“Paranoid. Those guys in black came back and they left a letter.”
I stood up quickly “They what!” I hissed under my breath. “Hold on. I’m going outside.” I snuck out of my room in the backyard.
“Yeah. I got a ransom note for a hundred thou’ in forty-eight hours,” he told me.
“I don’t understand. Why the hell would they do that?” I threw my hand up to the sky in disbelief.
“Our guess is they are using it to start a brothel. I gotta get the boys involved now.”
“Oh my God. This is bad, isn’t it?” I clutched my forehead and my breath started to pick up in pace.
“I mean, yeah. The note was signed by Las Balas. So either your brother is involved or he has no idea. Which is it, Misty?”
“Diego. Palo wouldn’t do this. Give me some time to get the names. I’m telling you. They are not even on the club page.”
“I don’t exactly know that. All I know is we got serious beef and I’m putting security in place. May not be a good idea to see one another until this blows over. I gotta deal with this.”
My stomach somersaulted as I thought about my involvement.
“I swear to you, baby. Palo is a good guy.”
I nearly jumped right out of my skin. Palo was behind me and had snuck up without me knowing.
“I fucking take it back. You sneaking up on me, now estúpido!” I pushed him in the chest to his surprise. He caught my hand and turned my wrist a little. “Palo, let go!” I hung up the phone quickly.
“Why are you so jumpy lately? What aren’t you telling me, Misty?” Palo’s eyes burned straight through me and we were inches from one another. I wondered if he could smell the fear in me. I stepped aside from him and he dropped my arm.
“Move, Palo! Don’t eavesdrop on my conversations!”
He watched me storm past him and back into the house.
“It’s my house. I will do whatever I want,” he yelled as I slammed the door. I waited for him to follow me, but I didn’t hear his footsteps.
I went into my room and put on my sneakers. I wanted to ride out so I could clear my head and see how to clear my knucklehead brother's name. I came out of the room steaming with anger, but I had forgotten my car keys, so I swung around and went back into my room.
“What the hell is going on with you, Misty?” He stepped in front of me on the way out.
“You are overbearing, that’s what’s wrong. I need some air and it's time for me to get out.”
“I know you’re still seeing him. My sources saw you,” Palo said in an eerily calm voice. I stopped. My hair had flown all around my face. Does he know about the ransom note? Could my brother have done it?
“Okay. Let me call your bluff, big brother. Who told you? How do you know?”
“I have eyes and ears all over Merced. We are Las Balas. I make it my business to know.” He gave me a sinister smile as his eyes hooded over.
“Palo, tell me you’re not involved in any criminal activity with Las Balas,” I said with a deathly tone.
“What? We got rid of all the criminals. I told you I’m cleaning up the chapter.” He looked at me weirdly.
“Tell me who they were, Palo. Those two guys. I wanna know their names. Tell me! I demand that you tell me now!” I slammed my flat palm on the kitchen bench. Palo looked me over without blinking.
“I ran them out of town, therefore you don’t need to know. Besides, what the fuck are you gonna do?” he threatened, his eyes full of misplaced anger.
“Yes, I do need to know and a lot can be done.” I pinched my fingers together in front of his face.
“Why? I told you I handled it and what – you don’t believe me?” he spat out, his eyes glowing with rage.
I twisted up my lips and pierced him with my eyes. “Yep, just like you believe me about Diego, right?”
