Page 65 of Relentless
“Huh?” Ethan said.
“Peter. Why he got involved with weapons traffickers,” she answered. “The oldest reason in the book.”
“Money?” Ethan suggested. He didn’t know Peter’s finances, but he had two kids in college and worked for the government.
“Revenge?” Kara proposed. Then her brow furrowed, and he thought she might be trying to figure out how revenge fit into Peter’s life.
“No, it’s love,” Cody replied.
Sabina drew up short, flustered by the quick responses. Chad came up behind her and set a hand on her lower back. “Actually,” he said. “It’s all three.”
“Love, money, and revenge?” Kara said, putting her puzzle down and turning her full attention on her sister.
Sabina frowned. “In a way, yes.”
“Explain, please,” Ethan said, gesturing for her to take a seat in the last empty chair. Chad beat her to it, then pulled her down half on his lap and half in the chair. Sabina cast her husband a look, then settled in.
“Anyone know who Regina Aristo is?” she asked.
“The media heiress?” Cody asked.
Sabina nodded. “She and Peter are seeing each other. It started casually about two years ago and has grown more exclusive in the last year. His salary doesn’t quite cover what it would take for him to circulate in her world, but amazingly, he’s not having a hard time keeping up.”
“So he needs money to pursue his love life, covering two of the three motives. What about revenge?” Kara asked.
“Peter’s wife was having an affair with Regina’s husband. Those two left their respective spouses to be together. But Regina’s husband got nothing in the divorce because of a prenup,” Chad answered.
Cody chuckled.
Ethan considered the scenario. “So Peter’s wife and Regina’s husband are now relegated to a regular middle-class life while Peter—metaphorically—rubs it in his ex-wife’s face that he came out of the divorce on top because he’s now gallivanting around high society with Regina?”
“You got it in one,” Sabina said.
“Sounds a peach,” Cody said.
“Okay, so I understand the motivation,” Kara said. “Well, not really, but that’s beside the point. What I mean is, does this help us? Does it help us find him? Or does it help us know what his next move is?”
“And do we know where he’s keeping the money from his trafficking activities?” Ethan asked. “As Ava said, if we find the money, we find the best way to shut him down.”
Sabina made a face and actually growled. A sound Ethan hadn’t ever heard from her. “I can’t find the money,” she mumbled.
“What?” Cody asked.
“I can’t find the money,” she said, the words bursting out. “I found his regular account. The one that his paycheck goes into, and his mortgage and credit card bills go out of. But I can’t find where he’s keeping the rest.”
“Uh, I hate to ask the obvious question, but ifyoucan’t find it, are we sure he’s involved?” Kara asked.
Sabina’s eyes narrowed as she stared out the window toward the bay. “I appreciate your faith in my abilities, but he’s involved. There isnoway his paycheck is supporting the lifestyle he’s been living.”
“Maybe Regina is supporting him? Having her own little go at some revenge?” Ethan suggested.
Sabina shook her head. “I went through her finances. She pays for some things, but not everything.”
Kara shot her sister a look of support. “You’ll find it.”
“Just how involved is he? Do we know? Is he the one shipping the weapons?” Ethan asked.
Sabina gave a small shake of her head. “We don’t know, not yet. I tracked his travels over the last two years and sent the intel to Gina. She’s going to reach out to some of her contacts to see if there was any chatter in those areas around that time. He travels enough that he could be a shipper or someone who negotiates the shipping details. But it’s also possible he’s a mule for information. You know, taking messages from one place to another. Not as dangerous, but no less important.”
