by Angi Morgan
“No ride?” Wade unzipped the bag, revealing stacks of cash. “Do they expect us to walk to Lone Star Park?”
“We’ll have a ride in a few minutes.” She patted his chest with her palm.
Loving the feel of her hand sliding up and around his neck, he didn’t wait for her to pull his lips down. He didn’t mind kissing her at any time. But he did arch an eyebrow, questioning her timing.
“I could get used to this.” He really could.
“You’re so cute.” She darted her eyes up and to the side of the building. He found the surveillance camera. Right. She was still acting.
“Cute? Not sure anyone’s called me that since junior high.” He winked and scooped up the bag of cash. “About that ride...”
“It’ll require a little walking. At least it’s eventually a sidewalk.” She led the way out of the alley to a major street, then stepped into a large field.
“The building that looks like a bird’s nest...that’s the Irving Convention Center? Reval set up shop in Las Colinas. I hope you don’t mind waiting a bit to get back to an open restaurant or fast-food joint.”
“I think Sal will send a car. And if not, there’s a hotel only ten minutes up the street.” She pointed south toward the lake. “He’s ultimately responsible for that bag you’re carrying. I don’t think he’ll let us out of his sight for long.”
To avoid parts of the dirt path, Therese jumped onto the curb occasionally. The late June sun hadn’t heated the day completely but probably had made the pavement hot, so she couldn’t use the street.
“You were pretty good back there,” he said, shifting the bag to rest on his bare back. “Watch out for the broken beer bottles.”
“Got it.” She sidestepped onto the street, picking her feet up faster.
He could offer to carry her to the hotel, but he didn’t think she’d go for it. She hadn’t liked him throwing her over his shoulder last night.
He kept searching, but no cars were heading their direction—either from Reval’s building or a Company B Ranger. He knew Jack or one of the men had followed them from the hotel. But they would keep out of sight until they were certain no one followed. That meant out of view from the building, leaving them a long walk.
Therese detoured into the street again, hopping from one foot to the other.
“Sure you don’t want me to carry you?”
“Did you ask?” She shook her head. “But no thanks. Keeping the robe closed while I’m walking is a challenge. Besides, I think you explored my backside enough last night.”
She laughed. He smiled, keeping an eye open for his team. It went without saying that they were close. Jack wouldn’t have it any other way. So they were around here somewhere.
“Tell me about Reval.” He needed to know more. “Not the paper version. What have you learned about him? Was today a normal reaction? Did he look desperate?”
“You want to know if he’d normally give us a bag of cash?” She fast-walked a little down the street, avoiding more broken glass, rocks and trash.
“Exactly.”
Another hundred yards and the apartments would block anyone watching from Reval’s building. They hit the sidewalk and Therese winced, popping her feet up and down off the hot concrete. Wade scooped her up in his arms to get her under some shade a bit farther.
She kissed his cheek, not objecting to being carried. “Short answer...yes. Everything he’s done in the past couple of days is within his character. And I promise you, Sal isn’t far away. By now, he’s in front of us somewhere, just waiting and watching.”
“Like at the hotel.”
“Probably.” She locked her arms around his neck.
“Damn.”
“Tell me what I’m missing, please.”
Years of approaching vehicles as a highway patrolman had him searching between cars and behind the tiny things considered trees that they passed.
“Let’s put the questions on hold a minute.” He set her on the manicured grass of the apartment buildings along the road leading to the hotel. He pointed to the bag of money, shook his head, then covered her lips with his finger.
Therese pulled the robe tighter around her body, knelt and helped him look through the entire bag for a listening or tracking device. She also blocked their search from a couple of cars passing by.
“Looks like it’s all clear. I’m pretty sure that Jack’s at the hotel. At least, I would be there.”
“How would he have known—” She put up a hand, realization plainly dawning on her face. “He followed us. That was risky. Why didn’t you tell me?”
She lifted the gym bag and took off back to the main road. Wade caught her free arm, spinning her back to face him. The force caught her off balance and she fell into his chest. He slid the bag’s strap off her shoulder and onto his own.
“It’ll be okay. Trust me.” He planted a quick kiss on her lips, receiving a small response. “My partners and I are good. Jack won’t do anything to jeopardize putting Rushdan Reval back in jail. For good.”
“I don’t see Sal,” she said.
“It doesn’t mean you’re wrong.” He didn’t miss that she hadn’t said she trusted him.
Not a lot of vehicles went up and down the street, but he recognized one that pulled into the area reserved for those not staying long. Major Clements was one of the few Company B Rangers who actually drove a car instead of a truck.
He started toward the hotel entrance, but a strong tug on his arm pulled him in another direction.
“Maybe we shouldn’t walk in through the front door?” Therese laced her fingers through his, heading across the street and into the hotel’s parking garage.
She squeezed herself between the oak tree and hedge, waiting for him on the other side. He followed, stepped down from the retaining wall and into the coolness of the covered garage.
He lifted her down, not embarrassed that he drew her body close, wanting the athletic suppleness of her next to him as she slid to reach the concrete.
