Deadly Games - Cate Noble [101]
Then Travis had rattled off a few names of well-known traitors. All had life sentences. “The best deal you can hope for is a better federal prison than Su-perMax. Could you handle twenty-three hours a day in solitary?”
Ian eventually had agreed to cooperate. The messages back and forth with Harry had seemed to take forever, but Travis played the scenario perfectly.
They had rushed to get Ian south of the border only to have Harry tell him to get a room and wait for instruction tomorrow morning.
No one had expected Harry to wait until then, which was why Rocco was hiding in the closet of Ian’s motel room. He and Catalina Dion had posed as tourists and checked into a room shortly before Ian arrived.
Dante, Max, and Travis were scattered nearby in vehicles as they waited and watched.
Rocco’s deadline expired in four and a half hours. Travis felt certain that Harry would make a move on Ian before that deadline was up. Rocco prayed Travis was correct.
While Rocco waited in the cramped space of the closet, he tried to figure out Harry’s motive. Money was obvious, but it didn’t explain everything. Rocco had decided that Harry was out to get him personally, until Dante and Max mentioned the same thing. After all, Harry had left Dante and Max for dead. Or had he? Had Harry known they were alive and purposely sold them out?
Outside the room Rocco heard a noise.
Ian had the television on which made it harder to hear, but when the noise repeated, Rocco realized what it was. Someone had unlocked the room door.
He peered out the small crack and watched as the door eased open a half inch and then shut when the visitor realized the security chain was in place. Rocco texted an alert to everyone on the team.
Now, someone knocked on the door. Ian muted the television and cautiously approached the door, looking first at the closet as if he expected Rocco to answer.
“Ask who it is,” Rocco whispered into his microphone.
Ian nodded as if forgetting he was wired for sound.
“Who’s there?” Ian called.
“Housekeeping,”afemale voice called. “Clean towels.”
“Tell her you didn’t order any,” Rocco instructed.
“I didn’t ask for towels.”
“These were delivered to the front desk, senor. With a note that you were expecting them,” the woman went on. “I have the note, too.”
Catalina texted Rocco. TWO PEOPLE OUTSIDE DOOR. She had a camera hidden in the hall, so next came a picture.
Rocco recognized the man outside the door as the same one who’d abducted Gena in Sugar Springs. The man who’d driven the black truck.
“Open the door slowly.” Rocco moved into position.
As soon as Ian released the chain, the door flew open and the man strode in, a handgun pointed directly at Ian.
“Who are you?” Ian began.
Rocco stepped out of the closet. The man turned just as Rocco fired a Tazer. The man dropped his gun and fell to the floor, writhing uncontrollably.
Rocco swept the man’s gun out of reach as Dante, Max, and Travis pushed into the room.
Max covered Ian, while Dante and Travis pulled the intruder to his feet.
“Where is Gena?” Rocco demanded.
The man shrugged. “No habla Ingles.”
“No speak English,” Dante said. “Cat, we need you in here.”
Catalina slipped inside the room. “The maid is handcuffed in the hall, but I don’t think she’s involved,” Cat said.
“Ask him where Gena is,” Rocco said.
Cat translated. “He says you have no authority here. And if he doesn’t call his partner in the next few minutes, Gena will die.”
Rocco surged forward, but Travis held him back. “He’s got a point. We can seek extradition.”
The man laughed now, switching effortlessly to English. “Yes, call the local authorities so they can tell you exactly where to stick your extradition papers.”
Travis tapped his earpiece. “We’re ready for you.”
The door opened as Rey Salvador and two Mexican police agents came in. Rey flashed his INTERPOL credentials. “This man, Edguardo Pina, is wanted for the murder of one of my agents in Monterrey.”
Edguardo shook his head and glared at Rocco. “You’ll regret this.”
“Not as much as you,” Rey said.