“I no understand.” Castillo sounded like he wasn’t outwardly concerned, but the excessive swallowing was giving her a different impression.

“You don’t, huh?” She shook her head and put her foot down. “I usually have a system for this, Señor Castillo. I tie someone to a chair and put bullets in the most painful places in the body.” His eyes widened, which meant he understood plenty. “I’m not going to do that today.”

“I no understand why I here.” He put his hands out like he was about to start praying. “I no know you.”

“I’m not going to do that today, because I’m going to put you into that grinder feet first and take you a little at a time until you tell me what I want to know.” She put her hand up when he took a breath. “If you repeat yourself again, I’ll put you through that thing and make it last for hours. Just nod if you understand that.” He did and she lowered her voice. “Why did you hit my place?”

“I no do that.” Castillo’s voice seemed to go up a few octaves, but that was about to get much worse.

“Lou,” she said. Lou and Dino picked the guy up and placed him in the intake feed, holding tight as he struggled. “Trust me when I tell you I have enough stuff here to wake you up, so you’re not missing a moment of this when you pass out from the pain.” She stood and walked to the controls. “You have three seconds before your feet are coming out the other end, shoes and all. I should tell you this machine can handle an entire cow.”

“Madre de Dios, no. I pay for you to stay away from my business.” Castillo spoke loudly through his tears.

“You must think I’m stupid, Pablo.” Dino handed her his passport, and she flipped through it. “You’re not the boss. El jefe doesn’t show up for a meeting with a low-level dealer. That’s gangster lesson number one, and that you don’t know it means you do deserve to lose your feet.” She put her hand on the switch, and he screamed again.

“My boss! He no want you to mess with his business. He tell me to do it.”

“Tell me who your boss is, and this ends. And before you lie, think about what’ll happen if I already know the answer.” She drummed her fingers on the controls and watched the snot drain from his nose. This asshole didn’t care that Josh got shot. “You make me ask again, and I’m going to turn it on until I reach your kneecaps.”

“Señor Rhodes, he tell me to do it.”