“Zach has retired from the federal agency he once worked for,” Benito said. “He now makes his home in Monterrey.”
Colt looked him over, trying to discern which of the alphabet agencies had employed him. “Thanks for coming. We can use all the help we can get.”
“I understand you were at Spearman’s earlier today.”
Apparently Benito trusted the man enough to reveal their mission. If they wanted to succeed, they had no choice but to trust him, too. “That’s right.”
“Then you know it won’t be easy to get into the compound and possibly even more difficult to find the boy once you’re inside. I can help you locate him.”
One of Colt’s eyebrows arched up. “That so?”
“You’re talking about surveillance equipment,” Lissa guessed, earning another degree of respect from Colt.
Bridges smiled, sun lines crinkling at the corners of his dark eyes. “I brought some things I figured you could use. Parabolic mic, infrared thermal imaging camera, and best of all—a drone.”
“A drone?” Lissa asked.
“That’s right, and not just any drone.” Zach reached into his pocket and pulled out a device about an inch-and-a-half long that looked like an insect. “Flies right in, gives you a visual on everything that’s happening inside the house. Or it can circle the perimeter, keep an eye on what’s happening in the courtyard or outside the wall.”
Colt’s level of confidence rose. With all of them working together, hell, maybe they could actually pull this off.
He turned to the others. “If we set up the mic and thermal camera on the hill, we’ll be able to hear what’s going on in the house and locate Tim by the size of his infrared image.”
“And the drone lets you know where the bad guys are while you’re in there,” Alex added.
“Which is great,” Lissa said, “if we can figure out how to get in.”
Alex’s jet-black hair gleamed in the light hanging over the table. “I’ve got an idea that might work. While I was watching the back gate, I saw two different trucks drive in and out. One was a food truck, the other was a UPS parcel delivery truck. There was only a single guard at the gate. He spoke to the drivers, then waved them right through. I have a hunch trucks come and go all the time.”
Colt started nodding. “That many people around, they need supplies. And like everyone else these days, they probably buy a lot of stuff on the internet. We get hold of a UPS truck, we can drive right in through the back gate.”
Alex grinned. “Easy peasy.”
Colt thought of the armed men they’d be facing once they got into the compound. “Yeah. No problem at all.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SINCE EVERYONE SEEMED ready for a break, Lissa checked the refrigerator, found a six-pack of Jarritos soda, and passed the chilled bottles around.
“The best way out of Mexico is the same way we came in,” Alex said, taking a swallow of the lime-flavored drink while Lissa resumed her seat. “I just need to find a landing site close to the house. I saw a promising spot this morning, but I need to check it out.”
Colt tipped up his bottle and took a long swallow. “We can’t fly out at night, but we won’t need to if we breach the compound during the day. We drive in, grab the boy, drive out, and head for the landing site.”
“This could work,” Lissa said, feeling a rush of excitement.
Colt flashed her a smile. “Yeah, baby, it could.”
The endearment and the warmth in his expression sent her heart rate up a notch. Colt Wheeler was everything she respected in a man. And he already meant far more to her than someone she had hooked up with for a few nights of sexual release. Not that she did that often. With Colt it had just seemed so natural, exactly the right thing to do.
Benito leaned back in his chair. “It could work, but there is still a problem.”
Colt arched a brow. “You’re worried about what Spearman will do when he finds out Timmy’s gone.”
“Si, that is right. Spearman could call off his meeting with the men from the cartels to go after his son. We could be jeopardizing the task force’s entire mission.”
Lissa’s attention swung to Colt. “You think he’d do that? Call off the meeting?”
Colt shrugged. “No way to know for sure. He’ll be furious at being outmaneuvered, but he’s a selfish son of a bitch or he wouldn’t have forced Timmy to leave his home. Guy like that, I don’t think he’ll put his personal agenda in front of the chance to expand his power base.”
Benito seemed to mull that over. “I think you are correct. If we get the boy out of the house and Alex flies you all back to Texas, Spearman may come after his son again, or send someone to do it, but I do not think he will cancel the meeting.”
“If the task force does its job,” Zach put in, “El Puñal will be locked up in prison, too busy covering his ass—literally—to give his family any more grief.” A faint flush tinted the leathery skin over his cheekbones. “Sorry, ma’am.”
Lissa just smiled. She’d been a police detective. She knew what happened in prison. In Spearman’s case, whatever he got was well deserved.
Benito was speaking. “Everything carries a certain amount of risk,” he said, his gaze going around the table. “I think you should proceed with your plan.”
All of them agreed.
As another hour slipped past, more details were added. Zach would provide additional equipment, namely an AR-15, which would be hidden in the delivery truck, along with a couple of backup weapons, in case they ran into trouble as they left the compound.
“But you can’t just
