“Yeah, Terrence. I would have.”
He nods, crying, and he and Dirk head up the slope and away from the cave dock.
I collapse back against the wall, exhausted. We knew Cask had Kaye but I needed Terrence to confirm it and to tell me exactly where they’re keeping her. With this information, I can gather my people and make a move.
I won’t let them keep Kaye for long.
“I’m sorry, brother,” Nathan says, leaning back against the wall beside me. Dom joins him and the three of us are quiet for a long moment.
“You know, if anyone from our family found a traitor in the Famiglia, they’d be dead in a heartbeat,” Dom says quietly.
“You think I should kill him?”
He shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t. I think you’re making the right choice, actually. He did what he did to help his sister. It was stupid and desperate and misguided, but his heart’s in the right place.”
“We aren’t our family,” I say, staring straight ahead into the gloom. The LED lanterns send shadows all over the space and the sound of the boat moving in the water is like a sea monster scratching at the ocean floor.
“We don’t have to be anyway,” Nathan says softly.
A new light appears in the tunnel and gets closer. Lesley appears, followed by Paola. Both girls look shaken, and I guess they ran into Terrence and Dirk on their way down.
“You really fucked him up, didn’t you?” Paola asks.
I shake my head. “Had to be done.”
“I know it did,” Lesley says, glancing at Paola, who shrugs and walks over to sit with Dom and Nathan.
I stand and pace away. “We need to get everyone together. Cask has Kaye and I’m betting she’s in the same spot they held you. Lesley, how much do you remember?”
“Too much,” she admits with a shrug. “I can guide you there.”
“Then we’re going now. Break down the door, hurt whoever gets in our way.”
“Won’t be easy without Terrence and Dirk,” Lesley says, tapping a finger against her lower lip. “I might have a better solution.”
I laugh gently. “Les, if there’s something easier that’ll get Kaye back, I’m all ears. But I think Cask and their backer are desperate. They’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.”
“Actually, there’s someone outside who might want to talk to you about that.”
My eyebrows raise. “You brought someone here?”
“Found him waiting near the entrance when we arrived.”
“Who is it?”
“Malcolm.” She looks grim and steps closer. “He says he wants to talk.”
I meet her stare and hold it. Malcolm’s here, which means something’s going wrong back at Cask. That doesn’t bode well for Kaye, and if they hurt her, if they stepped a single toe out of line and injured her in any way, I’ll kill them all. I’ll murder them without hesitating,
And if she’s dead?
Well, this whole island will burn.
“I’ll talk to him alone.” I walk toward the path and glance back. “All of you stay here.”
“He’s dangerous, Emilio,” Lesley says. “At least bring your brother.”
“Yeah, bro, no need to go alone.”