Hidden Prey

by Cheyenne McCray

  “I understand.” She sounded close to tears.

  Landon paused and studied her, then continued, “You witnessed the murder of one of our undercover agents. His real name was Miguel and I considered him a good friend.” Landon and Miguel had trained together at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, FLETC. They’d gotten drunk together, had even chased women together. Then Miguel had married Jane and had two kids, a couple of years before Landon had met Stacy.

  Tori’s eyes widened and she seemed to jerk out of the partial numbness she’d said she’d been feeling. “I’m so sorry.”

  “So am I.” Landon blew out his breath, barely able to contain his anger. So the fuck am I. “We believe a drug cartel is behind the murder. I’ll need you to go through some photographs.”

  “A drug cartel?” Tori’s voice shook. “Does that mean a cartel will be coming after me?”

  “We’re putting you into protective custody.” Landon tried to calm her by keeping his voice even. “We won’t let you get into any danger.”

  She put her palm to her mouth then lowered her shaking hand. “Cartels are ruthless.” It sounded as if she knew something about them, something he’d talk about with her later when they had a moment.

  He gave a slow nod. “Yes, they are extremely ruthless.”

  “I’m scared, Landon.” She gripped her hands in her lap, her knuckles white. “No, I’m beyond scared. I’m terrified.”

  “Hey.” He rested his hand on her arm and that touch seemed to calm her a bit. “I’m going to make sure you’re safe. You have nothing to worry about. We need your help and we’ll get this guy.”

  She swallowed. “What should I do?”

  “We’ll take you in to look over photos tomorrow.” Landon studied Tori. “In the meantime, we will ensure your safety.”

  “I won’t take the chance the men will go after Mom and Dad, so I won’t go to their house.” Tori shook her head. “I have nowhere to go. My cash, my credit cards, my checkbook—everything is gone.”

  “We wouldn’t allow your parents to be put in any kind of danger.” He had her looking at him in surprise when he added, “I’m taking you to a safe house.”

  “A safe house?”

  “It’s the safest option. The only option.” Landon glanced at her as she started to buckle up. “Did you check with Lieutenant Marks to see if by chance your bag was left behind by the men?”

  She fumbled with the seatbelt. “He said nothing was here but the car and the body when he arrived.”

  Landon helped her with the seatbelt. Just as the metal clicked, his cell phone rang. He checked the screen and recognized the number as Agent Johnson’s. “Walker here.”

  “Hang tight.” Johnson never messed around with pleasantries in important situations. That was one thing you could always count on. “O’Donnell and I are en route and we’ll meet you in fifteen minutes at the scene to escort you to the safe house.”

  “Just hurry your asses over here.” Landon disconnected the call and looked at Tori. “Now to make sure your parents are safe.”

  “You think they’re in danger?” Tori’s eyes grew wide. “Their names and address aren’t in my bag and they barely use the computer I gave them, so I don’t think they could be found on the Internet. The killers won’t even know my parents’ names, will they?”

  “Anything can be found on the Internet if you know where to look.” Landon watched Tori’s expression as fear for her parents grew. “Property ownership, you name it. Your name could be found as well, and it might list who your parents are.”

  “You’re right.” She brushed her palms on her jeans. “Are you going to take them into protective custody too?”

  He shook his head. “Right now we’re going to put a car with agents outside their home. What’s their address?”

  She told him and he made another call. When he disconnected, he turned to her. “We’ll have a car stationed outside their home.”

  “I’ll let my mom know.” The world had gone surreal and Tori felt as if she was watching all that had happened in a dream. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and called her mother.

  “Hi, sweetheart,” Josie answered, obviously recognizing Tori’s number on the caller ID.

  “Hi, Mom.” Tori took a deep breath and let it out. “I came to Bisbee to see you, but when I arrived—” She swallowed. “I saw someone murder a man. The man who killed him is after me. Also the men who were with him.”

  “Dios mio!” Josie exclaimed. “Where are you? Are you safe?”

