Cameron pressed the speaker and answered. “Montez?”
“Too late,” Dario said. “We released the monks locked in the monastery. Three dead of smoke asphyxiation there. Then we found that monk Montez was trying to save in the forest. He was coherent enough to tell us that the man who had been helping him had been attacked and knocked unconscious by four men, who dragged him away into the forest. He heard rotors. Evidently, Dorgal had a helicopter waiting about a mile from the monastery. He’s probably on his way to San Esposito to transfer aircrafts.”
“Then you’ve lost him?” Cameron asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Dario said. “I said I was too late here. That doesn’t mean I totally failed. It’s just a postponement.”
“Postponement to what?” Catherine asked.
“I called my people in San Esposito and told them to locate a plane that’s being readied for takeoff. I told them to put a GPS tracker on the plane.”
Hope flared. “We’ll be able to trace Dorgal to Santos?”
“If that’s where he’s going,” Dario said.
“Where else would he go?” Catherine asked. “He’s taking Montez to where Santos needs him. Even Montez thought that Santos would keep Delores near him. He’s taking Montez to Delores.”
“You’ve lost me,” Dario said.
Yes, Dario had not been privy to anything to do with Delores, Catherine thought. No time now to fill him in. “I mean we’ll be able to track him to Santos. Don’t try to stop him at the airport.”
“I wouldn’t anyway. I have only a few men there. Look, I’ve got to get back to that monastery. I’m trying to get help from nearby villages to take in those monks. Are you done with me?”
“Yes, right now,” Cameron said. “Let me know if they manage to attach that GPS.”
“Of course. But they’ll do it. And I’ll let you know the final destination.” He hung up.
“He sounded very certain,” Catherine said.
“And if they do, we’ll get our shot at Santos,” Cameron murmured. “So do we still go to Guatemala?”
“Probably not,” Catherine said. “But we get in the air and head in that direction. We’ll let that GPS on Dorgal’s plane dictate our destination.” She glanced at him. “As if you wouldn’t do that without asking me.”
“You’ve constantly pointed out that this is your show. Naturally, I’d ask you. Otherwise, you might cast me into outer darkness.” He readied for takeoff. “Which terrifies me to no end…”
*
“We’ve got him,” Dorgal told Santos as soon as he picked up the phone. “I told you that I wouldn’t fail you. We’re heading for San Esposito Airport now.”
“Why are you so pleased? It took you too damn long.” Santos’s voice was sarcastic. “All you had to do was pluck him up so that Ling couldn’t get to him. He was just an interference, not an objective.”
Dorgal tried to restrain his own impatience. Santos had obviously been sitting on his island, seething. It only reaffirmed his conviction that to maintain his own position in the cartel hierarchy, he had to give Santos the bloodbath he needed soon. “I realize that it took longer than we thought it would,” he said soothingly. “I suspect that was Ling’s fault, too. So the fact that we managed to get him was still a triumph. Not enough. But Delores will still have him as insurance, and it frees me to move on to more important items on your agenda.” He paused. “That I believe you may have also decided are more urgent. Isn’t it time you crushed Ling as she deserves? We can take out the people she cares about in a grand climax rather than one by one.” He added quickly, “If that’s what you want. If I’m reading you correctly.”
Silence.
Dorgal was beginning to sweat. If he’d guessed wrong, Santos would have an unpleasant surprise waiting for him when they next met.
“You didn’t guess wrong,” Santos said shortly. “I don’t think Delores would like Ling to live one more minute after all this trouble she’s been causing. Let’s put an end to it.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Grand climax…” Santos was mulling the concept. “I like the idea. But it has to be done right. I have to be able to watch her face when she realizes what she’s losing.”
“Of course,” Dorgal said. “I’ll make the arrangements. Most of the people who are on your list to exterminate are gathered like chickens in a henhouse. I’ve had information from my man watching Ling’s place that Erin has recently been seen there, too. Jane MacGuire is the only one who we may have to go after individually. She’s out of her coma and may be recovering.”
Santos muttered a curse.
“But think of the agony of lost hope Ling will feel when we step in and kill MacGuire.”
“You’ve told me that there are guards all around the hospital. Can you get to her?”
“I’ll get to her. There’s an orderly, John Chalce, with wonderful credentials and security clearance, who is permitted on her floor. Fortunately, he’s also highly corruptible. So I’m sending Montez with Juan Pablo on that plane to you, and I’m heading to Atlanta to give MacGuire my personal attention. I’ve already started making preparations in Louisville for the major show. As you can see, I haven’t been spinning my wheels while I was searching for Montez.” He paused. “I hope that you approve and realize that I’ll give you whatever revenge Delores would deem necessary.”
“What I deem necessary.”
Mistake? Who knew whether it was that bitch or Santos who seemed to be guiding the ship. It appeared to change from hour to hour. “That’s what I meant.”