She looked around his room and frowned. “So, is this your newest mission? How long will you be here? Don’t worry, I won’t ask you what you’re doing. I know that’s classified. But it sure is nice to have you so close. It would be nice to know if this is something that is going to last a while.”
Phantom shook his head at her. “You’re incorrigible. You haven’t changed since I found you going through my duffel bag after my first deployment.”
She wiggled her eyebrows dramatically at him. “Well, when there are secrets to be uncovered…”
Phantom threw his arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the door. “I can smell dinner. You’re in for a treat. Snap is an incredible cook.”
“Deflecting.”
“While we’re on the topic of poor choices, let’s discuss you dyeing your hair and dressing like a cowboy’s fantasy. How about that?”
“Now, Enrique, I can explain.”
Chapter 10
“You know we wish we could spend more time with you. It feels like we hardly ever see you anymore.”
Elena blushed at Mrs. Bell’s words, guilt gnawing at her. While Mr. and Mrs. Bell were her landlords and she rented the apartment over their garage, they treated her as if she were one of their children. They doted on her, often bringing her fresh-baked pies and leftover meals, and always inviting her to visit their home.
“You work too hard, my dear,” Mrs. Bell said as she patted Elena on the hand. The older woman’s hands had grown shaky in her older years and were covered in liver spots, but still had strength as she squeezed Elena’s hand tightly. “Mr. Bell and I worry about you. You leave as soon as the sun comes up, and you don’t get home until after the sun goes down. That’s just not safe for a young woman.”
Elena smiled politely at the elderly couple. “I love what I do. I’m happy. It doesn’t even feel like I’m working.” Most days. Most days I don’t watch the man who has convinced me to trust—to feel—embrace the woman he loves, and it wasn’t me. For the first time ever, I didn’t want to spend time with the horses.
“You aren’t smiling like you usually do.” Mr. Bell frowned at her. “I like to see you happy.”
Elena chuckled. “You just need to get better glasses. Are you even able to see anymore? You know, at your age—”
“All right, young lady, make fun of me as much as you want. But I can tell something is bothering you. It isn’t our place to pry. We just want to see you happy at all times.”
“Is it the apartment, dear? Is something wrong? Do we need to have someone come fix something?” Mrs. Bell rapidly fired off questions. Even at the age of eighty-three, her mind was just as sharp as most twenty- or thirty-year-olds Elena knew.
“No, the apartment is terrific. I can’t thank you enough for the incredible deal you are giving me on it. I can’t believe I’ve already lived here for nearly five years.”
“Nice try, missy. You aren’t going to get out of this conversation so easily. Mr. Bell may not want to pry, but I hold no such qualms.” Mrs. Bell winked at her. “What’s going on in that mind of yours? I’ve known you long enough to read your emotions. And if Mr. Bell is picking up on something, you know you’re wearing it all over your face.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Mr. Bell feigned annoyance and held a stern face for several seconds before he broke into a wide grin and leaned toward Mrs. Bell, pursing his lips dramatically for a kiss.
Mrs. Bell giggled like a schoolgirl and leaned toward him and pressed a kiss to his lips tenderly. They grinned at each other for several lingering moments, and Elena realized she might as well not even be in the room. To be so deeply in love for over fifty years must be an amazing experience.
Elena shifted in her chair to pour herself some more coffee and instantly felt Mr. and Mrs. Bell return their attention on her. She wanted to sigh heavily, but she didn’t want to give them the impression that she wasn’t thrilled to spend a beautiful Saturday morning in their backyard, watching the birds play in the birdbath. She needed the quality time with them more than she had realized.
She took a long sip of her coffee and lifted her eyes slowly to find them watching her with expectant expressions. “Maybe I am working a little too hard,” she said, grasping for something to say. “I haven’t been getting much sleep lately, and it’s taking its toll.”
“Why aren’t you getting enough sleep? Are you worried about something? Do you need help, Elena?” Mr. Bell asked gently. Again, for the hundredth time, it struck her how parental he was with her and how much she had come to care for him. She thought of Mrs. Bell as her second mother.
“Well…” Elena began hesitantly, searching for the right words.
“It’s a man, isn’t it?” Mrs. Bell said eagerly.
“Martha! Let her tell us about this man at her own pace.”
Elena couldn’t help but laugh, even though she felt the heat of a blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. “I suppose you can say it’s a man. You remember the Bent Horseshoe Ranch, right?”
“Of course. We were so sad when Daniel sold and moved away. He often came by to help Mr. Bell with some of the more difficult chores. We miss him.”
“A group of men bought the ranch together.”
“A group? Oh, don’t tell me we have a cult brewing in Hebbronville.” Mr. Bell shook his head. “What is this world coming to?”
“No, no,” Elena smiled. “It isn’t a cult. Not at all. They’re best friends and decided to go in on running the ranch together. They’re determined to make it a success without having to hire ranch hands.”
Mrs. Bell’s eyes widened. “On that large of a ranch? It’s thousands of acres and has hundreds of cattle. How many men are there?”
