Page 62 of Casualties of War
“Uh-oh,” Garrett murmured.
“Yeah.” Daniel grimaced. “I could soft-shoe this if you want.” His gaze flickered toward Carmen.
Her heart shifted. “No. Cut to the chase.”
Daniel nodded. “The Insurrectos snatched Nick Escobedo’s wife and the Mexican ambassador from Acapulcoairport. They grabbed Adán Caballero, too. There’s an outside chance they may have also grabbed Cristián and his family in Pascuallita, only that one doesn’t fit the pattern.”
“What pattern?” Carmen asked.
“High profile decision makers and influencers,” Garrett said.
Daniel pointed at him.
Carmen swallowed. “There’s more?”
“Nick has stepped down as President. Flores ispro temfor now.”
Garrett nodded. “Smart,” he said.
Carmen shook her head. “I can’t imagine Nick sitting back and letting anyone fight his war for him.”
“It’s the only counter he can make, now Serrano has Calli,” Daniel said. “It neutralizes the leverage she gives Serrano.”
“Daniel, they took the Mexican ambassador,” Carmen said. “Wouldn’t Olivia be the same type of target?”
“That was the first call I made,”Daniel said. “She’s still at the hospital with her father, surrounded by FBI, Secret Service and cops. She promised she wouldn’t move from there for now.” He grinned. “Minnie is Chief of Staff and is running the house in Acapulco.”
“That’s funny?” Carmen asked. “Just because she’s a woman—”
Garrett laughed, too.
“What?” Carmen demanded.
“If Nick Escobedo has stepped down, they can’t keep himin the field. They’ll send him back to the house,” Garrett said. “He’ll be taking orders from Minnie.”
Carmen thought of the petite woman who had taken out three men with a fry pan and a flare gun, to stop them raping her. “I would like to be a fly on the wall when they bump noses. I’m not sure who I would put my money on.”
Daniel hoisted the phone a little. “We have new orders,” he said.
Garrett tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Locate Calli and the ambassador,” he guessed.
Daniel nodded. “It’s a good bet they’ll take them to the palace. Duardo needs it confirmed. So, we’re on stake out until we spot them.” He got to his feet, then climbed up the sharp slope of the stairwell behind the roof door, to stand on the three-foot by twelve-foot platform at the top.
He turned tothe west, his eyes narrowing. “A good set of sights will do.”
“You can’t haul a sniper rifle up there,” Carmen said. “You’ll freak out the neighbors and someone will report it in.”
“They’ll all be too busy to look up,” Daniel said.
“Too busy?” Garrett asked.
Daniel looked down at him. “I forgot to mention. There’s three people at the front door, asking to see the doctor in the house.”
Garrett’scheeks thinned. “You told them I was a doctor.”
“I may have mentioned it to some of the neighbors,” Daniel said. He shrugged. “It’s good cover.”
“We’ll have the entire neighborhood here by tomorrow,” Carmen said.
