Cowboy Delirium

by Joanna Wayne

  “There seem to be a lot of lucky straws up for grabs.”

  “You’ve been right about everything so far, Rio. I was thoroughly investigated right down to my passion for shoes and my favorite coffee shops. There’s also proof that Buerto knew I’d be at the charity party that night and he knew I had a history of never staying in one job too long.”

  Rio stuffed the discs into Jaime’s backpack. “They play all the angles and make few mistakes. Did you make copies of the investigative reports?”

  “No, but I’ll get on that now.” She turned to go, then stopped and looked at him. “We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”

  He nodded. They made a damn good team.

  If he could decode these files in time, he might not even need Zach’s help in discovering what would be shipped from where.

  “It’s a two-hour drive back to the cabin, Jaime. We should get on our way. It wouldn’t do for Luke’s replacement to show up and find us gone.”

  “You really are afraid of Poncho, aren’t you?”

  “No, I’m afraid of having to kill him and then get kicked from the cartel before I stop the attack.”

  “Two more files to copy,” she said, “and then I’m ready to go.”

  “Okay. I’m going to the bathroom and then I’ll meet you in your office.”

  He was passing by her desk in the outer office when he heard voices in the hall. Two men with slight accents. He recognized one as Buerto’s. A key rattled in the door.

  Son of a bitch. Why would Buerto be coming down to his office before daylight? It must mean the action was heating up. He had to get out of here, but the door the men were about to walk through was the only exit.

  He touched his hand to the butt of gun and rushed back to get Jaime. They’d have to hide in the storage closet and hope for the best.

  He slipped into Buerto’s office but there was no sign of Jaime. She must have heard the voices, too. He hurried toward the closet then noticed that one of the glass doors leading to the balcony was open a crack.

  Surely she wouldn’t have jumped. They were on the fourth floor, with only a cement parking lot to break their fall. He lost all concern for being discovered and rushed onto the balcony. As he looked down, he saw a dark object atop a parked car.

  Jaime’s backpack.

  Chapter Eight

  Terror gripped him as his eyes wildly scanned the pavement below. There was no sign of her.

  In his peripheral vision he spotted a fluttering of pink, and his heart caved in. A few feet away, just out of his reach, Jaime stood on a narrow ledge only slightly wider than her small foot, hugging the building for dear life.

  He spat out a curse. Jaime Collingsworth might be afraid of roaches, but she was not afraid of anything else. Adrenaline shot through him in dizzying waves. What had she been thinking to choose such a dangerous escape method?

  At least she’d had sense enough to drop the heavy backpack before she’d started walking on the treacherous ledge. And this time she was wearing rubber-sole shoes, a pair of sequined pink sneakers.

  When she reached the next balcony, she caught hold of the railing and managed to swing herself onto solid footing. Only then did she look back in his direction. He gave her a thumbs-up, though what he really wanted to give her was a lecture forbidding her ever to put herself in that kind of danger again.

  It hit him then that the files they’d spent collecting were lying four floors below them, the CDs no doubt smashed to pieces.

  Behind him, a light went on in Buerto’s office. He scooted over until he was out of sight—unless one of the men walked onto the balcony. He had no desire to take on two men before breakfast, especially now that Jaime was safely waiting for him. He threw a leg over the railing and followed her lead.

  He didn’t look down, but inched along. Heights didn’t bother him. Falling would. When he reached the balcony where Jaime was waiting, he caught hold and climbed aboard.

  She threw herself in his arms and he held her close. As he did, something poked him in the ribs. He touched the front of her blouse. “The CDs?”

  She pulled them out and handed them to him. “You didn’t think I was foolish enough to toss them over, did you?”

  His relief was palpable. “Thank God. I’d have hated to go through all that again.” He caught hold of her forearms and held her so that he could look directly into her eyes. “What the devil were you thinking when you decided to take up tightrope walking?”

