by Desiree Holt
Every nerve in Zane's body went on high alert.
"But he also hinted the newspaper might repay some of my expenses from the law suit,” Jamie went on.
"Yeah, right.” Sarcasm dripped from Kit's words. “Like that asshole is really going to do anything to help you. He should have stood behind you from the beginning."
"All he wants to do is talk,” Jamie protested. “That's all."
"Don't you think you should be running this past Zane first, before you commit to anything?"
"I haven't committed,” Jamie denied. “Just..."
"Sounded like you were ready to pack and leave on the next plane."
"That's not true.” Jamie was nearly shouting.
"Your first reaction, if you weren't going to tell him to go to hell, was to let him know you had someone in your life you needed to discuss this with."
"I just didn't know what to say to him,” Jamie said, conflict evident in her tone. “I'm not sure he'll understand. It's a chance for me to vindicate myself. Make a lot of people grovel."
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say. Two hours ago you were so happy about your relationship with Zane. Now you're saying you'd just throw it over, run back to Miami, and do what? Regret it for the rest of your life?"
Pain sliced through Zane's heart, like a sharp knife. Just when he thought they'd finally gotten past all that old shit. When he was sure she trusted him. Trusted what they felt for each other. Yet apparently she was ready to dump him and this place all over again. So what did that say about everything between them? Was it all a lie?
"No, that's not it at all,” Jamie said, her voice coming closer. “But what if I tell Miami no and Zane changes his mind about us? Doesn't want me after all?"
"What makes you think that would happen?” Zane didn't even recognize his own voice. He just stood rooted to the spot, staring at Jamie as she jerked, startled by his appearance.
"Zane?” Her hand shook and a splash of wine sloshed over the rim of her glass. “I-I didn't hear you come in."
"Obviously.” He stared at her for a long moment, trying to read what was in her eyes. In her heart. “I thought we were well past that by this time. You told me you loved me. I said it back. Apparently the trust issue has yet to be put to bed."
"Zane..."
"Not now, Jamie. Somehow you managed to pick the worst possible time to drop this little bombshell."
He turned and headed for his bedroom. He didn't have time for this now. He had business to take care of.
Jamie was right on Zane's heels as he strode to his room, her stomach knotted, her heart pounding in a wild, staccato beat. What had she done? How stupid could she be?
She should never have mentioned the call from her boss to Kit before discussing it with Zane. Why did she even care about the damn job, anyway, except for what the apology did to her ego?
Shit, shit, shit!
She held herself in check as Zane changed clothes and did her best not to throw herself at him and beg him to stay. To forgive her. To tell her everything was all right. Would be all right. The sense of foreboding the dreams had brought still clung to her, and now she'd managed to drive a wedge between them.
She wet her suddenly dry lips and tried to make her voice as quiet as possible. “Promise me you'll be careful."
He gave her a tight grin. “I'm always careful. Except where you're concerned, I guess."
"Zane, the call just came in yesterday. I was looking for the right time to tell you about it, ask what you thought.” She swallowed some of her wine, needing the liquid courage.
"You obviously found time to talk to Kit about it."
"I was just using her as a sounding board,” she cried. “Honestly. I was so startled that everything had been cleared up and they'd offered me my job back."
"I'm shocked that you'd even consider it,” he spat. “Especially after the way they treated you. But if that's what you really want, maybe we could have worked something out. I can work anywhere, you know. We could have figured out what to do. Together."
"You're right, you're right.” She chugged the rest of the wine. “Can we just talk about it for a minute? Please? So when you leave here we aren't angry with each other?"
He stopped what he was doing and stared at her. “Now? You want to talk about it now when I have this whole thing tonight on my mind? When I shouldn't have to be thinking of anything else? I can't afford the distraction of anger, Jamie. I'll have to bury it until this is over."
She grabbed the shirt he was holding out of his hands and threw herself against him. “I love you, Zane. I do. I want you to believe that. I just..."
