Chapter 17 Eberly
EBERLY
Less than two weeks ago, I’d almost married a man who left me in a state of panic just by thinking I’d seen him in the SUV that passed us.
“Do you think he’s stalking me?” I asked.
“I don’t know, Eberly, but that we saw him earlier and again now is something the sheriff needs to know.”
“Is that who you sent the message to?”
“Him and my brothers.”
“Right. You said they were on the property.”
Trevino didn’t respond or even look at me, which wasn’t like him.
“Is there something you’re not telling me?” I asked.
“Not in the way you’re thinking.”
“In what way, then?” I pressed.
He put the truck in gear and pulled onto the road but turned around and went in the opposite direction of my house. “I’ll try to explain once we’re at Los Cab.”
He’d try to explain? He wasn’t making sense.
I’d push harder, but since we were less than two miles from the entrance to the estate and winery, I’d wait.
Once there, if he didn’t explain sufficiently, I’d call my uncle and ask if I could stay with him and Aunt Evelyn.
I’d had enough of people—my father in particular—keeping secrets from me. I couldn’t accept it from Trevino too.
When he pulled in and parked, I was stunned to see my uncle, Michael, was already there, waiting. Zin was also with him.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“I’m not sure.” Trevino got out of the truck, helped me down, then held my hand as we walked toward the cottage.
“Hi, Eberly. Uh, Bit, can we have a word?” Zin asked.
I tried to let go of his hand, but he held on tight. “Let’s go inside,” he said, motioning to them, then leaning closer to me as we walked up the porch steps. “I have to make one very quick call to my brother. It’ll only take a minute.”
He opened the door and led me over to the sofa. “Take a seat, guys,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
“How are you, Eberly?” Zin asked after Trevino left the room.
I folded my arms. “Tired of people not being straight with me.” I looked between him and his father. Before either could respond, Trevino returned.
“I spoke with Brix. He’s aware I intend to tell Eberly about the caballeros.” Like I had, he looked between the two other men in the room.
“I think that’s a good idea,” said my uncle.
That seemed to surprise both Zin and Trevino.
“Earlier, I told you I sent a message to Vader and my brothers. Those words may have been misleading. What I am about to tell you, though, you cannot repeat to anyone else,” said Trevino, sitting beside me.
“Okay.”
“Do we have your word, Eberly?” Zin asked.
I could feel Trevino tense beside me.
“You do,” I answered, squeezing his hand.
I listened as the three men told me about an organization they belonged to that had been in existence for hundreds of years. The way they explained it was that Los Caballeros, as it was called, was a secret society, a brotherhood of sorts, that came to the aid of those who needed help.
“I realize that explanation sounds vague,” said Zin. “But it’s accurate.”
Trevino cleared his throat. “Last night, when your uncle stayed here with you, it was because I called an emergency meeting to discuss your father’s actions and to see if anyone might know where he was. I shared the same things with them that I had with you about what Decker Ashford learned.”
Like I had with him, he squeezed my hand.
“Go on,” I said.
“Once Bit returned, that’s where I went,” my uncle added. “In conjunction with the sheriff, the caballeros are mounting an effort to locate your father. The other thing you should know, Eberly, is he’s also a member. We consider him our brother, and we’ll do everything we can to find him.”
“Do you think something happened to him?” I asked.
“We don’t know anything more than you do,” said Zin. “However, we don’t think he’d leave without telling you. Especially after the amount of time that’s passed.”
“The reason we asked for a word with Bit when you arrived is because another emergency meeting has been called.” My uncle looked at his phone, then up at Trevino. “They’re waiting for you now.”
“I’ll return as soon as I can,” he said, squeezing my hand one more time before letting go and standing.
“Hold on,” I said when he walked toward the front door. I rushed over and hugged him. “Thank you for telling me.” I leaned up and kissed his cheek.
“You’re welcome,” he said, kissing my lips. “I’ll try not to be long.”
