11. Raven
11
RAVEN
I have to hand it to my brother.
This safe house is invisible. Hidden in plain sight.
It’s on a property adjacent to a ranch, made to look like an abandoned dwelling for ranch hands. Seven other houses encompass the small neighborhood, all abandoned. It’s slightly set apart from the other residences, but not so much so that anyone would take notice.
“Access is completely restricted and protected by multiple layers of security,” Falcon says, showing me the front door. “This entrance is reinforced, the locks are electronic, and”—he points to a subtly-placed camera overhead—“video surveillance shows every point of entry to the home. Entry requires a thumbprint.”
“So can you add my thumbprint so I can?—”
Falcon holds up a hand. “No, Ray. You need to stay here. We’ll add Jared’s thumbprint.”
He’s got to be kidding.
But I’m too tired to argue about it.
When we arrive, instead of a foyer, there’s a security room where someone can monitor every surveillance camera and control access to the house.
“Jared will be able to communicate with anyone outside the house through satellite technology. The room is equipped with a secure landline and encrypted communication,” Falcon says.
Impressive. I’ll be totally imprisoned.
We leave the security room and we enter a comfortable-looking living area.
“Hawk and I wanted this place to feel like as much of a home as possible. There’s a living room, dining room and kitchen. The living room is furnished with leather recliners and a leather sectional.” He gestures to a huge flatscreen TV. “If you’re bored, there’s this. And a bookshelf.”
“Great,” I say. “I can catch up on all my soaps while under lock and key.”
Falcon doesn’t react to my sarcasm, and leads me into the kitchen. “I took the liberty of stocking the fridge for you. Bread, fruits, vegetables, lots of meat. Use those up first. If you end up staying here longer, there’s plenty of nonperishable cans in the pantry.”
“Falcon, you said I would only be here until the gala.”
“Right,” Falcon says. “Just in case, though.”
“There is no just in case . ”
Falcon closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing. He points to a door off the side of the kitchen. “That leads you to the garage. It’s built for two cars.” He opens the door to the garage and points to the rear. “It’s hard to see from here, but there’s actually a tunnel that connects to the main part of garage. If you follow it down, there are two electric vehicles and one gasoline-powered car stored underground, in the event you have to make a quick getaway.”
“Let me guess, Jared will have the keys?”
“Yes, Raven, he will. That’s his job.” Falcon rubs at his forehead. “I’ve added a stockpile of gasoline underground.”
Falcon continues showing me around. The house has three bedrooms. He demonstrates how to properly shut the blackout curtains in each room.
“Don’t allow any light in, Ray,” he says.
“Guess I’ll have to get a spray tan before the gala.”
“For Christ’s sake, I know you don’t want to be here, but would you take this seriously?” Falcon sighs. “Each bedroom is equipped with a wall safe as well, for storing important documents or sensitive materials. I’ll leave a couple grand in cash in each one.”
He then shows me a large closet that houses medical supplies, and the security room, which has access to telemedicine. Attached to each room is its own en suite own bathroom facility with a shower, toilet, and basic toiletries.
And of course, the most important thing?—
“The house possesses a massive backup generator in case of interrupted powers or power outage,” Falcon says. “We’re in Texas, after all, and keeping the house cool is necessary.”
“What about candles, matches, everything else?”
“It’s all here,” Falcon says. “Hawk and I put a lot of thought into this house. You have to remember, Ray. I was in prison. I didn’t have a whole hell of a lot to do.”
I gesture to a door off the kitchen. “Where does that lead?”
“Basement,” he says. “It mostly serves as an underground bunker, but there’s also a home gym and a shooting range.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Shooting range? Really? Won’t that alert people around that someone is here?”
“The house has been fully soundproofed and has extraordinary measures to prevent any kind of eavesdropping.”
So no one will be able to hear me if I scream. Lovely.
“Escape routes and safe exits are built in, allowing you to leave discreetly in case of emergency.” Falcon hands me a notebook. “They’re all outlined in here.”
I flip through a few pages of the notebook. The details are extensive, to say the least.
“Is the house staffed with any security personnel?”
Falcon shakes his head. “The fewer people who know we’re here, the better.”
Already I feel isolated.
Goosebumps pop up and down my arms. “Falcon, I don’t think I can do this. After all those years I spent going from one hospital to the next, and then when I was home, isolated in my room. Not able to go out, unable to see the sun.”
Falcon wraps his massive arm around my shoulders. “I know, Ray. I’m sorry. But we can’t take the chance. Not with these threats you’ve been getting.”
“But why would I be getting threats?” I pace the area. “Vinnie and I aren’t together anymore. He left me. He’s in Colombia doing some deal.”
“Vinnie may have left you,” Falcon says, “but that doesn’t mean his feelings for you went away. Right now, the Gallo enemies see you as a way to control Vinnie. It’s not fair, and I hate it with every cell in my body. But it’s the way it is, Raven. I almost lost you once, and I won’t do it again.”
“Fine.” I sit down on the loveseat. “I’ll do what you think is best. But I will be out of here in time for my gala. You say Savannah and Robbie will do the footwork. My attorney Emily can help. CJ can help as well.”
“Christ, Raven, you told CJ you were here?”
“No.” I sneer at him. “I didn’t tell anyone. I’ll just tell them all that I’m not feeling great, and my doctors told me I need to rest. And that I need some people to help with the footwork.”
Falcon nods. “That’s smart, Raven.”
“It’s awful.” I cross my arms. “Robbie will freak out about it, I’m sure. She’ll be afraid I’m getting sick again. I’ll have to tell her some bullshit story about trying to do too much too soon.”
“That could easily be true,” Falcon says. “You have been overexerting yourself, Ray.”
I shake my head. “It’s not true. And I haven’t done anything that I wasn’t fully capable of handling. I made a promise to myself when I got well, Falcon. I promised I’d watch the sunrise and the sunset every day. Smell every flower I came across.” I look around the windowless room. “How can I do that in here?”
“You can’t,” he says flatly.
“I know. That’s the point.”
He sighs. “Raven?—”
I throw my hand in his face. “Don’t even say it. Don’t even say that if I had stayed away from Vinnie Gallo, none of this would be happening.”
“I wasn’t going to say that. Christ.” He sits down on the sofa, running his hands through his hair. “You think I want to keep you from someone you love? None of us wants to do that. The thought of not being able to be with Savannah…” He closes his eyes, wincing slightly. “It hurts just to think about.”
“You said Savannah and Vinnie stayed here.”
“They did. I was with Savannah. She had to be hidden from the McAllisters. That’s how I ended up violating my parole. I had to go to that hearing.”
“Yeah. I know. And I understand why you did it.”
“I know you do. I’m so sorry you have to be separated from someone you love.”
I sigh. “He left me, Falcon. But I don’t for one minute believe that he doesn’t love me.”
“I don’t believe that either,” Falcon says. “That’s why you’re in danger, Ray.”