Page 146 of When Lies Unfold

I trace a random pattern along the table’s surface. “Anyway, Agent Molino made sure her teeth were removed to eliminate a way to confirm my identity.

“Then, when I was permitted to go to a small preservation ceremony of the rainforest they were dedicating to my abuelita, he staged the accident to happen afterward.”

Juarez shakes his head slowly, as if trying to process everything. “Molino was your driver that day and ended up dying from asphyxiation…” His eyes flash with dawning realization, his features turning to granite. “You strangled Molino after shooting Adolfo and staged the whole thing.”

I enunciate each word with a caustic bite. “I had no choice.”

Juarez’s mouth tightens. “You do realize you murdered a government agent, Mrs. Carrera?”

“My name is Lola Arias,” I fire back, my tone possessing just as much of an arctic air as his. “And did you somehow miss the part about him extorting sex from me in exchange for his help?”

“Hold up.” Gordo waves his hands. “We’re gettin’ off base here. The number one priority is gettin’ Alma outta there, and Lola has a way to do that.”

Juarez glares at me like he’d like nothing more than to arrest me here and now. A tense beat of silence later, his tone is reluctant when he says, “I agree to put the arrest on hold until after Alma’s return.”

I offer a curt nod. “I understand.” Leaning forward, I glance at Santy and Gordo before centering on Juarez. “I have a plan, but I’ll need help from whoever you have on the inside.”

His eyes narrow a fraction, but before he can feed me a line of bullshit, I wave him off. “I know you do, because how else are you getting intel to Santy?”

Gaze arctic, his voice holds a serrated edge. “I need to bring my team up to speed on this.”

“No.” Santy’s tone brooks no argument. “I’m not takin’ a risk that they’ll fuck shit up for us gettin’ Alma back.”

His lips flatten, clearly not appreciating Santy’s response, but he remains quiet, allowing me to continue. “I need your agent to know that I’ll be showing up to surprise Hidalgo. I’ll have the book with me?—”

“That book belongs to us,” Juarez interjects.

“You better watch yourself, Juarez.” Santy’s tone is dark and ripe with warning. His brows rise a fraction. “Need I remind you, you came to me years ago.”

Santy stabs an index finger at the table, emphasizing each word. “I put you where you are right now ’cause we got ourselves a partnership.” With an ominous pause, he lowers his voice. “But if you fuck with Alma’s rescue or with Lola, don’t think for a minute I won’t empty every goddamn bullet I have into your skull.”

Juarez pales but says nothing, so I finish with, “I’ll make sure you get the book’s contents, Juarez. But it won’t be but a minute before I’m due to step foot back on Hidalgo’s property.”

Tense lines bracket Santy’s mouth. “We’ll get it coordinated. I’ll notify my pilot.” Pulling his phone from his pocket, he expels a heavy breath. “Gonna call motherfuckin’ Hidalgo now and tell him to expect us.”

67

LOLA

Juarez reluctantly leaves once everything’s confirmed for tomorrow, but not before leveling me with a cutting look.

He didn’t appreciate my demands that he put me in touch with the agent inside Hidalgo’s home. However, he finally gave in once I pushed my point that I’ll be the one walking directly into the lion’s den tomorrow.

I’m unsure whether to be relieved or more cautious that it’s a female agent. Either way, I plan to contact her once everything is in order.

Gordo’s agreed to alternate staying on watch here tonight. As we file out of the conference room, he says, “Gonna get some rest before it’s my turn.”

Santy dips his chin in a nod. “See you later.”

Gordo excuses himself, leaving Santy and me in the hallway, drenched in suffocating tension.

I’m desperate to escape his presence, because I can’t bear to look him in the eyes after what I just revealed. Aside from being responsible for his daughter’s abduction, I’m also the woman who traded her body for freedom.

There’s no escaping those facts, and I can’t bear for him to regard me with nothing but abject disgust.

Numbness has seized my emotions, seeping deep into the marrow of my bones as I resign myself to my fate: voluntarily surrendering to Hidalgo and entering that prison once again.

But I’ll do whatever it takes to get Alma back. I owe her and Santy as much.

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