His hands gripped her arms as he set her aside. “I told you, we can't discuss this now. If everything goes all right tonight and you're still here when I get home, maybe we'll see what's what."
"Still here? Where else would I be?” She felt sick to her stomach. “Please be careful,” she said again.
"Count on it. Anyway, I'm no novice at this."
"I know, I know."
When he pulled on the last of his clothes, her eyes widened at the transformation. Tonight he wasn't wearing his uniform, nor did he have on his jeans. Instead, his lean, muscular body was clothed in deerskin pants and shirt, with soft moccasins on his feet. His hair, released from the leather thong, was loose around his shoulder. He looked every bit the fierce warrior.
"Jesus,” she breathed.
"I thought I'd give them something they weren't expecting.” His eyes blazed into hers. “I guess I surprised you, too. I'm still the same half breed your father wanted to shoot, Jamie. That hasn't changed. What you see is what you get. Maybe that's what you're still running away from."
"I'm not running, Zane. I didn't...” She wanted to cry, and she had to swallow hard to talk past the lump in her throat. “You'll still be armed, right?"
He nodded at his gun lying on the table and lifted up the flap on a breast pocket to reveal his badge. “I'm not leaving everything at home. I'm cocked and loaded and ready for whatever happens."
"Thank god for that.” She blinked hard at the tears burning her eyelids. I won't cry. I won't.
He gripped her shoulders, his eyes burning into hers with fierce intensity. “Do a lot of thinking while I'm gone, Jamie. A lot. Decide what it is you really want. Because this time whatever we decide, there's no changing your mind."
"I know. Oh, Zane."
"Later."
"I'll be waiting up. Worrying. You'd better call me the minute this is done, you hear?"
"We'll see."
He tucked his gun into his pants at the small of his back and strapped a wicked looking knife to the calf of his leg. Her heart tripped over itself as the beat stuttered, but she swallowed her fear and pasted a smile on her face.
"Be careful,” she said one last time as he walked out of the room.
Jamie wrapped her arms around herself, trying to shut out the sudden cold, finally letting the tears roll down her cheeks.
Kit was suddenly beside her, enfolding her in her slim arms and making soothing sounds. “I don't know if I should tell you it will be all better or kick your ass."
"Ass kicking is probably the smartest thing.” Jamie sniffed, rubbing her face with the heels of her hands. “God, sometimes I am so stupid I wonder if I even have a brain. What the hell was I doing, Kit? How could I even for one second think about throwing all this away? And now he's out doing something very dangerous. What if he..."
But she couldn't finish the sentence. She only knew she couldn't rest for a second until Zane walked back in the front door, safe and well. Could only pray that she hadn't screwed everything up yet again.
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Chapter Twenty
They were all in Nathan Black Crow's living room, the ICE agents and Zane's deputies, checking weapons, night vision goggles, and communications gear.
"As soon as the pickup vehicles get there, we'll be ready to call in the license plates,” Skip s
aid. “But my guess is we'll only get the buyers if we can work a deal with the drivers or get either Manny or Ballou to crack."
"Manny would be a more likely target,” Roy told him. “Gray will hide behind his expensive lawyers, but Manny will want to save his own skin."
Zane looked at his watch. “Right on time. All right. Listen up, everyone. Alvarado's men will be moving into place in about an hour. So we need to move out now."
"Jimmy, you ready to lead the way?” Skip asked. “Just tell us what to do."
Zane was used to creeping and crawling through foliage and trees, moving with no sound, brushing away the marks of his movement on the ground. Some of his men, also, had been on one of Jimmy Black Crows nighttime maneuvers before, but the federal agents were doing their best to swallow their groans and not make any noise. If it hadn't been so serious, Zane would have laughed.
By eleven o'clock, they were all in place, well-concealed and ready to rock. They all wore lip mics and ear buds, but communication was nonexistent at the moment. Skip had clicked his mic twice when he got the word the vans had left the airport. Now they could do nothing but wait.
