Page 90 of Great White
I take the envelope and open it. It’s surveillance pictures. Of Marco Rayas. Coming and going out of a brick building I’ve never seen before.
“What am I looking at here?”
“That’s a private hospital in Dallas, Texas.”
“Okay.” I continue reviewing the images until I come to one that’s out of focus. “Who is that?”
“Raffi Rayas,” Taylor informs me. “He’s in a coma. Has been for the last six months.”
“Six months?” I mull over this information. Then, who’s in charge?” My mind tries to fit the puzzles pieces together. Running through the events I have witnessed the last few months and the last few days.
I look back down at Stefania and hiss.“Marco.”
23
Dove
Marco stalks into the room,with me backtracking until the back of my knees hit the bed.
“Sit.”
I’m defiant.
“Sit,” he screams at me, and I do as he says.
“Where is Stefania?” I demand.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but she’s dead.”
“What?” I shoot off the bed, but Marco punches me, and I fly back onto the mattress. I taste blood as I stare up at him with venom dripping from my fangs.
“There she is,” he taunts me. “La Tiburona. I see the killer in your eyes. Maybe if Stefania had more of that cutthroat instinct, she would have survived. Cartels are a messy business, you know.” He combs back the loose strand of hair that escaped from his low ponytail. His lynchpin self-importance so thick, it’s smothering the room.
“She knew better than anyone how messy they could be,” I bite.
“And now she’s with the rest of her pathetic family.”
“She loved you.” I’m disgusted.
“I loved her. I wish it didn’t have to end up this way, truly. But she was stubborn.”
“Stubborn how? She was giving up everything to be with you.” I wipe away the blood trickling down my lip with the back of my hand.
“Was she? Because as soon as I thought that, too, she had second thoughts. HerPalomitawas always chirping on her shoulder,” Marco says it like it repulses him.
“She wasn’t going to give up the business?” Something like pride swells inside me.
“She wanted to give it all to you,” he sneers. “She was willing to walk away, but she didn’t want to leave you with nothing.”
“So you killed her.”
“What else could I do? She was adamant. And the Deltoros are competition.”
“So you set me up, got me arrested, and tried to have me killed in jail.”
“I needed to get you far away from her. Needed to get her out from under your thumb. But then you got out.”
“And you got scared.” I mock.
