Hank hunched his thickly muscled shoulders with an indifference that didn’t match the irritation apparent on his face. “Lopez is a soldier. He’s sure to have a chain of command in place and that person—”
“Who would that person be?” Diana asked.
“Why don’t you ask lover boy?” Hank taunted, and Diana got right in his face.
“Hank, let me make it clear. Stay out of my personal life. As for Garcia, he’s your operative and, yes, I will ask him since that’s part of my job.”
“Those late-night meetings must be an interesting part of your job, Special Agent in Charge,” Hank replied.
“Get out of here, Hank. Before I forget you’re a colleague.”
Hank chuckled and left the three staring after his swaying bowlegged stride. When she faced David and her ADIC, she noted the concerned expressions on both their faces.
Jesus spoke first. “Diana, we need to be careful around him.”
“I don’t trust the old bastard,” David added.
“I agree. In the meantime, I’m going to meet with Garcia. See what he has to say about the chain of command and who may have given the instructions for these executions.”
David shifted his gaze to look at his feet, obviously uncomfortable.
“David. Is there something else you want to say?”
He met her gaze squarely and pulled his shoulders back. “How do you know you can trust Garcia?”
“I don’t.”
Chapter 18
A lex was already waiting for her in the apartment when she arrived, the table set with yet more Cuban food. The aroma was heavenly and her stomach responded with a noisy growl.
“Hungry, amorcito?” he asked with a carefree smile as he approached her.
She snapped up her hand like a policeman directing traffic.
Alex stopped dead in his tracks. The expression on his face went from “Damn glad you’re here” to totally confused.
“What the hell’s up with you?”
What was up with her? Annoyance. Anger. The fear of betrayal. Had the food and solace, the “good ol’ times we had” ploy just been intended to distract her?
“The more important question is, ‘What’s going on, Alex?’ What’s with the food, and us?” she asked.
“You have to ask that? You have to wonder why I’d want things to be like they used to be?”
In a second that seemed to spin out for an eternity, she realized that what she had felt for him at nineteen wasn’t the same emotion she was now experiencing.
“Things can never be like they were before. Never.” She paced back and forth before whirling to face him. “Do you know what happened in Corona? With Martinez and Moreno?”
His face went white. He shook his head. “I got a call from one of the unit leaders, warning me about talking to anyone. I never suspected…” He looked down at his feet, his head still shaking in disbelief before he snapped it back up to nail her with his gaze. “They’re dead, aren’t they?”
She stood in front of him, silent, arms wrapped around herself. When he reached for her, she shrugged off his hand, aggravating the sore spot near her shoulder.
“What happened?”
“Got shot. Vest stopped the bullet.”
“Got shot? Just like that?” She had no chance to react as he grabbed her arms and shook her. “What were you thinking? Don’t you realize that…” Words failed him. He relaxed his hold and drew her into his arms. “Dios, I’m sorry. It’s just…I don’t want to lose you again.”
She was tense in his embrace, but as the sincerity of his emotion seeped through her defensive shell she relaxed. There was no doubting his reaction. She regretted ever having doubted him.
Laying her head on his chest, she slipped her arms around him and held on tight. “I’m sorry, Alex. I just don’t know what to think anymore.”
“Don’t you? I’ve never stopped loving you.”
His words brought tears to her eyes and pain deep within. She closed her eyes against the intensity of his gaze, afraid of what would happen next. “You don’t know what loving me means.”
He gently brushed his lips against her forehead. “I know it won’t be easy, but I want you in my life. I want to try to have…” He wrapped his arms around her more tightly.
She finally dragged forth the strength to look up at him. His face was so familiar and yet so different. Placing her hand on his jaw, she traced the strong line of it, leaner now with age, more masculine, but still an adoring boy beneath. She ran her thumb over his full lips, tightened with emotion, by fear for her. His hair was a bit shorter, but still with one recalcitrant lock that fell onto his forehead. She remembered running her hands through that hair on the night of their senior prom. A normal teenage night when they had snuck off to a beach in Biscayne and made love for the first time.
“Alex?” She gave in to those memories and raked her hand through his hair.
Her action released his restraint. He dragged her close and kissed her. A kiss that held nothing back.
She didn’t run from it, didn’t back away. She tried to reach for the love she had once had for him. Love reborn from the ashes of what they used to have. A love for the future filled with security and possibility.
She urged herself into the kiss, exploring the contours of his lips, opening her mouth and inviting him in. She wanted the heat they had once shared. But as hard as she tried, it didn’t happen. The fire just wasn’t there. No matter how much familiarity called to her heart, a bigger piece of it belonged to Ryder. Perhaps it always would.
It wasn’t right to mislead Alex. He deserved a woman who could give him all of herself. She wasn’t that woman.
