Edge of Truth

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  “He doesn’t get along with a couple of the horses, so I built a lean-to for him behind the bunkhouse.”

  “I can’t wait to meet him.” She mounted. “I’ll be at the end of the driveway when you’re ready.”

  Twenty minutes later, Jake stopped next to her. “There’s a nice trail through the woods up ahead. Want to try it out?”

  “Sure. Lead the way.” Kara stayed by his side as he moved forward. They took a winding path through BLM property. Sunlight filtered through the branches of tall ponderosa pines. Dry grass brushed the legs of her horse as she plodded along. Fifteen minutes into the ride, Kara broke the silence. “I heard you had an early morning.”

  “Yep. I don’t like being woke from a good dream. ’Fraid I was a bit angry at those Gonzaleses. They think they can show up whenever they want. Makes me want to show them the business side of my fist.”

  Kara’s brows rose. She’d never seen Jake this passionate about anything. “Guess I better never wake you.”

  Jake chucked. “You have nothing to worry about. If a pretty lady wakes me up, she certainly wouldn’t be in any danger of my fist.”

  Kara cleared her throat. Time to change the subject. “How long have you worked for the Waters family?”

  “About a year. I was at a ranch in Southern Oregon before here for fifteen years.”

  “That’s a long time. Why’d you leave?”

  “Owners sold to some out-of-towners. I got lucky when this position opened up—perfect timing.”

  Kara swatted at a fly. “I’d say so. How do you like working here?”

  “It’s mostly okay.”

  “Only mostly?”

  Jake shrugged. “You had a long enough ride? Henry’s gettin’ tired.”

  Kara wanted to force Jake to talk, but he clearly wasn’t going to offer any more information. “Sure, let’s head back. Thanks for coming.”

  He winked. “I’m happy to oblige a pretty lady whenever I can.”

  Kara turned her horse around and stopped. A small ramshackle building sat hidden amongst the weeds and trees. If she hadn’t turned at that exact spot, she never would’ve seen it. Averting her eyes, she encouraged her horse to keep moving. No sense in alerting Jake to her discovery. “Where are we? I don’t remember ever coming this way with Jeff.”

  “Can’t say exactly.” He chuckled. “I got a bit turned around. All that jabbering we were doing.”

  Kara frowned. How does a cowboy lose his way? She noted the dense foliage and followed after Jake. Maybe she’d be able to make it back here on her own.

  Jake made a sharp right and followed a deer path. Silence enveloped them. Not even the birds sang.

  Kara tensed. Something wasn’t right. Why was everything so quiet? The small hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She encouraged her horse to move faster. “I’ll race you.”

  “You crazy? Henry can’t outrun your horse. Plus, it’s not safe. They’re liable to turn an ankle.”

  “Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that. She kept her gaze forward but scanned every square inch. A twisted and gnarled six-foot juniper blocked their path. Jake veered to the left.

  A twig snapped off to the right. Someone or maybe something was watching them. “What kind of wild animals are there out here?”

  “The usual. Deer, rabbits, squirrels. You aiming to see some wildlife?”

  “Not really. Just curious.” Maybe a deer had snapped the twig, and she was overreacting. But she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Did Alvarado send more than one hit man? They came into a clearing.

  “Here’s where I made a wrong turn.” He eyed her closely. “You okay? You look worried.”

  “I’m fine now that you know where we are. Guess I’m not as much of a country girl as I’d like to think.”

  “City slicker or not, no one enjoys being lost. But you’re safe with me and Henry. This ole boy’s as good as a homing pigeon.”

  Just so long as they got back to the ranch in one piece. If they’d wandered into a drug trafficker’s camp, they’d be in trouble. She followed Jake along a clearly marked trail and ten minutes later, they were back on the driveway heading to the ranch. “Thanks for taking me out.” That was one experience she wouldn’t soon forget.

  “No problem. Henry needed to stretch his legs.”

