owned every aspect of his life and it was the same impression I had gotten from Silvia Cardenas, although I had never met her in person.
My stride was measured, and my steps cautious, as I crossed the threshold of the front door and entered the house. Unlike my last visit, when it was me and Corvel, this time two guards stood inside of the door. A quick scan showed their black holsters displayed over crisp button-ups with their weapons visible.
Why did Corvel feel the need for inside security? The further I stepped into the room, the more the creepy sense that I was in the middle of another setup pricked at the back of my neck.
“Hello, Mrs. Vallin. It’s always good to see you,” Corvel greeted, as he stood at his bar and poured himself a drink.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asked me, glancing across his shoulder. He always asked, and I always said no.
“No, thank you.”
I kept moving and glancing back at the guards who stood tense but quiet. Once I had stepped to within a few feet of the couch, I stilled, eyeing Corvel’s every move.
He was as relaxed as he always was, and his smile never wavered, but the sick sense that something was amiss wouldn’t let up. There was a telling note of something in his eyes that reached out and touched me.
Before arriving here, I had made use of the small package of baby wipes in the glovebox to make myself somewhat presentable. I had also dusted myself off as best I could, but the moment Corvel got a good look at me, he scanned my appearance with a slow roving eye, but didn’t comment.
“Have a seat, please,” he said, aiming his head at the couch.
The choppy steps I took hinted at my state of mind as I rounded the couch and took the seat, uncomfortable with the men hovering at my back.
“Sir, you informed me that you wanted to have this meeting to update me on matters that could affect our arrangement. Will you tell me what those matters are?”
He sipped from his drink, his eyes straight ahead, looking at me but seeing through me as he gathered his thoughts.
“Yes, but now that you’re here, I’m thinking we should have scheduled this for a later date.”
I glared at him, waiting but not offering a reply. A deep sigh breezed past his lips as he took another long assessing look at my attire before his gaze lifted to mine. My tan wide-legged slacks sported dirt spots and smears and my burgundy silk blouse was just as dirty with a few small rips in various spots.
“There are some things you need to know.” Another deep inhale sounded, the action inflating his chest. “Shit,” he exhaled. “I shouldn’t be telling you this because Silvia would kill me if she knew.”
He had my full attention at the mention of Silvia’s name. Was she the one that wanted me dead, and he was having reservations about it? What could be so stressful to tell me that Corvel was afraid to speak on it for fear of being killed by Silvia Cardenas?
“Did the cartel put a hit out on me? I was ambushed on the highway on my way here and lost a guard to the men who were shooting to kill, not capture.”
“I’m sorry about what happened to you. I received word of it a few minutes before you arrived.”
HB was cocked and aimed at him before I was up and off the couch. The sound of metal clinking behind me spoke for the situation my automatic reflex action had just put me in.
“You had guys watching me? Sent them to kill me? I had convinced myself it was a setup, someone trying to turn me against you.”
“Mecca, please, put the gun away.”
His hands were lifted, gesturing in a calm manner for me to lower the gun.
“Are you actually suggesting I put my gun away so you can accomplish your task of killing me? Why did you let me keep it in the first place if you’re planning to get rid of me?”
The men advanced, forcing me to turn and aim at them as my gun swept left to right between the two.
“Stay the fuck back!” I yelled.
“Mecca, listen, please.” Corvel had switched to Spanish.
Cautious steps took me backwards until the only full wall was at my back, and I had a view of all three men. Corvel stood with his hands in a pleading position, begging