Page 30 of With this Ring (Mastered #7)

He’ll… What?

Frustrated, Sasha dialed Mrs. Santos’ number.

Gregorio’s jaw clenched, eyes darkening to obsidian as he picked up his own phone, ready to act.

Terror was in each hesitating word of the messages, and it was frustrating not to be able to leap into action and problem solve.

Was Mrs. Santos even safe?

Each ring felt like a countdown. By the third one, she knew the woman wasn’t going to answer. Then, inevitably, the woman’s voicemail picked up.

Battling impatience, Sasha listened to the prerecorded greeting.

Leaving a message was probably futile, but she had to try. “Mrs. Santos, it’s Sasha. Call me the moment you get this.”

Frustrated, she ended the call and blew out a breath.

Impossible to believe that minutes ago nothing had existed but her and Gregorio, and now…

Finally, her phone chimed again.

That man. Forced himself into the house .

“Goddamn it.”

Over her shoulder, Gregorio read the message. “I’ll call Inamorata.”

“Thank you.” Hawkeye had agents in every part of the country, ready to act at a moment’s notice. And since they were based out of Denver, getting someone to the Santos’ home quickly wouldn’t be difficult for them.

Tried… Get in Felix office.

Immediately she fired off a text of her own.

Are you safe?

The fact the woman hadn’t answered the phone terrified Sasha.

Forcing back her frustration, she strode into the bedroom for her coat. “We need to get back in Felix’s office,” she said as she returned to the living room and double-checked that her gun was in her purse.

Gregorio had already armed himself and pulled on a tactical jacket. From experience, she knew the jacket would be filled with tools and supplies they might need.

More than ever, she appreciated him.

“Let’s roll,” he said, striding to the alarm panel.

Gregorio had just opened the cabin’s door when her phone vibrated again.

I don’t know what to…

After relaying the message, Sasha started to type her own reply. Gregorio took her upper arm, keeping her safe and steady as he led her toward his waiting SUV.

Do you have somewhere safe to go?

Gregorio helped her inside the compartment and buckled her into place while she hit the Send button.

The reply came back almost instantly.

No. And I need to be here for Felix.

Even though she understood the woman’s loyalty to her husband, Mrs. Santos had no idea what she—or her husband—was up against.

At the end of this, people might end up dead.

“So is Felix still home?” Sasha asked Gregorio as he turned onto the main road and opened up the accelerator. “Or did he leave again?”

The back and forth text messaging was driving her mad, increasing her tension. They were too far away to be of much help.

Not convinced it would do any good, Sasha nevertheless dialed the woman’s number again. She had to do something. Anything.

This time, Brenda answered.

“Are you safe?” she asked, immediately cutting off the woman’s greeting.

“That horrible man…” She choked on a sob. “He’s gone.”

Thank God for that . Closing her eyes, she sighed. “Is Mr. Santos there with you?” she asked for clarification.

“No. He was only home for a little while. Said he forgot something. He went into his office.”

The ledger?

“Then he left again.”

“He didn’t say where he was going?”

“I asked.” For a few seconds, Brenda couldn’t speak, before finally managing, “He wouldn’t tell me. Just kept saying everything would be okay.”

Determined to keep her client safe, Sasha redirected the conversation. “I know I already asked you this, but is there anywhere you can go? Don’t you have a sister?”

“I won’t put anyone else in danger.”

Though she understood the sentiment, Sasha’s only concern was for her client. “In that case, I’m going to make arrangements to get you to safety.”

“I’m not leaving.” Stubborn determination filled Brenda’s voice.

“Listen to me… Please.” She forced measured calm into her words. “Mr. Santos will do better if he knows you’re safe.”

For a moment, the older woman was silent.

Pressing her advantage, Sasha added, “Whatever is going on, your husband doesn’t need to worry about you right now.”

“I’m not sure.”

At least she wasn’t saying no. “How do you think he’d feel if he knew that man had been in your house? And if he comes back, do you really want to be there?” Sasha hated using scare tactics, but nothing was more important than Brenda’s safety.

Without waiting for a response, Sasha changed her tone, making it more imploring as she asked, “Please, will you pack a bag? And then leave the house as quickly as you can? Just start driving away from the house while I find somewhere for you to go where you’ll be safe.”

“I—”

“Please, Mrs. Santos. This is important.”

“But what about my husband?”

“We’ll protect your husband, as well.” She offered a quick prayer that she’d be able to do that.

In the background, Sasha heard the woman’s footsteps, as if she was pacing.

“I want to talk to Felix.”

“I understand that. I promise you’ll be able to stay in contact with him.”

