Bravo, Tango, Cowboy

by Joanna Wayne

  Which was more than enough and the best reason she could think of for retiring to the porch with him for a little private conversation. She wanted to know if he’d contacted Mitch and if the conversation had produced any information of value.

  “I accept the offer to escape the kitchen,” Alonsa acknowledged, “but I won’t be able to stay late, no matter how good the pie. I promised Ellen I’d be home early.”

  “I’ll get the coffee,” Hawk offered.

  Alonsa tried to help clear the table, but Linney all but pushed her out the door.

  “You’re wasting a full moon. And terrific weather, since the morning’s thundershowers cleared out. Blizzards in half the country and sweater weather in Dobbin. I can’t imagine living anywhere but here, especially when I have my own terrific cowboy.”

  No doubt Linney thought Alonsa needed one as well—in the form of Hawk Taylor. Linney had a serious lack of subtlety.

  And a lot to learn about Hawk.

  Alonsa left them all behind and settled on the porch swing to wait for Hawk. He joined her half a minute later, pushing out the front door and onto the porch with two green pottery mugs and napkins in hand. In spite of the rejection she’d felt this morning, her pulse accelerated.

  He handed her a mug and a napkin. “I added a touch of Kahlúa and a dollop of whipped cream,” he said. “I think I got the combination the way you like it.”

  She took a sip, then wiped the cream from her mouth. “It’s perfect.”

  He took a seat beside her, not so close their knees touched but close enough that the musky scent of his aftershave vibrated through her senses.

  “I didn’t know you were coming tonight,” he said, “but I’m glad you did. We need to talk.”

  “Did you get my text message this afternoon?”

  “Yes, and I talked to Mitch.”

  “Did you send him the sketch?”

  “I faxed it to him, but he was in his car at the time and I haven’t heard back from him yet.”

  “Was he of any help in other ways?”

  “He mentioned that Todd had broken off the affair he was having before he died and planned to give your marriage another shot.”

  “Thanks for sharing that, but Todd had made lots of new stabs at making the marriage work. They never lasted long. He just wasn’t ready to settle down, at least not with me. Anything else?”

  “Mitch mentioned a black-market baby ring operating out of Texas that Todd had investigated. Did Todd ever mention that to you?”

  “No, but like I told you, he seldom talked about his work. What about the baby ring?”

  Alonsa listened and as Hawk fed her the details, her heart began to pound. The idea of stealing babies was too abhorrent for words, and the female attorney sounded like a deranged tyrant who should be shot at sunrise.

  But if this lunatic was the one behind Lucy’s disappearance, then Lucy might have been sold to a family who wanted an older child instead of a baby. She might be with a loving family who’d dried her tears and kissed her when she scratched her knee. Might have an illegally adoptive father who doted on her the way Todd had. Might have a substitute mother who combed her hair and made her chocolate chip cookies.

  “This might be exactly the break we’ve been looking for, Hawk.” Excitement bubbled inside her and spilled into her voice. “If the attorney is behind the abduction then there will be records. All we have to do is get our hands on them and we can follow the paper trail and find Lucy.”

  “Don’t get your hopes too high, Alonsa.”

  Her enthusiasm plummeted. “Why do you always do this, Hawk? You assure me you will find out what happened to Lucy and then when we make progress you warn me not to expect too much. Are you going to do what you say you can or not?”

  Hawk slid his arm to the back of the seat, snaking it behind her. “I didn’t promise to do anything overnight.”

  “But this makes sense. We already know the woman took revenge on people who got in her way. And Mitch said that Todd wanted to take her down. And it was a woman who abducted Lucy. We know that much for sure. Now we just have to get to this attorney and we’ll find Lucy.”

  “It’s not as cut-and-dried as you’re calling it, Alonsa, but it is worth checking out. The first thing we’ll need is her name.”

  “Craig Dalliers must have it.”

