With potatoes baking in the oven and the coals heating in the grill, and needing to distract themselves, they took the last of the iced tea out to the front porch and sat in the rockers to wait for Jake. The sun was draping its evening colors over the far hills when a Ford Explorer came down the road and turned into the driveway.
Quinn rose from his chair. “There’s the man himself. Are you ready for introductions?”
“I guess I’d better be,” she said, standing up and smoothing her hands against her thighs.
Okay. Here we go.
****
Seeing Jake the day before had brought back memories Quinn kept shut up and locked for a long time. As he waited for his friend to pull up the driveway, the painful, horrific images came tumbling back, like a movie unwinding in slow motion.
Jake standing next to Quinn the day his wife and daughter were shot down. Jake beside him like a rock as he’d watched them buried on one of the coldest days south Texas had ever seen. The ice on the ground must have found its way into Quinn’s heart, because it had been stone cold since then. The killing of his parents had tipped him over the edge.
The day Quinn walked out of Lane Barton’s office was the last time anyone saw him until months later, when he arrived with five members of the Ramirez cartel, not all of them breathing. He’d simply called for Jake to meet him at the front of the building and to bring a couple of agents with him.
At the curb Quinn opened his door and indicated the waiting men should remove the bodies in his vehicle, both the living and the dead. He’d handed Jake an athletic gym bag and a thick file folder, bound with rubber bands. The gym bag contained a collection of guns. The folder held fingerprint cards, Polaroid pictures of the men, and about three inches of paperwork on the cartel.
“Everything you need is in there,” he said, got in his truck, and drove away.
Jake had tried several times to get him out of his cave. Dinner. Drinks. Coffee. Anything. Quinn was always polite, but aloof. And unbending. His life had ended, he told Jake, and now he was just passing his days until he himself stopped breathing.
But Kate had shone light into the darkness. Found a way into his soul, and maybe, strange as it was to admit, with a little nudge from Lisa. Telling Kate everything about what happened to his family had cracked the wall he’d built around himself and let his rusty feelings out to test the waters of life again. He hoped he’d made the right decision going to Jake. If not, he could lose both a friend and the woman he had just that quickly fallen in love with.
****
When Kate shook Jake’s hand, his grip was warm and firm, friendly yet somehow reserved.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” he told her.
But the smile he gave her didn’t quite reach his eyes, and Kate couldn’t miss the trace of suspicion lurking there. The way he was handling this was solely out of friendship for Quinn, and he was expecting her not to jeopardize that.
He’s making up his mind about me. Reserving judgment. I guess I don’t blame him. If it were my friend involved I’d probably feel the same way.
She arranged her face into what she hoped was a welcoming expression, praying her quaking stomach would hold down her food. “Thank you for coming out here. I appreciate the fact you’re in a difficult situation.”
Jake’s eyes took in every bit of her. Assessing. “I owe Quinn a lot, as does my boss. We agreed to bend the rules a little for him. Once.”
Message delivered.
“Thank you again. For that.”
“Well, then.” The surface smile was back.
Quinn’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, either. “Anything to make things easier here. I hope maybe we can catch a little break.”
“You know I’ll do my best,” Jake told him. “But I’ve got my orders. We all know that, right, folks?” He looked from one to the other. “I’m ready for a good steak and some fine wine. And after we eat we’ll get down to business, right?”
“After we eat,” Quinn agreed.
Jake followed them into the house and dropped his jacket and briefcase on an arm chair while Quinn went to see about the steaks.
Despite the fact the men, especially Quinn, made an obvious effort to keep the conversation light, everyone knew what the evening’s agenda was. Kate did her best to enjoy her meal, but tension coiled in her stomach like a snake ready to strike at any moment. She had no idea what would happen after she told Jake her story, or whether he’d believe how she came to have the flash drive. That wasn’t something she’d discussed with Quinn, but it had gnawed away at her.
