Hidden Agenda

by Rochelle Alers

  “I’ll tell Blackwell where he is when I meet him.”

  “No deal, Señor Delgado,” Matt snapped. “You’d better tell me now, or you’ll meet your ancestors instead of Harry Blackwell.”

  He needed information, any lead, that would tell him where Chris Delgado could possibly be hidden, because once he left Mexico he would never be able to return.

  Alejandro stared at the savage expression on Matt’s face, and his ex-wife’s words attacked him: Mateo will kill you. For a instant he glimpsed his own death in the eyes of the man sitting across the table from him.

  “I don’t know where the child is,” he confessed.

  Matt went still. Lupe confirmed that Alejandro had arranged for Christopher Delgado’s return, but what he had to do was find who had intercepted the child.

  “You lied to me,” Matt stated in a calm voice, surprising himself with his rigid control. “If you lie about one thing you’ll lie about another.”

  A flush darkened Alejandro’s face. “I never said I had the boy. You did. I said that I have a relative whom Blackwell’s quite fond of.”

  Matt knew it was past time for playing cat and mouse games. “You have my wife.” The question was a statement.

  Alejandro nodded. He stared down at the delicately woven tablecloth. “She is safe. I will not harm her.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Somewhere safe.”

  Every nerve in Matt’s body vibrated with tension. He’d planned to come back and get Eve within forty-eight hours, but that wasn’t possible because Alejandro Delgado wanted to leave for Mexico City within a few hours.

  He knew he couldn’t walk out of Alejandro’s house with her unless the man himself sanctioned it, and he did not trust Alejandro enough to go to Mexico City with him and leave Eve behind.

  “I’ll go to Mexico City with you, but not without my wife,” Matt stated firmly.

  Alejandro’s expression grew hard and resentful. “That is not negotiable.”

  Matt rose and reached across the table, his fingers snaking around Alejandro’s neck and pulling him from his chair. China, silver, and serving dishes crashed to the brick-lined floor as Alejandro struggled against the death-like grip on his throat.

  The loud clatter alerted one of the guards and he raced into the loggia. The rifle slung over his shoulder was quickly leveled at the two men.

  “Get my wife,” Matt ordered against Alejandro’s flushed face. His fingers tightened on the man’s throat until his face turned purplish-black. Alejandro made gurgling sounds while clawing at Matt’s hand.

  The guard cocked the rifle at the same time Matt pulled Alejandro across the table and lifted him off his feet, using him as a human shield.

  “Drop it!” he snarled savagely. The man complied immediately. “Now, get the hell out of here!” Within seconds he disappeared. Matt’s fingers eased slightly. “Are you ready to be reasonable?” he whispered in Alejandro’s ear. He nodded weakly and Matt released his throat.

  Alejandro Delgado collapsed on the table, gasping loudly. The tears filling his eyes flowed down his cheeks. A violent trembling shook him when he realized how close he’d come to death. He stared up at the vaulted roof of the loggia, trying to focus his glazed eyes.

  “Okay, okay,” he repeated hoarsely. “Eve will come with us.”

  Chapter 25

  A light knock on the door and the scrape of a key in the lock brought Eve to her feet. She stood rigidly as Lupe entered the bedroom with a pile of dark-colored garments over her arm and a pair of black hiking boots in the other hand. She placed the items on the bed, a slight smile softening her full lips. Lupe’s smile widened until it became a full grin.

  Eve felt her pulse quicken with excitement, and she remembered Matt saying someone would bring her clothes the night he would come back for her. But he’d mentioned he would be back for her in two days. He’d only left her early that morning.

  Lupe nodded briefly and backed out of the room. Seconds later, Matt walked in and Eve stared at him, unable to believe she’d been released from her tiny prison without bars.

  She held out her arms, and he closed the distance between them, pulling her tightly against his body. Pressing her nose against his chest, she inhaled his warmth, the natural scent of his skin and his aftershave. He had come for her; last night had not been a dream; he was real.

