rubbed smooth hands over designer jeans. “I’m sorry. I just wanted a glass of water.”
Nancy clipped her gun back in the holster and smiled. “Sure.”
“I’ll get it,” Mendez said.
As Mendez filled a glass with tap water, Nancy stood. “Is everything in your room okay?”
Elena hugged her arms around her chest. “It’s fine.”
There was softness in Nancy Rogers’s eyes when she nodded. “It will all be over soon.”
Elena tried to take comfort from the officer’s words, but found the ominous dread in her would not stop growing. “Yes.”
“You’re doing the right thing,” Nancy said. “Your brother is a monster and he needs to be put away.”
Elena had never expected that doing the right thing would be so hard. “It’s what must be done.”
A sound from the street caught Nancy’s attention. “Did you hear something?”
Mendez shut the tap off and set the glass on the counter. He peaked through the kitchen’s miniblinds. “Looks like the transfer team arrived early.”
Elena’s fingers trembled as she pushed back the cuff of her silk blouse and checked the Rolex on her slim wrist. “They’re four hours early.” She suddenly felt cold, as if Death had brushed past her.
Nancy’s hand slid to the holster clipped to her jeans. “I don’t like it.”
“He’s here,” Elena whispered as she stepped back. She hated being afraid, being a coward. “He’s come to kill me.”
Nancy shook her head, puzzled by Elena’s words. “Who? Antonio? He’s not here.”
Elena shook her head, unable to deny the feelings in her. “He’s sent people to kill me.”
“Don’t borrow trouble, Ms. Benito. It could be nothing,” Nancy said.
Instinct whispered differently.
Nancy switched off the living room light and moved past Elena into the dark room. She peeked out thick curtains covering the picture window. “It makes sense they’d change the schedule. I just wish they’d told us.”
There was no tension in Mendez’s face when he came into the living room and looked out the same window. A gold signet ring on his pinky caught the moonlight. “Varying the pickup time just means tighter security, Ms. Benito. The car looks like Miami D.A. issue. No need to worry.”
Nancy flipped open her cell phone. The light of its screen cast a faint blue light on her angled faced. “I’m calling the lieutenant to see if this is legit.”
Mendez rubbed the back of his neck. “Man, I hope this gig is ending four hours early. I haven’t slept in my own bed in two nights and I’m missing my old lady’s loving.”
Elena stepped back toward her room. She glanced at the side window in her bedroom that led to a back alley.
“Remember the plan,” Nancy said to Elena as if reading her thoughts. “If there is any trouble, climb out the window. There is a car parked in the alley. Keys are under the mat and the gas tank is full. Go straight to the central office.”
Mendez looked surprised. “Who put the car out back?”
“I did. Just in case,” Nancy said.
He cracked his knuckles. “You’re so anal, Rogers.”
“Better anal than dead, as my brother says,” Nancy shot back.
Elena didn’t want to be a coward, but raw fear churned in her gut. “Do you think it’s Antonio?”
Nancy looked calm, too calm, as if she didn’t want to spook her witness. She held her phone close to her ear. “Chances are it’s like Mendez said. They’ve changed the pickup time.”
Mendez moved toward the door. “You two are worrying over nothing. It’s FBI. This time tomorrow Benito will be in—”
Nancy snapped her fingers, signaling Mendez to stop talking as someone came on the line. “Hello, Lt. Grasser, this is Officer Rogers at the Benito safe house. I need a confirmation on an early pickup. We’ve got men who look like FBI in our driveway now. Right. Okay.” She muttered an oath. “The guy put me on hold.”
There was a loud knock at the front door. “Mendez and Rogers open up. FBI.”
Mendez looked through the peephole. “He’s holding up a FBI badge.” He reached for the handle.
“Don’t open that door!” Nancy shouted. “Wait until I get a confirmation.”
Mendez smiled at his partner.
Elena froze. His was the same oily smile she’d seen on Antonio’s face before he’d killed the Churchmen.
Elena felt sick. “He’s going to betray us.”
Shock registered on Nancy’s face but before she could react, Mendez turned the deadbolt.
“Mendez, don’t,” Nancy shouted.
“I’ve got to,” he said. “There’s five million on her head and I want it.”
The shock on Nancy’s face gave way to anger in a split second. Dropping her cell phone, Nancy reached for her gun and shot Mendez in the leg before he could open the door.
“Run!” Nancy shouted to Elena.
Frozen with fear, Elena watched Mendez drop to his knees.
“Bitch.” Wincing, Mendez reached for the doorknob.
“Run!” Nancy shouted again to Elena.
Elena did not want to leave the officer behind. She liked the woman and knew if Nancy stayed she’d die.
“Come with me!” Elena begged.
“No,” Nancy said. “Now go!”
Elena felt like a coward as she ran into the bedroom. Her high heels caught in the shag carpet and she stumbled to the floor by her bed.
Behind her, she heard the crack of wood splintering as the front door slammed open. Her heart hammering, she kicked off her shoes, rose and ran toward the window. She jerked back the curtains and fumbled with the lock.
Elena glanced back as Nancy swung around, her Beretta raised as three men entered the house. One pulled a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun from under his black suit jacket. He shot Mendez point-blank in the head. The policeman dropped to the floor, dead.
Nancy fired and hit the shooter in the chest. He fell back into the wall and slid to the floor.
Elena said a silent prayer as she fumbled with the window’s lock. She and
