Chapter 22 #2
Isa didn’t outwardly react, but Locke swore he felt her flinch. Done with the cat-and-mouse game, he curled a finger around hers in silent support and stepped in. “He needs all the help he can get.”
Dark eyes sharp with suspicion and arrogance turned to him. “Who are you?”
“Locke Turon. I work for the Cordova Family.”
Alarm ignited along the stubborn lines of Pilar’s face, but it was squashed quickly, replaced by quiet defiance. “What interest does the Cordova Family have with my Angel?”
Isa’s fingers tightened in warning, so he went on the offensive. “Your Angel?”
Pilar’s gaze flicked to Isa before returning to him, this time carrying a hint of wariness. Her self-protective instincts were intact. “Did she not tell you? Angel is my son.” She swallowed and stubbornly held her ground. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Not wanting to escalate the situation, he angled his head and lied through his pearly whites. “The Family isn’t interested in Angel. We want the employee.”
Pilar turned to Isa, anger threading through her voice as she all but hissed, “?Ahora trabajas par las Families?”
Isa’s finger tightened painfully on his. “I —”
“I shouldn’t be surprised,” Pilar snapped.
He was seriously not liking this woman or her attitude. He let Isa go and moved in front of her, gaining Pilar’s full attention. Her mutinous expression faltered. She might not hold any respect for the families, but she did fear them, and he could work with that.
“Isa agreed to help only after finding out that Angel was the target,” he said, not tempering his icy tone.
She looked to Isa. “?Es verdad?”
Isa held her gaze and dipped her chin.
Pilar folded her arms and turned back to him. “I don’t know where Angel is.”
Even if she did, it was clear from her tone she wouldn’t be inclined to share.
“Pilar.” Isa stepped around him until they were standing side by side at the tall counter, “If we don’t get to him first, it could end really badly. We just need an idea of where he would go if he was being threatened.”
“If he was in danger, he’d go to the police.” Pilar showed only a flicker of worry.
Rock met iron as Isa started to argue. “You know that’s not—”
A man walked through the door. Locke didn’t need an introduction because the family resemblance to Isa was striking.
Taller than Pilar, he moved with the same grace as his daughter.
His dark hair was barely touched by gray, and under thick brows, the gold-streaked brown eyes were sharp.
His gaze zeroed in on Isa as he crossed the room and moved into the reception area.
His anguished flinch was quickly replaced by an expression of careful welcome.
“Isa, I’m surprised to see you.”
Isa moved around Locke to meet her father’s awkward hug. “Papá.” The word held a choked roughness, the barest hint of the lost child. She cleared her throat and stepped back to Locke’s side. “Angel’s in trouble, and I’m hoping to find him.”
There was no way to read the clutter of emotions pooling in the man’s eyes as he studied his wife and daughter. Finally, he looked at Locke and held out his hand. “Armando Serrano.”
Locke took the older man’s hand in his and gave it a firm shake. “Locke Turon.”
“And you are with Isa?”
The question could be taken in two different ways, and there was only one answer for both. “I am.”
“Está con la Familia Cordova,” Pilar said.
Armando frowned and looked at Isa. “The Cordovas are looking for Angel? Why?”
Locke answered before Isa could. “As I explained to your wife, we’re looking for one of his employees.
We’ve been able to track that employee’s movements, but he recently got in a violent argument with Angel, and they both disappeared.
Since we no longer have a viable trail for the employee and only know who the ultimate target is, we’re hoping to get to Angel first.”
“Violent?” Panic seeped into Pilar’s voice as she moved toward one of the counter openings and came out to stand at Armando’s side. “How violent?”
Armando wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist and brought her close to his side.
Isa shot Locke a questioning look, silently asking how much she could share. Trusting her not to take it too far, he inclined his head. She turned back to her parents.
“A young teen got caught in the middle. When we found him, he’d been badly beaten, but he was able to confirm that the employee was determined to get his hands on Angel.
” She looked between her dad and Pilar. “I know I don’t have the right to ask, but if you have any idea where he would go—where he would think he was safe from someone like this—we could check and make sure he’s okay. ”
Pilar looked at Armando, and with an ease of familiarity, the older couple held an entire silent conversation in a few tense moments. Pilar’s earlier defiance melted under a mother’s concern as she gave her husband a stiff nod.
Armando turned back to them. “His company has this place over by Encanto, a house they use for out-of-town visitors. He stayed there once when his condo was being repaired. He could be there.”
“Do you have an address?” Locke asked.
Armando shook his head. “But I can get it. I…” He looked to Pilar, whose eyes carried a telling sheen. “We just need to go through some old texts.” He gave his wife a comforting squeeze then turned to his daughter. “I’ll send it to you when I find it.”
“Thank you, Papá.”
“Thank you,” Locke added, addressing both Pilar and Armando. “We’ll wait in the car while you look.”
Pilar’s lips were pressed together, but she dipped her chin in acknowledgment. She turned to Isa. “Will you call and let me know if he’s okay?”
“Yes,” Isa said without hesitation.
Locke set a hand at the base of Isa’s spine. “Ready?”
A long second passed before she turned from her father to him, a stormy mix of emotions swirling deep in her hazel eyes. “Yeah.”
They turned to leave, only to be stopped by Armando calling out, “Isa?”
She looked back over her shoulder.
“Do you have time soon to meet? Maybe at your place?”
There was no missing the tremor that ran through her, but she kept her voice steady. “Whenever you want, Papá. Just let me know what works.”
Armando gave a short nod. “It shouldn’t take long,” he told Locke.
With a nod, Locke pulled Isa away from her family.