Page 5 of The Search

“Whatever it takes.”

“It’s impossible. Even if you pay a ransom, Rudzak may kill him anyway. You can’t expect to—”

“I’ll get him back.” Logan’s voice suddenly vibrated with harshness. “Listen to me, Castleton. You may think I’m a son of a bitch, but I don’t shrug off my responsibilities. Those were my employees who died and I want the man who did it. And if you think I’m going to let him kill or use Bassett to get at me, you’re wrong. I’ll find him.”

“In the middle of the jungle?”

“In the middle of hell.” Logan’s voice was flint sharp. “Now you’ve been telling me how sorry you are and how guilty I should feel. Well, I don’t have time for guilt. I’ve always found it counterproductive. You do what you have to do, but don’t tell me anything’s impossible until you’ve tried and failed and tried again. I won’t buy it.”

“You don’t have to buy it. I’m not asking you to—” His gaze narrowed on Logan’s face. “You’re trying to manipulate me.”

“Am I?”

“You know damn well you are.”

“Smart man. You should have expected it. I’m just as ruthless as you think I am, and I told you I needed you.”

Castleton was silent for a moment. “Do you really think you have a chance of saving Bassett?”

“If he’s alive, I’ll bring him back. Will you help me?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“What you’ve been doing all along. Grease palms and take care of my people. By the way, I want them out of that hospital and on their way home as soon as possible. They’re too vulnerable here.”

“I was going to take care of that for you anyway.”

“And keep your ears open and your mouth shut. If I’m not in the area, Rudzak will probably contact you first.” He smiled crookedly. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to put your neck on the block. You’re much too valuable to me in other ways.”

“I’m not a coward, Logan.”

“No, but this is out of your area of expertise. I always get the right person for the right job. I assure you I wouldn’t hesitate to rope you into it if I thought it necessary.”

Castleton believed him. He had never seen Logan like this. Most of the time he kept that streak of hard ruthlessness buried beneath a layer of easy charisma. He suddenly recalled the many stories about Logan’s shady associations in the early years he had spent in Asia. Gazing at Logan now, he could believe there was more truth than fiction in those wild tales of smuggling and violent power struggles with local gangs who had tried to sell him “protection.”

“Well?”

“Okay.” Castleton moistened his lips. “I’ll stay.”

“Good.”

“But not because of anything you’ve said. I just feel guilty as hell that I was in town and not here when it happened. Maybe I could have done something, anything to prevent—”

“Don’t be an idiot. You’d have been dead too. Now, do you know of any contact Rudzak might have that we can tap?”

“The talk is there’s a dealer named Ricardo Sanchez in Bogotá who’s been acting as a go-between for the Mendez cartel and Rudzak.”

“Find him. Do anything you have to do. I want to know where Rudzak’s camp is located.”

“I’m not a thug, Logan.”

“Then would it hurt your delicate sense of ethics to hire a thug?”

“You don’t have to be sarcastic.”

“No, I don’t,” he said wearily. “If I weren’t pressed for time, I’d go to Bogotá and pressure Sanchez myself. Never mind, I have a man who can find out what I need to know.”

“I hope you succeed.”