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There wasenough room in the helicopter to transport her, Jaicon, myself, and one other person.
“I’ll ride with them,” my father said, pointing to Tank and Magnet. Blackjack and Atticus were waiting in the second SUV, parked behind the first.
“I’ll go with you if you’re sure there’s room,” Zeppelin said to Naughton.
“You’re up front with me,” he responded.
The flightfrom Paso Robles to Napa seemed impossibly long in the helicopter. However, being able to land right on my parents’ property saved an hour’s drive from the airfield.
Luisa was quiet during the flight, but periodically, I reached over to squeeze her hand in reassurance.
I couldn’t imagine how she must be feeling, particularly since I still didn’t know exactly what the message she’d received said. Once we arrived and she was safely tucked away and asleep, I’d ask Jaicon for details.
Exhaustion was setting in on me as well. I’d slept restlessly, if at all, the last few days. While I didn’t want to admit it, part of that was due to Luisa’s absence.
When the helicopter landed on the front lawn, it dawned on me I hadn’t given any thought to the sleeping arrangements. Not even as much as determining whether Luisa would stay in the guesthouse where she’d been before or in the main house. And while she’d managed in the guesthouse previously, with Jaicon and the rest of the team there with her, circumstances had changed quite drastically.
The other thing I was uncertain of was when my father would arrive with Tank, Magnet, Atticus, and Blackjack. Regardless, I knew his main concern would be for Luisa’s safety and well-being.
“Naughton? Would you like to stay the night and head back in the morning?” I asked.
“Appreciate it, but I told Bradley I’d be home in a few hours.”
“I truly don’t know how to thank you,” I said, shaking his hand.
“It’s what we do, right?”
I nodded. To my knowledge, no one in the Butler family had been a member of Los Caballeros. However, we’d certainly enlisted the aid of their family—Laird and Kade in particular—on several occasions.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw Jaicon was a few feet behind us, talking on her cell.
“We’ll stay at the main residence tonight,” I said to Zeppelin instead.
“Copy that, sir,” he responded.
“Are you sure it’s all right?” Luisa asked.
“Of course. There’s plenty of room, and even if there weren’t, all that matters is your safety.”
I rested my palm on the pad near the front door, and it sprung open. I led Luisa inside. Jaicon and Zeppelin followed.
“I spoke with your father, who suggested you stay here this evening. Given they’ll arrive close to dawn, he said he’d stay at Beau’s,” Jaicon reported.
It wasn’t necessary for him to do so, but since the conversation had already taken place, I didn’t see the need to contact him myself to argue about it.
I picked up Luisa’s bag and led her upstairs. “Can I get you anything?” I asked.
“Where will I be staying?”
“There is a room adjacent to the one I’m in. It was Beau’s when we were children. Thankfully, they’ve been redecorated to serve as guest rooms.”
I opened the door, turned on the lights, and was happy to see the bed had been made, something that was definitely Mrs. Gonzales’ doing, not my brother’s. It also meant she’d changed the linens.
I pointed to an interior door. “That leads to the lavatory. I’m in the room just on the other side, but no worries about privacy. There’s an additional door on my side with a lock.”
She sighed. “I’m not worried about privacy, Press.”
I set her bag on the chest at the end of the bed. “You must be exhausted. I’ll let you get some rest. If you need anything at all, I’m just through there.”
