Silence in the Dark

by Patricia Bradley

  “Yes, you will be just like her when you are grown, only with a tan.”

  Maria giggled and Angel closed the locket. Solana leaned against the wall and rubbed her hip.

  “Does your leg hurt?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  Angel pointed to the cast on Solana’s foot. “How did you hurt your foot? Did you break it?”

  She waved his concern off. “No, the tendon pulled away from the bone. I’m supposed to have this thing removed next week.”

  Maria looked up at him. “What’s a tendon?”

  He shot Solana a plea for help. He had no idea how to explain what a tendon was.

  Solana tilted her head. “It’s like a rope that holds your foot to your leg, and mine came loose.”

  “Oh. Okay.” Maria turned back to her crackers as Solana limped to the table and sat down.

  Good answer. He had to figure out a way to get Solana back to Mexico. Not that she’d complained once about being uprooted. In fact, the raven-haired waitress had not complained about anything. He was certain the ankle pained her with the running they’d had to do. She sat at the table with her eyes closed. “You should prop your leg up to keep the foot from swelling more.”

  She opened her eyes, and he noticed how thick her dark lashes were.

  “Later maybe,” she said.

  Solana’s dark eyes continued to hold his gaze, and his heart missed a beat. “What?”

  “You. I see you rub your chest sometimes and make a face. An old injury?”

  Now it was his turn to shrug off concern. “Depends on how long ‘old’ is. I hurt my shoulder a couple of years ago.”

  She took a long sip of the drink. “Why do you fight the cartel? Are you wishing to begin your own? That’s what some of the merchants say.”

  “What do you think?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer, not sure why it mattered.

  “I think you are a good man.”

  Her words sent a warm shiver through him. A different time . . . Until Maria was safe, he couldn’t consider what he wanted. “Why do you fight the cartel?”

  She rubbed her arms and looked away. “They ensnared my fiancé with their talk of money and good living.”

  “Is he still with them?”

  “He’s dead.”

  Danny grabbed Bailey’s arm to keep her from bolting. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t see Maria.”

  “She’s fine. Solana went with her to the restroom, then she and Angel took her to a break room while you were on the phone.”

  Bailey pressed her hand to her forehead. “I was afraid . . .”

  “It’s been a hard day.” He lifted her face, and she looked at him with such trust. His heart twisted, unleashing the yearning he’d suppressed for two years.

  When she’d left him for Mexico, it’d been easy to tell himself that Bailey Adams would never get the opportunity to hurt him again. But staring into those incredible eyes made him feel alive again. Made him want to do anything to erase the worry lining her face, to protect her. “Maybe you need to freshen up a bit while I check on Maria and see what’s in the vending machines.”

  The grateful smile she threw him as she turned and walked to the restrooms sealed his fate. Don’t get stupid. She’ll only leave you again. Maybe not. Maybe this time . . . He sighed and took his phone out and dialed Ben Logan’s number.

  Ben answered on the third ring. “Logan.”

  “Ben, Danny Maxwell. I have a little problem.” By the time he disconnected, he’d given the sheriff an overview of what had happened and asked for his help when they landed. Ben had assured him he’d be at the airfield waiting for them. Then Danny went looking for Maria and for something for Bailey to eat when she returned.

  In the break room, Angel stood by the window, holding a sleeping Maria on his shoulder. Danny told him about Bailey’s decision to stay at her parents’ house. “It’s a bed-and-breakfast, so there may be room for you.”

  “I hope so. I’d hate to camp out in their backyard.”

  “Yeah, I know. Maybe her mom will—”

  “My mom will what?”

  He turned. “Call you back so we can find out if there’s room at the inn,” he said with a grin.

  Bailey ignored his play on words and turned to Angel with a question on her face. “Why do you want to stay there? Or even in Logan Point?”

  Angel rubbed the sleeping girl’s back. “I want to stay near Maria.”

  “Why?”

