The Cartel Strikes Back: The Ted Higuera Series, Book 5

by Pendelton Wallace

  Then there was her little black dress. Always appropriate for any occasion.

  What did she hope to accomplish tonight? Was she trying to seduce Harvey, or just make a new friend? If she wore something super sexy, she was sure to bump into some old dowager that she knew. But she didn’t want to dress like an old woman. She wanted to be young and fresh.

  She held the black dress up in front of her. It would cling to her body, the neckline was low enough to show a little cleavage, but not so low her boobs fell out. The skirt was a little tight (why was everything so tight now a days?), but it had a thigh-high slit that let her move.

  What man wouldn’t want to cuddle up to it? A smile crossed her face. Not that she was looking to be cuddled up to.

  It hadn’t been that long since she broke up with Tom. They’d dated off and on for nine years, but after her disaster of a marriage, she wouldn’t commit herself to any man.

  Tom was a good fit for her. A detective sergeant on the Seattle Police’s elite homicide squad, he could understand the requirements of her job. He wasn’t half bad in bed either.

  But he ruined it. He proposed. It was a take it or leave it proposition. Either she married him or he walked away.

  She couldn’t bring herself to let any man put a ring on her finger again.

  She dried her hair again with the towel and tossed it on the bed.

  She looked at the bed for a moment. What a disaster. I’ll clean it up tomorrow.

  Sitting on the padded chair in front of her vanity, she pulled her hair dryer from a drawer. One of the main advantages of short hair was it was quick to dry and easy to style.

  Normally, Catrina didn’t wear much makeup. If she was going on a stake-out or confronting a bad guy, makeup softened her appearance. Just the opposite of what she wanted. Tonight, however, she was going for the soft and sexy look. She knew she was a good looking woman, at least for her age, but even Venus de Milo needed a little help.

  She walked to her armoire and opened her underwear drawer. Indecision, indecision. Her first instinct was to wear something comfortable. That thought lasted about a half second.

  This is just a first date. Why should I be worried about what underwear I wear? But it is nice to feel all sexy underneath. I can wear anything I want. He’s not going to see it. Who are you kidding, Cat? You know you have the hots for him.

  Digging to the bottom of her drawer, she extracted two items in tissue wrapping. She set the packages on her vanity and took a deep breath.

  In for a penny, in for a pound.

  Unwrapping the first package, she picked up a pair of burgundy colored bikini panties with a lace waist band. Sliding into them, Catrina felt smooth and slinky. Then came the bra. The same burgundy color, with tons of lace, it was so sheer that it didn’t take much imagination to guess what it hid.

  She fastened the bra in front of her chest and turned it around, slipping her arms into the straps and pulling each breast up into the cups.

  A quick glance in the mirror told her she still had it. She was approaching fifty way too fast. It’s nice to feel sexy now and then.

  Sitting on her chair, she pulled up a pair of sheer black tights, rose and pulled her dress over her head and gazed into the mirror.

  Not too bad, girl.

  After putting on Milano heels, she opened her jewelry chest.

  Diamonds? Is that a little too aggressive? After all, this outfit is a little bit sexy. Maybe pearls to tone it down a bit? No guy’s going to rip off pearls, he’ll want to take me to meet Mom instead.

  She took a double string of pearls from the chest and attached it around her neck. She checked in the mirror.

  Lookin’ good, girl.

  The bottom of the string rested just above her cleavage.

  It’ll draw his eyes.

  Ready? Let’s go.

  The doorbell rang as she reached for her lipstick. She put on the finishing touch before she answered the door. It wouldn’t hurt to keep him waiting a minute.

  Catrina finished her lipstick and studied herself in the mirror.

  Not bad for an old lady.

  She put a drop of Spellbound behind each ear, on her wrists and just a dollop on her cleavage.

  Do I take it or not? She looked in her drawer at the slim Beretta automatic.

  She never went anywhere unarmed, but this was a date. She had a big, strong man to protect her.

  What a laugh. I could have him on his back screaming for his mama in ten seconds.

