Ambush

Chapter 31

Alex enjoyed the ride from the ranch up to Bogotá. She and the girls sang songs, then played silly games like “I spy” and “I’m thinking of an animal.” That was Gabriela’s favorite game because she loved animals and it was just twenty yes-or-no questions. Her sister was nice and usually picked a simple animal that Gabby could identify.

Alex’s mother laid a guilt trip on her about being away so much. Alex didn’t bring up the fact that she worked hard to pay the bills, which included her mother’s comfortable condo in the suburbs of Bogotá.

That was all just a prelude for what the real purpose of the day was. She left the girls at her mother’s condo for an hour and drove to Alcalá Park, between the highway and 19th Road.

It was a quiet park with enough trees to make finding a shady spot to sit easy. It also wasn’t a particularly busy park during the week.

As soon as she entered the park, she saw the man she needed to speak to sitting on a bench as far away from the parking lot as possible. She casually strolled toward him so she wouldn’t draw attention to herself and to let the man know she was in no hurry. He had an inflated view of himself. Many men in his position did.

Alex walked past him, feeling his eyes all over her, then sat on the far end of the bench. She didn’t say anything.

He was a well-dressed, extremely handsome thirty-five-year-old with a trim body. His Tommy Hilfiger shirt was clearly his attempt to look casual, but he looked like someone out of a catalog. She would’ve used him in an ad that called for a father and son.

The man simply said, “Alex, nice to see you. I occasionally forget that you could be a model as well as a photographer.”

She took a moment and said, “What brings you all the way from Mexico City?”

“Business. Always business. As long as Colombia controls the transportation and access to our product, I will make a dozen trips a year to your lovely country.”

Alex couldn’t get a sense of what Oscar was thinking. She suspected he was annoyed that she had not completed her contracts in New York. But he showed no sign of it. A wealthy man like him, who enjoyed getting his hands dirty occasionally, knew how to hide his emotions.

Finally Oscar said, “Some of the Canadians on your list are back in New York. And Detective Michael Bennett is alive. I believe my text to you covered that fully.”

“Yes. And I’ve considered the contract carefully. Isn’t it dangerous for your operation to kill a New York City detective?”

“This has more of a personal element in it.”

“Such as?”

“Does it matter? You’ve already been paid half up front to eliminate him. You need a reason to collect the other half?”

Alex gave him a careful smile. “I was just curious. It won’t be an easy job to complete. Bennett has proved quite resourceful.”

Oscar slowly bobbed his head. “Don’t get me wrong — I agree with you. But I am only a cog in a big organization. I am the liaison to you and several others. But I heard from some of my associates that Detective Bennett shot and killed a young man in a library not too long ago.”

“Sometimes police have to do things like that.”

“But this young man worked for us. His mother is related to someone higher up in the cartel. Apparently she asked for us to deal with the cop who shot her son, Diego. It’s really a matter of honor. But none of that should concern you. All you need to worry about is that Bennett needs to die. The sooner the better.”

“I agree. I will head back to New York in a few days. I’m still in contact with some of the Dominicans I used for the ambush.”

“Did they prove reliable enough for you to use them again?”

“They screwed up the first time, but they have a certain reputation to uphold as well. Besides, they’re expendable. That’s why I pay them so well.”

Oscar smoothed his dark hair and said, “That’s funny. That’s the same way we feel about you.”