by Carsen Taite
“Did you get what you needed from her?”
Peyton motioned for her to take a seat. “Not yet. I have an idea, and it might be a little crazy, but hear me out.” She watched as Bianca scooted forward in her chair. “Wasn’t there another woman arrested during this sting?”
“Yes, Carolyn Guzman. She wasn’t part of the same drug buy as Carmen, but she was arrested in one of the meth houses that was covered by the warrant.”
“Wife of one of the other defendants?”
“That’s what Dale said. Her husband’s one of Arturo’s top guys.”
“Is she being held at Lew Sterrett?” Peyton referred to the Dallas County Jail. The local federal detention center didn’t have a wing for female inmates, so they contracted with local counties to house them pending trial.
“I think so, but I’d have to check with the marshals service to be sure. What do you have in mind?”
“What if Carmen told Carolyn that she needs to get in touch with Arturo? That she found out who tipped the cops off about the bust and needs to get him that information. Surely, if Carolyn’s married to one of Arturo’s lieutenants, she’d have the means to get the word out. Do you think that might make Arturo come crawling out of the woodwork?”
“Maybe. Or he might just send one of his other lieutenants to get the information.”
“True, but somehow someone has to get the word back to him, and he may want to come out of hiding to take revenge on whoever set him up. If we play this right, we can set the perfect trap.”
“It’s risky,” Bianca said, her tone cautious like she didn’t want to squelch her boss’s idea even if she thought it was crazy. “How would we control the situation?”
“What if we put someone in with Carmen, undercover, to keep an eye on her and make sure she sets the bait?”
“I guess we could talk to Dale about it. Maybe she knows an agent who could go in.”
Peyton started to say she didn’t need Dale’s permission, but Bianca was right. Since Dale was the lead DEA agent on the force, running the idea by her was the right thing to do, but she doubted Dale would be receptive to the plan, especially if it came from her. “Maybe you should talk to her about it. I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“She’ll come around.”
“I’m not really concerned about being liked, only respected. I get the impression she doesn’t have a high opinion of lawyers. Then again, you’ve worked with her for a while, so you might have better luck. She must not hate all lawyers.”
Bianca didn’t respond, and Peyton saw her face cloud over. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
“Uh, no. It’s just…You don’t know do you?”
“Know what?”
“Did Mr. Gellar not tell you about your predecessor?”
Peyton shook her head. “Not really. He said the spot had opened up. I guess I just assumed someone had either retired or transferred out of the division.” Bianca’s face was gray now and she wasn’t making eye contact. “Spill.”
“The position’s been open for almost a year, but they’ve had trouble filling it. AUSA Maria Escobar ran the task force for two years. She prosecuted half a dozen Zetas out of a big bust in Seagoville. The day after the trial, she was gunned down in front of her house.”
“Holy shit.” Rage burned Peyton’s insides. Rage at the act of violence against a top official in the justice system. Rage they had found out where she lived. Rage that no one had told her.
She gripped the desk and forced deep, slow breaths. So, no one had told her. Would it have made a difference if they had? She still would have taken the job, probably even been more motivated to do so. She looked at Bianca whose face still held a ghostly pallor. “That’s horrible, but what does this have to do with Agent Nelson?”
“Maria was Dale’s wife.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The bar at the Adolphus was lined with men in suits, and several offered to buy Lily a drink despite the fact she had a full glass in front of her. She wished she’d chosen somewhere else to meet her father, but she’d spent a large part of the day downtown, wandering through museums and shops, her eyes searching for distraction while her mind was on the move.
What she needed to do was find a job. Her personal savings were running short, and she held out little hope her father would come through with funding on her alternative energy project, especially after he heard what she had to say tonight.
She’d told herself she’d picked this bar because it was close to his offices, but maybe she’d subconsciously chosen this place because of its proximity to the courthouse and the fact she’d run into Peyton nearby yesterday. If so, she was an idiot and the sooner she accepted that fact, the sooner she could move on.
“You staying at the hotel?”
Lily looked up at a man towering over her, smiling like he’d already sealed the deal. She started to answer, but a deep voice beat her to it.
“Move along, sir. That’s my daughter you’re trying to pick up.”
Lily gave the stranger an apologetic glance as he backed away. As he beat a path to the other end of the bar, she said, “Hi, Dad. Good thing I’m not interested in any of the present company since no one’s coming anywhere near me now.”
He grabbed her into a big hug and then looked around. “I don’t see anyone here good enough for my daughter.”
The word daughter reminded Lily why she was here. Best to get this over with as quickly as possible. She stood up. “Let’s get a table. I need to talk to you.”
They moved to a table in the lounge and her father started the conversation. “I’m always glad to hear from you, but you sounded serious on the phone, and you look pretty serious now. I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner. I got stuck in a meeting. Is everything okay?”
Lily looked into his eyes and saw genuine concern. Guilt washed through her as she contemplated the reason she’d asked him here. “Everything’s fine. I’m sorry to drag you from the office. I just wanted to talk to you about something I need.”
