reddening.
Puller said, “You had a talk with two of Lampert’s men? Would they be the same pair that were staying at the Plaza?”
Mecho did not answer, which to Puller was answer enough.
“So you killed them?”
“They were not human. Not any longer. They were like rabid dogs.”
“You still murdered them.”
“You have not killed before?”
“I have not
Diaz said, “That can be dealt with later.” Puller said, “Mecho, do you know anything about the death of an old lady and an old couple?”
Mecho said, “I saw an old couple killed on the beach when I first came here.”
Puller glanced sharply at him. “On the beach? Did you see who killed them?”
Mecho shook his head. “But it was one person. Shots to the head. Then their bodies were dragged into the water. The tide took them out.” “And you just let it happen?” said Puller. “There was nothing I could do. It happened too fast.”
Carson said, “Okay, their bodies were dragged out to the water. So probably a man. Big, small, white, black?”
“Not that tall. I could not see the color of the skin clearly but I think white. And slender, but obviously strong.”
“And you blew up Lampert’s Bentley,” said Puller.
Mecho looked at him, puzzled. “How did you know that?”
“You have big feet.”
Diaz said, “This can all keep. We need to be prepared for what is coming up in the next few minutes.”
Mecho nodded. “The warehouse. It is where they keep the slaves. That is where the trucks go.”
“Then we should call in the police,” said Carson.
“No,” said Diaz. “Lampert and Rojas have assets everywhere. We can’t trust the police.”
“Then the U.S. military. Eglin is right up the road.”
“By the time they can send anyone it’ll be too late,” argued Diaz.
Puller had a sudden thought. “You said this was a joint operation with the U.S. Did you happen to be working with military-looking guys in a Chrysler?”
“Yes,” said Diaz. “They told me of their interaction with Americans. I guess that was you.”
“Guess it was. Were they tracking me or Betsy Simon?”
Simon?”
“They had spotted a car belonging to Simon near the transfer spot one night. They traced it to her. Then she was killed. They started watching.” “Where are they now?” asked Puller.
“After their encounter with you, they were reassigned. No one has replaced them yet.” “Great,” muttered Puller.
“Okay, give us the layout of the warehouse,” said Carson. “If they’re still there we’ll have to hit it hard and fast.”
“We
“No problem at all,” said Puller. “If they’re trying to murder me.”
“That I think you can count on,” said Mecho.
CHAPTER 82
There were four sides to the warehouse and they covered all of them. They had to split their forces in quarters to accomplish this, but allowing a hole for anyone to escape was deemed not acceptable.
Puller took the rear.
Mecho the front.
Carson the left side.
Diaz the right.
They were prepared for a war.
They did not find one.
They did not find anyone at all.
The warehouse was empty.
The makeshift prison cells held no one.
They searched the space in ten minutes and then regrouped in the center of it.
Puller said, “They move fast, I’ll give them that.”
“But where have they gone?” asked Carson. “We can get APBs out. They have to be using trucks to transport.”
“Lot of trucks going up and down the highway,” pointed out Puller. “Can’t stop and search them all.”
He glanced over her shoulder and stiffened. He raced past Carson and over to a spot against the wall. He knelt and picked it up.
The others joined him.
“What is it, Puller?” asked Carson.
Puller held it up.
It was a ring. A small silver ring with a lion on it.
“This belongs to my friend Diego.”
“Who is this Diego?” asked Mecho.
“A kid. About twelve years old. His cousin is Mateo. He’s five. They were probably both here. Diego probably left this as a clue. He’s a pretty smart kid.”
“A five-year-old,” said Diaz. “Why would they have taken twelve- and five-year-old boys?”
“Prostitution?” said Puller. “Sick bastards out there.”
“No. Rojas is a criminal. And a truly evil man. But he has never taken anyone that young before.”
“Diego didn’t come through the normal pipeline. He lived in Paradise. He was snatched from right here. Along with Mateo.”
Diaz looked worried.
“What is it?” asked Carson.
“Then it was Lampert who ordered this. Not Rojas.”
Puller rose and pocketed the ring. “So what exactly does that mean?”
“It could mean that Lampert is expanding his product line, without Rojas’s approval or even knowledge.”
“Expand it where?”
“Terrorists.”
“What?” exclaimed Carson.
“You build mock families to divert suspicion.
A mother. A father. With young children. If you travel with little ones security is instinctively lessened. It is against human nature to take your own children into harm’s way.”
“Not in the Middle East,” said Puller. “Happened all the time.”
“Yes, they were used as shields and sometimes bombs, I understand this,” said Diaz. “But this is not the Middle East. And the people who used children as shields and bombs were not their parents.”
Puller said, “So you’re saying it’s great cover to travel with small kids. To avoid detection or at least heightened scrutiny.”
“Maybe getting in and out of the country,” added Carson.
“Yes, that is what I’m thinking,” said Diaz. Puller looked at Carson. He said, “I should have shot Lampert the night I met him.”
