Rafael (The Santiago Brothers Book One) (9 page)

“Yet, you seem to disregard the importance of
eliminating certain potential subjects, namely the local gang
members.”

“I do not disregard—”

“Furthermore, we can narrow our pool to those
more likely.”

“I agree.”

She opened her mouth to say more but stopped
at his concurrence. A single well-shaped brow lifted, as did the
tip of her nose. “Well, I’m glad you see things my way.”

Rafa couldn’t help snorting in response.
“Eugenia, this isn’t a competition.”

Her brows bushed in feigned miscomprehension.
“Who said I was competing?”

“Genie.” Rafa leaned forward, his gaze
latching hold of hers. “Stop! I’m not your enemy.”

Genie pressed her lips into a tight line. Her
eyes stormed with both irritation and confusion. He could see her
jaw flexing, her chest rising and falling with heavy breathing.
Rafa’s curiosity was baited. What did she struggle against? Why was
she being so stubborn?

“Green, Santiago!”

Both his and Genie’s head snapped in the
direction of the sound of their names. Lieutenant Winters barreled
toward their desks, the look of impatience in his eyes.

“Sir, I was just coming to your office to
give you an update,” Genie began placating.

“Well, you didn’t quite make it there, did
you, Green?”

Genie shot Rafa a look of annoyance. Whether
her aggravation was for her boss or him, he wasn’t sure, but
Winters wasn’t a man to make excuses to. He wanted progress, and
Rafa was prepared to offer him just that.

“Actually, sir,” Rafa began, ignoring the
growing look of anger on Genie’s face. If she thought he would
share her findings with her own boss, he'd prove he wasn’t a
back-stabbing jerk. “I’ve gotten in touch with my sources back in
San Diego. They have given me the names of a couple of Snake
members who haven’t been seen at their usual hangouts for the past
several days.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, it’s possible they have relocated
here, and what we’re witnessing is a couple of planned
assassinations.”

“Do we know their names?”

“We do, but I’m having my contacts verify
through their sources that Huera and Montenegro have left the
state.”

Winters placed his fists on his hips and
nodded once. “Now that’s progress.” He shot Genie a narrowed look.
“Green, where would we be without Santiago? You still want to go it
alone?” Rafa watched her swallow what looked like a lump of
humiliation, but she remained silent, refusing to look at either
man. “Good work, you two. Find this Huera and his Montenegro buddy
and make some arrests.”

“Yes, sir,” they responded in unison.

Winters’ gaze spanned the room. “Franco,
Duggard! Where’s that final draft I asked for an hour ago!” Winters
barked.

Rafa kept his eyes on his partner. She didn’t
strike him as one who took criticism well ... or at all, for that
matter. He recalled their first meeting in the lieutenant’s office
the other day. Not only did she not take orders well, but she also
had no qualms in telling her boss why. Yet, a moment ago, she
acquiesced without a peep. “Genie?”

“Conference room, now,” she snapped. Without
meeting his gaze, she vaulted from her chair and stormed toward the
room.

Rafa remained seated for a moment, mulling
the repercussions of not following her. Then he considered the
opportunity he had to peel away some of her layers, and he jumped
up. When he reached the door, he paused. Genie was pacing like a
caged animal. He entered the room and closed the door.

“How could you do that?”

His brows bushed. He took in her rigid
stance, hands on hips, and an accusatory stare. “What exactly did I
do?”

“What I can’t seem to figure out is how
brownnosing my boss gets you ahead.”

“Because I mentioned Huera and
Montenegro?”

She smirked. “You made me look bad in front
of the lieutenant… on purpose!”

Here he thought he did a good deed. He took a
few steps forward until he stood within arm’s distance of her.
Unblinking, she held his gaze, her nostrils flaring. “Who are you
really mad at?”

She blinked. “What?”

“Someone did something to you." He could see
it so clearly now — the need for absolute control, the lack of
trust, and the bulldogged desire to work independently.
Investigations were tough enough with multiple heads in the game
but to go it alone? What did she have to prove? His eyes searched
hers as if he'd find the answers to his questions in their dark
chocolate depths. "Who was it? What did he do?”

She took a step back, her gaze wavering.
Before he could ask again, she moved around him and marched toward
the door. “Don’t show me up like that again.”

