Chapter Nine #3
I desperately wanted to check on Cachi but I took my time walking around to the trunk to retrieve the sniper rifle and put it in the BearCat which someone had parked on the street.
Mars had been pissed as we stored our rifles, grumbling the whole time about how the back looked like a tornado had plowed through, since supplies were strewn all over the place.
Apparently, someone had forgotten to lock the overhead cupboards which held a medical kit, extra changes of clothing, Kevlar vests, and various assorted paperwork.
Since it was Mars’ job to drive and maintain the tactical vehicles, he knew he’d have cleanup duty.
“That was some good shooting, Clifford,” Candy said, coming up and slapping my teammate on the back.
“No problem, Captain. Just doing my job.”
Candy nodded at him and turned to me. “You didn’t have Castillion in your sights?”
I felt a shudder run through me as I stared at him. “I-I could have hit him, sir, but if I had, the round would have gone right through him and hit the civilian. I didn’t want to risk it.”
Candy frowned. “You said you knew the valet?”
“Yes, sir, and there’s somethin’ I need to say about—”
“Captain Sorensen, I need a moment of your time,” SAC Bradley said, walking over. Since he hadn’t been there earlier, I could only assume he’d just arrived.
“Of course.” He turned to look at me. “What were you saying?”
“Nothin’, Cap. We’ll talk about it back at the office.”
“Good enough.” He gave Mars one last pat on the shoulder before walking away.
Apparently, I was the fuckup, and Mars was the golden boy of the hour. When he figured out my relationship with Cachi, he might question my actual motives. I hoped not. I would have made the same call, no matter who the civilian standing behind Castillion was.
I knew I’d made the right choice and hopefully the strength of my conviction would see me through the interrogation I was likely to undergo once he found out who Cachi was—or should I say—had been, to me.
Hell, after today and the horror of having his face spattered with the drug lord’s brains, Cachi would probably want to run away from me as fast as he could.
I sucked up my courage, blowing out a long breath as I grabbed some wet wipes to remove the camo face paint I wore.
After giving my face several swipes, I shut Mars in the back of the BearCat since he’d already started picking up the mess.
I rounded the side of our tactical vehicle and walked to the scene.
All the valets had been lined up on the curb and just as I expected, they were being questioned by Agents Wallace and Steele.
Cachi was with them, the only man whose white polo shirt was drenched with blood.
His hair was sticky with muck which was starting to dry, making it look limp and overall disgusting.
It was easy to see he’d been crying. Even though he’d wiped the majority of the criminal’s blood off his face, his neck was still stained with it.
As I got closer, more tears streaked down his face as he described how he’d gotten the job, looking over at another one of the valets.
It wasn’t until just that moment, that I realized the two men were holding hands, clutching desperately onto each other like they couldn’t bear to be separated.
I swallowed, feeling sick to my stomach as I realized how good he and the other man looked together.
They were the same age, and though, dressed the same, looked entirely different.
The other man was strikingly beautiful, but his features weren’t nearly as refined and delicate as Cachi’s.
His hazel eyes lacked the amazing dark brown of Cachi’s and his lashes weren’t nearly as long. He looked me up and down and then whispered something to Cachi I couldn’t hear.
When Cachi turned to look at me, I watched his watery eyes go wide. They instantly teared up, making my heart squeeze in my chest. I prayed Candy and the others wouldn’t think he had anything at all to do with Hernandez, the cartel, or anyone else who hurt people for a living.
He was on his feet in a second, flying at me, closing the short distance between us a second later.
I opened my arms and he flew into them, wrapping me up and clinging to me as he sobbed against my chest, muttering something in Spanish I couldn’t possibly understand.
I held him to my chest, knowing my long-sleeved shirt was getting soaked with Castillion’s blood.
The coppery scent of the drying blood in Cachi’s hair made my stomach do a slow roll.
For a few seconds, I was surprised that the smell of Peruvian cartel boss blood smelled just like anyone else’s… not like sulfur from hell.
“Rex…Rex…you’re here,” he said, lifting his sweet face and gazing up into my eyes. I held onto him, feeling the urge to lower my head and kiss him, momentarily ecstatic at the fact that he’d seemingly forgotten the anger he’d felt toward me last night.
I lowered my face and whispered into his ear, still holding him close, “It’s gonna be okay, sugar. I’m here now. Nothin’ to worry about, Cachi. I’m here.”
“Agent?”
Special Agent Wallace walked over with a question in his eyes.
I let go of Cachi but kept him close to my side with an arm around his shoulders as I held out a hand. “Agent Rex Monroe, Wallace. We didn’t meet because I was up on the hill.” I turned to look at the sniper perch across the street and pointed up.
