Eduardo straightened up. Lounging around, making personal phone calls during working hours, could suggest he was shirking his duties—especially with a dozen maintenance items clamoring for attention.

Zeke Martinez raised a hand in greeting, and Eduardo returned the gesture as he walked toward the building. “I have to get back to work.”

“I do believe he’s trying to stop, Eduardo.”

Not if the man’s tiny pupils and frequent inability to follow a conversation—all classic symptoms of heroin use—were any indication.

Bad as using was, though, Miguel’s illegal status and the funding source for his drugs were more worrisome. The odd jobs he’d picked up after slipping into the US last year didn’t pay for a heroin habit.

But he was getting money somewhere . . . and since he used drugs himself, dealing could be a distinct possibility.

Eduardo’s stomach knotted.

A mojado with a heroin habit who could be involved in the drug trade living under his roof.

It was a nightmare.

“We’ll discuss this more tonight.” He picked up his pace.

“Does that mean you’ll reconsider?”

“I can’t talk anymore. I’ll see you tonight.” He pressed the end button and slid the phone into his pocket.

“Buenas tardes.” The Spanish teacher smiled as he approached.

He returned the greeting while ascending the steps to the front door.

“It’s too cold to be working outside. I hope you have indoor chores on your schedule for the afternoon.”

The man’s Spanish was impeccable, as if it was his first language.

No need to switch back to English for conversations with Zeke Martinez, as he did with most of the other faculty members, whose grasp of Spanish was rudimentary.

He continued in his native tongue. “Yes, I’ll be inside for the rest of the day.”

“This is quite a large property to maintain.” The man swept a hand over the landscape.

“The crew is only responsible for the buildings and grounds we use. Most of the acreage is wooded. The school likes to keep the setting natural so it feels secluded and remote, even though civilization is nearby.”

“Any trails on the property? I like to walk between classes to clear my head.”

“Nothing formal, but the students have worn a few paths. If you go straight out the back door to the woods, you’ll spot them.”

“Anything I should be cautious about if I go walking?”

“No. There’s no wildlife to speak of, ticks and poison ivy aren’t a concern in winter, and the one well on the property is boarded up. You’ll come across a few abandoned outbuildings, but they’re locked as a safety precaution.”

“Thanks for the tips. I heard a student went missing here in the fall, and I didn’t want to wander anywhere risky.”