SAN YSIDRO
MONDAY, 11:15 A.M.
FAROE, GRACE, AND STEELE sat in the shadows beside the St. Kilda command center, watching. Unlike the chubasco that had drenched Ensenada and then blown on up the coast, the storm gathering in the trailer park had yet to break.
Faroe didn’t know if the clouds or the task force would cut loose first.
A pair of dark blue FBI buses, a mobile command center, and at least a dozen undercover sedans and trucks had joined the St. Kilda motor coaches in the small park. Weapons teams in Kevlar helmets and blue coveralls prowled with undercover investigators from the Rivas task force and command officers from a half dozen local, state, and federal agencies.
Alpha males and a few tight-lipped alpha females walked stiff-legged, waiting for the signal to kill or die.
“This pretty much defines a Mongolian goat-fuck,” Faroe said. “It reminds me why I left government service. Too damn many servants.”
Steele smiled. “Be proud. You’ve started a wildfire that is burning asses all the way to Washington, D.C. My last phone call was from the attorney general’s chief aide, wondering what in the name of J. Edgar Hoover we were doing by injecting ourselves into a federal investigation of the highest priority.”
“What was your answer?” Grace asked.
“I told him that several St. Kilda operators had agreed to act as confidential informants for the task force in expediting the arrest of the Mexican national who is number three on the FBI’s ten most wanted list. I also pointed out that the Justice Department regularly relies on evidence gathered by private investigators.”
“Did that make him feel all warm and squishy?” Faroe asked.
“I didn’t ask about the state of his underwear,” Steele said.
“All he wanted was deniability for the AG if something goes wrong,” Grace said.
“Precisely,” Steele said. “He also reminded me that confidential informants are not permitted to perform actual law enforcement duties.”
“Meaning?” Grace asked.
“No guns,” Faroe said, flipping the satellite phone end over end. “No boots. No badges. Those toys are reserved for sworn agents of the United States.”
“No guns, huh?” she said.
“Cross our hearts and hope to die,” Faroe said.
“That’s a grim saying,” she muttered.
“So I promise not to shoot anybody inside the United States,” Faroe said, launching the satellite phone again. “Under the United States, that’s a different matter.” He looked at Steele. “Did you really refer to me as a CI?”
“Confidential informant. It’s just a description.”
“So is shit. And that’s how agents think of snitches. Oh, excuse me. CIs.”
Faroe spun the phone upward again.
At the top of its arc, it rang.
He grabbed the phone, punched a button, and said, “Faroe.”
“Hola, asshole,” Hector said. “You know El Rey Mexican Foods warehouse at Otay?”
“I can find it.”
“Bring Franklin, the ball-breaker, and you. One hour.”
“We’ll be there. But before anything happens, I’ll need proof of life. Be ready to let us see Lane and talk to him.”
“She jus’ talk-”
“We talk to him before we give you the files or there’s no trade. ?Claro?And we hand the files to you personally. I don’t trust any of your men with the information and neither should you.”
Hector laughed. “Si, gringo. You listen.”
“I’m listening.”
Faroe concentrated, repeated back seven numbers, and waited for confirmation.
The line went hollow.
Lane punched out the call on his end. “That was Hector. The exchange is set for the warehouse of El Rey Mexican Foods, just like we hoped. I’ve got the front door code.”
“When?” Grace asked.
“One hour.” He looked at Steele. “Where are the kids?”
“Right where you wanted them, in the weeds at the border,” Steele said. “Mary is still lobbying to go over the fence with you.”
Faroe shook his head. “Not this time.” He whistled shrilly through his teeth. “Yo, Cook! You’ve got less than an hour to get to an Otay warehouse and infiltrate your shooters.”
Cook waved and started shouting orders. People began running like their feet were on fire.
Faroe stood up and headed for the beach.
“Where are you going?” Steele asked.
“I need a few minutes away from the hive.”