The Spy Of Escondida: The Treasure Of Escondida, #0.5 1y721u

The Spy of Escondida Prequel to The Treasure of Escondida Series

Lottie Morgan

Copyright © 2021 Mixed Bag Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, whether by graphic, visual, electronic, film, microfilm, tape recording, or any other means, without prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief ages embodied in critical reviews and articles. Published by: Mixed Bag Publishing Cedar City, UT 84721

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 About the Author Other Books by this Author

Chapter 1

Martin walked through the castle with as much nonchalance as he could muster. His assistant ushered him along, urging him to move quicker. Martin obliged, but only because he knew his father, King Mateo, would be frustrated that he hadn’t arrived on time. Martin had made a habit out of shirking his princely duties; nobody had expected much out of him when he was younger and he supposed the habit simply stuck when he entered adulthood. The reputation was an easy one to manage. In recent months, however, Martin found himself wanting more. He wanted to be more. So, he sped up, coming alongside his assistant, a young man whose name Martin had a habit of forgetting. They arrived and, upon entering the room, Martin found himself beneath the stare of the king of Escondida. He was a tall man, though in his later years Mateo had become rather plump. Still, the power of his glare was the same, his deep brown eyes burrowing into Martin from beneath his bushy, grey eyebrows. “I’m glad you’ve decided to come, Martin,” the king said, obviously suppressing his frustration for the benefit of the others attending the meeting. “Sorry I’m late,” Martin said, bowing his head slightly, “the time got away from me.” Mateo sighed. “We were discussing the plans for the event this weekend. Thank you for ing us.” “Of course,” Martin hesitated. “And what is the event this weekend?” Mateo’s face grew red with frustration, but before he could speak, Queen Maria interjected. “The ball in your sister’s honor, Martin. Isabella will be graduating this weekend, ?” “Right,” he said. “Why don’t you just continue where you were? I’ll get myself up to speed.” Martin’s father seemed to appreciate it and his mother smiled softly. “Good. Well then, it’s a good thing you’ve come now. I want you to coordinate

security for the party.” “You want me in charge of security?” Martin asked, his eyes wide. “Are you sure?” He thought he detected a hint of uncertainty in the king, but he squared his shoulders and nodded firmly. “Yes. You are my son and my heir. You must start taking on more responsibility, Martin. You will sit on my throne someday. This opportunity will be good for you to start learning how things work around here.” Martin hesitated. He almost objected, but knowing how serious his father felt about this particular topic, he cleared his throat and said, “I understand.” “Good. And son, please understand that I will spare no expense to ensure the security of this event and of our family,” Mateo said, raising an eyebrow. Martin knew what was coming next. “A king can never be too secure. There are those that would like nothing more than to see me dead, to take the throne for themselves.” The king brought a hand up to the golden circlet which lay upon his head. Martin had heard this all before. He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. For some reason or another, his father had long been paranoid of an assassination attempt of some kind. Between that and his protectiveness over kingdom secrets, Mateo had developed a reputation for being overprotective of his family and, most of all, his claim to the throne. As a younger man, Martin suspected it was due to greed for the throne, but now he understood it differently. Mateo simply wanted to protect the kingdom from chaos. “I’ll only put the best people on it, Father,” Martin said, bowing his head slightly. “Thank you, my son. I know you’ll do a good job,” Mateo said, though Martin suspected it was more of a command than a compliment. The meeting went on for some time, and Martin paid as much attention as he could manage on the topics that followed. Though he didn’t add much to the rest of the meeting, his mother and father seemed pleased with his performance by the end. He excused himself after it was over and slipped out of the room, his assistant trailing behind him as he walked hurriedly towards the balcony.

He threw open the doors and the bright, warm sunshine fell upon his face. He breathed the salty air, which drifted in from the ocean surrounding their Mediterrean island nation off the coast of Spain. Even as far in as they were, the ocean water carried its scent which was a reprieve from the stuffy, almost antiseptic, smell of the castle. Sitting at the table on the balcony was his long time friend, troublemaker, and partner in crime, Gael. He was of average height, just like Martin, but he differed in that rather than bearing the brown eyes one might expect from their Spanish ancestry, his eyes popped with a bright blue color. They gave him a wild, unpredictable appearance which was made more mischievous when he smiled. Martin greeted his friend with a handshake and a hug. They sat down and Gael smiled his typical wild smile. “You’re late,” he said. “Do you expect anything different from me?” Martin grinned back. “I expected you not to show up at all. Six months ago, you would have forgotten about me, and I would have tracked you down to some yacht by the dock, partying and flirting with all of the girls. Imagine Martin actually ing a scheduled meeting!” Gael threw his head back and laughed, slapping his knee. Guilt pricked his conscience. Gael wasn’t wrong. A large part of Martin’s reputation, along with his apparent abdication of responsibility, was his tendency to party. But Gael was also right that he had changed. Or at least, he was in the process of changing. “My assistant...” he trailed off, trying to his name. “Diego, Your Highness,” the assistant chimed from behind. To Martin’s surprise, he didn’t have a hint of annoyance in his voice. Strange. “Diego,” Martin continued, “has helped keep me on track. And I would have been exactly on time if I hadn’t just had a terribly long meeting about Isabella’s graduation party this weekend.” “I can’t believe she’s off to university. The party’s going to be a big deal, huh?” “Yep. And my father asked me to coordinate security details for it.” Martin gave Gael a flat stare. “Do I look like the kind of guy who knows anything about

