Page 51 of Always Been Mine

“How long has Zach been in the employ of the Senator?”

“Two months.”

“So he’s not exactly an expert on the Senator’s associations.”

“Yes. And I see where you’re going with this.”

“Do you? What happened to the senator’s former Chief of Staff?”

“He died of a heart attack almost three months ago.”

Gabe uttered a noncommittal response. Beatrice’s attention was drawn to their surroundings. Piles of crushed metal and, well, junk were stacked as high up as twenty feet. She had to applaud the location of the junkyard because the Cloverleaf District is a dumping ground of stolen vehicles and most of the buildings were close to being condemned.

“There’s Zach,” Gabe said. The Chief of Staff was standing by the senator’s vehicle. Brian and one other BSI security personnel were standing facing outward and watchful. There was another car parked close by. It had rental tags. As Gabe’s SUV rolled by, Beatrice took a picture of the license plate.

Gabe was circling the area, probably looking for a less exposed parking space. He pulled in between two junk piles.

“Wait for me,” Gabe instructed. He exited the vehicle and looked around. Then he came to her side and opened the door. “Come on.”

He was shadowing her the entire way.

“Zach, what the hell is going on?”

The Chief of Staff looked duly chastised. “I’m sorry, Beatrice. The senator was ready to drive himself if we didn’t go with him. There was no stopping him.”

“Who’s the guy?”

“His uncle.”

“A relative from Colombia?”

“No. He’s an American citizen. His son—the senator’s cousin—is involved with the right wing paramilitaries who protect the cocaine jungles, and there are rumors of a breakdown of peace talks with the government.”

“Why meet him here? Why not at his house?”

“His wife and children. He doesn’t want this issue to touch them.”

“Well, it’s too late,” Beatrice snapped. What was it with these men? They try to separate their duty from their family. There would always be blowback from people unhappy with their choices. “He had involved his family once he’d decided to take on this crusade against the drug traffickers. It will only be a matter of time before they get to his wife and children.”

“Beatrice,” Gabe said her name quietly, but it was rife with caution. She was projecting.

The door to the senator’s SUV opened and a man Beatrice didn’t recognize alighted. The senator followed, grimacing when he saw her.

She was about to introduce herself to the senator’s uncle when a single gunshot cracked through the air.

Everything seemed to happen at once.

The senator’s uncle fell to the ground.

More shots were fired and Zach Jamison crumpled as well. Brian went for the senator and shoved him back to the SUV. The other security guy jumped into the driver’s seat.

“Go! Go! Go!” Gabe shouted at Brian. “We got Jamison. Get the senator out of here.” Tires spinning, the senator’s SUV shot forward toward the exit of the junkyard.

Gabe heaved Zach over his shoulders. “Beatrice, get moving!”

She ran as fast as she could, ignoring a burn in her side even as bullets exploded around them. When they reached the safety of their vehicle, Gabe tossed Jamison in the backseat.

“What about the senator’s—”

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