by Linda Warren
Jonas raised his head. “Are you all right?” he asked.
She nodded and moved onto her back, taking several gulps of air.
He looked down at her. “Are you sure?”
“No, but I don’t believe anything’s broken.” She’d lost her clip, and her hair had fallen across her face. Her clothes were filthy, and her head was beginning to pound.
Jonas sat up, brushing debris from his clothes. “I don’t know what the hell that was all about. They were either trying to scare us or kill us, and I sure as hell don’t like either option.”
“Kill us?” She managed to sit up. “But why?”
“I wish I knew, but we certainly have someone’s attention.”
She shook dirt and grass from her hair and clothes. “Could it possibly have been an accident?”
“No, the truck came right for us and it wasn’t stopping.”
She knew that, but had hoped for a less scary explanation.
“The license plate was so dirty, I couldn’t make it out,” Jonas said. “I guess we’ll have to stay here for the night. It won’t be safe on the road. They could be waiting.”
She looked at the dried corn, tall weeds and desolate landscape. A shiver darted through her. “Here?” The word slipped out weakly.
“You have a better idea?”
“No,” she snapped, and got to her feet just to prove that she could. Her legs were wobbly, and she immediately sank to the ground. “I didn’t think it would be like this.” Damn, she sounded like a whining baby. Where was all her strength? She had been through rough times before. She had been a member of an investigative report team for a while, and they’d handled stakeouts, long hours and unsavory characters. But it wasn’t like this—where her next breath could be her last.
“I told you from the start,” he said in an even tone that irritated her, “when you start digging into the past, you’d better be able to handle the consequences.”
“Thanks for telling me ‘I told you so,’” she mumbled, and lay back on the grass, trying to breathe normally, more upset with herself than with him.
She felt Jonas move away, and turned her head to see where he was going. He walked up the ravine and retrieved her jacket and his hat. He returned and dropped the jacket beside her.
“Good thing you bought it,” he said. “It will be the only cover you have tonight, and it will get pretty cool by morning.” Having said that, he lay on the grass and placed his hat over his eyes.
Her irritation grew. “Are you going to sleep?”
“Yep.”
“But it’s barely dark.”
“We don’t have any food and there’s nothing to do but get some rest. We’ll need all our strength in the morning.”
“I’m not tired, and I don’t see how you can go to sleep with everything that has happened.”
He didn’t answer and the silence became unbearable.
“Jonas.”
“Hmm?”
“You’d said we’d talk later.”
“This isn’t later.”
“What is it?”
Again, he didn’t answer, and she wanted to shake him. She sat up and moved closer to him. Her knees brushed his waist. He stiffened automatically, and she didn’t miss it.
“Who do you think doesn’t want us to find Delores?” she asked.
“Could be anyone—Edna, Jules, Darby, even Brewster.”
“Mr. Brewster’s the one who sent us here.”
“He has a weird sense of reasoning. Sometimes I don’t think he even realizes how cruel he can be. Life’s a game to him and he plays to win. He might want to see how far you’ll go to find the truth when in reality there might not be a truth at all. He’s manipulating you, but I think you already know that.”
She wrapped her arms around her waist to still the trembling inside her. “Yes, but I was hoping we’d both get something out of this.”
“Don’t count on it.”
“You’re very cynical.”
“Maybe,” he admitted. “But I’m also realistic.”
“So you still think there isn’t a daughter?”
“I’m not sure what to think right now.” He adjusted his hat. “Get some rest. The questions can wait.”
Silence fell again, and she grabbed her jacket and held it to her. Without a second thought, she curled up beside him and rested her head on his chest.
“Comfortable?” he asked sarcastically.
“Yes, thank you.”
“Then, go to sleep.”
She tried, but all she could think about was how nice it was to be close to Jonas. She listened to his even breathing and the steady beat of his heart. Her cheek and hand were on his chest, and she could feel those hard muscles. She loved how… Her thoughts came to a halt. There was that word again. Love. Could she love Jonas? Could it happen this quickly? What was she thinking? She had fallen for Kyle just as fast, but this was different—an overwhelming, consuming emotion every time she was near Jonas. She wanted to know him inside and out, ease his pain and be there for him when he needed someone.
These feelings had begun weeks ago, and the moment he’d kissed her, they’d blossomed into something real and overpowering. She loved Jonas. With everything that was going on around her, that one thing stood out in her mind. She knew Jonas wasn’t ready to hear those words from her—love was foreign to him—but she’d change his mind someway, somehow.
Her fingers slipped between the buttons of his shirt.
“What are you doing?” he asked immediately, and removed his hat.
“Seeing if you’re awake.”
“I am now.”
Jonas felt her gentle caress permeating his whole being, weakening his control. She was the only person who’d ever been able to do that, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Being in control was a creed he’d lived by for the past twenty years. As long as he was in control of his emotions, no one could ever touch him and cause him pain again.
But Abby was slowly opening the door to his heart with her warmth, persistence and unfailing loyalty. He saw all of those qualities in her love for her father and in the compassionate way she listened to Jonas talk about his past.
