SIXTEEN

“I NEED TO LEAVE. We need to leave. How could I be so stupid to stay here?”

“Pecca, honey, you need to take a breath.”

Sheriff Huggins put a warm hand over her trembling ones and squeezed just enough to pull her out of her panic. Sitting inside the conference room at the sheriff’s station made the situation feel all too real. As did the photos lined up in front of her. She’d spent the last half hour identifying the faces of her family members that had been marked out with an ugly red X.

If she wasn’t sure before, she saw clearly now that the SSB had found her. She bit down on her lip to keep it from quivering, her eyes moving to Colton.

Ever since he’d called the sheriff, he hadn’t been able to sit or stand still. His arm was moving more than she had ever seen before, and she was worried. The features of his face that she’d longed to kiss earlier this evening had turned rigid. Standing tall, he narrowed his gaze on the conversation between her and Sheriff Huggins like he was trying to assess the situation and make a decision. He was in soldier mode and looked like he was ready for war.

“You don’t remember seeing anything out of the ordinary when you got home from work today?”

“No.” She closed her eyes, trying to remember, but all she could see were the faces of her parents, Adrian, Claudia, Luis, and Maceo with red X’s marked over them. “I didn’t even park my car in the garage because I was running late and needed to change before the PTO meeting at Kristen’s. I don’t think I even looked at the garage.”

“What about before tonight?”

Pecca’s thoughts went to the family photo that was missing from the shelf. “It’s probably nothing, but ever since the shooting I’ve had this feeling that something was off inside my house. I thought it was just anxiety. A photo of my family had been moved from where I normally keep it, and Maceo swears he didn’t touch it and I know I didn’t move it.”

Sheriff Huggins’s forehead creased. “You keep your doors and windows locked?”

“After the shooting, yes.” Pecca’s eyes landed on Sheriff Huggins’s blue ones. She wanted to cry. All those days when she felt like something was off. The feeling that someone was watching her. “Do you think someone’s been in my house?”

Charlie came into the conference room carrying a cup of hot tea, which he put in front of her.

“We’re not going to jump to any conclusions.” Sheriff Huggins wrote something down in his notebook. “But I think it would be a good idea if you had the locks changed, and Charlie’s got a state-of-the-art security system in his house that I believe Ryan Frost helped him install. Maybe we could get you one of those as well.”

“It comes with a panic button that calls straight here to the station,” Charlie said with a nod. “I’ll get one tomorrow. Doesn’t take much to install it.”

“That’ll work for now until I can make arrangements.”

“Arrangements?” Colton paused. Pecca had found the rhythm of his steps soothing to her rattled nerves, but now she shifted under the pressure of his questioning gaze. “You aren’t planning on leaving, are you?”

“I don’t think that’s wise,” Sheriff Huggins added before she could respond. “Running puts you on your own. Away from help.”

“And that might be exactly what he’s driving you to do,” Charlie said. “Run.”

“We don’t know what he’s doing.” Pecca’s thigh bounced against the metal table leg. “Why would Javier do this? He was never like this.”

At least not the Javier she knew when they were younger, but it had been eight years and he was in prison. That changed people. But coming after her and Maceo? Threatening her family?

“Can you tell us a little bit about Javier, Pecca?” Sheriff Huggins’s voice was tender. “What makes you think he wouldn’t go to such extreme lengths to get your attention?”

Pecca stared at the steam rising from her tea. She wasn’t proud of her past with Javier, but after Maceo was born she’d worked really hard to forgive herself and move on from her mistakes. It seemed those very same mistakes were now coming back to haunt her. If—and that was a big if—Javier was behind all of this. But was he?

“The Javier I remember, the one I met when I was sixteen, was kind and compassionate. He had a good heart and never wanted a life in the gang, but he grew up in a rough neighborhood and made choices so he could survive.”

“Is that why he was part of the robbery?”

“He was trying to stop Felix. His cousin.” Pecca met Charlie’s eyes. Her shoulders slumped. “I’m not making excuses for him, but Javier wanted to help his cousin. It just . . .” She glanced over to Colton and Sheriff Huggins. Both looked at her like they were trying to understand, and she appreciated it, but unless someone grew up in the Barrio it was hard to explain and even harder to understand. “Something went wrong.”

Charlie walked over and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Is this Felix?”

She leaned over the table and cringed. Under the harsh glow of the fluorescent light, Felix looked as scary as he had when she’d first met him. It hadn’t mattered what Javier had said, nothing could’ve stopped the shiver that danced down her spine at the look in his eyes. She rubbed her arms. “That’s him.”

Charlie twisted the phone around so Colton could see. “I spoke with Adrian while you were getting Maceo settled at the house.” Charlie scratched the side of his face. “Your brother said Felix Garcia is missing.”

A rush of breath escaped through Pecca’s lips. “What do you mean he’s missing?”

