they were getting somewhere, it seemed. “I can’t wait to see your studio.”
The smile slid back into place. “You will receive the grand tour, I assure you.”
A definite click followed by a roaring sound, similar to that of several garage doors closing simultaneously, jerked his attention back toward the interior of the house. Renee followed his gaze.
Barriers slowly closed down over the windows, blocking the magnificent view. Had a hurricane warning triggered the house’s security system? The metal-on-metal action of locks being set in motion hauled her attention back to the front door.
What the hell was happening?
“Renee.” Reyes swiveled to face her. “Something is wrong. You must run! Now!”
He reached for the door, but it was locked. He tugged at it frantically.
Her pulse shot into warp speed. “The security system,” she urged, “can you shut it down?” Apparently the system had gone into some sort of automatic secure mode.
Reaching for the keypad next to the door he fairly shouted, “I do not understand this.” He jabbed buttons to no avail. “This has never happened before.”
Footfalls on the floor behind them had her wheeling around. Two men. Large. Threatening. She dropped into a crouch, her attention riveted on the two men advancing as she grabbed for her weapon.
“Don’t move!” the first man barked, his weapon leveled on her.
With no desire to get killed, she pushed her hands up and slowly rose to her full height once more.
“Who are you?” Reyes demanded. “What do you want?”
“You,” the second man snapped as he moved in close enough to press the barrel of his.9 millimeter against Reyes’s forehead.
As Renee attempted to position herself between the two men in an effort to protect Reyes, an arm went around her neck. Something like a mask closed over her mouth and nose. She fought the strong arms manacling her. Her lungs burning, she gasped for air.
Then her vision narrowed until there was nothing.
Her body stopped fighting and went limp.
Merida, Mexico Same Day 6:50 p.m.
HIS EYES HAD CLOSED, the lids far too heavy to restrain. Staying awake was no longer possible. The weariness had overtaken him quickly this night. Too many sleepless ones had come and gone. He needed to rest…but if he slipped too deeply into that welcoming oblivion, he might not hear the enemy’s arrival.
He needed to stay awake. Yet he was so very tired. For days that had become weeks, he had fought the temptation, had struggled to survive on stolen moments of mere dozing. He could trust no one.
How much longer could he be held prisoner this way?
What purpose did his brother hope to serve with his actions? None of this made sense. He had long ago taken leave of his brother’s company. Refused to be a part of his love of spreading pain and death.
The click of the lock jerked his head up and his eyes wide open.
It could be the devil…come to finish the job at last. Part of him would be glad to have this nightmare over. This moment had been coming for years. He should have seen that. No one would be left to bear witness to his rottenness. Escaping the reality of their strained relationship had been merely a dream. One could not deny evil when it thrived in his very blood.
The door opened slowly. Even in the near darkness, he saw the hesitant movement of his visitor. Not his brother. Some amount of relief lowered the choking tension to a more tolerable level. His eyes had days ago adjusted to the lack of light.
Juanita cautiously peeked around the partially opened door. “Señor?” Her voice was small and worried. She should be worried. She had played a part in this vile plan, had made herself an accomplice to his brother’s selfish scheming.
In spite of the many reasons to doubt the possibility, hope stirred. Had he at last gained an ally? Or was this another trick?
“Have you had a change of heart, woman?” He asked this in English, refused to speak the native tongue of his betrayers. He had known this woman since he was a small boy. His mother had trusted her, had allowed her to look after her only children. Were his mother still alive, she would be gravely disappointed. There was no longer any loyalty in this family.
Juanita slipped into the room that had served as a prison for the past month, or had it been longer? On some level, he had reconciled to the likely fate that he would die here.
The light that followed Juanita into his prison accentuated the somber features of her thin face and her downcast gaze. He imagined that guilt kept her from looking him in the eye. He was being held prisoner in his own birth home. He had given up on the possibility of ever seeing the light of day again. His own people had turned on him, motivated by whatever threats made or gifts offered by his monster of a brother.
“I have, señor,” Juanita confessed sadly. “You were right. He is evil. I have heard whispers that he plans to cut off your head—” she shuddered “—when he returns. No matter what you’ve done, I cannot allow him to harm you this way.”
The threat of death was not unexpected. Why else would he be held prisoner like this? There was no turning back now. Whatever his brother was up to, he would leave no loose ends to fray. Yet even as the anger against his last living blood relative expanded inside him, he yearned for answers. His heart wouldn’t simply let go of the need to know the answers as to why he had come to be in this position, at the mercy of his own kin. What had changed? Why the sudden determination to come against him…after all this time? There had to be some scheme in place.
He should have gone to the authorities years ago and put a stop to his brother’s dealings. As a child, he had promised his mother that he would look out for his brother. Even then, she had known that something was not right with her eldest child. Maintaining his allegiance to that promise had been a mistake; looking the other way for so many years was a crime.
If he survived what was to come, he would settle this score once and for all.
“And what is it I have done that has brought about my imprisonment and impending death?” he asked the woman hovering with such uncertainty.
She eased back a step, positioning herself in the open doorway as if she feared she might need to quickly run away. Still, she refused to meet his gaze. “Señor, there is no need to speak of the past unless it is to pray for mercy on your soul.”
Her hand trembled as it came to rest on the door in preparation for yanking it closed if necessary. Would she rather lock him back up in this room than answer a simple question?
“We must speak of it, Juanita,” he insisted, “for I have no idea why this has happened.” Other than the fact that his brother was as insane as his vile acts would suggest. But there would be much more than that. The need to uncover this plan sent much-needed adrenaline pumping through him. “Tell me what it is that you believe I have done.”
For several moments, he was certain she did not intend to answer. Finally, her mouth worked
