Out of Time

by Shirlee McCoy

  “Maybe security was too good. Maybe they couldn’t do more than that.”

  “You don’t believe that any more than I do.”

  “You’re right. I don’t. Come on. I’ll show you to our table. Then I’ve got to get back to patrol duty.” The heat of his palm seeped through the thin layer of her silk shirt, and she shivered in response.

  “Cold?”

  “Scared.” Of what might go down, and of what she felt for Levi. He’d asked if she’d missed him, and she had. Missed him with the kind of desperate need she was terrified to admit.

  “You won’t be hurt again, Susie. I promise you that.” His words ruffled her hair, settled into her heart, and she wanted to believe he had the power to fulfill them.

  “I wish I could believe that,” she whispered, and he smiled gently as he pulled a chair out for her.

  “You can. Enjoy lunch. Maybe afterward we can get some dessert somewhere quiet and talk about things.”

  “Things?”

  “You and me things.” He turned away before she could respond, striding across the room and disappearing into the crowd, leaving her at the empty table, staring at a dozen place settings. Alone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for a celebration of all that is great about Texas!” The crowd cheered as Rodney Tanner stepped up to the microphone and began his opening speech, but Susannah wasn’t in the mood to clap and celebrate. She felt sealed in and cut off, alone with her worry and fear. The doors had been closed, a Texas Ranger stationed at each one. Tall, short, gold stars on their chests and on their belt buckles, they looked capable of defending and protecting, but that didn’t ease Susannah’s fear.

  The door to the kitchen area swung open and several waitstaff carried pitchers of water and iced tea into the room. Susannah watched as they filled glasses, following their movements as they retreated back into the kitchen. As the door swung open again, she caught sight of the room beyond. Frantic people preparing lunch. Texas Rangers watching. A tall, lean figure appearing for a moment, peering out into the ballroom seconds before the door closed.

  Tall, lean, familiar.

  Susannah’s stomach churned, and she pushed away from the table.

  “Going somewhere?” Oliver Drew asked, and she jumped, her heart leaping, then settling down again.

  “I just thought I’d see what was going on in the kitchen.”

  “Better not. It’s crowded back there, and I don’t think they’d appreciate it.” He smiled, but his eyes were as cold and still as a snake’s.

  “Right. I’ll give them space, then.” She walked away, sure she could feel his frigid gaze drilling into her back as she hurried out of the ballroom.

  There were half a dozen tall, lean men in the lobby. Another few in the corridor. Probably a million of them in San Antonio.

  But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she knew the guy in the kitchen. Couldn’t shake it no matter how many times she told herself to let it go.

  A small exclusive restaurant enticed patrons to enter, and Susannah walked in, ignoring the hostess and the shocked kitchen staff as she walked into the back.

  “Ma’am, patrons aren’t allowed back here.” A round-faced chef approached, a frown creasing her brow.

  “I’m helping with security for the VIP luncheon. We’re checking all routes into the service area. Does your kitchen connect to it?” Susannah dug her ID out of her bag, flashing her Alamo Ranger badge. It wasn’t much, but it looked official, and the woman seemed to buy it.

  “Not directly, but there’s a service hallway through here.” The chef led her to a door and opened it. “Just follow the sound of clinking glasses. They’re preparing the champagne toast, and then they’ll serve the salad.”

  Susannah nodded, hurrying along the quiet hallway.

  A murmur of voices, the clink of glass against glass, the sounds drew her along the hallway to a locked door.

  Leave it alone, Susannah. Just turn around and go back before you make a fool of yourself.

  She knew she should, but she’d come too far to turn back, and she knocked on the door, nearly falling backward when it opened.

  “Can I help you?” a tall, dark-eyed woman asked, and Susannah fumbled for a response.

  “I’m working with the security team.” She flashed her badge as she had before and was surprised when the woman stepped to the side and let her in.

  “Just stay out of the way, okay?”

  “Sure.” The room buzzed with activity, what seemed like a hundred people preparing plates, filling pitchers, walking in and out of the swinging doors that led to the ballroom.

