Love Undercover

by LK Shaw

  “Officer Rodriguez.”

  So they’d finally discovered my identity.

  “Gentlemen.” I nodded in greeting.

  “We’re gonna need your statement.”

  I let them lead me to their patrol car and transport me to the station. I’d call my papá from there. I followed them into an interrogation room and took a seat. Knowing it might be a while before the investigators showed up, I rested my head on my forearms on the table. I was emotionally and physically spent. I must have dozed, because the clearing of a throat woke me. Slightly disoriented, it took me a minute to remember where I was. Until I spotted the worried face of the man sitting across from me. I started to smile in reassurance, but the ache in my cheek stopped me.

  “Hey Pablo.”

  “Jesus, Ines, what the fuck happened?”

  On the ride to the hospital, I’d been glad my brother hadn’t been one of the officers who’d shown up. Without a doubt, he would have blown my cover. Unintentional or not.

  “Alejandro Ramírez is what happened.”

  Pablo was the middle child. He was the one who always kept the peace between the five of us. He was level-headed and was slow to anger. So, I was shocked as hell when he picked up the chair and threw it across the room. Papers went flying through the air when he swept them off the table. He raged about how he was going to kill Miguel and Alejandro and no one would ever find their bodies. When there was nothing left to destroy, he stood huffing and puffing in the middle of the room, running his fingers through his hair.

  I stood and made my way around the table. I reached up and wrapped my fingers around his forearms, bringing them down to his side. Then I stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek, whispering in his ear.

  “Necesito la ayuda de la familia.”

  I dropped back down and backed away, taking my former seat. Pablo gave an imperceptible nod. After Pablo took my formal statement about a lover’s quarrel, I followed him to his car, and we drove to our father’s house in silence. It was after six in the morning, my face was beginning to hurt, and I just wanted to sleep for a few hours.

  Pablo parked in the drive and we entered the house together.

  “Have the boys meet here at ten. We all need to talk.”

  I turned and headed to my old room. I didn’t even bother undressing before falling on top of the covers. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

  Pounding on my door jolted me awake. My whole body ached, but most especially my cheek. Thoughts of last night flashed through my mind. I knew Alejandro would be making his move soon, which meant I needed to act fast. Considering the condition I was in, I knew it was going to be a battle. The pounding started up again.

  “I’m coming. Give me a minute.”

  I rolled out of bed and stumbled to the door. Victor stood on the other side.

  “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

  Twenty-six years later and it was obvious my brothers still didn’t get me. If anyone was going to kill Alejandro, it was going to be me.

  “Is everyone else here?”

  “Yes, Manuel just arrived.”

  “Good,” I nodded. “Just give me a few minutes and I’ll be out.”

  He nodded and left me to get ready. I gazed at my reflection in the mirror. Jesus, I looked like shit. My makeup was smeared, my cheek was bruised, crusted with blood, and decorated with blue stitches, and my hair looked like I’d been struck by lightning. I combed it out, brushed my teeth, and tried to wash off as much blood as I could. I was desperate for a shower, but there wasn’t time. Slapping on another layer of deodorant, I figured it wasn’t going to get any better than this for a little bit.

  Alejandro was unpredictable, and I had no idea how much time Brody had left. I only knew I was his only chance at survival. Ever since Alejandro had broken the news to me about Brody, I’d wondered how he’d discovered his identity.

  He hadn’t figured out who I was.

  To him, I was some puta who didn’t have a brain in her head. I was arm candy. Someone he could show off to his friends. I didn’t cause problems. I was an ornament. There was no way I was any type of threat. You didn’t just grow up thinking less of women, that shit was taught, and considering he was raised by his uncle, I knew Miguel held the same view of women. That particular viewpoint had given me a distinct advantage. One I fully planned on continuing to use.

  I had no idea where Alejandro might be keeping Brody, but I needed to figure it out fast. Which meant I needed to play the same role I’d been playing. Only better. I headed to the kitchen where my father and brothers gathered and paced. They all had that pissed off look, especially when they saw my face. I withdrew a bottle of acetaminophen from the cabinet and downed several pills with a glass of water. Then, I took my regular seat at the table. The boys all followed suit.

  “Pablo says you need our help.” My father broke the silence.

  “Sí, papá. You’re not going to like it, but you have to trust me.”

  “Tell us what’s going on, conejito.”

  “Alejandro Ramírez is planning a coup.”

  Other than shocked looks, they remained silent. Now, came the hard part of my confession.

  “For the last few weeks, I’ve been involved in an affair with Tomás González, a man who works for Miguel Álvarez.”

  With that pronouncement, they all started talking at once. Various choruses of “what the fuck were you thinking?” My father slammed his fist on the table.

  “Silencio.”

  They quieted down, with a few grumbles remaining. My father nodded at me to continue. I swallowed hard before beginning.

  “Last night, this morning, whenever, Alejandro confronted me about the affair. I believe he gave me this—” I gestured to the cut he’d made, “—as punishment for being with Tomás. He didn’t take too kindly to the perceived betrayal. I never slept with Alejandro and he took this as a personal affront. To him, I’m a worthless whore. Tomás, on the other hand, is a key player in his takeover. Alejandro has taken him prisoner and plans on using him to taunt his uncle. To lord over Miguel that he knew Tomás’ secret from the beginning.”

