Failed State (A James Winchester Thriller Book 1) (James Winchester Series) James Samuel (best book clubs txt) 📖

them will come back for you after I’m gone. You need to see sense. Your brother can protect you better than you can.”

“He only ever cared for me when Quezada took me. See, you don’t get it. It’s about honour and pride. I mean nothing to him.”

James’ legs shook with the effort of trying to stand strong. He felt like a cliff being eroded by the raging tempest beneath him. He grabbed a short wooden stool and faced her.

“Maybe I don’t understand your culture,” said James. “But I’m not here to understand it. This is a job for me, and now I have to do my job. You make your decision.”

Jessi clenched her jaw. “I won’t stay in Mexico then. I have money. I can take it and leave. Go to Europe. Go to America. Anywhere but here. This land is cursed.”

He nodded. “If that’s what you want. I can take you to the airport.” James approached her. “Let me do that at least.”

Jessi thrust out a hand to stop him in his tracks. “No, I’ll take a bus. I know why you wanted me. You got what you wanted. Now, leave me alone. I want nothing from you.”

“It wasn’t like that –”

“Get out!”

James let his hands drop to his sides.

“I’m sorry, Jessi. If you change your mind, the offer is still on the table.”

“Just go. I never want to see you again.”

He knew enough to know when to stop fighting. During the short time they spent together, he thought he might feel something for this woman. It wasn’t just about the sex. He felt something stirring in the heart he’d hardened for so long. With the slamming of the bedroom door, he relocked the cage over his heart, once again.

“Goodbye, Jessi.”

Chapter Fifty-Three

Sinclair arrived at the little taqueria near the Guanajuato bus station; the same taqueria where he’d met James when he first arrived in Guanajuato. He found Blake leaning against a nearby tree with his arms folded. The aviator sunglasses glinted with the speckles of sunlight breaking through the trees.

“You’re late,” said Blake. “I’ve got things to do.”

“Why did you want to meet like this?”

Blake pushed himself away from the dry, dead tree. “Where’s Winchester?”

“Working.”

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

Sinclair inclined his head towards Blake. He saw right through him now. Like James, he would have loved to reveal what he knew. All he had to do was keep up the ruse a little while longer and Blake would fail his mission.

“James is returning Jessi Montoya to her brother,” said Sinclair. “Speaking of which, I heard Santa Maria de Guadalupe has broken out into civil war. A man named Fernando Gomez is after Quezada.”

Blake’s lip upturned in disgust.

“This is something of a problem,” Sinclair continued. “Quezada will go to ground and there will be a full-blown war. I wish we knew more about this Gomez fellow and how he’d become so bold. By all accounts, Quezada always controlled his cartel with an iron fist.”

“If Quezada was dead now, we wouldn’t have a civil war on our hands.” Blake clasped his hands behind his back and scuffed his shoes on the dusty ground. “That god damn Winchester letting Quezada go like that. He should be six feet deep, but here we are.”

“Well, that doesn’t matter now.”

Blake hocked a globule of spit onto the parched earth. “I’m going to have Winchester hauled in front of Gallagher for this. Letting the target escape because he started caring for some narco bitch is unforgivable. Every casualty that comes out of this is on his head.”

Sinclair straightened his back. If it weren’t for James’ decision not to shoot Quezada on sight, they would have never known about Romero’s role as the jilted bride. Who could have predicted the drug lord would uncover this sordid scheme?

“Let James manage this situation how he likes. This is his contract, not yours.”

Blake took a deep breath. “Does he have a plan?”

“Nothing concrete yet. He needs to track down Quezada again. Things have been made much harder, admittedly, so now we need to start the process again. This war, on the other hand, should cause things to be rather more fluid.”

“I’m reporting this to Gallagher, and he’ll find a solution. Winchester is in over his head and he’s caused enough damage.”

“No. Don’t. This is not going to help. Give it just one week and he’ll get the job done. He always does.” He clicked his tongue. “Remember, it’s not just James who will be on the receiving end of anything Gallagher does. I’m working with him and I’ll take the blame as well. I’ve helped you here.”

Blake ran his tongue across the front of his teeth. “One week, since you’ve been such a help to me.”

Sinclair nodded. He just wanted to get away from Blake and get to work. Blake would tattle to Gallagher in an instant if he believed it would land James in hot water. He couldn’t afford Gallagher to start sticking his nose in their business now.

“Now, go. If I don’t hear that the job is done in the next week, I’ll make the call to Gallagher.”

Sinclair departed the scene with Blake’s words ringing in his ears. All he needed was time. If James could work his magic again, Romero and Quezada would be dead, and Blake would be humiliated.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Deerfield Beach, Florida, United States of America

Scott drove his black saloon down I-95. With his GPS perched on the dashboard, he followed the route with a careful eye. Every so often, he would look up as the sun began to curve down from the sky. He didn’t know the area well. Romero had left vague instructions about where to meet him.

He continued to drive until he came to an intersection. On his