security?” Gael grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but Martin put a hand up and interrupted. “Other than avoiding it or ditching it?” Gael chuckled and then shrugged. “Fair enough. Lucky for you, I actually know someone who would be perfect for the job. And she’s easy on the eyes, which I know you’ll appreciate.” “Is she good? I can’t afford to screw this up.” “She runs a company that coordinates security at high-profile events. I have a friend who used her company for a gala a couple of months ago, and he still raves about her,” Gael pulled out his phone, tapping rapidly, and moments later Martin’s phone chimed in his pocket. “I just sent you her info. Give her a call.” “She’s beautiful and runs a security company, eh?” Martin asked, raising an eyebrow. “Sounds like a perfect fit for me.”

Chapter 2

Lucia hung up the phone , looking over the details she’d written down. The royal family needed security and the prince came calling. She’d almost turned down the offer, but after hearing what sort of money Prince Martin was offering, she’d agreed. Plus, she figured, it would probably be fairly straightforward, meaning lots of money for little work. It wasn’t that Lucia was lazy; far from it. She was, however, practical. And if there was one thing she’d learned, it was to take an offer as good as the one she’d just received. She stood up, stretching, and set her notebook and phone aside. She wiped some sweat from her brow and set her feet, getting back into position. She raised her hands, ready to block an oncoming strike. Her sparring partner was a man with more fighting prowess than almost anybody she knew, except herself of course. He came in quickly, dancing on light feet toward her and threw a punch. She dodged the attack, slapped away another, and swept her feet below, hoping to knock his feet from under him. He saw it coming, and stepped back. Almost as quickly as he jumped away, he was back in, this time trying to sweep her legs out from under her. Lucia feigned a fall and he jumped at her, attempting to pin her. She rolled out of the way, and sprang to her feet before pouncing on his back. After struggling to shove her away, he tapped out with her legs gripping his waist and her arms locking his own in place. They pulled apart, breathing heavily and he smiled, rotating his shoulder gingerly. “Getting old, Dante?” Lucia asked, smiling. “Always,” he said, returning the smile. “But there’s a secret: if you don’t let your student win once in a while, they become too discouraged to learn. It’s important to encourage them by losing from time to time.” “How kind of you,” Lucia said, rolling her eyes. “Sounds like you have a job,” he said, motioning towards her phone and notebook. “I do,” she said, biting her lip. “The client is asking for some heavy duty protection. It sounds like an easy enough job on the surface for my regular crew, but I need to do some digging. I might need to put together a more skilled team

to help out.” It wasn’t something Lucia wanted, but when a client needed extra protection, she could put her feelings aside for a one-time job. Dante chuckled. “Lucia working with a team? That’d be a sight to see.” “Hey, I can work with others. I just don’t always like to. Besides, you know what happened last time.” “Where are you going to find this team?” “I have some s. Perks of being a retired spy.” ... The next day Lucia made her way to the meeting place. After speaking with the prince, she had looked into King Mateo and reached out to a few s. Word on the street was that something was going down at the palace soon. It was clear - she needed a specialized team for this job. She had sent out information and a location to a few highly recommended people, none of whom she knew anything about except their code names and excellent reputations. She found herself standing before a small, broken down building. As far as she could tell, there was nobody else there. She smiled, opening the door. It creaked loudly and she found three individuals sitting at a long table, all of them women. “None of you left any indication this was more than an abandoned building. So that’s a good start. I’m Lucia. My dad calls me Lucy, but I’d better not hear any of you address me that way, got it?” The three ladies nodded, though she noticed a thin smile on one of their faces. She focused on her, trying to make out her features in the shadows. “Does that go for cousins, too?” the woman asked, leaning forward. Lucia recognized her cousin Lara, an expert with any and all weapons, immediately. “Well, if that’s not a coincidence, I don’t know what is. What are you doing here, Lara? I thought you would be dealing with those arms dealers

