by Eileen Green
Underestimating her was their downfall, and she wasn’t going to be thought of as weak or stupid. She had announced the “disappearance” of the others to the men in front of her, and they fell in line quickly.
Her father was sleeping, something he did a lot since she had been sneaking in after the nurses would leave his room for a break and administering some more morphine. She needed to keep him away from his men to execute her plans.
Files on the desk had been put together by Catalina that would be destroyed as soon as she had accomplished the activities each one took to put her fully in charge. One of the manila folders held her father’s will. That was being doctored by her and her attorney in case Perez double-crossed her.
Reaching for one of the folders, she pulled it to her and opened it. She riffled through the papers and newspaper clippings it held. The dates on them ranged all the way back to 1991 when that vile bitch had claimed Perez had killed her family.
Catalina knew it was true. Why her father had gone to New York to do the dirty deed himself was beyond her. He was too influential and too well known to get his hands dirty, but he had said he needed to take care of it himself. Talk about a stupid move.
Finding the paper she searched for, she pulled it out of the folder before laying the latter on the desk. Looking it over briefly, she found what she was looking for.
“When the bitch was living in Texas, she was engaged to a Brock Tillman. The newspaper states he was heartbroken over her death and moved to Montana several years later. Has anyone checked on him to see if they connected up after he got there?”
“No, senorita,” an acne-scarred man said nervously. “Her handler had told your father that she was in Sacramento, California from 1997 until we interrogated him in 2015. It was then the FBI realized there was a breach, and she disappeared again.”
“What happened to the handler? Did you have him check into her departure?”
The man cleared his throat before glancing at his friends. “We released him with a quarter of a million dollars to find where she was taken and bring her to us, but he committed suicide that same night.”
Fucking people with a conscious!
“I want someone in Montana with their feet on the ground tomorrow morning to find this Brock. I want him interrogated until he tells us where the cunt is! He has to know!” She didn’t care that she was yelling. This was the rest of her life she was talking about.
The men shifted in the oak chairs with leather upholstery. Fear was on all their faces.
Deciding on a different tactic, she said, “In fact, I will go myself. This is going to turn out the way I want it to, no matter what.” She put the paper back in the folder and stood. “Decide who is going to go with me and be ready to leave in an hour. I want to be on the ground by morning looking for this guy.”
Not waiting for any response, she turned and walked out onto the veranda that ran along the backside of the house. Summer was waning, and the temperature had dropped in the past month by about ten degrees. That was one thing about living in a tropical zone. The weather didn’t take drastic turns.
She looked out over the compound below her, the town, and then the ocean. “This will be all ours soon, Mama. I will make you proud of me,” she said into the breeze.
* * * *
The sun was setting over the Cabinet Mountains to the west of them. Oranges, pinks, and golds highlighted the sky where the ball of fire was losing the fight to keep daylight alive. Soon the stars would be twinkling above the area that Brock had fallen in love with so many years ago.
When his mother had passed away, there was nothing left for him in Texas except for memories. There were some good ones, especially those from his childhood. However, by the time he was twenty-five, he had lost his father, his mother, and his fiancée. Staying there was too unbearable, so he had taken a road trip.
Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico were all too close to home. He drove through Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas, but they didn’t offer him the feeling of serenity or camaraderie he was looking for.
A week in Polson offered a beauty that astounded him and a peacefulness that helped settle his heart and soul a bit. Work kept him busy, especially once he made foreman, but she had always been on his mind. There was a part of his heart that belonged to her that he hid away, making it to where he would never be able to offer another woman all his love.
Now, she was back in their lives. His heart, although when he had seen her again he had been angry, was full. Friends, and people he didn’t know, were coming to her aid. They were all going to put her former life behind her, so she could live the rest of her life in peace.
Brock touched the front pocket of his jeans, the small box making the material tighter around his hips and thighs. The content was something he had never been able to part with. It came here to Montana with him, packed away with boxes of photos of his past life along with some items that were precious to his parents.
Standing outside the bunkhouse he shared with his brother, he was waiting for Tanner to finish getting ready. They were going to take Blair into town and have dinner, and hopefully, she would agree to be theirs again.
The door opened behind him. Tanner stepped out, smelling so much better than the cattle, horses, and dirt Brock had washed off himself earlier. Where they worked was unpleasant on a person who was in love and wanting to impress someone, but thankfully, long hot showers with lots of soap and body spray helped.
They both stood looking to the west. Dragging in a deep breath, Tanner inquired, “Are you sure we’re making the right decision?”
Letting his thoughts roll through his brain for a few moments, Brock finally answered with a surety that calmed his mind and heart. “I do. I don’t want to lose her again. She seemed genuinely sure of being with us last night.”
“I know. I just want to make sure we’re not rushing her. Twenty years has gone by. Maybe she wants to be with us, but not want to be with us.” Tanner used air quotation marks around the second be. “Perhaps she doesn’t want to get bogged down again.”
