Page 60 of Everything We Found

Nadia folded her arms, edging closer to him.

“I’m sorry, Thomas, but Claire’s still missing.”

The announcement sliced into him. He was beyond worried about his mother, but he showed no outward reaction. He couldn’t let his fear of what the Hidalgos could do to her after what they’d done to Phil get to him. He’d shut down. That or he’d go rogue himself and hunt every single one of them down and get himself and others killed in the process. “What else?”

Cammy nodded, knowing she needed to keep this matter-of-fact for him. Treat it like one of her cases.

“Another agent is down. Jonathan Conte.”

Shock knocked him off balance. He grabbed the back of the couch. “Who?”

“Jonathan Conte. He’s with the DEA.”

“Yeah, I heard you.”

“Do you know him?” Nadia asked and he nodded.

“He was Kane’s partner. I don’t know if he was recently, but they worked together back when this mess started.”

“Was he involved with the raid on your company?” she asked and he nodded again.

“I think he also played a part in Ruiz’s extradition to the States.”

“That would explain why he was on the Hidalgos’ hit list.” Cammy tapped her phone.

“How’d they get to him?” he asked her.

“He was on a phone call in his car, parked in his driveway. One of their hitmen walked right up to him and shot him through the window.”

Nadia sucked in a lungful of air, her eyes widening as she fell back a step. Thomas rested his hand on the small of her back.

“So far the feds have been able to keep Conte’s and that other agent’s deaths out of the news. But after your house and what just happened in Hawaii with your brother, I doubt they can keep it quiet for much longer. The media’s going to sniff out the full story. Every hour Ruiz remains a fugitive is an hour closer to widespread panic, especially when the general public learns anyone in any way associated with the raids of eight years ago and the ongoing efforts to dismantle the Hidalgo Cartel could be their next victim.”

Would capturing Fernando Ruiz put a stop to this? Would his death end the cartel’s pursuit for revenge? Those were questions Thomas didn’t have answers for. Did anyone have the answers?

“Anything on Kane?” he asked.

“Your instincts were on target. Kane has been compromised.”

He briefly closed his eyes and swore under his breath.

“My sources inform me his family is missing. The kids haven’t shown up to school for some time and his wife’s missed work. A wellness check showed nobody was home.”

“Were they kidnapped?” Nadia asked.

“Seems likely. Although there isn’t substantiated proof, the feds are treating it as such.”

“Kane acted under duress. They’re holding his family captive,” he said, convinced.

“Still doesn’t change the fact he gave up your location, Tom.”

He scowled, loathing that Cammy was right. Walking a tight circle, he gripped the back of his neck. The Hidalgos were attacking them in broad daylight and under the black of night. They were exploiting their false sense of security and slaughtering them in their homes. Was there anywhere safe to go—could they ever truly be safe—if the cartel was this bold and this daring? Would this ever end? Thomas didn’t believe they would stop until Fernando Ruiz knocked off everyone who had anything to do with incarcerating him.

He’d lose his family.

He’d lose Nadia.

Then he’d lose his own life.