Failed State (A James Winchester Thriller Book 1) (James Winchester Series) - James Samuel (top novels of all time .txt) 📗

Rosher didn’t comply.

James fired a single shot through the back window. It left a gaping hole and broken glass rained down upon Rosher. The governor threw his phone like a hot coal. It hit the passenger seat and landed in the footwell.

“Now don’t try anything else, or I’ll kill you next time.”

James accelerated back onto the main road and off onto a small, cracked tarmac road. The free roads led through all the villages around Guanajuato. It took forever to get anywhere, and criminals mainly used them. The maze of free roads would make it harder for anyone to follow him.

With danger receding in his mirrors, soon Rosher would answer for his sins.

Chapter Twenty-Four

James drove well into the night. It hadn’t taken long to shake off the inexperienced drivers behind him. He knew never to drive at night on the free roads in Mexico. The cartels began their operations after dark and targeted anyone in their way. Hijackings were common, murders even more common.

High on adrenaline, James kept one hand on the wheel and one hand ready to snatch his gun. He glided through an endless sequence of villages with their ramshackle houses and fading streetlights. His training allowed him to recall the little landmarks on the road that would serve to take him back to Guanajuato. He couldn’t afford any more surprises.

After passing another village, he veered off through a gap in a broken-down barbed-wire fence. He figured this must have once been a farmer’s field. Here he came to a stop and switched off the headlights, allowing only the small interior light to illuminate the interior of the governor’s car.

“Get out of the car, Rosher.”

Rosher complied as the doors unlocked with a click. James followed him with his gun raised. The light of the half-moon provided scant illumination. Only the faint traces of the mountains amid the starry sky stuck out.

“On your knees,” James ordered.

“Look, I’m sorry about last time. The girl let us out after my wife complained. We took a chance and ran, you understand, right?”

“You set us up. When we went to that restaurant in León, the place was crawling with narcos. And they weren’t there to eat dinner. They were spread out across the floor, almost as if they were expecting someone.”

Rosher’s look of terror told the story. It was clear to James the governor had set them up, hoping for the cartel to kill them as they walked in.

James pie-faced the governor with the sole of his boot. “You thought we would be that easy to get rid of. What you forget is these narcos aren’t half as proficient with a gun as you might think.”

“Look, it wasn’t my idea. I had to. My wife –”

“You’re really going to blame your wife for all this?”

“No, no.” Rosher clasped his hands together in prayer. “You see, she left me. After we escaped, she ran. She’d been having an affair with one of Quezada’s lieutenants, a man called Nazario Gomes Vargas.”

James tilted his head in interest. “Keep talking.”

“Every time we argued she would throw it in my face. I couldn’t hit her or do anything about it because Vargas is with Quezada. I would have been killed. And she knew it. What was I supposed to do? It was her who made me help Quezada.”

James took a deep breath. Part of him wanted to believe Rosher, but he’d lied before. He could already hear Diego’s voice in his mind urging him to execute Rosher.

“Please don’t kill me. They have me by the balls. When we were alone in the bordello, she told me to lie and she would try to get out to contact Quezada. She did as soon as she got out and that’s why they were waiting for you.”

He lowered his weapon. The governor’s eyes held nothing but fear, but he didn’t have the heart to execute someone for cowardice. Rosher was a desperate man. James nodded and gestured at the governor to stand. He’d let him live, for one more day at least.

“I’ll give you a chance,” said James. “It’s more than you deserve. If I need you again, I’ll contact you. If I can’t contact you, this will be the last chance you ever get, do you understand me?”

“Yes, yes, absolutely, Mr…”

“None of your business. You might know Diego, but I’m going to stay anonymous. You’ve learned today that nowhere you go is safe. Wherever you go and however many men you surround yourself with, I can still get to you. Don’t put that to the test.”

“You’re a generous man.” Rosher bowed in deference. “Nazario Gomes Vargas. Remember the name. I’ll be forever grateful if you kill him. He will know where Jessi Montoya is. Teach my wife a lesson. You have my permission to kill her too if you want… sir.”

James almost wanted to laugh in the governor’s face. He could never respect a man who prostrated himself like this at another man’s feet. Rosher would do anything to stay alive, that had become clear, including selling out everyone he knew.

“Go,” said James. “Remember what I said. If Diego calls you, you’ll pick up the phone.”

Rosher stopped. “I don’t know where I am.”

“Don’t you worry about that, governor. You’re in the middle of Santa Maria territory. If they don’t find you and take you back, see if you can get help in one of the villages. Use this time to think about the decisions you’ve made.”

James shook his head in disgust at this pitiful excuse of a man and climbed back into the car. As he drove away from the stranded governor, he finally allowed himself to breathe.

Nazario Gomes Vargas. Maybe this was the way to Jessi Montoya. The lead to Quezada himself.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Diego roared with laughter as he