Color of Danger

by Alexa Verde

  “He was shooting at me. I hid behind the car, so it was harder to hit me.”

  She turned around to look at him. “I understand why he didn’t shoot at me. He’d probably rather stab me to death to make it look like the job of the Smiling Killer. But him trying to kill you…”

  “I’m in his way. He considers me a threat. Mari, I’m not afraid.”

  But she was, for Luke. She squared her shoulders. Luke might want to shield her from danger. But she wasn’t about to let it happen.

  Chapter Eleven

  Luke and Mari made a stop at a large twenty-four-hour store in the first town they were passing through. Mari dashed inside the store. There she found several bright tops, a denim skirt, black low-heel sandals, makeup, scissors, accessories, and a platinum blonde hair-color. The store seemed to be deserted, but she still paid attention to her surroundings. With bags in hand, she hurried through the parking lot to Luke’s car.

  Minutes later, they were back on the highway.

  “Did you find everything you wanted?” Luke gestured to the bags in the back.

  “Soon I’ll introduce you to Aileen Sparrow, an easygoing blonde waitress who likes bright colors and a bright attitude.” The corners of her lips curled up.

  Luke returned her smile, which made her heart jump. His smile had a funny effect on her. “Here you are, running for your life, and you still manage to have — what did you call it? — a bright attitude. You love people. You pour your heart into everything you do, be it singing in church, helping your friends, running your business. Even when you eat a simple corn on the cob, you do it with gusto, as if…”

  “As if it were the last in my life?” She turned to look at the stretch of the road visible in the dim lights. “No matter what you do, do it like you mean it.”

  “Exactly.” He reached for her hand, touched her fingers. “I admire your spirit.”

  She enjoyed the feeling of his fingers on hers. And she liked that he admired her for what she was. Too many men in her life had tried to change her — her father, her brother, and her former boyfriends. But she had to make some things clear. “I don’t love all people. Just those close to me. I need my friends. I want them to be alive and healthy. I’m selfish that way.”

  “Not selfish at all. Another person would be crushed, broken into pieces. You’re still whole.”

  She shifted in her seat to move slightly away. “Wrong. I was in pieces. I glued them together. And the pieces that were missing… you gave them to me. Thank you. Without you, I don’t know if I’d be able go to church again. Or forgive my father. I could freeze to death. Or get shot in my own home. You didn’t just save my life. You’re making me a better person. And I was pretty good to start with.”

  “I can’t take the credit. God made you the way you are. Your courage, generosity, ability to forgive, beautiful voice, and beautiful heart, all that was already inside you. I just helped you realize that.”

  She turned away and stared out the window into the darkness. “You don’t know everything about me.”

  He brushed his palm along her hand, sending a wave of awareness along her body. “I know enough. And I’d love to know more. I want to thank you, too. You taught me to appreciate small things. Like corn on the cob. Or caldo de mariscos. Or big things like believing in God. And I’ll never take my family for granted again.”

  “You don’t realize how much you have until you lose it. Or until you see others lose it.”

  “After losing Cynthia, I threw myself into work. Shut down family and friends. I thought I’d hurt less that way. I didn’t realize how much I should’ve appreciated my wonderful family until I…” He paused and glanced her way.

  “Until you learned more about mine.” She tried to keep bitterness out of her voice. She paused, listening to the sound of the tires whispering over the gravel. “Don’t feel bad for me. I’ve found my family. But there was a reason you tried to walk away from yours.”

  “I couldn’t let them help me.” His voice lowered.

  “Because first you needed to forgive yourself for not saving Cynthia,” she whispered while staring into darkness in her window. “I can relate. Sometimes the hardest thing is self-forgiveness.” She turned and looked at him.

  He kept his eyes on the road, but then he glanced at her. His eyes darkened. Maybe he realized the same thing that she did. Even if they found the killer, until both she and Luke could forgive themselves, neither one of them stood a chance at happiness.

  * * *

  “Wake up, sleeping beauty.” Luke’s voice pulled her out of her dreams.

  Mari opened her eyes. Luke smiled at her and leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, causing tenderness to flourish inside her.

  The motor wasn’t purring, and the car wasn’t moving. She glanced out the window. They were in a hotel’s parking space. She rubbed her eyes to chase away the cobwebs of sleep, sure she was no sleeping beauty. Her hair was probably a mess, and she most likely had slept with her mouth open.

  “I’ll check us in for connecting rooms and will come back for you, okay?” Luke touched her face with his fingertips.

  The back of her neck tingled. If she weren’t careful, she could fall for him. “Right. You don’t want the receptionist to see me. In case my photo ends up on the news. Early or late, somebody will figure out I might be the next target.”

  “That, too. But I also wanted you to rest a little longer,” Luke said.

  Several minutes later, he handed her the key to one of the connecting rooms and carried her luggage and shopping bags inside. Even with her independent streak, it was nice to be treated like a lady, so she might as well enjoy it while she could. Surely after the investigation was over, Luke would go back to his prominent life in Dallas. Her stomach clenched. She wanted the danger to be over but not their relationship.