  “I know the feeling.” She longed to dismount and run. What had freaked her out? She’d investigate the area as soon as Jeff could go back with her. Hopefully, the landmarks she’d noticed on the way out would look the same on the way in.

  Chapter 29

  A knock sounded on Kara’s apartment door. She rose and felt for the .380 she’d strapped to her ankle. Where’s a peephole when you need one? “Who is it?”

  “Gail.”

  Kara’s shoulders relaxed, and she opened the door.

  Gail reached out and pulled her into a hug. “I’ve missed you. Where have you been?”

  “Here and there.” Her friend knew she was here on a case and shouldn’t be asking about her whereabouts.

  Gail frowned.

  Kara reached out to her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you standing at the doorway. Come in and have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Iced tea, if you have any.” She lifted her hand. “This envelope was taped to your door.”

  Kara forced herself to act disinterested. “Thanks.” She held it from the top corner and placed it on the table.

  “Aren’t you going to open it?”

  “After we visit.” Kara pulled a jug of tea she’d made yesterday from the fridge and poured them each a glass. “Have a seat.” She settled into an easy chair.

  Gail sat across from her and looked around the space. “Where do you sleep?”

  “The daybed.” Kara pointed to the cluttered bed pushed up against the wall connected to her nail salon. “It’s a mess right now, but it’s comfy enough.”

  Gail gave her a skeptical look. “Uh-huh. I guess since it’s only you, this small space works fine.”

  “True, and I pretty much only sleep here.”

  “Between whatever you’re working on for the DEA and your nail studio you must stay busy, so I guess that’s why I never see you anymore.” Gail sipped her tea.

  “Yes, I do. But, Gail, it’s imperative that you don’t mention my real reason for being here to anyone.”

  “Honestly, I don’t even know why you’re here except that it’s work-related. Although, if you’d like to share, I’m all ears.”

  “No, I wouldn’t.” She reached out and squeezed Gail’s hand. “For your own safety, please forget my employer.”

  Gail’s eyes widened. “I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. I promise I’ll keep quiet.”

  “Thank you.”

  Kara rose to adjust the temperature of the air conditioner. She could slide open the window and let the cool evening breeze do its job, but she didn’t want to invite trouble into her apartment.

  Gail stood to leave. “I won’t keep you.” She gave Kara a once over. “You’re looking a little thin. Are you eating okay? I know how you love to cook.”

  Kara chuckled. “I manage, and don’t worry. I’m not starving.” She patted her waistline. “I’ll stop by and visit sometime soon.”

  “You better, or I may have to make a pest of myself every evening.” She placed her glass in the sink, hugged Kara, and turned to leave.

  “See you later.” Kara walked her to the door then locked up after she left. Slipping on a pair of latex gloves, she slid a knife across the top of the envelope. Removing a folded piece of paper, she caught her breath and stared at a snapshot of her and Jeff sitting on the park bench.

  “I’m everywhere,” was written in black marker across the picture.

  Kara dropped the note on the table and stared. It seemed no place was safe. Had Luis hired a team to take her out?

  She should call Jeff. Then again, all he’d do was worry and lose sleep. At least one of them should rest well ton
ight. She’d tell him in the morning.

  Too bad there wasn’t a firing range in town. There was nothing like target practice to blow off a little steam. The picture stared up at her from the table. She grabbed her cell and phoned Tad.

  The sun warmed Jeff’s back as he jogged up beside Kara, who was striding up the sidewalk not far from her place. “Hey. I got a call from Tad early this morning.”

  “Tad has a big mouth.”

  Jeff gripped her forearm and pulled her across the street. “Let’s go to the park.”

  Kara let him guide her without protest. Once at the park, they sat on a bench a short distance from the playground. “Tad said the picture was clean and that it was printed on a home printer.”

  “I know. Not much help. I should’ve known Alvarado would send more than one person after me. If anything, he’s thorough.” She lunged to her feet and walked back toward her apartment. “I can’t sit here and do nothing. This isn’t going to stop until that man is dead.”

