Free Blurring the Line by Kierney Scott Page A

“When did you get this?” Once a hit was ordered, it was carried out within hours. Torres was being taunted, that was what Los Treintas did, it added another layer of terror. They always sent the photo to the family.
    “About an hour ago. I tried calling.”
    Torres pinched his nose between his thumb and his forefinger. “Shit,” he said to no one in particular. He sat down on the couch and laid the photo on the coffee table beside his phone, scrutinising every detail.
    “I’m sorry.”
    Torres could hear Flores speaking but he didn’t know what he was saying. He needed to think. And he could not do that with Flores breathing down his neck.
    Torres stood up suddenly. “Thanks for telling me.” He put a hand on Flores’ shoulder and guided him to the door. The look on the man’s face indicated he was confused by Torres’ sudden change in demeanour. “I need to think,” Torres said by way of explanation, which was the truth.
    Flores nodded.
    Torres shut the door behind him and locked it. He turned and slid down to the floor, his back hard against the door. “Shit,” he said again.
    What was he going to do? Christ, she could already be dead by now. He shook his head when he realised that that would actually be the easiest solution. It was self-preservation, better her than him. He couldn’t die yet, not with Martinez still breathing. For whatever reason El Escorpion had ordered a hit on Beth but not on Torres. He was sending a message to him. Apparently he thought Beth was the way to hurt him.
    Torres almost laughed at the thought. He barely knew her. He had no loyalties to her. He had seen hundreds of people die, in Iraq, and just as many die since he got home. Her death would not even register to him. And that fact made him cold. At what point did he become the dragon instead of the slayer?
    He shook his head again. All these thoughts were too deep for him; he didn’t have the luxury of giving a shit any more. He didn’t owe her anything. His only loyalty was to Moses Archila. He would find the man who killed him. Nothing else mattered. Yes there would be casualities, but there always were. He could not mourn for every soldier lost along the way…or every agent.
    If he warned Beth, she would be taken into protective custody, as would he, for his own sake. And then Javier Martinez would get away.
    There was really only one choice so he would not let himself overthink it or second-guess himself. He would do what needed to be done. He always did.

Chapter Four
    Beth entered the eleven digits of her sister’s cell phone number but hung up before the call went through and returned the phone to the cradle. Paige would be in the library studying or at the clinic. Beth shouldn’t bother her, not so close to finals. God knew she would be up to her eyeballs with only a trimester left before graduation. But that wasn’t the real reason Beth couldn’t make the call; she just didn’t want to know. If she could put off making the call forever, she would. If it would keep her mom the same strong vibrant woman, she would never make or receive another phone call for the rest of her life.
    Beth chewed on the pad of her thumb as she tried to decide what to do. She couldn’t actually pretend nothing was wrong, as much as she desperately wanted to; it wasn’t fair to her mom and it wasn’t fair to Paige. Her sister had borne the brunt of it, mostly because Paige still lived in Sacramento, but also because Paige seemed to be able to handle it. Paige faced everything head on. There was no hiding or pretending for her. Beth should be more like that. Was April too late for a New Year’s resolution?
    Beth picked up the phone and dialled the number before she could talk herself out of it.
    “I was wondering when you would call,” her sister said when she picked up the phone. Even across a thousand miles, Beth could see the cheery smile on her sister’s face.
    “Are you busy? If you’re busy I can call back