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She crouched on her hands and knees, ready to spring back the other way and run for all she was worth. Voices rose in the night air, above the coming storm, and she figured they were the workers. They must have heard the shot. Her sense of panic started to ease.
A sharp cry rent the air, and Jasmeka surged to her feet. She recognized that voice. Running at full tilt even though she couldn’t see, she headed in the direction she heard the sound. More steps pounded behind her, gaining ground. A light illuminated the path ahead. That’s when she saw them—Miguel, Antonio, and Angel.
Antonio and Angel wore night goggles on their heads, and Jasmeka knew they had seen her and Miguel together. Angel held a rifle, which Miguel snatched away. He tucked it under his arm while he put his own handgun away.
Jasmeka ran over to the twins and hugged them both. “What in the world were you doing? Are you two okay?”
“Okay?” Miguel snapped and jerked Antonio by the collar, the closest twin to him. “You’re asking these fools if they’re okay? They shot at us, Jas.”
Antonio did his best to yank out of his brother’s hold and failed. He looked at Jasmeka and must have seen the horror on her face. “We only wanted to scare him, Jas. I swear. We would never hurt you.”
“I know that, sweetie.”
By that time, a whole crowd of the other men had gathered, and Jasmeka noticed that it was Hector who had run up behind her and shined the way toward the boys. More lights illuminated the entire scene. The boys were struck dumb with pale faces. She started to tell Miguel to get them back to the house and talk to them there, but he cut her off.
“Scare me?” Miguel snorted in disgust. “Here’s a clue. I’m a U. S. Marshall. I deal with criminals all day, many of which would like to take my head off given half the chance. And you think you’re going to scare me with a gunshot in the dark like a coward?”
Jasmeka grabbed his arm. “Miguel, ease up. They’re—”
“They’re what?” he growled. “Kids? I could have killed them. Not only that, threatening a Marshall is a federal offense.”
“Miguel,” she began.
“Look, it’s not a big deal,” Antonio shouted.
Miguel pulled him closer by the front of his shirt, his face a mask of fury. Jasmeka wrapped both her arms around Miguel’s and pulled. She felt like a gnat trying to stop a mammoth. Miguel and Antonio argued back and forth, their voices rising. The skies opened, and rain poured, soaking everyone in seconds.
“Enough!”
Jasmeka blinked in surprise when Thiago squeezed through the crowd, swaying on his feet. She wondered at the fact that he was coherent enough to find his way to them.
“I won’t have my boys fighting each other. You’re family. We love each other.” He ran his hand over his face, trying to clear off the excess water. The move weakened the full impact of his lecture because he stuttered with every word. If the situation weren’t so serious, it would have been funny. “I’m surprised Angel isn’t with you, Tony.”
Antonio stopped glaring at Miguel long enough to look around at
his dad. “What are you talking about? He’s right—” Antonio stopped.
Jasmeka scanned the crowd. Thiago was right. Angel was nowhere in sight. The rain stopped abruptly, and an eerie calm came over the area. Dread rose in Jasmeka’s chest. She couldn’t explain why, until the sirens went off.
“Tornado warning,” several people shouted.
The area cleared of bystanders in seconds. Worry gripped Jasmeka. She cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted. “Angel, Angel!”
“I’ll go find him,” Antonio said, but his older brother grabbed his arm.
“You stay here,” Miguel ordered.
“You don’t know where he might go! I do.”
“Then tell me.”
Antonio said nothing, and Jasmeka ran over to him. “Please, Tony. Let Miguel handle this.”
The young man frowned. “He doesn’t care about us. He’s probably hoping Angel gets caught up in the tornado and dies. Then he’ll kill me later.”
Jasmeka rolled her eyes. “Can you be more dramatic? You need to help your dad into the house and make sure Aunt Rosa is safe. Miguel’s trained for times such as this. Just let him look for Angel. Besides, Angel might have run back to the house upset.”
A look of hope came into Antonio’s eyes, and he reluctantly moved to take Thiago’s arm and led him back toward the house. Jasmeka watched them go, surprised to find the day had lightened up some. She glanced toward the sky, and it looked like the storm had passed. That could be the most deadly time. The sirens meant funnel clouds were spotted. They needed to seek shelter, but she was terrified for Angel.
