“What?”
“Kyle seeking out people who are prejudiced. Kyle looking at what is on the outside of people, ignoring the inside. As I told you, his stepfather has no tolerance for people who are different from him. Over the years, Kyle has become more and more like him no matter what I do. I’ve talked with him, but he doesn’t listen to me. I thought when he came to live with me that going to church would help. It hasn’t.”
“I’m sorry. Fighting prejudices isn’t easy, especially if Kyle grew up seeing that example every day.”
“I never realized how bad it was until a few years back when Kyle became more vocal around me about his feelings. I had a conversation then with my ex-wife, but that only made matters worse. It put more stress on a strained relationship.”
Headlights came into sight as a car drove into the yard. “Let’s get this house processed then get something to eat. Okay?” Liliana kept her hands clenched to stop the urge to reach out to Cody. The pain in his eyes touched her. She wanted to remove that look. It was hard enough raising a teen. Beating yourself up over past mistakes did little to improve the situation. She knew that firsthand from dealing with her family.
Cody opened the car door. “Sure. Working right now is probably the best thing for me. Going to this Aaron’s house and forcing Kyle to come home won’t solve the problem.”
“No. More likely it would drive him closer to this Aaron kid.”
Exiting the SUV, Cody captured her gaze over the top of his Ford. “That much I remember from being a teenager.”
“When we talked of grabbing something after processing the house, I didn’t think you meant cooking something.” Cody held the screen open as Liliana unlocked the back door to her house.
“When I get stressed, I cook. I’ve been cooking a lot into the late hours of the night. I freeze most of it, but I have a casserole made and ready to go that won’t take long to heat up. If you want, we can go out to a restaurant.”
“No way. I never pictured you loving to cook.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask how you pictured me in my off hours.” Liliana entered her kitchen, tossing her purse on the desk then removing her holster.
“Taking photos and being with your family.”
“I like doing those, too. But the cooking is usually late at night when I can’t sleep.” She withdrew the casserole dish from the refrigerator then put it in the microwave. “Not long now. I don’t know about you, but after making our way through Carlos’s house, I’ve worked up an appetite.”
“I’ll have the lab process the evidence, but I don’t think we have anything new.”
“Trailing the motorcycles tomorrow will probably be a better lead. With two of them that poses the question about how many people are involved.” Liliana fixed a pot of coffee to go with the enchilada dish.
“Yes, to add to all the other questions we have.”
“Miguel said Carlos lived in New Mexico before this and moved around a lot. So far we haven’t found out much before he came here. He couldn’t remember the last place he lived. If we figure out where he lived, maybe something there will give us a clue as to why Carlos was targeted.”
“There’s always the possibility the two incidents aren’t connected.”
“I don’t see that. I know that homes of people who have died have been broken into before, but Carlos didn’t have anything of value except the TV, which was still there at the house. We went through it on Monday.”
“But not like the intruders did.”
“They were looking for something hidden.”
“Which usually means valuable or illegal.”
“Or both.” Liliana set the table in the kitchen alcove. This was a first. Entertaining a law enforcement officer and discussing business. Brock’s wife insisted no work talk during off hours so when they got together socially she and her partner never did.
“If it’s valuable, why would Carlos be living like he was?”
“So you think illegal?”
“Makes more sense.”
The microwave beeped. Liliana grabbed her hot pads, removed the glass dish, then put it on the table. “My partner’s wife gave me this recipe. This is the first time I’ve made it. Just saying that in case it isn’t good.”
“Whenever I cook, I always say a disclaimer even if I’ve cooked the dish before.” After filling his plate, he bowed his head for a moment.
Liliana waited until he finished before taking her first bite. “Even as a child I rarely said prayers at a meal unless we were over at my grandmother’s. Papa never did.”
“How about your mother?”
“She did whatever my father wanted.”