  “I’m with federal agents.” Tori gripped the phone tighter. “They will make sure I’m safe. They’re also sending someone to watch out for you and Dad. Those agents will park in front of your house and keep an eye out.”

  “You think these men will come after your father and me?” Josie had an edge of panic to her voice.

  “It’s a precaution.” Tori closed her eyes. “These are some very bad men and if they find out where you are, they might hurt you to get to me. I’m so sorry.”

  “You have nothing to be sorry for, mija.” Josie spoke in her firm, no-nonsense tone. “We will be careful and the police will keep us safe.”

  “Sure you’ll be okay, Mom?”

  “We will be fine.” Tori knew her mom. Josie was doing a good job of putting up a brave front for Tori’s benefit. “Are you certain you are safe?”

  “I’m with an agent now and I’ll be taken to a safe house.” Tori swallowed. “So yes, I will be fine.”

  “Good.” Josie sounded a little relieved but still concerned. “I need to go and get your father now. He’s at St. Elmo’s.”

  Tori felt a lump in her throat. “I’ll tell the agents and they can go get him. You stay in the house, okay?”

  Josie hesitated.

  “Please, Mom.” Tori closed her eyes. “I need to know you’re safe.”

  “All right. The agents can get him.” Josie paused. “But tell them to hurry.”

  “Thank you.” Her throat tightened and she had difficulty swallowing. “I love you, Mom.”

  “I love you too, mija.” Josie’s voice gentled. “Be careful and call when you can.”

  “I will.” Tori disconnected the call and opened her eyes.

  “Where’s your father?” Landon asked, obviously having heard her part of the conversation.

  She stuffed her phone in her pocket. “Dad is likely having a beer or several at St. Elmo’s. Mom agreed to stay in the house.”

  Landon selected a number from the contacts on his phone and she heard him repeat the information to someone on the other end.

  When he’d finished and pressed the End button, he looked at Tori. “They’ll be fine. We’ll get to them before anyone figures out who they are.” He continued, “What about family in Tucson? Do you have a husband? A boyfriend?”

  Her skin went cold.

  “My—my boyfriend.” Her eyes widened. “He lives with me in Tucson. What if these guys from the cartel go to my home because they have the address from my driver’s license? What if they’ve already gone there?”

  “Call him. Tell him to leave and stay with a friend.”

  She used speed dial to call his number and brought the phone to her ear. She heard multiple rings before it went to voicemail.

  “Gregory,” she spoke urgently. “Something’s happened. As soon as you get this message, I need you to go stay with a friend. Get out of the town house immediately. I can’t explain over the phone, just do it.” She disconnected the call and redialed his number. Once again, it rang several times before she got his voicemail.

  “Maybe he’s not home.” She looked at Landon. “Why didn’t I think of him earlier? If something happens to him—”

  “You are not to blame,” Landon cut in. “You’ve had a big scare and a lot to process. And we didn’t know the cartel was involved, so you had no way of knowing he could be in danger.”

  Tori bit her lower lip. She’d left Gregory, but she’d never want anything ho
rrible to happen to him. She tried dialing him again, but no answer.

  “What should we do?” she asked Landon when she disconnected the call.

  “I’ll take care of it.” He grasped his own cell phone, selected a number from his contacts, and brought the phone to his ear.

  He identified himself before being transferred, then spoke with a lieutenant at the Tucson Police Department and explained the situation. Landon asked Tori for Gregory’s last name and she told him it was Smith. She gave Landon their home address and he relayed it to the lieutenant on the other end of the line.

  “They’re sending officers to your house to check on your boyfriend,” Landon told Tori. He didn’t offer her any false hope by saying something such as, “I’m sure he’ll be fine.” It didn’t seem to be his style to offer hope when there were too many unknowns.

  “Thank you.” She dug her nails into her palms to try to get a grip on herself.

  “In case the cartel does have a problem finding your parents on the Internet, does your boyfriend know where your parents live?” Landon asked.

