Brianna stepped from her car into the crisp, night air. When she slammed the door, the wind howled viciously around her, swaying her body and thrashing her hair. Whenever there was a Santa Ana, Brianna knew it was God’s way of reminding us who was really in control and how insignificant we all were.
Brianna knocked on the front door of the Bennett house and Richard answered. He was still using crutches and his body was covered with yellowing bruises. Not saying anything, Richard stood there with hatred radiating from his eyes.
“May I come in? My bodyguards will wait outside.” She tried to soften her voice, but it was still loud and authoritative. She knew he would respond better if she were less domineering toward him.
Richard moved aside and she entered. Even though she’d only been to Dominic’s house a few times, it was warm and familiar to her.
“Is Marie home?”
“I’ll go get her.”
“Wait . . . I want to ask you something first.” Richard eyed her suspiciously. “I need to contact the DEA. Do you have a way for me to do that? I don’t want it traced.”
Richard’s eyes narrowed. “What for?” he asked.
“I need to speak with a man by the name of Chris. I need his help.” Whatever Richard saw, he must have seen her sincerity because he nodded and left the room. Brianna let out a sigh of relief.
After a few minutes, Marie entered. “What brings you here, my dear? Everything all right with Dominic?”
“I’m not here regarding Dominic,” Brianna answered, because frankly, Dominic was not okay. He was far from it. “I’ve been doing some research regarding my mother. It’s time you fill in the blanks.”
“What exactly do you want to know?” Marie asked. She didn’t meet Brianna’s eyes. Instead, she took a seat and fluffed a pillow next to her.
“Salazar killed Christina.” It wasn’t a question. Brianna and Marie’s eyes locked. Brianna continued, “I’d like to understand why. The events leading up to it.”
“That’s not something I can discuss with you,” Marie whispered.
“Please tell me. I’m trying to find a way out. A way to save Dominic. In order for me to do so, I need the details.”
Something flickered in Marie’s eyes. “What I’m about to tell you—it can never leave this room. Understand?” Brianna agreed.
“Your mother was young and beautiful and everyone loved her. I had known her since middle school. She was always drawn to the bad guys. It used to make me so mad. She could have anyone she wanted, and she always chose the wrong one. When she met Salazar, she played hard to get, which made him want her all the more. She was intrigued because he was mysterious and rich. Who wouldn’t fall for a handsome man who was lavishing you with gifts all the time? However, despite all that, she was a good person and from a good family. Even though she liked the bad and mysterious, she still had her morals and values. Salazar knew and understood that. He was careful to shield her from anything that might taint her feelings toward him.
“Eventually they married. She was so happy and in love. When she discovered what he did—not just the drugs but the beating and killing—she was appalled, and left him. Christina filed for a divorce, and her parents took her to Florida to get her away from Salazar. They were afraid he still had a power over her, and they didn’t want her to go back to him.
“In Florida, Christina’s parents were eager for her to meet another man, to take her mind off of Salazar. Perhaps they pushed a bit too hard. She met someone else. When Christina and her family returned home to Carlsbad, she was pregnant. The father of her child followed Christina and proposed to her. Salazar saw them.”
Was this man her biological father? Not Salazar? “What happened?”
“Salazar went crazy and murdered Christina along with this man,” Marie’s voice trailed off, lost in thought.
“Explain how Dominic fits into this mess.” She wasn’t sure she really wanted to know.
Marie closed her eyes. A tear escaped.
Brianna softened her voice. “Please. I want to know.” Brianna took Marie’s hands.
“Salazar showed up here . . . bloody . . . he said he needed help. Christina was thirty-seven weeks into her pregnancy. After she died, Salazar cut you from her body.” Marie shook. “He held the blanket-wrapped baby and told me Christina and her lover were dead. I didn’t recognize the man in front of me. I refused to help him. He got mad. Vicious.”
“Did he hurt you?”
Marie closed her eyes. “He raped me.”