What if he thought she was lying? That she was actually part of the cartel and had fled over a disagreement, taking the flash drive as a bargaining chip?
No. She pushed the thought away. She’d make him believe her. And Quinn would help.
Finally, when the dishes were cleared and the second bottle of wine opened, Jake leaned back in his chair and looked hard at Kate. “Okay, Kate. First of all, why don’t you clue me in on how you and my friend, Quinn, here just happened to get together?”
Kate tensed at the barely concealed sarcasm. “What do you mean, happened to get together?” She looked at Quinn. “Is that some kind of slam, Jake?”
Quinn refilled their wine glasses, then took one of her hands in his. “Hey, hey, hey. Come on, darlin’. Jake’s on our side.”
Is he? Or am I making a mistake here?
“He certainly doesn’t sound like it.”
Jake looked directly at her. “Kate, don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t know anything about you and neither does my boss. Either of my bosses. One of my assignments tonight is to make sure you aren’t just yanking Quinn’s chain. Okay? Can you understand that?”
Her dinner threatened to heave back up in her throat. She should have expected this. She started to get up but Quinn put a hand on her shoulder, steadying her.
“That’s uncalled for, Jake, and less than I would have expected of you.”
“Hey, Ace,” he protested. “You’d feel the same way in my place, and don’t deny it.”
“I appreciate the fact that you’re all so concerned about Quinn,” Kate told him, her voice very formal and cold. “But if you really are Quinn’s good friend, then you know no one could possibly ‘yank his chain,’ as you so delicately put it. I would be a fool to try. What you see tonight is what you get. Period.”
“Kate, it’s okay.” Quinn squeezed her hand. “I know it’s Jake’s job to be suspicious, despite what I say. Don’t let it throw you. All right? I can deal with it.” He looked over at Jake. “But that’s the end of that kind of thinking, buddy. Old friend. Old pal. Or you’ll be back on the road to the city with nothing to show for it but a good steak dinner.”
All the good humor from dinnertime disappeared with the snap of a finger. Jake narrowed his eyes at Quinn’s words, studying him for what seemed an eternity. Then he dipped his head once.
“If you say so.” Looking back at Kate, he said, “Shall we get started, then?”
Kate took a large swallow of her wine and glanced at Quinn, who gave her a reassuring nod.
“From the beginning, darlin’. Just like you told me. We’re past time to hold anything back.”
He linked his fingers through hers, giving them a gentle squeeze. The gesture was as much a signal to Jake as it was to her.
She’s mine. Be careful here.
Doing her best to ignore Jake’s barely concealed skepticism, Kate laid out her story one more time. She gave him everything. The death of her parents. Her suspicions about the fire. Peter. The pills. The conversation she overheard. Her crazy bus odyssey, changing her appearance, pulling money out of her accounts and what happened when she did. And finally, about meeting Quinn on the side of the road.
Jake listened attentively, watching her face the entire time. When she finished, he leaned back in his chair. “You know, when we started looking into Holt, Fleming and you came across our radar. We tried to figure ou
t if you fit into this puzzle any place. But it just didn’t make sense. You didn’t seem to have a clue what was going on, or a role to play.”
“That’s because I don’t.” She tried to keep the hostility out of her voice. “If I know anything at all, it’s by sheer accident. As far as my mother and I were concerned, this was just a regular corporate law firm. That’s the God’s honest truth. Trans Global was a major client and their people took up a lot of my father’s time. And Peter’s, when he came on board. Quinn’s the one who clued me in on reality after he met with you.”
Jake’s lips thinned. “Then you know your father’s law firm was created solely to establish a legitimate structure for the Osuna cartel, a way to manage its business. The Osunas are about the worst I’ve seen in a long time. They’re into drugs, weapons, money laundering. Probably even smuggling people and dabbling in prostitution. Selling guns to terrorists. It would take a team of very good forensic accountants years to dig through it all. If we even had a place to start.”
