by David, Kori
He held up a key. “Your mother got worried and asked me to check up on you.”
Lily stomped past Robert Worthington III to put her stuff in the front hallway. Her nose wrinkled at the cloying scent he seemed to bathe in. Then she spun around and held out her hand for the key. “You have no right to be here.”
“You always were overly dramatic, Liliana.” But he gave her the key anyway.
“You’re a bit overdressed for a house call,” she said, eyeing his custom suit and matching snake skinned boots. She’d always hated his style, preferring jeans and a T-shirt over brand names and expensive cologne.
“I was on my way to have breakfast with a couple of the local representatives to discuss the upcoming election.”
“So my mother sent her lapdog to check on her wayward daughter?”
His lips tightened but then smoothed out as he smiled, obviously deciding to ignore the insult. “She’s been worried. You haven’t returned her calls and your cell has been off for days.” He gave her a quick up and down. “You look good.”
Throwing her head back to laugh she said, “What do you really want, Robert? You don’t do anything for anyone else unless it benefits you in some way.”
“So bitter.” He made a tsk-tsk noise. “Maybe I just wanted to see you again. I’ve missed you.”
“What? Are you out of secretaries already?”
Lily turned away and walked into her living room. And froze. It wasn’t anything obvious, but little things were out of place. Her figurine from India faced the wrong direction on the book case; a couple of her hanging pictures weren’t straight. She spun back around.
“You searched my house?”
He arched a blond eyebrow and shook his head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You’re lying.”
“I arrived exactly five minutes before your cab pulled up. I hardly think that gives me the time to search your quaint little home. Not only that, but why would I? I was worried about you too. I’ve never stopped caring about you, pumpkin.”
Lily winced at the pet name, but thought he looked convincing enough. Even though they’d been divorced over eight years, he was a fixture in her life whether she wanted him or not. Because of her mother. Politics was a small, incestuous world populated by the same people. And those people all moved in the same circles, played golf at the same country clubs and attended the same social functions. It was why she stayed out of town. This was the first time he’d tried to convince her that he missed her, however.
“Tell my mother that I’ll call her later. I just got back into town.”
Robert moved toward her. “Have dinner with me? Fill me in on what you’ve been doing lately.”
It was her turn to arch an eyebrow at him. “Have you been drinking?”
“Don’t be rude.” He reached out and stroked her arm, frowning when she flinched away. “Come out with me, we used to have fun together.”
“I don’t think the lady is interested.”
Lily leaned around Robert to see Jesse leaning against the front doorjamb, arms crossed and his ‘go-bag’ at his feet. His posture was relaxed but his eyes were alive with something Lily wasn’t sure she wanted to name. Her heart thumped with excitement as she took in his faded jeans, tight black T-shirt and scuffed boots. Jesse was the kind of man she wanted to go to dinner with, not the overstuffed peacock standing in front of her.
“Jesse, what are you doing here?”
He grinned, ignoring her glowering ex and focused on her. “I woke up and found out I’d been a one-night stand.” He winked. “I’m feeling used and thought I’d swing by for an explanation. And if I’m lucky, you’ll use me again.”
“One-night stand?” Robert scoffed. He’d already dismissed Jesse as a lower class citizen and turned his back on him. Lily could see it in the sneer on his face and hear the acid in his tone. “Well, well, I guess Ms. Prim and Proper has a wild side after all. Maybe if you’d shown a bit of spunk when we were married, I would have stayed home at night.”
Lily’s face heated up in anger. How dare he say that to her! He was the cheating hound and it was now somehow her fault? And Jesse was twice the man he could ever be. But before she could put a voice to her indignation Jesse moved.
“Time to go, asshole.”
Then he grabbed her ex-husband by the collar and seat of his expensive suit. Robert’s arms wind-milled as he was turned, walked outside as if he were no more than a rag doll, and thrown off the porch and out into the yard. His thousand-dollar dress shoes lost traction in the wet grass and he ended up on his hands and knees.
Lily came up beside Jesse, covering her mouth to stifle the giddy laugh that threatened to escape. How many times had she wanted to do that very thing to her pompous, self-righteous pig of an ex-husband?
“I can’t believe you just did that.”
Jesse wasn’t even out of breath, just standing with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. “He touched you.”
Lily shook her head. “He likes to get his way.”
“Not anymore.”
The “he” in question was struggling to stand up with as much dignity as he could muster, considering that his pants were wet from the knees down and his perfectly coiffed hair was now a complete disaster.
“How dare you lay hands on me,” he sputtered.
“Let’s get something straight,” Jesse began as he stalked closer.
Lily followed, afraid Jesse would punch Robert and get arrested for assault. Robert must have thought the same thing because he backed up a step.
“You ever touch her again and I will break every single one of your fingers.”
Robert puffed his chest out and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. “What’s your name? I want to be able to tell the police exactly who assaulted me in the home of my wife.”
“Ex-wife,” Lily interjected.
