Chapter 16
SIXTEEN
NICOLE
“Miss,” the maid with the tattoo ran into my room where I’d been trying to find a way to delay going down to Armondo. I knew something was up, and it scared me. When she closed the door behind her and spilled a glass of red juice on the white carpet, I panicked.
“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed the last thing I needed was Armondo needing a reason to bring Bruno up to the room.
She ducked her head as she said. “They’re coming for you,” she whispered as she dropped to her knees and started to spray the stain in case someone watched on the camera.
“Mr. Perez found the bug in his office. I’m so sorry.
I only planted it a few hours ago.” My stomach dropped. “Do you know they’re moving you?”
“I knew something was happening, because Armondo told me to hurry and get my stuff. I don’t know what he expects me to get. I only have the clothes I wore here.”
I glanced toward the small table in my room where she’d planted a bug when she brought my food. I hoped to God the guys were getting this. I hadn’t been able to share what I’d found out earlier in the trash.
“The scrambler machine is on. The signal is no good.” She knew what I’d been hoping.
“Listen, quickly, we don’t have much time.
” She kept dabbing. I made the American, his name is Archie, go into Mr. Perez’s office this morning.
” I threw her a look. “You never know when you might need a backup plan.” She looked up briefly.
“Look, I told Mr. Perez I saw him there. I hope he’ll think it was him. You have to sell it to him.”
The door burst open, and Armondo took in the scene.
“Sorry, sir, juice was spilled, but I’ll get it clean.” She rubbed the carpet like she was hurrying in case it set.
He held his head ever so slightly tilted to the side. I knew he was listening to someone. I wouldn’t have caught it, but I’d seen it often with Paul and the guys.
“Get up!” He grabbed her arm and twisted it. She yelped, and I reached for him to make him stop, but he pulled his gun and shot her in the face.
What? Oh, my God!
“Why?” I cried in shock.
“Shut up. Why do you take so long?” He grabbed me, and I fought him. Everything had gone south so fast I couldn’t keep up. I kicked, bucked, and bit Armondo, but he was entirely too strong.
“Let go of me!” I screamed as loud as I could with a tight grip on the headboard in the hope that maybe one of the bugs would pick it up. “Get your fucking hands off me!”
“I don’t trust you or anyone else in this house.
” He locked his arms around me, and as he began to drag me out the door, Trigger’s face popped into my head.
In a last-ditch effort, I kicked the ceiling light on with my foot.
Maybe, just maybe the light would be left on and make the Devil’s Reach wonder if something was wrong.
I fought with all my might as he dragged me out of the house and stuffed me into a car.
He slapped cuffs on my wrists and ankles, and once again a bag was jammed over my head.
I felt someone get in on either side of me, and Armondo told them to watch me closely.
The door slammed, and the engine started.
I’d seen the clock on the dash before they’d put the hood over my face and noted the time. I just hoped we weren’t going too far.
I was wrong.
The sun moved across the fabric, and I felt the time tick by.
My mind wandered back to the maid, and tears soaked the hood over my cheeks.
I’d lived through so much senseless loss in my career, but it hurt my heart.
Death came to so many who didn’t deserve it.
The poor woman had been there to help me.
The car slowed once, and I thought maybe we were there, wherever there was. But it was just a gas station, and before long, we were back on the road.
I wasn’t offered a bathroom break or anything to eat, and I knew something big was happening. I realized at one point that Bruno was in the front seat. I heard him speak to someone, but they had turned on some music, and it drowned out most of what was said.
I fought the numb feeling that tried to take over my head to force myself to think, but for once in my life, I felt defeated.
I hadn’t been able to get anything useful and had risked my life and gotten that poor maid killed for nothing.
The chance that the Devil’s Reach would understand my message was slim to none.
I doubted if anyone knew I’d been taken from the house.
Once again, my life might come down to a faceoff between me and Bruno Perez, only this time I had no Sully or anyone else to help me get out of the situation.
A smack to my face shocked me out of sleep, and the bag was pulled from my head. I blinked at the guy beside me who held up the fabric with a black-toothed smile on his ugly face. If only I had a hand free.
“Morning,” Bruno chuckled from the front seat, “welcome to your new home.”
I leaned forward to see out the front windshield.
I noticed we were following a long, winding drive through lush trees.
We went over a hill, and below us were rows and rows of avocado trees.
Workers bent at the waist sorted the fruit in baskets.
Horses roamed freely on the other side, and off in the distance was a barnyard scattered with chickens.
Under different circumstances, I might have thought the place was like a dream, so incredibly beautiful, but when I went to flip my hair out of my face, the handcuffs gave me a rude awakening.
The farmers more than likely worked under threat of death, and no doubt the horses had belonged to some other poor family who once owned the place.
Armondo appeared and nearly ripped my arm off as he pulled me out of the car. I was tired of his rough demeaner and thought I’d try a new tactic as I remembered the maid’s words.
“Why can’t you be more like him.” I pointed my hands at the American, Archie. It turned out Teeth had been one of my seat companions. “His touch is much kinder than yours.” I smiled when I saw Bruno scowl at Archie.