until next month.” “I was told somebody doing a high profile job needed my eye,” Lara shrugged, black hair rustling on her shoulders. “Here I am. It’s nice to see you, Lucy.” “Rule still applies to cousins, but you knew that,” Lucia said, cracking a smile. She looked at the other two. They sat together, obviously disguised with costumes and heavy make-up. “I appreciate the subterfuge, but if you’re going to me, I need to know your faces. Lose the make-up or beat it.” They looked at one another, then used the scarves around their necks to remove make-up. Lucia recognized one of them almost immediately: Princess Liliana of Escondida. According to the reports Lucia had heard, she was a woman who knew as many languages as Lara did weapons. She raised an eyebrow, which seemed to speak for itself. “No, my family doesn’t know that I’m a spy, and you can call me Lily,” she said. “And they cannot find out. But I insist I your team. It is my family’s security after all, and you won’t find anybody with the kind of access I have to the castle, nor will you find anyone with the ability to gather information like I can.” Lucia’s eyes darted over to the young woman next to Lily. She was a short, thin woman with light brown eyes and hair to match. “This is my personal assistant, and fellow spy, Julia.” “We’re a package deal. Just so you know,” Julia said. Lucia simply nodded, noting that Julia must be the analyst. According to what she had heard, Julia was a whiz at putting together seemingly unconnected pieces of information and making sense of them. If their reputations were anything to hang a hat on, it didn’t really matter who they were. Besides, they both had basic training in combat, weapons and espionage so would be able to hold their own if things got physical. The door behind her creaked open. The other three jumped, but Lucia simply turned and saw her friend, Sofia. She was tall with short hair that bore a different color every time Lucia saw her. Today it was neon green - not the best color, in Lucia’s opinion, but she pulled it off, as usual. They’d worked together on plenty of missions when they were both full-time spies, and she was the best techie there was. Convenient that she was freelancing now - and available.

“Still making tardiness a habit?” Lucia asked, smiling. “Still making clandestine meetings so stereotypical? What is this, The Bourne Identity? Jason Bourne called. He’s seen this one before.” She raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for a snarky response in return. “This is Sofia, everybody. Resident computer nerd and pop culture geek. The references grow on you...eventually.” The four ladies looked at Lucia expectantly. “Well, let’s get started.”

Chapter 3

“...s o once again, thank you all for coming,” King Mateo said. “On behalf of the royal family, and especially my daughter, Princess Isabella, please eat, drink, and be blessed.” The king raised a champagne flute and the crowd responded in kind. Martin did so as well. He noticed his hand trembling slightly. He tipped back his champagne and set the flute down on a ing tray. He scanned the room, looking for Lucia to approach. He hadn't met her yet, only speaking to her over the phone briefly. He had given her the phone number for the head of palace security and then basically turned things over to her. Even though he knew that Lucia had been coordinating extensively with the palace guards and security personnel, as well as bringing in her own specialists, he supposed he felt nervous because of the responsibility ultimately being his. It wasn’t a feeling he was accustomed to, so he stood nervously, wringing his hands, unsure what to do. A ing waiter offered him another drink as well as some finger foods. He accepted and, as the waiter ed, he saw a beautiful woman approaching in a sleek black dress with a slit up the side going to her mid-thigh. Her black hair was curled, twisting in loose ringlets down her shoulders. He smiled. He figured he might as well enjoy his time waiting for Lucia to arrive. “If I had a penny for every woman I’ve seen as beautiful as you, I’d still only have a penny,” Martin said, winking. “Can I get you a drink?” She rolled her eyes. He’d used his famous smile and all of his princely charm, yet her response wasn’t what he expected. I mean, seriously, she was approaching him! “While I’m sure you say that to all of your security personnel, I don’t drink on the job,” the woman said. “At least not on this job. It’s kind of a big deal.” Struck with realization, he nearly did a double-take. “L-Lucia?” he stammered. “The one and only. You must be the royal prince,” she said, tossing her hair back. “Are you satisfied with the security?” His mind reeled, trying to catch up with him. Security personnel? She was so beautiful. There was no way she could be an actual part of the security team. She

was probably helping to schedule the guards as part of her security business. Where would she even put her gun? “Yes,” he finally said. “I believe my family will be well protected,” he said, looking around the room and clearing his throat. “Um... Thank you for your help.” “Glad to hear it,” Lucia said, smirking. “Let me know if you have any concerns. I’m going to be doing some rounds. Gotta keep my eye out, you know?” She tossed a wink over her shoulder and walked away. Martin found himself watching her leave, overwhelmed with her grace and elegance. Perhaps it was that he had grown accustomed to women treating him a certain way due to his status, but he found her simply captivating. He resolved that he would have to get to know her better. Gael’s voice stirred him from his reverie and he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. “You didn’t tell me she was so beautiful, you idiot.” “I’m pretty sure I did,” Gael laughed. “Anyway, you’re the idiot if you think you have a shot. She doesn’t care about princes or castles. She’s out of your league, amigo.” “She might be,” Martin said, sipping at his champagne. “Either way, I think I’ll thoroughly enjoy finding out.” ... Lucia was making her rounds and mingling with the guests while keeping her senses trained on everything going on. Part of good security meant blending into her surroundings, so when at a ball, wear a ball gown. As far as she was concerned, if people knew about the security, it wasn’t good enough. So the event was covered by the typical security one expected to see: palace guards and strong men with black suits carrying guns who she had hired, but she also had her own team making their rounds and reporting regularly. “Report?” Lucia said softly.