  Danny was interested in that answer as well, but unlike Bailey, he understood why Angel wanted to protect her. Danny wanted to protect the child too. But even though the Mexican helped save Bailey today, it had occurred to Danny that Angel could have been buying guns from Geoffrey Franks. Might even be Geoffrey’s contact. To fight a war against the Calatrava, Angel needed guns. And he’d been evasive when Danny had questioned him earlier.

  “I told you before that I made a promise to Maria’s mother to protect her.”

  Maria stirred in his arms, and Bailey stepped toward him to take the child.

  “No. She’s fine where she is.”

  Danny could tell from the expression on Bailey’s face that she was going to take the child anyway. He put his hand on her arm. “Let her sleep.”

  She hesitated, then stepped back. “Why did you make her mother a promise like that? How did you know her?”

  Angel’s jaw shot out. “It happened so long ago, it doesn’t matter now.”

  “It might.”

  He shook his head. “It’s a long story and not one I want to discuss here.”

  Danny’s cell phone rang, and he unhooked it from his belt. “It’s your mom,” he said to Bailey.

  When she took his phone and walked to a far corner of the room, he glanced around the small break area. Angel had moved from the window to the doorway, and Solana sat in a chair at the table, twisting a napkin in her fingers as her gaze followed Angel. Exhaustion lined her face, and he realized she was older than he thought. Not a teenager as he’d supposed but a young woman, probably in her midtwenties.

  She still wore the black pants and white shirt with her name stitched in black. It dawned on him that the waitress uniform was all she had, and he imagined she was overwhelmed by the turn her life had taken. All because she’d tried to help someone. He sat in the chair beside her. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find a way to make things all right.”

  Solana gave him a small nod.

  “How did you happen to have your passport with you?”

  She looked around at Angel’s question. Danny had wondered the same thing.

  “My sister’s husband is gravely ill. I expected a phone call anytime. It just made sense to keep the papers with me.” She spoke English slowly. “But I should not have come. I should have stayed behind and helped Juan’s family.”

  Angel’s eyes softened. “No, Solana, you could not stay behind.” His voice was low but urgent. Then he continued in Spanish. “You cannot return until the Calatrava is destroyed. I’ll take care of you. Understand?”

  Tears filled her eyes. “Why? You don’t know me.”

  A gentle smile teased Angel’s lips. “But I do. You are Solana Lopez y de la Fuente and an excellent waitress.” Then his voice dropped. “And you have helped many more than these two you helped today. Like Raúl Barra Monje.”

  Her eyes widened, then she dropped her gaze. “We are in a war for our country.”

  Danny’s admiration for Solana grew, and he squeezed her arm. “You’re very brave.”

  “No. I just do what I must.”

  Bailey rejoined them at the table. “There are no guests at the bed-and-breakfast, so there’s room enough for all of us.” She eyed Angel. “Maybe we can finish our conversation once we get settled.”

  Danny figured getting information out of Angel Guerrera would be next to impossible. “I didn’t tell you, but Ben Logan is meeting us at the airport in Logan Point.”

  “That’s wonderful, Da
nny. You might be useful for something after all.” She bumped him with her shoulder.

  That was high praise from Bailey Adams, and he knew his face was red from the heat in his cheeks.

  Bailey turned to Angel. “Maria must be getting heavy. Why don’t we lay her on the couch where she can stretch out.”

  “She’s not heavy. We’ll be leaving soon, sí?”

  The last was directed at Danny. “As soon as the plane is refueled and I do the preflight. Probably fifteen, twenty minutes—I’ll check again in a minute to see if the airport manager can get to me.”

  “Maria will be more comfortable on the couch.” Bailey used that stubborn tone he knew so well.

  Danny watched to see who would win, and struggled to hide his grin when Angel finally nodded. Already he saw a control issue developing between Bailey and Angel, and his money was riding on his former fiancée.

  Maria barely stirred as Angel stretched her out on the sofa beside Bailey. Angel shifted his gaze to Danny. “Who is this Ben Logan?”

  “The sheriff,” Danny said. “He’s our friend, and he’ll figure something out.”