A half-moon hung in the sky, obliterated now and then by dark, scudding clouds. Somewhere off in the distance coyotes wailed and a dog barked. Everyone startled when a group of white tail deer plunged through the bushes, loping through the trees, then settled back in place.
At last, the low beams of headlights cut through the night, moving toward the wide space in the trees from two directions.
"Remember,” Skip whispered. “We wait until there's an actual exchange of merchandise before we move in. Just be ready."
A fourth vehicle, an SUV, pulled in next to one of the vans, and Manny Alvarado strode into the area. The drivers of the vans from the direction of Copper Ridge climbed out and opened the side doors of their vehicles, then stood waiting to load the new cargo.
Nausea rose in Zane's throat as the coyote and his friends roughly pulled the passengers from their vehicles. None of them could have been over thirteen, and in the dull lights of the vans, they looked terrified. Manny approached one group, looked it over, then grabbed the arm of a girl who didn't look to be more than eleven.
"I'll take this one,” they heard him say. “Get the others loaded."
The moment the exchange had been completed, Zane, Skip and their men broke cover and descended on everyone. The element of surprise was so great and the force of the team so large the only damage was to the egos of the men involved in the white slave ring. They were caught unaware and didn't even have a chance to pull their guns. Not one shot was fired, for which everyone was grateful. There was a great deal of cursing in both English and Spanish, one man tried to kick the agent cuffing him, and Manny Alvarado was calling for an attorney and protesting his treatment. But the federal agents and deputies worked together like a well-oiled machine.
Skip had called the two agents and the deputy who remained behind at Nathan Black Crow's with the transport vehicles and to monitor the comm gear. By the time everyone was in restraints and the girls had been herded away from them, the vehicles arrived and the prisoners were loaded.
By two o'clock in the morning, the worst of it was over. The young girls had been taken to a safe shelter for the moment, and Skip and his men were on their way back to San Antonio with their handcuffed prisoners. It would be Skip's job to serve the arrest warrant on Grayson Ballou, but with all the phone records and Manny suddenly, as predicted, singing so loud and clear, no one thought there would be a problem proving their case.
"We'll be sorting it out for a long time,” Skip told Zane. “But we won't have any loose ends here. Thanks for coming to me with this."
"Thank you. I'm happy to get this mess out of my county."
"You know,” Skip said slowly, “the issue of your mother still has to be addressed. You sure you don't want to hand it over to me?"
Zane shook his head. “No. It's my responsibility. I'll take care of it. Thanks anyway. You still have your man sitting on her, right?"
"Just until tomorrow, though. Then I have to pull him. Unless you want to pick her up now?"
"Just give me until noon, okay? I need a couple of hours sleep before I tackle her."
"Okay. Call me when you're ready so I can let my guy know."
"Will do."
Zane watched all the vehicles pull away, then went back to his office. He spent a few minutes with his men, thanking them all for a job well done and told them the reports could wait until morning. He was just getting ready to call Jamie when his phone rang. He looked at the Caller ID. Skip. He'd only just left. What could be wrong so soon?
"Zane?” Skip's voice was taut. “We have a problem."
* * * *
The night seemed as long as a week to Jamie. She'd finally convinced Kit to open a bottle of wine, but even the mellow flavor didn't soothe her.
"Sit down,” Kit finally ordered. “You're driving me nuts. These things take more than five minutes. You know that. We should have gone to bed."
"Oh, right,” Jamie snorted. “Like I could sleep while this is happening. Anyway, it should be over now,” Jamie protested, looking at her watch for the hundredth time. “He promised he'd call when it was done."
"Jamie, use your brain. They've got to sort out who does what with who and get the paperwork taken care of. When the feds are involved, it's even more complicated.” She pointed to the big arm chair. “Sit. I'll get you another glass of wine."
Jamie had just found a comfortable spot in the chair when the doorbell rang. The two women looked at each other.
"It's two o'clock in the morning,” Jamie said, her voice shaking. “This can't be good."