  I stared at the table, rubbing my fingers in my lap, sick over what Alejandro was doing to Tomás. No, to Brody.

  “What is Tomás’ secret, Ines?” This came from Manuel.

  I looked up at four pairs of eyes so similar to mine. My heart ached for the missing pair. I plunged forward.

  “The man Miguel calls Tomás González doesn’t exist. His real name is Brody Thomas, and he’s an undercover D.E.A. agent.”

  “Holy shit, they’ll kill him.”

  I flinched. My father caught my eye, and he must have seen something there.

  “You didn’t know about this until Alejandro crowed over his knowledge, did you?”

  I shook my head. “He never told me, even after he found out I was a cop.”

  Pablo’s brow creased in confusion. “You’re saying this Tomás, or Brody person knew you were with the police. How did he find out?”

  I took a slow, deep breath in before answering. “He was there when Ernesto was killed. I believe Ernesto told him.”

  This set my brothers off again. While they raged, I rose from my seat and moved toward my father. I lowered myself to my knees, and grasping his hand in mine, I brought it up to my lips. I kissed it before laying it against my unmarked cheek. I stared up at him, beseechingly.

  “Lo amo, papá.” I love him, I confessed. “We’re his only hope. Por favor.”

  Chapter 25

  It had taken an hour to convince my family to move forward with my plan. Now, I just prayed it worked. I quickly took a shower while everyone else gathered all the ammunition and firepower they could get their hands on. We all knew our destination, but we each took a different route to get there. Then, they all waited while I set everything in motion. I pulled into the drive, stopping when I reached the iron gate and gate house. It was my first time visiting this house by myself. I’d alwa
ys accompanied Alejandro, but since we hadn’t been together for weeks, I had no idea how I’d be received.

  I had a feeling neither the Alejandro I met last night nor the one I thought I knew would want it to become common knowledge that he couldn’t even keep a stripper as a girlfriend so the chances that I was banned from the property were pretty close to nil. I was about to find out.

  The security guard stepped out of the gate house and bent down to speak through my open window. “Miss Lòpez, I’m sorry, but Alejandro isn’t here.”

  I couldn’t see his eyes behind the sunglasses, but I could feel him staring at the stitches on the side of my face.

  “I’m actually here to speak with Mr. Álvarez. It’s extremely important.”

  He stepped away and back into the gate house. I could see him speaking to someone through a walkie talkie. My grip tightened on the steering wheel and I tried to control my breathing. I let out a small whimper of relief when the large gate creaked and moaned and slowly began to open. I gave the guard a small wave before entering the devil’s lair. I parked my car and strode up the steps, the front door swinging open before my foot hit the top one.

  Miguel’s housekeeper, Maria Consuela, greeted me. She frowned when she saw me, but otherwise didn’t react.

  “Señor Álvarez está afuera.”

  I nodded my thanks and headed out to the courtyard where I’d already discovered Miguel spent most of his time. It was the first visit where I wasn’t able to appreciate the beauty of the home Miguel had built. Exposed wood, arches entryways, earthy colors with differing shades of red, orange, and yellow, with the occasional pop of blue were seen throughout the house. I’d never pictured him as being particularly religious, but several paintings of the Virgin Mary were located throughout the house, as well as few crosses and rosaries. The floor was a reddish-orange terra cotta and there were several bright scatter rugs in different rooms. It bespoke of his strong familial ties to his Mexican heritage.

  I exited the French doors and the almost tropical air beneath the trees was warming. I wove through the courtyard and when it opened up to the pool area, I spotted Miguel seated under an umbrella at a table near the pool, dressed in a dark, pinstriped designer suit like always. The days were beginning to get hotter, and I had no idea how he could stand wearing nothing else. He never appeared to sweat or look like he was ever in discomfort. Every strand of dark hair was swept back off his forehead and his suits were always perfectly pressed. It was like nothing could touch him. He was speaking to someone on the phone, but he smiled and waved me over. Confidently, with my head high and shoulders back, I made my way over to him. His smile faded, the closer I got.

  “Te llamaré mas tarde.” He hung up the phone after his promise to call the person back later. He set the phone on the table and stood. He moved around the side of the table, his arms out in front of him. I let him grasp my hands in his.

  “Dios mio, child, who did this to you? Does this have anything to do with the urgent need to see me?”

  Let the charade begin.

  “Alejandro is planning on killing you and taking over your organization.”

  He dropped my hands like they’d burned him, and his face froze like granite. Rage brewed in his eyes.

  “Tell me how you know this.”

  “Over the last few months, he has been hinting to me that he had big plans. We’d go to the club a lot and he would disappear with several of his friends. I don’t know what they talked about. I only know he was different when he returned. I couldn’t have been the only one who noticed it.”

  I paused for a moment to let him ponder my words. Make him question Alejandro’s behavior over the last few months. Of course, everything I was spewing was bullshit, but it was enough to get Miguel thinking. Growing up with four brothers, I learned that if you wanted them to do something, you needed to play it well enough that they thought it was their idea to begin with.

