April sniffed and exited the car. She circled around the back to collect her packages, and then swung through the front gate.
She strode up the brick walkway, her step faltering as she caught sight of a brown box on the porch. She puffed out a breath. Meg told her she ordered a lot of items online to save trips into Tucson.
She wouldn’t have even experienced that small frisson of fear that zipped through her veins if Clay hadn’t found her in the coffee shop this afternoon and told her about the second body.
She rolled her shoulders back and continued to approach the porch. She took one step up, shook out the house key Meg had given her earlier and nudged the box with her toe. It didn’t look like a delivery, as it had no address label.
She kicked the box. It jumped an inch. A trickle of blood seeped from the bottom.
Chapter Seven
Clay punched the accelerator of his truck and it lurched forward from the stop sign, causing Denali to slide off the seat.
“Sorry, boy.” Clay patted the passenger seat and Denali scrambled back onto it.
What the hell was going on in this town? Why would someone leave that head on April’s porch?
The perpetrators must still be in Paradiso. They’d connected April to him somehow, and decided to double down on their message. What was their message if not a threat?
His foot pressed on the gas pedal and his truck growled in response. Denali panted beside him, their reunion cut short when he got the call from Espinoza about April finding a head in a box on her porch. She must be regretting her visit to Paradiso even more now.
He rolled past her address and kept going, as emergency vehicles clogged the street in front of her house. The scene must remind her of the night Adam found their mother’s body on the kitchen floor, and his heart ached for her all over again.
He parked the truck and slid out. He came around and opened the door for Denali. If he didn’t let him out, the dog would be howling and eventually scratch through the door.
Denali kept up with Clay’s long stride, undeterred by the lights and activity, nose in the air, ears pricked forward. Did he smell April already?
Clay spotted her talking to Detective Espinoza, her arms folded, her face a pale oval. Denali must’ve detected her at the same time because he tore away from Clay’s side, making a beeline for April.
When she saw the dog running toward her, April dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his squirming body, burying her face in his gray-and-white fur.
When she looked up to meet Clay’s eyes, tears streaked her face, but a wide smile claimed her lips. “He looks great.”
To reward the compliment, Denali licked the tears from April’s face.
Clay shifted his gaze to Espinoza. “Is it our girl from the border?”
“Without any scientific proof, I’d say it is. The head belongs to a young Latina. I paid attention this time, but maybe I shouldn’t make any assumptions.”
Clay swore. “Two heads, one body down, one body to go. What kind of game are they playing and why involve April?”
“They must’ve seen her with you, although why Las Moscas is targeting you is puzzling.” Espinoza eyed him beneath the brim of his hat as if inspecting a bug.
“Hey, I have no clue.” Clay held up his hands. “If you think I’ve been on their payroll or something, you’re welcome to check me out. Do a full investigation. You won’t find anything.”
“Don’t get your back up, but if you can think of any reason why Las Moscas would be more interested in you than any other Border Patrol agent in the area, let me know.”
“Maybe because I’m one of the few who lives in Paradiso. What surprises me is that someone is still lurking around depositing body parts in town. Usually, strangers are executing strangers at the border and leaving us to clean up after them.”
April popped up beside them, brushing her hands together. “Has anyone notified my cousin yet? She should be home from work soon and she’s going to be freaked out by all this. Do you think at least the head will be gone by the time she gets home?”
“April.” Clay took her by the shoulders. “You don’t need to worry about Meg right now. Are you all right?”
She swiped a hand beneath her red-tipped nose. “It was like déjà vu all over again—only the box wasn’t as pretty this time. At least I knew enough not to pick it up, so the head didn’t go bounding down the walkway.”
The glassy blue of her eyes and the slight quiver to her bottom lip were the only contradictions to her flip words.
His fingers caressed her flesh beneath the light cotton of the blue T-shirt that matched her eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through this again. It’s my fault they left that for you.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s your job.” She addressed Espinoza. “Do you have the right head this time?”
“We think so, but we’ll run the tests to make sure.” Espinoza pointed down the street. “The Paradiso PD officers canvassed the neighborhood and, just like at your place, Archer, nobody saw a thing.”
“If someone did, do you really think they’d step forward?” Clay scratched the top of Denali’s head, still shaking with joy at his reunion with April. “People around here are familiar with Las Moscas. They’re going to keep their heads down and not interfere with business. They don’t want the violence at the border creeping up here.”
A wail from the street had Denali stiffening and pointing his head, nostrils quivering a mile a minute.
“Oh, boy. Here comes Meg.” April adjusted her position, pulling her shoulders back and widening her stance as if getting ready for a tackle.
Denali got ready, too, leaving Clay’s side to take up his position in front of April.
Meg came bobbing and weaving up the walkway as if trying to gain purchase on the deck of a ship, a helpless Paradiso PD officer trailing in her wake, hand outstretched.
“A head? Did I hear that right? A head was on my porch?” Meg, all five feet of her, steamrolled up to Detective Espinoza. “Somebody out there told me a head was on my porch.”
