29. Twenty-Nine

Carlos

"Don"t listen to this prick, Joey, he"s just trying to catch us off guard." I rest my foot on the middle of the man"s back. "Who are you and who sent you?" I demand.

"I"m not telling you shit. I"m dead either way so you might as well get it over with."

"I like how you think your death will be simple and quick. How about instead of me promising you your life, we make another deal? Either your death is quick and painless, or I slowly slice off each part of your skin piece by piece."

"Okay, okay," he says, breathing rapidly. "It was Santana. Not him directly, but his mistress. Some bitch, who"s the daughter of some dead mobster that no one even talks about anymore."

"Veronica?" Joey asks.

He groans when Joey lifts his foot. "I asked you a question. Is her name Veronica?"

"Yes," he screams. "That"s her name. She put in the orders for him instead of his usual guy."

"The Gatekeeper, you mean?"

"Yeah, last I heard the man was sliced in half by some sicko."

Joey laughs. "I guess I have another nickname to add to my list."

The man stares up at Joey in horror. "You mean—"

"Yes," Joey answers. "I killed him and I"ll do the exact same thing to anyone who stands in my way of killing Santana." Joey leans closer, spitting in the man"s face. "So tell me, cabron, are you going to stand in my way?"

He swallows hard, shaking his head. "No, please. I"ll tell you anything you want to know."

"Where did you last meet with Veronica?" Joey asks with demanding eyes.

"At a nearby cafe, called Moanas'. She sent me a message through a friend, and we met up a few hours later."

"You think you could call up your friend and arrange another meeting?"

"Yes, anything."

"I"m so glad you"re finally willing to be cooperative," I say, removing my foot from his back. "Life would have been a whole lot easier for you if you would have done it from the beginning."

I pull out his phone from his back pocket, "Call your friend."

The man grabs the cell with his good hand and pushes a few buttons until a loud ring sounds from the device. There"s a deep, throaty voice that answers the phone. "Tommy where the fuck have you been, man?"

"Listen, Rosco, I need you to get in contact with Santana"s girl again. I have some news I want to share in person and not over the phone."

"Yeah man, I"ll see what I can do for you. I"ll call my contact and see if he can find her for you. I think he knows the bitch"s husband or something."

"Good, I"ll be waiting. Tell them it"s urgent information. Let them know I have their boy."

The line goes dead at the man"s last words, and I know it won"t be long until we get a call back. Veronica would think she finally has what she wants.

"You think it"ll work?" Joey asks with his eyes focused on the front door.

"Only time will tell." My phone rings and my lips shift into a smile when I see Isaiah"s name on the screen. I waste no time answering while Joey watches me with curious eyes. "Justo donde te dejé."

"Si. You can"t get rid of me that easily, pendejo. Where"s Joey at?"

"He"s right here, he"s safe. I think we may finally have Veronica."

"Good, because the bitch is really starting to piss me off. We did succeed in killing many of her friends today though, so she has even less people to hide behind now. Santiago really knows his way around wooden boxes and built one special just for her."

"I think Joey will be more than happy to hear that."

"Good. Let him know I"m on my way home. Also tell him I love him."

"Will do."

"And Carlos?"

"Qué es eso?"

"Same goes for you, pendejo and I don"t plan on leaving without you this time."

The line clicks before I can respond. Joey stares at me with wide green eyes. His mouth opens and before he can get the words out, I nod my head smiling. "Isaiah"s on his way home." I can tell by Joey"s wide smile and bright green eyes that he doesn"t need me to relay the last message to him. He already knows. I"m still unsure what to make of Isaiah"s words.

Before I can continue to over analyze it, the man on the floor"s phone rings and Joey kicks him again. "Answer it and try not to sound like you"re in pain."

"Fuck you," the guy spits.

Joey slides his foot over the man"s other hand, and he flinches. "Okay, okay," he says before hitting the answer button, putting it on speaker. "I hope you have some good news for me, man."

"You know I only call when I do. So the bitch got back to my boy real quick the moment he mentioned you having her boy. She wants you to meet her at this address. Looks like it"s some house out in the boonies. Let me know when you"re ready for the address."

Joey pulls out his phone and nods to the man on the floor.

"I"m ready," the man says into the phone.

They both end the conversation once Joey is finished taking down the address. "This better not be some damn dead end."

The front door shoves open and Isaiah stands in front of the doorway covered in splatters of blood. "Who the hell is he?" He points to the man on the floor.

"He works for Santana," Joey answers, rushing toward his husband, no longer worried about the man on the floor. I remain where I am, making sure the guy doesn"t try and make a run for it.

"Why is he still breathing?"

"We needed him to help us get in contact with Veronica."

"Has he?"

I glance between the man and Isaiah. "He has."

"Good. Then while I"m in the shower, I"ll expect him to no longer be laying in our living room."

Joey takes Isaiah"s face in his hands. "Why are you bleeding, mi amor?"

"It"s not my blood, Roo. You should already know that."

"Whose blood is it then?" Joey asks, examining the rest of Isaiah"s body.

"It belongs to Veronica"s husband."