A reply came into her ear through a tiny communication device, courtesy of Sofia. “All good out here,” Lara said. “Although the valet might be overly flirtatious with the women.” “Who knows, maybe he’s just looking for love,” Sofia said. “Would you describe him more as cute or ruggedly handsome?” “More on the rugged side,” Lara said. “Are we talking Hugh Jackman or Jake Gyllenhaal?” Lucia cleared her throat. “I’m looking for a report, ladies.” “Right,” Sofia said. “Security cams are all looking good.” “Lily is occupied right now, but things look good from here. Just a bunch of rich people who want to schmooze the royal family,” Julia said from her place at the back of the ballroom. “Good,” Lucia said, “report back in...fifteen...minutes...” She noticed a finely dressed man whose eyes were fixed on the king. “Wait a minute. I’m gonna check something out. Stay sharp.” She made a wide circle, careful not to draw attention to herself. She smiled at guests, stopped and shook hands a few times, but eventually came near the man. She didn’t recognize him from the guest list. “Lily, do you recognize the man to my six?” Lily, from nearby her father, threw her head back laughing and glanced towards them. She put a hand on her chest and shook her head, as if in disbelief at whatever the person she’d been talking to had just said. “That’s what I thought. Thanks...” Lucia had been far enough away to avoid being overheard, but the man turned, noticing her, and immediately walked away. Either he came to the party to be alone, or he was up to no good.

“I’m gonna follow him,” Lucia said. “Everybody stay in your position. Sofia, I want eyes on him.” “Got it,” Sofia said, the sound of typing coming through the earpiece. She waited until he turned a corner down a hallway, leading away from the party. “Think he’s just looking for the bathroom?” Sofia asked, her voice laden with sarcasm. “That’s what they all say.” She turned the corner he’d just disappeared behind and glimpsed him as he turned down another hallway, this time to the left. She kicked off her high heels, jogging quietly behind. When she turned the corner, he was out of sight. “Another left,” Sofia said. “Pick up the pace, Luce. He’s moving fast now.” Lucia broke into a run, following Sofia’s directions. “You’re right behind him...” Sofia trailed off. “Watch out!” Right as Lucia turned down the next hallway, a fist came flying at her. She ducked, the man’s fist barely whipping past her head. She lunged after him, grabbing him by the torso and tackling him. Sofia told the others what was going on and Lara and Julia started making their way to Lucia to lend . Lily stayed in position next to the of the royal family - her family - in case this was just a diversion. In the meantime, Lucia had to deal with this guy. He shoved her back, putting enough distance between them to jump up and held up his fists, ready to fight. Lucia could tell this was no ordinary guy. He was a trained fighter. She needed to be careful. She waited, forcing him to have to move first. He jumped in, throwing a punch that Lucia saw coming a mile away. She side-stepped and dropped, sweeping her legs to knock him down. He stumbled, but maintained his footing. She leapt forward, striking him with a punch to the face.

He gave no attention to the hit, instead, closing the distance between them. Lucia knew immediately he was trying to take control of the fight. She resisted the urge to backstep, instead leaning forward and deflecting an oncoming hit. Taken by surprise, the man stumbled backward, barely evading a punch to the face. Lucia stopped, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from her brow. “Who are you?” The man narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. He slowly side-stepped, fists held up defensively. He opened his mouth to speak, but instead he smoothly reached to his hip, pulled a hidden knife from his belt, and threw it at Lucia. She jumped to the left, the tip of the knife nicking her upper arm. When her attention was back on the man, he was gone. She pursued, asking Sofia for directions. Sofia stammered, apparently unsure where he had gone. Lucia slowed to a walk and gave up. If Sofia didn’t have a visual, Lucia wouldn’t be able to find him. “Lucia!” Lara’s voice came from behind. “Are you all right?” “I’m fine,” Lucia said, ignoring the slow trickle of bright blood on her left arm. She narrowed her eyes, noticing something black and shiny beneath a decorative table in the hall. She bent down and used a handkerchief to pick it up. “A gun,” Lucia said, turning to Lara. “Watch out for the silencer,” Lara said. “Maybe Lily’s father is right to be paranoid about an assassination,” said Julia as she ed the other ladies in all her finery. “What’s the status of the royal family, Lily? Everyone okay?” Lucia asked. “Yes, everyone is fine,” Lily whispered over comms. “We need to figure out who that guy is and who sent him,” Lara said. “Keep your eyes peeled,” Lucia said, wrapping the gun in her handkerchief. She ed the weapon to Lara. As resident weapons expert, Lara might be able to tell her something about the weapon. “He might still be lurking around here and he might not be alone.”

Chapter 4

After the festivities , Lucia stood in the ballroom, surveying the surrounding area for anything to offer a clue. The other women were on their way to the bunker, but she had promised to give a report to Martin after the event. “Hey there,” Martin said. She turned and saw him walking with his shoulders back and an air of confidence about him. His tie was undone, hanging around the collar of his shirt and his hair looked messy, though she suspected it was intentional. “Did you enjoy the party?” Lucia asked, ignoring the pulse of attraction she felt. “I did,” Martin said. “My father is pleased with your security. Thank you for doing such a great job.” “It was our pleasure to be of service.” Lucia began to tell him of the man she’d fought, but he continued speaking. She hated when people interrupted her, but she forced herself to remain calm as she listened to him ramble about the party. Suddenly, he paused, and the room got quiet. “I meant what I said earlier,” he said, clearing his throat. “You’re absolutely breathtaking. I wish that all of my security personnel looked as good as you do in a dress.” She turned around to face him, unsure whether she should be flattered or frustrated with his flirtation. For some reason, she felt grudgingly flattered. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She mentally gave herself an eye roll. “Well, everything seemed to go off without a hitch. I really do appreciate it. Maybe you’ll let me take you to dinner to say thanks.” Lucia forced back a smile. Flattered or not, she still had to give him the report. Besides, she knew his reputation. No way was she getting involved with a party boy like him. “You may want to take back your offer,” she said. “There was a problem.”

