She gave his hand a quick squeeze. “I’m pleased that you brought me.”
Jude smiled at her obvious pleasure. He still held her hand and she made no effort to pull away. Instead, she stood looking at him with something like wonder and maybe a little bit of trepidation.
“Good evening, Mr. Crenshaw,” the maître d’said, as he approached them. “Your table is this way.” He escorted them outside onto a large deck overlooking a canyon and rolling hills. The sun was close to the horizon and the few clouds in the sky were already tinted with pink and gold.
Carina sank into her chair, unable to take her eyes from the view. “Oh, Jude,” she finally said in a soft voice. “Looking at the sunset makes me feel the same sense of reverence and awe I feel in church. “She looked across the small table at him, her eyes shining.
She was really a beautiful woman. He’d certainly had far worse assignments than spending time with this one.
Their waiter appeared, recited the specials for the night and took their drink orders.
“Does the restaurant have a name?”
“It’s listed in the phone book as the Crown Jewel, but the name doesn’t tell a person it’s a restaurant. You just have to know what it is and where it is.”
Once the sun set behind the hills, twinkle lights lit up the deck and the waiter lit the fat candle on their table for them.
“You picked a good night to be here,” the waiter said. “Last night it was too windy to use the deck.”
The time flew by for Jude. Carina had a delightful sense of humor, which was usually accompanied by her dazzling smile. He discovered that he really liked her. She was funny and without pretense and he enjoyed her company.
They didn’t talk much on the way back to San Antonio. He slipped a CD into the console, one with quiet instrumentals that continued their pleasant mood.
She gave him directions to her apartment building and he found it with no problem. After he opened the front door, he took her hand and didn’t release it as they walked up the stairs to the second floor and down the hallway to her apartment. She paused in front of the door and turned to him.
“This has been a magical evening for me,” Carina said. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“I’m glad to hear it because I’d like to see you again soon.”
She smiled. “How soon?”
“Tomorrow, and the day after that and the day after that,” he said with a grin.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea, is it? Seeing me will slow you down in your hunt for that perfect companion.”
He winced. “I’m really not that bad. I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a chance to redeem myself.”
Somehow they had moved closer to each other, so close he could lean over and kiss her. Because kissing her seemed so natural, he lowered his head as she raised hers.
He cupped her face in his hands and explored her delectable mouth. She stiffened when he first touched her and he started to pull away and apologize when she relaxed and flowed into his arms.
Jude had no idea how long they stood there. He continued to kiss her and caress her face and shoulders. He knew she could feel the effect she had on him. By the time he finally let her go, he was having trouble breathing and his heart was pumping like an overworked engine.
“I’m sor—” he began. She placed her fingers over his mouth.
“I’m not,” she said. “It was a perfect ending for the evening.” She stepped back and smiled at him.
He cleared his throat, but still sounded a little hoarse when he said, “You’d better go inside.”
Her smile was mischievous. “Yes, that’s probably a good idea.”
He offered her a rueful look and gave a tiny shrug. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?” he asked, brushing his knuckles beneath her chin in a soft caress.
She took a deep breath and exhaled, and for a moment she looked a little uncertain. He hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until she nodded and said, “Okay, I’d like that,” and went inside, carefully closing the door between them.
Four
John, Hal and Ruth were in the living room when Jude walked into the house from the garage.
“How was your date?” Ruth asked.
“It’s a start. What’s going on with y’all?”
John laughed. “Oh, boy. That Texas twang has definitely gotten thicker since we got here, Crenshaw.”
Hal said, “I’ve got a couple of names for you to keep a watch out for—Ross Davies and Patrick Sullivan.”
Jude sank into one of the easy chairs. “Who are they?”
“Two of the agents working here who have acquired offshore numbered accounts. They covered their tracks—but not so well that Schilling in Financial couldn’t pick them up. And both accounts have very healthy balances.”
“Do we know where the deposits came from?”
“No, but we’re working on it.”
“Interesting.”
Ruth spoke up, “After following them for weeks, we finally saw them meeting with Al Patterson.”
John said, “If you can get close enough to the family, maybe you’ll be able to find out something about them.”
“Did you get any information from Carina we don’t already have?” Ruth asked.
“Not yet. But I’m working on it.”
Hal said, “If you don’t impress her, I can always step in for that part of the assignment, Crenshaw.”
Jude looked at the cocky agent and made a rude hand gesture, causing the other three to laugh.
“So what’s it like to be dating a suspect?” Hal asked more seriously.
“Weird, but this whole setup has been weird. I’ve gone out with more women in the past six months than I have my entire lifetime.”
“Ohh,” Ruth said, “Poor baby.”
Jude grinned. “Yeah, I know, but when I’m called on to sacrifice myself for the country’s security, I’m right there.”
Ruth stood and said, “Well, it’s getting a little too deep in here for me, so I’ll see you guys in the morning.” She looked at Hal. “What time do you want to leave?”
