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“Nicole, I’m telling you, where there’s Bruno, there’s Eric.” He went on. “Just know you’re setting yourself up to meet that guy at some point. It’s just a matter of time.”
A call pushed through, and I saw it was Glen calling.
“Sorry, Jack, but I need to take this.”
“Nicole, wait. Think about this. You’re only two years into the job, and you’ve turned up some major threads that’ve led you to bigger things. You don’t need to be on Bruno Perez’s radar.”
The call that pushed through ended and started to ring again. “I promise I got this. I’ll call you when it’s over. I’m sorry. I have to go.”
“Just stay alive.”
“I will.”
I hung up and had to admit to myself I felt off. Jack never gave his personal feelings about things. The fact that he had put me on edge.
The phone rang again, and I pressed the button and tensed as the call connected.
“When I call, you answer,” he snapped at me.
“I was working.”
“Need I remind you, you work for me too?” I rolled my eyes; he was such a dick. If I didn’t feel working for him was for a higher purpose, I’d ditch the guy so fast. “When’s this meeting?”
My stomach twisted with a sudden burst of panic. What if Jack was right? “I’m second guessing my idea. Maybe having Sully introduce me to Bruno isn’t a smart move.” Maybe, but what a fantastic opportunity. I couldn’t give up the idea I could potentially get into the inner circle of the Cartel. What a source that would be.
He laughed. “I ask again, when is the meeting? You’ve got a lead that points directly to the Perez family. I need to know the inside players, and you made a deal with me to get those names and find out what their next move is. I pay you good money to get me what I want.” No, your boss pays me, but I won’t point that out. “Now, are you wearing what he likes?” I swallowed down the lump in my throat and looked down at my outfit.
“Yes, it’s a white cotton dress with brown sandals. Hair down, no makeup, with a few thin gold bracelets.”
“Good, now quit stalling and do your damn job.” The line went dead.
I lowered the phone and took a deep breath. Was I doing the right thing? Should I let a man like Bruno Perez into my world? Everything inside of me screamed no, but my head told me it was now or never to make the play.
I saw movement as Sully came into view. He walked toward my table with a smile.
“Don’t you look pretty.” He grinned at me. “Ready?”
No.
“Yeah.” I stood and snagged my purse off the chair and joined him.
I jolted awake at the feeling of dread inside and blinked away the awful memories. How I wished I’d never gone with him that day. Sunlight beamed through the cracks of the truck, and I wondered what time it was. I didn’t feel like I’d slept through the night, but I must have. The girls were all still in their almost zombie-like state with far-off stares or closed eyes. Chase lay still; he’d barely stirred, but perhaps I’d never noticed. His diaper felt full when I patted his bottom through the fabric. I took the opportunity to lay him down and pulled back the hoodie to check his little body. I hated how he simply lay there, red-faced and quiet. A wave of fresh worry washed over me again.
Crystal leaned over to help as I pulled out a diaper. We didn’t speak, just made quick work of getting him cleaned up. She wiped his little face with a bit of fabric and murmured something as she shook her head. The excitement of us joining them and getting across the border had now faded and reality had set back in. We had no idea if we were safe. I gathered up Chase and got him tucked back in the hoodie. I was constantly afraid something would happen, and I’d need to move fast. I pulled my things close and settled myself again.
Hours later, the truck pulled over and the door opened.
“Bathroom break.” Chili pointed at an old port-a-potty next to what looked like an abandoned truck stop. One by one, the girls stumbled from the back of the truck and stood on wobbly legs. They squinted at the sunlight, but I knew it must feel like heaven to them.
I climbed down and was thankful for the chance to get out but eyed the portable toilet like the germ-infested thing it surely was. I’d die first. I quickly did what I had to behind a nearby tree, ignoring the fact that I knew I wasn’t completely hidden from sight.
I walked back toward Chili where he stood by the truck, and we waited for the girls to help each other to do whatever they needed.
“How’s the kid?”
“He’s really sick. I’m really worried about him.”
Chili looked down and pulled out his phone, but as he read something, his face fell. He looked over my head and then down the opposite way. The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention at his sudden change in behavior.