  Cold washed over her and her skin prickled. “Gregory has been there once, but I don’t think he knows the address. He’s horrible with directions. He didn’t get on very well with my mom and dad and they weren’t too crazy about him.”

  Landon gave a single nod. “We need to get out of here.”

  “Okay.” Her voice sounded small, even to herself. She shifted and seated herself fully inside the truck and he closed the passenger-side door.

  In moments, a black SUV pulled up beside them. Landon got out and went to the vehicle where he spoke with someone through the lowered window.

  Landon returned and climbed into the driver’s seat and shut the door behind him. “We’re going to get you to a safe house now.” He looked at her. “Turn off your cell phone and take out the battery, just in case they have the connections to find a way to track you using it.”

  She dug the phone out of her pocket and powered it down, then removed the battery.

  He eyed her squarely. “Hand them to me.”

  She hesitated then handed him her phone and the battery and he stuck them in his own pocket.

  Everything felt so surreal, as though happening to anyone but her. Even this small action made her feel as if reality had given in to a nightmare.

  Landon buzzed down his window and she heard him give the agents on protective detail the signal that they were ready to go. Landon buzzed the window up again before starting the Explorer.

  Chapter 4

  Diego Montego Jimenez watched his granddaughter studying the chessboard. The girl’s forehead furrowed in concentration, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders and her cheeks while she analyzed the game. Diego knew she planned multiple moves ahead. Angelina’s exceptional intelligence kept him on his toes, just as her mother had.

  He held back a scowl at the thought of his daughter, Rosanna’s, murder. He’d had his son-in-law killed for failing to protect Rosanna. It had been her husband’s responsibility to keep her from harm and he had failed. Diego did not tolerate failure.

  Diego did not want Angelina to see his anger, so he kept on his mask of the doting grandfather. He did dote on the pretty fourteen-year-old girl who would soon celebrate her quince años and be a Quinceañera, a recognition of her journey from childhood to maturity.

  Like all girls her age, Angelina should know only a soon-to-be young woman’s hopes and dreams. He sheltered her from the harsh realities of his world. His lovely granddaughter should never know the cruel world she lived in. She would know only love and the joy he could provide her with.

  They sat at a small table on one of the sprawling home’s expansive balconies, where they enjoyed challenging each other in a game of chess in the evenings after their final meal of the day. The desert of Mexico cooled once the sun went down, leaving it pleasant outside with no breeze.

  Waiting for Angelina to make her move, he let his gaze drift over the terracotta flooring interspersed with decorative ceramic tiles. He rested his gaze on the stone rail. He felt like a monarch when he surveyed his own private kingdom.

  His crystal-blue swimming pools, extensive gardens, and lush vegetation spread out beneath the balcony. He often stood at the stone balcony rail and looked out across his land, taking in the magnificent view and all that was his, all he had worked so hard for. He deserved to enjoy the fruits of his labor, but he remained ever vigilant, running his business with a firm hand.

  When his gaze returned to Angelina, the glimmer of a smile passed over her lips, but she quickly hid it. She schooled her expressions well, though not well enough—yet. She would learn to fully control her expressions, mannerisms, and actions as the granddaughter of the respected and feared Diego Montego Jimenez, El Demonio. The nickname pleased him.

  Angelina reached with her slender arm, picked up her queen, and moved it across the board. “Check.”

  She had caught him unawares. Perhaps he had been too lost in thought, not enough concentration. He gave a nod. “Very good.”

  She beamed then quickly shuttered her expression. “Thank you.”

  “However, my little angel, it is not good enough.” He took her queen with his knight.

  Without blinking, she took his knight with a pawn.

  After six more moves, a gleam of triumph flashed across her face. She moved her bishop. “Checkmate.”

  Diego steepled his fingers as he leaned back in his chair. He could not have expressed fully his pride for her. He gave a slow nod while laying down his king. “Excellent.”

  He met her gaze and her look of deep pleasure slid away and she looked down. “Thank you, Grandfather.”