“Would you like a glass of wine?” I asked once my uncle and I were alone.
He stood. “I should probably stick with coffee if you’ve got it.”
“I’ll make a pot.” I’d already had plenty, but something told me this would be a late night.
“With very few exceptions, only members are permitted to attend the Los Caballeros meetings. That’s why Trevino didn’t offer for you to go with him.”
“It’s okay. I get the impression that him even telling me about it was a big deal.”
“It isn’t allowed. I should rephrase that. Typically, once a caballero marries, there is an unwritten rule that their spouse be told about the organization. Not in every case, but most.”
“Does Aunt Evelyn know?”
“Yes,” he said, following me into the kitchen.
“I guess you all agreed to Trevino telling me since my dad was a member.”
“I don’t think that has anything to do with it. The way Trevino put it, I got the impression he told Brix he was making you aware of Los Caballeros with or without permission.” He smiled. “I like the two of you together.”
“I do too.” How many times today alone had it dawned on me that marrying Tiernan would’ve been the biggest mistake of my life? “We ran into Tiernan today in Cambria.”
My uncle didn’t appear surprised.
“You already know?” I asked.
“An alert went out about both sightings.”
“He said my dad told him I’d had a change of heart and called off the wedding. It was the same thing my dad told me, except in reverse.”
“Do you know your mom and dad met through me?”
“I don’t recall hearing that.”
“Probably because he and I knew each other from Los Caballeros, and that means I’ve known your dad a really long time. While I have no explanation for his recent actions, I know in my heart that he wouldn’t have done any of those things unless he felt he had no choice.”
“Why didn’t he talk to me about it? I could’ve helped. I still can.”
“I can’t speak for him, but my guess is he wanted to spare you.”
When the electric kettle switched off, I poured the hot water over the ground coffee I’d put in the French press. “I’m not being spared now. It would’ve been so much better to hear from him.”
“I agree, Eberly, but as your cousin said, we should give him the same benefit of the doubt the courts would.”
“You’re right. I’m just mad at him.” I looked at the time. “How long do these meetings usually last?”
“It varies.”
“Do you think someone has located him?”
Uncle Michael shook his head. “Trevino would’ve stopped the meeting to tell you.”
I smiled. “You’re right. He would have.” I thought about him asking me to trust him. I did, and my quick response was evidence of it. I knew in my heart that if he had any news, he’d figure out a way to tell me as soon as he could.
“How did you meet Tiernan?” my uncle asked.
“At a wine industry event my dad asked me to attend with him.”
“Did your father already know him?”
“If they’d met before, neither of them let on.
” I recalled how bored I’d been. When I agreed to go, I thought for sure Justine or Isabel would be there, but no one from our group of friends was.
I’d gone to get a plate of hors d’oeuvres when Tiernan struck up a conversation with me.
I remembered thinking he was handsome and a good conversationalist. He’d asked for my number, and while I doubted I’d hear from him, he’d called the next day and asked me on a date.
“I keep wondering if there were signs I should’ve picked up on.”
“Do you mean with your dad or with Tiernan?”
I shrugged. “Both.” I shook my head and smiled. “The other day, I remembered having a conversation with my mom about Trevino. At the time, she said he was her favorite of the Avila boys.”
“She was a good judge of character.”
I looked up at him. “Apparently not.”
Uncle Michael shook his head. “What I’m saying, Eberly, is that she was, and we should keep that in mind in regard to your father.”
“I wish I could. More, I wish he’d get in contact with me.”
“Did you say anything about your dad when you ran into Tiernan?” he asked.
“No. I wasn’t sure if I should.”
“It was probably the right decision.”
“Are you sure about that?”
His gaze hadn’t appeared to be focused on anything in particular, but he abruptly looked at me. “At the time, yes. However, I’m wondering if you should arrange a meeting with him. One where we could listen in.”
“You mean like wear a wire?”
“Something like that, except it isn’t done that way any longer.”
I almost asked how it was done, but decided I really didn’t want to know.