year now, helping us to bring down the others.”
“Then we’ll return the favor,” said Cowboy. “We’ll set a meeting with him tomorrow. Eazee and I will head over to Houston, meet with him, and let him know what’s going on. Worst case scenario, we fake a death.”
Brooke paced the room, stroking her neck nervously.
“Maybe I should call Fuentes and run this by him,” she said to herself more than anything.
“No.” Four men said it at the same time, all earning the deathly stare from Brooke.
“What we mean is, you can’t be sure that Fuentes isn’t in on this, Brooke,” said Cowboy. “If he is, you’d be putting all of us in danger.”
“He’s not involved. I know he’s not. He would have had a million opportunities to sell me out to Sutton, and he didn’t. He’s an honest agent who is only trying to bring that man down and seems to hit dead ends no matter where he turns.”
“Why do you think that is?” asked East, staring at her, pleading with her. “Jesus, Brooke, why the fuck do you think that is? Sutton owns everyone! Every fucking person in this city, he seems to have in his pocket. If he doesn’t own them or know them, he kills them. Even Fuentes said he was fighting a losing battle.”
“That may be, but my job is to stop that man,” she said with her hands on her hips.
“No, your job is to stay alive long enough to become my damn wife!”
Silence filled the room, Cowboy, Eazee, and Matt staring at one another, slowly moving toward the door.
“We’re going to see if the rooms next to you are empty. If they are, we’ll rent them and be sure we have no ears listening in,” smirked Cowboy. They left the room, and East plopped back into the overstuffed chair.
“I’m tired. It’s late. Can we just try to get some sleep?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “We’re not going to bed angry. My parents don’t. I know for damn sure your parents don’t, and Mama Irene and Matthew never do. I won’t start that habit.
“Listen, East. I know that you’re trying to protect me, and I love you for it, really, I do. But I can’t just walk away from this. Not now. There is too much at stake.”
“Why? Why can’t you just let us take care of this issue?”
“Take care of it how, East? Because I’ve been around long enough to know how you guys take care of things. Someone sits in a tree all night, gets a good shot, takes Sutton out, and burns everything to the ground, or, God forbid, there’s a ship somewhere that he owns, and it sinks, blocking a harbor somewhere.”
