Chapter 262

Marvin “That’s your guy!” I pointed out. “Danny Hernandez.”

It hadn’t even been a few days, and I had already found myself at the DEA office. The freedom was short- lived, and it was time to get to work.

I looked in the eyes of agent Clover. The man who was out to make my life miserable.

Someone had to get the blame for the murder of agent Maddens, and it was not going to be Santiago. Picking a fight and a possible war with the Hernandez was not on my to-do list, but I was just strictly following orders and doing what my dad told me to.

It was as clear as a day that Santiago felt stressed and had been taking it out on all of us. He was worried about the wedding and nervous about my decision to work with the DEA, and most of all, he was anxious about my return.

My dad made it obvious that I was more valuable than Santiago, and he couldn’t take it. Santiago was a sweet guy, but it wasn’t the first time something like jealousy got the best out of him.

“See, help me understand.” Agent Clover sighed as he tapped his finger on the computer. “We have already ruled you out because you couldn’t have fired the shot-but surprisingly enough, there is this strange gap between the time you arrived at the scene and the time you hid behind the van.” He concluded. “So please, tell me.”

“What do you think happened with that three-minute footage?”

I tapped my index finger on my chin and squinted my eyes as I went into deep thoughts. “That’s an excellent question, sir.” I played along. “You know who you remind me of? My old doctor, Dr.

Lennings.”

“How come?” Agent Clover asked. This man was getting on my last nerves. “That’s a funny story,” I smirked as I crossed my legs. “I went to the doctor’s because I had this weird back pain. I told him my symptoms, and this man asked me to diagnose myself.”

I laughed at the old memories and shot agent Clover a questioning look. “You know what I told him?” I continued. “I said: Doctor, do you really want me to tell you how to do your job?”

Agent Clover rolled his eyes and folded his arms while he waited for me to continue. “The doctor said: You’re absolutely right Marvin, what kind of doctor would that make me?”

“What do you mean by that?” Clover snarled back. “Are you saying I’m bad at doing my job?”

Was it really that difficult to understand?

“I mean that it’s your job and not mine.” I made myself clear. “You asked me who I was protecting behind that van, and I gave you a name, Danny Hernandez.”

“Take the name, go after the real bad guys, and stop worrying about some missing camera footage because this is what these people do!”

“I hear you.” Clover chuckled. “You know, you’re right. It is my job to get to the bottom of this, and the footage is showing me, Danny Hernandez, so I’ll go after him first.”

“Good.”

“Fine,” Clover spoke. “One of our own got suspended because he couldn’t accept the fact that we have decided to let you out, and that guy was Maddens partner.” He explained. “So you have to help us out, so we can all move past this.”

“And I am!” I told Clover. “I gave you the name Danny Hernandez, and now it’s time for you to lock him up!”

“Yes,” Clover murmured. “In the meantime, you and your family can continue with that ‘liquor business of yours.”

I laughed at Clover’s sarcastic tone and gave him a nod of acknowledgment. “You can find the Castillo brand and our liquor in every supermarket. As crazy as it might sound, we’re not the ones you’re looking for.” I shrugged my shoulders.

We all knew it was a lie, but it was still a funny thing to let them believe that we had actually earned all of our money from selling liquor. Some were stupid enough to accept it and others, like Clover, were not. “I believe you are finished for today.” Agent Clover spoke. “Danny Hernandez won’t be seeing any daylight for much longer.”

“Good,” I replied. “That’s what he deserves. All we want to do is help you catch the bad guys, and I’m glad we could all agree that I was at the wrong place at the wrong time and was just trying to help out a friend.” I got up from the chair and fixed my suit “You know,” Clover looked at me. “You never told me the cause of your back pain. What did the doctor say?”

This man was so nosy. It wasn’t even funny anymore. I shot him an annoyed look while I prepared myself to give him the answer he was waiting for.

“He told me it’s most likely due to carrying the entire family on my back.”