Kate folded her hands together so tightly her knuckles were white. “I just have a hard time believing my father was part of this. And my uncle, until he died in a small plane crash.”
“Kate, here’s the plain truth.” Jake leaned forward and pinned her with his gaze. “Someone financed that law firm so it could open its doors. It just appeared one day out of whole cloth, fully operational. We traced your father’s finances, and your uncle’s, all the way back to when they opened their offices. They didn’t have any money of their own to speak of. Then suddenly they did. Do you think the money fairy just left an envelope on their doorstep?”
Kate felt hot and cold at the same time, and she felt the snake inside her stomach coiling and writhing. She squeezed Quinn’s hand harder. “And Peter? How did they find him? My father said he was the son of an old friend.”
“I’m sure he is.” Jake’s mouth twisted in a cynical grin. “Or something like that. We know about Peter Fleming. The man is dangerous and too smart for his own good.”
“Don’t I know it.” Her tone was bitter.
Jake took a minute to fetch a pen and yellow pad from his briefcase, then took his seat across from her again. “If you don’t mind, can we go through this one more time? Just to make sure there isn’t something you might know that you didn’t think was important. This time I’d like to take notes.”
“Believe me, Jake. You’ve got it all. What little there is.” She took another sip of her wine. “But if you want it again, let’s get it out there.”
Wearily, she gave it to him one more time, all of it, watching as he made notes in his sprawling style of writing. Her uncle’s death. Peter’s appearance. The propane tank that exploded, killing her parents.
“And by the way,” she interjected. “They had that tank checked regularly. My father was a fanatic about it.”
And finally, in even greater detail, the conversation she walked in on that night that sent her fleeing for her life.
Jake was thorough with his questions, taking Kate back and forth for what seemed an eternity, prodding, poking, making her repeat things three and four times. She tried to remember everything she knew about Holt, Fleming, dredging up any tiny thing, trying to visualize people she’d met, or remember anything she’d heard.
“And you’ve been running ever since,” Jake said matter-of-factly.
“Yes. I have. And believe me, it wasn’t any picnic.”
“I’ll say this for you,” Jake commented. “Not too many people could have done what you did, evading them so successfully. You’ve got a lot of guts.”
“They almost got me twice,” she reminded him.
“Yes, but they didn’t, and that’s what counts.” He might be suspicious, but his eyes showed a new respect for her. “Well, Kate. Or Kathryn. What should I call you, anyway?”
“Kate, definitely.” She tried to smile. “I’m happy to be rid of Kathryn.”
“Something else bugs me.” He looked at Quinn and back to Kate. “Why do you think they wanted to get rid of you in the first place? What was the point in killing you? As far as Fleming was concerned, you were no danger to him.” He narrowed his eyes. “Were you?”
“I’ve been thinking about this.” Quinn leaned forward. “From what she heard Miguel say, I’d have to guess it was just too big a risk having her around. Not knowing what she might stumble over. Ask questions about. She was the last survivor, and you know the Osunas don’t leave survivors.”
Kate felt a shiver ripple over her and her blood seemed to freeze in her veins. “It’s hard to believe they wanted to kill me just in case I might learn something.”
Jake shrugged. “Not unheard of in this business.”
She leaned closer to Quinn. She knew he was waiting for her to bring up the flash drive herself, but giving it up meant leaving her with no bargaining chip. “So now what, Jake? Where do we go from here? I don’t seem to have given you anything you can use.”
He studied her as he spoke. “We’ve had a very interesting conversation here, Kate, but I hate to be the bearer of bad news.” He looked back at Quinn. “You know she’s gonna have to come in and talk to the bosses.” He gestured at his yellow pad. “This won’t be nearly enough to satisfy them.”
Kate felt her stomach churn. “No. No way. I thought that’s why you came out here, so I wouldn’t have to do that.”