  “I heard Buerto’s and Rafa’s voices. I wasn’t going to just stand there and let Buerto discover that we’d cracked his passwords and stolen his files.”

  “Who’s Rafa?”

  “I only know his first name. Buerto introduced him to me as a friend, but I think he’s more likely a business associate. He comes by the office frequently. I think they’d been drinking tonight. Their voices were louder than usual.”

  “Even that doesn’t justify your strolling along a narrow ledge four stories off the ground.”

  “Garth and I used to go rock climbing in Wyoming when he was participating in rodeos out there. Compared to that, balancing on the ledge was a walk in the park.”

  “A park in a war zone. Who’s Garth?”

  “An old boyfriend. Don’t worry. He’s ancient history.” She shrugged and looked around. “Since we don’t have a key to this office, can you work your magic and open the door? We need to get downstairs and recover the backpack before someone makes off with the copies.”

  He made quick work of the lock and they walked through an insurance office and then took the elevator to the ground floor. The buckle on the backpack had left a few nasty scratches on the top of a blue Camry. The driver would have a rough time figuring out how they got there. The backpack, however, was none the worse for wear.

  Too bad Rio couldn’t say the same for himself. Seeing Jaime on that ledge had stolen the elation he’d found at recovering files that could help him stop the cartels’ planned attack. Her calm when he’d been so frightened for her had been downright annoying.

  He couldn’t figure her out. She had everything money could buy, but instead of being a spoiled princess, she was one of the spunkiest women he’d ever met. Nothing daunted her—except roaches.

  He opened the car door for her, then circled to the driver’s side. Once he’d thrown the backpack into the rear seat, he got behind the wheel. He fit the key into the ignition but didn’t start the motor. Instead, he stared at Jaime.

  She had to be as beat as he was, but she looked as gorgeous as ever. The night had been one big adventure for her, but all he could think about when he looked at her was how easily she could have fallen to her death.

  And they called him a loose cannon.

  But enough was enough. His mind was made up. He couldn’t keep putting her in danger, and there was only one way to guarantee she stayed safe.

  “How about some food and coffee?” he asked.

  “I’d love some. There’s a great café nearby that serves breakfast twenty-four hours a day.”

  “That should work.” A nice café for their last breakfast together. He’d miss her but it was the way it had to be. And there was no reason to worry about Poncho now. When Rio showed up at the cabin without Jaime, no excuse would be good enough to keep his career with the cartel from coming to an abrupt end.

  Who’d have thought he could get this close to a woman in only two days? Before meeting Jaime, he wouldn’t have bet ten cents that he could feel this close to a woman again in all his life.

  JAIME DIDN’T REALIZE HOW ravenous she was until the waitress set a plate of eggs, bacon, hash browns and one large golden-brown biscuit in front of her. It had been a long night, and she was still stunned by all she’d learned about Buerto and Rio.

  The man she’d trusted and admired had turned out to be a liar with ties to one of the most infamous Mexican drug cartels. Yet, the man who’d abducted her at gunpoint had turned out to be a former Navy SEAL currently working in a covert oper
ation with the CIA and Homeland Security.

  Buerto had set her up to be murdered. Rio had sworn to keep her alive. Her safe, pampered life had spun out of control and she’d been hurled into a world of espionage and terrorism.

  She should be in a state of shock and maybe she was. That would explain the exhilaration that burned inside her. She didn’t need any explanation for her attraction to Rio. He was determined, brave, smart and incredibly virile. If anyone could stop the planned attack along the border, it was he.

  As for Buerto, she was furious to learn how he’d used her. Oddly, she felt no real pain at the loss of their relationship. The man she’d thought she was working for and dating had never existed. Buerto was a good-on-paper kind of guy, but everything on the paper had been lies.

  “I took you for the kind of woman who’d have ordered a bowl of fruit and yogurt,” Rio said when he finally took a break from his meal of pancakes, sausage and a side of Texas fries.

