If she’d been in her office alone when she opened that drawer, she could have died because the sight of the rattlesnake paralyzed her. He’d saved her life. That act had forged a bond between them that she’d never had with another—even Samuel.
* * *
After Sean escorted Aubrey to her office and checked the area, he left with two deputy sheriffs guarding her. He was going to meet his informant, a man who lived on the street. Most people didn’t really see him. He had a talent of being almost invisible with others. And he was a good listener, hearing bits and pieces of information that often helped Sean with his cases.
He went to a coffee shop near the marina and bought a cup and two bear claws, Nate’s favorite pastry. After parking, Sean walked along the shore to the place he was supposed to meet Nate. He sat on the trunk of a downed tree and placed the coffee and pastries for Nate on the ground behind him. His informant would have it after he left. As he turned back around to face the sea, he glimpsed Nate in the midst of the tall grass along the shore.
“Have you heard anything about who was going after Judge Madison?”
“One of the top cleaners for the Coastal Cartel is in the area. It’s made a few people anxious, especially members of the cartel around here. I’ve heard rumors recently flying around that there’s an internal battle on who controls the group.”
“Against Sanchez?”
“Yep, although that’s just speculation because of the cleaner.”
That could mean an all-out war with more victims. “Is the cleaner the person who left a snake in her office?”
Nate chuckled. “No way. From what I’ve heard about this guy, he’s direct and wants to do the job himself. He doesn’t sound like a person who would leave a rattlesnake.”
“Have you heard anything about the burial ground that was found?”
“Who hasn’t? That’s all people have been talking about for the past couple of days.”
“If you hear anything about Judge Madison or a possible war within the cartel or with another cartel, call me. I have a burner phone you can use.”
“Leave it by the food. I’ll only use it if there’s an emergency. Cell phones can be hacked.”
Sean walked away, hoping there wasn’t a war between factions in the cartel. He’d heard last month that Sanchez was ill. Was that the reason for an attempted coup? Where did Villa fit in on what was going down? And how did the cleaner fit into all of this?
When Sean returned to his SUV, he headed toward where the bodies had been found. He’d heard from the sheriff there was another one discovered late last night, not where the others were clustered but nearby, so they were increasing their search perimeter.
Twenty minutes later, Sean arrived at the place, the area roped off. He would be assisting in finding the identities of the ones who hadn’t been ID’d yet. Since he’d arrived in Port Bliss two years ago, he’d always been involved in trying to figure out the names of missing people found and if there was a connection to Jack. There was always the possibility one of the bodies could be his brother. He’d examined the photos sent to him from this burial ground, but for the older corpses, the photos told him little. He would visit the ME processing the bodies.
Sean covered the short distance to Sheriff Don Bailey and shook his hand. “Hopefully this will give some families closure on their missing person.”
“I hope so. Another body was just discovered near the one from last night. They’re working on uncovering him. From what I’ve seen of the legs, the person was in the ground long enough to be almost fully decomposed, the same as the one nearby. It’s been transported to the morgue.” The sheriff started walking north.
“I’ll go there when I leave here.”
Don pointed to each hole as they wove their way through the burial ground. “We actually identified another body this morning from the missing-person list—Miguel Cruz. That makes four so far. He hadn’t been buried long. Those are the easier ones.”
“Did he work for the cartel?”
The sheriff slowed his pace. “As a matter of fact, he was a low-level smuggler.”
“Any clues from the items that the fake nurse threw away in the garage bin?”
“Not one piece of hair other than from the wig.”
Sean had wished for something to help ID the killer. “He might be bald. That could account for no hair left behind. Maybe we should release a composite of the guy as bald.”
“It won’t hurt, and might help us.”
“If this was the work of a cleaner I’ve heard is in the area, it might not make much difference, but we have to try.”
The sheriff scowled. “A cleaner? I hadn’t heard that. Who told you?”
“A reliable source. I’ll be letting Chief Perez know, too. The deaths may start skyrocketing.”
Sean watched a team uncovering the most recent body. He stepped over to the hole and looked down. The skeleton of a mostly decomposed body lay in the dirt, but what grabbed Sean’s full attention was a ring on a bony finger.
A ring that had belonged to his brother—a ring of their dad’s that Sean had given Jack.
SIX
When Aubrey had dismissed everyone in the Villa trial for the day, she quickly left the courtroom, making her way to her chambers to meet Sean. She was glad she was only going to be here for half a day. She hadn’t slept very well last night. She kept going over her talk with Sean. In the middle of all that was happening, his presence made her feel safe. Although they weren’t going through the exact same situation, they were both mourning a lost loved one and lacked information about what had happened to them.
With a deputy sheriff accompanying her, she opened the door to her office that was connected to the courtroom. When she saw Sean across from her, she smiled, her heart increasing its beat at the sight of him, dressed in his long-sleeved white shirt, tan pants, brown boots and off-white cowboy hat, with his Texas Ranger star pinned over his heart. But when she looked into his Caribbean-blue eyes, she knew something was wrong.
She waited until the deputy sheriff crossed to the exit and left the office before she asked what was up.
