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“Wait a damn minute,” Buck said. “What was the purpose of putting me undercover if you’re going to cut me out of this? Mari trusts me, and I can get more out of her than you could.” He would play this against the DEA, CIA, and his own team if he had to. They were the ones who put him in this situation where he had to compromise his own morality and subsequently jeopardize his relationship with Mari. They certainly weren’t going to eliminate him from protecting Mari in any way he could. That was his main purpose.
“No. I’m not letting you anywhere near this. You’re compromised as far as I’m concerned. Biased.”
“Biased?” Buck took a step toward him, kicking up a little dust. “You have no idea how I feel about this mission. You don’t know me, so don’t presume to act like you do.” Fury built and burned inside, searing his skin from the inside out. He would have loved to punch the guy right in the face, but he had the common sense and the conviction that this prick wasn’t worth jeopardizing his career. Mari needed him right now, her family needed him, and he was going to make good on his promise to her about keeping them safe.
Russ was careful to move back a step or two, and Buck got enough satisfaction from that. “Since you’re not my boss, and he hasn’t given me an order, I’m going to the jail, Watson.”
“Time will tell whether your girlfriend was involved in us losing people in that crash.”
Buck’s mouth twisted into a sneer. “Fuck you, Watson. Mari saved our lives. You’re too eager to get an arrest for your people, and railroading innocents into a crime or crimes they didn’t commit is a dick move, especially when you don’t have a shred of evidence.” Without a backward glance, supported by his teammates, including Joker, he headed for the vehicles.
When they reached the police station, typical and nondescript as any he’d seen, he went inside. As he pushed open the glass doors, he saw that Kat was there, and Watson was talking to her. Only Joker came inside with him. The rest of the team waited by the SUV.
“Looks like Watson is going over your head and mine,” Joker gritted out, his jaw hard.
“I’m not worried. Kat is the one who roped me into this. She wouldn’t have if she didn’t trust me.”
“What are you talking about? Buck is the perfect person to be here. He has a relationship with both people. We need answers, Watson, and we can’t coerce them in any way.” She paused, looking at him for a moment, defiance in her gaze, which made Buck think he threatened to go over her head. “If you want to make this a pissing contest, go ahead. We found nothing at that warehouse, except the legal actions of the occupants. If you don’t like it, tough. That’s the way it is. Buck stays.”
Watson huffed out a breath and stalked away. Kat turned to him and Joker. “Idiot,” she said with exasperation. “So, Diego was nervous for all the wrong reasons?”
“Yeah, I think so. He was hiding the prototype from his family for a reason.” He looked down the hall. “Let me talk to him. We have a rapport connected to Mari. I’ll get the information from him.”
“We need much more information regarding the shipping of the product. If the cartel/gang are involved in some way, that will prove it.”
He nodded. “Innocent people have nothing to hide.” He looked down the hall again. “Where is he?”
“Through the second door on the right.”
Buck headed that way, wondering where Mari was. But to get to her, he had to get this questioning over. He opened the door to find Diego sitting at a small table, water in a bottle near his hand. He looked up, then his expression leveled out.
“What’s going on? Why are we here? We’ve done nothing wrong.” He leaned forward, his gaze narrowing. “Where is my sister?”
“Calm down, Diego. You’re not in trouble or under arrest.”
He frowned. “You’re the first person who’s told me anything.”
Buck pulled out the chair across from Diego and sat down. “Why were you keeping that prototype hidden?”
Diego huffed. “Because of my father. He wouldn’t approve. I wanted to finish it and make sure it works before I try to change my dad’s mind,” he said bitterly. “My father isn’t exactly open to change, but we’ve had that pan roaster forever. It’s old, outdated, inefficient, and Mari has to clean it constantly. My drum roaster would save hundreds of dollars in electricity alone, not to mention man hours.”
“Okay, that sounds reasonable.” He leaned back. “If you wish to leave, you’re free to go.”
Diego studied him, then his eyes narrowed. “But?”
“I’m sure you’d like to clear up anything to do with the murder of your shipping manager, and for us to get off your plantation and go home.”
“You have no idea.” He held up his hands. “No offense. Personally, all you guys are great people, but we would like to get back to normal.”
Over his tenure in the SEALs, Buck had learned to carry a wide range of gear, tools, and important stuff. Ammo, rucksacks, rockets, wounded. He trained for every conceivable combat scenario and learned to adjust to those real-world situations no instructor could have foreseen. Tools of the trade: his weapons and his instinct.
His instinct was working overtime right now. Diego was still hiding something. It was clear to Buck that Diego didn’t trust him enough to tell him, or what he had to say had ramifications Diego wasn’t ready to handle. For Mari’s sake, he hoped her brother wasn’t mixed up in something that was going to ruin their family and their business.
“Diego, you can trust me. I care about your sister a lot and would hate to see your life’s work and your family legacy demolished. The DEA won’t stop trying to root out drug traffickers and anyone who’s aiding them. Let us help you.”
Diego exhaled a heavy sigh, the edge completely gone from his voice when he said quietly, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not—I’m not involved with drug traffickers.” His expression hardened, a glint of steel in his eyes. “I swear, Buck.”
Buck believed that Diego believed what he was saying. “I assume you won’t have a problem if we dig into your finances, your family’s finances, along with your production and shipping accounts. They are also going to ask you where you were three days ago at about twenty-one hundred…ah nine p.m.”