  “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  “You barely touched your food at the cabin yesterday and you’re not much bigger than a newborn calf.”

  “I don’t always eat like this, but I usually have a good appetite, especially when I’m back at the family ranch. Juanita, our cook, may be the best in the country, especially when it comes to down-home cooking with a Hispanic flair.

  “My mom likes to mix gourmet fare with traditional Texas dishes. Her family Sunday brunches are to die for. As soon as this is over, I’ll have you out. They’ll all be eager to meet you.”

  Was it only a few nights ago she was finding excuses not to have Buerto meet her family? He’d managed to do that anyway, though, on his traitorous terms.

  “You don’t look much like a cowgirl,” Rio said.

  Jaime put down her fork and wiped her mouth with the napkin. “Wait until you see me in boots.”

  “Dressing like a cowgirl won’t cut it. You know the saying. Don’t call her a cowgirl until you see her ride.”

  “I’m an expert horsewoman, and I can do the Texas two-step in any smoky western bar. Now, tell me about you.”

  “I grew up on a small ranch outside El Paso. No cook. My dad, brothers and I did the wrangling. Mom took care of the house. I had a tendency to get into trouble. Nothing major, just driving too fast and partying too hardy. And playing pranks on my younger brothers.”

  “Do you miss the ranch life?”

  “Sometimes. I figure I’ll go back to it one day, when I get tired of living on the edge. That’s what makes working for Cutter Martin so great. He runs the investigative and protective service from his ranch. Right now he has more work than he can handle with three SEALs already working for him.”

  The waitress came by, refilled their coffee cups and left them a check.

  “You’ll have to pay,” Jaime said. “I haven’t seen my purse since I threw it at you and Luke the other night.”

  “I’d pay even if you had your purse. I invited you to breakfast.” He pulled out his wallet and took a twenty from it. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you back at Buerto’s office, but I found one file that wasn’t written in code.”

  He sounded reluctant, which piqued her interest all the more. “Did it relate to the attack?”

  “It’s a list of over a hundred names. I only recognized a few of them, but the ones I know are all of law enforcement officers working in Texas border towns. One is my supervisor for the CIA, whose involvement in stopping the violence hasn’t been publicized. Still, they have his name.”

  “Do you think the names are a hit list?”

  “I think it’s very likely. I’m not sure if those names are the extent of whatever is planned for Detonation Day, but it’s a start. I’ll give the information to the CIA. They’ll notify those officers so that they can be on high alert and their families can be protected.”

  “At least it’s a start.”

  “We have you to thank for that.”

  “You discovered the file.”

  “Yes, but it was your idea to visit Buerto’s office tonight.”

  She nodded her head. “I accept the kudos.”

  “There’s more,” he said. His voice had grown somber. “Your brother Zach’s name is on that list.”

  She stared at Rio, praying she’d heard him wrong. His eyes told her she hadn’t. “It’s that task force he’s working on. No wonder he doesn’t like to talk about it. He knows it’s dangerous.”

  “And a lot of what he’s doing is likely confidential,” he reminded her.

  Things were suddenly a lot clearer. “That’s why I drew the straw,” she said. “They go after the officer and his family, so they chose me as the kidnap victim. They get the ransom and a chance to strike out at Zach’s family. We have to call Zach and let him know. I won’t tell him you’re with the CIA or that I was in Buerto’s office. I’ll just say I overheard the info from the other kidnappers.”

  Rio handed her the phone. “I have a better idea. Tell Zach you escaped. I’ll drive you to a spot near the lake where he can pick you up.”

  “I can’t do that. If I’m not with you, then the ransom will be off. There will be no way we can find out what’s being smuggled out of the country.”

  “We’ll just have to go with what we have. I can’t keep putting you at risk.”

  “But you said yourself they could be smuggling some kind of chemical for use in dirty bombs. A hundred people on a hit list is horrendous, but what if we’re looking at thousands of innocent citizens including women and children?”