Alex must have sensed her reticence, for he tempered his kisses and loosened his hold. “There’s someone else, isn’t there?”
She couldn’t deny it. Ryder was between them in spite of her desire to try to forge a life without him.
“There was someone else. Someone who may not be right for me.”
“You must still care for him a lot if, being Mr. Wrong and all, you can’t forget him.” Alex withdrew and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
“I…” She stopped, struggling with the feelings she couldn’t deny. “He is definitely Mr. Wrong, but yes, I care for him. A lot. Maybe more than I should.”
Strange, but saying it seemed to lift a great weight off her shoulders. And the relief only confirmed that she couldn’t be with Alex. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”
He shook his head. “As hard as it is to know it can never be, you didn’t hurt me.”
She laughed harshly and cupped his cheek, her touch that of a friend and not a lover. “Yes, I did. Years ago, when I pushed you away. I’m sorry because…”
He knew without her finishing. “Can you see yourself growing old beside him?”
She imagined herself growing old, but unfortunately, Ryder wouldn’t. Ever. He would be forever young, while she would be old and crinkly. Dead.
“Diana?”
“I don’t see myself growing old with you. You deserve more than me.”
“Actually, you deserved more from me. When you needed me the most, I ran.” A slump entered his strong shoulders.
“No, Alex. It wasn’t like that at all.” She slipped her thumb over his lips when he would have continued his protest. “You tried, harder than I did. But I kept pushing you away. You did all you could.”
A sad smile came to his face, as if he recognized the truth in her words. “I wish I’d tried harder.”
A small part of her wished he had, as well. If he had, her life might be different today. But then she never would have met Ryder.
Ryder. Thoughts of him echoed through her skull, unwilling to be pushed away this time. He was a part of her life. Forever, no matter how many times she tried to deny it. She realized then, that unlike Alex, Ryder loved her enough to keep on trying. But then again, Ryder had a luxury Alex didn’t possess—time eternal.
“He’s a lucky guy,” Alex said.
“We need to discuss the case,” she said, anxious to finish what had to be done.
“Something’s really wrong if Martinez and Moreno are dead.” Alex motioned her in the direction of the food.
Haltingly, between forkfuls of lukewarm tamales, she filled him in on what had happened. In turn, Alex provided her with details of the information passed down by the unit leaders and the general impressions he had gotten from the few lower level CDA soldiers he’d come into contact with during the course of the day.
“We’re going to have to release Lopez.”
“He might lead us to the weapon. If someone doesn’t clue him in to our next move.”
“If it isn’t you or me, and I don’t think my partner or the ADIC are responsible—”
“What about the N.Y.P.D.?”
“Never. I trust Daly without question.”
Alex considered her for a moment. “Is he the one?”
The one? It took a moment for the question to register. “No, he’s not. We’ve worked together before and he’s a friend. A trusted friend.”
“Which leaves us with who? Rupert?”
She wrinkled her nose and her disgust must have been obvious.
“Okay, so he doesn’t play well with others. I know that, but does that make him a mole?”
Alex had a valid point. A good part of her unease around Rupert revolved around personal dislike. Nothing so far pointed to his being anything other than a trusted member of the team. “If it isn’t him—”
“I didn’t say that, did I? He rubs me wrong, as well. I just thought it was because of his abrasive manner.”
“So what do we do? Investigate him?”
“We need to get the information somehow.”
To get Rupert’s file through official channels would be difficult and would likely alert Rupert to their concerns. Unofficial channels meant adding people to the loop. Those people would need to be people who could be trusted. David had some connections he had used in the past, and he suspected Rupert, as well. “My partner can help.”
Alex nodded around a mouthful of rice and beans. “I might be able to call in some favors.”
Which covered the Rupert possibility, but not the others. “From now on, only the top level gets information in advance. The rest of the agents will be on a need-to-know basis. Agreed?”
“Agreed. Lopez has to have moved the weapon. When we know where, we don’t tell anyone else until we’re at the location.”
Diana rose. “Now that that’s settled, if you don’t mind, there’s something else I have to do tonight.”
“If you need me—”
“I know you’re here and I truly appreciate your friendship.” She hoped her words would make it clear to him where their relationship stood.
Just as she had to decide where her relationship with Ryder was headed.
She exited the safe house and slipped into her car. Pulling her cell phone off her belt, she dialed Ryder’s home number. When there was no answer, she knew she had no choice but to search the night for him.
Chapter 19
N early midnight and the Lair was hopping. Diana threaded her way through the crowd and opened her senses to try to connect with Ryder, but failed to establish any kind of bond. Eventually she worked her way past the gyrating throng to the bar.
Meghan, the young vamp Blake had turned last year, was there. “You filling in?”
Meghan smiled and, without Diana even asking, poured a shot of Cuervo.
