Secrets In The Shadows

Prologue

Manuel Perez extended his hand. "Here you go. The money for the hash. What's the next job?" He ignored the sweat on the back of his neck.

The other man towered over him, his wide-open shirt showing the tattoos across his chest. His empty black eyes were unnerving, and Manuel didn't want to cross a man who could be impulsive and dangerous. "Shifting ten tons of hash as soon as possible, and discreetly. The Civil Guard's watching. Or have you not noticed?"

Manuel nodded, his eyes roaming the stacked boxes of drugs in the dingy warehouse, including a surplus of hash and methamphetamine. On the floor stood open boxes of weapons and ammunition. A few of the creep's cronies stood on either side of him, holding semi-automatic pistols, their expressions stern. His hair stood on end, and his legs felt unsteady on the uneven, dusty floor. If only he could get his hands on some of those guns, but he had to play it smart. "Of course. I can liaise with the usual team, can't I?"

The big man laughed, throwing his head back. "I've made arrangements for them to focus on more important matters." The man scanned him from top to bottom, "Is there a reason you can't work on your own? You've been out of prison for a few months, and I assume you established contacts on the inside." Manuel nodded, masking his unease. "My sources tell me you have made friends with a man named Tomas." His eye twitched. "He also explained that you have a brother who is a police officer."

Oh, no! Manuel was crazy stupid to have trusted Tomas in prison. He had promised not to say anything about his brother. It was a stupid slip of the tongue. "He's a former police officer and is not in my life anymore. He left the city because the bastard didn't approve of my lifestyle. I have no idea where he is. You see, I have no ties, no family. I'm on my own." He wasn't lying about that, but he had hoped to reconnect with his brother once all this crap was over.

The man broke into his thoughts. "I want you to kill Tomas once you've shifted the product. He's become a liability and might be talking to the police." Manuel's hands shook, but he steadied them by focusing on his performance. That wasn't part of the plan. He couldn't kill anyone. But was it possible they could fake his death?

"Okay," he lied. Manuel's spine prickled, and he wondered if the man knew what he was truly doing. He had realised back in prison how he wanted to make a new start for himself. He had done a lot of crazy, illegal things in his life, but he had never killed anyone and didn't intend to start now.

"After you've shifted the goods, I want you to take my team with you. Make sure it's done properly with Tomas. We want his body disposed of in the usual way." Manuel realised how sorry he was for letting down his family. He missed his parents and brother, and wondered if it was too late to make amends.

"Now get out of here and do your job."

Manuel nodded, his heart racing a mile a minute. "Of course, boss."