“I can do that,” I say, even though the words get caught in my throat and I have to force them out. I’ll unpack the rest of my emotional baggage when this nightmare is over.
“You can. You’re a strong woman. Only something big and powerful would tie you up in knots. But you’re stronger than that. You can do this. Just be true to yourself, chère.”
I swallow again, but the lump in my throat won’t go away. “Thank you, Celeste. I needed to hear that.”
She cackles. “Celeste knows. I’ll leave you be now. Do what you need, get unstuck, and move on.”
“Thank you,” I whisper as the call ends.
I’m left holding my phone in nerveless fingers, wondering how in the hell Celeste knows me so well. I take a few steps toward the bed and drop onto it, saying a silent prayer for forgiveness over taking another’s life.
It never occurred to me to forgive myself for that night, but as soon as I will it so, it feels like a weight has lifted.
Thankful, I say another prayer for Celeste, to keep her safe and healthy.
When I stand, it’s like new purpose flows in my veins. I need forward movement. No more stagnation. Things need to happen now, because I’m tired of waiting for the answers to come to us. We have to go out and get them.
With that knowledge driving me, I search the compound for Moses. Maybe there’s something I can do to help find this asshole so we can all move on with our lives.
It’s time.
Thirty
Moses
When Magnolia opens the door to what Trey and Jules have dubbed their war room, my lips tug with a smile—until I meet her steely gaze.
“What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. I’m just . . . I’m ready for this shit to be finished. What do we need to do to draw this guy out? We can’t hide out and wait forever. I’m no coward.”
Magnolia has no idea Trey dug up some new information on our guy, so I’m not sure what’s fueling her words.
“We’re not just hiding out and waiting. We’re finding solid leads so we can end this shit safely,” Trey says. “You’re probably not real impressed with my skills right about now, but I’m fucking good. It’s just that this guy did everything right and stayed off the grid. Whoever he hired to wipe him out didn’t come cheap. At least, now we know why he was so fucking paranoid.”
Magnolia’s attention cuts from me to Trey. “What do you mean? What do we know now?”
I hold out an arm, and without question or hesitation, Magnolia comes to me. “He’s never been in the US legally, and we’re pretty fucking sure he did a stint as a sicario.”
She blinks up at me. “What the fuck is a sicario?”
“A hit man for a cartel,” Trey says, his tone grim. “But this dude was smart as fuck. He came up with a plan to get out, which doesn’t usually work, but he made it happen when he faked his own death. It was real enough that the cartel he worked for bought it. Not that it was hard for him to do the wet work himself, considering all the bodies he’d have access to.”
My gaze darts to Trey, hoping he understands he’s shared enough. Magnolia is no shrinking violet—if anything, she’s iron strong—but she still doesn’t need Trey to paint a picture of the violence this guy was involved in.
“How will this help us find him?” Magnolia says, asking the million-dollar question.
“Now that we know he’s got a connection to the cartel—and which one—there’s a possibility they’d like him back. We can pull Mount’s connections in and see if they’ll offer assistance.”
Magnolia gapes at me like I’m crazy. “I thought that was too dangerous. Do we really want to go down that road?”
“We’re all ready for this to be over. Aren’t you?” The question comes from Jules, and carries more attitude than it should. If I could reach him, I’d smack him upside the head.
“Hey. Everyone. Chill the fuck out. We’re getting stir crazy and we all want this over, but we gotta work with what we have.” I look into Magnolia’s eyes. “I’ll talk it all over with Mount. If we can find a different way, we will. But I’m not letting our lives sit on hold much longer. We’re going to finish this, one way or another, so we can all move on.”
Her lips press together, and she nods. “Okay. Whatever we have to do to make that happen.” She starts to pull away from me as the phone in her hand vibrates.
Magnolia’s attention drops to the screen, and I read the name at the same time she does. Norma.
“It’s been one interesting morning so far. Let’s hope this is uneventful.”
As soon as she says that, something twists in the pit of my stomach, but I have absolutely no idea why. As much as I want to keep my arm wrapped around Magnolia, I let her go so she can step away and answer the call.
Trey’s fingers fly over his keyboard as Magnolia greets her great-aunt’s caretaker with a smile in her voice.
It doesn’t last long, though.
Five seconds after she says hello, Magnolia spins around to stare at me, her expression stricken. “She’s . . . she’s dead?”
Fresh tears spill from her eyes and streak down her face as I close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her against my chest. The phone tumbles from her grip, but I squat down to grab it and put it on speakerphone.
Norma’s voice comes over the line. “I’m so sorry, Magnolia. You two had your issues, but she loved you.”
A sob escapes from my woman, and her fingers dig into my shirt. “How?” she asks in a broken whisper.
“We’re not sure yet, but knowing your aunt Bernie like I did, she passed in her sleep just like she planned.”
I clear my throat and speak up. “Hello, Norma. It’s Moses. You’re sure it was natural causes? No sign that anyone else has been there or broken in? Nothing disturbed?”
“Oh . . . hello there, Moses. Um . . . no, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. The house was all locked up tight when I got here. It doesn’t look like anyone could’ve gotten in. Why would you ask that, anyway?”
Magnolia drags a hand over her face to wipe away the tears. “No reason, Norma. He’s just thinking of all the possibilities. She was in her bed when you found her?”
“She sure was. She looked just as peaceful as could be. Angelic, almost, if you’d believe that.” Norma lets out a gusty laugh. “Not that you probably will. But don’t be sad. Bernie was ready. She’d been waiting for her time to be called up. She was tired. I think she really was having strokes, and she knew it. Something was affecting her, even though she said she was fine. It was her time.”
Magnolia shakes against me, and I wish I could absorb her grief. Jesus Christ, this woman has been through too fucking much.
“Th-thank you for saying that. I know she was ready. She said it all the time.”
“Yeah, she did. She was a stubborn soul, so I’m not surprised she got to go out on her own terms before her quality of life suffered too much,” Norma adds.
“Did you . . . did you call someone?” Magnolia asks. “Are they on their way?”