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“Matteo? Yes, and I wish to keep him that way as long as he continues to prove his loyalty.”

Tears work their way down to my lips. He didn’t answer about Reggie. He didn’t know who I meant.

Estrada continues, “Now, I have a very good friend at the Marshals Service.”

“Powell,” I spit. I need to ask about Reggie, but I need to pay attention. If I make it out of this, I want every possible detail in my mind to give back to the right people—the safe people. Maybe Powell isn’t one of them.

“No, no, not him. Agent Powell is very trustworthy—just very stupid. Very talkative. He’s a senior agent making a big bust. It’s easy to get him to open his fat piggy mouth, and my very good friend did just that. Whatever Powell knows, I know—thanks to his ego and my friend’s excellent memory. You should listen now, my dear. Boys? Make sure she listens.”

Cold, sharp metal digs into the soft spot below my ear where my throat begins. “Don’t talk, or I’ll make another hole for your voice to go through.”

The sinister threat seals my lips. At this close range, I can see under the mesh, see a hand with a bloody pentagram on the back of it. Is it carved? Tattooed? I don’t know, but my heart sinks. This man is either trying to prove he’s tough stuff, or he really is in league with the devil, and if that’s the case...

I swallow, thinking about Reggie, but the goon holding me chuckles in a satisfied way, digging the edge of the knife in a little more, clearly believing my swallow is one of fright, not tears.

It’s both.

“She’s listening,jefe.”

“Good. Now, then, Therese. You already handed over a bunch of recorded evidence implicating my godson. So killing you won’t help me. And killing Matteo is a waste. He hasn’t talked...yet. He’s loyal. A good boy. Besides, I paid for that fancy education of his, and I’d hate to waste it. And heknowsI’d have him killed, which is also an excellent encouragement forsilence. But... if someone manages to place him in hiding, he may feel that it’s safe to open up, and at that point... Well. He’s not blood kin. But it’ll be much harder for me to accomplish my task, not to mention the delays it will bring to my business. He’s very useful and his work is excellent.” Estrada clucks his tongue like his coffee is cold, not like he’s fretting about rearranging his business to murder a witness. “Are you paying attention, Therese?”

A pinch of metal at my throat, and I gasp in shock and pain. “Yes, I’m here!” I hiss.

“Good. Here’s how we can fix this little matter. I want you to tell the police you made the whole story up. You discovered Matteo was cheating on you, and in a fit of jealousy, you decided to concoct an elaborate lie. You may be fined for wasting police time, or even jailed, but I’m sure that a few years behind bars is better than a permanent location in a box, isn’t it, dear?”

The knife point leaves my skin. I guess they trust me to speak and not scream. “I guess so.” I say as little as possible.

“So, you’ll tell them it was all a lie?”

“Yes. But not until I talk to Reggie.”

“Reggie?”

“Reginald Gray. An old family friend, the man who was with me. My husband.” My husband. Yes. The word leaves my lips with the desperation and ring of truth, the kind of truth you feel in yoursoul.“My soulmate,” I add, for me, not for them.

“Oh. So that wasreal. You know, I thought it might be. Matteo is very handsome, but he can be very impulsive and immature. He tires of women quickly, and smart women tire of him. And you’re a smart girl, aren’t you, Therese?”

Think like Reggie. Be calm. Steady. Strong. Keep storing info in case you get out of this. Friend in the Marshals Service. Not at the ‘wedding,’ or they’d know it wasn’t real. Someone who knows about the murder, that I’m the witness, and where Iwas staying—or—they heard me say where I was when I talked to Powell inside the restaurant. Near Powell, but not equal to Powell. Great. I’ll tell Reggie if I ever see him again.

“What is she saying? I can’t hear anything.”

“She’s not saying anything, sir.”

I pipe up, “I want to speak to Reggie. I want to know he’s safe.”

“You’re not in a position to make bargains, young lady.”

“I know!” I snap, fear suddenly turning into anger. “And neither are you! If you kill me, Matteo will make a plea bargain. You think he’d rather go to prison than rat you out? You just said he was selfish! He’ll talk Powell’s head off as soon as he figures out he can get a clean start somewhere else where he can seduce rich cougars who want a ‘hot Latin lover’!” I push myself up, using my protesting muscles. “I guess your good buddy didn’t know everything Powell has planned—did he?”

“What? What does she mean? Make her say what she means!” The pleasant voice is suddenly wandering into hysteria, edges of words shrill against my ear even after the phone is pulled away.

“I’m not saying anything unless you prove that Reggie’s safe.”

“Ah! Why couldn’t he have stabbed this one, too? Where is the man? Who is he? He’s not an agent?”

“I don’t know where he is! In the store somewhere where we picked her up. She said he’s the new husband, and it sure seems that way. At least, they were a couple. We followed them when they left, just like your buddy said to do, and then Mickey went in and black smoked the house.”

“You burned down our house?” I shriek.