“I find it’s a way I can make myself pause throughout the day and spend a moment with God. Sometimes with our job I can get so wrapped up in what’s going on that pausing helps me keep my focus where it should be.”
“And that makes everything fine?”
“No, but it helps me deal with all the problems. How I approach things makes a world of difference.”
“The problems with your son?”
“It’s not easy to admit to myself I’ve failed my son.” He gripped his fork like the hilt of a sword.
“Have you? What I’ve seen is a father trying his best. Have you made mistakes? Probably. What parent hasn’t? Kyle is a teenager. I know what my younger brother can be like right now. Moody. Wanting to do the opposite of what Mama asks of him. A handful, to say the least.”
One corner of his mouth quirked up. “Being a part-time dad has been difficult, especially when my ex-wife and I didn’t agree on how to raise our son.”
“Just keep being there for him. He’ll figure it out hopefully.” If only she’d had a father who had cared like Cody did. She toyed with the food on her plate, the memory of her father clenching her stomach into a hard lump.
“I need to tell Kyle I asked for the transfer. He thinks we’ll go back to Houston as soon as I figure out who shot Al. I have to confess when he jumped to that conclusion I didn’t tell him otherwise. I thought when I got him here he’d make friends and forget about going back to Houston.” He took a large gulp of his iced tea. “I have to set the record straight with him, but I’ve been dreading it.”
“I know what you’re going through.” The lump in her belly swelled into her throat. Visualizing the fear on her sister’s face, fleeting, but there, produced the same feeling of dread. She had to do something about Elena, a woman who didn’t want her help. “I’m worried about my sister and the way her husband treats her. I think she’s being abused, but she insists that isn’t the case.” She finally took a bite of her lukewarm dish. Its spicy flavor sparked her taste buds but not enough to spur her appetite. Elena thought she’d covered her reaction to Liliana’s probing about her relationship with her husband, but she hadn’t. Liliana couldn’t forget the glimmer of fear she saw.
“What are you going to do?”
“Make her see what’s happening. It’s our dad all over again.” She’d never shared that with someone outside her immediate family. The fact she had with Cody stole her breath. She slid her glance down to her plate. Why now? Why Cody?
Silence ruled. When she lifted her gaze, it met Cody’s softened one. He covered her hand with his. “That has to be hard to deal with. For yourself. For your sister.”
“For the longest time I denied what our father did to us. He took his fits of rage out on us. I tried to justify those actions. Elena and Mama are still trying to. I’ve seen domestic abuse in my job. I know that’s what’s happening to Elena. And I can’t do anything about it. She won’t let me.”
“I know what it’s like to want to help and the person won’t let you. Kyle needs to talk about his mother, but he won’t to me. I hope your sister will to you. That’ll be a start.”
“Acknowledging there’s a problem. I agree. She isn’t there yet. She thinks she’s the problem, not Samuel. I’ve even said something to her husband—not overtly, but I think he got the
point the other day. In a perfect world he’d heed the warning and behave.”
“But this isn’t a perfect world.”
“No.” Liliana took a bite of her casserole, forcing herself to eat since she had skipped lunch. “Are you going to tell Kyle about asking for a transfer?”
“Yes. I didn’t mean for it to be a secret, but I’ve never found the right time.” Cody finished the last bit of his dinner and washed it down with a swallow of tea.
“Maybe Aaron will be the right friend for Kyle.”
He rose and carried his dishes to the sink. “I don’t have a good feeling about this teen, but I hope I’m wrong. My son tends to be a follower, not a leader.”
After bringing her plate to the sink, Liliana faced Cody, her back against the counter. “I’ve got a feeling I’ll be up late again tonight.”
“Why?” He moved a little closer.
“Too many questions about these cases.” Too many about the man before her.
“So more cooking then?”
“I’m afraid so.”
The twinkle in his eyes captured her attention. “Anytime you need someone to take some of those dishes from your late-night cooking frenzy, I’d be glad to.”
