“What do you mean set up? And how do you figure the CIA is involved?” Shane asked.
“Well, let me back track and give you some history. The CIA found out there was a Mexican Cartel who call themselves ‘El Muerte Larga’ or the long death. They have been working their way up big time here in the US. They’ve been smuggling all types of shit through the states into Canada for months. The Cartel has been servicing other factions in the U.S. such as the Italians, Russians, Albanians; you name it, they’ve worked with them. Their services are expensive, but they always deliver. They are known for it.
The Cartel reached out to the Baxter family, mainly because they are one of the top shipping companies in the world. They ship tens of thousands of items every week. The Cartel’s main guy, Manuel, who is the nephew of Eduardo Munez the head of the Cartel, figured they would use this company to expand their business. They paid handsomely for security and discreteness. What they got was a royal fuck up. The Baxters lost a shipment of guns that were for the Russians.”
Josh looked at his brother, Malcolm, then asked, “Okay, so Baxter Shipping lost the shipment. What does this have to do with Kenya?”
Josh actually knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Nickels say it plainly.
“Okay so here is why this Cartel is so ruthless. When they have a mess up like what Noah Baxter did, there is hell to pay. And when I say pay, I mean pay. The crazy part of all this is the Baxters found the shipment and brought it to the harbor safe and sound. But the Cartel is about teaching lessons. They made the Baxters pay for the amount that they would have lost if the shipment wasn’t found. That was five million dollars.”
“Holy Shit,” Junior said softly.
Nickels nodded. “Yeah, holy shit is right. Of course, the Baxters didn’t have the money, so they sent half, and they have to send the rest by tomorrow. If they don’t have the money in their bank account by a 9 pm tomorrow, they plan on executing a family member or loved one of the Baxters.”
Nickels remained quiet for a moment to allow the information to sink in.
Then he said, “Now you asked how this has anything to do with Kenya, and why do I think it’s a set up? Well, during this whole time, the CIA has been monitoring the Cartel and knew what the Baxters were doing for them. They went to the family, looking for a little cooperation in exchange for a get out of jail free card for the father and son. All they had to do was get the Cartel to admit to some things on tape.”
Nickels shook his head and began typing.
He said, without looking from his keyboard in front of him, “I’m sending you what I have on the Cartel, where their safe houses are in the US and in Mexico.”
Josh’s brothers and Misty walked over to Junior and stood behind him as he brought up the email.
Josh though didn’t move.
He said, “So did the CIA get anything useful?”
“Small things here and there, this is when I come in. I helped with trying to get the Cartel on something, anything. They were getting their money laundered expertly and were investing in companies with the help of Kenya’s father’s company. So the CIA figured if they caught the Cartel getting their hands dirty, they could take them down. They hoped to get the sale of the shipment or the pickup of the shipment on tape, but all they collected were some Russians that knew nothing.”
“The Cartel is pissed. The Baxters are clearly talking to the US government, trying to rat them out. The stupid lesson they wanted to teach them is out of the window. Now it’s not about them losing a stupid shipment, it’s about loyalty and trust. That’s a whole different lesson, and the stakes have just been raised. Now they aren’t just going to target your pockets, they are going for family.” Nickels took a deep breath and looked into Josh’s eyes.
“Unfortunately, there is no one they can get to at the moment. Mrs. Baxter goes nowhere, and they don’t have any other children but Noah, and at first, he had no girlfriends or a wife until recently. This wife of his has been discovered living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania living on the South Side of the city with the last name of Baxter. This was sitting out there ready and waiting for the Cartel to find it, and well, it was only a matter of time before the Cartel got a hold of her.”
Josh stared at Nickels not really seeing him but letting everything he said register in his mind. The CIA, namely Diane, he was sure, knew about the Baxters for a long time. What he didn’t understand was how did she find out who Kenya really was?
Josh asked, “How did Diane find out about Kenya?”
“I think she was told by someone in your camp,” Nickels revealed.
Josh looked at Junior and then Misty.
