Page 50 of Locked and Loaded

Her voice came down the line. "Well, this is a surprise."

"Kathleen. How are you?"

"We're good. Enzo and I are in Switzerland. We came up to meet some friends."

"That's nice. I hope you're having a great time,” he said, and he meant it. He was glad Kathleen had found a partner. The irony that he was a former mobster was hilarious to him, but that was another story.

"We are,” she agreed. “But you didn't call to hear about my vacation. What's up?"

Dragan smiled. Kathleen had always been direct. They'd gone on a couple of dates, but he couldn't convince her to stick with it. She'd felt she was too old for him, which he'd thought was nonsense. Kathleen was a gorgeous, intelligent woman, but he was glad she'd found her person.

"I need to speak to Enzo. Is he there?"

"Sure. He's right here. I'll put you on speaker."

Enzo Valardi’s voice came down the line with that hint of protectiveness Dragan had come to expect from him. The tone that said come anywhere near Kathleen and I’ll kill you. And Dragan respected that.

"Maric.”

“Valardi,” Dragan responded, "I need your help."

There was a beat of silence. "Okay. With what?"

"I'm trying to find a woman. She was taken at an auction a few months ago in Ibiza."

Enzo grunted. "I know the kind of auction you mean. Unfortunately."

"She wasn't one of the girls who got drugged and loaded into a van. She was a special item. Bought by somebody specific. I'm hoping you might know who."

"I know a lot of scum who attend those auctions. Too many. But that doesn't narrow it down."

"That's just it," Dragan said. "In this case, I don't know the man's name, but I've got a description. He's big. He flew in and out by helicopter. And his security detail was afraid of him. I was told he’s Italian."

Enzo went quiet. Then he said, "He's Greek. Well, his mother is Sicilian, so he’s half Italian, but he tends to think of himself as Greek unless he needs the Italians for something."

Dragan's felt his eyebrows go up. "I've got to say, I'm impressed. That's not much of a description, and you knew who I meant right away."

"He’s a sick bastard named Konstantinos Georgiou. He is feared like no other. His security team knows if they screw up, they die. They’re terrified of him. Everyone is.”

“You too?” Dragan asked.

Valardi laughed. “There are very few things on this earth I’m terrified of. He’s not one of them, but you do have to handle this individual with care. You do not want to get on the wrong side of him. Georgiou will scorch the earth to get you if you piss him off.”

"Good to know. Does he have a place in Italy?"

Valardi snorted. "He has a place everywhere."

"I was told he was taking a helicopter from Ibiza with his eventual destination of Italy. I'm guessing he wasn't going all the way by helicopter. Probably to a local airstrip and then on to Italy. Do you know where?"

"He has several places in Italy, but if I had to guess, your best bet would be Sicily. Like I said, his mother was Sicilian. The Sicilians love him."

Thanks for this."

Dragan was about to hang up when Vilardi said, "Wait. If you're looking for him at this time of year, though, he'll be in Greece. He's got an island there. I'm pretty sure that's where he is."

“Huh. I guess I’ll have to check both places.” Dragan wasn’t looking forward to that. It would take time, time Chloe probably didn’t have.

"Do you want me to put feelers out? See if I can find out?" Valardi offered.