“Nine is early enough, I think.”
“Well, good night all,” Ruth said, and left the room.
Jude looked at John. “Any sign of anyone on the property?”
“Nope. Our cover seems to be working here in the neighborhood.”
Jude rolled his eyes. “Hal and Ruth are married, you’re her brother and you’re all old friends visiting me. Some cover.”
“It works,” Hal said. “Unfortunately, Ruth isn’t interested in playing house once we’re inside the house.”
“Who are you kidding, Pennington? If Littlefield ever gave you the green light you’d take off running in the opposite direction.”
Hal laughed. “True. Very true. I’m not interested in dating any woman who’s trained to maim a male in so many ways. I’ll keep looking, if it’s all the same to everybody.”
Jude stretched and yawned. “I’m going to bed now. I’ve got to figure out a way to see Carina tomorrow and all the days after that.”
“Like I say, you’ve got the toughest assignment of all,” Hal pointed out.
Jude would never admit to anyone that he was nervous about getting Carina to go out with him again. Once she had time to think about it, she might decide not to get involved.
Too much was riding on his being the kind of man she might want to date. Any slip could be enough to turn her off.
He thought about his two older brothers and how they would chortle if they knew he was worrying about his sex appeal. He’d always been competitive with them, determined to show them that anything they could do, he could do.
Except get married, of course. He’d leave all that to them.
Jude waited until the next afternoon to call Carina’s cell phone. As soon as she answered, he knew she wasn’t at home. Background noise said she was at some kind of party. Damn.
“This is Carina.”
> “Hi. This is Jude. Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Oh! Hi. I didn’t think you really meant it when you said you’d call today.”
“If you’re busy, I’ll call some other time.”
She laughed. “Oh, I’m not busy. It’s a family tradition that my brothers, their wives and children and I go for Sunday dinner every week at my parents’. The noise can sometimes reach high decibels before somebody thinks to quiet things down.”
“I wondered if you’d like to go for a drive this afternoon. I thought we might head over to Bandera and maybe go to the Lost Maples National Park, stop somewhere on the way back for something to eat. Are you interested?”
When she didn’t respond right away, he had a sinking sensation that she was going to say no. He waited.
“I’d like that,” she finally said quietly. “I haven’t been out in that part of the hills in a long time.”
“Me, either, which is why I thought a scenic drive would be nice. When do you want me to pick you up?”
“Oh, in about thirty minutes or so.”
“It will take me at least that long to get there from here.”
“Where do you live?”
“Just north of town. I’ll have to show you the place sometime.”
He could have sworn he heard her breath catch. “Maybe sometime,” she finally said.
Not that he had any intention of her seeing his living arrangements, but at least he’d gotten a reaction out of her. He wasn’t sure what kind, though.
“I’ll see you soon.” He hung up before she could change her mind.
Carina was outside the house when he pulled up into the driveway. So much for getting to see the rest of the family. Before he had a chance to get out of the car, she opened the passenger door and slid inside. At least she appeared eager to see him, which was encouragement, of sorts.
“Hi,” he said, giving her a quick once-over. She wore tan slacks and a sapphire-blue sleeveless top with a scooped neck.
She smiled. “If it seems I’m a little eager to leave, it’s because I’m a little eager to leave.”
“Ah. I would never have noticed.”
She laughed. “I love my family dearly, but sometimes the noise of everybody talking at once and children squealing overwhelms me.”
“I’m glad I could play the gallant knight and come rescue you.” So much for thinking she might find him irresistible. He supposed his ego could handle the letdown.
She rested her head against the back of her seat. “Sometimes my brothers can be so annoying. They’re way too protective of me.”
“They didn’t like you coming out with me this afternoon?”
“Al didn’t say that. What he did was ask where we were going and when I expected to get back, as though I were sixteen.”
“I hope that you convinced him that I’m perfectly harmless.”
Carina sputtered into laughter. “No one meeting you could ever be convinced that you’re harmless, Jude. I think he and the rest of the family are curious, that’s all. As I told you last night, I haven’t dated in a while. My brothers would probably prefer that I become a nun!”
“I feel doubly honored that you agreed to see me, if that’s the case.”
“I enjoyed being with you last night. Plus, I suppose I was curious, too.”
“Oh. Then it wasn’t my charm and sparkling personality that wowed you? I’m crushed.”
“With your reputation, I figured I’d be safe enough, knowing you’d be moving on after a few dates.”
“You make me sound like a heartless jerk.”
“No. It’s just that since you’re a very handsome man, come from a highly respected family, don’t need to work for a living and you’re single, I’m sure many women are eager to spend time with you.”
“You have a positive knack for making what some could consider a compliment sound like an indictment of my character.” He looked over at her. “Are you going to tell me you don’t want to see me again? Because if you are, I sincerely hope you’ll allow me to make a case for myself first.”
“There’s no need. I enjoy your company and don’t mind seeing you. I have no fear of getting too involved with you before you get bored with me.”