He kept his back to her. “I was only trying
to save face in front of your boss. We hardly have any leads to go
on.” The door slammed. Bingo. She had been hurt in the past. Rafa
sighed. Whatever happened, she continued to take her frustration
out on everything and everyone. Until she resolved her issue, he’d
have to walk on eggshells around her. The silver lining? She
wouldn’t rest until the case was resolved. And he respected her for
it.

“Santiago?”

Rafa turned at the mention of his name. A
uniform stood at the doorway.

“Yeah?”

“There’s a phone call for you, at your desk.
Genie told me to come get you.”

Rafa chuckled. “She couldn’t come get me
herself, huh?” He started for the door.

The officer shrugged, a sheepish grin on his
face.

“Rookie?” he asked when he approached the
officer. The young man nodded. “Yeah, being a message boy is all
part of the game.” Rafa slapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry,
one day you’ll be ordering someone to go deliver a message.
Thanks.” He moved past the officer and jogged to his desk.

“Your phone was ringing off the hook,” Genie
stated.

“Should be my officer with some information.”
He picked up the receiver. “Santiago.”

“Hey, it’s Frank.”

Rafa looked up and motioned to Genie. “Hey,
Frank!” He mouthed the words “source handler” to her and she
nodded.

“Look, we’ve got two positive identifications
on who’s left the area.”

“Two from the Snakes?” His eyes held
Genie’s.

“That’s correct. Two men you should be
familiar with. Jorge Huera and Nicolas Montenegro.”

“Huera and Montenegro,” Rafa breathed. He had
hoped his precinct was wrong on the identification. Confirmation
brought a chill to his spine. He knew them personally.

“They hopped on a plane about two weeks ago
out of Los Angeles International Airport to Chicago, but after
that, they didn’t use air. We’re still tracking rental car
companies out of Chicago to see if anyone rented a vehicle with a
lengthy time agreement. As far as we know, they could’ve had
friends meet them there.”

“Yeah, then it would be almost impossible to
find them unless they show back up on the grid.”

“Exactly.”

“Alright, you let me know when you have
anything more, okay?”

“Of course, Rafael.”

“Thanks, Frank.” Rafa replaced the receiver.
He interlocked his fingers and thumped his hands to his forehead.
Not every lead would be good news.

“What is it?” Genie asked, her voice full of
concern.

Rafa took his time answering. He wished he
didn’t know the two men Frank mentioned. They were close
connections of Rafa’s when he moved to San Diego. At one time, he
considered them mentors, but then he left the group. He hadn’t
heard their names in a long time except when his cousin Enrique
called years later to tell him about the death wish. When it became
known Rafa joined the law-enforcement ranks, both wanted to see him
dead. Rafa supposed he had his cousin to thank for that wish
remaining unfulfilled. Enrique’s senior ranking in the Snakes
provided Rafa with protection — at least, so he thought.

“My man out in San Diego confirmed two men
have left California. They flew to Chicago and from there the trail
goes cold.”

“How long has the trail been cold?”

“Fourteen days.”

Genie nodded. “That’s within the time frame
of the first two murders.”

Rafa blew out a breath, covering his face
with his hands.

“Huera and Montenegro, right?” When he nodded
his answer, she continued. “Do you know them?”

Rafa parted his fingers and their gazes
locked. “Yes.”

Genie’s mouth opened slightly but she said
nothing for a few moments. “Who are they?” Before he could answer,
her phone rang and she held up a finger. “Green.” He saw her eyes
widen a bit before settling on his own. “Yes, we’ll be right there,
thanks.” She slammed the phone down, reached underneath her desk
for her purse, and slung it over her shoulder. She stood. “Come on.
The unit at the boyfriend’s house said a woman just entered the
residence. They’re going to keep her there until we arrive. Whoever
she is, I want to talk to her.”

****

How had he guessed?

Genie replayed the entire scene she had with
Rafa at the precinct. Yes, she was fully aware he had arrived to
work at six a.m. Yes, she had pushed him to postpone their meeting
with the gang unit, but only because she wanted to be present at
the meeting. She hadn’t wanted details of the case discussed with
him alone. What if Rafa didn’t relay crucial information? Her
instincts about him had been correct. Genie gripped the steering
wheel, remembering how he had upstaged her with source information
from California. She’d made the correct decision by going to the
meeting alone. If Rafa had discovered anything new, he’d have kept
her out of the loop. Unfortunately, the gang unit verified what she
knew all along: no local gangs were involved in the murders.