  But there was a reason she was always armed. The last time she wore the red cocktail dress she ended up running down and arresting a robber mugging a couple on the street. Then there was Joey Cannon.

  Joey was released from Walla Walla last week. She put him away for ten years. There was always the chance that he, or someone like him, would come after her for revenge.

  It only took a minute to strap the small pistol to her thigh. The slit in her LBD would make it easy to access.

  She hurried to the stairs and tripped on her Milanos. Luckily, she caught herself on the banister and made it down safely.

  “Harvey,” she said, opening the door. “My, you look wonderful.”

  “I was just going to say the same thing.” She watched his eyes rove from her hair to her heels, then came back again to pause for a moment on her bust line, before settling on her eyes.

  “Here,” he handed Catrina a flower box, “these are for you.”

  She opened the box to discover a bouquet of proteas, anthuriums and orchids. “Oh, Harvey, they’re beautiful. There must be three dozen here.”

  “All from the slopes of Haleakala. May I come in?”

  “I’m sorry.” Catrina stepped back. “Please, do come in.”

  She watched him as he surveyed her home. His silver gray hair worked perfectly with his gray suit. There wasn’t a wrinkle to be found. He looked like he just stepped off the set of a James Bond movie. The pale purple shirt and matching silk tie didn’t hurt either.

  “You have a lovely home.” He turned back to her and threw her a heart-melting smile.

  “I’m glad you like it.” She moved towards the kitchen. “You wouldn’t believe the difference from when I bought it.” She tossed this last comment over her shoulder. “I did a total remodel.”

  “Well you did a great job. Somebody has wonderful design sense.”

  Harvey followed her to the kitchen where she took down a crystal vase from the glass-doored cabinets.

  “I did most of the work myself.” She turned and smiled at him. “My friend Leah has the design gene. I’m just manual labor, but I’m quite handy with power tools.”

  “I’d like to see that.” Harvey leaned against the kitchen island. “I love your kitchen. I play around in my own kitchen from time to time.”

  Catrina ran water in the vase then poured in the packet of flower preservatives. “Really? What do you cook?” She pulled out a cutting board and sliced the bottoms of the stems off at an angle.

  “Nothing fancy. The occasional steak. Prime rib is one of my specialties. I guess I’m a meat and potatoes man.” He looked at his watch. “It looks like we better get going. I have a full evening planned for us tonight.”

  “Just what did you have in mind, Mr. Bernstein?” She picked up a light coat as she passed through the living room.

  “I guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” Harvey said, and opened the front door for her.

  Chapter 12

  Well, there’s no doubt that he’s suave and very handsome, Catrina thought as Harvey opened the door of his sleek red Mercedes SL550 roadster. And look at his body. That suit makes him look like a twenty-five-year-old.

  She sat in the seat and gracefully folded her legs inside the low-slung car. He closed the door and dashed around to his side.

  “Since we’re going to a Bach concert, I thought I’d share a little of the Great One’s music on the way.” Harvey said as he clicked his seat belt. “Concerto for Two Violins, one of my favorites.
”

  Harvey started the car and pushed a button on the console. The cockpit of the expensive sports car came to life.

  Catrina was overwhelmed by an experience she had never felt before. The soft, plush heated leather seats caressed her body. The sound system was quite the best she had ever heard. She felt as if she were sitting in the concert hall as they started out with a perky tune.

  “Wow! This sound system is incredible.”

  “State of the art.” Harvey backed out of Catrina’s driveway and onto the street. He headed down the hill towards downtown.

  Catrina let herself get lost in the music. When the first movement ended and the second began with long, lazy stokes of the bows, it was hypnotic.

  Harvey said something, but she couldn’t make out what it was.

  “I can’t believe this. Imagine what Led Zeppelin would sound like on this system.”

  Harvey visibly winced. “Not on my sound system. Didn’t they teach you any culture at Washington State?”

  Oh, yeah. The old Husky/Coug rivalry. He thinks he’s so sophisticated.