  “You are a worthy opponent.” He put his hands on the arms of his chair. “Come. Walk with me.”

  He rose, as did she. When she became a woman, she would wait for the gentleman to pull out her chair before standing.

  The thought of his granddaughter crossing the bridge from childhood to adulthood brought him both pride and a sense of loss. He would miss the little girl she had been, always coming to him for her needs and desires. As a woman she would come into her own, broadening her horizons.

  She planned to go to college, but he hadn’t made his own decision. He was torn between sending her away to college and keeping her with him. The idea of her going into the world alone did not sit well with him. He had too many enemies and she would be but a woman.

  She looped her arm through his and smiled up at him. “Where would you like to walk this evening?”

  He swept his arm toward the stairs leading below. “I wish to see my gardens.”

  “They are so lovely.” Her skirt flowed around her calves as they walked. “The blooms are magnificent and the perfume flows through me like the song of life.” She played the piano beautifully and he could imagine her fingers dancing over the keys while she breathed in the scents of roses or other flowers from his garden. Daily, Diego’s gardener put together an arrangement and the head housekeeper set the vase on top of the grand piano.

  Just as they reached the top of the tiled stone staircase, Jaime, Diego’s personal assistant, walked through a balcony leading into the ten-thousand-square-foot home. Jaime approached Diego and Angelina.

  Diego looked down at his granddaughter and patted her hand. “I must speak with Jaime. Wait here for me.”

  Used to interruptions, she smiled. “I will be at the balcony.” She walked to the balcony, her back to them.

  Diego turned to Jaime. “This must be important, as you are well aware I am not to be disturbed when I am with my granddaughter.” His tone held a hint of warning.

  Jaime did not betray any emotion, as usual, handing Diego an encrypted cell phone. “You have a call from Alejandro. He claims it is urgent.”

  Diego frowned as he took the cell phone, wondering why his only son would be calling. Diego did not answer ye. He never talked business where his granddaughter might hear. He walked into the house, leaving Ange
lina on the balcony. He worked in his library, across the hall from the archway leading to the balcony.

  He entered the library, a place that pleased him greatly. He had a love for reading and books. He had been raised speaking only Spanish, but in college he had flourished in foreign languages and spoke fluent English, Italian, and French. He had lined three walls with walnut bookshelves and filled them with books in all four languages.

  When he reached his finely crafted walnut desk, he sat in his leather desk chair and brought the cell phone to his ear. “What is it, Alejandro?”

  “The problem you had me take care of has been eliminated, Father.” Alejandro paused. “However, there is a complication.”

  Diego narrowed his eyebrows. He did not like complications, especially in dealing with a U.S. federal agent who needed to be disposed of. “What is this complication?”

  Alejandro cleared his throat. “A woman witnessed it. I believe she saw everything, including my face.”

  Heat rose up around Diego’s collar. Alejandro did not normally do the dirty work, but this time Diego’s son had wanted to eliminate the agent himself. Mateo had gotten deep into the Jimenez Cartel’s family. Diego and Alejandro had trusted the bastard and had taken him in as if he were one of their own.

  “You did not take care of this complication?” Diego asked.

  “John and Pablo went after her.” Alejandro’s voice hardened. “They lost her.”

  Diego surged to his feet, the heat around his collar rising to his face. “They lost her,” he repeated slowly. “And she can identify you.” Diego could not afford for his son to be identified.

  “We do know who she is.” Alejandro spoke more quickly now. “She left a bag with her purse that contains her ID, cash, and credit cards. Her name is Tori Cox and she has a Tucson address. We found other information as well that may lead us to her. However, we do not know where she is now.”

  “Did you search on the Internet for her?” Diego asked. “She may have family there.”

  “Yes, I did do a search.” Alejandro said. “I got multiple Google hits on her. She’s a musician, highly regarded, and has performed around the U.S. However, there is no reference to Bisbee or to family. Her Facebook page is private, but lists her relationship with a Gregory Smith. It does not show her hometown. It is as if she has no ties here.”