Brock finally turned toward his brother. “I understand how you’re feeling. I’m terrified of her saying no, but I’m more afraid of not being with her anymore. I love her, and I know she still loves us.” He took another deep breath. “I was serious last night when I told her that if anything happened and she had to leave again, I’m going with her.”
“I know you were, Brock,” Tanner said without turning to face him. “I don’t want to lose her either. I just want her to be sure.”
Feeling anger beginning to build within him, Brock had to keep from letting it surface. “I don’t think she would have gone through with last night if she wasn’t sure. She could have very well gone back to hiding, or she could have asked Lawrence or Drake to move her again. I believe this is what she’s going to want.” Then he asked the question that would hurt him and Blair both if Tanner’s answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. “Are you truly still interested in her? Or are you just traipsing down memory lane?”
Tanner quickly turned to face Brock, his face turning red from anger. “How dare you question me on how I feel about her? I love her. I loved her then, and I love her now. She’s only been back in our lives for two and a half days. I just want her to be certain.”
Shame filled Brock that he had questioned Tanner. “I’m sorry,” he said with remorse. “My stomach is filled with butterflies, and it’s not all from love. I’m terrified something is going to happen. The hair on the back of my neck is standing on end, and I’m waiting for something bad to happen.”
“I know what you’re talking about. I’ve been on edge, too, and I don’t think it has to do with planning all this stuff.”
“Perhaps we shouldn’t go into town. We can whip up something here for her.”
“How about we pick up some Chinese and head over to her house? We can help her pack some clothes and other belongings she may need until we see this plan through,” Tanner suggested.
Brock headed off toward Connor’s house. He was glad he wasn’t the only one who had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. Plans had been made, but sometimes things happened to put a snag in them.
By the time they made it to the front door of the main house, he had settled down a bit, but he would be vigilant and watchful of everything around them.
* * * *
“Gracias por la información, se lo agradezco,” Lawrence said in Spanish before he hung up the phone. He and Frank Green, Brooke Alton’s husband, were working late to try to retrieve some information from the dark web.
Frank Green was a whiz with computers and could hack a system within minutes. His skills on reading the dark web had been instrumental in bringing down some of the most notorious criminals in the past.
“What was that all about?” Frank asked as his fingers flew on the keyboard in front of him.
Lawrence moved over to the coffee station and shoved a small cup of a dark Colombian roast into the Keurig and set it to brew. As he walked back to his desk, he thought of the irony in what he had chosen to drink and the case they were working on.
As he sat, he ran his hand through his near shoulder-length hair. He could only imagine what it looked like at this point. He hadn’t been home since the meeting the other night at the diner.
“The officials in Matamoros, Mexico, state that a private plane landed there about four hours ago, refueled, and took off again. The flight plan indicated they were heading to Chicago, but what do you wanna bet they will be getting lost somewhere over Texas?” Lawrence asked sarcastically.
“I’m sure they will,” Frank agreed, never taking his eyes off the screen. “By the time they get up here, all the airports will be closed.”
“That won’t stop anyone who is determined to get here,” Lawrence pointed out.
“True. But we can have a blackout occur at the airport in Kalispell so that the landing strips aren’t seen. It’ll be more difficult for them to land, but with our people monitoring the area, we can capture them before they get down here.”
“Are you shutting down the airport?” Lawrence asked as he looked down at the notepad where he had written the information from the other night.
“Yeah. In fact, there will be a blackout of the entire grid, including Brooke’s company. I hope she doesn’t get upset with me.”
“She was at the meeting. She’ll understand.”
Opening his computer, Lawrence brought up the email that should be there by now. He clicked the button on the mouse and the grainy picture of a plain woman and a rather ruthless man came up on the screen.
They were both standing on the stairs of private jet. The man was handing what appeared to be an envelope to an airport worker who was at the bottom of the stairs. Most likely a bribe.
From the angle and distance, the person who had taken the picture was about a hundred feet away. Exhaust fumes were probably what made the picture unclear.
“It looks like we may have a picture of this”—he glimpsed again at his notes and continued—“Catalina Moraga.”
“Good,” Frank commented. “We didn’t have a picture of her.”
“Unfortunately, it’s not a good picture. I don’t even think we can put this through face recognition to identify the man she’s with.”
Frank stood and moved around to Lawrence’s desk. He peered at the picture on the screen. “You’re right. That’s a crappy shot.”
“I know. We only have a vague picture of the woman that is coming for Blair,” Lawrence spoke as he stood and retrieved his coffee. “No luck on a driver’s license picture of her?”
He came back and sat.
Frank shook his head as he went back to his computer. “Nothing. It’s almost like the woman doesn’t exist.”
“She’s thirty-three. How can she not have a license?”
“Or school pictures. In fact,” Frank said sitting down. “There were no Catalina Moragas registered in any schools in or around Columbia during the time she would have gone to school.”
“Is it possible that Perez sent her out of the country while she was growing up?” Lawrence asked before taking a sip of the steaming hot beverage before him.