She put her hand on Jesse’s arm as he started forward again. His muscles were bunched and ready, but he stopped immediately at her touch. Then she looked at Robert and the anger she’d harbored toward him disappeared entirely. All she saw was a small-minded man more interested in his looks and status than in trying to be a decent human being. Thank God she divorced him ages ago.
She squared her shoulders. “You go ahead and call the police, Robert. And I will tell them that you were trespassing and laid unwelcome hands on me. That’s domestic violence and I will tell them that this man—” she pointed at Jesse, “—came to my defense and made you leave.”
“You don’t have the guts to do that, pumpkin.” He sneered.
It was hard to believe that she once thought he was a handsome man, because in that moment he was uglier than she’d ever seen. His eyes were too close together, his blond hair already streaked with gray and beginning to thin. Even his lips were pale and pulled back, exposing his artificial smile.
“You don’t know anything about me. You never did. And now you need to leave before you miss your important meeting.”
“Or what? You’ll sic your junkyard dog on me again?”
“Yes, Robert, I will. And he’ll tear you apart until there’s nothing left but a blood stain on your pretty suit.”
“Bitch,” he snarled, but he turned and went to the sleek black Mercedes parked out by the curb. He was almost running by the time he reached his door.
“I can still go after him,” Jesse said mildly as the Mercedes peeled out and disappeared around the corner. “Because you’re right, that suit is in desperate need of a blood stain.”
“No.” She sighed. “He’s not worth the effort. He never was, but I was too young to see it.”
“Now that that’s over—” he grabbed Lily around the waist and kissed her, using her surprised gasp to slip his tongue inside and turn her body to jelly. The man definitely knew a thing or two about how to kiss a woman.
The kiss ended when a spray of water hit them both. Breaking apart, Lily gasped and looked over the low hedge at her elderl
y neighbor, who was grinning back in pure delight.
“You two looked like you needed coolin’ off. I was about to melt just watching you.” She fanned herself gently. “I figured it was me or the fire department.” And then she laughed, bending over at the waist to slap her own knee.
Eunice Dickson was seventy-five, a firecracker of a woman who wore the most obnoxious muumuus ever sewn together, was the block watch captain, and watered Lily’s yard when she was out of town. She also knew everyone’s business that lived on the street.
Eunice used to do government work but wouldn’t say what, and Lily couldn’t prove it, but she just had a feeling that Eunice was an old spy. It was in the things she said and the way she handled herself.
“Eunice, that was just mean,” Lily said but ruined her scolding tone with a laugh.
“Who’s this fine-looking man you’re about to set my hedges on fire with?”
“Jesse Calhoun, meet Eunice Dickson. Jesse and I are from the same hometown. We went to high school together.”
“Pleased to meet you, ma’am.” Jesse nodded his head. “You’ve just given me the best reason to go inside and take off my clothes with your pretty neighbor.”
Lily’s mouth dropped open. He didn’t even seem upset about the impromptu shower Eunice had given them. Robert would have thrown a fit, but Jesse took it in stride, nothing seeming to ruffle his temper. Although, the look he’d been shooting her ex had been lethal.
Eunice patted her permed white hair and gave Jesse an exaggerated wink. “Somehow, I think you would have come up with one on your own.” She laughed with Jesse and Lily could only shake her head at both of them. She’d never heard her neighbor so flirty.
“May I ask you a question, Ms. Dickson?”
“Sure thing, young man.”
“Did you happen to see the man who left just now in the black car?”
“If you mean did I see you throw him off the porch, land with his fancy butt straight up in the air, before he tucked-tail and ran to his black Mercedes Benz, then yes, I saw him.”
Lily stifled another laugh as Jesse smiled at the image. “Do you happen to recollect how long he was inside Ms. Richardson’s home before she arrived?”
She didn’t even blink, just nodded. “He was in there about an hour.”
“I knew he was lying, that snake.”
Jesse reached out and took her hand in his, but he stayed focused on Eunice. “Anyone else snooping around?”
“As a matter of fact, yesterday two Mexican men came by doing some yard work. I didn’t like the looks of them, especially since Lily doesn’t trust anyone but me to water her flowers, so I told them I was calling the police to check out their story. I thought they were spending a little too much time up by the windows and the front door. They took off right quick then.”
Lily looked up at Jesse and knew he wasn’t going to take any brush-off this time. He’d followed her, not out of hurt feelings like he’d said, but because she was in very real danger still. He knew it and she knew it. And it was time she stopped hiding it.
And she was tired. Tired of being afraid. Tired of not trusting anyone. And tired of trying to prove that she was good enough, tough enough, to handle the situation she found herself in.
“Thank you, Eunice, for being a wonderful neighbor, as always,” Lily said. “I think I should take Jesse inside and get him out of those wet clothes.”
“Smartest thing I’ve heard all day.” And with a wave, Eunice and her muumuu were gone.
Lily looked at Jesse’s big tanned hand linked with hers. Whatever happened next, she wanted him with her. He was already taking root in her heart. And dear Lord, she wanted him in her bed. Maybe for the rest of their lives.
“I guess I have some explaining to do.”
