Rafael (The Santiago Brothers Book One)
Page 36
GENIE cautiously moved the curtains from the living room window facing the street. She dipped a blind down and squinted her eyes. The streetlamps provided little light and made it difficult for Genie to make out the color of the cars on the street.
“Where exactly did he say he saw the car?” She’d been on the phone with an officer from her department for the last few minutes, trying to verify what her neighbor had seen.
“About six or seven houses down, on your side of the street.”
Genie angled her neck but to no avail. “I can’t see the car. How far out are the units?”
“About five to ten minutes, ma’am.”
“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll keep in touch if I see anything.” She hung up.
Rafa was at her neighbor’s, Mrs. Jennings. Genie sent him a quick text before removing her service weapon from its holster. If the sedan had been spotted, Huera and Montenegro could already be nearby.
She moved systematically around her single-story home, double-checking windows and doors while waiting for Rafa. She prayed for backup to arrive and no sooner had the prayer left her and made its way towards heaven did she hear footsteps on her front porch. Rafael…
Then the telltale sound of glass cracking behind her stopped her heart cold. She pivoted from the window, her gun at the ready. By the time she reached the kitchen, the intruder would be inside and possess the element of surprise. With soft footsteps, she made her way to the dining area opposite the kitchen. She heard the door creak open and heavy footsteps on the floor. Genie took a quick glance around the wall to look into the kitchen. The back door was ajar, and glass littered the tiled floor.
She saw no one.
The kitchen opened to a hallway on the far side leading to her bedroom, where she suspected the intruder possibly went. She took a step toward the kitchen to cut off the person’s escape when she heard what sounded like muffled grunting coming from her front porch.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a large shadowed figure in front of the living room window. It separated into two parts. Rafa had to be struggling with someone. She raced toward the door, and as she pulled it open, her body slammed against it. The air whooshed from her lungs and she fell backward. Her head knocked against something hard and immediately began to swim. Her eyes blinked back tears. Putting a hand up to her head, her eyes saucered. Her gun! Where was her weapon?
She felt her hair being pulled and she cried out in pain. She struggled to untangle her hair from her attacker’s grasp. A loud crash momentarily split the intruder’s focus, and she pulled away to see someone from the outside tumbling over the couch and stopping with a thud on the ground. Whoever it was just came through her front window!
“Rafael!” she screamed.
The front door was kicked in, and a menacing figure shadowed by the darkness loomed over her. She grunted as an arm went around her neck, yanking her backward. The person in front lunged forward. She cried out in pain from the sting of a cold blade piercing her left breast.
“Nooooo!”
Rafael? She heard a gurgled sound from her own lips and as the blade was yanked out, felt the sharp pain of tearing flesh. She lifted a trembling hand to her wound and cried out again as warm lifeblood seeped through her fingers. She struggled to crawl away, but her strength failed. Move, Genie, move! Stay alive! She moaned as the pain subsided and her heart slowed. Her body shivered involuntarily. The stench of her own blood assailed her nostrils, and her ears rung with the sounds of grunts and groans and constant thumping. She didn’t hear any sirens.
Yet, she pushed herself to keep moving.
She had no idea where she laid her cell phone but she had a phone in the kitchen and she would make it there, if it were the last thing she did. A shot rang out. She covered her ears with her hands, her eardrums ringing in pain.
“Genie!”
She heard her name being called but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Her hands slipped out from underneath her and her face hit the wood floor. Strong hands gripped her arms and flipped her over carefully. She had no strength to fight. God, help me!
“Genie, stay with me.”
She felt pressure on her chest. She shut her eyes to the pain.
“Genie, can you hear me? It’s me, Rafael. I’m here.” His breath came heavy against her face, and she felt his heart pounding as he repositioned her against his chest. “Do you hear that, Genie? Those are sirens. The cavalry is here.”
She dragged her eyes open, her gaze filling with the man she loved. “Rafa…” Her lips formed his name and she heard it whispered.
“I’m here, querida,” he responded softly. “You’re going to be okay.”
“Rafa… I love…” The pain stopped her from finishing her thought. She cringed, curling into a ball.
“Shh, don’t speak. You’re going to need your strength.” The drumming of his heart ushered her into a state of relaxation and her eyes drifted closed. “Genie…”