by David Archer
“No, not at all,” he said. “I’ll tell you something, and this is the truth. The problem is not you, it’s me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, my goodness, are you going to use that old line? I’m sorry if I’m doing something irritating, but I’m really curious about you. I’ve noticed that all the time we’ve been talking, you haven’t so much as moved your eyes an inch away from the TV or the coffee table. And you know, now that I think about it, you’ve been doing the same thing for the last two days. Is there something wrong with me, that you don’t like to look at me when we talk?”
“No,” he replied instantly, and in that moment he forgot his own directive; he unthinkingly turned and looked at her.
Their eyes met and seemed to lock together. It was as if someone had struck a hundred matches within him. He suddenly felt an incredible, burning desire to hold her as close to him as possible. He seemed to be drawn closer to her by some strange magnetic force that would not let go. Their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss. Drawing away from her, he savored the taste of her lips against his. Her eyes seemed to sparkle with pleasure, and again that magnetic force drew him toward the woman that was only a mere few inches away from him.
This time they locked into a warm, passionate embrace. Their arms pulled desperately to press one other closer. Their kiss was long and full of emotions that openly expressed the burning desire they had each come to feel for the other.
TWENTY-THREE
Chance wrenched himself away, leaping to his feet. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry, Gabriella, but we can’t do this.”
She sat on the couch, just staring at him. “Look,” she said slowly, “maybe I’m just moving too fast, maybe I’m just lonely, but you don’t have to be sorry about anything, Chance. I shouldn’t have thrown myself at you that way, I’m the one who should be apologizing…”
“No. No, you shouldn’t. Gabriella, there are things you don’t know about me, things that—oh, God, what do I do now?” He turned and stalked out of the room, straight through the kitchen and out the back door.
Gabriella sat on the couch for a moment, tears running slowly down her face, and then she pulled herself together. She got to her feet and walked carefully to the kitchen out to the porch. She knocked on the door to his room, but then she heard a noise in the backyard and turned to see him kicking a fencepost.
She held onto the rail by the back steps as she left the porch, her ankle still slightly swollen and a bit painful. She walked out to where he stood, half expecting him to turn and run away, but he simply stayed in one spot and looked at her as she approached.
“Chance,” she said slowly, “you don’t have to tell me anything about yourself you don’t want to. To be honest, I kind of get the feeling that you might be running from something, but I want you to understand that that doesn’t matter to me. There’s nothing you can tell me about your past that would change the way I feel about you, that you’re still the best, finest man I’ve probably ever met.”
Chance just stared at her for a moment, and then everything boiled over inside him. He reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulled her close so that they were face to face.
“Are you sure about that? Because I’ll guarantee you, if I told you my real secret, you’d want me gone as fast as possible.”
Chance clamped his mouth shut and screamed silently at himself to shut up. There was no doubt in his mind that Gabriella would hate him if she knew anything about the real reason he was there, even though he had come to the conclusion that there was no way he could carry out his assignment. There was no way he could kill this woman, because he was falling in love with her.
“No, Chance,” she said. “That couldn’t happen. I’ve watched you with my boys, and I’ve never seen a more gentle soul than you. I don’t know what your secret is, but it’s not something that scares me.”
He stared at her, and he was gasping for breath. His mind was racing, trying to find some way to make it possible for her to accept the truth, but without having to reveal it all. Unfortunately, he just couldn’t see any way to get through to her without telling her the one thing he dreaded more than anything else in the world.
“Gabriella, I’m not who you think I am,” he said again. “I’m one of the most despicable…”
She put a hand over his mouth to stop him. “No. Whatever it is, don’t say it. Chance, I don’t care what you done in the past, I don’t care where you’re from, I don’t care about anything before now. Listen, I’m not exactly who I claim to be, either. Remember I told you that Benny was involved in some bad stuff? I’ve had to run away from some of that, too. I even changed my last name, trying to get away from it all.”
Chance stared at her, and he felt the tears start to run down his face. He questioned himself quietly one more time, to be sure that the decision he had made was one he was going to be able to stick with, but there was no doubt. There was absolutely no way he could do Gabriella or her children any harm, not even if it cost him his own life.
And then he realized that he had to set her free, free from the false hope she was seeing in him, free from the past that would only send someone else to finish the job. And the only way to do that, he realized suddenly, was to tell her the truth.
“Listen to me,” he said, his voice under control. “I know your name isn’t Vasquez. I know that it is really Morales, and your husband was Benito Morales. I know about the people he worked for back in Texas, and I know about the money they said he stole. And I know he didn’t die in any car accident.”
He looked her in the eye as his words began to sink in, and his own heart broke as he saw the realization begin to dawn on her. “But—how could you know all that? We only just met, how could you…”
Chance nodded. “Yeah, you figured out. We didn’t meet by accident, Gabriella. I was sent out here to find you, and I happened to be in Clarksville the other day when you drove up to the store. I’d seen your picture, and I recognized you, so I got the idea to see if you would pick up a hitchhiker out on that lonely road. You did, and look where it’s gotten us now.”