“Jonas,” she murmured faintly, breaking into his reverie. “I’m so afraid. I’ve been afraid before—when Kyle hit me and when my father died—but this…this is a new kind of fear.”
His hand slid under her hair to her neck and rested there. “Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “At first light, we’ll be out of here before anyone knows we’re gone. Then we’ll confront Brewster and demand some answers.”
Abby relaxed, soaking up his strength. Once again, she was surprised at how much she’d come to depend on him. She’d never needed anyone this way before. Maybe her mother was right, and she wasn’t herself. Certainly her life wasn’t going the way she’d planned.
“Have you ever dreamed or fantasized?”
He’d fantasized plenty since he’d met her, but he was sure that wasn’t what she meant.
When he didn’t answer, she went on. “I never had any fears or doubts about my life. My friends used to tease me about my big dreams. But my parents instilled in me strong values and a sense of self-worth. I knew early what I wanted to be, which college I’d go to and where I’d work. I’d fall in love with a wonderful man. We’d get married and have a boy and a girl. We’d raise them together, sharing responsibilities while maintaining our careers. And at night we’d share a passion that would not diminish over time.” She gave a fake laugh. “That’s such a bunch of crap, but it’s every little girl’s dream and it was mine. My dream became ashes in the wind, as my grandmother used to say.”
Jonas listened, sensing that she needed to talk.
She rubbed her face against him again. “Oh, I can’t believe how much I’m babbling.” She turned to look at him through the darkness. “What do you dream about?”
“Freedom,” he said without thinking. “I dream of having my freedom…of being free of Brewster.”<
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“Oh, Jonas.” Her hand touched his face. “My problems seem so petty compared to everything you’ve been through.”
He swallowed hard at her soft caress. “We all have problems. That’s life and it’s not a blank page. Some things are written for us, others we write ourselves. It’s how we handle the latter that makes us who we are.”
“I hope some good things happen for you,” she said, and snuggled against him. “You deserve them.”
“You, too,” he replied earnestly. “And don’t let any man make you believe that you’re not attractive or desirable. You don’t have to make a pass at me to prove it, either.”
“You think…I’m attractive and desirable?”
“Don’t fish for compliments,” he said. “You should know by the way I react to you that you are.”
“Then, why do you fight it?”
“Because your mother is right. I’m not the kind of man you should be seeing, kissing or doing anything with.”
“I’ll be the judge of that—not my mother.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I kiss you because I want to and because I find you desirable, too.”
Unable to resist, he turned his head, and his lips met hers with a need that surpassed anything he’d ever felt. She responded with an eagerness that excited and aroused him beyond reason. “Abby, Abby,” he groaned, his mouth finding hers again as his hand stroked her abdomen.
Suddenly a light flashed from somewhere above and everything stilled. Jonas held his breath. He could hear Mexican voices. He rolled to his side, holding Abby tightly against him. The voices continued, but he couldn’t make out a word. They were too far away.
“What are they saying?” Abby whispered.
“Shh,” he ordered, and watched the light. Soon it moved on. He let out a ragged breath.
“What were they saying?” Abby asked again.
“They were talking so fast, and the words were slurred. Evidently they’ve been drinking. All I could make out was gringo, stupid and bitch. So I assume they were looking for us.”
“Oh, Jonas, are we ever gonna get out of here?”
“They’ll go somewhere to sleep off the drink, and we’ll be gone before they wake up.” He reached for her jacket and pulled it over her. “Maybe we’d better go farther into the cornfield to make sure they don’t find us.”
They stood and fixed their clothes, then slowly threaded their way through the corn. Weeds clung to Abby’s jeans and dried stalks hit her in the face. She tried not to think about mice, snakes or other creatures that might be lurking out of sight.
Jonas finally stopped and pulled her down to the ground beside him. “Try to sleep. Morning won’t be far away.”
Sleep! That was the last thing on her mind. She curled an arm around his waist and rested her head beneath his chin. Her body still ached for him—fear had not replaced desire. It had only forestalled the inevitable. Of that she was sure. She held that thought to her heart as she started to count sheep….
JONAS DIDN’T SLEEP MUCH. He dozed off a couple of times then jerked instantly awake, listening for any sound or movement that might indicate impending danger. He’d told Abby not to worry, but he couldn’t take his own advice. If the men were paid enough money, they’d do anything…even make sure he and Abby didn’t make it back to Texas. Who would go to such lengths? Four people came to mind, the same four he’d mentioned to Abby. Edna, Jules, Darby and Brewster. The first three had a strong motive—greed. But what would Brewster get out of this elaborate scheme? Did it have something to do with Abe?
Jonas remembered the many arguments between Abe and Brewster. Now he wished he had listened more closely to what they’d been arguing about. All he remembered was Brewster complaining that Abe was getting lax and slow, costing Brewster money. None of it was true. No one was more responsible or dedicated than Abe. That last day Abe and Brewster had a heated argument. Jonas heard their angry voices from his apartment, but he didn’t go down. The next morning Jonas noticed that Abe’s desk had been cleared off, and Abe never returned to work. At the time, Jonas had felt that it was Brewster’s business—not his. Looking back now, he realized he should have made it his business. Maybe he could have saved Abby all this heartache.