  “I got plenty a cul-cha, mista.” Catrina flashed her pearly whites at him.

  The drive across town was quick and pleasant. Harvey kept up an interesting, but sophisticated, conversation. Before she knew it, the roadster was climbing up the back side of Queen Anne hill.

  Harvey turned onto Aurora Avenue and pulled into the entry way to the Canlis Restaurant. A valet popped up immediately to take care of the car.

  A second valet opened the door for Catrina and she stepped into one of the few restaurants in Seattle that she had never been to. It wasn’t because she hadn’t heard great things about Canlis, it was because she’d have to mortgage her house to pay the bill. It wasn’t that she didn’t have the money, it was, as Dad always told her, “It’s not how much you make, it’s how much you spend.” Besides, it always worked much better if a guy was paying the bill.

  “This way, pretty lady.” Harvey swept his arm towards the bar. “I have a table overlooking the lake.”

  He herded Catrina towards the far side of the bar. The walls were completely glass. Below her, a bevy of lights sparkled on Lake Union. To her right the towers of downtown broke the dark. The city spread out below her like some fairy kingdom.

  “Harvey, this is so beautiful. I can’t believe it.”

  “I also ordered a clear evening, just for you.”

  A waiter in a tuxedo approached their table. “May I bring you drinks, Mr. Bernstein?”

  “I’ll have Glenlivet on the rocks, Cat?”

  “San Peligrino will be fine for me,” she said.

  “A teetotaler, huh?”

  Catrina set her clutch purse on the table and spent a second arranging it to give herself time to think. What was the big deal? She’d answered that question a million times.

  “I gave up alcohol a long time ago.”

  “Would you like to order appetizers, sir?” The waiter gently placed the drinks in front of the couple.

  “Do you like oysters?” Harvey asked.

  Catrina wrinkled her nose. “Not really.”

  “Okay, we’ll have the Peter Canlis Prawns,” he said to the waiter.

  They spent the next hour drinking, talking and working on the amazing crustaceans. Catrina couldn’t remember having ever eaten better shrimp, but her stomach was churning so badly, she only picked at them.

  Catrina noticed Harvey ordered a second drink.

  As the hour progressed, Catrina found herself losing her nervousness. It was very easy to feel comfortable with this good-looking man.

  Harvey looked at his gold wrist watch. “We better get moving. The concert will be starting soon.” He waved his platinum AMEX card at the waiter.

  Back in the roadster, it was a short drive to Third and Union. Benaroya Hall took up the whole block. It stood across the street from the Seattle Art Museum with its giant moving statue of a hammering man.

  The building was brightly lit. The rounded south end was almost entirely made of glass. Catrina could see four levels in the soft yellow light.

  Harvey pulled up to the curb and handed his keys to a waiting valet, then rushed around to open Catrina’s door.

  Catrina put her ankles together and swung her legs out of the low slung sports car. Harvey offered her a hand and they climbed the steps to the entrance.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever been here before,” Catrina said as she clung to Harvey’s offered arm.

  “I have season tickets. Music is one of my guilty pleasures.”

  They entered the hall to what could only be called an opulent entry chamber. “This way,” Harvey said, as he led Catrina to the winding staircase.

  They climbed one flight of stairs and Harvey led the way to the box seats overlooking the stage. There were four comfortable seats within feet of the orchestra.

  Catrina looked out at the concert hall. There must be two or three thousand seats. They were all full.

  The stage was white, with white panels placed diagonally on the sides to allow the orchestra to enter. A beautiful wooden proscenium surrounded the opening to the stage. The side pieces were ornately carved, but the top section was beyond belief.

  “Holly shit, Harvey, these seats must cost a fortune.” Catrina removed her jacket and lowered herself into the seat.

  “You get what you pay for. The sound positively overwhelms your senses up here.”

  Catrina was pleased with the concert. More of a classic rock kind of girl, she was amazed as waves of music flowed over her body.

  After the show, Harvey led Catrina down Second Avenue five blocks to the Met. As always, Catrina enjoyed the old world luxury of the impressive steak house.