“I found my younger brother today at the burial ground the police found. They discovered his grave this morning.”
“I’m so sorry. Are you sure it was him? He disappeared two years ago. He would have been in the ground possibly that long.”
“Yeah, I know. A body decomposes faster in a warm climate. Two things indicate it was Jack—the unique ring on his finger and a break of his left arm just under the elbow. The ME will get his records from the Amarillo hospital to compare the break, but when I saw it and the ring, I knew it was Jack.”
She walked to him and hugged him. “Are you all right?”
“Yes—no.” Pulling back, he sighed. “I mean, I knew in my gut he was dead, but I guess I didn’t realize there was always a small part of me hoping he was alive and that one day I would find him.”
“Keeping hope is what humans do.” Aubrey shrugged out of the black robe and laid it over a chair nearby. “You said my husband started investigating what happened to him after he went missing. It should have been the local police, so why did he begin working on a missing-person case?”
“Was there a connection with your husband? Was he an informant? Law enforcement officers use informants all the time. I’ve wondered if Jack was one for Samuel, but I don’t know for sure. Your husband started looking into his case and was killed three days later. A coincidence or a connection? That was one of only two cases he was working on. I’ve gone over and over Samuel’s paperwork and can’t find a tie. All our boss knew was that he was following a lead on the Coastal Cartel. That’s what he told the major the day before.”
“As you know, I’ve given you everything in Samuel’s office.”
“Could he have put something from a case somewhere else?”
> “He kept his work separate from his personal life.” Samuel had always kept his job private from her, even though she was a judge and had seen all kinds of horrific crimes in her job. She’d wished he would share with her the hardships that she saw leaving a mark on him. “He wouldn’t talk about his cases outside of that office, and even in there, he didn’t share much. I didn’t know what he investigated, although I suspected he was looking into the cartel. Samuel’s younger brother nearly died from taking too many opiates after a motorcycle accident.”
“Jack had a friend who died from an overdose, too. I was always worried Jack would follow Ted. They had been close. After Ted’s death, Jack left Amarillo.”
“And you couldn’t protect him anymore?”
Sean nodded.
“You said you were meeting with your informant this morning. Did he have any clues to help us figure out what’s going on?”
“Us?”
She put her balled hands on her waist. “You may be leading the case, but I’m an officer of the court. The integrity of the trial before me is at stake.”
“My informant thinks a war between factions in the Coastal Cartel is brewing.”
She closed her eyes and released a long breath. “Should we increase security at the courthouse even more?”
“I already told the sheriff this morning to put more security on Villa. I think Villa’s definitely involved in some way.”
“There’s a lot of money and power at play. I want to make sure the trial is a safe haven for witnesses and everyone involved.” Aubrey stepped over to her desk and stared at the bottom drawer, where the rattlesnake had been. She reached out to open it to get her purse, but her hand shook as she unlocked the drawer, then stopped a few inches from the handle. Earlier this morning, Sean had put it in that drawer. She wanted to get over her nervousness and open it herself now, but she didn’t think she could.
Sean bent around her and grasped it, then tugged it open. He pulled out her pocketbook, closed the door and locked it again.
Aubrey instinctively moved back. “Even with the lock on the drawer, I’m going to have to find another place to put my purse. I thought I could do it. And in time I will, but not with all that’s going on right now.”
“It’s always good to be cautious. Are you hungry? We can grab something from a drive-through for a late lunch.”
“Sounds good. I have a feeling Sammy and Camy will want all my attention when I get home.”
“A hamburger?” Sean walked with her to the door and opened it.
“Yes.”
Sean made a call to the security office in the courthouse as they walked down the stairs to the first floor. “We’re leaving for the day. Any problems?”
When he hung up, she asked, “Everything okay?”
“Yes, all’s clear. There’s a deputy sheriff stationed in the parking lot with a bomb-sniffing dog, as well as the usual one at the rear building door.”
“You think that’s where the rat was put in my car?”
“No, the video footage of that day says otherwise. But there are ways to get around security cameras, so to be on the safe side, a deputy is patrolling the parking lot.”
“You’re thinking there could be a car bomb planted?”
“It’s one of the tools that the Coastal Cartel uses.”
Aubrey shivered at the thought of a bomb going off. Her step hesitated as she neared the hallway leading outside.
Sean stopped and faced her. “I’ve been studying and learning everything I can about the cartel. If I have anything to do with it, you’ll be okay.”
Aubrey looked into the kindness of his eyes and knew she was in good hands. Not only Sean’s, but the Lord’s. She had to trust Him, or she would fall apart and want to hide from life. “Thanks.”
At the exit, Deputy Sheriff Lockhart stood guard, grinning. “It’s so good to see you back at the courthouse.”
“I appreciate you being one of my guards at the hospital.”
“I’m not gonna let that killer come after you,” the deputy said vehemently while he held the door open.
“Thanks, Bill. See you tomorrow.”
As Aubrey headed out into the spring afternoon, she scanned the area around her as though a sniper was lying in wait to shoot her. “I can’t wait to get home and take off this bulletproof vest immediately after I greet my kids.”