“Have you been peeping into my house? Frenzy is a good description.” She laughed, but it died on her lips as he came nearer. Inches from her.
“You really intrigue me.”
His aftershave lotion—a faint whiff of lime—teased her with thoughts of making a key lime pie. But that lasted only a few seconds because her heartbeat kicked up a notch as he leaned toward her, grasping the edge of the counter on one side as though to give her a way to escape if she chose.
She didn’t. She inched forward until their tea-flavored breaths mingled. She licked her lips together, wanting so much more than this. Then his other hand clasped the counter, effectively trapping her. A thrill shot through her. When his mouth whispered against hers, she nearly melted into him. From a well of willpower, she kept herself upright, anticipating the complete mating of their lips.
Instead, her cell rang, jolting her back to the real world where she didn’t have time for a relationship, where she remembered what her mother and sister had gone through with their husbands. As she fumbled to withdraw her phone from her front pocket, Cody stepped away, putting several feet between them.
Noting it was her sister calling, Liliana answered, part of her still dazed by the effects of just a brush of his mouth across hers. She gripped her phone tight to disguise the trembling his near kiss had caused. “Hello,” was all she could think to say to Elena.
“Liliana, is that you?”
Strange question. Did she sound that different? “Yes.” Before she could say anything else, her sister began crying into the phone. “What’s wrong, Elena?”
A few more sobs before her sister managed to say, “You told me to call if I needed you.”
“I’ll be right there. You’re at home?”
“No, I have Joanna and Sammy with me at the Quick and Go around the corner from our house. Come get me before Samuel gets back.”
“Stay inside the store. Don’t leave until I get there.”
“I’m outside at the phone booth. I can’t go in. Hurry.” Elena clicked off.
The urgency in her sister’s voice scared her more than chasing down a criminal. For Elena to call her meant it was bad. She hurried toward her desk for her purse and gun.
“What’s wrong?”
Cody’s question reminded her she wasn’t alone. How could she forget he was in the kitchen too? When she looked at him, she wanted to tell him everything, but the words stuck in her throat, making it impossible to say anything.
She put her holster and gun on and scrambled to find her keys in the bottom of her purse. “My sister needs me,” she said finally in a voice that came out on a raspy thread.
“I’ll follow you in case you need me to help.”
She’d taken two steps toward the back door when he’d spoken. She halted and spun toward him. “No!”
Deep frown lines grooved his face. “If she’s in trouble, I might be able to help.”
“It’s a family concern I can take care of myself.” She continued toward the back door. “But thanks for offering.”
For part of the trip to the Quick and Go, Liliana thought maybe Cody was ignoring what she said and tagging along. But when his SUV turned off at Canyon Road, she blew out a deep breath. She really liked him. Probably too much. If he had followed her to the place, it would have put a damper on their working relationship. She’d revealed a little of her childhood to him, and now she wished she hadn’t exposed herself so much to him. It left her vulnerable, especially in light of what Elena was going through.
Liliana turned into the parking lot in front of the Quick and Go. She saw Elena with Joanna and Sammy on the side of the building just out of reach of the glow of security lights at the front of the store. As soon as she glimpsed Elena, her sister moved back into the shadows even further. Liliana panned the area to make sure she didn’t see Samuel, then she hurried toward her sister. She heard Joanna crying as she neared the trio. Elena held Sammy, her three-year-old, while Joanna clung to her mother.
“C’mon. I’m taking you all to my house.” Liliana grasped Joanna’s hand and the child transferred from clinging to Elena to her. Her niece buried her face against Liliana’s side.
She started toward her car, throwing a glance over her shoulder at Elena as she stepped into the light. The sight of her sister’s face sent fury through Liliana.
8
Cody had wanted to follow Liliana to where her sister was but knew that would have been a mistake. She was a private person who didn’t share a lot. But this evening he’d gotten a glimpse into the real woman behind the badge.