The rug was ripped out from under Brianna’s feet. She was falling and there was no air to breathe. Brianna had heard enough. She wanted to scream and tear something apart.
Richard reentered the room, unaware of what was going on. “Marie, get your jacket. We have to go and get Cameron. Her car broke down and she needs our help. I told her we’d be there in fifteen minutes.” Marie left the room. Richard mouthed, “Leave, wait five minutes, then come back. He’ll be here.” Brianna nodded.
After saying good-bye, Brianna got in her car and drove away.
At first she thought it was going to be hard to betray her father, but now that she knew he wasn’t her father, it would be easy. Salazar took her because she was Christina’s, and then he forced her to marry his son. Salazar was sick and twisted—at least his blood wasn’t pulsing in her veins. She needed to get away from him, but there was no way he’d let her go until he had an heir.
After five minutes, she turned the car around and headed back to the Bennett house. One of her bodyguards called her cell and she told him she forgot her purse. It was strange not having Ben there protecting her any longer. She had no idea what had happened to him. She combed through news articles, searching for a body, but there was nothing.
The front door was unlocked. Reentering the house, all was quiet. Richard and Marie had already left. Brianna found a note on the floor. It read office.
Entering the small room, the blinds were drawn, random music was playing a bit too loud, and Chris and Matt stood waiting for her. She closed the door and sat on the small couch across from the desk. Chris sat in a chair and Matt leaned against the wall. No one spoke.
She tried not to let the fact that Matt was there cloud her judgment or fluster her. She needed to focus on Chris, who appeared calm and composed. He’d obviously been doing this a long time and had no emotional stake in the matter. Matt on the other hand, kept fidgeting with his hands.
“We’re glad you’re here,” Chris finally spoke. “Are you ready to help us?”
“Yes,” Brianna said. “I just want out.”
“What are you willing to give us?” Chris asked. Matt shoved off the wall, about to intervene. Chris motioned for Matt to remain silent.
“What do you want?” Brianna asked, her law training kicking in.
“Enough information on Salazar’s organization to bring him down.”
“That’ll never happen.” Brianna said. “No one in his organization knows enough. Besides, he can still control everything from a jail cell. So, what’s the point?”
Chris laughed. “I’m not going to get into a philosophical debate with you right now. You say you want out. Okay. We’ll put you in the witness protection program. But you have to promise to testify and give us everything you can.”
“I’ll never testify against him.” It would be suicide. Matt started pacing around the small room.
“Then there’s nothing we can do for you.” Chris leaned back in his chair, like he was done.
“If you’re naive enough to think Salazar will let me on a stand and testify, then no, there’s nothing you can do for me.”
Matt stopped pacing and turned to look at her. “You wouldn’t have come here without a plan. I know you. You’re smart and I’m sure you’ve thought this through.”
Brianna’s face turned bright red. God, she loved when he cocked his head to the side, raising his eyebrows with a smirk. He still seemed like the same person she loved—the same Matt. But
was he? Was this the real Matt or was he still hiding behind a mask?
Matt pulled a bottle of Tums from his pocket and popped two in his mouth. The bottle refocused Brianna’s thoughts.
“Yes, I have a plan.” The idea of saying it out loud frightened her.
“It’s okay, you can speak freely,” Chris said. He explained that the music would drown out all listening devices.
Her fear was that Salazar had an inside man and would find out she was working with the DEA. Could she trust Chris and Matt to protect her? It was a dangerous line to cross, but equally dangerous not to.
Chris reached out and placed his hand on Brianna’s shoulder. Automatically she recoiled. She was not a possession.
“I’ll take it from here,” Matt interjected. Nodding, Chris got up and left the room.
Brianna noticed a family picture sitting on the desk. Although Dominic appeared to be about thirteen, his eyes were directed toward her. She shivered.
“Has anyone threatened or hurt you?” Matt asked, sitting on the other end of the couch. “Has Dominic harmed you in any way?”
