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Chapter Sixteen
Maceo
I’m not above beating information out of people for the greater good, but I draw the line at slapping around a urine-soaked priest.
If Abuelita Lucia knew what I was up to she’d be shaking her fist and throwing her wooden kitchen spoons down from heaven at my head. I send up a silent prayer.Look away, abuela.
The beady-eyed bastard knew we were coming as soon as he heard the roar of our hogs rolling up to Saint Joseph’s Catholic Church in the heart of the city. He rushed up the steps of his parish as fast as his pudgy body would take him.
Gauge and I did a quick sweep of the sanctuary, finding Father Castelli hiding in one of the confessionals. I grabbed him by his clerical collar and hauled him out, slamming his fat ass down on one of the pews. He yelped with fright.
And that’s when he released his bladder.
Good.I want him scared, real fucking scared. This asshole upset my woman and backed Bianchi—he can sit in his own damn filth while I question his sorry ass. I’m not going to pound on him, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Fuck.” Gauge wrinkles his nose at the strong ammonia scent. “I hate it when they piss themselves.” I smile without humor.
“Father,” I say coldly, my eyes deadly. “You’ve upset my bride and it’s not acceptable. I know Bianchi forced your hand, but don’t assume for a second I won’t twist the damn thing off unless you give me the information I want.”
The priest raises a shaky hand. “Please. Don’t hurt me.”
“Then make sure to answer my goddamn questions,” I threaten.
The priest does the sign of the cross and starts praying. “What do you want to know?”
I crouch to his level, giving him nowhere to look but in my black eyes. “Where’s Bianchi?”
Father Castelli licks his dry lips nervously. “I don’t know.”
Wrong answer.I pull my switchblade from my cut.
The priest eyes my weapon wearily. “I swear, I don’t know where he is!”
With a flick of my wrist, I reveal the gleam of my blade.
Father Castelli gulps and turns a nauseating shade of green.Fucker better not puke on me.“Wanna try again? It’s been a long time since I’ve stuck anything as squishy as you.”
“Okay, I’ll tell you what I know, but I have no clue if it’s where he’s hiding. I overheard his two bodyguards saying something about the ‘rails’ and needing to be ‘ready to load.’ I didn’t ask for clarification since I wasn’t privy to the conversation.”
Gauge and I share a knowing smile. “The Great Western railway corridor over in the industrial park. He’s moving his goods out of Fort Collins,” Gauge states.
We leave the roly-poly Judas and his urinal-coated church.
“Well, that was an easy interrogation. He didn’t even give an effort. Kind of disappointing,” Gauge says with a chuckle, throwing his leg over the seat of his Harley. “I was ready to make him squeal.”
“Next one, brother,” I say with a grin. I pull my cell from my cut and call Chase. He answers on the first ring. “We have a location. See if you can get access to any live feeds at Great Western Industrial Park.”
Chase grumbles. “That’s three-thousand acres, Atlas. Want to narrow it a bit. It’ll make my job a hell of a lot easier.”
“He’s moving merchandise. Check along the rail system.”
Tapping fingers across a keyboard is the only response Chase gives before he disconnects. I dial Josephine to tell her the good news, that we finally have a lead on the douchebag, but she doesn’t answer.
I hate when my calls to her go unanswered. I try again. Sometimes she misplaces her phone or is wrapped-up in her work. Again, no answer.
Growling, I try again, making Gauge laugh at my impatience. “Third time’s the charm, right?”Nothing.
Uneasiness wants to take up residency in my stomach, but I need to stay focused. Jumping to horrible conclusions will do me no good. I left her in good hands in a fucking fortress filled with the highest level of security.