“Oh,” Martin said, his face shifting instantly from confident and flirtatious, to nervous and worried. “What happened?” She explained what had happened while minimizing her role as much as possible and Martin’s face grew increasingly concerned. “Somebody was going to kill my father?” “That’s what I intend to find out,” Lucia said. “But for now we have to assume that was his goal. You need to inform your father and increase security. After being found out, they probably won’t be too quick to strike again, but let’s not take unnecessary risks.” She finished her conversation with Martin and then headed back to the bunker to regroup with her team. She ignored the teeny, tiny part of her that was a little disappointed that his flirtation had ended with the bad news. ... “What do you think, Lucia?” Lara asked once everyone was together. “I think it doesn’t make sense for an assassin to sit around and watch the king rather than find an inconspicuous way to kill him,” Lucia said. “I agree,” Lara said. “If I was going to kill him, I wouldn’t even set foot in here. I’d set up with my rifle from outside and pull the trigger as soon as I could.” “Then why was he here with a gun?” Lily asked. “With a silencer, no less.” “For the record, ‘silencer’ is kind of a misnomer. They suppress sound, but they don’t render the gunshot silent,” Lara said with a shrug. “Either way,” Lily said. “If he was only here to gain intel about the palace, he wouldn’t really need a gun, would he?” “True,” Julia said. “It doesn’t quite fit, does it? Maybe he simply wanted to protect himself in case he was caught. He could have pulled the gun on Lucia when they were alone. So, why didn’t he?” Lucia shrugged. “I caught him by surprise? It didn’t occur to him?”

“Perhaps,” Julia said, “what else might it be?” “I don’t know,” Sofia said. She looked up from her laptop which she held on her lap as she sat on the floor, legs crossed. “But I found prints on the gun and I have a name.” “How?” Julia asked. She seemed genuinely curious. “I googled it,” Sofia said, almost laughing. “Just kidding. I hacked the Escondida police database and found a match.” “Well, what’s the name?” Lucia asked. “Santos De la Cruz,” Sofia said, “but that’s not the important part. According to this, the guy’s basically a low-level thug. Arrest history limited to assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. As far as I can tell there are no connections to anything more nefarious.” “Odd,” Lily said. “Why would some thug come in here with a gun, watch my father, and not use his weapon when confronted?” “No idea,” Sofia said. “But I bet you wanna find out. I have an address for his last known location. Anybody wanna go check it out?” ... They arrived an hour later in front of a small, run down house on the inner parts of the island. Lucia drove a couple of times around the block to get a feel for the area and see if they drew any attention. They’d found most of the houses were abandoned and those that weren’t had shutters closed and curtains drawn. “I knew that there were...less wealthy areas of Escondida, but I guess I didn’t realize how run down some places were,” Lily said. “Side effect of being a royal, I suppose,” Lucia said. “Escondida has real problems, just like anywhere else, princess.” “I realize that,” Lily said defensively. “I guess it’s just different to see it up close.”

Lucia smiled in a way she hoped was comforting. “It’s good that you see it. Especially since you’re a royal, you should know how the other side lives. It’ll make you a better leader.” “Oh, I’m only the spare,” Lily said, smiling. “All right, ladies.” Lucia stopped the car in front of the house, and turned to the women. “Sofia and I are going to go inside and see what we can find.” The hacker nodded. “Lara, keep your eyes out for any trouble and have our backs if something goes sideways.” “I’m on it, cuz,” Lara said. “Lily and Julia, why don’t you go see if anybody wants to talk?” Lily and Julia glanced at each other, slightly uncomfortable. “If you’re worried about someone recognizing you, you’re safe in your ballcap and hoodie,” Lucia said to Lily. “People see what they expect to see and, believe me, they don’t expect to see a princess out here.” “I have an idea that I’ve been working on that might help with your disguises for the future though,” Sofia added. “Stay tuned...” Lily and Julia nodded and exited the backseat. Lara watched from the car, while Sofia and Lucia went inside. The door was unlocked and nearly busted from the hinges. They slipped inside the room and the smell of mildew hit Lucia in the face. The living room was small and looked like it hadn’t been used in a week or two; a thin layer of dust had collected upon the surfaces. Sofia sat in front of an old desktop computer that was sitting precariously on a rickety wooden desk. While she powered it on, Lucia looked around, searching for any signs regarding who Santos De la Cruz really was. She found the cupboards were all nearly empty and the bookshelf had only a handful of books, none of which seemed like the kind a criminal would read. Laying next to the books, was a stack of crumpled papers, mostly overdue bills. “You having any luck?” Lucia asked.