  Jeff didn’t like the sound of her voice. “What are you thinking?”

  “That I need to lay low.”

  “Then what are you doing out here? You’re making yourself an easy target.”

  “Someone needs to find Alvarado, and put a stop to this. I’m sick of being shot at.”

  Jeff placed his hand on her shoulder. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Kara. You’re forgetting about Victor. He might still be involved with Alvarado. All we need to do is find him.”

  Kara flung her apartment door open and walked inside. “And what?” Sarcasm dripped from her voice. “Walk up to him and say, ‘Hey, we spotted you doing a deal. Talk to us or else?’”

  “Works for me.”

  “Not gonna happen. If we talk to him, this entire case is blown. He’d never give up information, and we’d risk everything. No. We have to ride this out. For all anyone associated with the cartel knows, I left Miami to escape Alvarado. There’s no reason for anyone to think I’m here for any other reason.”

  Jeff stared at the woman he believed he was falling in love with and something inside him snapped. “I’m putting an end to this once and for all.” He turned on his heel and reached for the door.

  “Stop!” Kara grabbed his arm and pushed him against the door.

  His eyes widened. Rage filled her eyes.

  “You will not jeopardize this operation.” Her words came out in a rush.

  Kara’s coffee breath warmed the air between them. Her firm grip felt like a vice on his forearm. What was he doing? He knew better than to go rogue and ignore procedure. He dropped his head. “I don’t want to lose you.”

  She relaxed her hold and took a step back. “You’re not going to lose me.”

  “We need to take care of Victor.” He saw the stubborn set of her jaw. Why wouldn’t she listen?

  “Jeff, you’re allowing emotions to cloud your judgment. Think like a cop.”

  She sure knew how to strike a low blow. “Fine. I want you to stay at the ranch.”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m staying here. I have a job to do, and so do you.”

  “I hate this.”

  Kara giggled. “Welcome back. Thought maybe I’d lost you in the deep dark place of fear. Aren’t you the one who said that God’s watching out for me? Don’t you think He still is?”

  He pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair. “I’m sorry. Yes. God is watching out for you. But promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “Promise.” She pushed him away. “Now get out of here. I have a client soon, and I know you have work out on the ranch.”

  She had that right at least. Plus, he’d been cleared to resume his normal investigative duties an hour ago. His number one priority—breaking Eric.

  Kara closed the door behind Jeff then headed into the salon. She pulled out her phone. “Gary, it’s Kara. Any news on Alvarado?”

  “We’ve tracked him to Peru. It’s only a matter of time now.”

  “You plug the leak yet?”

  “Not sure. I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

  “Victor’s nearby. I think he might still be working for Alvarado. Any way you can do some checking around?”

  “I’ll see what I can find out. You okay?”

  “Fine, for a person on a hit list.”

  “Point taken. Stay safe. I’ll get back to you ASAP.”

  Kara wanted to throw her phone across the room, but the front door opened, stifling the impulse. “Marci. This is a surprise. How are you?”

  “Desperate for a fill. Do you have time?” She held up her thumb. “I have to give a presentation this afternoon, and I want to look my best.”

  “I do have someone scheduled, but since she’s not here yet, have a seat.” She made quick work of fixing the damaged nail then sat back to admire her handiwork. “What do you think?”

  Marci held out her thumb. “Perfect.” She handed Kara a ten-dollar bill and stood. “If I land this job, you’ll have to help me celebrate.”

  Kara grinned. “Absolutely.” Marci was making her assignment of getting close to her easy. At least one thing was going her way.

  Marci waved good-bye as she left the shop.

  Kara checked her watch. Looked like her client was a no-show. She cleaned her station and locked up. No sense in waiting any longer. She had an investigation to do, hit man or not. First on her list was that shack she’d spotted. If only she could find her way back.

  She grabbed her phone. “Jeff, you have time for a hike?” If someone was back in the woods, she didn’t want to announce their arrival by riding horses.

  “Sure. When?”

