Rafael (The Santiago Brothers Book One)

by K. Victoria Chase

  ****

  Genie flashed her badge to the uniform in the stairwell of the Sheraton hotel. Doctor Morrison waved her over. Genie lifted the crime-scene tape, her eyes focused on the body on the ground behind the doctor. Genie’s mouth turned dry. It couldn’t be…

  “Detective.”

  “Doctor Morrison.” Genie shook her hand. “Thank you for calling.”

  “No worries. I wanted you to see this, and verify the pattern.”

  The pattern. She took the latex gloves the ME held out for her and quickly snapped them on. “Are there stab wounds on the chest?” Genie almost didn’t want to know the answer. She took a few steps closer to the doctor, who squatted near the body.

  “Yes, and I’m afraid, in the same pattern as the others.” She pointed down to the chest and lifted her eyes to Genie’s face.

  Oh no! The face of the man came into view. Diego Cera. Genie closed her eyes and opened them again. She didn’t imagine him. There he laid, the front of his shirt covered in blood. The flash of a crime-scene photographer’s camera went off close to Genie, and she blinked to refocus her gaze. She noticed one of the agents sitting on the stairs being attended to by a paramedic. Genie stepped around the body and stood in front of the agent. “What happened here?”

  The agent's eyes filled with confusion. Genie produced her shield. The agent nodded. “We were attacked from behind. I got hit in the back of the head and when I woke up, Cera was dead.” The agent frowned as he viewed the body.

  Genie glanced over her shoulder. The ME was speaking to the photographer, who angled the camera close to the chest before snapping another shot. Genie focused her attention back on the injured agent. “What were you two doing in the stairwell? Were you going somewhere? I thought Cera was supposed to be in protective custody?” Her hands went to her hips.

  The agent gave her an annoyed look, picking up on her irritation. “This was a temporary location. We were on our way to deliver him to a more permanent residence. Taking the back stairwell to a car waiting out back is more discreet than walking through the front lobby. I don’t know how they found us so don’t ask.”

  “Agent Compton wasn’t overseeing the transfer?”

  The agent’s eyes sparked. Evidently, he didn’t take kindly to his boss being insulted. “No. We’re all trained in these procedures. Compton was attending to other investigative matters.”

  “Green!” Genie turned at the sound of her name being called. Rafa ducked underneath the crime-scene tape. She walked towards him. “Sorry I was late. Had to take a longer route to get here. I think I was being followed.”

  “It’s Cera,” she whispered.

  Rafa’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the body. He sliced his fingers through his hair before placing his hands on his hips and expelling a frustrated breath. “How did this happen?”

  “I spoke to the agent on the steps over there.” She pointed to the man who nodded to the paramedic and was given an ice pack for his head. “He said they were attacked from behind. The agent never saw his attacker.”

  “Detectives.” The doctor called them over. “I think you two might have gotten a break.”

  “What do you mean?” Rafa bent down beside her as Genie stood opposite of them.

  Dr. Morrison held up Cera’s arm and flashed a light on his hand. “Look at the fingernails.”

  “Looks like skin.” Rafa peered at the hand.

  The doctor nodded. “Can’t be sure until I test it for DNA, but Cera might have fought back.”

  “If he did, and you can recover any DNA, then this case is as good as closed. It won’t be long until we pick up our suspects,” Genie said.

  “I’ll take my samples and get the lab to rush this request. I’ll let you know as soon as I have something.”

  “Thank you, Dr. Morrison,” Genie replied. She studied Rafa, whose gaze remained fixed on Diego. “Rafael? We better get out of here before Compton arrives.” He didn’t respond, but followed her down the remaining two flights of stairs.

  “I can’t believe they got to him.” Rafa slammed the bottom of his fist against the wall. “I should have done more for him.”

  Genie grasped his fist and stilled it against his side. “This isn’t your fault,” she whispered. The dark pools of his eyes swirled with fury. She gripped his arms. “Do you hear me?”

  His eyes cooled and he nodded.

  “There was nothing you could do.”

  He turned away from her, leaning his head against the wall. “You don’t understand.” He let out a defeated sigh. “Having been a part of that organization makes me feel somewhat responsible for whatever they do.” He leaned his back against the wall. Genie saw the pain of his past in his eyes. Whether or not they were on the case, she’d solve it, if only to not see that look of torment again.

  “He was almost out,” Genie murmured. She took a deep breath. “This hotel should have surveillance cameras. Let’s ask the front desk if there’s one in the stairwell. Perhaps we’ll have a clear picture of the attackers.”