“Why do you ask?” Brianna hadn’t realized Matt was so good at reading her. No wonder he was an undercover agent—he obviously had a knack for it.
“Because I can tell something’s wrong.”
Brianna glanced at the space between them. “I don’t want to talk about it. We’re getting off topic.”
Matt knelt on the floor in front of her, taking her hands in his. There was something fierce in his eyes and he seemed angry. “I swear I’ll protect and keep you safe.” His voice was strong and sincere.
“As long as I give you what you want,” Brianna said matter-of-factly. Matt flinched. Brianna continued, “You broke my heart. Salazar has always been overprotective of me and it’s because of people like you.”
“People trying to help you?” He tightened his grip on her hands.
“People trying to use me. Even now, you’re only using me. You don’t really care for my well-being. All you want is to get Salazar, no matter the cost. You want to be the hero and capture your prey. That’s why this is so hard for me. I’m the only one looking out for myself.” She squeezed her hands out from his.
“That’s not true. I love you and want what’s best for you.”
Brianna wished she could believe him—that it was that simple. “I’ve heard that my entire life. People seem to have funny ways of expressing their love to me.”
“I’ll do whatever I have to in order to earn your trust.”
Brianna stared into his warm eyes. They pulled her in. She glanced away, trying to remain in control.
“Bri, listen to me. Do you know what love really is? All your life you’ve been faced with lies and deceit. People saying they love you, people claiming to have your best interest at heart. Do any of these people even know you? The real you?” He pointed at her heart. “I know you.”
“How can you imply I don’t know what love is?”
“Because if you did, you wouldn’t walk away from this.” He clasped her hands again.
“My heart knows what love is. But my head is telling me to run.”
“I miss you. I miss your smile, your smell, your laugh. Listen to your heart. Let me help you.”
“If you love me like you say you do, then I want to do this my way.” She knew this was going to be asking a lot of Matt.
“Whatever you want.”
“Then listen carefully. I want to fake my suicide and I need you to make sure everyone, even the DEA, believes I’m dead.”
There was nothing to do but wait. Matt was onboard one of four U.S. Coast Guard boats, an artillery of agents were onshore, and there were three additional fishing vessels in the area. The Point of Contact was on the beach ready to take pictures for the media.
All eyes were on the water, searching, waiting. The U.S. Coast Guard’s sonar could pick up something as small as a dolphin. If Salazar’s sub came, they would know.
“Sorry to hear about you and Rene,” Brian, the San Diego Special Agent in Charge, said.
The night was cool and clear. The boat rocked along with the current. Matt wasn’t sure if his stomach hurt from nerves or the sea.
“Thanks,” Matt said. “Rene wasn’t too happy about going into the witness protection program, but everything worked out for the best.”
“When I first took this job, my wife threatened to leave me countless times. Through the years, she’s gotten used to it.”
Matt glanced at his watch. It was only ten thirty. He reached down and felt his pocket—the phone Brianna gave him was there, ready. It was a waiting game now.
“I remember my career case,” Brian continued. “Of course, I was an agent back in those days. L.A. Division.”
“I remember. You got Javier Sanchez, one of the world’s top three cartel leaders.” Matt recalled the story that made worldwide news and launched Brian’s career. If they captured Salazar, this would rival that arrest. A career case. Matt would be promoted to level thirteen.
With so much on the line, he was worried about Brianna. Everything was in place. However, the later it got, the more difficult it would be for her to pull off her suicide, and the raid on the Salazar residence wouldn’t start until after Salazar was arrested. Until that moment, Matt would worry about her. Luckily, Chris was helping with that end of the plan.
The boat continued to rock. The wind was picking up. If the sub didn’t show, Matt would feel like an idiot for trusting Brianna. He was ninety percent sure she was trustworthy. Still, he never thought she’d flip. Once she married Dominic, Matt assumed there was no going back, yet because of her, this massive operation was underway. Operation Black Water. When Brianna came to them last week, she had a good hunch Salazar would be traveling on a sub. She was able to provide the date and location. She had discovered everything through either Phillip or Dominic. It made Matt nervous—her sneaking onto computers, eavesdropping on private phone conversations, snooping for information. But she came through and provided enough. Without her, they didn’t have a chance in hell at catching Salazar.