He reached across the table and scooped her hand into his. “You didn’t drag me away. I’m the first to admit, I’m always thinking about business, but I’d do anything for you. Don’t you know that?”
Lily took a deep breath, knowing she was about to put his declaration to the test. “I want to talk to you about the trust.”
“Good. As much as I think it’s nice that you’re exploring your other options with these fancy new energy ideas, I don’t want you to think you have to. That money is yours to spend as you wish. You don’t need to work to live in the lifestyle we’ve raised you.”
Lily took the plunge. “I’m not signing the waiver.”
His brow furrowed and he shook his head like he hadn’t heard her correctly. “What?”
“The waiver that Nester gave me last week. I’m not signing it.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Dad, I love you. I love Mom, and you two will always be my true family, but there’s a part of me that wants to know more about my heritage.” She took a drink of her bourbon and mustered the courage to carry on. “Look at me. I’m not like you. My brown skin means I have connections to a different culture, and based on what I know about my entry into this world, a completely different way of life. Does that make sense to you?”
His face turned bright red, and Lily recognized the signs of an impending explosion. She looked around the bar, hoping he would realize this wasn’t the place to express his anger. A few minutes passed in silence as they both contemplated their next moves while drinking. Finally, he broke the silence.
“It doesn’t make sense. No matter how many times I turn it over in my mind. You’re my daughter. You will always be my daughter. You came into our home within days of being born, and we’re the only parents you’ve ever known. Why you would want to go looking for something that doesn’t exist, I can’t even begin to imagine.”
“I can’t explain it,” Lily said, wishing she could. “
You’ve always treated me as if I were blood, but my whole life, all anyone has to do is look at us together to know I’m different, and I have to admit, it has affected me on some level. Maybe I want to know more about my blood heritage to know more about myself. It may not make sense, but I feel compelled to see what I can find.”
He glanced around and then placed a hand on her arm and whispered, “Lily, I promise you, there’s nothing to find. The nuns assured us that your mother was your only living relative. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’m sure some shady investigator would be willing to take your money and make you promises, but there’s nothing there.”
He patted her arm and talked on like the subject was closed. “I have something for you to focus on instead. Nester and I reviewed your prospectus, and I think it has promise. He’ll work on drawing up a contract, but I’d like to start moving forward on the Gantry Alternative Energy Plan. Why don’t we set up a time for you to meet with the operations team in the next couple of weeks? You can do one of those fancy presentations and talk to them about implementation. By then, Nester’s folks should have a solid contract for us to sign and we can get to work. How does that sound?”
“That sounds amazing.” Lily injected the requisite amount of enthusiasm in her voice because he expected it, but she knew his maneuver was a designed distraction meant to direct her focus in a different direction. No sense balking now. Better to use the next few weeks expending all her energy before Nester showed up with a contract to trade for her signature on the trust agreement.
Apparently satisfied he’d mollified her for now, he stood. “Will you be home for dinner tonight?”
“Actually, I have a few errands to run, so I’ll grab something while I’m out. Give my love to Mother.”
He gave her a hug. “We’re so happy to have you back at home. Your mother and I love you very much.”
By way of answer, she returned the embrace. She knew his words were true, but she felt pressure to be the obedient daughter who lived with her parents and didn’t disrupt the status quo. All of that was about to change.
She waited until he was gone before pulling out her phone to check and see if Skye had contacted her. No messages, but she couldn’t help but feel the pressure of time. Maybe she should see what she could learn on her own. As she contemplated how she would go about that, she was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice a presence behind her until she heard a familiar voice.
“Are you living here now?”
She looked up into Peyton’s eyes and saw a teasing glimmer. “I suppose I could ask you the same thing.”
Peyton waved behind her. “It’s close to the office and it’s been one of those days.”
Lily raised her glass. “I hear that. May I buy you a drink?” The words tumbled out before she could stop them, and when she saw Peyton glance around furtively, she wished she could reel the words back in. “Sorry, not really sure where that came from. I guess I should’ve asked if you were here to meet someone.” She didn’t try to hide the edge in her voice as she remembered the particular someone Peyton had been here with before.
“I take it you and Virginia aren’t friends.”
“You’re very observant. Must be an asset in your line of work.”
Peyton raised her arms. “Guilty as charged. If it makes a difference, my meeting with Virginia was purely business.”
“I’m not sure it matters. You’ve made it perfectly clear there is nothing between us.” Lily wished she could just melt into the floor. She should’ve said hello to Peyton and nothing more. Would’ve been a fairly easy task on the phone, but in person, Peyton’s warm eyes and the sizzling attraction between them thwarted her ability to remain cool. She’d made a fool of herself by mentioning the obvious, and now all she wanted was for Peyton to leave and spare her further embarrassment. Instead, Peyton settled into the chair across from her and her heart betrayed her by pounding faster at the prospect Peyton might be staying.
“How about I buy you a drink?” Peyton asked.
