Liza huffed. “Yes, Ty. He’s right here behind me. What the hell is going on?”
I put her on speaker and sent a quick alert to her bodyguard, letting him know that Castro was in the area and had just photographed Liza. How the fuck had he gotten into town without being seen?
“Listen to me very carefully. I want you to keep calm, stay with your bodyguard, and get to your car. When you get there, lock yourself inside. Do you understand me?”
I could hear her bodyguard’s voice telling Liza to hurry.
Without another word, Liza hung up the phone, and I slammed my fist against the steering wheel.
Before I could call her back, I received an alert confirming that Liza had been safely escorted to her car.
I sent an alert to the entire security team, telling them to search the area for Castro. The fucker couldn’t have gotten very far. I put my car back into gear and punched the gas.
Liza phoned me back. Her shaking voice filled the car. “Ty? What the fuck is going on? Everyone’s scrambling with their hands on their guns.”
I hated this. I hated that fucker Castro for doing this to her. To us.
The last thing I wanted to do was stress Liza out even more, but she had to stay vigilant. “I just received a photo of you leaving the farmer’s market, and a text from Castro.”
Her breath came quickly over the phone, like she was hyperventilating. Hating that I couldn’t be there with her to protect her, to calm her, I schooled my voice to project calm. “Liza, listen to me. Breathe for me, babe. Breathe in and out. Slow down. I’m on my way.” I could hear her breathing slowing.
Once her breathing had evened out, Liza said, “That’s so weird. How is Castro doing all of this? He can’t get into town, right?”
I didn’t have the slightest idea how Castro was pulling it off. “Maybe he’s changed his identity so no one recognizes him. He’s definitely too smart to waltz into town looking like himself.”
“Think about it, Ty.” Liza’s voice lowered, as if she was afraid Castro could hear us. “Who planted the bomb? Who is takingpictures of me? He can’t be doing all of this himself. There are enough people in town looking for him.”
Cold shuddered through me, and I dreaded her next words.
Liza’s voice was so soft now I almost missed what she said. “Someonehasto be helping Castro, Ty. Who could it be?”
How had I not seen it? “You’re right.” Castro wasn’t in town. He was pulling the strings from afar, and he’d hired a Presley Acres’ local to be his latest puppet. “I promise we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
50
LIZA
My patience was running thin as I watched through my windshield. Ty’s security team descended on the Presley Acres downtown area like a SWAT team in an action movie.
How did they get here so fast? I wasn’t sure how they operated, but I was grateful. Castro, or someone working for him, was nearby. They’d taken a photo of me, and I’d been none the wiser.
I clutched my throat as a chill ran down my spine, the realization of my vulnerability washing over me. It hit like a tidal wave. I had been so carelessly strolling out of the farmer’s market, oblivious to the dangers lurking around me. Anything could have happened, and I wouldn’t have had a second to respond since I was lost in my own thoughts, my hands filled with bags of fresh vegetables and fruit. I shuddered at the thought of Castro grabbing me and claiming me as his own.
The security team combed the area, and I watched a few of them go down an alley. If Castro was there, they’d find him because he’d have nowhere to go. I doubted they’d find him, though. He had never been here.
After more than an hour of waiting in my car, helplessly watching as the team searched for any clue of Castro or an accomplice in the area, my phone buzzed. It was Ty.
I answered right away, relieved to hear his voice on the other end. “I’m driving as fast as I can.”
I sighed. “Slow down, Ty. It’s not worth you getting in an accident. Your team is here. I’m safe. Annoyed and a little shaky but otherwise fine.”
“I’d rather you be fucking annoyed than gone forever, Liza.”
Good point. I wasn’t perturbed by his straightforward words. He was worried and he couldn’t get here fast enough. I appreciated his sense of urgency and his desire to protect me at all costs.
“I’m going to instruct your security guard to drive you to the estate. I think you’ll be safer there than your house.”
“Okay.” I couldn’t argue with his logic. Castro and his lackey wouldn’t dare try to penetrate the secure walls of the Keller Estate. My tiny house in a lower middle-class neighborhood, however, would be much easier to access.
