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“You’re kidding?”
He shook his head. “Manny didn’t want to hear that; he didn’t care. He just knew she was beautiful, and he thought it might give him some sort of access. It helped smooth the transition, but very quietly. He married her after just a few months, positioned her beside him.”
Shit.
Santiago Cartel was supposed to be done for. The death of Paloma back at the fall ofThe Gardenwas supposed to have ended it.
That much I knew.
But what Ididn’tknow was, what exactly Paloma’s connection to the Santiago Cartel meant in the grand scheme of things.
“Paloma and Etienne were a romantic item,” Onyx filled in for me. “If Trinidad is family, Paloma Santiago could have been trying to get an in with the Rojas business while they could. If she had an idea something was about to go down…”
“Trin was planted to make sure the money and power stayed in the family,” I guessed, nodding.
“It seems like you two are in there talking through it, figuring it all out,” Ivan yelled, but didn’t move any closer.
“Figuring out that we did you a favor,” I called to him. “If Trinidad was planted by the Santiagos, it means we’ve weeded things out for your family. Got rid of a parasite. You’re welcome.”
Ivan chuckled. “I suppose itcouldbe that simple, couldn’t it?” he asked. “But you see—this information is only for a trusted few individuals in my organization.” He pulled his head back and grinned. “Damn,myorganization. It sounds very good. But, I’m still going to need a compelling story to tell.”
“Tell your people it was a lover’s quarrel gone very wrong,” Onyx suggested. “Trinidad lost it, killed Manuel, wanted to run away with Maite. But Maite got scared, got cold feet—left. So Trinidad killed herself in Maite’s business to get a reaction out of her. To hurt her,” Onyx said. “It’s no problem to make it look legit.”
I turned to him, frowning. “That is sadistic,” I scolded. “I love it.”
He winked at me. “I’ve got you.”
“Everything I’ve ever heard about people fromThe Gardenwould suggest that they’re above such emotional outbursts,” Ivan spoke up.
“No oneis above an emotional outburst.” Onyx was the one to answer. “And I already showed you why I’d be the one to know. It’ll work. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“I’ve got plenty to worry about,” Ivan said, pushing out a heavy sigh. “Your people will handle the details?” he asked.
“Yes,” Onyx agreed. “But we want the knife.”
“Fine. It will be delivered. And then we have nothing else to talk about.”
Relief sank my shoulders as Ivan put his helmet back on and ambled back to his bike.
“A thank you would have been nice,” I muttered as Onyx gunned the vehicle, forcing Ivan and his guys to get out of the way a little faster than they may have liked.
“He can’t thank us until we’ve made sure this doesn’t blow back on him. It’s all messed up. I’veneverheard of aRosewith true family ties,” Onyx said, speeding down the street to turn the corner on what felt like two wheels. “Nobody except Margeaux.”
“I thought Alicia was related to Paloma?” I asked.
Onyx nodded. “Her stepmother, but… you’re right. Paloma was Dacia’s biological mother, which would make her and Trinidad vaguely related.”
“Do you think they actually know each other?”
He shook his head. “I doubt it. But this shit just seems to get more and more messy at every turn. We’re going to have to talk to Maite. We need to know what Trinidad was up to.”
“If she would even know. And even if she knows, she’s too pissed to tell us anything.”
“Too pissed to tellyouanything,” Onyx corrected, still making haphazard turns and speeding on the way out of the city, throwing off anybody who might be on our trail.
He was right though.
Maite likely didnotwant to talk to me, but she’d give whatever answers she could tosomebody.
Especially knowing that all our lives might depend on it.
