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pocket and called her mother.
    “Hi, sweetheart,” Josie answered, obviously seeing that it was Tori by the caller ID.
    “Hi, Mom.” Tori took a deep breath and let it out. “I was coming to see you, but when I got to Bisbee—” She swallowed. “I saw a man being murdered. The men who killed him are after me.”
    “Dios mio!” Josie exclaimed. “Where are you? Are you safe?”
    “I’m with federal agents.” Tori gripped the phone tighter. “They’ll make sure I’m safe. They’re also going to send someone to watch out for you now. They’ll park in front of your house and keep an eye out.”
    “You think these men will come after your father and me?” Josie had an edge of panic to her voice.
    “It’s a precaution.” Tori closed her eyes. “These are some very bad men, and if they find out where you are, they might hurt you to get to me. I’m so sorry.”
    “You have nothing to be sorry for, mija .” Josie spoke in her firm no-nonsense tone. “We will be careful, and the police will keep us safe.”
    Josie was doing a good job of putting up a brave front for Tori’s benefit. “Are you certain you are safe?” Josie asked.
    “I’m with an agent now, and I’ll be taken to a safe house.” Tori swallowed. “So yes, I will be fine.”
    “Good.” Josie sounded a little relieved, but still concerned. “I need to go and get your father now. He’s at St. Elmo’s.”
    Tori felt a lump in her throat. “I’ll tell the agents and they can go get him. You stay in the house, okay?”
    Josie hesitated.
    “Please, Mom.” Tori closed her eyes. “I need to know you’re safe.”
    “All right. The agents can get him.” Josie paused. “But tell them to hurry.”
    “Thank you.” It was hard to swallow as full as her throat felt. “I love you, Mom.”
    “I love you, too, mija. ” Josie’s voice was gentle. “Be careful and call when you can.”
    “I will.” Tori disconnected the call and opened her eyes.
    “Where’s your father?” Landon asked, obviously having heard her part of the conversation.
    She stuffed her phone in her pocket and told him where her father was at this moment, and that her mother agreed to stay in the house.
    Landon dialed a number on his phone and she heard him give the information to someone on the other end.
    When he’d finished and pressed the end button, he looked at Tori. “They’ll be fine. We’ll get to them before anyone figures out who they are.”
    “Okay.” Her voice sounded small, even to herself, as she shifted so that she was fully inside the truck, and he closed the passenger side door.
    It wasn’t much longer before a black SUV pulled up beside them. Landon got out and went to the vehicle where he spoke with someone through the lowered window.
    Landon returned and climbed into the driver’s seat and shut the door behind him. “We’re going to get you to a safe house now.” He looked at her. “Turn your cell phone off and take out the battery, just in case they have the connections to find a way to track you using it.”
    She dug the phone out of her pocket and powered it down before taking out the battery.
    He eyed her squarely. “Hand them to me.”
    She hesitated then handed him her phone and the battery, and he stuck it in his own pocket.
    Everything felt so surreal, like it was happening to anyone but her. Even this small action made her feel like none of this was real.
    Landon buzzed down his window and she heard him give the agents on protective detail the signal that they were ready to go. Landon buzzed the window up again before starting the SUV.

CHAPTER 4

    Diego Montego Jimenez watched his granddaughter as she studied the chessboard. The girl’s forehead furrowed in concentration, her long dark hair spilling over her shoulders and her cheeks as she analyzed the game. Diego knew she was planning multiple moves ahead. Angelina was exceptionally intelligent, just as her mother had been.
    He held back a scowl at the thought of his