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“Well, Marisol. What are you going to do now?”
Marisol
Piper waits for me on the other side of Austin’s bedroom door. Though we’re friendly, I’m still working on being comfortable with such a big, deadly dog around. And we’re alone in this house together.
Austin went to work before dawn and left Piper here with me. Though he has government-level security for his home, he didn’t want me to be alone. Logically, I know there’s no way anyone would think to look for me here, but Piper’s presence makes me feel better, nonetheless.
Before going to bed last night, Austin showed me the motion sensors, cameras, and sophisticated system that would alert him if anyone opened a door or even approached the house. The only door that won’t set off the alarm is Piper’s door, and it will only open if her collar is within twelve inches of the sensor.
While I don’t have Austin's long-term confidence for my future, I feel safe enough this morning to relax. Breakfast is a bagel and coffee, and then I take a long shower. I’ve just pulled on a pair of leggings when my phone rings.
The number is unfamiliar, but I just moved here, so that’s to be expected. “Hello?”
I don’t know the voice that comes through the line, but the tone is instantly recognizable. “It’s a shame about your car.”
“What? Who is this?”
“My boss wants to talk with you. We know what you are and what you can do for us.”
“Leave me alone!” I shout.
I pull the phone away to end the call but freeze when I hear, “I found your number. How long before we find you? I’m sure you’re tucked away at your boyfriend’s house. It would be too bad if he got picked off standing in his driveway.”
“I said leave me alone. If you bother me again, I’ll call the police.”
Raucous laughter is the man’s reply. “Go ahead. We'll know where you are as soon as dispatch logs your location. We’ll beat the cops to you and make you regret calling.”
My blood runs cold at the threat. This is worse than I feared, though I was right not to trust the police. They won’t shield me from the local cartel because the Pastranas own the police, or the cops are just too afraid to cross them. I could try anyway, but I wouldn’t survive the attempt. And neither would anyone else who gets in their way. Austin and Piper.
I was right all along. I can’t stay here. The daughter of a mobster doesn’t get to live by the same rules as everyone else. I’m an asset, subject to whoever rules the kingdom where I’m residing.
The question is, what king will I bow to? The answer is simple. The only one that doesn’t seek to use me. I have to go home. The sinister voice on the line cuts through my hopeless thoughts. “Why don’t you tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you. Hiding will only make things worse.”
“Why don’t you go fuck yourself!”
I end the call and race to gather all my things. I’ve just finished packing my toiletries from the shower when my phone rings again, a different number this time. I’m nearly too scared to answer. “Hello?”
“Miss Borrero, this is Sergeant Merrell from the Norfolk police department. I’m on the scene of a car fire at 455 Chesterfield. The registration of the white Lexus says the car belongs to you.”
“Oh my god. My car is gone?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Shit. The man on the phone wasn’t lying. “What happened?”
“The fire appears to have been started by a Molotov cocktail thrown through the rear passenger window.”
I drop my head into my hands. “This can’t be happening.”
The officer ignores my denial and launches into a series of questions about suspicious activity, how long I’ve been away, and the like. I listen and answer, telling him everything he asks except my location.
When the call ends, I’ve already forgotten everything the officer discussed with me. I also don’t care. My heart is pounding, and my mind is racing. I’ve got to get out of here.
All my things are soon packed, but I realize I have a big problem. I’m stuck in this house. I can’t walk out the door or open a window without Austin knowing. And as soon as I do, he’ll know I’m leaving. He’ll likely drive straight to the airport, knowing that would be my target, and try to stop me. I need to get out of here and onto a plane before he realizes I’m gone.
I scramble through the house, looking for any window or door missing a sensor. No luck. I don’t have the code to disarm the security system, but it wouldn’t matter if I did. Austin would receive an alert when the system was deactivated, and then he’d call, probably while racing home.
I flop onto the chair in Austin’s office, ready to give up on making a clean escape. Piper trots into the room, giving me an idea. “Hey, girl. Want to go outside?”