Beneath the Secrets, Part Two (Tall, Dark & Deadly)(12)

“For the money.”

“No. Yes. For my family. We can’t do this now. The other woman Eduardo wanted. She has no family and he’s cleared her records in some way and intends to make her disappear. I have to get to her and get her out of town.”

“You have her address?”

“Yes.” She held up the piece of paper.

He took it from her and he glanced down at the address. “Give me my keys.”

She fished them from her purse and he motioned her inside the truck. Once they were inside, he started the engine. “Where’s Tami going?”

“The Omni in San Jose. I wanted her across the bridge and in something high end and secure where Eduardo couldn’t get to her easily. It seemed the best option until I could get to her until I could make other arrangements for her.”

“Other arrangements,” he repeated.

“Yes.”

“What arrangements?”

“I didn’t think that far ahead.”

Smart answer, but he wasn’t buying it. She knew what she was doing. He called Kyle and gave him the rundown. “I’ll get the other girl and take her with me to pick up Tami,” Kyle said. “We’re going to have to get them into protective custody, Blake. You know that. We have to talk about what that means.”

In other words, if they let the feds know what was happening; Blake would get pulled out of the cartel and investigated. He scrubbed his jaw, considering the very real possibility he needed to get his brothers involved. They had a soft spot for women. No matter how much they worried about Blake and Alvarez, they wouldn’t blow a chance to break up an operation selling woman off like shoes in a store. “Just keep the two women safe tonight,” Blake said. “We’ll deal with the rest tomorrow.”

“There’s something else you need to know,” Kyle said, and something in his voice had Blake stiffening.

A few seconds later, Blake had listened to the news Kyle had to share and his gut was one big knot. He ended the call and didn’t look at Kara. He couldn’t look at her now.

“Who is that you’re talking to?” she asked. “What’s happening?”

“That was a trusted friend. He’ll make sure the women are safe.” He put the truck in reverse and didn’t say another word, his mind and emotions racing, that dark place he so often visited threatening to take control.

Kara must have sensed it because she didn’t speak and barely made a sound, but as soon as they pulled up to her apartment, she was out of the truck, as if she couldn’t escape fast enough. At her door, he pushed it open and she stared up at him, hesitating to go inside.

His eyes met hers, and he saw her trepidation. She might not know what he’d found out on that phone call, but she sensed something was up. And oh yeah—something was up, all right. “I’ll pick you up and carry you in if I have to,” he promised.

She inhaled, as if steeling herself for what came next, and headed inside. He pursued her and shut the door, shackling her arm and pressing her into the wall, his legs shackling hers. “I know who you are, Kara.”