She stared into his eyes. “Why did they send you? They know I don’t have the money, because their man searched all over out here. God, if I had that money, do you think I’d be scraping along like I do?”
“And I believe you,” Chance said. “I was sent out here to find the money, but I believe you, I know you don’t have it. When they sent me out here, I was told a particular story, but it doesn’t add up now that I know your side of it. The problem is that the man behind it all, Baldizon, he doesn’t believe that. I’ve been trying to think of some way to keep you safe, to get you out of this mess, but I don’t know what to do. If I go back and tell them I failed, there’s a pretty good chance they’re going to kill me.”
Gabriella’s eyes went wide. “No, they can’t do that,” she said. “Listen, I’ll go with you. I’ll tell them again, Benny never had that money, or if he did, he never told me where it is. I’d be glad to give it back if I could find it, just to make this all go away.”
Chance shook his head. “Unfortunately, that’s not how these people work. They wouldn’t believe you, and it would only make the situation worse.” He stared at her for a moment, absolutely amazed that she hadn’t pushed him away and run. He pulled her gently toward himself, and she didn’t resist as he wrapped his arms around her.
“Gabriella, you said one of their men used to come out here to talk to Benny. Do you know who it was? If I can get to that man, then maybe, just maybe I can find a way to call Baldizon off.” He thought about what he was saying. Maybe Oscar would help him, if he asked…
“Yes,” Gabriella said. “His name is Oscar, Oscar Reyes. He and Benny were friends, years ago.”
Chance froze, and then he stared into her eyes. “Oscar Reyes? Oscar was the one who used to come here to talk to Benny?”
Gabriella looked at him, confused. “Yes,” she said. “He was here a few times, and he even
came out for Benny’s funeral. And what do you mean, that he didn’t die in a car accident? That’s what happened, I even saw the police report. Oscar brought all that to me when he came for the funeral.”
Chance’s mind was racing. If Oscar was the man who had been to the ranch, then the whole charade about not knowing where she was had to be a total lie. As for the way Benny died, all Chance had was Oscar’s word that Baldizon had beaten a man to death. But if there was a police report saying that he died in an auto accident, then maybe there was something completely fishy about this whole story.
Of course there is, Chance thought. You’ve known that for a few days, now. The first time she told you that one of Baldizon’s men had come to talk to Benny, you knew that there had to be something wrong with the whole story. And now, knowing that it was Oscar himself, how can you really believe anything you’ve been told before now?
“Chance? You said—you said you were trying to think of a way to keep me safe. Why? If you work for them, why would it matter if I was safe or not?”
He was still holding her close, and he leaned his face down and kissed the top of her head. “I told you, I believe you,” he said. “I’m convinced you don’t know anything about the money, so I just don’t see any reason for them to keep hounding you.”
She wrapped her own arms around his back and held onto him for a moment. “Is that the only reason?”
He knew what she was asking, and he gently pushed her away so that he could look her in the eye once again. “Other than the fact that I think I’m falling in love? Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”
She laughed. “Can you imagine the irony of the situation? They send you out here to try to find this hidden money, which doesn’t even exist, and we end up falling in love with each other.” She blushed. “Yes, I said it, too. There’s just something about you, Chance, and even the boys are feeling it. I’ve never seen them laugh and smile so much as they have these last couple days, since you’ve been around and they’ve gotten used to you.”
“Well, then we got us a situation. And all I got to do is figure out how we can live through it.”
TWENTY-FOUR
“The first thing I’m going to do is call Oscar,” he told her. “He’s actually the man who sent me out here, but he gave me this song and dance about how nobody knew where you were exactly. According to him, you were writing letters to your mother back home, and he bribed someone at the post office to find out where they were coming from.”
“Oscar? But, he and Benny were friends. I know they argued about the money, but they were still friends. I don’t understand why he would tell you he didn’t know where I was, because he’s been here more than once.”
“That’s what’s bothering me,” Chance said. “At this point, I don’t know what to believe. I can probably call Baldizon, but if he really did tell Oscar to send me out here, that’s only going to make matters worse. I think I need to start with Oscar, and give him a chance to tell me the truth.”
Gabriella licked her lips. “Chance, you do realize you’re dealing with a cartel, right? The Zetas are one of the most deadly cartels in the world. I’m not sure they really know much about telling the truth, except amongst themselves.”
“Yes, I know, but I don’t know any other way to start trying to resolve this issue. Maybe I can convince Oscar to back me up, that you don’t have the money and don’t know where it is. That might be enough to get Baldizon to back off.”
“I never knew Mr. Baldizon,” Gabriella said. “I heard Benny mention him a few times, and he always seemed just a little bit scared of him. They all moved away from Texas a couple years ago, just before Benny bought this place. Benny said they went to someplace in Kentucky. Is that where you were from?”
Chance nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “Long story, but somehow I got mixed up with Baldizon and ended up working for him. Looking back on it now, it was a pretty big mistake.”
She looked into his face for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t think it was,” she said. “I think maybe fate put you in that position, so that you’d be the one they sent out here. If it was anybody else, they probably would’ve just tried to beat the money out of me, but you didn’t. You turned out to be my knight in shining armor.”