  Wait.

  Was there a relationship?

  What, exactly, was the connection between them?

  She followed him up the stairs and opened the door. Luke entered first, placed the bags on the carpet, and made a quick sweep of the room. She checked the bathroom and met him near the entrance.

  “If you hear anything suspicious during the night, anything at all…” He placed a hand on her shoulder, and there was genuine concern in his blue eyes.

  The concern touched her. “I’ll call you. Or knock on the wall. Or I’ll check it out myself. Just kidding. But seriously, I can stand up for myself.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of, that you’ll decide to do it on your own. And won’t let me or anybody else help you.”

  She stepped forward, tempted to lean into him and accept the offered support. But this was a temporary arrangement. When all this was over, they’d go their separate ways. Even if he asked her to come to Dallas — which he never would, she couldn’t leave River, Lydia, Aidan, whatever was left from The Café. Rios Azules turned out to be a home for her. She couldn’t abandon her true self after she’d finally found it.

  She retreated. “I won’t take unnecessary risk. I like being alive. Now, we both need to get some rest.”

  “Good night then.” He turned around and left for the connecting room.

  It took all her willpower not to call after him.

  She busied herself with taking a shower, coloring her hair, and trying on the outfits she’d bought. She chose a sunny yellow tank top and a denim short skirt, added a black leather belt with a large metal buckle depicting — what else? — a cowboy on a horse. From the pictures she’d found online for the steakhouse where Josie used to work, the outfit seemed rather appropriate. Mari combined it with cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, large hoop earrings and a couple of wide leather bracelets.

  She applied makeup, blush to make her cheekbones seem higher, and dark eye shadow to make her eyes seem larger. She settled on a crimson lipstick, and the same color went for artificial fingernails. She needed to look as different from herself as possible. The only part of her regular outfit that stayed was the
cowboy boots. But then, what cowboy outfit would be complete without the boots?

  Twirling in front of the mirror, she nodded, content with the result. What would Luke think of her new image?

  There was a knock on the connecting door, as if he’d read her mind.

  She flung the door open.

  “I heard you move, so I figured you….” Luke stopped midsentence, staring at her.

  So far, she liked the effect. “Meet Aileen Taylor. So what do you think?” She turned around.

  “You look different.”

  “Good different or bad different? I know the hair color is a bit wrong for my skin tone. But that’s the best I could do under the circumstances.”

  “I could probably pass you on the street without recognizing you. Aileen Taylor is going to receive a lot of tips. But she might also receive some unwanted attention.”

  Mari shrugged it off. “I can handle overeager customers. I’ve done it before.”

  “This situation is different. One of the customers might be a serial killer. Even if I go to the restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I won’t be able to be there all day. What if something happens to you while I’m not there?”

  “The criminal isn’t going to strike at the same restaurant twice. And the wait stuff and customers are more likely to share information with a fellow waitress than with a PI.”

  “I’m seriously considering applying as a dishwasher.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “That would be an interesting career change.”

  “Anything for you, ma’am.” He smiled, but his expression grew serious in a moment. “You matter to me. Very much. Well, the reason I knocked on your door was to ask if you’d like a snack. I heard you walking around so I figured you were awake.”

  “Sure. Something from a vending machine is fine. Thanks.”

  He grinned. “It’s all about enjoying the small things.”

  “Exactly.”

  He left and returned with a pile of bags of nuts, chips, sunflower seeds, as well as chocolate bars, granola bars, and Danishes. He put it all on her desk. “I didn’t know what you’d like.”

  She chuckled. “So you bought half of the vending machine.”

  “It’s good to hear you laugh. Just for that, I’d have dragged the entire machine in here. I didn’t buy any drinks, though.”

  “Of course. Unlike an octopus, you only have two hands. It’s okay. I’m happy with tap water.” She left for the bathroom and returned with two paper cups filled with water. She realized she was smiling. He made her… happy? How had she let him inside her world in a matter of several days?

  She snatched a bag of chips and a Danish and sat in a leather armchair. She bowed her head, waiting for Luke to pray. But there was silence. She lifted her head. Apparently he was waiting for her, as if giving her the opportunity to take the initiative.

  She took a deep breath. “Dear Lord, thank You for this food we are about to eat. Please bless our loved ones and keep them safe in Your care. Please guide us so that we find the guilty person before anybody else suffers. Thank You for all Your blessings.”

  “Amen,” Luke said.

  A soft smile played on his lips while he opened a bag of chips and dug in. Deep in thought, she dug in into her own.

  Luke admired her for who she was, risked his life for her, and would drag the entire vending machine to her room just to make her laugh. Most important, he was helping her believe again.

  All in all, he’d made her happy at a time when by all indications she should be suffering. If only he were from Rios Azules instead of Dallas… If only his heart were open to new relationships… If only her own late brother hadn’t hurt him so deeply… If only Luke weren’t so different from her… If only her heart were able to listen to reason…

  Luke handed her the cup of water, and she took a sip. Apparently, she’d already devoured a bag of chips and half the Danish without noticing them, so she needed something to wash them down with. For a long time, she was the one who’d handed people their food. It was nice when someone catered to her for a change, especially when he didn’t have to.

