Tony: Alvarez Security Series (22 page)

*

“Guys, I know
I’m no help, but honestly I didn’t see anything,” Sherrie said, leaning back on the sofa with Tony’s arm draped around her. Wearing pink pajamas and a pink flannel robe, she felt self-conscious. But Tony had insisted she be ready for bed as soon as the group meeting was over. She fingered her sling, feeling useless and angry at herself for being a victim.

Shane, taking notes, just nodded as he prodded, “Anything you give us, even tiny details, can help.”

Sucking in a deep breath through her nose and letting it out slowly to clear her mind, she agreed. Tony had wanted her to take more pain medicine this morning when they woke up, but knowing that their friends were coming she had refused. At least until she could give her statement.

Matt and Shane were there officially, but had been joined by the Alvarez inner circle of BJ, Lily, Gabe, Jobe, and Vinny. Sherrie looked around, thinking how far her life had come in the past year. From being virtually alone to having good friends who cared…she sat up straighter, determined to give a good accounting of herself.

“When I visited Betina at her stepfather’s store…actually I need to make sure to call him Mr. Valesquez because he’s not her legal stepfather. When I visited Mr. Valesquez’s store, everything seemed fine, although I got a strange vibe from everyone. As though they didn’t want me there.”

“Since you actually represent the court system as her CASA worker, do you think that vibe was just a distrust of your position?” Matt asked.

“Maybe,” she said slowly, “but…you know when you just get a weird feeling about something? That was how I felt.” Looking around, she admitted, “I guess that’s sounds very flimsy, doesn’t it?”

“Not at all. Those feelings of instinct are what make a good detective,” Shane added. “So what gave you some of those feelings? What did you see? You can even just list things, if that makes it easier.”

Sherrie closed her eyes and let her mind drift back to the previous day. “I noticed that a lot of the workers there were teens and some looked to be young teens. I noticed that some kids from Betina’s school that she had said could get some food at the store, were there talking to Mr. Valesquez and he was giving them bags. I noticed that the ones running the butcher shop carvers were young boys, not men. I noticed that no one smiled at me. One of the women that was there would stare, but then when I would turn toward her, she would dart her eyes away.” Opening her eyes, Sherrie blushed, saying, “I guess that’s not much to go on, but when I left I decided to drive by a couple other business that he runs.”

“Why?” Matt said, still jotting on his pad.

“I…it’s just that…Betina doesn’t seem happy. Not at home and not at work. Her teachers say that she is smart and artistic, and that while she is quiet, she also befriends the loners. I just wanted to know more about her and since Mr. Valesquez is a big part of her life since he lives with her mother, I wanted to know more about him.”

After describing the encounter and threat in detail one more time, she was showing more signs of exhaustion.

“So you don’t trust Valesquez, right?” Vinny asked, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees.

“I really don’t. After years of dealing with the kind of people Charisse was involved with, I developed a sense about who might be untrustworthy. So I wanted to see if his other businesses hired a lot of teens and what those businesses looked like.” She leaned back into Tony’s embrace.

Before Tony could comfort her, she jerked forward again, wincing at the pain in her shoulder but ignoring it.

“I’ve seen the underbelly of this city. I’ve been there. I may have been in a normal family at birth but once my parents died, I knew what it was like to be at the mercy of others. Some great foster families and some not so great. I know what it’s like to do anything and everything you can to keep peace in a family that you don’t really belong to. I know what it’s like to go into alleys, bars, or cheap motels to drag out my drunk, high sister out of trouble. And I’ve looked into the eyes of the ones that were pulling her under. I worked as a waitress in a strip bar, dealing with scum. I can look at someone and tell if they are lying, cheating, or just plain mean. And I’ve seen evil, even when it is hiding under layers of normal.”

The group watched, mesmerized, as her chest heaved with exertion and her face a mask of pain. Reaching around to try to ease her shoulder, she slumped as the fight went out of her. “I can’t give you a viable reason as to why I don’t trust Hernando Valesquez, but I don’t.”

“Darlin’, that’s enough for me. I trust your instincts,” Shane added, as Matt flipped his notebook shut.

Lily, quiet during the questioning spoke up, “BJ and I’ll start a background check on him and his businesses and see what we can dig up.”

Matt winked at his wife as the meeting broke up. Leaving Sherrie comfortably reclined on the sofa, Tony walked the group outside.

“We’ll push the party back a week and give her a chance to heal more,” he said. The others quickly agreed and promised to come. “I want to thank you all,” he said haltingly, the emotion of having caring friends overtaking him.
How many times have I sat at meetings just like this when one of their women was threatened, without realizing how overwhelmed they were?
He rubbed his hand over his jaw, feeling the stubble, before pulling his hand through his dark hair, making the waves stick up.

The men nodded, understanding the emotions behind the words, and knowing he had been there for them.

Matt and Shane left in their vehicle, leaving Tony with his crew. Jennifer slid her arms around him, hugging him while Gabe clapped him on the back. “You know we’re here for you and Sherrie. You need us, just call.”