  Harvey ordered rare filet mignon and another Scotch, Catrina went for the New York pepper steak. She developed a taste for spicy food since she met Higuera.

  After sharing a chocolate cheesecake smothered in raspberry sauce, the couple exited the restaurant. They walked the five blocks to Benaroya Hall to pick up Harvey’s car. The evening was cool, but the sky was clear.

  Catrina gazed up at the stars. “You sure chose a nice night for the concert,” she said.

  “We try to please.”

  The valet brought Harvey’s car and they headed back up Capitol Hill to Catrina’s house.

  “Would you like to come in?” Catrina asked as Harvey turned off his car.

  “Yes. I think I would.”

  Brace yourself, girl. How far are you going to let this go?

  Catrina handed Harvey her house key and he opened the door for her.

  “I’m sorry I can’t offer you a Scotch. I don’t have any alcohol in the house.”

  Harvey took off his top coat and folded it over the sofa. “That’s all right. What are you drinking?”

  “Iced tea. Can I get you one?”

  “Sure.” He smiled at her as she removed her jacket. “I’d like that.”

  He followed her into the kitchen and put his arms around her waist as she pulled down two glasses. It felt so good to be in his arms.

  How far do I go? If things get uncomfortable, I can always stop.

  Catrina wanted Harvey. She had always been a sexual creature. She had no commitments, no hang ups. Why not? She thought about her time with Tom.

  It’s been a long time since I felt another man’s arms around me. It doesn’t have to be any big deal. I just want to have a little fun tonight.

  She turned in Harvey’s grasp and put her hands on his chest. She slid her hands up his silky shirt, feeling the hard muscles underneath.

  I want to feel his body. Feel the closeness and warmth.

  Harvey bent and put his lips to hers. She opened her mouth slightly and tickled his tongue. He ran his tongue lightly over her lips, she felt a hot shiver go down her spine. His hands slid down her back as the kiss evolved. His breath was hot; she wanted to suck him in.

  She felt his hands cup her bottom. Without warning, he lifted her and set her on the cou
nter.

  He’s very strong. I’m not exactly a petite little thing.

  Catrina heard the glasses rolling, then crashing on the floor, but didn’t care. She opened her legs to let him get closer.

  He cupped her breasts in his hands and hefted them. It felt so hot.

  “Very nice,” he said.

  She just put her lips back to his and explored his mouth.

  She felt his hands on her knees. His touch was so gentle. She almost squirmed with ticklishness. His hands slowly made their way up her thighs.

  “Whoa! What’s this?” Harvey asked. He sounded so surprised she thought he’d found a penis down there.

  “A girl needs a little protection.” Catrina reached down and unstrapped the .25 caliber Beretta. “She never knows when she might get into trouble.”

  Harvey chuckled and ran his hands all the way up her thighs.

  Catrina felt wetness between her legs.

  “What kind of trouble did you have in mind?” Harvey asked.

  “Whatever comes my way.”

  “In that case, do you want to move this party to the bedroom?” he asked.

  Chapter 13

  The big pickup went over the rise and went airborne. It flew thirty or forty feet, then the front end hit the earth and sent up a cloud of dust.

  “Whoo-hooo!” Rojillo Rodriquez, El Pozolero’s youngest son, yelled.

  El Pozolero kept his grip on the wheel and spun the truck into a turn.

  The desert of Baja was empty for as far as his eyes could see. El Pozolero had sent his men out earlier to make sure it was clear. He needed this time alone with his sons.

  “Hey Feo,” Tony, the older brother shouted from the shot gun seat, “pass me up another cerveza.”

  El Pozolero slammed on the brakes. Dirt and rocks went flying. They stopped at the top of a ridge overlooking the Sea of Cortez.

  “You boys, you need to listen to me. Your day is coming. Mine is done.”

  Rojillo passed two beers forward.

  El Pozolero grabbed Tony around the neck and pulled him close, mussing his hair with his free hand.

  “I want to talk to you about life, about business and about my succession.”