Page 74 of Bound By A Promise
“Any way to identify the plane?” I asked.
“I’ll send Jano the pic. It’s pimped up, but I’m not sure of anything else.”
“The date of the post?”
As Reinaldo replied, I sent the information to Lorenzo with the message:Scan manifests from private airports within a hundred-mile radius of San Diego for a flight with Jennifer Goodin on this date or the day before.After I hit send, I looked up at my brother. “I have Lorenzo searching private airports in the area for manifests. If Jennifer Goodin is on there, he’ll find it.”
The five of us—including Rei—continued to brainstorm. The answers felt like they were fucking close. However, other than our assumptions, we were still in the dark.
“I had a visit from the police this morning,” Rei said. “Jano, they took the story at face value.”
Aléjandro scoffed. “It’s easier for them to close a case than to keep it open.”
“What story?” Dario asked.
“A similar one to what we told SDPD last night. We were paid by Sony Pictures for allowing them to use our homes in a movie scene. No one was in danger.”
“And they fell for it?”
“Like I said,” Aléjandro replied, “they have enough shit on their plate. Give them a feasible story and let them close a case and everyone is happy.”
“Ingenious,” I said.
Aléjandro grinned. “It was your sister’s idea.”
“Ingenious but not fucking true,” Jorge said. “Both my sons were attacked. Link the attacks to someone, and we’re going to shoot our own damn film of them going down.”
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Camila
Armando drove the large SUV toward the airport. Dante was in the front passenger seat, Dario, Catalina, and I were in the back seat. Mama and Mia were following in another car driven by Miguel with Em riding shotgun. I’d even had a chance to go back to my parents’ home and fill multiple suitcases. Dante promised the rest of my things would be packed and sent to our new place.
My husband also filled me in on what happened in Jano’s office. Talk of our marriage disappeared as the threats to the cartel were uncovered and discussed. He said Rei had been on the phone, and I was never mentioned.
Having the men in business mode was an appreciated reprieve.
The decision to take all the women to Kansas City, like most decisions, had been made without our input. Nevertheless, I was happy to be going. Mama and Mia would stay upstairs inDario and Cat’s apartment, leaving Dante and I alone to navigate whatever our future will mean.
Once we were on Dario’s plane, we four women went to the back, sitting in a grouping of four seats while Dario and Dante continued to talk about the fires at hand. The Roríguez cartel wasn’t the only one dealing with troubles. Between the Russians and Taiwanese, there was always an enemy at hand, an organization attempting to take over land, money, customers, and businesses.
Cat laid her hand on my knee. “How are you?”
“Glad to be headed to Kansas City. I was nervous about Papá.”
Cat turned to Mia. “Thank you for helping Camila. She told me all you did.”
Our sister-in-law sat taller. “I’m tired of being treated as if we can’t make our own decisions. We have more to offer the famiglia and cartel than we can as trophy wives.” She lifted her hands. “I know, my mother is one of the best. She can name every store on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or Fifth Avenue in New York. I’m fortunate that Aléjandro listens to me.” She looked at Cat. “You’ve done this too. Dario listens to you.”
Cat nodded and looked at our mother. “He talks to me, something I never heard Papá do with you.”
Mama inhaled, pushing back against the chair. “We say more in private. I suppose that is something we should have done more of in front of you when you were children. Andrés listens. I also know my place.”
“It’s not about place,” Mia went on. “We’re theirpartners, whether we chose that position or not. I want to make a difference.”
“You are with the workers at the club,” I said. “And you did with me.”