Jobe moved in next. “Captain, we got your back, and I mean both of you.” Turning toward his truck, he stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Tony, no one deserves that good woman more than you. Happy for you, man.”

Tony just nodded, not trusting his voice. His gaze wandered over to Vinny, the only one left in the driveway.

Vinny pulled him in for a man-hug complete with slaps on the back before admitting, “Never thought you’d fall in love again, Tony. Not that I didn’t want you happy, ’cause I did. But seeing you with Sherrie…well, you both deserve to be happy with each other.”

Tony chuckled, saying, “Don’t tell me the great Vincent is going to break hearts all over Richland by looking for love?”

Throwing his blond head back, Vinny laughed. “You got no worries on that score, boss. There is still plenty of Vinny to go around. Haven’t found the woman yet who can make me want to give up my ways.” With that parting shot he left as well, leaving Tony standing in the driveway.

As he turned to head back into the house, a voice came from behind.

“Lot of activity goin’ on over here.”

Tony saw Bernard walking over from his yard. “Yes, sir. Sherrie had a little accident and our friends were just checking on her.”

Bernard’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “She okay? You all need anything?”

Tony smiled at the older man’s concern. “Nah, we’re good.” He started to move back toward the porch steps, then called to Bernard’s retreating back. “Bernard?” The older neighbor turned back around. “If you don’t mind, keep an eye on Sherrie’s place here. I don’t expect anything, but just in case.”

Bernard smiled and admitted, “Always do, son. I always do.”

Tony acknowledged with a nod and jogged back into the living room. Sherrie had slid sideways on the sofa, her pain medication finally taking effect. He picked her up carefully, carrying her up the stairs to her bed. Lying her down gently, he once again pulled the covers over her. Stepping back, he finally allowed the emotions of the past twelve hours to sink in.
Too fuckin close. I was too fuckin’ close to losing her. That’s not happening,
he vowed.
Whether she was in the wrong place at the wrong time or someone specifically after her. Not happening.

*

The next day,
Sherrie had had enough of laying around and was glad when Tony went to work, even if he had declared that he was coming home early. Running the tub full of bubbles, she sank into the warm, scented water and tried to take her mind off of the past day’s events.

But the pull of her assault was too strong as she became pissed again.
Focus, Sherrie. Focus. Was there anything that tied it to Valesquez?

No. The man didn’t mention Betina, or Valesquez, or anyone. Could I have just stumbled into the wrong place at the wrong time?

Determined to take her mind off of her trauma, she popped in her ear buds and finally allowed the soft music to soothe her soul as the warm water soothed her body.

*

That morning, Tony
asked Lily and BJ what they had found on Hernando Valesquez.

Lily’s face openly showed her defeat as BJ growled, “So far nothing. He runs an ethnic grocery store, a convenience store a few blocks away, and has three laundry businesses. He pays his taxes, none of his employees have ever filed a complaint, and his bank accounts look like they have the normal deposits that you would expect to find with his businesses.”

Lily continued, “The businesses are all very successful, but that doesn’t show criminal activity either.”

“Do you think that this might not be connected to him at all?” Vinny asked.

Tony sighed, the effects of two nights with little sleep starting to show. “I don’t know. I don’t want to assume that Sherrie has gotten herself unwittingly in the middle of something but, sure as hell don’t want to ignore her instincts.”

“We’ll keep after it, boss,” Lily vowed.

The meeting quickly ended after the assignments were handed out and Tony headed back to his office. He finished a few items that needed attention before driving back to Sherrie’s. She was determined to get through the day without pain medication and he wanted to make sure she was all right.

Letting himself into the house, he called out but received no answer.
She must be asleep.
Heading up the stairs, he found her in the bathtub, soaking in bubbles with headphones on. The memory of weeks earlier in the cabin when he saw her just like this washed over him. His dick jumped at the sight of her naked body, breasts peeking through the bubbles.

She opened her eyes and her smile lit his world.

Pulling the earbuds out, she softly called, “Hey, sweetie.”

He walked over and knelt by the tub. The bruising around her mouth was faint, but the idea of some man with his hands on her nearly choked him with anger. Tamping down the fury, he forced his voice to sound as normal as possible. “You ready to get out, baby? I’ll help you.”

Placing his hands under her carefully, he stood pulling her warm, wet, naked body from the tub. Trying to tell his aching cock to behave, he placed her gently on the floor being careful of her shoulder as he wrapped her in a huge towel.

She glanced down at his crotch before lifting her gaze back to his. “Got something for me, sailor?” she joked.

“Baby, don’t get any ideas. You’re not ready for anything strenuous and you know it,” he admonished.

Pouting, she whined, “Sweetie, I can just lay there and you can do whatever you want. I don’t have to do anything to hurt my shoulder. And Tony…” she purred as her hand reached out to press against his swollen cock. “It would take my mind off of things.”