She turned onto the street where the
boyfriend of Maribol Canales lived. As Rafa droned on about notes
in the case file, her mind took her once again to her reaction to
him in the conference room. But more startling was Rafa’s response.
Instead of fighting back, which is what she truly hoped for, he had
seen through her and practically guessed the root of her
attitude.

Who are you really mad at… what did he
do?

Genie suppressed a shiver. If anything, her
partner was perceptive, but she blamed herself on his ability to
read her. If she hadn’t lost her temper… if she’d just been as cool
and calculated as he had been in front of her boss, he would’ve
seen her as his equal and not a woman in pain. A weak woman.

“This looks like the place. I see the
surveillance,” Rafa stated.

“Mmm-hmm.”

Rafa cleared his throat. Genie felt his gaze,
but she kept hers on the road.

“Are we okay?”

“What do you mean?” she responded quickly,
and then pressed the accelerator a bit more. The sooner they
arrived, the less of a chance she could be trapped into a
meaningful conversation about her feelings.

“I think we need to talk.”

“No, we don’t.”

“You see, the fact that you won’t ask me what
we need to talk about means we need to talk.”

Genie parked the car and yanked the keys out
of the ignition. She opened the door and was halfway out when a
hand gripped her arm. She met Rafa’s intent stare.

“You have to deal with this,” he pleaded
gently. “If we’re going against Huera and Montenegro, we’ve got to
be at the top of our game, no distractions.”

He hadn’t meant it as a chastisement, but her
first instinct was to interpret it as one. Heat radiated from his
light touch, his eyes a mix of concern and compassion. “I can
handle it,” she whispered.

When he
released her, she moved swiftly to exit the small confines of the
police cruiser. She paused, closing her eyes and breathing in the
fresh air.
God, please help me!
Her eyes flew open. When was the last time she had asked
God for help? In the last few years, hadn’t she proved she was
capable of handling her life? Then why did she feel so
unhinged?

A shrill voice interrupted Genie’s thoughts.
“How many times do I have to tell you? I don’t know nothin’ and I
ain’t sayin’ nothin’! You need to get off my brother’s property
right now!”

“Ma’am, hold up!” Genie raised a hand as she
hurried to the scene. “I’m Detective Green with the Springfield
police and this is Detective Santiago.” She motioned to Rafa.

“I don’t care who you are, I’ve said what I’m
gonna say!” The petite woman stood her ground, with hands on her
hips. Her heavily painted eyes flashed with anger, the toe of her
three-inch heel tapping on the ground. “I know my rights, and you
can’t come in without a warrant.”

Genie heard Rafa say something in a low tone
to the officers on surveillance, and they backed away. Then he came
and stood next to Genie. The woman’s eyes flittered over him and
Genie recognized instant attraction in them. Genie clenched and
unclenched her fists. “Look, ma’am,” Genie began, watching the
woman’s eyes softening as they remained on Rafa, “you’re not in any
trouble, and we’re not here to search anything. We just want to ask
you a few questions.”

The woman ran two-inch nails through her
long, dark, straight tresses and tossed them provocatively over her
shoulder. “You wanna question me?” Her gum smacked and she stepped
closer to Rafa. Genie gaped at her partner and threw her hands up.
She held her palms open, gesturing for him to proceed.

Rafa cleared his throat before producing a
high-wattage smile. “Yes, ma’am. We are looking for your brother,
um—”

“Diego Cera,” Genie provided.

“He didn’t do nothin',” she gritted.

“We’re not saying he did,” Rafa hurriedly
added. “But a young woman was killed recently.”

“Yeah, I know. That was his girl.” She
crossed her arms over her chest, pressing her bosom up. “You think
he killed her?”

Rafa held up both hands. “No, ma’am. In fact,
we’re pretty sure he didn’t.” The woman relaxed her stance and her
eyes darted around the area. Genie followed the woman's gaze with
her own eyes but didn’t see anyone other than the surveillance team
observing them. Was Cera close by? She motioned for the
surveillance team to circle the property.