Page 6 of Jake

I didn’t get a chance to make the introduction, Alex stuck out his hand, and when Father grasped it, he introduced himself.

“Please to meet you, Godfather Masterton. I’m Alex Bonello. Please allow me to express my sorrow at meeting under such troubling circumstances.”

“Please, call me Andreas. Thank you for offering your assistance. This is my wife, Francine, who refused to stay at home.” Father glared at mother, who took no notice.

My mother held out one hand while patting her watering eyes with a handkerchief. Alex kissed her knuckles.

“I understand, Francine. Having your son at the mercy of some idiota’s mercy must be terribly distressing.”

Mother nodded before everyone took a seat, while I had a last-minute word with Logan and Daly.

“Everything ready?”

The two men nodded, but it was Logan who spoke.

“I’ve radioed Herias Nobilumo and informed him of Jake’s kidnapping and our approximate landing time. He assured us the strip will be ready and he is willing to assist in whatever way he can.”

Herias Nobilumo had been Jake’s major customer in New Britain for over twelve years and purchased around eighty percent of the heroin we sent to the island. He had a huge estate with an airstrip—all had been built from the profits of his drug business. Herias was one of the men Jake had been due to meet with after he arrived. My brother knew Herias had secured extra customers throughout Indonesia and had hoped he would take extra heroin in each shipment.

I placed a hand on my friend’s shoulder. “He can help by telling us why the fuck he allowed Jake to be kidnapped.”

Daly growled. “If he doesn’t have a real good answer, can I liberate his balls?”

Logan and I laughed before I asked, “What is it with you and wanting to cut off dicks and balls?”

Daly shrugged. “I just think it’s fair punishment when they’re being dicks.”

Logan shook his head and laughed again. “Take a seat, Boss, so we can get this thing airborne. The sooner we reach Jake, the sooner we can bring him home.”

I dropped into an empty seat at the front of the aircraft, one that was always left vacant for me, and secured the seatbelt. As the plane taxied towards the runway, Don Bonello lowered into the seat beside me and buckled his belt.

“I’m unfamiliar with this country; how long will this flight take?”

“Around four hours. We should be on the ground by nine, well before the arsehole’s twenty-four-hour deadline.”

“Tania demanded I tell you to contact her the moment you have Jake back safely.”

I turned in my seat to face my future father-in-law as the aircraft became airborne. “I’m somewhat surprised she didn’t insist on coming with you.”

A sheepish expression appeared on the Don’s face. “She was not happy that I refused to allow her to accompany me. We fought rather badly, I’m afraid. She insisted she had every right to come since Jake would be her brother-in-law in the near future.”

“Sounds strong-willed like my mother, but Father had no chance of stopping her from accompanying him, I’m afraid.”

“Yes, well.”

Alex dropped his eyes and I suspected there was more to the story.

“What are you not telling me, Alex?”

He locked his eyes on mine. “I’m afraid I had to resort to tying her to a chair while I left. My men were instructed to keep her secure in the hotel until my return. I’m afraid it will be a very long time before she forgives her Papa.

Despite my anxiety and the seriousness of the situation, I threw my head back and roared with laughter. I felt the eyes of others on me, and father leaned forward from the seat behind to inquire what was so funny.

I explained about Tania, which also set him off laughing.

“If I’d done such a thing to my wife, I would have been served with divorce papers upon my return.”

“Alex, if I were you, I’d stay well out of her way when we get back,” I advised.