Her hands remained at his shoulders as she slightly tilted her gorgeous face up to his. “If we go to the lakeside, I think we can sneak over the fence and look like we’re on our way to the hotel pool.”
“Good idea.”
They stayed put, not going where they needed to be. Not looking to see who was around or if anyone followed. It had been a long time since he’d stared into the eyes of a beautiful woman. An equally long time since he’d admired one so completely. Longer than both of those put together since he’d wanted to do either.
And whose fault was that?
“Not mine.”
“Do all the ideas need to be yours?”
Dammit. The question had been so loud in his head that he’d answered out loud. “Nothing. We should probably get going.”
The unbelievable sexual tension passed from his head but left his knees slightly wobbly. Right up to the point he heard the tires squealing on an upper garage floor.
“If it’s Sal, we should just wait here.”
“Not sure that’s a great idea,” he answered, securing the gym bag’s shoulder strap across his body.
Therese stepped in front of him, stop-signing his chest for him to quit or give up. “Even if your friends are inside, there’s no way for us to explain how they might help us. Rushdan told Sal to give us a ride. He is coming and will expect us to be exactly like this, with no money, no cells and basically no clothing.”
“And if he finds anything different, he’ll be suspicious,” he agreed.
“Basically he has permission to kill us and let Rushdan move forward with other plans.”
“About those plans—” Wade saw movement out of the corner of his eye at the staircase. A silver-haired man resembling Major Clements.
“He hasn’t told me a thing. That’s why I risked following him last nig
ht,” she said.
“Then it’s agreed. We stay put and see who’s about to drive around the corner any second.” He raised his voice so his boss could hear, then tried to angle Therese behind him, but she wouldn’t have it.
“I can take care of myself, Ranger.”
“I’ve noticed that.”
The car approaching from the upper floor could be a hotel patron, security, his partner or Reval’s man, Sal.
“That’s him,” Therese said, stepping into the open. “Things just got a little bit easier.”
Wade didn’t have a chance to ask how.
Sal was already next to them, smoke curling from his open window. “Took you long enough. I ran out of cigarettes waiting on you.”
“Then maybe you should have given us a ride at Rushdan’s office,” Therese said before opening the door and scooting across the seat.
“You know I had to make sure your new boyfriend here wasn’t being followed.”
“And?” Therese asked.
Sal was silent as he inhaled his last drag on the butt, then threw it out the window.
“And nothing.” Wade shoved the money bag between his feet. “Just like I said.”
Sal drove too fast out the parking garage and away from the hotel.
At least nothing Sal could spot.
Major Clements dipped his head, hiding his face as they passed. Rushdan and Sal might recognize Jack and Slate, but the major was a different story. Today he looked like a faded old cowboy with a giant belt buckle and an old-fashioned snap shirt.
The tension between his shoulders eased at the knowledge the Rangers were there, trailing them, just out of sight.
“Take us to my apartment,” Therese said as if Sal were her chauffer waiting for instructions.
“The boss said I need to—”
“Don’t give any excuses, Sal. We all know I can’t go to the track dressed in a robe. It’s ridiculous to even suggest that Rushdan expects me to go like this.” She tugged the hotel robe closed over her knee.
“What about him?” Sal asked. “You giving him back his shirt?”
“I can handle things after you drop us off.”
“The boss ain’t going to like that.”
Wade listened to Therese handle Reval’s right-hand man like she’d been ordering him around for years. Come to think about it, she probably had. So he stayed out of it and forced himself to look forward and not see if one of his friends followed.
Traffic was light early Saturday mornings. Sal turned off Northwest Highway and onto a side street soon after. He stopped at the corner, not bothering to take them to the gate. When Therese opened her door, Wade slid across the seat, following her, dragging the money bag with him.
Sal pulled away before the door closed.
Therese pulled the belt tighter and pushed the robe’s collar higher on her neck. Wade stuck his head through the strap of the bag and shifted its bulk to his bare back.
“Lead the way. I’m starved. Your friends didn’t provide breakfast.”
“That’s too bad. I don’t cook, so I never go to the store.” Therese kept a hand at her throat, holding the robe closed. She was actually more covered than she’d been in that yellow dress the night before.
“Not a problem. I know how to order pizza.” It was sort of cute watching her be modest in case one of her apartment neighbors looked out their window.
“Pizza? For breakfast? Aren’t we a little old for that?” She looked like she believed her words.
“We’re not old and pizza delivers. Order the cinnamon breadsticks and it’s like having those bite-size things you get at the airport. Shoot, it’s too early for delivery. Maybe we could head to a restaurant?”
“I hate to disappoint you, but we don’t have time to go out to eat. We have a lot of things to get done before we head out to the races.” She passed by the pedestrian gate and crossed the drive toward the leasing office.
“If you’re too old for pizza, we can still clean up and grab something. If I’m remembering correctly, there’s a mom-and-pop diner back on Webb Chapel. They have terrific breakfast burritos they serve all day—” He grabbed her hand and turned her back to face him. “Isn’t your apartment through there?”