Chapter 9
Lily’s house was bright and sunny, but also cozy with big furniture that a man wasn’t afraid to sit on. Jesse had taken his shirt off and given it to Lily for the dryer, but since his pants were barely wet, he kept those on.
“We leave in ten minutes, if not sooner,” Jesse called down the hall.
“I know we can’t stay, but at least let your shirt dry.”
She disappeared to retrieve the pictures she’d taken. She was finally going to trust him, and it was about damn time.
He found the remote and flipped on the television. He set his bag at his feet with his gun sitting within easy reach. He searched the local news station and waited for something interesting to come on. When it did, he sat forward and steepled his hands. There was no such thing as coincidence in his world.
“What was the name of that Army General from your picture?”
“Alton Maddox,” she yelled back. “Why?”
“You need to come in here.”
“What’s up?” she asked. She had a manila folder in her hand.
She’d changed into a peach-colored tank top and white shorts and if he hadn’t been positive that their time at this house was about to be compromised, he might have stopped everything to explore all that creamy skin again.
Jesse pointed at the screen. The banner at the top said Army General found dead, and the scrolling banner at the bottom said that the General had been found deceased at his vacation home in the mountains of Colorado. It was ruled a homicide. It was news in Texas because this particular General ran one of the largest bases in the state.
“That is no coincidence, Lil.”
She sat down hard on the leather couch. “He was only in his fifties.”
“Cold-blooded murder tends to shorten a life span.” He knew his tone was grim. “The Army isn’t going to release any details to the media and will do their own investigation as soon as they can, but the local police department would have arrived on scene first. They might even have the body since, technically, it’s their jurisdiction. I’ll call a friend and have him get some info for us, like if the General was tortured or not.”
“Because that’s what the Huerta cartel is known for.”
Jesse nodded. She’d gone a little pale and he pulled her into his arms to give her a hug. “I will not let anyone hurt you.”
She sighed. “I know. I guess I thought I could handle it when they were only after me.”
Jesse pulled back and looked into her misty cat’s eyes. “I’m not okay with that.”
“I’m so glad you aren’t.”
“Now, how about you let me in on what’s really going on?”
Lily sighed and set the folder on the table. “Whoever searched my house did a very thorough job.”
“Robert?”
She shook her head. “He’s the type to hire someone else to do that. Whatever reason he was really here for, it wasn’t to do the initial search. How did you find me so fast?”
Jesse grinned. He’d wondered when she’d get around to that. “I bugged your camera.”
“When you found the other one, you planted your own? All my noble effort was worthless, wasn’t it?”
He nodded. “It would have been nice to wake up with you in my arms, instead of you sneaking out like you missed curfew and were about to get grounded. We could have had morning sex and taken a shower together.”
Jesse watched as her faced flushed and her eyes dropped to his chest. “That would have been nice.”
He was getting hard just thinking about morning sex, and shower sex, and then bed sex. But he willed his body under control. He wanted to hear from her what she’d gotten herself mixed up in and then they needed to leave her home and find a safer place.
“So next time, don’t leave me high and dry.” He redirected her attention from his chest to the folder on the table. “How did they miss this?”
Lily grinned. “I have a false bottom to a drawer in my bathroom. I cover it with tampons and pads. I figure it’s safe to assume it’s usually men that do house searches and I have yet to run into a man that wanted to handle anything labeled feminine protection.”
Jesse laughed. It wouldn’t have stopped h
im because he had six sisters who used to do that very same thing. He’d learned early on in a house full of women to just ignore anything unpleasant or leave the house during Hell week. But if he wanted dirt on his sisters, he went into the tampon cabinet. They all hid their diaries in there.
“Anyway,” she continued. “This is the original shot I had.”
The General was a tall man and kept in shape, but his muscle was running to fat and he’d developed love-handles around the middle that sagged over the tops of his khaki pants. His hair was gray and regulation short and his face was average. Unremarkable.
Ramon Garcia was a bit of a surprise.
Even taller than the General, he had sleek wiry muscles and a hard face. There was no mercy there. No give. The wicked looking scar that ran from his chin along his jawline to his left ear told Jesse that this man was brought up hard and would go out that same way. Knife wounds were as easy to read as gunshot wounds.
“What else do you have?”
Lily opened the folder again and began sliding out photo after photo. “I knew the General was based out of Fort Hood so I set up camp and began watching his comings and goings. I wanted to know who he was meeting and when.”
Jesse looked at each photo. Lily gave them to him in a timeline. Most were innocent enough but showed that the General, like most people, had regular habits. Coffee off-base on Tuesday. Dinner with some other brass in town on Thursday. And meetings every so often at a seedy little motel on the outskirts of town. That was the picture he focused on.
“I recognize this man.” He tapped the face of the man meeting with Maddox. But how he knew him wasn’t coming to him.
“You should. That’s my stepfather.”
And just like that, he remembered. William Tate had married Lily’s mother when Lily was ten years old. He owned a chain of gun stores across Texas. He was very rich, very connected, and not at all interested in raising a little girl. He’d aged well, still had his hair and looked successful.
“Do you have any idea what they are talking about?”