“Ouch. You really know how to hurt a guy. You must have had some really bad dating experiences to form your opinion about men. Or is it just me?”
She didn’t answer right away and he decided he’d better stay quiet.
Finally, she said, “I was engaged once.” She glanced at him from the corner of her eye before continuing. “We met in high school, became friends, and later dated. Danny was my best friend. We enjoyed each other’s company and when I returned home from New York after Dad’s stroke, it seemed only natural to become engaged. I don’t know what I would have done during that time without Danny being there for me. The family was pleased to see me happy and ready to settle down. We talked about my desire to get my music degree from Juilliard and Danny told me he was willing to move to New York while I attended school, whenever I was ready to return.”
He turned into a scenic pull-off and stopped the car. After he unfastened his seat belt, he turned to face her and asked, “What happened, Carina?”
She looked away as though taking in the view. “My life fell apart,” she said quietly. “While I was spending my days with Mom and Dad and taking Dad to physical therapy, I always made certain I was home in the evenings. Dan worked for the company. He made a run once a week to the Rio Grande Valley. The company has a warehouse there. Late one night Al called to say that Danny had been killed in an auto accident on his way back to San Antonio. I was devastated. As if that wasn’t enough, I learned a few weeks later that he’d had a woman with him at the time.”
Jude looked at her in surprise. He’d read the accident report and there was no mention of a woman having been involved. He’d seen the photographs, as well. No one could have walked away from the mangled mess that had been a car.
“Ah, Carina,” he said, touching her shoulder. “I’m so sorry. Almost losing your father and then losing your fiancé must have been really tough.” She sat with her clenched hands in her lap. “Did you find out who the woman was?”
She shook her head. “No. I happened to overhear a conversation between Alfredo and Benito. They were talking about Danny and the woman he’d been seeing in Weslaco and how shocked and disappointed they were when they found out about her. I confronted them and demanded to know the truth. They reluctantly told me about the woman.”
He’d have to check the accident report again because he was positive there’d been no one else in the car. If that were true, why would her brothers lie, knowing the added pain they were causing her?
Jude took one of her hands and uncurled her fingers, placing them in his outstretched hand. He stroked her fingers and could feel the tremor in her body that she was trying so hard to hide.
“I felt so stupid,” she said, as though to herself. “And so blind. How could I not have known he was seeing someone else? I’d trusted him completely. I’d loved him, believed in him and then I find out after he’s dead that he had betrayed everything we had together.”
They sat there quietly until Carina roused herself from her memories. “Guaranteed downer on a date,” she said, forcing a smile. “Talking about our former loves. Sorry about that. If you have any exes you’d like to talk about, I’ll be happy to listen.” When she realized what she’d said, she blushed. “Or maybe not. We don’t have that kind of time, do we?”
He grabbed his chest. “I didn’t see that one coming! Truth is, Carina, I’ve never been seriously involved with any woman.” He lifted his shoulder and added, “I guess that says it all, doesn’t it? But I don’t go around deliberately hurting people, either. The women I’ve dated know going in that I’m not looking for anything serious.”
“Like us.”
He nodded. “Like us.”
Jude’s conscience nudged him. He had to make certain that he kept t
heir relationship casual, that he made it clear to Carina that he saw her as a friend. He’d have to be very careful or she would end up feeling betrayed again when this assignment was over.
He very deliberately lightened the mood for the rest of the afternoon. They got out and walked at various places, looked for fossils among the rocks and ate at a small café in Uvalde while Jude regaled her with tales of his childhood and what chaos four young boys could cause.
By the time he took her home that evening, she seemed lighthearted and relaxed. Her eyes sparkled and he had a tough time keeping his distance from her.
He walked her to her door as he had the night before. “Thank you for coming with me this afternoon. You made it much more enjoyable than if I’d gone alone,” he said.
“And I’m willing to admit that, just maybe, your reputation has been somewhat exaggerated and you’re really a nice guy.”
He picked her up in his arms and swung her around in a circle, laughing with unfettered amusement. When he realized what he’d done, he hastily placed her back on her feet and stepped away. “I, uh, didn’t mean to do that. I know you want to keep this casual and I honor your feelings.” He put his hand out as though to shake hers. “Guess I’d better get out of here before I ruin your new opinion of me.”
She looked at his hand and laughed. “We’re shaking hands now I take it?”
He could feel his ears burning. “Yeah. No more kissing. That could get me into some real trouble.”
The look she gave him was mysterious and beguiling. She dropped her lashes before looking up again. “Don’t worry, Jude, your virtue is safe with me.”
Five
The following Friday evening, Jude stood in front of his bathroom mirror grumbling to himself. He hated ties. They were the work of the devil, he was certain. He’d tied the one he’d chosen three times and it refused to hang straight.
“Aw, to hell with it,” he said, glaring at his image.
He had on the dark gray pants to one of his suits and a white dress shirt because, once again, he was taking Carina out.
Double Identity Page 4