Page 180 of When Lies Unfold

“How about you tell me what the hell happened here?” Juarez bites out the demand.

Standin’ with her feet shoulder width apart, Agent Garcia meets his stare head-on. “I was inside when the explosion happened, sir.”

He plants his hands on his hips, brows risin’. “Did you witness who attacked Hidalgo?”

Agent Garcia’s expression remains stoic. “No, sir. I discovered him after he was already deceased.”

Gordo’s eyes cut to mine. Hidalgo’s dead? Well, shit. That’s excellent fuckin’ news.

Juarez squints at the female agent. “Someone decided to puncture his jugular.” His jaw works. “On both sides, no less.”

Agent Garcia remains silent for a beat. “It’s common knowledge that Mr. Carrera had many enemies.”

“I don’t suppose you know what happened to Mrs. Carrera, do you?” Impatience lines Juarez’s features, his tone sarcastic as fuck.

“Plenty of bodies still need to be identified, sir.”

Juarez doesn’t bother to hide how much he dislikes her answer. “Keep me apprised, Garcia.”

“Yes, sir.” Only now does she slide a curious glance our way, her eyes lingerin’ a split second longer on Gordo before she walks off.

When Juarez heads over to other agents processin’ the scene, I raise a brow at Gordo and tip my head, silently commandin’ him to step away from the tunnel entrance.

To avoid bein’ overheard, my voice is muted. “Wanna tell me what that was about?”

“What?” His expression might pass for innocence if he were anybody else. But I know him too well.

So, I pin him with a heavy stare. The asshole holds it for far too long, testin’ my damn patience.

I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. “The last time we did this, you wouldn’t tell me why you were so fuckin’ moody, and it ended up bein’ ’cause that blonde from the swanky eco-lodge broke up with you when we were seventeen.”

He gasps, frownin’ with exaggeration as he massages the center of his chest like I’ve wounded his feelin’s. “Too soon, Santy. Too. Soon.”

I lift my eyes to the damn sky and mutter, “Fuck me.”

Gordo leans in. “Agent Garcia and I met by pure happenstance.”

I squint at him. “You’ve been readin’ my dictionary again, haven’t you?”

“It’s in your office when I steal your Imperial. Can’t help it if I read whatever you’ve got marked.” He shrugs. “I’ve discovered knowledge pairs well with beer.”

When I pin him with an impatient look, he sighs. “Okay, so we met and didn’t know each other’s…careers.” He lifts his shoulder again in a partial shrug. “It came out after the fact?—”

“After the fact, meanin’…?” I prompt.

He gives me a You know what the fuck I mean look before continuin’. “And she didn’t take it so well.”

I scan for the sight of the female agent. Once I lay eyes on her, I pose the most critical question. “Can she be trusted?”

Gordo’s response is immediate. “More than he can.”

“Not reassurin’.”

Before I can question him further, somebody shouts from the tunnel openin’. “I found something!”

84

SANTIAGO

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