  A hundred people, and not one of them was slim and tall and familiar.

  Had she imagined him?

  She made a quick circuit of the room, pausing near a door that led into another area. “Where does this lead?”

  “We gave your team the blueprints so we wouldn’t have to waste time explaining while we tried to feed our guests,” the woman snapped.

  “Where does it lead?”

  “Our wine room. They’re preparing the champagne there. Should be finished in a few minutes. Better be.”

  “I’ll check on their progress,” Susannah said as she opened the door and stepped into a dimly lit hallway. The sound of clinking glasses drifted on the air, and she followed it, stepping into a cool dry room lined with wine racks. Four carts of champagne glasses stood in the center, several men and women pouring champagne into them. They looked up as Susannah approached, but didn’t stop pouring.

  Time was ticking by, and they must have felt it as acutely as Susannah did.

  “Almost ready?” she asked, hoping she sounded like she belonged there.

  “Two minutes and we’ll begin transporting, ma’am.” A handsome, dark-skinned man emptied his champagne bottle, set it down and opened another.

  “Good. Good.”

  “The VIP cart is being prepared next door. If you’d like to check on that as well, feel free.” He said it as if she would know what he was talking about, and Susannah decided to go with it.

  “Sounds good. I’ll do that.”

  “Just around that way. The door is at the back of the room.” He gestured with his head, not breaking his rhythm, and Susannah walked around a rack of wine, found the closed door.

  She hesitated with her hand on the doorknob, then pulled it open. A cart of champagne glasses sat near the far wall, and a man stood facing it, his back to Susannah. Tall, slim, familiar, shoving something into his pocket as he turned to face her.

  “Susannah! What are you doing here?” Marcus’s eyes were wild, his face sallow. He looked as sick as Susannah felt.

  “I could ask you the same thing, but I think I know.”

  “It’s not what you think.” He took a step forward, and she put her hand up.

  “Don’t.”

  “Susannah, you don’t understand. The hospital bills are piling up, and I have debts. Big ones. They offered to pay everything if I did this.”

  “Who offered? What did they want you to do?”

  “Get the governor and lieutenant governor out of the way, so that Senator Huffington could take the governor’s seat.” He shrugged, acting for all the world like he wasn’t talking about murder.

  “You should have asked for help, Marcus. You know Chad and I would have done whatever was necessary to pay off your debts.”

  “Typical Susannah response. True to the course, never wavering in your convictions. I actually admire that, but it’s not who I am. I’ve made mistakes. They’ve come back to haunt me. It’s either do this, or my wife and child die. I don’t have a choice.”

  “There are always choices.” She took a step closer. She had to stop him. Had to.

  “That’s where you’re wrong. There is no choice.”

  “Marcus—”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you. I hope you know that. I just needed you out of the way.”

  “What did you put in your pocket?” she asked, bu
t she knew. Poison. Which glasses had he poured it in? Who would die if Susannah didn’t stop him?

  “You should have stayed home. It would have been better for both of us.”

  “You don’t have to do this.” She took another step. One more and she’d be close enough to topple the cart.

  “Yes. I do. I’m desperate. You don’t know what it’s like. You can’t imagine.”

  “I can’t let you do it.”

  “I don’t think you can stop me.” He lunged for her, and Susannah dodged, springing toward the cart, close, almost touching it before Marcus threw her back, his fist grazing her jaw.

  “What’s going on here?” The voice was familiar, and Susannah turned, expecting help, wanting to believe in it. She saw the gun as it swung toward her temple, felt a moment of blinding pain, and then she felt nothing at all.

  TWENTY

  Where was she?

  Levi checked the hotel lobby for the fifth time in as many minutes, his pulse racing with an anxiety he couldn’t shake. Something was wrong. Really wrong.

  “Did you find her?” Daniel Riley asked, his gaze filled with concern.

  “No.”

  “I had Melora check the restroom. She’s not there. Maybe she got tired of this fancy shindig and went out for a hot dog.”

  “She would have let me know.”

  “You tried her cell phone?”

  “Only a dozen times.”

  Where was she?

