“I see what you’re trying to do. What would this do for us?”
“It would reduce the number of dead bodies in your cells. Reduce the paperwork. Allow you to gain more funding if you have a healthy prison, and allow you to ultimately place more money back in your pocket.”
I waited for the warden to comprehend what I was saying. “Okay. What is your first step?”
I eased him into it. “Report the numbers and file a report to the federal government to apply for funding.”
The warden tapped the side of his coffee cup impatiently. “Trust me, we have to report every quarter.”
“I know, but now there is a new program with a loophole. Check this out. It’s a lot of reading, but I’ve highlighted the sections and what you may be able to get. It also refers to the Prison Reform Act.”
He raised his eyebrows in what looked to be respect. “This is impressive. You’ve done your due diligence.”
I smiled broadly. “I work for the Department of Human Services. I have to.”
He pushed the documents aside. “I’ve meant to ask you something for a while now.”
Warden Smith was not an attractive man. His face was lined with pockmarks, and his belly protruded over his pants even though his legs were incredibly skinny. I said, “Warden, I have a keen interest in prison reform, and as you know, my brother was in here for a while.”
“Yes, yes, I remember. Let’s get past all that.” He waved his hand as if directing traffic out of the way. “I wanted to know if you would like to have a drink with me sometime.” He bared his teeth in a greasy smile.
“Uh. No, thank you, Warden. I appreciate the offer, but I have a boyfriend, and you have a wife.”
The greasy smile remained. “Well, if that changes, just give me a call. You know where I am.”
I balked and packed my things up. “Thanks, Warden. I have a busy day, so I’d better be going now.”
“Okay. I do, too. See you soon, Amber.” Warden Smith hitched up his pants and left the table. He swiftly opened the door. I walked past him, and I caught him closing his eyes, inhaling. I picked up the pace and headed for the outdoors. The guy made my skin crawl.
As I drove back to the office on my usual route, I mentally patted myself on the back. I’d done my best, and that’s all anyone could hope for. Today was a half-day because the next day I would be in training for my new role. The other issue that hung around the back of my mind came to the forefront. Colt and Hector. They were going to settle things tonight. My head had been pounding with mortifying scenarios.
I grabbed the lavender-scented oil I carried in my bag for stress reduction and sniffed it. I let the velvety scent float into my nostrils and soothe me.
As I packed up, I saw Lucy’s car leaving the parking lot. Another problem eliminated, at least for the day. Work went well and the day passed quickly.
I called Colt, wanting to hear that sexy, down-low, California cowboy accent. I peeked outside. I saw a few of my work colleagues heading to the coffee shop for their break. I waved, and they waved when they saw me.
“Hi.”
“Hi, beautiful. Missing me, huh?”
I paused because I wanted to say something about what was coming. It hung in the air like the elephant in the room between us. “Yes, I am.”
“How’s your day?” he reached.
“As good as can be. How’s Hector doing? Driving you bananas yet?”
“No. He just needs a little guidance. I see the route he’s heading down. I’m going to turn that around for him if I can. He’s a good kid.”
“Colt? Be careful tonight. I don’t want to talk about it or anything. I think I’ve said enough.”
“I understand. I love you. It will be like nothing ever happened.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Just be careful.”
“You think I’m going to let anything happen to me when I got your fine ass, Bella, and your brother out here? I’m not a stupid man.”
“Bye, baby,” I replied silkily.
“Bye, honey.”
“Colt?”
“Yeah?
“I love you.” I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
A thick air of silence lingered for a moment.
“I love you, too, Amber.”
Nineteen
Colt
The dark veil of the Merced night sky hung above our heads. Hector and I were on a hill, looking down on the Las Balas crew. My mental focus was sharp and my breathing even. When I was in the heat of the fire, I could stand like the courageous cowboy I was. We were early. Both of us were lying low on our bellies above the grassy knoll.
“Here, take a look. Do you know any of those Las Balas guys?”
I handed Hector the binoculars. I’d spotted three men in leather jackets, and all of them were smoking and shuffling around outside the abandoned warehouse on East Mission Road. The streetlight was the only illumination in the otherwise empty parking lot.
Hector was breathing heavily. “That’s the prick that set me up in the deal in the first place. Rodrigo. That guy is a fucking worm. The other guys with him I don’t know.”
My long-range Twilight sniper rifle was set up on a mini tripod, and that thing could reach a target over ten thousand feet away. The Las Balas crew had no idea that we were within shooting range of them.
“Sounds about right,” I said with a lowered voice. I peered through the lens. At this point, I had a clear shooting range of all three of the crew. Parked on the left-hand side was one lone SUV. All of them must have arrived together.
I had two walkie talkies sitting in between us in case Mikakov instructed that we needed to move. I’d managed to convince him that Hector needed to be present. They were on low volume. The men were standing outside an old abandoned, tin shed warehouse that used to be a gas plant. The main parking lot was out front with no other businesses surrounding it, just the wheat-colored fields of Merced. I scanned the perimeter with binoculars. Not a man or Las Balas crew member in sight.
I smirked in the darkness. “This is going to be good. They think you’re showing up. Let’s see what they do.”
With my high-profile binoculars, I saw a crew member winding a silencer on the end of a gun. I handed the binoculars back to Hector.
“See, what did I tell you?”
He looked through the lens and saw what I saw.
“Shit. They were going to fucking kill me. I mean, what if I had the money? Would they still have killed me?” He handed the binoculars back.
“I guarantee you wouldn’t have come out of this alive. They would have shot you dead. The Las Balas crew are a bunch of low-down, dirty rats.”
The second guy also pulled his gun out, ready for action. They were cajoling and laughing with one another. All of these bitches were about to be rocked.
My walkie flashed angrily at me, and I picked it up, pressing the intercom button on the side.
“Go ahead,” I whispered.
“You in position?” A thickly textured Russian accent came through.
“Roger that.”
“Prepare. Watch the fields behind the warehouse.”
“Done. Over and out.”
We heard the blood-curdling sound before we saw it. A large black van swung around the parking lot corner, screeching to a halt. The Las Balas crew lifted their guns, primed for rapid-fire. The black van door ripped open, and the Russian boys leaped out. My mouth turned up into a huge smile. They jumped out like the ninjas they were. They were all dressed in black leathers, fully armed. I heard the raised voices of the Las Balas crew talking and swearing in Spanish.