Diana picked up the glass and socked back the shot. The tequila burned its way down her throat and immediately warmed the nearly empty bowl of her belly. “Whew. That has a kick.”
“Boss man’s not here,” Meghan said as she picked up the bottle of Cuervo.
Diana covered the mouth of her glass with her hand. “Thanks, but no. I need my wits tonight.”
“Especially if you’re headed to the Blood Bank.” She whisked away the empty shot glass and replaced it with a diet Coke.
Diana took a sip of the soda. “And I would be on my way to the Blood Bank because Ryder’s there?”
With a shrug of her fine-boned shoulders, Meghan tilted her head to one side. “You didn’t hear it from me, but Ryder goes there way too much lately.”
“Since…me?”
“Since he became our friend, but more now. Yes, maybe since the thing with you.”
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see thoughts of the Blood Bank bothered Meghan. “Is that where Blake—”
“Sired me? Yes. In one of the back rooms.” She looked at the slick steel counter, where she trailed her finger through the condensation from Diana’s glass.
Diana remembered the back room well, having shared some time there with Ryder during their last crime-solving endeavor. With a last sip of her soda, she reached into her pocket and withdrew a twenty. “Thanks for the information.”
“I can’t take money from—”
“A friend? Thanks, but I’m sure you could use the tip.”
A broad smile replaced Meghan’s earlier mopiness. “Watch your neck tonight.”
With a wave, Diana walked back to her car. If she was headed to the Blood Bank, she wanted to be prepared this time, unlike the last. She opened her glove compartment and removed a spare clip—a special one loaded with silver bullets.
Easing the Glock from her holster, she replaced her regulation clip and tucked her pistol back into the comforting spot beneath her arm. The weight and bulk of the Glock provided a reassuring presence.
She drove the two dozen or so blocks to the Blood Bank and parked the car at the mouth of a small alley. There was a line waiting to enter, but the bouncer smiled, nodded and let her in.
Diego sat next to Blake, watching as Stacia played with a foolish Goth man on the dance floor. She moved her leather-clad body close to his, teasing, making him follow her before retreating. Each step in the dance took them closer and closer to one of the back rooms.
“Five gets you ten she has him there in less than a minute,” Blake said, and slapped a bill on the tabletop.
Diego wasn’t inclined to take the bet, seeing as how he expected Stacia to accomplish the task in less time than that. She seemed edgy tonight. Determined to make up for the fact that Ryder had vacated the premises the moment she’d walked through the door. If the wannabe with her had any sense, he’d leave before he became Stacia’s midnight snack.
“Whoa, mate. Trouble at two o’clock.”
Diego whipped his head in that direction. Dios, but there would certainly be trouble if Diana and Stacia ran into each other. He rose from his seat, but Blake grabbed hold of his arm.
“No way, mate. This has to play itself out.”
Blake was right. It was too late.
Stacia had seen Diana and had stopped her dalliance with the Goth. Diana, likewise, paused an
d turned in the direction of the dance floor, as if sensing Stacia.
So Ryder had bitten her? That was the only explanation for why Diana could detect the other vampire. Interesting and very surprising, Diego thought.
The two women stood there, eyeballed each other across the distance. Barely the click of a second hand passed before they hesitantly approached one another.
“Five gets you ten that Diana—”
“Shut up, Blake.” Diego found nothing amusing about a confrontation between these two women. If anything happened to Diana…
If anything was going to happen to anyone, it might be to Stacia. “No interest, Blake,” he said, but from behind them, another voice intruded.
“Yum. A cat fight. I’ll take that bet.” Foley dropped a five on the tabletop with a lascivious look as the two women finally stood face-to-face.
“A fool and his money are soon parted,” Diego warned, and settled back in his chair to watch the show.
Diana examined the woman—no, make that vampire—standing in front of her. The energy pushed off the vamp’s body, surging toward Diana. They were of a like height and coloring, but the vampire was dressed in black leather that fit like a second skin and allowed toned muscles to ripple as she moved. Her exotic eyes—as black as midnight—flitted over Diana with a mix of amusement and puzzlement.
“So you’re her,” the vamp said, her tones cultured and with an accent Diana couldn’t place.
“And you would be?”
“Stacia.” The vampire took a step closer, as if in a dare.
Diana didn’t budge even though the vamp’s nearness brought the scent of orange blossoms and provoked unwelcome emotions. A mix of fear—her own—and desire—the vamp’s. The power she had sensed earlier brought her body to a painful arousal as Stacia closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around Diana’s waist. Her nipples tightened and her body throbbed and clenched, on the edge of a climax.
As their gazes connected, Stacia said, “Ryder is afraid that when death calls for you, he won’t be able to let you go.”
Death Calls Page 12
