Kashme Kartel FBI #3

A Drive into Chaos

Kash Kartel sank into the back seat of his black SUV, his mind spiraling after the meeting with Pam Blondi. The marker she now held over him felt like a loaded gun. His driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror, waiting for instructions.

“Get on a highway,” Kash muttered. “Drive anywhere. Just give me an hour to think.”

“Yes, sir.” The driver pulled onto the nearest on-ramp, and the hum of the car merged with the rhythm of Kash’s thoughts.

Pam’s control of his marker was bad enough, but the assignment she’d handed him was unbearable. Targeting Natty Gaytz might have been manageable—Kash couldn’t stand the man’s arrogance. But Ginger? Sweet, kind Ginger, with her rescue dogs and charity work? Kash had seen her feeding the homeless with such genuine care it softened even his hardened edges. The thought of her in a Thai prison made his stomach churn. He needed to find a way to sabotage the mission without tipping off Pam.

The highway stretched on, the gray expanse blending into a blur as Kash stared out the window. He’d been driving aimlessly for half an hour when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

“What now?” Kash muttered, swiping to answer.

“Kash!” His secretary’s voice was shrill with panic. “Wiley Suzzi is in the hospital! She’s hallucinating—screaming about monsters, octopus tentacles, you name it. It’s all over the news.”

“What?” Kash’s blood ran cold.

“They think it was a laced breakfast burrito. Everyone’s talking about it.”

Kash slammed his fist into the back of the driver’s seat. “Goddammit!” He unleashed a string of curses that made the driver swerve.

“Sir?” the driver stammered.

“Get me to the hospital now,” Kash barked.

As the car sped toward the hospital, Kash’s thoughts raced. Pam. It had to be her. This was her style—a not-so-subtle message to anyone who thought about crossing her. But Wiley? She didn’t deserve this. Kash couldn’t forget their college days together—the long walks across campus, the nights studying side by side, their shy kisses that never went further but lingered in his memory.

If this was Pam’s doing, Kash was going to make her regret it.

A Shocking Revelation

Kash stormed into the hospital, muscling past reporters and flashing his credentials to anyone who tried to stop him. Inside, he bullied his way through nurses and security until he reached Wiley Suzzi’s room.

There she was, lying motionless on the hospital bed, her face pale but peaceful. Sitting next to her, holding her hand, was Pam Blondi.

Pam looked up, her expression calm and unreadable. “Kash,” she said quietly.

His jaw clenched as he stepped into the room. “Pam,” he said through gritted teeth.

Pam raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. She stood and leaned over Wiley, whispering something in her ear, before leading Kash into the hallway.

As soon as the door closed, Kash turned on her, his voice low but furious. “This is your handiwork, isn’t it? Lacing her burrito? Trying to scare the rest of us into submission?”

Pam’s lips curled into a faint smirk as she reached into her handbag. “Kash, you really think I’d be that sloppy?” She pulled out her phone and tapped the screen a few times. “Watch this.”

She held the phone up, playing a video. Kash’s eyes widened as the footage showed Donold Grump Jr. in Wiley’s office, opening the wrapper of the breakfast burrito. He pulled a small baggie of white powder from his jacket pocket, sprinkled it over the filling, and then carefully folded the burrito back together.

“Is that...?” Kash’s voice trailed off, disbelief washing over him.

Pam’s expression hardened. “Nose Candy. And yes, it’s Junior. The Secret Service has him detained in a holding room right now, waiting for local law enforcement to pick him up.”

Kash ran a hand through his hair, the weight of the revelation crashing down on him. “Why the hell would he do this?”

Pam shrugged. “You know how he is. He probably thought it’d be funny. Or maybe he’s just that reckless. Either way, this isn’t on me.”

Kash’s anger sputtered, replaced by a seething frustration. “And you’re just going to let him go down for it?”

Pam tilted her head, her gaze piercing. “Why wouldn’t I? If you think I’m cleaning up Junior’s messes, you’ve forgotten who I am.”

The hallway fell silent, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Pam broke the stalemate.

“Look,” she said, her voice softening. “I’m not your enemy, Kash. I use leverage, not chaos. This kind of spectacle doesn’t help me—it hurts me. You should be thanking me for having proof that clears me of suspicion.”

The nurse appeared at the end of the hall, her expression stern. “Excuse me,” she called. “Only one visitor allowed at a time.”

Pam sighed, slipping her phone back into her bag. “I’ll go. I want to check on the investigation anyway.” She glanced at Kash, her voice almost gentle. “Take care of her.”

Kash returned to Wiley’s bedside, sitting in the chair Pam had vacated. He took her hand, the warmth of her skin a small comfort. As he sat in the quiet, his phone buzzed again.

“Kash?” Sandy’s voice trembled on the other end.

“Sandy?” he said sharply. “What’s going on?”

“I’m so sorry,” she stammered, barely audible through her tears. “The mushrooms... I think I used too much. I didn’t mean to—”

“What are you talking about?” Kash snapped.

“The burrito,” Sandy whimpered. “I added some mushrooms, just a little, but I must’ve gone overboard. I just wanted her to relax...”

Kash rubbed his temple, exhaling slowly. “Sandy, calm down. We’ll deal with this later.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Please don’t be mad.”

“We’ll talk tonight,” Kash said, his voice steady. “Same place as always.”

“Okay,” she sniffled. “I’ll see you at the bungalow.”

After hanging up, Kash looked at Wiley’s peaceful face, her chest rising and falling steadily. He leaned down and kissed her hand, then gently laid it across her chest.

Standing, he adjusted his tie and walked out of the room. Pam might have handed him the proof of her innocence, but he wasn’t going to let her off the hook that easily.

Protecting Ginger was still priority one, but now, Kash’s mind began working on another plan—one that would shift the blame for this entire fiasco squarely onto Pam’s shoulders.

As for Sandy? That was a problem that needed his immediate attention.