Espinoza, his face impassive, asked, “Are you the owner of the house, ma’am?”
“No, but I live here.” Meg flung out an arm toward April. “She owns the house.”
Meg stopped flapping her lips, froze and then turned toward April. “This is you, isn’t it? You come back to Paradiso and heads start appearing on porches wherever you are.”
Denali emitted a little growl. He’d never bitten anyone in his life, but he just might make an exception if Meg continued her verbal assault on April.
“Whoa, wait a minute, Meg.” Clay took a step between her and April. “This is all me. It has something to do with a body of a mule we found at the border yesterday.”
Meg’s light-colored eyes flicked in his direction. “You would say that.”
“It’s the truth, Ms....?” Espinoza’s question hung in the air unanswered. “These are two dead women, involved in the drug trade, murdered by a drug cartel. They’re just trying to make some point with Agent Archer and probably saw him with Ms. Hart. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
Clay gave Espinoza a sharp glance. He wouldn’t go that far. “Look, Meg. I’m going to get a security system installed at my house with cameras. I’ll do the same for this house.”
Her eyes bugged out. “Because you think this will happen again?”
“No, no, but it’s not a bad idea, is it?” Clay turned to April and rolled his eyes.
Espinoza cleared his throat. “Ma’am, since you live here, can I ask you a few questions about any unusual activity you may have seen in the neighborhood starting yesterday?”
“Of course.” Meg pointed a trembling finger at the box on her porch, roped off with yellow tape. “Is that it?”
“It is. We’ll have it out of here shor
tly.” Espinoza touched Meg’s upper arm. “Can we talk over here?”
Meg followed Espinoza to his car.
“Well, that wasn’t too bad.” April scratched Denali behind one ear. “Were you ready to take her on, Denny?”
Denali’s tongue lolled out of his mouth as his big eyes, one blue, one brown, looked adoringly at April. He clearly remembered her nickname for him, which Clay hadn’t used since she left.
Clay coughed. “When everyone’s out of here, I’m not comfortable leaving you and Meg on your own.”
Hitching a thumb in the front pocket of her jeans, April said, “Does that mean you’re going to assign Denali to guard duty?”
“That means I’m going to hang around for a while, if that’s okay. I don’t think you’ll see any more trouble. I didn’t, but a member of a drug cartel knows where you live and decided to put a severed head on your porch.”
“I do still have my gun at the house.” She tilted her head at him. “And I know how to use it because a hotshot Border Patrol agent taught me.”
“It probably needs to be cleaned. Do you even have bullets for it?”
“He taught me how to do that, too, and I’ll look for the bullets or buy them.” She fondled Denali’s ear. “But I wouldn’t mind the watchdog.”
Clay leveled a finger at her. “You’re going to take the bodyguard along with the watchdog.”
“Before, you asked me if it was okay if you stayed—now you’re telling me?”
“I didn’t think you’d reject my offer. I’ll even pick up dinner for you two.”
“You’re going to make Meg very, very nervous.”
April gazed past his shoulder, and he cranked his head around to watch Meg, body stiff, arms waving around as if casting a spell. She probably would cast a spell on April if she could.
“Let me handle Meg.”
“Better you than me.”
An hour later, the last official vehicle pulled away from the house, leaving behind the yellow police tape and some fingerprint powder on the gate and the porch.
Meg strolled down the two steps, making a wide berth around the spot where April had found the box. “When are you getting those security systems, Clay?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll install yours first and then mine. I’ll get some advice, but I’m thinking cameras, motion-sensor lights, the works.”
“Can you get one of those setups where I can tune in on my phone and watch what’s going on?” Meg glanced at April.
“Don’t look at me. I’m not going to be hanging around Paradiso much longer.”
Her words pricked his heart.
“April’s going to go back to Albuquerque to get the rest of her stuff, and I’m going with her.”
Meg’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you hightailed it out of there to help a friend in trouble. You’re actually moving from Albuquerque?”
“Yes.” April grabbed Clay’s arm. “Clay has offered to buy us dinner tonight, Meg. I accepted on your behalf.”
“I’m not going out. I’m exhausted.” She jingled her keys. “I am going to move my car into the driveway, though.”
“We’re not going out, either. I’m getting takeout. Any preferences?”
Meg’s gaze shifted from his face to April’s, a crease forming between her eyes. “Because you’re worried?”
“Let’s just call it cautious.” He held out his hand. “I’ll move your car around, and then I’ll get some Chinese.”
“Chinese is fine. I’ll eat anything, but I’m not liking this. I’ll feel better when we get the cameras up and running.” Meg poked April’s arm. “Are you going with him, or are you going to stay here?”
“I’ll stay here—me and Denali.” April hunched forward and patted her thigh. “C’mon, boy. Let’s go inside.”
As Clay swung through the front gate, he made a half turn. “Kung pao chicken and orange peel beef for you?”
“Absolutely. You remembered.”