“Well, his computer is basically a hundred years old and runs like it was preloaded with a dozen viruses,” Sofia said. “So there’s that. But our guy did leave his email logged in.” “You could make it seem more hacker-ish, you know.” “Hacker-ish?” “You know, like in the movies. Like a dozen windows popping up, typing furiously until the ‘eureka’ moment,” Lucia said, pilfering through a file folder laying on the coffee table. “Yeah hacking doesn’t work exactly like that,” Sofia chuckled. “Boring,” Lucia said. “Who is he communicating with?” “It’s a no-reply address, but I might be able to find the IP address it was sent from...” Sofia trailed off. Lucia read a note written on a half sheet of paper: Find the wealth of Escondida and your debts will be paid. Sofia took out a portable fingerprint scanner and held it over the paper. “It’s going to take a few minutes for it to run through all the programs, but hopefully we get a hit,” Sofia said. Pulling out a plastic bag, Lucia carefully placed the paper inside so they could take it back to the bunker to analyze it for clues later. “Looks like our guy is working on somebody’s behalf. He’s looking for the ‘wealth of Escondida.’” “Whoever he’s working for, they’re good at covering their digital footprints. The IP address is being rerouted continuously. I got nothing,” Sofia said. After going over the house once more and finding nothing more interesting than a family of cockroaches hiding in the kitchen, they met back at the car. “You two have any luck?” Lucia asked Lily and Julia.

“Folks aren’t exactly willing to talk around here,” Lily said. “Dead end on the fingerprints,” Sofia said with a sigh as her scanner emitted a series of beeping sounds. “Apparently our guy is looking for the wealth of Escondida, whatever that means,” Lucia said, explaining the note they found. “And he thinks he’ll find something in the castle?” Julia mused. “Perhaps that was why he wasn’t eager to fire his weapon and why he was eavesdropping on the king.” “Too bad he ran off as quickly as he did. Maybe we could have cornered him,” Lara said. “Maybe we need to give him another shot to find it,” Lucia said, nodding. “Lily, what do you say we throw another party?”

Chapter 5

Martin stood in the great hall, shaking his head and wondering why Lily was throwing a party. Of course that meant more work for him since his father was so insistent that he be in charge of security again. When he asked his sister, she simply scoffed at him and shook her head. Typical Princess Liliana; lavish for the sake of being lavish. He made his rounds, checking out the security points and making sure it was tighter than last time. He still hadn’t heard from Lucia about the intruder at Isabella’s graduation party and it wouldn’t do to have another incident occur on his watch. He was satisfied, thinking Lucia had indeed increased security substantially, until he noticed a section that was virtually unmanned. How could she have left it unprotected like this after last time? He scanned the crowd that had gathered, drinking their champagne and dancing. He caught sight of Lily and made his way to her. “Have you seen Lucia, the security consultant?” he asked. “Who?” Lily asked. “I don’t think I’ve met her.” Before he could say anything else, she turned and left. He shook his head and searched the room. Across the hall, he saw her, sipping at a drink and gazing into the crowd. He smiled, distracted for a moment by her beauty. She wore a lovely navy dress, this one more form fitting than the last one. He made his way to her, trying to keep his mind on the reason he was looking for her in the first place. ... Lucia saw him - Santos De la Cruz. He was near the hall they had left with only one guard posted. She knew he couldn’t resist another opportunity to sneak into the castle. This time, she kept a distance, making sure there were plenty of people between them so as to remain undetected. It would be all right as long as Sofia had her eyes on him. “Julia, make sure you’re ready to leave on my word. Lara, you already down there? Lily, stay close to your parents.” Lucia said in a low voice, hiding her mouth behind a champagne flute.

They all answered affirmatively and she moved through the crowd, maintaining distance between herself and De la Cruz. He was working his way through the crowd, as if searching for something, moving towards the poorly guarded hall. “Lucia!” a voice called from behind. She nearly jumped in surprise, spinning around and finding Prince Martin approaching her, a ridiculous smile on his face. Her eyes actually hurt from the effort it took not to roll them. Yes, he was amazingly handsome in his black tuxedo, but she didn’t have time for this. “Everything okay, Martin?” Lucia asked, glancing back towards the hall. De la Cruz was waiting near the entrance, obviously waiting for a distraction to turn the guard’s head away. “I thought you didn’t drink on the job,” he said, eyeing her champagne. “What? Oh, right. Yeah, I figured one sip would be okay tonight.” “It’s all good. Hey, I just wanted to touch base on a couple of things,” Martin said. “First, did you know that your eye is kind of twitching?” Lucia rubbed her eye absently. Martin continued, “Also, did you ever find anything on that intruder from Isabella’s party?” “Working on it,” she said, forcing back a groan. “I actually have to go—” “I know you’re probably busy, but I just wanted to make sure we didn’t have any issues like that tonight. Don’t want my family to be in danger, you know? I noticed that the hallway over there is a little undermanned. Were you short guards?” A sudden burst of screaming and laughter came from a cluster of guests near the hallway, pulling the guard’s attention away. De la Cruz made his move, slipping past the guard, and disappearing down the hall. “You’re right, I’d better go check into that. Thanks Martin,” she said quickly. She pressed her champagne flute into his hands and sped toward the hall.

