inches. Was this Escalantiâs man? The promised contact who would take them to the barrels of chemicals Dryer wanted so desperately?
âDid you get a name?â
âPablo Nota. When he asked about the flatbed, I asked if heâd ever driven and he basically told me to shut up.â
âWhy didnât you call me?â
âBecause the weather is crappy and I knew youâd be home soon. I didnât want you answering the phone when you were driving.â Mia had her arms folded, shivering in her polar fleece jacket.
Selena didnât know if she should be happy or terrified at Notaâs visit. If this man was one of the gang members, then they didnât know about the shooting and they might still take them to the supplies of chemicals. Then this entire nightmare might be over. But how it might end frightened her right down to the bone.
She slipped a hand into her pocket to phone Gabe.
Mia stood in the snow, watching her older sister.
âWhatâs going on?â asked Mia.
Should she tell her? Selena just wanted to protect Mia, but she didnât know if the best way to do that was to tell her or not tell her.
âIs he coming back?â asked Selena.
âAny minute. Dad told him when you finish your route.â
Selena wondered if Gabe could really catch them or if, by involving him, she had just signed his death warrant along with her familyâs.
âYou want me to stay?â asked Mia.
No she wanted Mia as far away from here as possible. Selena was tempted to tell her sister to pick up Tomas and their mother and drive as fast and as far as she could.
Selena met Miaâs worried stare. âNo. You go on.â
âYou know something, Leenie. Tell me.â
She shook her head. âI canât.â
Mia glanced at the house. âThen be careful and you tell me if I can help.â
Mia lunged forward, hugging Selena tight.
âBe careful,â she whispered and kissed Selenaâs cheek. Then Mia climbed into her truck, gave Selena a long look and then backed out of the drive. Selena hadnât even reached the front steps when her father opened the front door to greet her. The gash on his head had scabbed, but beneath it was an ugly purple lump.
âMia tell you?â
She nodded and he stepped back, allowing her past. Then he closed the door behind her.
âIt was Escalantiâs guy,â he said. âThe lab needs regular transport. Two or three barrels a week to keep up production, or they might move the whole load with our flatbed, but thatâs more dangerous because if we are stopped they lose it all. They could also use our big rig to move the meth lab, though he didnât suggest that. Makes no difference because we wonât be moving any of it. With luck weâll know where theyâre hiding it this afternoon and we can end this. Thatâs assuming that your hotshot chief of police doesnât get us all killed before then. As I see it, Escalanti has more men in his gang than Cosen has on the force.â
Selenaâs skin tingled as if tiny creatures walked over her skin. She tried and failed to suppress a shudder.
âGabe said heâd take care of us.â
Her father laughed. âIâve been taken care of by him once already. That boy is taking care of himself and his career. Heâs hot as a pistol, that one. Heâd be the next governor if he wasnât Apache. Only man Iâve ever seen rise quicker is his older brother, our future tribal council chairman. Man, Iâd like to see them stumble just once.â
But Gabe had stumbled, she realized. Last night with her, just as he had when heâd asked for her hand.
Selena felt trapped. She glanced toward the road, thinking of Gabe. Wishing...
Her fatherâs voice broke into her thoughts.
âYou know itâs over between you two, right?â
Her heart squeezed and a cry of denial stuck in her throat. But she knew the