  “In which case he knows about her and has probably already checked her out,” Hawk said.

  “He’s never mentioned her. And he was looking for a person Todd had a part in arresting. As far as we know, this woman is still walking around Houston and running her sinful ring. She’s unbelievably malicious and vindictive and even you said the person making those calls to me had to be cruel and heartless.”

  “I’m not arguing the point with you, Alonsa. I’m just saying I don’t think you should put so much stock in every lead. It leaves you wide-open to disappointment over and over.”

  “I’m just trying to think positive. I’ll get the name from Craig tomorrow.”

  “He may not be at liberty to release it to you.”

  “Oh, I’ll get it, all right. Believe me, I have my ways, and I won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes.” She leaned back in the swing and took a slow sip of the coffee, this time relishing the sweet taste of the cream.

  The chains squeaked as Hawk planted his feet firmly and stopped the gentle sway of the swing. “I guess you’d be the one to know what it takes to get whatever you want from Agent Dalliers.”

  His tone was accusing. She turned and was surprised at the jut of his chin and the strained lines in his face. “Are you implying something, Hawk? If you are, don’t beat around the bush, just say it outright.”

  “Okay. Mitch told me you and Craig shared a past.”

  “Did he now? A past? How thoughtful of him. And what did you say to that, Hawk Taylor?”

  “That it was none of my business.”

  “You were right. It’s none of Mitch’s, either. But since my private life seems to be a hot topic of conversation, let me set the facts straight. I had an adulterous affair with Craig Dalliers.”

  HAWK REGRETTED ASKING before the first word of explanation left Alonsa’s beautiful mouth. She didn’t deserve this from him. Even if they were in a committed relationship, she didn’t owe him a rundown of what she’d done before they met. But they weren’t in a relationship of any kind. They’d shared one kiss and he’d done a rotten job of pulling that off.

  “Let it go, Alonsa. Just hold on to the hope that this leads to our finding out what happened to Lucy.”

  “To our finding Lucy,” she corrected him. “Not to finding out what happened to her. There’s a difference.” Her voice stung like a brutal wind. “And I’d rather get this out in the open so there’s nothing between us but the search for Lucy.”

  “Fair enough.” He damn sure wasn’t going to go judgmental on her now.

  “I dated Craig off and on for about six months before I met Todd.”

  “Then what happened?”

  “He introduced me to Todd and Todd informed me that Craig was married. I broke it off with him immediately.”

  “Is that when you started dating Todd?”

  “Yes. We fell hard and fast. Ours was the typical whirlwind romance.”

  “And Craig let it go at that.”

  “Hardly. He called me constantly trying to get back together. Todd finally threatened to call his wife if he didn’t back off. Apparently she is a very jealous woman and inherited a rather large sum of money from an uncle who made it big in commercial real estate. Craig had no intention of leaving her. He just wanted me, as well.”

  “Did Todd’s threat cause Craig to back off?”

  “The threat and the fact that I got pregnant with Todd’s child. I was taking precautions, but apparently my Lucy was meant to be. Todd wasn’t ready to marry and start a family, but when I told him I was having the baby with or without him, he proposed.”

  The painful coils that had been twistin
g around the muscles in Hawk’s chest began to relax. He was way out of line to even think about who Alonsa had been with before, much less to care.

  Only he did care. Not about the past, but the here and now. He cared way too much and that scared him.

  The door opened and Cutter and Linney joined them with slices of lemon pie piled high with a fluffy meringue. Hawk helped Linney with the tray, then propped himself on the banister with his dessert and what was left of his lukewarm coffee.

  “Anyone for refills?” Linney asked. “It’s decaf this time. I need my beauty rest tonight.”

  He held his mug up to be refilled, again reminded of how well Cutter and Linney fit together even if his buddy had been reduced to asking advice from horses a few hours earlier.

  “Linney tells me this was Brandon’s first day of preschool,” Cutter asked. “How did it go?”

