Family on the Run

by Margaret Watson

  He groaned into her mouth and closed his arms around her. When he tumbled her to the bed and stretched out beside her, Andi’s nerves hummed and her pulse beat wildly. She wasn’t going to forget Chase, and she would make sure he didn’t forget her, either.

  But her determination to control their lovemaking was destroyed by Chase’s tenderness. His hands floated down her body, caressing, stroking, drawing her heart into his hands. She felt herself trembling, felt herself turning to him and pressing close.

  He held her gently, kissing her, murmuring her name, until she quivered on the edge of a huge abyss. And when he thrust inside her, clasping her hands at the same time, she felt herself tumble over the edge.

  They moved together, their bodies completely in tune, his mouth covering hers. And when she trembled and climaxed again, he did so right along with her.

  Andi held him close for a long time, awash in pleasure and floating on a sea of tenderness. “We even managed to make love on a bed this time,” he murmured into her ear. “Don’t ever say I don’t treat you right.”

  “You know how to show a girl a good time, Remington, I’ll say that for you.” She kept her eyes closed and snuggled closer.

  “And don’t you forget it.” He bent his head and kissed her again, a long lingering caress that was full of gentleness. “I need to go.”

  She tightened her hold on him for a moment, then let him go. “You’re right.” The light slanting in through the shutters was getting weaker. It was close to dusk, and the streets would be full of people heading home from work. “This is the best time to go. There’ll be crowds to blend in with.”

  He propped himself up on one arm. “You’re pretty amazing, Andi,” he said after a moment. “Most women would be whining at me to stay with them.”

  “Most women don’t do the job we both do,” she retorted. “I know what’s at stake. Go.”

  He studied her for another moment, then rolled off the bed. She couldn’t resist watching him while he dressed. “I have no idea how long I’ll be.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Paolo and I aren’t going anywhere.”

  Chase looked down at the sleeping baby. “Do you want me to ask about him at the office? Have them get started looking for relatives?”

  Her heart contracted at the thought of giving up Paolo. “I suppose you should. We need to know if Paloma had any family in Monterez.”

  “After Paloma volunteered her services, the agency would have checked on that. I’ll find out.”

  “Be careful, Chase.”

  He was standing by the door, but he came over to the bed and dropped to a squat beside her. “I’m always careful,” he said.

  “Then be extra careful today. I don’t want another death on my conscience.”

  Something flickered in his eyes, something that might have been disappointment. Then he nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She forced a smile. “Paolo and I will entertain ourselves. Just figuring out the stove so I can boil water will be a challenge.” She frowned. “Can I use it in the room?”

  “Open the window first. Then you’ll be fine.”

  “All right.” She stared at him, memorizing his face. Unable to stop herself, she reached out and laid her hand against his cheek. “I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

  “I’ll come back, Andi. I promise you.”

  “I’ll be waiting.”

  Chapter 12

  Chase lingered in the deep doorway of the shabby hotel, watching the street for a few minutes. No one even gave him a second look. When he was satisfied that there was no one watching for him, he stepped onto the street and began walking.

  He took a roundabout route to the office, always checking behind him, always looking for the person who didn’t belong. The streets were filled with people hurrying home from work, intent on their destination and not inclined to linger. Anyone pausing to look in a store window might be someone waiting for him; such a person would stand out.

  As he got closer to the office, Chase moved more slowly within the crowds. When he was only a block away, he slipped into a café and ordered a cup of coffee. He sat with his back to the wall and watched the crowds on the street.

  No one seemed to be watching the building that housed the office, and Chase frowned. He’d expected at least one person. El Diablo was too smart, too successful, to fail to cover his bases. The drug lord might think he and Andi were dead, but he would still have someone watching the office.

  Chase leaned back in his chair and studied the building. He sat patiently, nursing a second cup of coffee, and was finally rewarded. A tiny flare of light flashed from one office, then disappeared. Someone had just lit a cigarette, he realized with grim satisfaction. And the only reason that person was sitting in the dark was that he wasn’t supposed to be there.

  With a surge of energy, Chase pushed the coffee cup to the side and threw some money on the table. Now that he knew where the watcher was, he could proceed.

  The back of the office building faced an alley, dark and quiet. The sun had set and deep shadows filled the dimly lit alley. Perfect. Chase moved through the shadows slowly and silently, zeroing in on an open window on the first floor. In twenty minutes he was inside the building. He stepped into the agency’s office and closed the door behind him.

  An hour later he slipped out of the building the way he had entered. A sense of danger hummed inside him, and he waited in the shadows for a long time, watching the back of the building. After a half hour he’d seen no one, so he began to make his way back to the hotel.

  Night had fully fallen, and he stayed in the alleys until he was several blocks away from the office building. When he ventured onto the street, he slipped from shadow to shadow, watching constantly.

  No one followed him back to the hotel. He was sure of it. But just in case, he hung back and watched the entrance for another half hour. No one lingered on the street, no one passed the hotel more than once, no one showed undue interest in the shabby building. Finally he slipped into the hotel and hurried to their room.