“After the shooting.” Charlie put his phone away. “I talked with Adrian. He agreed to reach out to the gang unit in El Paso and they’ve put out a BOLO, but they’re coming up empty.”

“El Paso’s a pretty big city,” Colton said. “How long has he been missing?”

“Felix ‘the Spider’ Garcia is a ranking member of the SSB. According to Adrian’s contact at the police department, his power is in his presence. They’ve checked all his regular spots and have a unit outside of his home, but so far he’s AWOL.”

“Do we think this Felix fella found out Pecca’s here in Walton?” Sheriff Huggins tapped the photos on the table. “That he’s responsible for tonight?”

The muscles in Pecca’s stomach grew tight, making her feel sick. It wasn’t hard to imagine Felix going to extreme lengths. He was always trying to prove himself, and that chip on his shoulder had ended up becoming a yoke over Javier’s neck.

“Wait.” Colton ran a hand over his face. “If Javier was trying to stop Felix, how did he end up behind bars while Felix walked free?”

“Felix never showed up,” Pecca said, her voice monotone. “When Javier arrived, the other gang members thought he was there as backup. Javier told me he was going to leave but saw the store owner reaching for a gun behind the counter. He ran inside to stop him before someone got hurt, but it was too late. Another member of the SSB started shooting.”

The weight of those days came rushing back, and Pecca wrapped her arms around her stomach. After Javier was arrested, her life felt like it was spinning out of control. And it was. She’d missed her period and thought it was due to stress, but a pregnancy test confirmed that it was not. It was the consequence of a bad decision that, by the grace of God—

Her mind went to Maceo.

Pecca turned her wrist to check the time. She’d missed another one of Claudia’s messages. A pang of homesickness blossomed in her chest. She wanted to go home. Wanted her family near her. Tears burned the back of her eyes.

“Do you know how much longer I need to be here?” She sniffled and forced the tears to remain where they were. “I’d like to check on Maceo again.”

Sheriff Huggins collected the photos of her family. They were now protected in clear plastic baggies wrapped in bright red tape with the word EVIDENCE stamped across it. “Okay, honey. We can get you home, but first I want to discuss your and Maceo’s safety.”

Pecca pressed her eyes closed, and a rogue tear slid between her lashes. She appreciated what they were trying to do, but the SSB had got to her. “Be anxious for nothing.” The Bible verse she’d prayed over Maceo’s crib after his surgery came rushing back. She clung to it then, feeling helpless, but this time she could do something about it. She could protect her son.

“I will talk to Adrian and maybe my sister, Claudia. She lives in Boston. Maybe we could stay there for a while until this all blows over.”

“No.” Colton’s voice echoed against the walls of the conference room, drawing everyone’s attention. His cheeks were a little pink, but it was the fierce look in his eyes that kept Pecca’s attention riveted to the man flexing both of his hands in an attempt at control. “I think Charlie’s right. If you leave, you’ll only be putting yourself and Maceo in danger. Something is keeping you safe, and I think it’s your routine.”

“Safe? We’ve been shot at, and now my family is being targeted.”

“Yes.” Colton hung his head as though the guilt of that fact lay squarely on his shoulders. “But if you go to Boston, you’d be relying on a police force in a city with a population ten times the size of Walton. They won’t know you or your case. You won’t find a team better equipped to keep you and Maceo safe than the one in Walton.”

Charlie nodded. “We can assign an officer to the elementary school. And Colton can continue to escort you between patients and keep an eye on you in between his appointments. Thankfully, you’re surrounded by a group of heroes who I’m willing to bet will protect you and Maceo at all costs. We’ll be able to watch for anything that seems out of the ordinary.”

Pecca’s gaze bounced between Charlie, Colton, and Sheriff Huggins. “Colton isn’t at the Mansion to watch over me. I’m supposed to be helping him. He’s my patient.”

Colton shifted, his hazel eyes bearing down on her. “Can I talk to you alone for a minute?”

Biting the inside of her cheek, she nodded. Sheriff Huggins and Charlie stepped out of the conference room before Colton pulled out the chair next to her and sat. He inhaled deeply, and she could see a battle happening behind his eyes. He was warring with what he was going to say. The feeling she had earlier in her kitchen returned, and she longed to run a hand along his arm—to comfort him.

“Pecca, I’ve dealt with a lot of evil in my career, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that the enemy wants to get you alone. They want you to feel alone, helpless. Despite what those guys in D-Wing think, every battle won takes a team. You’re not alone here in Walton. Sheriff Huggins and Charlie know who they’re watching for now. They can keep you safe. And if you’ll allow me.” He looked down at his arm. “I know I can’t offer much, but I’d like to help.”

Her heart twinged with a deep ache for the man. Did Colton really believe that about himself? He had to know that his disorder was only a single part of him, and in the last several days even she’d been able to see how much more there was to him.