  “He loved it. He even asked to call Linney when he got home so that he could tell her all about it.”

  “He talked a mile a minute,” Linney added. “I think he’s majoring in blocks.”

  The pursuant conversation skirted several issues, none of which captured Hawk’s attention. His thoughts were focused on Alonsa and the way she looked tonight. Casual dynamite, if he had to put a name to her style. She had on a pair of strappy heels that showed off her shapely ankles and made her legs look miles long. Her jeans fit just right. Her silky forest-green blouse was open at the neck, revealing a tasteful amount of cleavage.

  But if they were alone and he were to loosen a few more buttons, the nipples that barely pushed against the fabric now would escape and her breasts would fall into his hands. He could kiss those soft, yielding lips again and…

  His body hardened and blood rushed from his head, leaving him dizzy with wanting her.

  “It’s been fun, but I really have to go now,” Alonsa said.

  Hawk waited, still perched on the banister while the others talked of getting together again soon and said their goodbyes. When Alonsa started down the steps, he followed and walked her all the way to the car before either of them said a word. When he looked back, he saw that Cutter and Linney had gone inside.

  He opened Alonsa’s car door. She didn’t get in. He hesitated as the need he’d felt this morning rose inside him, pushing so hard it was all he could do not to take her in his arms.

  “I didn’t handle things well this morning, Alonsa.”

  She shoved the door open wider, knocking him backward. “We’ve covered this, Hawk. I came on to you. You weren’t interested so you broke things off. I get it. I’m over it.”

  “You think I didn’t want you? Are you crazy? I’ve wanted to make love to you ever since that first dance, maybe before.”

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Alonsa. I don’t want to be the next man to let you down.”

  “Well, I’ll tell you what I think, Hawk Taylor. I don’t think this is about me at all. I think it’s about you and your need not to get involved. So take that need and think about this.”

  He expected her to slap him. Instead she pressed her body against his and kissed him so hungrily, he had to hold on to the top of the car door to keep from falling backward.

  The kiss ended as quickly as it had started. She pushed away from him and got into the car.

  “Good night, Hawk. Now get busy and find my daughter.”

  With that she revved the engine and sped away, leaving Hawk to stare after her while he tried to wrap his mind around a woman who surprised him at every turn.

  Unfortunately that didn’t change a thing except to make what he had to do that much harder. Find Lucy, keep Alonsa safe and when this was over, walk away from the one woman he was certain he’d never be able to forget.

  BOLTS OF UPHOLSTERY were fanned around the huge display table, all in the woodsy palette that Linney had used to update the furnishings in the main house at the Double M.

  “I like this stripe for the chairs,” Linney said, “and I like that leafy pattern for throw pillows, but I’m not sure they go together.”

  “The colors are all in your palette,” Alonsa said, “but what do you think about this fabric with the trailing vines?” She moved that bolt to give Linney a better idea of what the two fabrics would look like together.

  “I love it,” Linney said, “especially the cranberry stitching.”

  “Agreed. Just the vibrancy you need to set everything off. You could also use this fabric to make more bed pillows.”

  They sifted through more fabric, and ten minutes later, Alonsa uncovered another match. “What about this for the corner table? It would go great with the brass bed.”

  “Oh, I love that. I don’t know how you do it, Alonsa. I could have never pulled this together on my own.”

  “And I could never run a ranch the way you do.”

  “I have help. You could get good help, too, Alonsa. You could make your ranch a paying proposition in no time.”

  “I’m not sure I’ll be staying in Dobbin.”

  “But you fit in so well here.”

  “I’m a New York girl.”

  “We don’t hold that against you,” Linney teased. “You could settle down with a gorgeous cowboy. I wholeheartedly recommend it.”

  A cowboy like Hawk Taylor. She knew what Linney was thinking but she wasn’t going there. She hadn’t seen or talked to him since she’d thrown herself at him for the second time the other night at Linney’s.

