Page 162 of Don't Say a Word

“Shut up, sit down.”

Cal walked toward me. He looked at me and gave me the faintest of smiles, just one side of his lips curving up.

Outside, I saw some movement, then it was gone. Under the windows—a tactical team? Or just Jack?

“I saidsit,” Ramos ordered, moving the barrel of his gun from Tess’s side to Cal’s chest.

Cal moved fast and shouted,“Down!”to Tess.

I broke the zip ties as Cal ran like a bull toward Ramos.What the hell?He was going to get himself killed.

But Ramos turned the gun toward Tess, as if startled more by her dropping to the floor than by Cal’s charge.

Then he swung the gun toward Cal.

I disarmed Peter, elbowed him in the gut and kneed him in the balls. He went down to his knees. At the same time, Cal leaped toward Ramos. He kicked Ramos in the chest with both feet, before Cal smoothly dropped, rolled on the ground, and ended in a kneeling position while simultaneously pulling a gun from the small of his back.

I was very impressed.

Jack ran into the office with Hitch and two Phoenix PD officers behind them.

Ramos was reaching for the gun that had fallen from his grasp.

I stepped on his wrist. Hard. I heard the bone crack and he screamed in pain.

I pressed harder.

Cal got up, retrieved Ramos’s gun, and grinned at me. “That was fun,” he said. “So, that dinner you promised me is going to have to wait a bit longer.”

“I didn’t say yes.”

He laughed and read Ramos his rights.

Chapter Fifty-One

Margo Angelhart

On Tuesday I told Uncle Rafe everything, and he agreed to come with me to tell Alina. Of course he did. Because my uncle was one of the best people I knew, and he would want to be there for Alina when she learned the truth.

“Elijah was recruited by Mrs. Webb to work at the Cactus Stop,” I said. “They primarily target young men without fathers. I don’t think he knew what was going on at first, but he figured it out. Because you worked for Ramos’s corporate office, he didn’t say anything, but he was collecting evidence, copying security recordings, maybe taking notes. When his friend Megan died of a drug overdose, he started surveilling the Cactus Stop at night. He wanted to do the right thing, Alina.”

Alina was crying. Had I said too much? Should I have lied? I looked to Uncle Rafe for help.

Uncle Rafe said, “Alina, Elijah made a wrong decision for the right reasons. But his conscience was strong, and he ended up doing the right thing.”

“Why? Why didn’t he tell me? Tell you? Go to the police?”

“He planned to,” I said. “He was building a case. But I think he was scared. I want you to know that the evidence he found is crucial to the federal case against Ramos and his nephew. Because of Elijah, they will go away to prison for a long time.”

Uncle Rafe let her cry on his shoulder. “You have a job at the rectory.”

“No, I can’t take charity from the church.”

“It’s not charity. The church secretary is having surgery in two weeks. She’ll be out for two months after, then part-time for a while. Father Diaz and I were going to try and make do, but we have the approval of the diocese to bring in someone temporarily. I want you. It’s not charity, you will work. And it’s not permanent, but will get you through the New Year until you find something else.”

Alina nodded and cried at the same time.

I caught Uncle Rafe’s eye. He didn’t need to say anything else.Thank you, I mouthed, and then I left.