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CHAPTER 4
Harry's strides were purposeful as he made his way back to where Kenan was supposed to meet him. It was all very clandestine, but now Harry was starting to believe there was a good reason for it all. He climbed the seemingly endless stairs, making sure no one was following him. The loaf of bread felt like a weight in his hand, a symbol of the morning's events that were still sinking in.
“Brilliant spot,” Harry assessed. “You’ve got the high ground. Easy to tell you weren’t followed. It’s a thick stone-walled building. Surveillance equipment wouldn’t have much luck listening in.”
“I can’t be seen here. It’s imperative you just call me when you’ve got something important. And I didn’t know we were bringing snacks.”
“I was at the bakery when shit went a little sideways. Gio was a big help. Thanks for setting up a tour.”
“He’s discrete. A good kid.”
Harry was startled to see just how tense this entire situation really was. He could read the lines of Kenan’s face tight with concern. "I came face to face with one of these goons today. He had the baker in a chokehold. Shaking him down forinformation. Gio seemed to imply this was happening quite a bit. That this guy was one of many doing this shit.”
“That part we already know.”
“I guess that’s what I’m struggling with. I think you know more than you’re letting on. You know who they are looking for. The man made a comment about her phone pinging in the area." Harry's gaze was steady, demanding. “You have someone here who has led them, maybe inadvertently right to this area.”
Kenan's brow furrowed. "That's impossible. We make it clear: no electronics. Nothing that can be traced. There are protocols and strictly enforced rules." There was a certainty to his voice, the kind that came from stringent procedures long upheld.
"Then someone's broken your ironclad rule," Harry shot back, his frustration mounting. "I want to know who's in hiding here, drawing these dangerous men. You must know and keeping me in the dark does us no good. We’re either on the same team or not.”
Kenan hesitated, a silent debate playing out behind his eyes. Finally, he sighed. "It’s conjecture at this point. I can’t be one hundred percent sure. But my guess is they are here for Topeka Rae Majors," he admitted, his voice dropping as though the walls themselves might be listening.
Harry paused, the name tugging at a memory he couldn't quite grasp. "I've heard that name before..."
"Her father is the chief of the Texas Rangers," Kenan supplied. “She’s been missing for six months.” Kenan put the word missing in air quotes.
"Texas Rangers. You mean the law enforcement agency, not the baseball team," Harry quipped, trying to mask his shock with humor.
Kenan didn't smile. "Exactly. Topeka stumbled upon something—information she wasn't supposed to know. Herfather isn’t the squeaky clean law-and-order man he paints himself to be. He’s been heavy-handed with her most of her life, but when he found out she had enough proof of his corruption to take him down, any family loyalty that might have been keeping her safe evaporated. She had to run. And as you can imagine, Rangers are skilled at tracking people down. Even though her father is only the chief of the Texas division, his contacts and reach are widespread. His resources are endless. She didn’t have many options and when that happens, this is where you end up."
"Topeka Rae," Harry repeated, the pieces clicking into place. "Her father is parading around like he’s on some biblical mission to rescue his daughter. But he knows she’s actually on the run from him? That is so screwed up. Why not just out him. She has proof, use it.”
Kenan nodded grimly. "It’s not that simple. There are other players involved. We need to make sure the evidence ends up in the right place, in a place we know it will be handled properly and that he will actually be put away. That requires untangling the roots of a knotted up old tree. We have to follow each branch and see where it leads. If they can be trusted or not. You should know as well as anyone, when people hold power, they have the power to kill a story, bury the truth, silence anyone. We’re working on it but we need more time.”
Harry leaned against the table, his mind racing. "And our friend from the bakery?"
"He's likely hired by those who want to silence her. If her location is compromised—" Kenan didn't need to finish the sentence. “There are dozens of people who are housed at Verde Lago right now. They are all depending on our ability to keep them safe.”
"We need to find out if she's the one who's been careless with a phone, or if it's something else," Harry said, already thinking like the operative he never intended to become. “That will tell usfor sure if she is who they are after. If she is, can’t you just move her?”
“They’ll be waiting for that. Right now this is still our most secure compound. Our most clandestine location. The second she steps out of Verde Lago, she’s more vulnerable than inside.”
“He’s a lawman, can’t he just pull some strings and bust in there?”
“At the moment we are still shrouded in complete mystery and protection. No one can say for sure that his daughter might be on the premises. He has no authority here. No proof and no grounds to request anything. And the local authorities know us to be kind, peaceful, and very generous tenants. They have gone many years without asking unnecessary questions and we want to keep it that way.”
Kenan's eyes met his, a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of their situation.
"I can make it clear to these guys they aren’t welcome here. I can get rid of them or keep them busy messing with them while you figure out what you need to. Just buy you some time.”
“I'll start an internal sweep, see if there have been any other breaches in our protocol. Once I know for sure it was Topeka with the cell phone, I’ll send you word. But the more time you can buy me the better. Just don’t get yourself killed."
“What are you talking about, I’m already dead.” Harry shrugged as though he’d accepted that as his current situation. “I should warn you,” he continued, “this investigator guy is as subtle as a hammer, he'll make more noise and cause more problems.”
“I’m sure you can deal with him. Just keep him busy. A game of cat and mouse.”
With a nod, Harry turned to leave, his mind already focused on the woman named Topeka Rae Majors—a ghost in a haven that was slowly turning into a hunting ground. He had aresponsibility now to make sure the people in Verde Lago could sleep soundly at night. And maybe, if it remained a safe place, Rose could come here; Nathanial would love a quiet little town nearby like this one. As he stepped down the long cascading stone stairs that led back to the street, he shook the thought away. One thing at a time. He was earning his life back and that had to come first.
