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Chapter 1
Lela Cabelo leaned against the window of her upper-level apartment in downtown Houston. She placed her palms on the glass. It would be the last time she’d see the city for a while. Her life was about to change in a major way.
She’d lived in Houston her entire life, and came from a large family. Leaving those she loved was going to be the toughest part. And she couldn’t tell anyone where she was going, or give a contact number.
It was eerie. One day, she’d been one of many paralegals working for the law firm of Raimundo M. Ortiz, a prestigious employer, and the next day her whole world had changed. Accustomed to the daily routine, she hadn’t expected to make a shocking discovery—but she had.
State Senator Raimundo M. Ortiz was dirty. Most of the year, he dealt with matters at his office, including representing a few high-profile clients. On the surface, it was an admirable career. Yet the senator had been fattening his bank accounts illegally.
Lela gazed longingly at the city below. Houston was her home, where she belonged. The Metro ran through the central business district, where she lived and worked. At street level, a train sped by, and she wished she was on it—going anywhere but where she was actually going.
The sight of early morning activity only made the ache in her gut worse, so Lela turned away. The apartment was quiet and empty. It was as though she’d already left, and mentally she had. Yet her emotions were tied to home.
Resisting this turn of events had done no good. Lela was scheduled to testify against the senator, a man she’d formerly admired. The prospect still made her sick to her stomach. Her life was in danger, and although she might have been expendable, her testimony wasn’t.
The only consolation was that the trial was just a few months away. Lela had attempted to divert fate by assuring the feds that she was safe. If no one had come after her so far, then hiding her away wasn’t necessary. She could take care of herself.
That last part was true. But those with power over her had refused to be persuaded.
Lela flopped onto her sofa, leaned back against the cushion, and closed her eyes. This situation was untenable. There was no painless way to step away from her life, even for a while. Yet she didn’t regret turning the senator in for his misdeeds.
She opened her eyes, prepared to face an unknown destiny. No stranger to dangerous situations, she accepted that the next months would be unpredictable. It was the sacrifice she had to make. The moment she’d turned over evidence, she’d committed to the outcome.
Lela had packed the night before, and her baggage sat on the hardwood floor in front of her. She kicked her suitcase, but it didn’t budge. Her foot stung, providing no satisfaction for her act of rebellion. Fighting this was futile. She stood up for a last look around. If all went well, her apartment would still be here when she returned. But there wasn’t much hope to be gleaned from that.
It was anyone’s guess what would transpire between today and a court date that seemed too far in the future for comfort. Lela lifted her satchel and draped the strap over her shoulder, then grabbed the handle of her suitcase to roll it out. She was smart enough not to carry a purse. Transporting her items in the drab pack would attract less attention.
Lela had tried to think of everything, yet it was difficult to know what to take for so long a period. She’d been assured that her needs would be provided for, but it wasn’t her nature to blindly trust. And it was the feds she was expected to rely on.
Why didn’t that make her feel secure?
Since Lela wasn’t permitted to take her cell phone, she tossed it onto the granite countertop. Glancing at the clock over the stove, she saw that it was nearly time, so she rolled her suitcase closer to the door. The cover story to her family was that she was away on a business trip, and due to the sensitive nature of the assignment, she wouldn’t be in contact for a couple of months.
Whether that story was believable, Lela couldn’t say. Her family had accepted it, but her friend Ashlee—not so much. Ash was her best friend, and they worked at the law firm together. Mostly, Lela’s situation was no secret. It had been impossible to hide it from such a close friend.
Yet Ashley didn’t know about the witness protection. She couldn’t. No one could. Lela shuddered. She’d be out of contact with every person she cared about. There was a chance she wouldn’t make it back. Although she didn’t want to be the pessimist, it was only logical that, if she had to be guarded in an undisclosed location, the threat had to be taken seriously.
Lela zipped up her jacket, since autumn mornings could be cool. Her stomach rumbled, but eating would have to wait. Breakfast had consisted of coffee and toast, since a case of nerves had ruined her appetite. When the buzzer sounded, her pulse quickened.
She stepped into the hallway, and the door shut behind her. She didn’t have a key. That was the least of her worries. When she got home, the building manager could let her in. For now, she’d been careful about what she’d taken with her.
New identification and a credit card had been provided, plus Lela had a wad of cash, just in case. She took the elevator to the lobby to find her escorts. The agents had spoken to her several times before, so she was familiar with the guys.
The idea was to appear like friends. During the transport, it was important not to attract attention or raise questions. Leaving so early was part of the plan. Lela was taking a short trip with a couple of buddies. Or so it was supposed to appear to any onlooker.
The two agents sauntered toward her, an effort at appearing casual. Lela stepped out of the elevator to greet them. It was difficult to smile when she was so nervous. But she managed. The guys seemed able to get away with a more somber demeanor. She guessed it was a guy thing, so no one would give that a second thought.
She walked between them, like she knew where she was going. Her suitcase rolled along behind her, making her feel like she was headed on vacation. But that reprieve from anxiety was momentary. Around the corner in a loading zone was an older-model Chevy, but not too old. It was anything but flashy, which was the point.
Lela took the front passenger seat, since that was expected. Her suitcase was loaded into the trunk, but she kept her bag with her. One agent hopped in the driver’s seat, and the other slid into the back. After she buckled in, the car pulled away from the curb. She looked out the window, at the beauty of early morning downtown, admiring the majesty of the skyscrapers.
Lela had misgivings about this trip to the train station. The organizers of this ordeal had opted for the train, as it was low profile, a better choice than the airlines. She shifted in her seat and looked over at Agent Simmons. He hadn’t worn dark wraparound sunglasses, the trademark look for a federal agent. But even in polo shirts, he and the other agent in the back seat still looked like feds. She guessed their weapons were under the casual blazers they wore.
Commuters traveled the highway, not paying attention to the Chevy on the way to the train station. From the back seat, Agent Robertson said, “Traffic isn’t bad this morning. We should be on schedule.”
Simmons and his partner bantered for a bit, about the distance to the train station, the weather, and other innocuous topics. The idea was to appear normal, just friends on their way out of town. The nondescript Chevy fit with that image.
The FBI had chosen this vehicle to transport her. It wouldn’t attract attention like an armored car would have. Lela couldn’t argue with that theory. The goal was to blend in, and traveling by car to a train station was about as innocuous as it got.