"Honey, if something was wrong, one of Zane's men would have called."
Jamie fisted her hands to keep them from trembling so much. “Unless it's really bad news. Then they deliver it in person."
The doorbell rang again, two loud, insistent rings.
"Let me see who it is.” Kit set her glass down and headed into the foyer. She flipped the switch for the porch light, peeked around the curtain at the door, and turned back to Jamie, stunned. “It's Anita Cameron."
"Now?” Jamie was just as shocked. “What the hell can she want at this hour?"
The bell rang one long, insistent tone, as if Anita had just left her thumb on it.
"I'd better let her in, or she's liable to wake up the neighborhood.” Kit turned off the alarm, unlocked the door, and swung it open. “Mrs. Cameron, do you know what time it is? What's wrong?"
"I have to see Jamie,” Anita said. “Right now. Let me in."
"What is it? Did something happen to Zane?” She poked her head out of the door. “Is anyone with you?"
"I'm alone, and I'm here to prevent something from happening to my son."
"Like what?"
"Do we have to conduct the conversation outside? I have to see Jamie."
"Come on, then."
As Kit turned to lead the way inside, Anita's hand came up, her fingers wrapped around a gun, which she swung hard at Kit's head. Seeing her friend crumple, Jamie leaped up, a scream frozen in her throat.
"What are you doing?” she asked when she could make her voice work.
"Come here, Jamie,” Anita ordered. “Now.” She pointed the gun at Kit's unconscious body. “Or I'll shoot your friend. Come on."
Her heart thudding against her ribs, Jamie walked toward the door on unsteady legs. “What's going on here?” At that moment, her cell phone rang.
"Don't answer that,” Anita ordered. “Do not even think about picking it up. I have big plans for my son, Jamie. Plans that don't include you. I told him to get rid of you, but he refuses to listen, so I guess I'll have to do it for him."
Jamie wasn't sure what she was hearing. “You're going to kill me?"
"That's the plan,” Anita said calmly. “Then I'll marry Gray Ballou, and together we'll take Zane to the top of the political ladder."
"Anita, Gray Bal
lou is about to be arrested by federal agents. I don't think he'll be marrying anyone."
A brief look of uncertainty flashed across Anita's face. “Arrested? I don't understand."
She'll know sooner or later. Might as well be sooner.
"Tonight Zane and the federal authorities captured everyone involved in the operation he and Manny Alvarado have been running. Mr. Ballou is going to be a guest of the federal government for some time to come."
"You're lying.” Anita's face twisted into an ugly expression. “You're nothing but a white trash whore and a liar. Now get over here, or your friend will be dead, too."
Jamie walked slowly toward the door, desperately turning over ideas in her mind. Somehow she had to get the gun away from this insane woman.
"Outside.” Anita reached out and grabbed her arm, yanking her forward.
"Just how are you going to explain this to Zane? You think he'll just let me disappear and not ask any questions? What do you plan to do with my body? And what about Kit?"
"I'll take care of Zane. He'll be happy to be rid of you, once I make him see the light. And no one around here will wonder or care if your friend disappears."
"You're crazy if you think you can get away with this.” Jamie tried to pull away from her. “Totally insane."
"Oh, really?” The smile on Anita Cameron's face was pure evil. “We'll just see who's crazy."
All Jamie could think of was the last, angry conversation she and Zane had. If she didn't live through this, that's the only memory he would have of her.
* * * *
Zane disconnected the call from Skip and dialed Jamie's cell immediately. His stomach clenched, and he had to work to keep his hands from shaking.
"Come on, Jamie,” he muttered. “Come on, come on. Answer."
The phone rang four times, then went to voice mail. Zane marched out of his office and found Roy Galvan sitting at one of the desks.
"Let's go,” he said, grabbing the man by the arm.
"What's going on?” Roy had to run to keep up with him.
"Skip just called. The man he had watching my mother phoned to say she's on the move and most likely headed to my house."