“I doubt it. The reports are that Perez denied her existence, casting off her mother for not providing him a son.” Frank suddenly stopped talking and began typing like a madman. The silence was only broken by the sound of his fingers hitting the keys. Finally, he went silent and was reading something on the computer. “I have a list of the women that we know of who have been seen with Perez. There is no one with the last name of Moraga on it.”
“Could her mother have been married before?”
“It’s possible. Let me check some things.” Frank began typing again. Then, he looked over at Lawrence. “We’re going to be at this all night. Can you grab some dinner from the diner for us? Those sandwiches didn’t do the job earlier.”
“Sure.” Lawrence stood.
He walked out and then down the street to the diner. Families were enjoying a meal out, acting normal, for that’s what they had been told to do at the meeting at the high school.
Glen greeted him at the counter where Lawrence gave an order for Frank and himself. Frank was right. It was going to be a long night.
“How’s everything going, Lawrence? Any new developments?” Glen asked.
“There is one. We’ll know by morning if anything comes of it.”
“Good. I saw Tanner down the street at the Chinese place picking up dinner for the three of them. They’re heading over to Blair’s to pick up some clothes.”
Lawrence nodded. “Yeah, Brock called in. Trey and Jared are sitting out by her house to keep watch over her. Just because Brock and Tanner are there doesn’t mean jack shit to these people.”
Glen nodded. “I can tell you that most of the men here in town are carrying, as are a lot of the women. We’re bound and determined to make sure one of our own isn’t hurt.”
“Great.”
Turning, Glen moved into the kitchen. With so many people here, he needed to cook as he had insisted Blair not work while all this was going on.
People looked around the room, and many people nodded to Lawrence as if letting him know they were on guard. Several men patted their hips where guns sat at the ready. Since he came to Polson, it amazed him that people were eager to help each other.
He loved it here. Yes, he might look a bit different, but he was accepted, just like anyone who needed help or friendship.
* * * *
Dinner was eaten on the floor around the coffee table in front of the fireplace. Brock had built up a large fire that warmed the living room quickly since the heat hadn’t been run for two days.
Tanner had gotten multiple large containers of entrees for them to share. When they had arrived at Blair’s, they set them out on the short table and used the chopsticks that came with the meal to eat directly out of the cartons. The men entertained her as they tried to eat the rice and the chow mein noodles with the skinny sticks.
Blair laughed until her sides hurt as piece after piece either made it to their mouths, the table, or the floor. She never could understand how people could eat rice without forks or spoons.
After they had eaten their fill, Brock and Tanner put the food away in the fridge. They brought in sodas for them, the guys not wanting to be inhibited in any way.
All evening, there were strange glances between the brothers, ones Blair couldn’t grasp. Small smiles would touch their lips, or there would be slight shakes of their heads. She really wished she knew what was going on with them.
Talk had been small since they had arrived, but now that dinner had been put away, she wondered what they would be doing.
“Sweetness,” Brock began as he pushed the coffee table under the living room window. He moved over to sit next to her, while Tanner sat in front of her. Both men looked suspicious with smirks on their faces. “We have something to ask you.”
S
he had no idea what they could possibly have to ask her. “What is it?”
Brock dug in his front pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. Shock struck her.
They had been in this position before, and it ended badly. Not bad like they had problems. Bad, that she never got to be with them for a happily ever after.
“We know this is sudden, for you only just came back into our lives, but we never stopped loving you.” Brock spoke first as his hand shook with the box in his hand.
Tanner took over. “We aren’t guaranteed what is going to happen in our lives, and things haven’t gone well in yours. However, we want to be a part of your life again. We’d like to know if you will marry us?”
Blair was unsure of what to say. She had never stopped loving them, and she was terrified of losing them again. But what Tanner had said was true. There were no guarantees. That was evident of her life since her family had been killed.
Slowly, Brock opened the small box. When she saw what was inside, she gasped. The ring was the same one they had given her before. That they had saved it after all these years was endearing and proved their love for her.
Tears sprang to her eyes, blurring the scene before her. These men were so special.
Leaning over, she wrapped her arms around Tanner’s neck. He slid his arms around her waist, holding her tight as she cried.
Warmth pressed up against her from behind, letting her know Brock was there to hold her also. “Please don’t cry, sweetness,” he whispered. “We don’t want to see you cry.”
They let her cry for a few more minutes, something that she had needed to do for a long time. She had been so worried about staying alive that she hadn’t given in to emotions.
When her tears had run out, she finally pulled away from Tanner. Brock released her and sat back down. He held the box out to her again in a silent request.
“I can’t believe you saved the ring,” she said quietly. “I thought you would have gotten rid of it by now.”
Brock looked at it and then back at her. “Blair, we loved you with all our hearts. This ring was a symbol of that love. When you left, even though we thought you had deserted us, we couldn’t get rid of it. It came with us as a reminder of that love.”