“Um, thanks Lucia!” Martin said from behind. “Keep me updated!” She raced through the crowd and, after turning down the hall, she took off in a sprint. “He’s on the move,” Lucia said to her team. “Everybody ready?” “Affirmative,” they said. “Sofia, you have eyes on him?” “I do. You’re catching up to him quickly. He must not be in a hurry.” “Good,” Lucia said. “Lily, stay with the king.” “Wait, Lucia it looks like he’s got—” Lucia turned the corner in the middle of Sofia’s sentence and found De la Cruz with three other guys, each of them looking as though they came for a fight. “...friends,” Sofia finished. “You again,” De la Cruz said, through gritted teeth. “Nice to see you, too. I’m guessing you’re not into the party?” Lucia said, trying to maintain her confidence. “You shouldn’t have followed me,” De la Cruz said. “You won’t stop me so easily this time.” The sound of shoes clattering on the floor came up behind her as Julia arrived. Lara strode up behind them, her pistol in hand. “Maybe you shouldn’t have fallen for our trap,” Lucia said. De la Cruz smirked, then broke into a sprint. Lucia darted after him, evading the reach of one of De la Cruz’s henchmen. “I need the two of you to subdue those guys,” Lucia said to the team. “I’m going after De la Cruz.”

She kicked away her heels again, gaining speed. Her bare feet slapped on the tiled floor, each step echoing in the hallway. Sofia directed her path, keeping her eye on De la Cruz as he ran. “Stop,” Sofia said suddenly. Lucia obeyed, coming to a halt at a hallway intersection. “He’s waiting for you on the left.” Lucia dropped against the wall and crept around the corner. Before she could get a full look, she glanced the barrel of a pistol and pulled away as the gun went off. Her ears rang, but she jumped out, and charged him. He was taken by surprise and raised his gun just as she got to him. She shoved his hand up as he fired again, the bullet lodging into the ceiling above them. She grabbed his wrist and twisted, forcing the gun out of his hand and kicked it away. He pulled his hand in and threw a punch with his left hand. His fist met her cheek, but she ignored the fiery pain in her face and closed the distance between them again. He tried unsuccessfully to hit her again, but he had no room to throw a good punch with her keeping him so close. She shoved his hands away, blocking and evading his fists as they flew at her. She dropped down, sweeping her legs and took him by surprise. He fell to the floor with a thud and rolled away as she tried to jump on him. He rolled to his knees and pulled a knife from his belt again, slashing at her. She leaned back too far, falling on her back. He dropped on top of her, trying to sink his knife into her skin. She grabbed his hands, pushing back against him, but he was simply stronger than she was. She couldn’t waste energy in a physical struggle. She counted down from three in her mind and at the last second, released her hold on him and put all of her strength into a rolling motion. He fell, his weight behind the knife which hit the tile beside her. She shoved him off and swatted the knife from his hands. It skidded away on the tile and she dove backwards. He got to his feet, reaching for her as if to grapple with her when she lifted his gun from the floor and pointed it at him. He froze in place, hands slowly relaxing and raising above his shoulders. She ordered him against the wall and he obeyed, obviously unsure whether she would pull the trigger. When he was on the wall, she pulled out the zip tie she’d stashed in the utility belt around her thigh and bound his hands behind his back.

She spun him around, and shoved him to the ground. He stared at her contemptuously. She lowered the gun, but kept her eyes on him. “I got De la Cruz,” Lucia said, panting. “Where are you guys?” “You guys should have seen Lucia. She just took this guy down, like it was nobody’s business. Hold on, I might be able to pull the video recording.” “Thanks Sofia,” she rolled her eyes. “What about everybody else?” “I got one,” Lara said. “I got one too but the other got away,” Julia said. “I’m moving the king and queen to a safe room,” Lily said. “Just until you find the guy.” “Sofia, you have a visual?” Lucia asked. “Checking...” she trailed off. “Lucia, look out!” Lucia spun just as De la Cruz’s missing henchman turned the corner and lifted his gun, aiming right at her heart. She moved as fast she could, knowing she wouldn’t be able to respond quickly enough to get a shot off first. She jerked, the gunshot sending a shockwave through the air. She didn’t realize she’d closed her eyes, but when she opened them, she immediately looked down, expecting to find red staining her navy dress. There was none. She looked up and saw the henchman struggling for the gun with... “Martin?” she exclaimed. She ran up, using the distraction to her advantage, and kicked the henchman across the face. He stumbled back against the wall and she cocked her hand back, throwing a punch that sent his head bouncing against the wall. His eyes rolled back and he slumped to the floor, unconscious. She spun around, pointing the gun at De la Cruz who was attempting to crawl away. She pointed it away from him, fired it and watched as he recoiled at the sound and fell into the fetal position expecting her to take aim at him.