  “Sheriff? No!” A torrent of Spanish flew from Solana’s mouth.

  He caught only a few of the words that Angel shot back at her. He didn’t know if it was what Angel said or that the tall Latino pulled the trembling woman in his arms, but she quieted down. Danny had no idea mentioning Ben would upset her so. He held up his hands. “It’ll be okay. I promise. Ben’s a good guy—he’ll help us.”

  She looked doubtful but nodded.

  Bailey stood and walked to her side. “Ben isn’t like the police in Mexico. I promise.”

  “Me too,” Danny added. After his experience with the Federals this morning, he understood her fear.

  El Jefe looked each man in the eye until they broke contact. Except one. Defiance emanated from him. This one—Enrico—would bear watching. “I wanted the missionary dead. Can you not do one simple thing?”

  “Angel Montoya was her protector. He’s like a ghost, coming and going as he pleases.”

  “You fool. Because you didn’t do your job two years ago, we must now make him an ally.” Making Montoya an ally had not been his idea but the decision of the board.

  The defiant one lifted his chin. “He will never align himself with the Calatrava.”

  “I have a plan, and when I’m finished, he will do whatever I say.” He cocked his head. “Why did you kidnap McDermott?”

  A sly grin spread across Enrico’s face. “A little fun.”

  “Your little fun cost us two men.”

  Enrico shrugged. “They were stupid. Stupid people die.” His eyes narrowed. “What is your plan?”

  Heat flushed through El Jefe’s body. If Enrico were not the son of a board member . . . “You will know in due time.”

  While their mission to kill the woman had failed today, it had given him an idea. And once he had Angel Montoya where he wanted him, he would deal with the insolent Enrico.

  10

  Bailey Adams asked too many questions. Questions Angel couldn’t answer yet. Her loyalties lay with Joel, and Joel’s loyalty belonged to Edward Montoya. The American would not understand or approve of Angel’s plans. He glanced at the back of the cabin, where Maria dozed on Bailey’s lap. Neither would she approve his plans for his sleeping daughter.

  He fingered the gold cross around his neck. His mother’s. He gazed out the window into the starlit night. A full moon hung heavy in the sky. Just the kind of night his mother had loved. He sighed. She would understand.

  Danny’s voice in his headset drew him back to the present. “Logan Point Tower, Cessna F3851Charlie five miles northwest, at 1800 feet, landing Logan Point airport.”

  He and the tower control talked back and forth like old friends. Which they probably were. Angel missed his flying mentor—they’d had an almost father-son relationship. Soon the lights of the runway came into sight and the plane nosed down to the ground, the wheels touching the tarmac smoothly. Danny was a good pilot, almost as good as Angel. But that was another thing he’d keep to himself.

  He glanced toward the backseat passengers. Bailey had removed her headset and was waking Maria, but Solana sat stiff, a pallor to her skin as she stared out the window. The answer about her papers seemed all right on the surface, but he still had questions for her, and now wasn’t the time to ask. Not with others around and while she seemed so fragile.

  Her dark hair framed a worried face as her fingers gripped the black pants of the waitress uniform. In the morning he would buy her something to wear, and it wouldn’t be black or have her name on the pocket. Something colorful. Something that would make her smile. Angel touched her knee, and she jumped. He smiled and motioned to the headset hanging around her neck.

  When she’d put the headset on again, he spoke to her in Spanish. “Where is your courage, little one? And that fiery temper I’ve seen at the restaurant that you use to put admirers in their place? You faced much worse this morning.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “But I was in my own country. Here I don’t know what to expect. What if my papers are not in order and I’m arrested as illegal?”

  “You won’t be arrested. I promise that. Do you believe me?”

  Although she nodded, her dark eyes told a different story. He would have to change that.

  “Ready?” Danny asked as he killed the engine.

  Angel took Maria while Danny helped Bailey to the ground. Once Bailey was off the plane, she immediately took Maria from his arms. The American did not trust him.

  Angel lifted Solana off the wing, surprised at how light she was. Briefly their eyes locked, and his heart responded, kicking into high gear. He jerked his gaze away. He didn’t have time for distractions. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Sí.”