“When I give this information to Dean Morgan and Lane Barton, they’ll want to question you in person to satisfy themselves. You’re the only link we’ve been able to get our hands on. As a matter of fact, I think they were hoping you’d show up with me first thing tomorrow morning.”
Kate turned in her chair, trembling. “Quinn? You promised me. You said we could trust Jake. That it would be okay.” She looked at Jake, who was still watching her with hooded eyes. “I’m not putting myself out there like that. I’m sorry, but I’ll say it again. I heard Peter himself say they’ve got people paid off everywhere. Even prosecutors and federal agents. All over the country. Remember, Quinn?”
“Jesus.” Jake ran his fingers through his hair. “Are you telling me you actually heard him say those words? Because it’s damn near next to impossible to get to anyone in our office.”
“Do I have a reason to lie to you?” she demanded. “Why do you think I didn’t run to you or the police first thing? Shouldn’t I have done that right away?”
His hand tightened on his pen. “If there’s any possibility of truth in that, Noah and Clay will be royally pissed off, too.”
“Who?” Quinn frowned at him.
“Special Agent in Charge Noah Delaney is the FBI’s point man in the investigation. Clay Peters is the DEA’s chief representative. They’ll be kicking butt when I tell them their houses might not be so clean.”
“So you see,” Kate cried, “how can I be sure he hasn’t already gotten to someone in your office? That they won’t find out about this? And me?”
“Nothing is ever foolproof, but our office is as tight as it can get. Lane Barton, the U.S. Attorney for this district, is the most honest man you’ll ever meet. He’s not a man to mess around with. If the Osunas got to someone on our staff, we’ll squeeze him out in a hurry. And life won’t be very pleasant for him when that happens.”
“But not until after they’ve found me and k-killed me.” She clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering.
“Honey,” Quinn began.
“No.” She stared at Jake defiantly. “I’m not doing this. Or anything else. You don’t trust me. Why should I trust you?”
Quinn leaned his mouth close to her ear. “You can trust him because I do. Because I made a promise to you. And you know you have to give him your little treasure. If you’re afraid to just hand it over, isn’t the smart thing for you to give it to his boss yourself? I swear to God, Kate, I can vouch for those guys. No reservations. We have to get the cartel off your back and this is probably the only way.”
“Can I possibly ask what you’re talking a
bout?” Jake broke in.
“In a minute,” Quinn told him. He lowered his voice again. “You have the means to see these people put away. But let’s do it on our terms, okay?”
She looked at him a long time, then nodded. “Okay. I guess it makes sense. But our way, right?”
He nodded. “Or we don’t do it. We pack up and get the hell out of here. Find someone else we can work with.”
“Okay.” Jake threw his pen down. “Enough. What the hell’s going on?”
“Maybe we can do each other some good.” Quinn looked at Jake. “You up for a little horse trading?”
Jake scowled. “What kind of horse? And how much trading?”
Quinn turned back to Kate. “I think it’s time to bring out your little surprise.”
Jake shifted his eyes from one to the other. “What little surprise? What aren’t you guys telling me?”
“If we show you something very important, will you get Kate off the hot seat with the brass? You can tell them she’ll come into town but on our terms.”
“I can’t say until I know what you’ve got.” Any trace of a smile had disappeared from Jake’s mouth and his eyes. He was as serious as a heart attack now.
“Let’s just say it’s something the Osunas and Peter Fleming would kill to get their hands on,” Quinn told him.
“Are you by any chance talking about the reason for the big dragnet the cartel has out for you, Kate? The reason there’s such a big target on your back?”
“Do we have a deal?” Quinn asked again. “Yes or no, or we’re done here.”
“I could take her in as a government witness.”
“Not unless you plan to arrest her.” Kate had never heard Quinn’s voice so cold. “And don’t even think about trying to get a subpoena. You know how fast I can disappear.”
Jake raised his hands up. “All right, all right. If it’s as good as you say, I’ll cut you some slack. But not much. This is too damned important. And you know it’s not entirely my call.”
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