  She hadn’t planned to kiss him like that. He’d just gotten her so exasperated. It wasn’t that she expected him to jump her bones every time they were together, but he didn’t have to make such a point of backing away from her.

  She might not be an authority on men, but there was no denying the sparks that flew between them. Even Hawk had admitted that.

  So the only explanation she could think of for his actions was that getting involved with her would cramp his style.

  The search for Lucy was getting more than a little exasperating as well. This time it was Craig who was causing the bottleneck. She’d called him repeatedly, leaving messages that it was urgent she talk to him. He had yet to return her calls.

  Either he was extremely busy, as his secretary insisted, or he was blowing her off. She suspected the latter.

  Gathering her selected fabrics, she led Linney to the counter.

  “I’ll give the clerk the measurements and have her ring it up. She can cut it later and I can come back for it.”

  “Right. I guess you do need to get back to Dobbin. I forget Brandon is in the church preschool now.”

  “He got up this morning raring to go. I’m starting to feel a little neglected.”

  “Tomorrow’s Saturday. You’ll get your turn with him. Why don’t you bring him over? He loves the horses.”

  “We’ll see.”

  The horses would be great but going to the Double M also meant the possibility of seeing Hawk and she wasn’t sure she was ready to jump into that again after the way they’d parted. At least not until she heard from Craig and they had something pertaining to the search to discuss.

  “If you don’t mind, I’m just going to collapse in that chair over there while you talk to the clerk,” Linney said. “I’m pooped.”

  “You’re not sick, are you?”

  “No. I guess I’ve just been trying to do too much lately. I’ll be fine. I just need to rest a minute.”

  “You do so much you make the bionic woman look like a slacker, but I’ve never seen you with your battery running on low before.”

  Linney yawned and dropped into the chair. “Guess it’s catching up with me. I’ll be here when you’re ready to go.”

  “Okay. I won’t be but a minute or two.”

  It would have only taken a minute or two except that both clerks were busy with other customers. Meanwhile Alonsa checked her phone for missed calls.

  None. Moving away from the counter, she punched in Craig’s cell phone number. No answer.
Her irritation surged. “This is Alonsa again. Either call me back before noon, Craig, or expect to find me sitting on your front doorstep when you get home tonight. And, no, I am not kidding.”

  She was bluffing, but another day of waiting and she might make good on it.

  “Alonsa, what a surprise.”

  Her latest client appeared at her elbow.

  “Keidra. Good to see you.”

  “You, too. I was just browsing so I’ll have some idea of what fabrics are available before we meet. I talked to Esteban earlier today and told him I’m ready to start redecorating when you guys are. The previous owners had simply horrid taste.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll get back to you early next week.”

  “Perfect. How’s your son?”

  “He’s fine. The bump was nothing.”

  “Good, but I know how we mothers worry. I have a daughter.”

  Alonsa didn’t mind hearing about Keidra’s daughter, but she’d do it on Keidra’s time. The clerk had become available.

  Back down to business, she checked out and in no time she and Linney were on their way home. Traffic was light on 105 and they got back to Dobbin in under twenty minutes. There was no sign of Hawk when she dropped off Linney.

  She left and went straight to the church. She was early so she got out of her car to sit on an intricately carved bench beneath a canopy of bare branches while she waited. It looked to be a peaceful spot. The effect was lost on her, though.

  Her phone rang. Craig was on the line.

  Chapter Ten

  Alonsa quickly explained the situation with the Texas attorney.

  “Where did you get this information?” Craig demanded, clearly not pleased.

  “Does it matter?”

  “The Bureau’s involvement with that case is confidential.”

  “I’m not at liberty to say where I heard about it, but that’s not the point.”

  “It is exactly the point, Alonsa. I can’t discuss any part of that investigation with you.”

  The little patience she had was fast running out. “This attorney could be involved with Lucy’s disappearance. We need to act on it immediately.”