  “It’s not your job, Jaime. It’s mine and all the other agents who are working day and night on this.”

  Rio didn’t get it. She didn’t fully understand it herself, but she knew what she had to do.

  “All my life everything I wanted has been handed to me, Rio. It wasn’t Mom’s fault. She tried to instill all sorts of basic values in me, but in the end I never failed to get what I wanted. It’s always been all about me. Now it isn’t. I like this new me. I want to do this.”

  “You’ll have to find something else to champion. I can’t risk getting you killed by these monsters.”

  She raised her chin and set an expression of steely determination on her face. “It’s not your risk we’re talking about. It’s mine. You kidnapped me and dragged me into this nightmare, Rio. Now I’m here, and I’m going back to the cabin with you and see it through.”

  Without any second’s hesitation, she punched in Zach’s cell phone number. She’d warn him his name was on that dreaded list, but that was as far as she’d go. Buerto and the others who were part of this deadly plot had to be stopped.

  Finally she understood why Zach had become a deputy and why he’d volunteered for a potentially deadly task force.

  He made a difference. He saved lives.

  SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY Rio had lost complete control of Jaime, if he’d ever had it. She was dynamite in a petite, blond package. He’d known from first bite that she was a spitfire.

  He knew now she was far more. Valiant was the first word that came to mind, a description the military reserved for their finest. They were frequently the ones who ended up dead on the battlefield. He would not let that happen to Jaime.

  They were still an hour from the cabin on Lake Livingston and the sun was already beaming its first light above the gray horizon. He’d have lots of explaining to do if they arrived after Luke’s replacement, but that didn’t loom as his biggest problem. Decoding the CDs did.

  He checked his speed. His foot was heavy on the accelerator, as usual. Slowing to just a few miles above the limit, he turned to Jaime. “Watch for a twenty-four-hour Walmart.”

  “Oh, goody,” she said, “a shopping trip. You can buy me a pair of shoes to replace the ones you murdered.”

  “I’ll buy you two when this is over, providing they don’t cost more than ten dollars a pair.”

  She laughed. “When this is over I will have to introduce you to the world of Manolo Blahnik, Gucci and Jimmy Choo.”


  “I live for that,” he teased. “Right now we need a laptop so that I can start decoding those files.”

  “Can you buy one at Wal-Mart?”

  “I don’t know, but that’s the best option I can think of for shopping before dawn.”

  “You’re in luck. I have a better option.” She reached beneath her seat for the black tote that held their frozen pizza. She pulled out a laptop. “I knew we wouldn’t have Internet connections in the cabin, but I’d planned to hide this under my bed and keep a journal of our mission.”

  “Our highly confidential mission.” But he reached over and patted the top of the laptop. “You are now officially promoted, partner.”

  She gave him a salute. “Unfortunately I didn’t have time to recharge the battery and it’s completely down. Otherwise I could drive and you could start decoding.”

  “That we can work around. But neither Luke’s replacement nor Poncho can know we have it.”

  “Naturally.”

  Liberation from the need to purchase a laptop at sunrise freed his mind to consider the files themselves and what they could mean to the mission. His guess was that the cargo was not yet in the cartel’s hands. Had it been, Jaime’s family would know when and where to have that plane waiting for them.

  If he or someone in the CIA could determine from the files what was being smuggled, they could possibly stop the shipment from ever reaching the cartel’s hands. Which meant he had to get these files to the CIA as soon as he got them copied onto Jaime’s computer.

  A handful of miles down the road, he glanced over at Jaime. She appeared to have fallen fast asleep. He’d keep his voice low, but he needed to make a couple of calls before they reached the cabin, one to Cutter and one to his CIA supervisor, Dan Camp, to let them know the latest developments.

  He slid his arm across the back of the seat and let his fingers tangle gingerly in the soft curls that tumbled over her shoulder. Temptation had never looked so good—or been so wrong for him.