“Six. Well, seven now, I suppose. They brought on someone new yesterday. They’re all extremely hard workers. I think they just might be able to pull it off.”
“Seven? And? Which one of them do you like?” Mrs. Bell’s eyes sparkled.
“I like all of them.”
“Oh!” The older woman’s eyes went wide. “I can certainly see your dilemma.”
Elena grinned at her. “I said I like all of them. I didn’t say I felt anything other than that.”
“You can’t fool me. I can tell someone has captured your interest.” Mr. Bell smirked.
“I wouldn’t say he’s captured my interest as much as he’s captured my irritation.”
Mrs. Bell picked up her cup of coffee and leaned back in her lawn chair, a smile brightening her features and making her look ten years younger. “That’s one of the ways it starts.”
Elena shook her head. “No, our relationship is purely professional. We got off to a very rocky start, but we seem to be in a better place now.” She spent the next half hour telling them about meeting Phantom, him terminating their relationship, and her ability to win him back. She omitted the part about their two kisses, knowing that would only fuel Mrs. Bell’s interest in digging into a relationship that didn’t exist.
“He likes you.” Mr. Bell nodded.
“How do you know that?” Elena asked, startled.
“I know how men think and act around a woman they are interested in. The way he spends time with you, is willing to learn from you, always taking the opportunity to ask you questions… If he didn’t like you, he’d find out the answers some other way.”
“It is what he’s paying me to do.” Elena sipped her coffee. “I’m meant to be there for him, to help him grow his business and answer his questions. We work well together. But I need to keep it professional.”
“Oh, so that’s the excuse you’re going to run with?” Mrs. Bell rolled her eyes and waved her hand in the air. “What’s wrong with having a little fun outside of work? I can see it in your eyes. You like this man. And I believe Mr. Bell is right for once. I think this man likes you too.”
“Right for once?” Mr. Bell sputtered. “Do I need to remind you of all the—”
“Old stories, Harold. Old stories. I’m sure you’ve bored Elena with them too many times to count.” Mrs. Bell winked at Elena, who had to hide her smile behind her coffee mug.
They spent the rest of the morning talking about the Bells’ children and grandchildren, and Elena learned they were expecting their first great-grandchild in a handful of months. She insisted that she wanted to help with the baby shower in any way possible before finally excusing herself.
At their beautiful glass front door, Mr. and Mrs. Bell hugged her affectionately. “Don’t worry about any of this anymore. If you want something to happen with this man, it will happen. It isn’t worth worrying about.” Mrs. Bell kissed her cheek.
“And if he does anything to hurt you, let me know. I’ve still got my shotgun, and I may be old, but I can still aim straight.” Mr. Bell winked at her.
Elena chuckled. “I’ll have to keep that in mind. Thank you for the coffee and the visit. I’ve missed spending time with you.”
“Then make more time for us!” Mrs. Bell scolded. “All you have to do is come down those stairs and knock on our door, and you know we’d love to see you, no matter what time of day.” Her features softened, and she placed her hand on Elena’s cheek. “Be safe out there, my dear. We do worry about you and how hard you work.”
Elena smiled and embraced the woman one more time. “Thank you. I may hold you to that. Let’s see how you feel when I come knocking on your door at ten o’clock one night.”
“We’ll just be watching the news at that hour. You won’t be a bother at all. Though you may have to put up with listening to Mr. Bell’s snoring. He always falls asleep in his recliner before the weather report comes on.”
Elena smiled and waved goodbye to them before walking the short distance to the detached garage and climbing the stairs to her apartment. She wasn’t surprised when she looked back to find them watching to make sure she made it into her apartment safely. She felt better after spending the morning with them.
Their love was a beautiful thing to see, and the way they cared for and fretted over her reminded Elena of her own parents. They lived far up in north Texas, and she didn’t get to see them very often. She needed to call them and hear their voices and know they were doing okay. Once the shows slowed down, she’d even travel to see them.
She smiled to herself. She could move on from her passionate encounter with Phantom. Things were already beginning to look better.
* * *
“Latest intel indicates they are gathering more victims than usual for this haul,” Haslett said over the speakerphone.
Phantom sighed and ran a hand down his face. “We know that a normal haul is around twenty victims. Most of them women, some of them children.”
“Good to hear you’ve been doing your studying.”
“What do we know about this code being linked to our last mission? Have you been able to discover who is running things in America?” Phantom asked Buzz, who sat with him in the conference room.
“Nothing solid yet. We’re turning over every rock we can. There’s a connection to the two missions, that’s for sure. The same coder who worked for the drug lord obviously is working for this human trafficking ring as well.” Buzz frowned.
“Is he working for them, or could he be behind the steering wheel and pointing them in the direction he wants?” Phantom asked.
Haslett sighed. “You think he may be running these operations?”
“Have you ever heard of someone referred to as the Puppet Master?” Phantom tossed out the question, his body tense as he waited for an answer.