Lily looked down at the empty glass in her hand. She should get up and leave. She had enough going on right now, and she didn’t need the complication of a woman who didn’t know what she wanted. Peyton might think that having lunch with Virginia was just business, but Virginia’s warning to her to stay away from Peyton had been laced with threats that were purely personal. Peyton was complicated, apparently unavailable, and elusive. There were plenty of single, available, and desirable women in Dallas, but like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to this one. She held out her glass. “Bulliet Rye. Neat.”
Peyton took the glass and strode to the bar where she ordered Lily a refill while she contemplated what in the hell she was doing. She’d worked late and she should be tired, but after Bianca’s bombshell about Dale’s wife, she’d been too keyed up to go home and sleep. After an afternoon spent researching everything she could find out about Maria Escobar’s murder, she was agitated and hungry. Unable to find anything else open near the courthouse, she’d come to the hotel with plans to find something to eat and a drink to take the edge off. Instead, she had practically run over Cyrus Gantry as he left the hotel. But the biggest surprise had been running into Lily here at the bar. She should walk out now, get in her truck, and drive to the ranch, but after the day she’d had, the prospect of having a drink with a family member of a potential suspect seemed more inviting than facing her own family members and the secrets they were hiding.
She picked up the drinks and turned back to Lily’s table, once again stunned at how unassumingly beautiful she was. How completely unlike Virginia who wielded the power of her good looks to gain whatever advantage she could. Lily met her eyes, and Peyton read the many unspoken questions. Questions she had asked herself. What was she doing here? Why had she broken things off and so abruptly at that? What was next? The last one was the biggest. She didn’t have an answer, but she strode over to the table, ready to find out.
“They usually aren’t so slow here,” Lily said as she brought the glass to her lips and took a healthy swallow.
“I’m afraid it was me. I wasn’t sure what I would say to you, so I stalled at the bar.”
“Maybe there’s nothing to say. I think I’m pretty clear on where things stand. I must say I didn’t figure Virginia to be your type.”
Peyton played the words over, but she didn’t hear any notes of jealously. No, it was more like an undercurrent of distaste. For her? For Virginia? Hard to tell. “She’s not my type. Like I said before, we had a business meeting.”
Lily’s laugh held no humor. “Virginia has only one type of business that I’m aware of and it’s gossip. I suppose if you want to know exactly who’s sleeping with who, she’s your source.” She cocked her head. “I didn’t take you for the gossiping type.”
She could protest, but what was the point? Gossip was part of the reason she’d met with Virginia, no matter what the cover story had been. She’d learned plenty about the oil business in general, but the nuggets of information she’d taken away about Cyrus Gantry and his desire to dominate the business were the more valuable insights. But how did Lily figure in? She wasn’t a blood relative, but she was still family with all the access and privilege being a Gantry afforded her.
She looked up from her drink into Lily’s eyes, a dozen questions reflected in the dark brown depths. She wished she could take her hand, lead her away. Far away from the courthouse, the investigation, the prying eyes that were already infiltrating her family’s business dealings. If she’d stayed home, followed the family plan, and become a rancher, she wouldn’t be in this position. Her mother’s plea for her to help with the ranch rang in her ears. All she had to do was walk away from this life and return to the one she’d been born to and she would be free to indulge her strong attraction to Lily Gantry. The temptation was strong, but she couldn’t see her way to it.
What she could do was be as honest as she could without jeopardizing her unit’s investigation,
and that meant making sure their exchange was limited to personal matters, nothing more. One pressing question rose to the top. “I’m not a gossip, but I am a curious person. Who was the blonde you were with at lunch? A date?”
“Not a date.”
Peyton couldn’t help but persist. “That’s vague.”
Lily shook her head. “Please, ask me anything else.”
Shelving the topic for later, Peyton asked, “Tell me more about the kind of work you do.”
“Really?” Lily narrowed her eyes. “I have to say that’s the last thing I expected you to ask. You actually want to hear my spiel about alternative energy?”
“Sure.” Peyton would have listened to Lily read calculus equations if it meant she got to be near her, hear her voice.
“Most people are bored silly at the prospect.”
“I’m not most people.”
“That fact has not gotten past me.” Lily took a drink. “Tell you what. Why don’t you tell me why you became a prosecutor and I’ll tell you all about my career goals?”
“Not an interesting story.”
“How about I decide if it’s interesting or not?”
Peyton looked around the room, sizing up the exit options. She had come here to relax, not to get into a mini version of her career journey. But the fact was she didn’t want to leave. She wanted to sit here and pretend, even if it was just for a few minutes, that she and Lily were on a second date and that a third was in the offing. She turned her focus back to Lily and the earnest curiosity in her eyes. Talking to her was so easy. Maybe she could pretend a few minutes longer. “There’s not enough justice in the world.”
“Excuse me?”
“You asked me why I became a prosecutor and I’m telling you. There’s not enough justice in the world. Too much money, too much power sits squarely in the hands of people who don’t care about hurting those less fortunate, the planet, and future.”
