Kane was in disguise, of sorts. Black shirt but instead of his military surplus jacket, he had on a worn leather jacket, and he wore a home team baseball cap with sunglasses-even though it was near dark. Sean also wore sunglasses, and Kane pulled an extra cap from his back pocket. Sean put it on.
“You have one chance,” Kane said. “If anything goes south, we disappear, got it? Being arrested would really screw with our plans-not to mention being dangerous for both of us. I have a jeep parked outside the perimeter, directly across from the north exit, but it’s a quarter-mile walk. I couldn’t risk getting caught up in crowds leaving. This place is going to be a zoo.” He glanced at the scoreboard. “Good thing it’s tied at one, because if it goes into overtime, no one is going to leave early. This is important, Sean-if you get Jesse, get to the jeep. If I’m not there, leave. I’ll meet you at the plane.”
“I’m not leaving you behind.”
“I have a backup plan. Which is what you should have had before you got here.”
“We’re close, Kane.”
“I know.”
“Where is he?”
“The Flores family has a box directly above section one oh three-directly across the stadium from us.” He slipped Sean a pair of binoculars. “I already scoped it out when I arrived. The kid is there; so are Carson Spade, Gabriella Romero, and one of the Flores brothers. Four other men, two I pegged as bodyguards, two I believe are associates. I couldn’t stay long-this disguise is nonexistent. I’m sure Dante already alerted Gabriella to my presence, and she’s a wild card.”
“You’re going to have to clue me in later,” Sean said. He looked through the binoculars and adjusted them. He saw mostly a sea of red and white, the team colors.
And then he saw Jesse.
The kid was watching the game intently. His hair was longer than in the photo Sean had seen, long enough to curl at the ends just like Sean’s hair did. He wore a home team jersey that was too big on him, and held a bag of popcorn.
Sean’s heart rate increased. That was his son. He should be taking him to games, showing him how to play soccer and baseball. He should be watching him play in Little League or coaching his soccer team.
Focus. Sean turned the binoculars to the rest of the group. Carson wasn’t sitting next to Jesse-he was in front of him, next to a relaxed older man. Jesse was sitting between the only female in the group-Gabriella Romero, Sean presumed-and a broad-shouldered dark-skinned man with a mustache. He looked all bodyguard.
“We wait until they leave.”
“I hate that plan.”
“I’ve gone through the possibles and this is the only way it’s going to work. Unless the kid needs to use the bathroom, we’re going to wait until the group leaves. I will split him off from his group, using the crowds as a diversion. We need to act fast. Spade or one of the entourage will notice pretty quick if the kid isn’t with them. You have to convince him not to make a scene. If he goes quietly, we get out fast. If he argues, we bolt. Without him. You may have authority from his mother, but that doesn’t give you rights here in Mexico when Carson Spade is his legal guardian.”
Sean wanted to argue, but he didn’t. Kane didn’t talk much, so when he had a speech, Sean paid attention.
He nodded.
“Follow me.”
Sean followed Kane around the south end of the stadium until they reached section 103 where Jesse sat with his group. Cheers erupted when the home team scored a goal, putting them ahead 2-1 with two minutes left. Sean stopped where he had a vantage point, but Kane pushed him forward, around the corner, and up the stairs that led to the upper balcony. After the goal, many people started to leave.
Kane pushed Sean into an alcove-a food stand had once been there, but it was shut down now-and said, “Stay here.”
Sean waited. And waited. The stadium roared several minutes later, and thundering applause, shouts, and footfalls filled the arena. Where the hell was Kane?
He almost left. He watched from his vantage point as masses of people filed past him. They didn’t seem to be ending. Then suddenly Kane emerged with Jesse by the arm.
“Let me go!” Jesse said. With the noise from the crowd, no one would be able to hear him.
Kane gave Sean a look that said they had little time.
“Jesse,” Sean said, “your mother sent me to bring you home.”
“No way, she would have told me. Who are you?”
“My name is Sean, and your mother and I were friends years ago. You need to trust me. As soon as we get out of here, you can call her.”
“Yeah, and you have a puppy you want me to help you find.”
Kane was watching the crowd. “Sean, time.”
“Jesse,” Sean said, “your stepfather is bad news, and he’s put your life in danger. Your mother hired me to find you. You need to come with me now.”
He reached for him, took him by the arm, and suddenly Jesse started screaming. “Let me go!”
Sean didn’t want to scare him, but what was he supposed to do?
“Carson Spade is working for the drug cartels, and you’re not safe with him!” Sean said, pulling Jesse toward him.
Jesse lashed out, scratching Sean. He saw Sean’s gun under his jacket and kicked Sean in the balls. Sean fell to his knees and Jesse slipped away.
“Kane! Grab him!”
Kane did and at first Sean was relieved, then Kane said in a low voice, “Jesse, do not tell anyone about this. You will put your mother’s life in grave danger. We’re coming back for you.”
Then he let him go. Jesse ran.
“What the hell?” Sean said. “Why?”
“We have to go, Spade already alerted security. If the kid talks, we’re fucked.”
Sean slammed his hand against the stone wall and followed Kane.
That didn’t go anything like he had planned.
Jesse ran away from the two creeps, but he had no idea where to go. He headed back toward the seats they’d been sitting in, fighting the crowds.
Carson Spade is working for the drug cartels.
That was the stupidest thing Jesse had ever heard. Those men were probably here to kidnap him for ransom. His dad had warned him that it was a real possibility.
Gangs think that all Americans are rich, that they can get money by grabbing kids and families. You have to be careful.
Jesse was almost back to his seat when his dad rushed up to him with Dominick. They both looked angry; his dad also looked scared. “Jesse! Where were you?”
“I-” He saw the gun under Dominick’s jacket. “I just got pushed by the crowd, then I couldn’t see you.”
Why didn’t he tell his dad the truth? That two men tried to kidnap him?
Was that really what they were trying to do?
Jesse really wanted to talk to his mom. She would straighten this all out, tell him the truth. And if she said she didn’t send anyone for him, he’d tell his dad everything.
“You’re not a little kid, Jesse,” his dad said.
“You’re sure that’s all it was?” Dominick said.
Gabriella came up to them with Dominick’s brother, Jose, “Dom, he’s scared, you’re scaring him more. You’re okay, little man, right?”
Jesse nodded. Did she know? Had she seen what happened? “Just-I didn’t know how to find you so I came back to the seats.”
“Smart kid, just like his dad.” Gabriella smiled at his dad. “Let’s get out of here. The limo should be out front by now.”
His dad put his arm around Jesse’s shoulders, then kissed him on the top of the head. Normally that would embarrass him in front of people, but right now he was relieved.
His dad would never let anything happen to him.
He almost told him what happened.
Almost.
As soon as he talked to his mom.