  Their room. His and Andi’s. He was thinking of them as a team, as a unit, he thought uneasily. It was important to think that way about the job, but he was afraid it was spilling over into their personal life.

  That would all end in two days, he told himself. El Diablo’s meeting with the other drug lords was set for tomorrow night. After that, he and Andi would go their own ways.

  That was what he wanted. He repeated it to himself again, more insistently. He wanted to go back to the States and pick up with his business. He didn’t want any messy complications, any loose ends. He would say goodbye to Andi and walk away.

  Life without her and Paolo would be dull and colorless. A spear of loneliness shot through him, but he ignored it. It would be best for all of them to end it cleanly.

  He knocked on the door before he opened it and stepped into the room. His heart contracted at the sight of Andi curled on the bed, a sleeping Paolo cuddled close to her. She had washed the baby’s diapers and all their dirty clothes, then draped them over the furniture to dry. Bottles full of formula stood lined up on top of the rickety dresser. The room looked cozy and domestic, and a feeling of rightness settled in Chase’s chest.

  He shook off the feeling as he closed the door. He tried to close it quietly, but Andi shot up on the bed, groping on the table next to it for her gun.

  “It’s okay, Andi, it’s me,” he said as he dropped his backpack and hurried toward the bed. “It’s okay.”

  Sleep cleared from her eyes as she turned to look at him. “Chase. You’re back.”

  “In one piece, too,” he said, sitting down on the bed next to her and taking the gun out of her hand.

  To his surprise she threw her arms around him and held him tightly. “I was so worried,” she confessed. “It seemed like it was taking far too long. Then I lay down with Paolo so he would go to sleep, and I guess I fell asleep, too.”

  She was pressed hard against him
, and he closed his eyes as desire ripped through him, leaving a trail of burning need. His arms tightened around her, then he moved away. They had things to talk about.

  “It took longer than I expected to get into the building,” he said, standing up again. “There was someone watching the place, so I had to go in through the back. Then it took longer than I expected once I was inside.”

  “What did they say?” she asked eagerly. “What are they going to set up?”

  He walked over to the window and peered through the slats of the shutters. He didn’t see anyone lingering outside the building, but he scanned one more time before moving away. The back of his neck itched, and he never ignored his gut instincts.

  “I got a bad feeling at the agency,” he said abruptly.

  The eagerness faded from Andi’s face, replaced by puzzlement. “What do you mean?”

  “The guy I talked to didn’t seem too pleased with your information. He wanted to brush it aside.”

  She bounced off the bed. “Who was it?” she demanded.

  “Ed Olasik. I ran into him in the field a few times when I worked for the agency. He never impressed me as an agent.” He gave her a thin smile. “Maybe that’s why he works in the office now.”

  “I’ve worked with Ed before. He’s nothing but a paper shuffler. He’s probably just too lazy to do the work.”

  He hoped that was all it was. “Whatever the reason, he’s reluctant to commit any men to an operation.”

  “Why?” Andi asked hotly.

  “He was surprised as hell to find out what you’d been doing.” Mac shoved his hands into his pockets, unable to shake the uneasy feeling that hung over him. “He said that Mac must have set this up himself, that he’d never heard of Paloma. And he said that because this went through Mac, instead of the office, they couldn’t be sure your information is valid. He told me he was afraid that El Diablo had been deliberately feeding Paloma wrong information to pass on to you.”

  “Then why would he have killed her?” Andi paced the room, her face tight with anger. “How did Olasik explain that?”

  Chase wanted to reach out and punch a hole in the wall. His frustration, suspicion and anger trembled, held in check by a fine thread. Then he shoved his hands into his pockets. “El Diablo was cleaning up his own mess. ‘Just tidying up’ is the expression Olasik used.”

  “He’s wrong,” she said hotly. “You’ve got to make them see that.”

  “I tried, Andi,” he said wearily. “I tried for over an hour. The best I could get out of him is that he would consider sending some men if I could find another source who would confirm the meeting.”

  “What’s wrong with Olasik?” She paced the room, her face rigid with anger. “We risked our lives to get the agency this information. How can he just ignore it?”

  “He’s afraid of a trap,” he said. “He’s afraid he’ll be held responsible if things go wrong. Or worse, he’ll end up looking like a fool.”

  “He’s going to look worse than a fool if El Diablo gets this cartel up and running,” she said viciously. “When cocaine and other drugs start flooding the U.S., Olasik is going to have a lot of explaining to do.”

  “The guy is a bureaucrat, Andi,” he said, putting his hands on her arms. He ached to do more, to draw her into his arms, but he knew he had to keep a level head. “They’re always trying to cover their own behinds.”

  “Then what are we going to do?” The words were a cry of despair. He pulled her close, unable to resist. She vibrated with tension. “How can we change his mind?”

  “Three ways.” Reluctantly he let her go and stepped back. He needed a clear head. “First, I got him to give me a cell phone that’s been fitted with a scrambler. Now we can make calls without having to worry about being intercepted.”

  “Who are we going to call?”

  He gave her a grim smile. “We’re going to start with Mac. This operation started and ended with Mac. He’ll have the authority to get something done.”

