AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Rafael turns to us. “Tomorrow? I’m sure Gemma will be feeling better, but she’ll call if she’s not.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Sophia says, softly clapping her hands and beaming at me. She deserves an Oscar, because I knew her at fifteen, and even back then she didn’t clap her hands and bounce.
“Next time, we’re staying longer,” Rafael announces.
He shakes my hand and pulls me in for a brief man hug. Enrique gives me a stern nod. And Ivan taps away on his phone as he moves to the driver’s side of the car.
Sophia sidles up to me, playing the good wife. She rests her head against my shoulder, and her hand slides from my waist down to cup my ass. I squeeze her up against me, and she grins. Ivan does a three-point turn to exit our driveway. We both wave until the car is out of sight.
Two men up on the cliff rise, one with a faux bush attached to his shoulders. They hustle down, knees bent, hands out for balance on the steep descent. The first one to the patio speaks. He’s in full desert camo, and he’s carrying binoculars and a backpack.
“Guy outside did a quick tour of the grounds but never stooped or stopped in any location. Looked like his purpose was to secure their automobile. We lost sight of the one roaming inside your house. You need to check for bugs.”
“Got it,” I say.
Sophia steps away from my side as if it just occurred to her we should no longer be pretending to be a couple.
The man holds his hand to his ear, as if comm is coming through. He glances at his colleague.
“Phantom is on the go.”
“Good. Will be useful to learn who all he’s meeting with in L.A.”
CHAPTER33
SOPHIA
“Do you want to come in and get something to drink?”
The two men in camouflage have all the markings of former military. The camouflage pants hide their legs, and the shirts they wear hang loose, but based on their strong jawlines and general build, they’re fit. A sandy layer coats their hiking boots. Their expressions are stern. If I met them on campus, I’d expect they were teaching self-defense tactics or shooting skills.
The guy closest to me, possibly two inches shorter and with a scar above his right eyebrow, takes off his hat and rubs the side of his fist against his brow. “Thanks, but we better get going. Besides, safest if we don’t enter. Don’t forget we lost sight on the one guy.”
“I was in the kitchen.” His stony gaze stops me short. The man’s correct. To be safe, we need to check the space.
“I’m Sophia,” I hold my hand out.
“Felix,” he says, then jerks his head toward his partner. “Knox.”
“This is Fisher,” I say.
“We know Fish,” he says with a wry grin. “How you doin’, man?”
Fisher looks up from his phone. He’s been reading something while I attempted to be cordial with our Arrow teammates. He appears oblivious that Felix greeted him. “Alejandro Toro cleared customs at LAX.”
“Rafael’s dad is here?” The elder Toro travels to the US periodically. “That’s probably the meeting Rafael needed to get to. But Alejandro usually goes to Miami or DC.”
As an analyst, I studied the high-level political leaders for all the South American countries. Alejandro Toro is one we all studied, given his suspected ties to the Toro cartel, led by his brother.
Felix checks his wrist. “Well, I’ve got to get out of here. My daughter’s soccer game starts in less than an hour. I’m scorekeeper.”
“You need a ride to your car?” I ask.
“Nah. Just a short hike away. Hey, just so you know, there are coyote tracks up there.”
“Interesting,” I say, not sure what else to say to that. I suppose if I had a cat or a dog, that would be important information to know. But Felix knows the score. This isn’t our real home.
After saying goodbyes, Fisher and I head inside. I jump on my laptop, while Fisher scans the rooms, searching for anything Rafael and his henchman might’ve left behind.