  Matt lowered his head and covered her mouth with his, taking from Eve what she offered so willingly: her love and her passion. Breathing heavily, he pulled back. Gold-green eyes mirrored the deep feelings for the woman he’d married.

  “I love you, Preciosa.”

  Eve smiled for the first time in days, but it faded as quickly as it had formed. Anxiety spurted through her as if some invisible force had wrested the joy from her. She watched the play of emotions cross Matt’s lean, dark face and she knew something was wrong. Had he heard about Chris? Had something happened to her child?

  “What’s wrong, Matt?”

  His hands tightened briefly on her waist before he released her. “I have to escort Delgado to Mexico City. Your uncle will meet him in a few days.”

  Her spirits sank even lower. He didn’t have any news about her son. “What’s going on between Alex and Uncle Harry? Alex told me that my uncle is responsible for something he’s involved with here in Mexico.”

  “What else did he say?”

  “Nothing else except that you are involved with drug trafficking.” Her black eyes raced quickly over his impassive expression. “Tell me he lied, Matt. Tell me it isn’t true.”

  Matt longed to divulge every detail of Operation MESA, but couldn’t. As it was, Eve also was in too deep. “I can’t confirm or deny it.”

  Turning away from him, Eve wrapped her arms around her body as if to hide from him. “How many other ways must you devise to kill? People who smuggle drugs are no better than those who sell them. How could you, Matt? Drugs are the scourge of the earth.” She spun around. Anger, not pain, dulled her eyes. “What have I fallen in love with, and pledged my future to?”

  Matt refused to let her see his pain as her words sliced through him as deeply as a knife. “Let’s get ready to leave.” His voice was cold, detached.

  Matt felt more like a stranger than her husband as Eve changed into a pair of midnight blue twill trousers, heavy cotton socks and the hiking boots. She turned her back to him when she exchanged her blouse for the matching, long-sleeved twill shirt.

  Before staring at Matt she took one last glance around the bedroom where she’d spent the past three nights. He was also dressed for traveling: black slacks, shirt, and jacket.

  “I’m ready,” she stated firmly.

  Matt extended his hand and she crossed the room and grasped it. His fingers closed protectively around hers, and he led her out of the bedroom, down the hall and down the staircase to the courtyard.

  Alex approached them, and unconsciously Eve moved closer to Matt’s side. His fingers tightened slightly on hers and she flashed him a knowing smile. There were still too many unanswered questions surrounding Matt’s double life, but there was one thing she knew she could validate—Matt would protect her from anything and anyone.

  Alejandro, also dressed in black attire, nodded. “We are ready to leave,” he rasped, his voice still hoarse from Matt’s attack.

  Two men, both armed with concealed weapons, stood by Alex’s Mercedes Benz sedan. One opened the rear door and Alex stepped into the car.

  “Get into the car, Eve,” Matt ordered quietly.

  She glanced up at him and again she encountered a mask of stone. Bending slightly, she slipped into the car and sat beside Alex. Matt sat down next to her, and she was sandwiched between her former and present husbands.

  Matt’s right arm rested on the back of the seat, his fingers grazing her shoulders. The possessive gesture was not lost on Alejandro Delgado, who turned slightly and stared out the window.

  The drive to Mexico City would take hours, and it was better for
the three backseat occupants to refrain from any manner of communication.

  Eve spent her time alternating between dozing and staring out the window until it became too dark to see anything but the steady beam from the car’s headlights. She tried not to dwell on the son she might be leaving behind. She blinked back bitter tears when she thought that perhaps he was buried somewhere in an unmarked grave, or taken in by some family who didn’t mind another mouth at their table. Matt had promised he would find her son, and even that promise had turned sour.

  The car swerved, and Eve, Matt, Alejandro, and the guard beside the driver were suddenly alert.

  “What the hell…” Matt cursed softly, as the driver maneuvered wildly to avoid the obstruction blocking the road.

  Eve blinked, trying to see why the driver had stopped. Without warning, Matt pulled her from her seat and prevented her from rising. His fingers were bands of steel on her shoulder.

  “Mateo,” she whispered.