“Remember what I told you about pedestals,” Chance said. “I don’t belong on any. I’ve done some pretty terrible things, and it doesn’t make it any better that I actually enjoyed it. I just can’t handle letting anything bad happen to you.”
Chance turned and walked her back into the house, and she held his hand and looked at him invitingly when they reached the bottom of the stairs. He smiled and shook his head.
“I’m not ready for anything else, yet,” he said. “I have to keep myself focused on the problem at hand, which is how to get these people off your back. You go get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
She stood there and looked at him for a moment, then tugged gently and pulled him closer. They kissed, and it was all that Chance could do not to let it flare up and take him over completely. He pushed her gently away, then turned around and started toward his own room. As he went, he heard her moving slowly up the stairs, and then he heard her bedroom door close.
It was nearly midnight, so he knew it was almost 3 AM back in Kentucky. He plugged his phone into its charger and set it on the table, then stripped down and got into bed.
When morning came, Chance was up bright and early. Gabriella and the boys slept until almost 9, and then they were rushing to get ready for church, which would start at eleven. Chance had taken advantage of his solitude to give Oscar a call before she and the boys woke up.
“Señor Reddick?” Oscar said. “I have been waiting to hear from you. Why have you not called before now?”
“Well, Oscar, that’s what we’re going to talk about. You see, Gabriella has been telling me a little bit about the situation. Why didn’t you tell me that you’ve been out here to her ranch before?”
Oscar was silent for a couple of seconds. “I did not feel it was necessary to tell you,” Oscar said. “It is not likely to help you to find the money.”
“No, it’s not,” Chance said. “And that’s because there isn’t any money, and I think you know it. You were out here talking to Benito about it before he died, and you talked to Gabriella afterward. You know damn well she hasn’t had that money, and that she doesn’t know where it is. Why haven’t you told that to Mr. Baldizon?”
“You will learn, Señor Reddick, that one does not tell Señor Baldizon that which he does not wish to hear. Today, between us, I will admit to you that I do not believe she has that money. If she did, I do not believe she is strong enough not to spend it. Señor Baldizon, however, he does not share my opinion. I will confess you that I regret the necessity of Gabriella’s death, but it is what Señor Baldizon desires. I did what I could for her, by denying that I knew where she was. Once he found out, however, there was nothing more I could do.”
“So, you actually sent me out here to murder an innocent woman. That really sucks, Oscar.”
“Innocent or guilty, what does this matter to you? You are paid to kill; you admit that you enjoyed the killing, so what does it matter to you?”
“I’m not really sure,” Chance said, exasperated. “You know, those two bastards I killed that night, they deserved it. They murdered my little sister, who hadn’t ever done anything that should’ve angered the cartel. I don’t know why they wanted Jorge Baldizon, and that doesn’t matter to me, because the mistake they made was killing my innocent little sister. They had blood on their hands, and killing them just felt right. Somebody like Gabriella, though? Somebody who’s never done a thing wrong? How could I live with myself if I killed her?”
“The same way I do,” Oscar said. “You take the money, and then you give thanks that you are not the one who is dead. Señor Reddick, you must either do what you were sent to do, or face the consequences of failure. I can assure you that those consequences will b
e grave. I will say nothing of this to Señor Baldizon, but sooner or later he’s going to ask me whether you have done what he sent you to do. At that time, I will not be able to lie to him. Now, please, do not call me again until you have completed the assignment you were given.”
The phone went dead, and Chance put it into his pocket. For some strange reason, he believed Oscar when he said he wouldn’t go running to Baldizon, partly because he suspected that Baldizon did not know Oscar had ever been to the ranch. That would explain why Baldizon felt he had to bribe someone to track Gabriella down.
Chance went into the kitchen and made coffee, then began scrambling eggs as he heard Gabriella and the boys starting to move around upstairs. He threw some sausage into a skillet to go with the eggs, and had it all ready by the time they came down the stairs.
They sat down and ate together, and then Gabriella and the boys went back upstairs to dress for church. Chance went back to his room to straighten it out, glanced into the mirror over his dresser and then rolled his eyes at himself. He opened one of the boxes of clothes that Gabriella had given him, took out a nice pair of slacks and a white shirt, and put them on. He combed his hair and pulled his boots back on, making sure the Ruger was tucked out of sight, then went back to the kitchen to wait.
Gabriella smiled when she saw how nicely he was dressed. “Well, you clean up pretty good,” she said. “What’s the occasion?”
Chance shrugged. “Well, after last night, I figure we need all the help we can get. If you still want me to go to church with you, I’m in.”
They all climbed into the truck a bit later, and Chance sat back to let Gabriella drive toward Clarksville. The Baptist Church they attended was there, and Chance figured he might as well pick up his car while they were in town, assuming it hadn’t been towed away.
Tommy and Andy, sitting in the back seat of the pickup, were carefully watching Chance and their mother. There was something about the way the two of them were smiling at each other that told the boys that things were different than they were the night before. They looked at each other stealthily, and both of them were smiling.