They both blanched and Misty said, “Don’t you dare look over at me. I had nothing to do with it. I didn’t say a word.”
“Neither did I and you know that,” Junior added.
And Josh did. Who he wasn’t sure about was Jacks. That’s when something else fell into place in his mind. It was minor at the time, and he never put two and two together but now…
Josh asked Junior, “Did Jacks get you to run a background check on Kenya?”
Junior shook his head slowly. “Nope, he didn’t. Probably because he knew I wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
Misty shook her head. “Come on, you two. You know Jacks just as well as I do. He wouldn’t have went to the CIA for shit. He hates them.”
Josh said, “Diane has been trying to get close to me for months. I’ve never given her a second thought, but one day she called Kenya, Pollyanna.”
Misty folded her arms. “Yeah so…”
Josh looked at Misty. “Yeah so, Jacks called Kenya the very same thing in my office the day you two met her.”
Misty rolled her eyes. “Josh, that doesn’t prove anything but how stupid they both are in name calling. Diane is a conniving bitch, I know. She’s used to getting what she wants. She wanted you, so I can see her being involved in this. But Jacks? He had nothing to gain.”
Josh shook his head. “Yeah, well if that was the case, why did Diane and Jacks together pay me a visit when I was out with Kenya last week? You said it yourself. Diane is used to getting what she wants. Who’s to say she didn’t use Jacks in order to get what she wants? Look, I hear what you’re saying… I just have a feeling there’s more at play here.”
Misty shook her head, but she didn’t reply. She wanted to say something else, but looking in Josh’s eyes told her it would be useless. Getting Josh to change his mind on something he completely believed is like fitting a square peg in a round hole… you might figure out a way to improvise, but it’ll be messy.
Nickels chimed in, “Well, I did see that someone else from your team was looking into Kenya and not Summer. I detoured them multiple times and didn’t let them find out anything. The CIA started digging, and I kept them at bay too, but I think that virus allowed them to place that identity background without me knowing. I do know she got some information from Kenya’s grandfather, so she could’ve just pieced information from various sources, but I’m not sure. But however they learned it, they used it to their advantage. They learned she was the very Kenya Frost that was missing for five years, the daughter of Virgil Frost and the girlfriend of one Noah Baxter. Then they created the false marriage license and fed it to the Cartel, hoping they would catch them in the act of kidnapping.”
“Yeah well, if that’s the case, they fucked up royally,” Misty added.
“Yes and they know it. They’ve since left Pittsburgh and went back to DC. They are trying to figure out a way to find Kenya, but they are coming up empty. They have asked for my help, but I refused to help them. But I can help you. I don’t know where they have taken her, but I know for a fact they will be calling Noah for the rest of their money tomorrow. If you can get there, maybe get the Cartel to talk more, and I can triangulate where they are. Maybe we have a shot at getting her back.”
Malcolm stood from the couch and looked at his brother. “That sounds like a plan to me. We can reach out to the family and let them know we are here to help, and hopefully they will let us.”
Josh nodded and looked at Nickels. There was something else he needed to know before they moved.
He asked, “Did you know exactly what Noah was doing to Kenya?”
Nickels’ expression on his face grew dark. “Yes, she told me about him keeping her hostage basically.”
Josh’s eyes narrowed… he knew more than that, he could taste it.
He moved closer to the screen. “Tell me what else you know. Tell me what I need to know before I leave this apartment.”
Nickels sighed, unsure if he should share everything he knew with everyone in the room… Josh, sensing that, said, “The people in this room are the only people I trust to know this information. You can say what you need to say.”
Nickels sighed again. “Okay yes, Kenya told me everything that happened to her, how Noah use to strangle her until she passed out… getting off on the shit while she struggled to breathe. Through monitoring Noah, I found he streamed most of his attacks on Kenya to this secret site that sick fucks go to watch. The first night he did it, he put a bid out there to sell her to the highest bidder, adding she was as pure as the fallen snow. He promised to break her, and every night when he would strangle her or put a bag over her head, he aired it.”