“Martin,” she said, breathless, “here is your intruder.” “Thanks,” he said, his face drained of color. “That was intense. Are you okay?” “I’m good,” she said, smiling. “Thanks to you. Why’d you do that? You could have gotten yourself killed. Being a hero doesn’t fit your reputation.” Martin chuckled and leaned back against the wall, his hands shaking. “I think I’m over that phase of life. Besides, when I saw you run down the hall, I knew something was up and I had to make sure you were okay.” Lucia raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You had to make sure I was okay? You do realize it was my job to protect you and your family, right?” “Yeah, I know, but I couldn’t stand the idea of something happening to you.” “How very princely of you, Martin,” she said, unable to hide her grin. Sofia’s voice came over the comms. “That was frickin’ close. And then it was kind of cute. I forget, are we in an action movie or a romantic comedy?” “Shut up, Sofia,” Lucia laughed.

Chapter 6

Martin led Lucia and a group of guards from the party to his father, captives in tow. His blood was still rushing in his veins, disbelief still running through his mind. He kept thinking of Lucia, seeing her bruised face, the shock in her eyes as that henchman pulled a gun on her. He wondered what had possessed him to intervene like that. He glanced back, seeing Lucia and her strong, confident demeanor and realized that while he was attracted to her, there was something else there. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he could tell something was different. Certainly he knew it felt different than anything he’d experienced in the past. He believed without a doubt that the party-prince version of himself wasn’t the type to put himself in danger for somebody else. Maybe, he figured, whatever it was he felt for Lucia had catalyzed some sort of change in him. He thought of the way she had fought off the intruder and realized something else: she really knew how to fight. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You do more than just schedule security guards, don’t you?” She rolled her eyes but there was a small smile on her lips. She was softening to him! Before, her eye rolls were full of annoyance, but this one was different. Maybe risking his life had been worth it after all... Before he could complete his thoughts, they were at the doorway to the throne room. The guards eyed Martin and the crew he’d brought and opened the door for them. Martin led them into the center of the room before the throne where his father sat, looking as kingly as ever. His mother was there, too, sitting to the right of the king. Martin bowed and announced the reason for the sudden request for an audience. “It would seem I made the right choice in putting the security details of the past two events in your charge, Martin,” Mateo said, looking over the team of intruders with scrutinous eyes. “Thank you, father, but I can’t claim credit for tonight. It was Lucia and her team that put a stop to their plans, whatever they were,” Martin glanced back at Lucia and smiled.

“Lucia, you have my thanks,” Mateo said, nodding. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lucia said, bowing. The king ordered his guard to take the intruders into custody for questioning. After they did so, Mateo turned his attention back to Martin. “My son, I have seen in you something that I haven’t seen in a long time: responsibility. I am proud of you, Martin. Thank you for following through so capably on this important assignment. I knew I could count on you.” Martin stood speechless. Over the past few years, he’d received criticism from his father almost exclusively. Standing before him at this time, pride filled his chest and he felt his heart swelling within him. “Thank you, father,” Martin said, swallowing the lump in his throat. ... Lucia watched from beside Martin. The king was clearly giving a profound gift to the young prince and she couldn’t help but smile as she watched Martin’s reaction. He glanced at her, and she swore she saw tears forming in his eyes. It was a surprisingly intimate moment, but just as quickly he looked away, a grin slipping onto his face. “Martin,” the king said, shifting his focus to Lucia. “Please introduce us to the young woman to whom this kingdom owes so much.” “Father, this is Lucia...” Martin trailed off, obviously realizing he didn’t know her last name. “Just Lucia, Your Majesty,” Lucia bowed and smiled, but gazed confidently into the king’s eyes. “Lucia... I believe I’ve heard of you. Were you with the Escondida Elite—” “Yes, Sir.” The king nodded. “Well then, Lucia, on behalf of the people of Escondida, thank you for your service.”

“It is my honor, King Mateo. But I should warn you, I think there is more to this threat than we put an end to tonight. During our investigation into these men, my team found evidence suggesting there is a third party, an individual or organization, that coordinated these plans. They are searching for some secret treasure.” The king set his jaw, grinding his teeth and humming in a low growl. He eyed Martin and then looked to his queen. “Perhaps this old king was right to be paranoid after all.” He looked back to Lucia. “I’d like to retain your services and ask that you and your team investigate this further. I don’t want you to involve palace security or our special forces. Tell no one but your own team. Secrecy is imperative. Are you willing to do that, Lucia?” Lucia felt all eyes on her and she shifted on her feet. She looked to the king and queen. Their faces were solemn and unreadable. She thought of her own bad experiences working with a team before. Could she really risk it again? Could she really trust again? These were different people, but still, memories flooded her of the betrayal, the confusion, the pain. But then she looked to Martin and saw the plea in his eyes - along with something more personal. Those eyes. Those possibilities that she was just starting to think she would like to explore... She dismissed the thought and turned her attention back to King Mateo. “We’ll get started immediately,” she said.

Continue the story in Book 1: The Prince of Escondida

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LOTTIE MORGAN IS A lover of clean romance, storytelling, and cats. She spends her free time curled up on the couch with her cat, Sphinx, and a good book. When she isn't writing, she enjoys hanging out with her friends - most of which are fellow writers, creators, and innovators. She is known to her friends as the funny one; putting smiles on everyone's faces. As a gift for ing Lottie’s mailing list, please enjoy this FREE book: Millionaire Ladies Club When you sign up, you’ll receive updates on future releases, author promotions, and book recommendations, and so much more! today!

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