  They hurried to the terminal to escape the biting north wind. Inside, Danny and Bailey talked with a guy in jeans and a plaid shirt under his leather jacket. Angel noted the way the man stood, relaxed but alert. His dark eyes seemed to be taking Angel’s measure.

  “Oh, here you are,” Danny said. “Angel, Solana, this is Ben Logan.”

  Ben stuck his hand out and Angel shook it, liking the firm handshake. Then the sheriff turned to Solana and took her hand. “Danny tells me that you helped Bailey escape today.”

  Solana nodded stiffly. “Sí,” she answered quietly, and it hurt Angel to see how tense she was.

  “Thank you. You don’t have any reason to fear me,” Ben said. “And Danny said you had your visa and passport, so everything is good.”

  Angel felt her physically relax, and he wanted to shake the sheriff’s hand again.

  “I do not intend to remain in the US—it was a mistake coming. I must return to Chihuahua.”

  A band tightened around Angel’s chest. “Why, Solana?”

  Bailey echoed his question. “You can’t go back. Those men will . . .” She glanced down at Maria and shook her head. “You know what I mean.”

  “I must. And for the same reason Angel will not remain here—if all the law-abiding citizens leave, the drug cartels will win.”

  Her fiery spirit had returned, but still the band constricted his breathing. “No. You will stay here where it’s safe.”

  Solana fisted her hands on her hips. “Do not treat me like I am Maria. I will return to Chihuahua when you do.” She tossed her hair back, and he read the determination in her face.

  “We’ll discuss this later.”

  “There is nothing to discuss, and I’m tired. Can we not go somewhere to rest?”

  “That’s a good idea,” Bailey said. She turned her attention to Danny. “Are you in that little red convertible of yours, or something more sensible?”

  He shrugged. “Neither. I flew out from the airstrip at Ian’s cabin, so I’m afoot.”

  “I’m in my Highlander,” Ben said. “I’ll be glad to drop you off at Kate’s, and on the way, why don’t you call this Joel McDermott you were telling me a
bout from my cell phone?”

  “Who is Kate?” Angel asked.

  “My mother,” Bailey explained. “Like I said earlier, she runs the bed-and-breakfast.”

  Once they were in the SUV, Ben handed Bailey his cell phone, and she dialed. Sitting beside her, Angel memorized the number.

  “It goes straight to voicemail.”

  “Put him in my contacts, and I’ll keep trying and call you in the morning with a report on what he says.”

  Fifteen minutes later they pulled into the circle drive of a two-story gabled house. Even though the area around the house was well lit, Angel didn’t like the long drive lined with trees. Anyone could drive up to the house without being seen. “I suppose it’s too much to hope your mother has a security system,” he said to Bailey.

  “Actually, she does. She had it installed a few years ago because she can’t hear customers when they arrive if she’s in the house or working in the back of her pottery workshop.”

  That made him feel better, but he would still talk with the sheriff about having a deputy patrol the area. Once everyone was out of the SUV, he turned to him. “Are you coming in, Sheriff Logan?”

  “Call me Ben, and no, I have to get home to my family.”

  Ben’s apparent happiness sent an arrow into Angel’s soul. He’d had a wife and family once. If only he hadn’t been shot . . . He shook the thought off. He could not change the past. He and Danny hung back as the others climbed the steps to the house. Shivering against the cold, Angel stuck his hands in his pockets.

  “Sorry about the cold,” Ben said. “It’s usually warmer than this in late March, although we’ve actually had snow on the first day of spring.”

  “Maria would probably love that,” Angel said. “Could I speak with you a moment about security before you leave?”

  Ben nodded toward Danny. “He told me the men who tried to kidnap the child might follow you to Logan Point, so I’ve already assigned a deputy to drive by here at different times through the night. I wish I could do more, but we’re understaffed.”

  His respect for the sheriff grew. “Gracias.”

  “Do you think they will follow you? Or do you know why they want her so badly?”