Haslett paused for several moments, and Phantom gripped the edge of the table tighter. He needed answers. They needed mission details. The longer they waited, the higher the chance that these traffickers got away with selling many people into a life of slavery.
“Where did you hear that?” Haslett asked.
“You asked me to dig, and we did. What’s going on here?” Phantom didn’t want to waste any time getting to the truth.
“That term came up recently. It involves a fanatical group we’ve been trying to track whose members seem to harbor unpatriotic views and could be considered terrorists.” Haslett sighed.
“Terrorists? Do you have anything substantial to back this up?” Stryker asked, jumping into the conversation.
“Not yet. Which is why I haven’t told you anything about it yet. We’re still digging on our end. You keep digging on yours. Don’t worry, Phantom. We’re going to stop these bastards no matter what.”
“Yes, sir.” Phantom frowned into the phone. He didn’t like the unknown, and the Puppet Master added a whole new level of strange to their investigation. “We’ll keep at it. I’ll be in touch.”
He ended the call and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes wearily. He had driven Amber back to the base on Saturday and taken advantage of the time to visit with Haslett in person and compare notes. There wasn’t much more to add than what they had already discussed.
During Sunday morning’s breakfast, his eyes continued to drift to where Elena had sat just the week before, bringing her bright attitude and warm smile with her. He enjoyed being with her, probably more than he should, and he needed to work on changing that. He couldn’t allow himself to get into a relationship with complicated emotions and expectations that he probably would never be able to live up to.
After breakfast, Buzz had come to him about the latest message he had deciphered on the dark web from the “Puppet Master.” There wasn’t much information in the line of communication, only a statement that arrangements were being made—certainly nothing Phantom’s group could take action upon, even if they knew who the person or group of people were.
Twelve hundred hours had come and gone, and Phantom needed to head out to the barn to tend to the horses. Just thinking about them took his mind off the dangers of the mission ahead and to his other concern—Elena. The woman must have magical abilities, because every time he thought of her, saw her, or came close to her, all he could think about was feeling her body fit so perfectly against his as he tasted her cherry-flavored lips. The right thing for both of them would be to give in to those desires, right? She wants you. You want her. Why are you denying both of you something that could be amazing?
He shook his head. He had to get a grip on his emotions when it came to Elena. Otherwise, he could end up doing something they could both come to regret.
Chapter 11
“Your motions should always be very smooth and fluid when you’re presenting a horse for the showmanship class. Hold your head up high, make sure you are poised and in control so the horse moves comfortably at your side, and walk forward with confidence.”
Elena stood in the center of the arena, acting in the role of the judge as Phantom walked Strawberry in. She should have known he would be a natural at the showmanship class. He effortlessly moved with confidence and a commanding presence, something the judges would certainly notice, and he would definitely earn a blue ribbon if he remembered the patterns and different movements he had to make.
“When I step back, go ahead and lead her into a jog. Remember how I showed you earlier. There! That’s a perfect transition. Keep going to the first orange cone, then stop and execute a three-hundred-sixty-degree turn.”
Phantom didn’t say anything as he moved through the course to her directions, and she wanted to shout for joy at how quickly he had picked up everything. When he set up Strawberry for her to do the walk-around, Elena’s heart beat a little faster. When passing at the head of the horse, she came close enough to him that she could almost feel the heat radiating off his body.
She wanted to get even closer, to touch him, to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and more than anything, she wanted to kiss him. She realized she couldn’t stop her de
sire for him or her burning interest to know more about him. But she had to be realistic. He had a woman who he obviously cared deeply for, and she had come to terms with it. She would just live in her daydreams and stay professional about everything else.
“I’m about to cross by the horse’s tail. Where should you be standing?”
“Exactly where I am until you cross. Then I make my move.”
She beamed at him. “Very good. I think you’re ready.”
He narrowed his eyes, a look of doubt on his face. “Ready for what?”
“Your first horse show—as a competitor.”
“No, no, no. I need a couple more months at least—but I certainly want to come with you to any show you decide to attend. I want to pick up as many pointers as possible.”
“There’s nothing better than jumping in and getting your feet wet. It’s the best way to learn.” Elena smiled at him and stepped up to take Strawberry’s lead line from him. She found herself incredibly close to him, staring up into his gray eyes. She couldn’t remember what they had been talking about. All she could think about was the fact that his head only had to dip down to hers and they’d kiss.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this,” he murmured thoughtfully, but she noticed his eyes had dropped to her lips.
Snap out of it! She shook herself. She needed to stop fantasizing about what would never be. Yes, there seemed to be something between them, but she had tried to travel down this path once before, and he had turned her away. Lesson learned.
She stepped away from him, taking Strawberry with her. “You’re going to do great,” she said as cheerfully as possible.
“Elena, I…” She paused and looked back at him when his voice trailed off. His gaze searched her face for several long moments, then he shook his head as if dismissing what he had been about to say. He gave a half-hearted shrug. “I just wanted to thank you for all the time you’ve spent with me and the horses. You really are an exceptional trainer.”
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