Page 81 of Her Noble Protector

Shit.

“What have you got?”

“Rolando Jiminez has connections here in the States.”

Raiden thought about the guy who’d been coordinating the kidnapping of Lisa in Arizona. The one that nobody had been able to find.

“Yeah, we figured that.”

“You know he has family here?” Aiden said. He sounded surprised.

“Who has family?” Raiden asked.

“Rolando,” Aiden clarified.

Raiden stilled. “Nope, didn’t know he had family.”

“Well, he does. That’s how he’s distributing. He has a brother who leads a gang out of L.A., and that guy is wired in. Raiden, I had my uncle do a deep dive on this; he has cops on his payroll.”

“Shit, Aiden, we had Arizona cops all involved in Lisa’s kidnapping. They needed to keep in touch with all of us for the case.”

“The dirty cops are in L.A..” Aiden pointed out.

“Doesn’t matter, information spreads.”

“You’re right, it does.” Aiden sighed. “My uncle is trying to get a bead on where that crazy bitch Maria Jiminez is. Raiden, even for the cartel, she’s whacked.”

Raiden started his car and backed out of his aunt and uncle’s driveway.

“Aiden, I don’t know you, but I owe you.”

“I drink single malt.”

“You got it.”

“I’ll keep you informed of what I find out.”

“Thanks.”

As soon as Aiden disconnected, Raiden called Max, who thankfully answered on the first ring.

“Please don’t tell me your mother has fixed me up with somebody,” Max laughed.

“This is serious.”

Max’s voice immediately turned sober. “Give it to me.”

“Just talked to a guy from Black Dawn. He has connections down in the Yucatan and knows that Maria’s uncle can get info from dirty cops in L.A.”

“Fuck. That means he can get info from the cops in Arizona.”

“You got it in one. Aiden, the Black Dawn guy, is checking his sources to see if Maria has made it to the States. In the meantime, I need to put Lisa on lockdown, plus I need to get my parents the fuck out of town.”

“Absolutely. Ideas?”

“I’ll have it figured by the time I get to their house.”

“How far away are you?” Max asked.