  “Actually, I just came from there.” Both turned to see Agent Compton standing a few steps beneath them. “I appreciate the two of you coming all this way, but we have this under control.”

  Genie’s fists clenched. “How could you have let this happen?” She felt Rafa’s hand on her arm giving her a gentle squeeze. Arguing about the case in the stairwell of a busy hotel would be unprofessional.

  Agent Compton’s eyes grew stormy as his gaze moved from Genie to Rafa. “Well, Detective Santiago did say the Snakes would be persistent. I’m sorry they got to Cera, but we all know things happen.”

  Happen? Things happen? Genie swallowed a rush of heated words. Rafa tugged her down the steps and past Compton. He was either more levelheaded, or just eager to leave before he, too, would say something regrettable.

  They dodged two men carrying a long, dark bag that would be used to transport Diego’s body to the city morgue. Nausea hit Genie’s stomach. “I told him he’d be safe,” she muttered as they finally stopped at her vehicle. Her partner's eyes reflected the sadness she felt. “He and his sister were supposed to be getting their lives back. Rafa, Flores is going to be devastated!”

  Genie caught the outline of his hardened jaw as he kept moving forward. “I know.”

  Genie grabbed his elbow, halting his progress. “Hold on, you said earlier you thought you were being followed?”

  He faced her, nodding. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “By a blue sedan?”

  Rafa’s brows burrowed. “No, a green hatchback, I believe.”

  “Green hatchback?”

  “Why did you think it was a blue sedan?”

  “It could be nothing, but I’m sure a blue sedan followed me to church a little while ago.”

  Rafa’s appreciative gaze roamed over her form. “Is that why you’re in a skirt and heels?”

  Genie answered with a roll of her eyes. “You look like you spent some time in front of a mirror.” She eyed his pressed khakis and crisp, blue polo shirt.

  He smirked. “Just another day at the office.” Then his look grew serious. “No, I was on my way to meet you in class when I received the doctor’s call. Halfway to the hotel, I noticed a green hatchback keeping pace a few cars behind me. I lost it on a side street.”

  “Did you happen to get a plate?”

  “No, too far away. You?”

  Genie frowned. “I didn’t either. Do you think Huera and Montenegro are the only ones here from California? Perhaps more have arrived to finish off Cera considering he proved to be difficult.”

  Rafa shook his head. “Not likely. It would draw too much attention to them and take more resources away from their operation in California. Two men as experienced as Huera and Montenegro should be able to handle a few targets. But I wouldn’t put it past La Cocina Dulce’s owner to have a few people tail us, just to see if we would lead them to Cera.”

  “We should pull their DMV records. Perhaps one of their emplo
yees slipped up and used their own vehicle for the surveillance.”

  Rafa pulled his phone out of his pants pocket. As he read the screen, Genie saw the color drain from his face.

  Rafa backed up a few paces. “You’ll have to run that one on your own. I have something I have to take care of first.”

  Genie was taken aback. “What do you mean? What’s more important than this case?”

  Rafa gave her a long look, and Genie didn’t dare break the silence first. She almost wished she hadn’t asked the question. Something between them had shifted.

  She edged forward. “Rafa? Who was that missed call from?”

  She watched the knob in his neck bobble. “No one,” he answered in a hoarse voice.

  Rafa kept his gaze averted. He shoved the phone in his pocket. Did he just lie to her?

  “I’ve got to go. Meet you at the station in a few hours?”

  Genie blinked. What did he have to do? What was so important he couldn’t tell her? After what they’d been through, she’d thought he could trust her by now. If he couldn’t, then perhaps she shouldn’t trust him either.

  “Rafael—”

  “Look, Genie, there’s something—” He stopped, his gaze roaming over her face. He had a look in his eyes she'd seen just moments before when she asked what was more important to him than the case. Was it desperation? “Just go to the station, now. I have to go,” he pressed.

  Then she’d let him go. “If you need me…”

  He nodded. “I’ll call. I promise.”

  Genie watched him jog to his vehicle. A couple of weeks ago, if he had left her standing there — alone in the parking lot — she’d have been furious. But she only felt concern. Was someone hurt? His mother? Bad news about his assignment with the FBI?

  Genie let out a breath of resignation. She cared about him. A lot. No use in denying it.

  When she reached her car, she sat back against the driver’s seat, watching the scene of agents and paramedics through the rearview mirror. Poor Diego. The Snakes had accomplished their mission — unless they had planned to target his sister Flores. With the way the FBI was handling the case, Genie put her money on the Snakes to snuff out Flores as well.

  Chapter Fifteen