  “Last night I was leaving SINoritas when Alejandro approached me. He started bragging about knowing a secret. About how stupid you were to have not figured it out. How you were obviously not fit to run the family business if you let a traitor in your most intimate circle and didn’t even realize it. How you’ve let the Sinaloa Cartel rule for too long.”

  Miguel grabbed my arm and squeezed so hard I knew he’d leave finger shaped bruises on my skin. I flinched and tried to pull out of his grip, but he was too strong.

  “What traitor?”

  Through clenched teeth, I choked out, “I don’t know. I assumed he was talking about himself.”

  He shook me like a rag doll, I swear my brain rattled in my head. “You lie!”

  “No, I swear. Please! You’re hurting me.”

  He released me and began to pace. I clutched my arm, trying to ease the pain.

  “When I told him he was too weak to overthrow you, he gave me this.” I flashed him the left side of my face. “I think he would have done more if someone hadn’t called the police. But before he left, he told me your time was coming.”

  He remained silent while he continued to pace. My whole body was tense, my fingers ached from clenching them into a fist, and I could feel beads of sweat running down my back.

  “Where is mi sobrino now?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since he left the club last night. He didn’t think I’d have the nerve to come to you. But, after doing this to me, he deserves whatever’s coming to him.”

  Miguel’s smile was so sinister, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and gooseflesh pebbled on my arms. This was the face behind one of the most powerful cartels in the world. A man who wouldn’t hesitate to kill a man who wronged him. I almost felt sorry for Alejandro. Because nephew or not, Alejandro didn’t have much time left on this earth. No one fucked with Miguel Álvarez.

  “Oh, Alejandro is going to get exactly what’s coming to him.”

  He pulled out his phone, and leaving me standing there, he headed toward the house. I knew I’d been dismissed. Shortly after Miguel entered the house, I followed. I retraced my path through the house, a raised voice coming from behind a closed door, and let myself out. I got into my car and headed out to the main road to wait. I quickly called my father.

  “Everything went according to plan as far as I can tell. Miguel was on the phone when I left. Now, we wait. See where he goes.”

  “Are you all right, conejito?” I heard the worry in his tone.

  “I’m fine, papá. He didn’t hurt me. I’m just worried about Brody. I keep imagining every worst case scenario.” I bit back tears. They wouldn’t do Brody or me any good.

  “We’ll find him Ines. I promise.”

  My father’s words had me feeling marginally better. He’d never made me a promise he hadn’t kept. He wasn’t going to start now. In the background, I heard the click and static sound of a comm unit. Then, Victor’s voice.

  “Miguel’s on the move.”

  Each of my brothers had stationed themselves on various streets surrounding Miguel’s home. That way we knew which way he went. Each car would randomly take over following him until he reached his destination. We only hoped it was where Alejandro and Brody were located.

  Chapter 26

  I spit out blood after the next strike to my face. One of my eyes was swollen shut, I’d felt a couple ribs crack, and my tongue wiggled several loose teeth. Javier had a fucking mean left hook. I’d been truly shocked when I discovered that he’d turned against Miguel and joined forces with Alejandro. “A new generation to bring about change,” he’d said. I don’t know what kind of fucking change he thought Alejandro planned on bringing, but Javier clearly thought whatever it was, was worth it.

  I was in some cabin, strung up by my hands to a chain hanging from the ceiling, my shoulders and arms completely numb at this point. I was pretty sure there was also some nerve damage. If Alejandro was going to kill me, I wished he’d hurry up and get it over with.

  “How are you feeling Brody?”
r />   I glared at him out of my good eye. “Never better.”

  He laughed like I’d said something hilarious. “Yes, I can see that. Although, you do appear to be in a slight predicament. Whatever will you do?”

  I returned his smile with one of my own, bloodied as it was. “I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”

  He huffed out another laugh. “You always have thought you were smarter than me. But, I guess you were wrong. Just look at you. Strung up like a puppet. And I’m your puppeteer. I bet you never saw this day coming. I mean, all this time and none of you ever guessed what I’d been planning. Not you and certainly not my pathetic uncle. You only ever saw what I wanted you to see.”

  Alejandro pulled a chair over, swung it around and straddled it, resting his forearms across the back. He then laid his chin on his arms and half-smiled. I kept quiet, letting him run off at the mouth.

  “You never even realized I was leading you to all those drugs busts you were making behind my uncle’s back. All those “tips” you passed off to your superiors? They all came from me. Because for every measly bust you made, I was pulling off bigger deals while you were otherwise occupied. I was building my empire. All the dealers my uncle refused to supply, I helped. They’re all now loyal to me. That’s what happens when you underestimate someone. I guess you’re not some badass super-agent now are you?”

  Alejandro had returned early this morning telling me that something big was about to go down, but wouldn’t elaborate. His phone had been ringing non-stop for the last hour, but after glancing at the caller ID, he’d ignored almost all of them. He looked entirely too self-satisfied. Periodically, he’d given orders for Javier to deal out some more punishment. He obviously didn’t have the balls to throw any punches himself.