He would have kissed her if the phone hadn’t rung. It was probably a good thing it had. He didn’t need to get involved with anyone in Durango. He didn’t intend to stay long. Only a temporary stop—at the most until Kyle graduates in two years. Besides, he and Liliana worked together. Not a good idea.
But she was intriguing, and he loved a good mystery. What made Liliana so fiercely independent? As she had talked with her sister, he’d seen a wall fall into place, and she distanced herself from him. And there was a lot more about her relationship between her and her father. He’d heard the pain behind her words, and all he’d wanted to do was protect her. But Liliana was a private person and made it clear she didn’t need his help. He would respect that, but it didn’t stop him wondering what had upset her so much.
He parked near his upstairs apartment and noticed the lights were still off in his place. Glancing at his car clock, he noted his son was fifteen minutes late. He immediately called him on his cell, and Kyle answered on the second ring.
Laughter followed by male voices sounded in the background as Kyle said, “I’m coming home now. We lost track of the time. Sorry. Aaron’s giving me a ride.”
“Fine. Are you ready for the test?” Cody exited his SUV and headed for his apartment.
A short pause then his son said, “Yeah, as much as I’m gonna be.”
Cody mounted the stairs to the second floor. Kyle’s hesitant tone of voice nagged at him. His son hadn’t mastered the art of lying. Had he even been studying? Did he have a test tomorrow?
After disconnecting with Kyle, Cody let himself into his apartment, flipping the hall light on. He removed his holster and started for his bedroom to put his weapon away in his lock box. After securing it, he thought of taking a quick shower. It might refresh him enough for the confrontation he’d probably have with Kyle.
No, Kyle would be home any minute, and he just wanted to get it over with. He walked back toward the living room.
A noise like something being scuffed against the tile floor alerted him right before someone barreled into him, slamming him against the wall. The air swooshed from his lungs, momentarily stunning him. Quickly regaining his senses, he shoved at the very tall man who
was trapping him. With all the strength he could muster after a long, tiring day, he drove the assailant into the living room—into the back of the recliner.
His attacker swung at him, his fist connecting with Cody’s jaw at the same time Cody threw a punch to the man’s stomach. The assailant grunted while the room spun before Cody’s eyes. Trying to regain his faculties, he stepped back, ending up against the drawn curtains of the window overlooking the pool and office of the apartment complex. While the man dragged in gulps of air, Cody assessed him—noting the six feet ten inches of him, the dark olive skin, the black hair cropped close to his head, the piercing brown eyes, and the deep cleft in his square jaw. He had a tense, lethal look Cody had seen a few times. The giant had come to kill him.
The ringing in Cody’s ears subsided. His blurred vision cleared. Cody flicked a look toward the sliding glass door out to the balcony. It was slightly open. Ten feet away.
His assailant started toward him, still breathing heavily.
The front door opened. Cody glanced across the room. Kyle stood in the entrance, the light from the second floor landing silhouetting him.
“Kyle, get out of here. Call 9-1-1.”
His assailant pulled a switchblade and snapped it open all the while increasing his speed toward Cody.
“Dad?”
“Go.” Cody flung himself to the side and swept around as the man changed direction and came at him again. The giant swiped the knife through the air, backing Cody into the wall, six feet from the sliding glass door and possible escape.
Cody took a precious second to check to make sure Kyle had followed his directions. The entrance was empty. When he swung his attention back to the intruder, all Cody saw was the knife plunging toward him. With desperation and quick reflexes, he caught the man’s wrist, stopping the blade a few inches from his chest. A battle began for control of the switchblade. The attacker’s superior strength overrode Cody’s attempts to turn the knife toward the intruder. All he could manage was to keep it from coming any closer.
His gaze snagged the dark one glaring at him from a smooth shaven face, etched with harsh lines of determination. The blare of sirens penetrated Cody’s focused attention on his assailant. Help.
Shattered Silence: Men of the Texas Rangers Series #2 Page 13