The two women disappeared inside the house with Denali at their heels.
Clay let the gate slam behind him and murmured, “I remember everything.”
Chapter Eight
Once inside the house, April rummaged through the bags she’d brought in earlier. “I did some shopping in Tucson and bought a few things.”
“Seeing that head on the porch must’ve been horrible for you.” Meg leaned her hip against the arm of the couch. “I’m sorry you found it.”
April ducked her head inside one of her bags. “Would’ve been worse if you’d found it.”
“Because I didn’t see my mother murdered?” Meg clicked her tongue. “That doesn’t make you immune to atrocities, April. I would think it would bring back memories and stress you out.”
“Better to have all that stress going to one person instead of spreading it around.” April popped up and shook out a blouse. “Pretty, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, pretty.” Meg shook her head. “How did the reunion with Clay go?”
April sat back on her heels, her lips twisting into a smile. “Not as well as the reunion with Denali.”
The dog, hearing his name, thumped his tail but didn’t move from his spot in front of the empty fireplace.
“Can you blame him?” Meg kicked off her shoes and padded into the kitchen on bare feet. “I need a glass of wine after that horror show. You?”
“What goes with Chinese food?”
“All I drink is white, so I guess white.” Meg pulled open the fridge and emerged with an open, corked bottle of wine. “Did you ever give the poor guy a reason why you ran out on the wedding? Did you have a reason?”
Nobody but Adam knew the real reason, and April didn’t plan on revealing anything now—especially with these heads and bodies showing up.
April’s hands convulsively clutched at the material of the blouse in her hands. This wave of violence couldn’t have anything to do with that prior threat, could it? No, Clay had found that body by the border before she even arrived in Paradiso. Nobody had known she was going to show up here—except Adam. He’d figured it out.
“I had my reasons, Meg, and I don’t want to talk about them.” She plunged her hand into another bag and dangled a pair of stone-colored capris from her fingers. “Cute?”
“I’m sure they look cute on you.” Meg took a swig of wine from her glass and set another on the end table for April. “Everything does.”
“Aw, thanks, cuz.” April gathered the bags and pushed to her feet. “I’m going to put these away, and then I’ll join you for that wine.”
She walked to her bedroom on knees that still trembled. As if sensing her shakiness, Denali popped up and trotted after her.
April put away the new clothes and washed her face and hands before joining Meg. Denali stayed by her side, determined to keep her in his sight. She’d missed the silly pooch almost as much as she’d missed Clay.
“Here you go.” Meg thrust a glass at her as she returned to the living room.
April sat on one side of the couch, curling a leg beneath her, and cupped the wineglass with both hands.
“First, a toast.” Meg raised her glass. “To no more drama.”
April clinked her glass with her cousin’s. “I’ll drink to that.”
“There’s never a dull moment living down here, is there?”
“Or maybe it’s just our family.” April took a sip of the wine, lolling the citrusy flavor on her tongue before swallowing.
“Where are you headed once you collect your stuff from Albuquerque?”
“I’m not sure yet, maybe back to LA.”
“You’re not going to stick around and give Clay another chance?”
April snorted. “I’m sure Clay’s finished with me.”
Meg threw her head back and laughed at the ceiling. “Right. Not even Denali believes th
at.”
The knock on the door made them both jump, and Denali scrambled to his feet.
“Must be Clay.” April pointed at Denali’s wagging tail. She nudged Denali aside and peered through the peephole. Swinging open the door, she said, “The man and the kung pao.”
“That’s me.” Clay held up the bags and shuffled across the threshold, scooting Denali out of the way.
Meg turned off the TV and strolled into the kitchen. “Glass of wine?”
“Sure. I gotta tell you, word travels fast in this town.”
“News of the second head out already?” April took the bags from Clay and followed Meg. Was it too soon to ask for a second glass of wine?
“Yeah, there’s some grim competition going on to find the other body.”
“Ugh.” April swung the bags onto the counter, once again feeling her appetite recede.
“Let’s talk about something else.” Meg thrust a wineglass at Clay, and the golden liquid sloshed over the rim.
Clay tipped his head. “Got it.”
Sitting on the floor, gathered around Meg’s coffee table, the three of them managed to avoid the subject of heads, headless bodies, drugs and the border for the entirety of their meal, finishing the last of it by cracking open fortune cookies and assigning absurd meanings to the fortunes within.
Meg wiped a tear from her eye and drained her third glass of wine. “Oh, wow, I needed that.”
“The wine or the laughter?” Clay tapped her glass with his chopstick.
“Both.” Meg yawned. “I’m going to fall into a deep sleep tonight.”
“Otherwise known as passing out.” April crawled on the floor toward Meg and took her arm, pulling her up. “You go to bed. Clay and I will clean up.”
“You’re welcome to stay the night, Clay. Both of the extra beds are made up, or you can stay in someone else’s bed.” Meg gave an exaggerated wink, distorting her mouth in the process.
Evasive Action (Holding the Line Book 1) Page 7