Another sound reached her, like a door opening, maybe. A closet, she hoped, meaning the woman was packing.

“Where should I go?”

“I’ll call you back with instructions.”

“The airport,” Gregorio said immediately.

In the dark compartment of the SUV, she turned in his direction.

“Long-term parking,” he added.

Solid plan. Nodding, she repeated his instructions to her client.

“No .” Panic made her voice shake. “I won’t leave the state.”

“You’re not actually getting on a plane.” At least she assumed not.

Gregorio nodded his agreement.

The airport would have good security, and a place to leave her car where it wouldn’t be easily found.

“I also want you to check your mirrors constantly. If you’re being followed, call me right away.”

“You’re scaring me, Sasha.”

“I don’t want you to be scared. I want you aware.” She waited for a second. “Do you understand?”

“Yes. But I don’t like it.”

“You’re doing great.” Before ending the call, she thought to ask, “Have you talked to Felix since that man visited?”

“I tried, but he didn’t answer. Then I called you.”

“If he gets in touch with you, please don’t tell him where you’re going.”

“We don’t keep secrets from each other.”

Keeping secrets was how Mrs. Santos had ended up in this situation. Since pointing that out wouldn’t be helpful, Sasha kept the thought to herself. Instead, she said, “Are you packing?”

“Yes.”

“Let me know immediately if anything happens.”

“Okay, Sasha.”

“Be sure to answer when I call you back in a few minutes.”

Mrs. Santos said nothing to that, but a moment later, she started to cry. “I want this to be over.”

So do I. “I meant it when I said you’re doing great. Your husband will be proud of you.”

Without saying goodbye, Mrs. Santos hung up.

Instantly, Gregorio pushed a button on his steering wheel and the sound of a ringing phone filled the SUV.

Before the second tone, Inamorata’s crisp voice echoed around them.

“Got a situation,” Gregorio said.

“I’m listening.”

Within seconds, he’d brought Hawkeye’s second in command up to date. “I want surveillance in place at the Santos house. And Mrs. Santos needs to be moved to a safehouse.”

“Roger that.” In the background was the efficient clicking of computer keys. Moments later, she added, “Code word—snowblind.”

Sasha nodded. How she wished she had an Inamorata on her team. Over the years, she’d learned a lot from the woman famous for her no-nonsense pencil skirts and kickass demeanor. No one fucked with Inamorata.

“Sasha and I are en route to the Santos residence. I’ll ping you when we’re entering.”

No doubt the place was being watched, and an ambush was always a possibility. So they’d definitely need the backup.

More than ever, she was grateful she’d come to Gregorio. The man was competent and calm.

For a moment, a memory teased her mind, but she deliberately shoved it away. She had to be focused on the case and nothing else.

At least they were in this together.

Her sister hadn’t understood Gregorio or what he did for a living. Sitting home, waiting, wondering couldn’t have been easy.

In some ways, it seemed that maybe their relationship had never had a chance.

Adriana was planning to marry her fourth husband in the next few months. Sasha had supported her through all of her divorces and new romances, but she honestly didn’t understand her older sister. It seemed that she was always searching for something that she never found.

“What’s on your mind?”

They passed through the main part of Winter Park, headed toward Berthoud Pass. “Nothing important,” she assured him.

When he touched her knee, she added, “Okay. Maybe I’m worried about Mrs. Santos.”

“That all?”

How was he so damn perceptive? “Yes.”

Since she wasn’t sure how long she’d have cell phone reception for, she called her client again.

When Mrs. Santos picked up, Sasha heard background noise, as if she was driving. “You’ll be meeting some people in the airport parking lot. I’ll be giving your phone number to them. Anyone you’re meeting with or talking to must use the word snowblind . Do you understand?”

“Snowblind?” she repeated.

“You got it. Any questions?”

“I feel like I’m in a nightmare, but I can’t wake up.”

In a way, she was. But the harsher reality was that she’d been living it for months, maybe years, since the first moment her husband had become entangled with Argentum. “Snowblind,” Sasha reminded her. “Anyone who calls, anyone you meet.”

“Where are they taking me?”

“A nearby safehouse. You’ll have agents with you, plenty of food, water, TV.”

“I want to tell Felix,” she pushed.

“Not yet,” Sasha insisted. “I’m sorry. We don’t know where he is and if that information can be coerced from him. He’d want you to be safe,” she reminded her again. No matter how many times Sasha had to repeat herself, she would.

If the situation were reversed, no one would be able to stop her from calling Gregorio.

There was silence for so long that she wondered if the call had dropped.

“I hate this.”