Page 36 of Hidden Memories

Callum.

I answer. “Everything all right?”

It’s not like Echo Valley’s Chief of Police ever calls me for casual conversation.

Callum’s voice comes through, tight with urgency. “You’re the one who recommended Kat to Julia, right?”

My grip tightens on the reins. “Yes.”

“Her place in Mission was broken into yesterday. Nothing of value was stolen, but the place was ransacked…”

My chest tightens. “Are they okay?”

“She and the kid weren’t home, thank God. I asked Julia to take them in last night and to stay for a while…”

The way Callum drops his sentence has my heart racing.

“What is it?”

“Our team finished dusting the place last night and found a note, and even though Kat tried to reassure me herfather is, as she put it,controlling but harmless, it put my hairs up.”

Fuck. Is Paul still in charge of everything in Kat’s life? Interfering. Manipulative…

“What did the note say?” I bite out.

“It saidtraitors will be punished. When I questioned Kat about it last night at Julia’s, she was shaken seeing it. She said it wasn’t his writing but that it had to be her father somehow because he’s been trying to get her to move back home. She said not to worry but… I’ll tell you; her body language said it all. What do you know about her dad?”

I don’t want to lie. Thankfully, Callum carries on before I figure out what to say.

“I know from past cases in Boston that family members aren’t always the most reliable when it comes to providing incriminating details, so I can’t rely on Kat to press charges, but I want to keep an eye on this situation. Just because someone is family doesn’t mean they can’t harm. Shit. Too often they’re just the people to worry about.”

I know more about Paul Castellanos than I care to admit. More than I can admit without letting my past unravel.

I try the diplomatic route. “You can find out plenty with a Google search. He’s a property mogul. Pacific Dreams Developments. Do you want me to ask Rio and Zo if they can have someone search with their tools at GhostEye? I’m with them now.”

It would give me great satisfaction to put Paul Castellanos in a boiling cauldron.

“No. If we can’t move the investigation along as normal, I’ll buzz them, but it’s premature now. But do you think he’d resort to this kind of intimidation? Should I be worriedabout this guy? And what about being a traitor? What could that mean?”

I actually have no clue, but it’s all making me freeze to my goddamn core. Kat needs money all of a sudden? Her father is after her? I know what the man is capable of. I know how much he needs control and how much she didn’t used to want to give it. I know he’ll stoop to low places to have her in his clutches.

More than that, what the hell am I going to add to this discussion without dredging up my secrets?

To my rescue for a second time, someone interrupts Callum on the other end of the call, and he speaks to an officer and then comes back on the line.

“Listen, I gotta run. Just… she can probably use a friend right now, and I want to keep an eye on her and the kid. It seemed like the right thing to do giving you a heads-up, seeing as you two were friends. Chat later.”

The line goes dead.

Enzo rides Estrella up next to me. “What’s going on?”

“Can’t ride this morning.” I lead Chispa back into the barn where I find Rio now on Fuego.

Rio’s brows pinch. “You okay?”

“Go on without me.”

We’re tight, and my brothers sense I won’t be saying anymore but head to the trails, reluctantly waiting until the very last minute unless I change my mind and want to talk.

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