I turned around and raised my hand as Clover scoffed at my reply. “Idiot!” He called after me as I walked through the door and laughed at his reaction. All of that laughter had disappeared when all the agents glared at me as if they wanted me dead.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m one of you now. I’m like your lost cousin.” I smirked at them. I knew half of them weren’t buying our shit and disliked us for our cartel ties and whether I had killed Maddens or not, they believed that someone like me belonged in prison.

They disagreed with Clover and were not willing to spare the Castillo’s to get the Hernandez. “Okay then.”

I ignored the cold looks and walked past them, so I could make my way outside, where Panther was already waiting for me. “Already done with your little lunch date, rodent?” He teased me as I made my way to the car.

If there was one thing I had learned to ignore, it had to be Panther’s comments. He was disrespectful, rude and most of the time, he didn’t even notice it. “They’re going after Danny.”

I got into the car and gave Panther the go to get the hell out of here. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to see me near this place. “How about we pay him a visit before he gets locked up?”

Panther snickered.

“He invited us to a lounge, told us to come right now.” He informed me. “Some welcome home event for you.

Welcome home event? The guy had been planning his own farewell party, but he only hadn’t noticed it yet.

“He has alcohol, music, hoes-”

“Hoes?”

“Yes?”

“Panther, Panther, Panther.” I shook my head in disapproval. “Four years have passed, and you still don’t know how to treat a woman.”

“No, I’m serious,” Panther clarified. “Misty is also there. She heard about your release, and she…

well, she’s a hoe.

Just the name of that woman was enough to make me jump out of that car. Misty was my annoying ex and had even been my fiancée at one point. She was one of those annoying exes who I just couldn’t ignore.

She was valuable at that time because her dad was one of our most influential investors, but after I got locked up, she cheated on me with every breathing soul, so I had decided to call off the engagement, only for her to beg on her knees to take her back.

I was serious. That was not a joke. Poor Stanfield had to drag her out while she made a scene and went on her knees to beg me for a second chance.

“Maybe we should go.” I changed my mind. If Misty was there, she was there for a reason, and I needed to know why. I needed to know where she even got the nerve from.

“If that’s what you want.” Panther smiled. Hearing Danny had thrown me a party added to my guilt. I was about to drag this guy to prison for something he didn’t do, while he was kind enough to throw me a party.

“I still have my doubts,” I told Panther. “I mean, Danny is not like his dad. He’s a good guy, and we’re betraying him for what?”

“For Tiago.” Panther shrugged. “Although I have to admit, throwing Tiago in jail doesn’t sound that bad either.”

“Panther!” I raised my voice at him. Out of everyone, he was the last person I had expected to say something like that, and he was starting to look an awful lot like my dad. He knew how much Tiago meant to me.

“What?” Panther chuckled. “I’m not wrong, am I?”

“Have you seen the way he looked at you? Has he even contacted you these past days?”

I ignored Panther’s words and turned my head to look out the window. “He’s been busy with the wedding.

You know that.”

Even though it hurt to admit it, he was right. Tiago had made it clear that he didn’t want me around.

“Tiago will end up being a problem. He’s an ungrateful ass who doesn’t realize half of the shit you’ve been doing to keep him safe!” Panther hissed..

“He’s still young. I defended Tiago. I would always protect him, even if I had to do it with my last breath. Tiago wasn’t a monster, but Mario Castillo had hurt him way too many times. That was the only explanation for his behavior.

“He’s a grown man.” Panther tried to get through to me. “He’s not the same kid you left behind. He’s twenty-one.”

“Then what do you want me to do!” I lost my patience. I could not understand how my speaking out about my frustrations ended up with Panther’s endless complaints about Tiago.

“Nothing, you’re the boss,” Panther told me. “I’m just giving you my opinion on the matter, and that’s all.”

“Well, don’t give me your opinion unless I ask for it.”

“Fine,” Panther chuckled. “Back to the important stuff. Do you want me to take a turn so we can go to this party or not?”

I wasn’t interested in whatever Danny had planned until I heard Misty was going to be there.

Besides that, I could see it as a final get-together to make up for the betrayal.

“Take the turn. Let’s pay Danny a final visit.