  “Mari, I was thinking… What if your father and not your brother is really the one behind the killings? Maybe it is his way to bring your brother back into his life. And I’m not so sure all the Smiling Killer’s murders were done by Antonio in the first place.”

  She almost choked on her Danish. Luke had voiced her deepest fears. She put her food aside, reached for her phone in her pocket, and checked for voice mail and text messages. There were texts from River, Lydia, and Aidan, but no news from her father. She didn’t have any missed calls from him, either. What a surprise. She threw the phone aside.

  “He just went to New York. Or did he really? What if we check the flights? I’d suggest his alibis should be verified,” Luke said.

  “If you’re right, what kind of family do I come from?” Her Dad’s words rang in her ears. I wish you were dead instead of Tony.

  Growing up, she’d learned to accept her own father didn’t love her at all. But to hate her that much? She hid her face in her hands. “It can’t be. Both my father and my brother cannot be monsters. And what does it make me?”

  “The most incredible person I’ve met in my life. I didn’t suggest that about your father to hurt you. I meant that we need to have open mind to any possibilities.”

  Slowly she lifted her head. She struggled for words to fight him on this and couldn’t find any. She remembered too well the beatings, the cold dark basement, and his hurtful words after Tony had died. “Fine. I’ll call Aidan.”

  Luke nodded. “Fair enough.”

  True to her word, the next minute she was speaking to Aidan and telling him her suspicions. She hoped verifying whether her own father had tried to murder her qualified as personal business and not “getting the police involved.”

  “We’re already looking into it. Mar, be careful.” Aidan’s voice was laced with worry for her. “Why can’t you let me protect you?”

  “I’ll be fine. Also, remember what I asked you? Are you sticking to Lydia like gum to a shoe?”

  “As much as I can. She’s staying with her grandmother now,” Aidan said.

  “How’s Nowa?”

  “She says hi.” His words were confirmed by loud barking in the background.

  “Tell Nowa I love her. And please take your own advice. Be careful.” She hesitated, wanting to say more, but decided to think it over first. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  After she disconnected, she replied to the text messages from her friends. Her phone beeped, announcing an incoming message. It was from a phone number she didn’t recognize.

  Cold gripped her spine as she showed the message to Luke.

  I told u, no police involved. Last warning. Or u’ll be responsible for someone’s death. But then, aren’t u already?

  Luke placed her phone aside and took her hands in his. “The murderer is responsible for their deaths. Not you.”

  Mari bit into her lip to stop it from trembling. “In the last sentence, he’s probably referring to Tony.”

  “If your brother died in the fire, his own actions caused his death.” Luke looked her straight in the eye. “You’re not your father or your brother.”

  Luke’s hands steadied her, grounded her, and the warmness coming from them spread through her body. “You know, nobody in our clique, except Julia, has a good relationship with her father. Lydia’s used to beat her up until her grandmother took sole custody. River’s was an alcoholic who paid more attention to booze than his daughter. Soledad has never met her father. You know about mine. It’s a miracle we turned out as well as we did.”

  “If your friends are anything like you, they turned out much better than well.”

  “Thank you.” And then she remembered her promise to pray for her father. “Would you pray with me?”

  “Of course.” His fingers wrapped tighter around hers.

  She bowed her head. “Dear Lord, pl
ease forgive my father. Please soften his heart and guide him on the right path. Please help him find his way to You. Please help him believe. For all he’s done to me, I forgive him with all my heart.”

  “Amen,” Luke said.

  Feeling like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders, she looked up.

  Luke’s blue eyes darkened. “I just realized something. You didn’t run away from home because you were afraid of your father. You were afraid you’d kill him to stop hurting you.”

  She gasped. “How can you… Why do you understand me so well? And why aren’t you scared of me? Of the darkness inside me?”

  “Because there’s no darkness in you. Mar, you have the right to defend yourself when someone is hurting you. Don’t ever be ashamed of becoming strong. Be proud of it. I am. I’m very proud of you.” There was so much understanding in his piercing blue eyes.

  Tears welled in her own. She let them run down her cheeks. Among other gifts, Luke had given her the ability to cry again, and it was about time. It was as unnatural to not be able to cry as it would be for the sea to be dry.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He brushed away the teardrops from her face.

  After Luke’s words, the darkness inside her dissipated, and the light took its place.

  She rose to her feet, and he gathered her into a hug.

  He lifted her chin with his thumb. She closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly, her skin tingling. His lips brushed against hers.

  The kiss was sweet and tender. Her bones went soft. It was like the Fourth of July because fireworks erupted inside her head. But the kiss ended all too soon. She opened her eyes. Something inside her shifted. In a short time, Luke had become more than a friend for her. But what was she to him?

  “What do you want, Luke?”

  He stroked her bleached hair, a puzzled expression on his face. “I told you. I want to protect you. To give you a chance at happiness. To stop the murders. To find Cynthia’s killer.”