“Yes—” Therese arched her eyebrows, waiting for him to catch on “—but I don’t have my keys. I need management to unlock my door.”
He tugged her toward the pedestrian gate. “Which apartment?”
She pointed to their left. “Twelve twenty-four. We should go to the office. I don’t keep a key under the doormat. I don’t even have a doormat.”
“It’ll be unlocked.” He pulled her closer, kissing her quickly before she leaned back, trying to see their surroundings.
“Are you implying that one of your colleagues is waiting inside my apartment?”
“If we’re lucky, there might even be breakfast. Then again...” He waggled his eyebrows at her while sliding his hands around her waist. “I might be luckier if there’s not anyone around.”
Chapter Ten
Was there time to get sidetracked? The gorgeous shirtless man caressing Therese around her waist sent an invitation with his eyes that she understood very well.
Wade made her forget about his implication that someone was inside her apartment. Her mind calculated how long they’d need to get ready and get to Lone Star Park. And then flooded with the disappointment that there would people expecting information. Or Sal demanding he escort them to the track.
Shoot! Wade’s closeness was a problem...a huge distraction.
She turned the knob and walked inside without preparing herself defensively. Good grief, the door had been unlocked. They weren’t alone. Just like Wade had said it would be. Her only thought had been...
Oh, God, she’d been hoping they’d have enough time to satisfy some of those teasing promises they’d been making.
Yeah, huge distraction.
“Did you bring something to eat?” Wade asked the man dressed in an apartment complex work shirt. They clearly knew each other and Wade had expected him to be here.
“No time.”
“I was about to ask how you got in, but you must have picked up our things from the safe. Including my keys.” Their phones sat on the coffee table along with her scuffed strappy shoes.
“Jack MacKinnon.” He extended his hand and she took it. “I’m Wade’s partner, mostly errand boy. At least to him.”
“Therese Ortis, but you already know that. Normally my apartment is a little bit neater than this.”
“Oh, yeah. I brought some of Wade’s stuff and made it easy to find if someone checked you out. I also swept for bugs. You’re clear, which I didn’t think possible.” He stuck electronic gear into a workman’s bag, holding the straps in his hand.
“I see.” She deliberately looked at the small suitcase and three pairs of men’s shoes. Her small apartment was even smaller with both men standing in it.
Wade pulled open every cheap cabinet door in the small kitchen, looking inside. “Man, Therese. You really don’t have any food here. Not even peanut butter. Who doesn’t have peanut butter?”
Jack reached into the bag and brought out two weapons. He set them on the kitchen bar and tried to look casual, leaning against the wall. “Brother, I’m not going to tell you what we’ve gone through to make this operation happen and cover your you-know-what. After this one’s finished, we’re going to have a little talk.”
“I figured Major Clements would be talking the loudest. I didn’t really have a choice. The opportunity happened.” His eyes cut to her and back to the fridge. “Once you guys discovered who and what we were dealing with...did you have a problem?” Wade stared into the freezer. “Man alive. There’s not even any frozen dinners or ice?”
“Sorry to say you have some very bad friends, ma’am,” Jack said,
shaking his head at Wade. “Come on, man, contribute to the conversation.”
“What?” Wade shrugged and let the freezer shut.
Therese answered with a shrug and mouthed, “I told you so.”
“We probably don’t have much time,” Jack continued. “Slate is keeping an eye on Rushdan’s man who dropped you off.” He looked at his phone as if expecting an update. “After dropping you, he went to a 7-Eleven. I think the team is getting up to speed on the situation. Anything happen after we spoke last night? That is, anything I should know?”
“The bag I brought in is full of cash and we’re due at Lone Star Park as soon as possible,” Wade threw out casually. “A lot of cash that Rushdan Reval wants to increase.”
“So I guess you don’t need any cash. Your truck’s back at your place. If anyone was watching it, we had it towed.”
Wade gave a few more details but left out how he’d been used as a punching bag or how she’d tried to leave him in the truck.
“Did you set up the phone to listen in?” Wade asked.
“Yours, yes. The FBI had a few dozen choice words when we tried Miss Ortis’s. Yours should be enough to keep tabs on you.” Jack pointed to their phones at the end of the kitchen bar.
Wade’s partner lifted his cell phone from his back pocket and read a message. “Gotta run. You’ve got company coming.”
Then Texas Ranger Jack MacKinnon slid open the patio door and hopped over the four-foot patio fence with grace.
He’d cut it close.
Sal barely knocked, turned the knob and came inside. “Boss sent me for a walk-through. Believe me, this ain’t my idea.”
Rushdan’s man picked up a pair of slacks from the back of the couch, dropping them immediately. He went as far as to look inside the bathroom cabinet, finding a slightly used toothbrush that didn’t belong to her. Their weapons along with a Texas Rangers badge were on the two-person dining table.
“You shouldn’t leave those just lying around anywhere,” he said, pointing to the credentials and weapons. “You don’t know who’s going to sneak inside and lift stuff.” When he was satisfied, he tossed an envelope in Wade’s direction and left, slamming the door.
