As the week drew to its quiet close they returned to Santos City without incident, the remaining days in Brazil having slipped past in the easy rhythm of villa mornings, coastal walks, and the occasional stretch of sand.
Samantha had preferred the quieter sites inland; Sylvia had pulled Summer and Don into every new activity the shoreline offered; Miss Claire and Amanda had scarcely left the places they had already claimed as their own.
By early Friday morning the family was home again.
By afternoon Don had borrowed Miss Claire's car and set the first piece of unfinished business in motion.
He was already current on everything that had happened while they were away—Elle's late-night updates during his solitary beach walks had seen to that—and the conversation continued now through the vehicle's speakers as he drove.
"An enforcer from the cartel reached out," her voice said, calm and clear. "One of the underbosses wants to negotiate terms."