He didn’t really know that. Certainly Edna, Jules and Darby had a much better motive than Brewster for silencing Abby, but Jonas couldn’t shake his uneasiness about Brewster. He realized it was fueled by the years of antagonism between them. If Brewster was trying to hurt Abby because of an old grievance against Abe, then Jonas vowed he would walk away from Brewster Farms without a second thought. He would take his freedom sooner than Brewster expected, even though that freedom didn’t seem nearly as appealing…without Abby.
The thought rocked him. He and Abby had no future, he reminded himself. They were two people attracted to each other and that didn’t mean squat. When this was over, she’d go back to Dallas and her world, and he’d do whatever the hell he had to.
His arms tightened around her in protest. For the first time, he had to admit that it would be nice to have someone in his life…someone like Abby. But he knew it wasn’t meant to be. His fate had been sealed long ago.
The wind picked up and rippled through the corn. A dog barked in the distance. Jonas glanced at the sky. The heaviness of night was giving way to the lightness of pre-dawn. He eased away from Abby and walked a short distance to check things out. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.
ABBY WOKE UP feeling a strange emptiness. As soon as her mind began to function, she knew what the problem was. Jonas was gone. She scrambled to her knees as panic swept through her. Then she saw him coming through the corn, and her whole body trembled with a sense of relief…and more…an awareness that went beyond anything she’d ever known. How had she ever lived without knowing Jonas—his touch, his warmth, his deep sense of pride? A few days ago she’d just wanted him to talk to her. Now she wanted so much more.
Jonas halted a few feet away from her. He saw the fear in her eyes and dropped down beside her. “Abby, what is it?”
She swallowed. “I thought you’d gone.”
“I wouldn’t leave you here. Don’t you know that?”
“Yes,” she said, and dragged both hands through her disheveled hair. “But when I woke up, I had this horrible feeling, and you weren’t here…” She threw both arms around his neck. “Hold me, just hold me.”
He held her tightly, enjoying this moment. “We have to go,” he said, and leaned away. “It will be light soon.”
“Why do you always do that?”
“What?”
“Pull away from me.”
“Abby.” He sighed. “This isn’t the time.”
“Yes, it is,” she told him. “Are you seeing someone else?”
He drew back. “No.”
“A woman decorated your apartment,” she continued, hating the jealousy she could hear in her voice.
His eyes narrowed. “How do you know that?”
“A woman’s instinct.”
“I see,” he said, and watched her thoughtfully for a second. “I dated a woman for a while who has an interior decorating shop in McAllen. She helped with the apartment.”
“Was the relationship serious?”
“It was a physical relationship, Abby,” he replied. “We both knew that from the start. She wanted to take things further, but I don’t have a future to offer anyone. Brewster owns me, just like he said. I thought you understood that.”
“Brewster does not own you,” she declared fiercely. “Not unless you let him. And it’s time you realized that.”
“Abby.”
“It’s true, Jonas. You can’t stop living because of an accident you weren’t responsible for.”
He stood and held out his hand to her. “We’ll talk about it later. Now we have to go.”
She placed her hand in his, and he helped her up. She was beginning to hate that word. Later. She was afraid there was never going to be a later for them.
/> CHAPTER ELEVEN
THEY MADE THEIR WAY through the cornfield and to the top of the incline. Abby was dirty, grimy and hungry. She had started this trip wanting answers, but she was beginning to recognize that she might never get those answers. She wanted to clear her father’s name so no one would ever think badly of him. But her mother was right. Abby was also doing this for herself because she wanted people to remember Abe the way she did—loving, kind and honest.
Now she had a different perspective. Her father wouldn’t want her endangering her life or Jonas’s. Could she give up the quest? A day ago she would have said no, but with these new feelings for Jonas…She shook her head. First, they had to get out of Mexico.
They walked down the dirt road toward Nuevo Hope. At this hour nothing stirred, except a jackrabbit that jumped out in front of them and almost scared her to death. She was jumpy, with good reason. She didn’t know what was going to be around the next bend, but she kept walking. She just wanted to see Texas again.
They were almost in Nuevo Hope when a truck suddenly came out of nowhere and slid sideways to a complete stop in front of them. Dust blanketed them. As it cleared, two Mexican men got out. The first things Abby noticed were the switchblade knives in their hands. Fear engulfed her, and she couldn’t move. All she could do was stare at the two men in horror. What did they want with her and Jonas?
The bigger man stepped forward, the silver blade glistening in his hand. He smiled, showing a set of yellow teeth with gold caps. “You lost, gringo?”
Jonas moved in front of Abby. “No, are you?” he countered in a calm tone.
The man laughed, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He spoke to the other man. “Gringo’s funny.”
“Sì.” The other man grinned, his eyes on Abby.
He seemed fascinated with her hair. Revulsion crawled along her skin and she moved closer to Jonas.
“What do you want?” Jonas asked, steel in his voice.
The smile left the big man’s face. “The woman, gringo. I want the woman.”
Jonas felt Abby tremble, but he kept his eyes on the man. “Over my dead body.”