  “Stay calm, Eve,” Matt ordered, “and do exactly what I tell you to do.” It had only taken a quick glance to count the number of armed men surrounding the car before he chanced a look at Alejandro. His face was pale, his features frozen with fear.

  “They’re going to kill me,” Alejandro croaked painfully.

  “Get a hold of yourself, Delgado,” Matt countered. He unlocked his door, then held his hands high above his head as the door was jerked open. “Be careful with the woman,” he warned as a man motioned to Eve.

  A strong hand curved under Eve’s elbow as she stepped from the car. Alejandro was handled less delicately as he was hauled from the vehicle.

  After Matt’s stern warning to their captors, there was complete silence. The five occupants of the Mercedes were blindfolded, their hands tied behind their backs, and then herded up a ramp into the cargo area of a pickup truck.

  Eve felt the blackness closing in on her but refused to panic. She knew Matt had sworn to protect her and she believed he would. She braced her back against what appeared to be a sack of grain and stretched out her legs, sensing Matt was only a few feet from where she sat. The smell of his aftershave wafted near her nose whenever she swayed to her left.

  The truck began moving, and each time it rolled over an uneven tract of unpaved road, Eve clenched her teeth and struggled to keep her balance, refusing to think of what lay ahead.

  What had been a twenty minute ride in the back of the truck seemed like hours to Eve. Every muscle and bone in her body was strained and bruised when strong hands lifted her to the ground.

  There was only the shuffling of booted feet as they were led out of the truck. Eve stumbled and was righted quickly by a pair of strong hands.

  “Be careful,” a rough voice warned in Spanish.

  “How can I be careful when I can’t see,” she retorted in English.

  “¡Silencio!”

  “Don’t yell at me.”

  “Eve,” Matt said quietly. In the single word was the tone of iron authority that expected immediate obedience. He didn’t want her to complicate their situation with her antagonizing their captors.

  Her jaw snapped loudly and she concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other while her rage simmered just below the surface. Her child was missing because of Alex; she was in Mexico because of Alex; she was being held captive because of Alex, and she would probably die in Mexico because of Alex.

  After what seemed an interminable amount of time, Eve found herself in a room, her hands freed. A solid door closed behind her and she reached up and removed her blindfold.

  The sight that greeted her made her stomach drop. The room was small and contained one barred window, a crudely constructed bed, and a rickety chair with most of the seat cushion stuffing missing. It appeared as if she’d traded one prison for another. The only difference was this one was less luxurious than the one at Alex’s house. She glanced down at her watch, then began pacing the worn boards covering the uneven floor.

  Matt, Alejandro, and his driver and bodyguard sat on chairs, blindfolded and with their hands still bound tightly behind their backs. He’d estimated that they had been there more than an hour, and he wondered how much longer they would be held captive before they were interrogated, released, or possibly executed.

  There was silence except for the sound of raspy, labored breathing coming from the other captives. Matt did not dwell on his own predicament, because he knew instinctively their captors were not interested in him, but in Alejandro Delgado-Quintero.

  On the other hand, his thoughts were constantly on Eve. She did not pose a threat to the men who wanted Delgado but she was a woman—a beautiful woman who just by looking the way she did could heat and stir a man’s blood. He knew he had to protect her—at all costs!

  The sound of chorused breathing was shattered by the stomping of booted feet on the wooden floorboards. Armed men, standing silently around the room, came to attention.

  “Who have we plucked from the golden net?” asked a deep, masculine voice speaking cultured Spanish. “Hmm-mm,” the man continued, “Alejandro Delgado-Quintero, his trusty driver, and a flunky goon who also doubles as his bodyguard. Señor bodyguard, you are fired!”

  Sauntering around the room, he stopped in front of Matt. “Who do we have here?” He leaned closer. “I don’t recognize what I can see of the face.”

  Matt sat up straighter. “Mateo Arroyo. And may I ask, Señor, whom am I addressing?”

