Page 14 of Blind Justice

“There you are,” Enzo said, spooning eggs onto their waiting plates. “Thought you’d sleep the day away.”

“Headache,” he muttered. “What’s all this?”

Bella pursed her lips. “Don’t you remember anything I said last night?”

Honestly, no. When his headaches got that bad, he forgot everything. “Uh...”

She sighed. “My mom always made us eat one meal a week together. It didn’t matter if it was breakfast, lunch, or dinner. So, this week we implemented the rule here.” Bella placed the book she’d been reading on the table beside her.

“How did you get the book?” Duncan tapped the edge of the paperback with a black and red cover.

“I bought it in El Paso while we were waiting for our flight out. It seemed pretty good when I saw it, so...” She shrugged.

“A guy came to the door this morning. Said his name’s Omar. He said you know how to get him if you need him.” Enzo shrugged.

Duncan grunted. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Enzo joined them at the table when he was finished dishing out their breakfast. “So, how did it go last night?”

Duncan took a sip of his coffee first before a bite of eggs. “Depends on how you look at it.” He cut his gaze to Bella. “Before we start acting like all of this is normal, you should understand something.”

Bella sat up. “What happened?”

Duncan didn’t know exactly how to explain the sequence of events from the night before, so he started simple. “Today, we’re moving. The safe place will keep you hidden better than you are here. When we get there, you’ll have tons of questions, but I promise, I’ll answer all of them. Second, I have some grave news for the both of you.”

Bella frowned while Enzo tensed.

“Did you know your parents had a home in San Diego?”

Enzo whistled. “Yeah, they moved when we left. My dad’s garage started getting too much attention from the Feds.”

“Mom would go anywhere with Dad,” Bella added. “They liked it there. It was hidden and nice. She went to the beach all the time and took pictures. She’d send them to me and Enzo to let us know they were okay and having fun.”

Well, now Duncan knew how Raul found Ignacio and Naomi. He’d probably been tracing all of their internet traffic, including email and text messages. He’d have to give the information to Laura when he received the file from the scene. “Sounds nice. Unfortunately, I have some bad news, and I need you not to freak out or do something stupid.” He pinned both of them with a commanding glare. “If you run out of this apartment, the deal is off the table and you’re on your own.”

“What the fuck, Duncan?” Enzo narrowed his eyes. Anger burned in his gaze. “We’d never disrespect you like that.”

“I have to put it out there.” Duncan wiped his mouth with his napkin.

“You’re scaring me,” Bella whispered, reaching for Enzo. “What happened, Duncan?”

“I’m not good with this shit. I never have been. This isn’t in my job description.” He clenched his hands into fists, wanting Bella to hold his hand and seek comfort from him like she sought it from her brother. “Last night, I received a call from an agent in San Diego.”

Bella gasped.

Enzo jerked beside him.

“Your mom and presumably your father have been murdered.”

Enzo sat forward. Tears tracked down Bella’s cheeks, and her bottom lip trembled. “What do you mean ‘presumably my father?’”

“Where is Iliana?” Bella paled. “Where is our little sister?”

Ah the only bright spot in the conversation. “She is safe. Did you know she joined a Gang Intervention Program?” He held up his hand. “Not the point. Sorry. She’s safe.”

Bella nodded before her eyes widened and her hand went to her mouth. “Oh my God. She has social media. You don’t think that...that he followed her?”

He didn’t want to be an asshole and say yes, but likelihood was high. Iliana’s posts in conjunction with Naomi’s photos gave Raul all the information he needed. “Bella I—”

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