He followed my eyes and then turned back to me with all his questions answered. “Oh, of course,” he said, taking my hand. “You’re the sniper who killed Castillion.”
I felt Cachi stiffen and start to pull away.
I tightened my embrace and shook my head.
“No, sir. I was up there with Agent Marshall Clifford. He’s the one who took the shot.
I had the wrong angle.” I wasn’t about to explain how killing Castillion would have most likely resulted in killing Cachi an instant later.
As I said it, I felt Cachi relax but only minutely.
I didn’t drop my arm as I waited for whatever Wallace was going to ask next.
“Ah, I see.” He flicked a glance at Cachi before looking back at me. “And you seem to know Mr. Adams.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes. We know each other.”
His features hardened as he glanced down at Cachi.
“I see. Well, you should know, Special Agent Steele and I have had a talk with Mr. Adams, and we’ll be taking him back to the federal building with us.
” He turned and swept out a hand at the line of valets who were watching us.
The man who’d been holding Cachi’s hand, was staring curiously at me.
I hated the implication of what that meant and as soon as I got the chance, I was going to get to the bottom of it.
“You’ll be questioning all of them?”
He nodded. “Interrogating them, yes.”
I stiffened, hating the very idea that Cachi was going to be treated just like any other suspect who might be connected to the cartel, even though I’d been thinking the very same thing only five minutes ago.
“Rex?”
I looked down at Cachi, noting how he’d begun crying again. “I no have any knowing of those men.”
I wanted to smile as I corrected him. “You have no knowledge of those men or what they do for a livin’.” I said.
“Agent Monroe, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t put words in the mouth of the suspect before I—”
“Cachi ain’t no suspect,” I interrupted, glaring at him.
His expression darkened. “That’s yet to be proven and I think you should let me and my partner do our due diligence before jumping to conclusions.”
I couldn’t stop the frown on my face. “Well, I’m already tellin’ you that this man don’t have the heart for what you’re implyin’, but do your due diligence, Wallace. I’m eager to read whatever report you write after you conclude your interview.”
Cachi let out a long sigh as he turned into my chest, sliding his arms around me, burying his face in my shirt.
“Everything okay here?”
I pivoted and spotted Candy walking over, looking seriously scary with his long scar and the glower on his face.
“Everything’s fine, Sorensen,” Wallace replied before I could say anything to the contrary. “If Agent Monroe will let me do my job, and let me question the suspect, then things should go quickly. If not—”
“Why would I stop you from doin’ your job?” I asked.
Candy held up a hand as he pinned me with a serious look on his face. “I’m not sure I understand what’s going on here, Rex. You know this man?”
“Si,” Cachi said, “Rex, he know me.”
Candy looked at him. “I see.” He glanced back up at me, tilting his head in question. “Rex?”
“Yeah.” I glanced down at Cachi, taking hold of his biceps and tugging until he let go. “Captain Candy Sorensen, this is Cachi Adams, a good friend of mine.” I looked at the sweet, young man leaning against me. “Cachi, this is my boss, Candy Sorensen.”
Cachi wiped his tears as he looked up at Candy. “Hello.”
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Adams.”
“You gonna let me do my job, Sorensen?” Wallace growled.
I hated his tone but I didn’t have to say a thing because I recognized the low growly quality of Candy’s voice when he replied, “Without question, SA Wallace.”
Wallace nodded, doing his best to stare the boss down and failing miserably at it. “Good enough.” He turned to look at me. “May I have my suspect back now?”
I wanted to punch him for the way he kept calling Cachi a suspect, but I bit my tongue and nodded before turning away. Cachi was looking adoringly up at me. “It’s gonna be fine, Cachi. Go with Special Agent Wallace. I’ll come to the office as soon as I can.”
He glanced at Wallace who was standing there with his arms crossed, looking intimidating as hell. I knew it was a purposeful move. He glanced back at me. “Okay, Rex. I see you.”
Wallace stepped forward and took hold of Cachi’s bicep before leading him away. I watched him sit him back down on the curb beside his handsome, young friend before I turned to Candy. Inexplicably, the boss was watching me with a cross between confused and amused. “What?”
“Nothing. I just never expected you to date cartel dudes, that’s all.”
I growled, opening my mouth to argue when Candy started laughing. “Shut up, Monroe. You have no idea when I’m kidding? Even a decade after meeting you?”
“I-I—”
“Seriously…shut up and get in the BearCat. Everyone else is waiting for you.”
I glanced at the big tactical vehicle where the rest of my team was milling around, watching our interaction and pretending not to. They’d probably seen the entire vignette with Cachi and me play out from start to finish. Bastards.
“Yeah. Thanks, Captain.” I noted how the boss smiled as he slapped me on the back. We both turned and headed for the vehicle.
Stopping myself from looking back to see how Cachi was faring was pure hell.