“You said they took the baby?”
“The medical examiner believes the baby was about thirty-two weeks’ gestation. He would need medical care, but he could survive. Someone with medical training performed the C-section, so we’re guessing they could give the baby medical attention. But we don’t know if he would need a ventilator, or if they’re set up to run any tests. He would have been between three and four pounds.” She paused. “They could have brought her to the hospital. Saved her life. Preeclampsia is dangerous, but they could have saved her and the baby. They didn’t care—they only wanted the baby.”
“I’m so sorry, Lucy,” Sean said. “I’m going to be home as soon as I can. You shouldn’t have to be alone at night.”
“I’m okay. Really.”
She didn’t sound it.
“This situation with Jesse is a lot more complicated. It’s—” How did he tell her that Jesse was his son? How could he over the phone?
He heard voices in the background.
“Hold on, Sean,” she said.
Lucy, Jesse’s my son. I didn’t know until yesterday.
That sounded so lame.
Madison never told me she was pregnant when I left Stanford, she would never have told me except he’s in trouble. I should have told you yesterday …
Yes, Sean, you should have. Why didn’t you? Dammit, he couldn’t do it like this.
“Sean?” Lucy asked.
“I’m here.”
“I just got a message from NCMEC—I think we got a hit on one of the girls Siobhan photographed Sunday.”
“That’s good news.”
“I hope so. I’ll call you tonight, we can Skype, okay? I love you, Sean. Be safe.”
“I love you, too—” Sean began, but she’d already hung up.
Sean’s hands were so tight on his phone, he had to flex them several times before he had full mobility. Of all the cases for Lucy to work while he was out of town.
He needed to find Carson Spade and Jesse and bring both of them back to the States, and fast.
Sean continued his research with renewed energy for the next ten minutes, when his cell phone rang. It was Jaye, the research wizard at RCK.
“You have something,” he answered.
“Always. Do you even have to ask?”
“Good news?”
“Maybe. I got a hit on Carson Spade’s credit card. He’s at the Estadio Omnilife, a soccer stadium. Well, football. He used his card at the gift shop. Bought a couple of shirts, a regulation jersey, some other souvenirs.”
“He’s there now?”
“Yep. I checked, the game started at six o’clock your time. Should be going on for a couple of hours.”
“Any way you can find out where they’re sitting?”
“I’m good, but I’m not psychic. He didn’t buy the tickets with his credit card.”
“Are these tickets hard to come by?”
“I have no idea, but soccer—I mean football—is huge in Mexico. I’d imagine the tickets are popular.”
“I have a favor—I would do it, but I need to move. It’s going to take me nearly an hour to grab a vehicle and get to the stadium.”
“Ask.”
“Find out if Dante and Gabriella Romero have season tickets, or anyone in the Flores cartel. You should have the names of the family members somewhere in RCK files.”
“That might not be easy, or even possible. Unless—okay, I have a few ideas. I’ll text you if I get anything.”
“Thank you, Jaye. I owe you big time—again.”
“Just come back alive.”
“I plan on it.”
“I mean, back to RCK. Everyone misses you.”
Now was not the time to think about how and why he left RCK last year. “We’ll talk later,” he said and hung up.
Sean had already hid the plane, but he secured it and set up an alarm that would alert his phone. Not that it would enable him to get back in time, but he’d be prepared for company. He left a coded note for Kane in case his brother returned before he did.
You should wait for him.
No. he didn’t have time. But Kane would be livid. Still, this was a good idea. Sort of. Sean tried to reach Kane by secure phone as he walked toward the main road. No answer. Of course not. When he was working, he didn’t answer his damn phone. He sent him a message.
I have a lead on Jesse. I’ll be back in a few hours.
Assuming he could locate Jesse at this huge sporting event, he needed to convince his son to come with him. That might even be more difficult.
Madison.
That was it. He’d call Madison, have her talk to Jesse. Tell him to trust Sean. It would work.
It had to work.
*
Dante Romero was eating dinner with his woman of the week when Kane walked into his dining room.
Dante had the same worldly charm as Kane’s brother Liam. Attractive, smart, selfish, charismatic. It was no wonder that at one time, Dante and Liam had been the best of friends.
Without taking his eyes off of Kane, Dante addressed the exotic woman sitting across from him. “Darling, would you please leave us for a moment?”
“Of course,” she said. She stood gracefully and sauntered out of the room, closing the door behind her.