“Playing ball with Maceo is one of the highlights of my day.” Colton spoke softly. “It gives me something to look forward to when everything else in my life feels like it’s been taken from me. I really hope you’ll stay.”

Looking into his eyes, Pecca could see his request held far more meaning than someone wanting to help. But was it fair to ask that of him? The last thing she wanted to do was put him or anyone else in danger, but leaving Walton suddenly didn’t sound as tempting anymore.

Colton’s jaw ached. He clenched down hard, trying to keep the tremor crawling up his arm from getting worse. He hadn’t had an episode since his first appointment with Chaplain Kelly, but the movements in his arm had grown steadily worse since Pecca discovered the photos.

Earlier that evening, he’d checked out her arrangement of family photos she had displayed around the house and realized it made him feel closer to her somehow. Now, after listening to her identify her family members, the threat against them felt personal and he was ticked.

“I didn’t think she was going to stay,” Charlie said as he and Colton watched Sheriff Huggins leave to drive Pecca back to Lane and Charlie’s home above the café. “What’d you say to her?”

That I needed a chance to do something meaningful again. Colton swallowed the truth. “That I believed she was safer here.” His arm jerked. “I hope I’m not wrong.”

“I know it’s late, but if you’ve got time I’d like to talk through how we’re going to make sure you’re not wrong.”

Colton nodded, taking note of the time on his watch. Barely past ten and the day already felt much longer. As he followed Charlie back into the station’s conference room, the image of Felix Garcia came to mind. He couldn’t forget the tattoos inking the Spider’s face and stretching over his shaved head, but it was the hatred emanating from the man’s eyes that had Colton unnerved. He looked dangerous. “We need more information on Javier’s cousin.”

“When I spoke with Adrian, I got the indication he’s doing his best, but he’s gotta be careful. Too much interest in the SSB and Javier is going to draw attention, and that’ll put his career—and possibly his life—in danger.”

“What about Pecca and Maceo?”

“He knows what’s at stake.” Charlie sat. “The only way we’re going to get insider information is if he keeps his cover.”

Sitting in the chair once occupied by Pecca, Colton blew out a breath. “It’s not the only way.”

Charlie turned, eyebrows raised as he folded his arms over his chest. “How long before you called someone after the shooting?”

A ping of guilt radiated in Colton’s chest, but the years he’d spent gathering and analyzing intelligence told him that good information in the wrong hands was just as dangerous as bad information in the right hands. He had to be sure he had good information before passing it on, and right now the only thing he was sure of was that he didn’t have enough.

A cold memory—the faces of the soldiers from the 401st—sent a painful shiver over his shoulders. Their deaths would’ve been on his shoulders. Gritting his teeth, he took a measured breath. The last thing he needed was to let his past take his focus off what was happening right now.

“Colton, we both want the same thing—to keep Pecca and Maceo safe. I know integrity matters in the intelligence field, and I’m not asking you to divulge your sources, but the best way we can keep our promise to Pecca is to work together.”

“Every battle won takes a team.”

Even if his earlier words to Pecca weren’t enough, Charlie’s reminder of the promise was. Colton had convinced Pecca to stay in Walton not only because he believed it was in the best interest of their safety but also because it meant a level of control that made him feel as though he had a purpose again.

“The information I have is shallow at best.” Colton thought back on his conversation with Kekoa. “Besides the aggravated assault, Javier doesn’t have the kind of criminal history one would expect from a gang member, much less a leader, which kind of confirms what Pecca said about him.”

It was still hard to picture Pecca being involved with a gang member. What had she seen in him in the first place? She was smart and sweet and just not the kind of woman he could see getting caught up with a man like Javier Torres.

“Which makes it hard to understand why he would do this to her.”

“None of this makes sense.” Colton shifted, the muscles in his arm throbbing. “If the SSB wanted Pecca to testify on Javier’s behalf, why would they shoot at her? Leave photos at her house threatening her family? If they really wanted to get to her, the opportunity was there. Why didn’t they take it?”

Charlie nodded. “Unless they’re trying to intimidate her into testifying.”

“Yes, but how would she know that? The only reason Pecca knows that now is because of her brother’s information. Take that away and you’re left with threats.”

“And why would someone be threatening Pecca?”

“To get to Javier.”

“What do you mean? He’s the one behind this.”

“Unless he’s not.” Colton shook his head as the pieces of his theory began to fall into place. “Adrian told you the South Side Barrio lost some of their control when Javier went to prison. I’ve learned the DEA has connected them to cartels outside the country. What if Javier doesn’t want to come out of prison on early release? Maybe that’s the motive behind the threats. Get to Pecca, get to Javier.”

A grim expression lined Charlie’s face. “That might explain why Javier’s cousin is missing.”

Apprehension rolled through Colton. If that was the explanation behind Felix’s disappearance, it meant the threat against Pecca was far more serious. If the SSB was behind the shooting and the photos, the message was clear—they could get to her.