  The silence that ensued was deafening before the man threw back his head and laughed a full-throated laugh. “Mateo Arroyo,” he roared, “I like you. However, I would like you even more if I hadn’t found you in the company of Señor Delgado.”

  “That can’t be helped,” Matt continued. “Señor Delgado was traveling with me to Mexico City. I’ve invited him to spend some time at El Moro as my guest.”

  “You have bad taste in guests, Arroyo,”

  “And you have even worse manners, Señor,” Matt retorted. “I asked you who you are and—” He never completed his statement, as a leather-covered fist connected with his jaw, sending white-hot pain radiating along the side of his face. His head snapped back from the force of the savage blow.

  The man leaned over Matt, his breath hot and moist against his throbbing jaw. “I ask the questions, Señor Arroyo, not you! ¿Comprende?”

  “I understand,” Matt ground out between clenched teeth.

  “Bueno. Now, answer another question for me, Señor Arroyo. Who is the woman?”

  “She’s my wife.”

  “Now there’s where your taste is impeccable. She is quite a beauty.”

  Matt forced a pained smile. “I agree.”

  There was a marked pause in conversation. “Señor Arroyo, I’m sorry that you are involved in this, but such is life. I’ve been looking for Señor Delgado for quite some time now, and fate has delivered him to me. He is a traitor to his country. He spies on our officials, then reports back to the Americans, who pay him very well for his information. I’m sure you’re aware of the story of Judas and what happened to him after his betrayal.”

  “He hung himself,” Matt confirmed.

  “Exactly. Señor Delgado has just hung himself.”

  “It’s Delgado you want, and now you have him. Let the woman go,” Matt urged.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you or your wife to go.”

  “Señora Arroyo has nothing to do with any of this. Why can’t you release her?”

  “That decision has been taken out of my hands.” There was another lengthy pause. “Because I, too, am a married man and I treasure the sanctity of marriage, I will permit you to be with your wife, Señor Arroyo. But if either of you try to escape, then you’ll die together as you’ve lived together.”

  Matt was hauled roughly to his feet by two men and led away from Delgado and the other two captives. The pain in his jaw shot up to his left eye and with every step the agony increased, and if the two men anchoring him hadn’t aided him in walking he would’ve
fallen. Between spasms of pain, he promised himself that he would exact his revenge on the man who had injured his jaw.

  One man supported Matt while the other opened the lock to a room. The door swung open and they pushed him into the room. Seconds later, the door was slammed shut and locked securely.

  Eve stared at her husband’s fallen body. She rushed to his side and cradled his head on her lap. A small cry of horror escaped her when she saw his rapidly swelling jaw. Pulling the blindfold from his face, she surveyed his face.

  “Oh no, Mateo,” she crooned softly.

  “Untie me,” he ordered, his breathing heavy and labored. He had to lie down and sleep. With sleep he would forget about the pain.

  Eve untied him and Matt sat up. Smiling lopsidedly, he pulled her to his chest. “It’s going to be all right.”

  Those were the last words he spoke before he fell across the bed. Eve lay beside him, cradling his head to her chest. After a while Matt’s pain vanished, and everything around him faded as he drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 26

  Matt woke hours later, his jaw frightfully swollen and discolored. He examined it tenderly, applying pressure with his fingertips.

  “Is it broken?” Eve asked, watching him intently.

  “No,” he replied, wincing.

  Eve moved closer to him on the bed; the fear she’d felt when she first saw his injured jaw turned to rage. “The egg-sucking cowards! They must feel like real men. Hitting a man when he’s blindfolded and trussed up like a holiday bird.”

  Matt, opening and closing his mouth and testing his tender jaw, wanted to howl in laughter but couldn’t. “It’s okay, Preciosa.”

  “It’s not okay, Matt! They could’ve broken your jaw,” she argued.

  “If they had, then I wouldn’t be able to bully you. I don’t think I’d be too effective issuing grunts through wired teeth,” he teased.

  Eve crawled onto his lap, her arms going around his waist. “You’d still find a way to bully me.” Pulling back, she stared up at him. “Do you think they’re going to kill us?”