Free Broken Honor by Tonya Burrows Page B

that’s true. But I don’t believe either of them is in New Mexico anymore.”
    “Do we suspect the Juarez Syndicate is behind this?” Marcus asked the room. “The FBI only got a couple low-level Syndicate punks this summer. Maybe they came back, figured instead of trying for another hit on Senator Escareno, they’d kidnap his stepdaughter and get some money out of him.”
    “No.” Harvard finally found his glasses and rubbed his eyes before putting them on. He looked paler than usual, had lost some of the muscle weight he’d packed on during training this summer. The medic in Jesse sat up and took notice. The man had been severely wounded just over a month ago, after all, and he was still healing. He shouldn’t be involved in any of this. At the same time, if they had any hope of finding Quinn and Mara, he had to be.
    “I wondered if it was El Sindicato at first, too,” Harvard admitted. “But this doesn’t fit their modus operandi.”
    Jace Garcia spoke up. “He’s right. I know El Sindicato. If they kidnapped the woman for ransom, they would have disappeared over the border into Mexico. It’s not them.”
    Unease slipped through Jesse’s gut as he studied the pilot. “How do you know El Sindicato?”
    Garcia raised a brow. “How do you think? I grew up in Laredo, Texas, and everyone in the border states knows them.”
    Jesse made a noncommittal sound. Sure, everyone in Texas was aware of the threat El Sindicato posed, but the way Garcia talked…
    Something more there.
    Garcia pushed away from the wall. “Are you implying something, Warrick? ’Cause that, esé , is textbook racial profiling. I’m a Mexican immigrant so I must be corrupt, is that it?”
    Jesse winced. Shit, he really must be tired. “That’s not what I meant. I’m not—I don’t think like that.”
    “I’d hope not, since your pretty little missing cousin looks to have some Mexican blood in her, too.” He nodded toward the photo of Mara among Harvard’s papers, then scowled at the rest of the group. “Way I see it, you cabrones need me far more than I need you, so I’d appreciate some respect. I can easily walk out that door and you can find yourselves a new pilot. No skin off my ass.”
    Gabe waved a hand toward the door. “I told you you’re under no obligation here, Garcia. If you want to leave, leave. But if you’re going to stay, I need you 100 percent committed to this mission.”
    “Hey, man,” Jesse added. “I apologize. I’m…freaked out. Mara’s like a sister to me.”
    Garcia scratched his jaw but otherwise didn’t move. “Like I said, I have nowhere better to be.” He glanced toward the photo again, and his lips tightened. “And I don’t like seeing women hurt.”
    “All right,” Gabe said after a moment of silence. “Marcus, I want you and Ian to check out the airfield in New Mexico. We need to know who we’re dealing with. Harvard will give you the directions. Take Tank, see if he can pick up Mara’s scent. I want confirmation that they are together and we aren’t dooming her by chasing after Quinn.”
    Jesse’s gut tightened. As angry as he was at Quinn for fucking around with his baby cousin, he needed the guy to be with Mara right now.
    God, please let him be with Mara.
    “We’re on it.” Marcus nodded and got up from the couch to gather his gear from the pile near the door.
    Ian followed, whistling to Tank. “If her scent’s there, we’ll find it.”
    Gabe continued, “I’m going over to Mara’s place to take a look inside—”
    “I’m goin’ with you,” Jesse said, leaving no room in his tone for argument. He had to do something. Couldn’t stand the thought of pacing around this suite with nothing to occupy his time except worry.
    Gabe studied him for a long second, then gave an abrupt nod. “Good idea. Harvard, keep working the computers. And, Marcus, I do want you to call Giancarelli and see what he can do, if anything, to help. Everyone else, rest up and be ready to