  Andi froze. “You’re going to call Mac? I thought the two of you no longer had any contact.”

  “I haven’t spoken to him in three years. I guess it’s been long enough.”

  Andi’s face softened as she watched him. “You’re willing to talk to Mac because of me?” she whispered.

  “Hell, Andi, I’m not working for him anymore. How long can one person hold a grudge?”

  “You feel he betrayed you,” she said.

  “I’ll get over it. This is more important.”

  “I can call him, if you like. Then you won’t have to talk to him.”

  He sighed. “Thank you, Andi. I’m sure he’d listen to you, too, but this is something I have to do. I’ve let this go on long enough. I realized as I was walking back here that I had a choice between my pride and catching El Diablo. And believe me, that put things into perspective. I’ll talk to Mac and make sure he pulls enough strings to get an operation going out at that abandoned airstrip tomorrow night.”

  “Thank you, Chase.”

  She glowed at him, her eyes soft with understanding. His heart moved at the sight of her, and because that scared him, he said gruffly, “It’s no big deal. It’s just part of the job.”

  “It is a big deal,” she insisted. “It means a lot to me.”

  “I’m glad I can make someone happy,” he said, retreating behind humor to hide the fear that ate at him as she watched him. “I sure didn’t make Olasik at the agency office very happy.”

  She watched him for a moment, then said, “What are the other two things we’re going to do?”

  “I’m going to try and find some of my old contacts. They might know something about this meeting. If I can bring in more than one source, the agency’s more likely to act on it.”

  The warm look in her eyes was leached away, replaced by fear. “That sounds dangerous,” she said quietly.

  He shrugged. “It’s something I used to do all the time.” He shot her a look. “You do, too. So what’s the big deal?”

  “The big deal is that you haven’t worked in this area for three years. How will you know where to find people? It’s too dangerous to go wandering around the streets of Monterez. El Diablo is no doubt still looking for us.”

  “He sure as hell has someone watching the agency office building. But we still don’t know if he’s figured out our little game. It might be perfectly safe on the street.” He gave her a grim smile. “And as for finding my informants, people are creatures of habit. I’m betting they still hang out in the same bars and low-life dives they did before.”

  “Maybe they’ve changed loyalties,” she said, biting her lower lip. “How will you know they’re not working for El Diablo now?”

  “You’re going to have to trust me, Andi. I’m pretty good at reading people. If the information is out there, I’ll get it.”

  “I do trust you, Chase. You know that. I’m just worried about you.”

  “I thought you were worried about catching El Diablo.”

  “I am, but you’re more important than that. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  He softened at the look on her face. Clearly she was frightened for him. “I’m not going to get hurt. I’ve survived a lot worse than the streets of Monterez.”

  He couldn’t resist pulling her close again, and she nestled into him as if she belonged there. He closed his eyes, wishing he could stand like this forever, wishing they didn’t have to deal with the real world. When he bent his head to kiss her, she clung to him as if she wished the same thing.

  Finally he forced himself to step away. “You can’t come with me,” he said, recognizing the look on her face and anticipating her next request. “These bars aren’t family establishments. Women and children don’t go near them. It would only endanger you and Paolo and scare away my informants.”

  She gave him a tiny smile. “It was just a thought. You know me too well, I guess.”

  He did know her too well. That sense of connection he’d felt at the
beginning of the trip had only gotten stronger. Now it seemed he could read her mind, and she could read his. The thought made him uneasy again, and he decided to change the subject.

  “Speaking of Paolo, I found a file on Paloma when Olasik was out of the room. He’d never seen it because he didn’t know to look.”

  “What did you find?”

  “Apparently Paloma didn’t have any family at all. That’s unusual enough in this country that the bureaucrats checked her out pretty carefully. They were afraid she was hiding something, and they didn’t want unknown relatives cropping up and screaming bloody murder at them if something happened to Paloma.”

  “There isn’t anyone?” Andi glanced at the baby, sleeping on the bed.

  He followed her gaze. “Not a soul. Both she and her husband were only children, and both sets of parents are dead. So there isn’t anyone for Paolo.”

  “Poor baby,” she murmured.

  “Olasik called up an orphanage in Monterez. We have an appointment there tomorrow morning.”

  “An orphanage?” She turned horrified eyes on him.

  He held up his hands. “It wasn’t my idea. But what alternatives do we have?”

  “I don’t want to put him in an orphanage,” she whispered.

  She looked devastated. He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “We have to go take a look,” he said gently. “He has no place else to go. That’s where children like Paolo are raised in San Marco.”

  “Who would hold him when he cried?” she said, staring at the baby. “Who would know what kinds of games he likes to play?”

  “Andi, we’re just looking at the place. I didn’t say we were going to leave him there. Maybe it’ll turn out to be wonderful.”

  “An orphanage? Wonderful?”

  “Don’t worry about it tonight,” he said, squeezing her shoulders again, then moving away before he was tempted to stay. He had things he had to do tonight. “Why don’t you go back to sleep? I’m going to head out. It’s a little early, but that’ll give me a chance to look around.”