Page 94 of A Dish Best Served Hot

Leo waved her off. “Don’t worry. It’s not like I’m going to have her juggling bottles like a Las Vegas showgirl.”

In her pocket her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and saw a text from Saint.

Things are going down. I don’t know if I’m going to make it. Eat without me.

Lola sighed. All this for nothing. “Saint isn’t sure if he’s going to make it. Let’s get a table and order some food before it gets any later.”

Papo put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, nena. We will have fun without him. Just you wait.”

She was surprised when she did.

Hours later, after a night of good food and better company—Papo and Benny had been almost civil once they sat at a table with the kind of food Casa del Sol would never have allowed them. Kamilah had come out to chat and make eyes at her fiancé while Leo kept everyone entertained with humorous anecdotes from the firehouse. Lola and her little crew were leaving El Coquí, walking to the far reaches of the packed parking lot, when all of Lola’s instincts went on high alert. They were telling her that they should’ve taken Liam up on his offer to walk with them. She had an itchy prickly sensation at the back of her neck and a knot in her stomach despite the delicious food they’d just consumed. She didn’t get this feeling often, but when she did, she knew to listen to it. The feeling had saved her on more than one occasion. She was just about to tell her three companions to turn around and head back to the front of the building when two shadows materialized on either side of them.

Immediately Lola pushed Rosie behind her while Papo and Benny stepped closer. They circled the girl like a herd of elephants protecting their young. The little girl let out a whimper and Lola’s heart broke.

“There’s no need for guns,” Papo said. “We’ll give you everything we have.”

“Shut up,” one man said.

“You. Walk.” The other one used the gun in his hand to point at Lola, then toward the alley.

Everything became clear. This wasn’t an armed robbery. They were there for Lola. These men were sent by Guillermo Hernandez.

I should’ve listened to Iván.

Lola choked down her terror and tried to think. Her mind raced. She knew better than to go with them to a different location, but if they only wanted her then maybe she could keep the others safe. She thought about the pepper spray on the key chain in her hand then quickly discounted it. Both men had guns and by the time she sprayed one then the other could shoot. There was no way she would risk Rosie, Benny, or Papo. If only she could separate them somehow. She needed to do something quickly, before Benny did. He was hot-tempered enough to make things worse for them all.

“I’ll go with you,” she told them. “I won’t make a sound or cause any trouble, but these three stay here.”

“No, mi leona,” Benny exclaimed. He only called her “his lion” when he was feeling highly emotional.

“It’s okay, Abuelo.” She only called him that when she was emotional.

“This isn’t a negotiation,” the man on the right said. “You come with us quietly and without problems or we shoot one of them.”

“Look, I get it. You’re here for me. I’m not getting out of it and I’m not trying to, but they have nothing to do with this, so there is no reason to include them now. They are both in their eighties and she’s only four.”

At that they shared a quick look and that was all Lola needed to see. It was clear that neither one liked the idea of hurting a child.

“We let them go and what do they do? They run off and cause a scene. No. They’re coming too.”

“I bet your car is in that alley. Let’s do this. We go there together, the driver gets in, one of you keeps your gun on me until I get in, you get in and then we take off. Leaving them here. By the time anything else happens we’re long gone. You get exactly what you want without hurting people who don’t deserve it.” She used the only card she had again. “She’s just a baby.”

“Fine, but if any of you even breathe wrong, she’s the first one I shoot.”

Lola was almost positive that was a lie, but she knew with certainty that none of them were willing to call that bluff. The little hand in hers squeezed and she squeezed back. She’d get Rosie out of the situation safely if it was the last thing she did. She just needed to stall until she thought of something.

She met eyes with Benny then looked down toward Rosie and back up. He gave an infinitesimal nod. He knew she was planning something and he would be ready no matter what.

En masse they walked past the distillery and around the corner of the building. Sure enough a dark sedan with pitch-black windows and no license plates sat tucked in by the dumpster enclosure.

“Hurry up,” one barked.

“I’m old,” Benny barked. “This is as fast as I go.” He fell a bit farther behind.

“I said to hurry the fuck up.”

“Help me, nena.” Benny reached for Rosie’s shoulder and pretended to use it to help him walk.

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