“I’ve grown used to wearing one when necessary. It’s saved my life a couple of times.”
“I know the reason behind having one on, but sitting in my chair in the courtroom wearing it makes me sad for what’s going on in our society.”
Sean unlocked his SUV and opened the door on the passenger side. “I confront that every day, which only makes my job more important. Someone has to protect the people who can’t protect themselves. I hope to find justice for your husband and my brother, but also others who have been hurt.”
His words reassuring her, Aubrey relaxed against the front seat. For a moment she let the exhaustion drain from her body, until she realized Sean sounded so much like Samuel. And her husband had died for his beliefs.
* * *
While Aubrey took a nap, Sean played in the backyard with Sammy and Camy. Hopefully the kids’ loud laughter wouldn’t bother her. The sound of merriment in the midst of what was going on made him hopeful he would find the people behind Samuel’s and Jack’s murders.
Sean moved with the soccer ball toward the makeshift goal area at the rear of the property. He passed it to Camy, who kicked at it, missing. Her second attempt sent the ball a few feet closer to the goal. Sammy danced around, trying to stop anyone from scoring. Again, Sean set Camy up, and this time she slammed the ball toward the bedsheet hanging as the backdrop. Sammy threw himself at the ball and missed.
Camy jumped up and down, pumping her fist into the air. “I did it!” She ran toward Sean and threw her arms around his legs, the biggest smile on her face.
Frowning, Sammy approached his sister. “I’m still ahead,” he said and stuck his tongue out.
Sean ignored Sammy’s behavior and instead picked up Camy and swung her around. “I knew you could do it.” He hadn’t thought it possible that she could grin any bigger, but she did. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m ready to sit and rest. You’ve worn this guy—” he tapped his fingers against his chest “—out. I think your abuela has brought out some lemonade and cookies. I’m starving.”
Sammy stuck out his chest. “I helped her this morning making ’em.”
As Sean set Camy on the ground, she said, “I did, too. I didn’t make a mess crackin’ the egg.” She glared at her twin.
“It’s a girl’s job anyway.” Sammy started for the patio.
“I think everyone needs to learn to cook. I’ve made my share of food, and I want it to taste good, so I learned to cook.”
Sammy stopped. “You did?”
“Sure. I live alone. I’m the only one who cooks for me at my home.”
The little boy’s eyes widened. He straightened his shoulders. “My abuela is teachin’ me.”
“Me, too.” Camy tramped to the food and snatched up a cookie. After stuffing one into her mouth, she picked up a lemonade to wash down the dessert.
Then Sammy followed suit, but instead of one cookie he shoved two in and gave Camy a triumphant look.
She stomped her foot and turned her back on Sammy. “You mean!”
Okay. He should set boundaries, right? “Sammy, you need to tell your sister you’re sorry. Eating cookies isn’t a competition.” Sean sat in the chair near the table with the refreshments. He took a cookie and bit off a small part, chewing slowly. “Mmm. Now that’s the way to enjoy a cookie. These are great. Both of you did a great job making them. Too bad you didn’t get to really enjoy the cookies because you almost inhaled them.” He picked up the last one while Sammy watch
ed. Camy’s back was still to both of them. Sean stood and went to the little girl. “This is yours. They’re delicious.”
With her eyes glistening, she grabbed the cookie and slowly ate it. “Thanks.”
Sammy came to his sister’s side. “Sorry.”
Sean clasped the boy’s shoulder then Camy’s. “Family is important. Family needs to stick together. Love each other.”
Sammy nodded. Then Camy did.
“Good. Let’s go in and see if we can get one more cookie each. That ought to hold us until dinner.” Sean glanced toward the back door.
Aubrey stood in the entrance. The sight of her surprised him. Usually he was always aware of his surroundings, but he hadn’t heard the door open or sensed she was there. He couldn’t let anything distract him. Too much was at stake.
“Mama, you’re up.” Camy ran to her and threw her arms around Aubrey.
“Grandma is waiting for you both in the den.”
As the two hurried through the kitchen into the hallway, Sean entered and closed the door then locked it. “Did you get some rest?”
“Yes, much better than at the hospital. The test will be tomorrow when I’m at the courthouse the whole day. I don’t want any delays in this trial. Maybe when it’s over, my life will get back to normal. Anything new at the burial ground?”
“No one else has been found since this morning. I hope Jack is the last body. Nine will keep the police busy.”
“Over how many years?”
“So far, the ME estimates about two and a half years.”
“Right before Samuel was murdered. Any tips on the guy from the hospital?”
“No, but this afternoon the police were offering a reward for a tip that leads to the man’s arrest.” Sean followed Aubrey from the kitchen to her office.
“If we’re talking about the case, I’d rather do it in here. Not as easy for Sammy to overhear anything. Thanks for saying something to him earlier, by the way. He can be quite competitive. Camy is my shy one, as I’m sure you’ve figured out. She doesn’t try too many new things, whereas Sammy will try anything. He was most likely competing in the womb for the last three months, so he could be first out. There were nights I got little sleep because of the activity.” She took a seat on the couch and smiled. “I hadn’t thought about that in years.”
Lone Star Standoff Page 7