  His phone rang, and he grabbed it, hoping to hear Susannah’s voice. Desperate to hear it.

  “Susannah?”

  “Nope. Gisella. Sorry to disappoint you, but I think you’ll forgive me when you hear my news.”

  “What news?” He knew he should care. She was at the hospital, after all, guarding their key witness. But all he could think about was Susannah and the empty spot she’d left at the table.

  “Our guy is finally talking. Singing like a jaybird, as a matter of fact. Says he was part of our favorite organization.”

  “The Lions of Texas?”

  “Yep, pretty low-level guy, but moving up in the ranks. Would have kept on climbing, but they wanted him to be part of something he refused to do.”

  “Go on.” He swung around, pacing back to the ballroom and waiting outside the door.

  “They wanted him to apply for work at the Riverwalk Hotel. Wanted him to volunteer to work during this week’s celebration, and they wanted him to help get rid of the governor and lieutenant governor during the luncheon. He wouldn’t. Went to Pike with the information and the next thing he knew, he was waking up in the hospital.”

  “Does he know who the gunman was?”

  “No.”

  “Too bad.”

  “Yeah, but he’s convinced something is going down today. Says that Senator Huffington is willing to open the Mexican border, and the Lions want him in position to do that.”

  “Is Huffington a Lion?”

  “Quin isn’t sure, but he does have two names for us. You’re going to love this.” The sheer pleasure in her voice almost made him smile.

  Almost.

  “Who are they?”

  “Hank Zarvy and Rodney Tanner. Quin says they’re high-level Lions, and they’re the ones trying to move Huffington into position.”

  “How?”

  “Quin doesn’t know, but the Lions are planning to act today, so you guys had better be on your toes.”

  “Have you told Ben?”

  “He and Oliver are searching for Zarvy and Tanner. Ben said both men left the luncheon ten minutes ago. You’re to stay on security duty. That’s a direct order from him.”

  “Understood.” Levi glanced at Daniel, saw his own excitement and concern reflected in the other man’s eyes.

  “Sounds like this luncheon might not be as boring as we expected.” Daniel grinned, and Levi wished he were as enthusiastic.

  “I need to find Susannah.”

  “You think she found out something she shouldn’t have? Maybe walked into some trouble?”

  “Knowing her, yeah.” He opened the door, slipped into the ballroom, Daniel close on his heels.

  The governor had taken his place at the podium, and the guests were laughing as he regaled them with tales of a childhood spent reenacting the battle at the Alamo with his school buddies.

  Cade Jarvis stood near the door to the kitchen. Levi motioned him over.

  “Trouble?” Jarvis whispered.

  “Plenty.” Levi filled him in, shifting when Anderson Michaels arrived, making sure both men were fully informed.

  “So, we have three missing persons. Susannah. Tanner. Zarvy. Only one is in real danger. How about Levi, Anderson and I search for Susannah? Riley, you want to find the captain and Oliver and help them round up a couple of Lions?” Cade asked as the doors swung open and carts of champagne were wheeled in.

  “Brave men fought that day. Brave men died. Today, one hundred and seventy-five years after their sacrifice, we remember them still. Please, join me as we toast those mighty defenders, as we toast all of the brave men and women who have come after them, fighting for our freedoms and liberties.” The governor’s voice swelled.

  The kitchen doors closed as the last cart was wheeled through, then flew open again, banging against the wall, a female figure sprinting out, running toward the VIP table.

  A man dressed as a server raced after her, his dark eyes wide and worried.

  “Don’t drink it. It’s been poisoned!” the woman screamed, throwing herself at the cart, slamming it into the wall, a million shards of crystal exploding into the air.

  “Freeze!” Daniel shouted, drawing his weapon, pointing it at the intruder.

  The dark-haired, freckle-faced intruder.

  Susannah.

  Blood poured from her head, staining her face, probably blinding her.

  Don’t move.

  Do not move.

  Levi willed Susannah to stay put, knowing one move would bring a barrage of bullets.

  “Hold your fire!” he shouted, stepping between her and the guns pointed at her heart.

