Chapter Ten
Dallas, Texas
“I don’t think we’re going to get any useful intel from her until she knows she’s safe.”
“Do you think she knows anything?”
“Hard to say. She’s good at answering questions without revealing a damn thing.”
Kathleen studied her brother-in-law’s face. Jonah was only slightly easier to read than their enigmatic employer, Grey Justice, which meant close to impossible. Darkness sat heavily on Jonah’s shoulders. Today, however, something else seemed to enshroud him.
“How can we make her feel safer?”
“I’m going to talk with her about what she wants once she leaves here. Where she’d liked to go once this is behind her.”
“Justice has people who do that. He was planning to schedule a session as soon as the snow lets up.”
“She needs to know that she has choices.”
“You think that’s all she needs?”
“Hell, I don’t know. Her file gave no real indication of the life she’s been living. She’s been held like a prisoner. No holidays or social occasions with family or friends. Other than the traveling she does, she’s alone or surrounded by her grandfather’s hired goons. Everywhere she goes, everything she does, is monitored.”
“You asked her about Bianchi?”
“Yes. She seemed more shocked than we were.”
“How is that possible?”
Kathleen had met Gabriella Mendoza only one time, and that was more than a year ago. The young woman had been attending the McGruder Art Show in Dallas, one of the few events she was known to participate in every year. Justice had deemed it their only chance to get close to the reclusive young woman who just happened to be the sister of Carlos Mendoza. The serial rapist had been out on bail for the rape and kidnapping of Stephanie Pierce. Instead of allowing Carlos to face the consequences of his actions, Luis Mendoza had spirited him back to Venezuela. Extradition, especially tricky when dealing with a country run by an unpredictable dictator, hadn’t been an option. Making contact with Gabriella and pleading their case had been their only hope to bring Carlos to justice.
Gabriella had been sitting alone at a table but her bodyguards had been hovering close-by. Kathleen had sat down with her, pretending she didn’t know who the young woman was. Gabriella would have nothing of it. The wisdom in her eyes went eons beyond her age. They hadn’t talked long, as one of the guards had come along and insisted it was time for Gabriella to leave. But they’d talked enough for Kathleen to encourage Gabriella to help bring her brother to justice.
Since then they had communicated three times, once via an abbreviated phone conversation in which Gabriella had asked to be abducted along with her brother. The other two times were through encrypted text messages. It had taken days for them to decode the text.
“Where’s Gabriella now?”
“In the gym working out. I thought it might help her deal. I’ll give her some time and some space.”
“But you don’t think you’ll get anything.”
“Not until she knows we’re not going to double-cross her.”
“I’ll talk with Grey.”
She was about to click off when Jonah said, “Something else. Can you dig into her medical records?”
“Possibly. It’ll take some time, though. Why?”
“She mentioned that her grandfather was the one who arranged for her visit to the doctor. It was an unscheduled visit. She said she’d had a checkup only a few weeks before.”
“What was the appointment for? What did the doctor do?”
A blaze of fury ignited in his eyes, and Kathleen thought it might have been the first time she’d seen him so incensed. She was used to the dark and brooding Jonah.
“She doesn’t know. She was sedated.”
Outrage swept through her. “She doesn’t know what was done to her?”
“No. The doctor dosed her tea. When Gabby woke, the exam was over.”
Kathleen had known that Gabriella was dealing with a lot, but she was beginning to see there was so much more that the young woman had endured.
“What’s the doctor’s name?”
“Antonia Rojas. She’s Gabriella’s cousin.”
“As antiquated as Luis Mendoza is, I’m surprised a female family member would be allowed to have a medical degree.”
“I’m sure it’s more of a convenience for him. Having your own doctor in the family to do your will would be helpful.”
“I’ll see what I can find out. I’ll be back with you soon.”
Clicking off the call, she turned and watched her stepdaughters, Violet and Sophia, run around their playroom, giggling with carefree abandon. This was what a childhood should be like for every single child. Safe, happy, and loved beyond measure.
Her own childhood might have been unconventional, but at least she had known she was loved. How had Gabriella survived? And just what the hell did Luis Mendoza plan for his granddaughter? Whatever it was, it would be to his advantage and not Gabriella’s.
A tiny fist punched, and she touched her swollen belly, savoring the unique feeling of having a little human being inside her. It was hard to determine who was the most excited to meet the newest family member. His upcoming arrival was all Violet and Sophia could talk about, and Eli practically beamed with excitement and pride every time she entered a room. And Kathleen was overjoyed that she would soon be giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. Nothing was more precious than an innocent child.
At that thought, she glanced back at the screen where she’d been talking to Jonah. Was that the reason there had once been a match planned between a Mendoza and a Bianchi? To create a child with both of the families’ blood running through him or her? Were Mendoza and Bianchi that cold and heartless?
She already knew the answer to that question.