the maids don’t ignore the DO NOT DISTURB sign I put up.”
Fabricio didn’t respond, just quietly backed away from the chair and stood leaning against the wall.
“So, anything we should be aware of?” Nita asked. “Before we ambush him for the password?”
“Not really.”
“You’re an unnatural. Is he?”
“No.” Fabricio looked down. “My mom was.”
Nita tilted her head to one side. “Where is she?”
“Dead.” His voice was soft. “When I was young.”
“I’m sorry.” Nita wasn’t really, she didn’t care, but it was something you said in these circumstances. “How did she die?”
He hesitated, then admitted, “Cancer.”
Nita was silent, curiosity sated, but Kovit commented, “That must have been hard.”
Fabricio shrugged, a sad little smile playing on his mouth. “It was a long time ago. I don’t really think about it much anymore.”
The seconds ticked by, Fabricio fidgeting nervously, eyes flicking to the door. Kovit twirled his switchblade in his hand, pensive, and Nita ticked through the to-do list items on her plans, trying to see if she’d missed anything, trying to plot where things could go wrong.
When the knock finally came, Fabricio nearly jumped out of his skin. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, his breathing harsh and frightened.
Nita felt a moment of pity for him. She recognized that terror. It was a feeling she knew well.
Before she could think through her action, she put her hand on Fabricio’s shoulder. “We got this.”
He stared at her, breathing slowing, and he gave her a slight smile. “Nita, you’re trying to comfort me again. Careful, I might think you have a heart.”
She scowled and jerked her hand away.
Then she went to the door and opened it.
A man in his early fifties stood at the entranceway checking his phone. His gray hair was smoothed back from his face with a bit of gel, and he was clean shaven with cold brown eyes and lightly tanned skin, a little darker than Fabricio. His clothes reeked of money, all of them tailored to fit, and his watch alone probably cost more than the hotel.
He blinked when Nita opened the door, then frowned.
“Ah, I must have the wrong room,” he said, voice deep, his Spanish the same cadence as Fabricio’s.
“No.” Nita smiled, reaching forward, grabbing his hand, and yanking him inside. “You came to the right place.”
Kovit descended the moment he was inside, knife at Alberto’s throat, hand twisting one of the older man’s arms behind his back painfully, voice whispering threats of all the things he’d do. Nita shut the door behind them as Kovit led their prisoner to the chair Almeida had died in yesterday. Alberto was rigid with fear, Adam’s apple bobbing against the knife, and his movements were stiff as he followed Kovit’s directions. He didn’t scream or flail or fight, he just watched and obeyed, all his movements careful and calculated.
They bound him quickly with duct tape while Fabricio watched, frozen, his whole body stiff with terror. His eyes, wide and nervous flicked to his captive father and then away, as though he couldn’t quite face what he was doing. Nita wondered if he was having second thoughts. Too late now.
After Alberto was tied up and gagged, Nita stepped back to examine her work. Not a single hair had shifted out of place, and his shirt was barely rumpled from Kovit’s twisting his arm. His eyes were furious, flicking between Nita and Kovit before settling on Fabricio. A rage came into his gaze, a fury like Nita had rarely seen. There was pure hatred in those eyes, and Nita wholeheartedly believed that if this man got out, the things he would do to Fabricio were more horrible than even Kovit could imagine.
But he wouldn’t be getting out.
Nita turned to Alberto and smiled. “I’m sorry for the subterfuge, but this was the only sure way to request a meeting with you. I have some questions, you see.”
He made a sound of rage through his duct tape gag, and Nita nodded. “Yes, I know the gag is annoying. Don’t worry, I’ll take it off shortly. It will be hard for you to answer questions with it on, I’m sure. Be patient. I just want to establish what’s going to happen today first. Some ground rules, if you will.”
Sweat beaded on Alberto’s reddening face, and he glared silently.
“Now.” Nita gestured for Kovit to come forward. “Perhaps you’ve seen the news? A new zannie added to the Dangerous Unnaturals List?”
Alberto’s eyes widened in recognition, and Nita could almost see his mind matching Kovit’s face with the