Matt glanced down at his watch. Ten forty-five. Timing was critical to avoid any last minute change of plans. God, what if Brianna set this whole thing up and it was an ambush? She’d have good reason, especially after the way Matt betrayed her.
The wind howled as it ripped through the boat. The flimsy DEA jacket wasn’t warm enough on a night like this.
“Got it!” a U.S. Coast Guard agent yelled. “Due south—just under two kilometers away. It’s a big one!”
Brian radioed the other agents and vessels. The ocean continued to slap against the boat. It was difficult to scan the water while rocking. Brian handed Matt the binoculars. Looking through them, he saw it—blacker than the night, like a whale skimming the surface. The sub moved straight toward them. Matt grabbed the phone in his pocket and texted Brianna now. Then he pulled his duty weapon and prepared.
***
Driving south on La Jolla Boulevard, Brianna clutched the steering wheel, trying to focus on the task at hand. Glancing in her rear view mirror, she saw her bodyguards in the car behind her. Breathe, just breathe. Turning onto Mission Boulevard, Brianna searched the side of the road for the car she was going to swap with. Matt promised to leave a generic gold Honda Odyssey—something that could easily blend in.
Brianna spotted the van up ahead as promised. She turned into Burger King and pulled into the drive-thru, which, as usual, was packed even at eleven o’clock at night. She waited until her bodyguard pulled up behind her, and another car behind him, so he was pinned in between two cars.
When Brianna turned the corner in the drive through to order, she glanced back, making sure her bodyguards couldn’t see her. She jumped from her Mercedes and ran to the Odyssey, knowing she only had seconds until they realized what was happening. The keys were in the ignition, ready to go, and she immediately sped off north, in the opposite direction.
She quickly turned right
onto a side street, then took another right, so she was traveling south, parallel to Mission Boulevard, hoping to buy herself some additional time. She needed to be careful. The van had a lot of sway and the last thing she wanted to do was tip it. Once she saw her bodyguard’s car about fifty yards back, she turned back onto Mission Boulevard again. When she approached Garnet Avenue, Brianna immediately turned right and parked outside of the Kono Café. There were still a lot of people around. That’s one of the reasons they chose this location—always a mix of vacationers and college party goers.
Jumping from the van, her heart was going a thousand miles a minute, but she wasn’t scared. Brianna found it invigorating that she was going to die tonight. Everything was in place; she only had a moment until her bodyguards found her.
***
The sub cut through the water, heading toward La Jolla Cove where there were several caves. Brianna had told Matt that Salazar planned to use one of the caves to unload the sub.
A Coast Guard agent gave the command and lights flashed on, directed at the sub. A voice sounded on the megaphone demanding all crew members come out with their hands up. A small round opening flipped open, and three men came out.
The Coast Guard cutter that Matt was on pulled alongside the sub. Matt and two other agents hopped onto the sub with their weapons drawn. The three men stood with their hands in the air and were arrested without incident. It was almost too easy.
Matt looked at all three men closely, none of them were Salazar. They were too young.
“Anyone speak English?” Matt asked the men. One nodded his head. “Anyone else on board?”
“Don’t know.”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Matt instructed an agent to escort the men to the boat.
Another Coast Guard boat pulled alongside deploying additional agents on the sub.
“I’m going in,” Matt said. “Salazar’s still down there. Let’s split up into three, two-man teams.”
Matt descended the ladder. All he could imagine was an armed gunman ready to take him out. He turned on his night vision. He was in a hallway. With his partner right at his back, they moved forward. There were several doors but they went past them. When the hallway ended, they came to a large open room filled with cocaine. Matt turned around. It was time to start opening doors.
The Power to See Page 30