  “Now.”

  “Anything I need to know?”

  “I spotted a shack yesterday when I was riding with Jake. I want to check it out.”

  “Okay. I’ll be waiting.”

  Kara filled a backpack with water, ammo, trail mix, and a camera and then strapped her backup weapon into the holster on her shin. She slipped a loose long-sleeve blouse over her tank to conceal her Glock then grabbed her keys and headed out.

  Chapter 30

  Careful to avoid any twigs that could snap under her weight, Kara led the way toward the shack. At least she hoped she was going in the right direction. Jeff squeezed her shoulder and pointed. The ramshackle building stood a few hundred feet off to their left. They both dropped down onto hands and knees.

  “What do you want to do?” Jeff asked.

  “I was hoping to get a closer look and see if the place is being used.”

  “Okay. I’ll circle around the back. You approach from the side.” Kara nodded and crouched low. She watched Jeff run the few hundred yards to the building then followed from a side angle. The shack had no windows. She pushed down her frustration and listened. The only sound she heard was the blood rushing through her ears.

  Jeff tapped her shoulder and whispered, “I’ll go in high. You go low.”

  “Wait. Let’s try knocking.”

  Jeff’s eyes widened, and he looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Nothing like letting them know we’re here.”

  “I know, but I have a feeling. Trust me.”

  “Okay.” Jeff drew out the word as if to wrap his mind around what she was asking.

  Kara reached for his hand and held tight as she knocked. No answer. “Hello! Anyone home?” Silence. She reached for the handle.

  Jeff shot out his other hand and stopped her. “It could be booby-trapped.”

  Kara felt her heart pound harder. “Any suggestions?”

  “Let’s sit back and wait awhile. See if anyone shows up.”

  Great. A stakeout in the mosquito-infested woods.

  Voices approached. They bolted behind a dense bush.

  “The coke will be late.”

  Kara recognized the voice. She wanted to see who was talking to confirm her suspicion. But the bush obstructed her view. A door opened and closed then opened and closed again. Footsteps sounded nearby then faded away
.

  A minute later they followed after the men. They stayed on the path she and Jake had taken and seemed unafraid of detection.

  If only she could get a decent look at them. They both wore jeans, a long-sleeve cotton shirt, and a cowboy hat. She knew one of the hats. It had to be Jake.

  A twig snapped, and Jake swung around.

  Kara and Jeff crouched low. “Who’s there?” He mumbled, “stay put” to his friend then headed their direction.

  Kara looked at Jeff as panic rose within. They stayed low and ran for a large tree to hide behind, but if they were caught, it would look suspicious. Footsteps crunching through the dry grass and weeds approached.

  Jeff pushed her against the tree, blocking her from view. His breath mingled with hers. “Shh. Follow my lead.” His eyes pleaded with her to understand.

  She nodded.

  “I said who’s there?” The staccato of Jake’s words projected irritation.

  Jeff captured her mouth with his. She could feel his heart pounding.

  “What in the world? What are you two doing out here acting like a couple of teens hiding from their parents?”

  Jeff stepped back from Kara. “Uh, hi, Jake.”

  Kara wiggled her fingers. Heat singed her face. This had to be one of the most embarrassing moments of her life, and they weren’t even doing what Jake thought they were.

  Jake swore and walked away.

  Jeff jogged up alongside Jake before he met up with the other man who had been with Jake. “Hey. Can we keep this between us? I’d hate for Eric to hear about—”

  “Save it, Jeff. Your dirty little secret’s safe with me.” He cast a sly grin at Kara. “And here I thought you were a nice girl.”

  Kara took a deep breath and balled her hands into a fist. She would not hit him. This was how the job worked. So what if her reputation was now tarnished.

  Jeff slowed to a stop, allowing Jake to increase the distance between them and took Kara’s arm. “You okay?”

  She nodded.

  “I’m really sorry about that, but I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “I know. You did the right thing. I just wish it hadn’t been Jake. He made me feel so dirty.”