Page 64 of Under His Sheets
“But we need to, I know.” I drank in the sight of his naked body one more time, committing it to memory as much as possible. Whatever happened, I’d be writing a multitude of songs about this man. You could bet on that.
FOURTEEN
8:53 AMC-31 to Castelldefels, Catalonia, Spain
We were quiet on the drive back to Castelldefels, but he held my hand every moment he could. I didn’t know which of us was grounding the other more. I wished we had his car, as I longed to dive back into his cassette collection. I wondered what he’d grown up with, what his first music memories were, what concerts he’d been to… Would we have time to have those conversations?
He seemed preoccupied too, his eyes darting around as he navigated the silver BMW Romeu and Leo had brought for him down C-31 out of Barcelona. I knew he’d gotten some sleep because I’d watched him for a long time the night before. He twitched a lot when he was sleeping, though, so who knew how restful it actually was for him. He was alert, his body tense. When he exited onto the city streets a few blocks away from my apartment, he squeezed my hand.
“I’m not sure if they installed any listening devices in your apartment before they left, but I don’t have the scanner any longer. Since I’ve been relieved of duty on this mission, I’mlackinga lot of things I wish I wasn’t, but I do have this,” he said, reaching into the breast pocket of his flannel shirt and producing a white and silver disk. “It’s not very hi-tech, but it will do.”
“An AirTag?” I took it from him and turned it over in my hands.
“Sí. Please keep it on you, in your shoe perhaps. And I will give you a cell phone. They have probably cloned yours.”
Now I was the one on edge. Throughout all of this, I’d known I was part of an intelligence-gathering mission, however I had been a tool, not the focus of the investigation.
“You think they’re going to be watching me?”
He shrugged. “Either the task force or Vidal’s people. It is possible. But know that I will be near, and Romeu and Leo. As soon as this meeting happens, we will hopefully have the information we need and this will all be over.”
I had to ask. “And then what?”
He glanced at me, his eyebrows raised. “You will be able to go to work without fear.”
I looked out the window and sighed. That’s it? That was it.
He took my hand again, and I turned to him as he kissed it, leveling his deep brown-eyed gaze on me. “And I would very much like to spend whatever time we can together.”
And I could breathe again. I smiled at him, my lip quivering a bit. I’d needed to hear that.
My smile fell as soon as we turned the corner to my complex and the driveway was blocked by la policía.
“Oh God,” I breathed, and Alonso released his grip on my thigh.
He cursed and looked down at his phone. “Missed calls from Fermín.Hostia. He called before we left Barcelona and I didn’t see it. Here,” he said, handing me a cell phone. “I need you to listen to me, amor. It’s charged, my number is programmed in. I can’t go in with you. I’m afraid this starts now. Text me orcall me, but if you call, stand away from your apartment. ¿Me entiendes?”
“Yes, yes. I’m just… Okay. I can do this. Promise me you’ll be safe?”
He gave me the sweetest smile with a hint of “you silly man” to it.
“És clar. Of course, my love. You too. If you are in danger, I will be there. Rom and Leo also. I’m sorry to have to leave you. Tens el meu cor, Randall.” He leaned over and kissed me and tears stung my eyes.
“And you have my heart.”
I took a deep breath before sliding the phone into the interior pocket of my suit coat and slipping the AirTag in my left derby shoe. I opened the car door and climbed out, giving him one last look before closing it.
Alonso dropped me off on the corner and sped away. As I walked toward the police car, a fully strapped cop stepped forward.
“No puedes entrar.”
“I live here,” I said, pointing to…God, my flat door was open and there were cops outside. But it wasn’t the same uniforms as Alonso’s task force.
“Parles català? Castellà?”
I gave him the so-so hand signal and he called for another officer, who happened to be with Fermín.
“Randall, I’m so sorry,” Fermín said. “I called la policía as soon as I saw what was happening on the cameras. They are going through the footage?—”