  “Your lady sure knows how to make an entrance,” Daniel said, grabbing a napkin from a table and handing it to Levi.

  “What happened?” He wiped blood from her face, ignoring the comment. Ignoring everything but Susannah.

  “Marcus. I thought I saw him. Found him downstairs with the champagne. The Lions paid him to poison it.” Her eyes were glassy, blood still seeping from a deep gash in her temple.

  “Call an ambulance,” he shouted, but she shook her head.

  “I’m okay. Listen. I saw him.”

  “Who?”

  “The guy with the gun.”

  She wasn’t making any sense, but Levi let her talk as he applied pressure to her wound. It was bad. Really bad.

  “Is she okay?” The server who had followed her out of the kitchen held another napkin out to Levi. “I found her trussed up like a Christmas turkey where they were preparing the VIP glasses.”

  “I’m fine, but we have to—”

  “What’s she talking about? What gun? What poison?” The governor hovered a few feet away, his tux glittering with shards of crystal and wet with champagne.

  “Cyanide.” Despite the blood pouring from her head, Susannah was still on her feet and still talking. That was good. He hoped.

  “In the champagne?” The governor looked dubious, but Levi didn’t doubt Susannah’s word.

  “We need an evidence kit. We’re going to need to test for poison,” Levi said to Daniel, and he nodded, calling in the request.

  “Levi…” Susannah swayed, clutching his arm to stay upright.

  “You need to sit down.”

  “Oliver Drew.”

  “What?” He’d heard the name, though, felt it stab into his heart and stomach.

  “He had the gun. Hit me with it.”

  “Are you sure?” He didn’t want to believe it. Did not want to, but the truth of it was in Susannah’s eyes.
r />   “Yes.”

  “He and Ben are searching for Zarvy and Tanner together. Call Ben. Warn him.” He turned to Daniel, saw that he was already on the radio.

  “No response.”

  “We need to find them.” But he couldn’t leave Susannah. Couldn’t walk away while her blood dripped onto the marble floor.

  “Zarvy rented a hospitality suite on the third floor. We were supposed to have a drink there after the luncheon. Room 351. Could be you’ll find them there,” the governor spoke up, handing Levi a passkey.

  “Better go catch some bad guys, Levi, because I’ll be really unhappy if a headache is all I have to show for my leap into the champagne glasses.” Susannah stepped back, taking the napkin from his hand and pressing it against her wound, telling him without words that she’d be just fine.

  “Come on, man. We don’t want to lose another captain.” Daniel’s words broke the spell that held Levi in place, and he nodded, barking orders for two Rangers to stay with Susannah as he, Cade and Daniel ran from the ballroom.

  They reached room 351 in tandem. Voices carried through the closed door, and Levi shoved the card into the door, waiting as the light flashed green.

  Slowly, Daniel mouthed, and Levi nodded, easing the handle down, cracking the door open. Just a rectangle of light, a shadow beyond it.

  “Go ahead and cuff them,” Ben said, and Levi realized he was the one blocking the light.

  “I don’t think so,” Oliver responded, and Levi didn’t need to see his face to picture his arrogant smile.

  “We don’t have time for games, Drew. Cuff them.”

  “Here’s the thing, boss.” He stretched out the last word. “Sometimes we Rangers catch the crook. Sometimes the crook gets away.”

  “Are you nuts? Put your weapon down.” The anger in Ben’s voice was unmistakable, and Levi cracked the door a little more, knowing that when he moved, it would have to be decisively.

  “No. I’m just sick and tired of working for a salary that barely pays the bills. I want more, and the Lions can give me that. They made the offer. I accepted. It’s just too bad that you and Greg got in my way.”

  “You killed Greg?”

  “Today had to go off without a hitch. It’s been in the works for years. With Huffington in line to take the governorship, all we had to do was get rid of the people who stood in his way. I knew when I got Greg’s text message that he was going to ruin that. I couldn’t let it happen. Just like I can’t let you leave this room alive. The Lions of Texas are going to roar. When they’re done, we’ll both be down. You for good. Me with a flesh wound.”