by Aimée Thurlo
He turned and met her gaze. “They killed him because he had those pills. If I hadn’t interfered, using them as sources, that man wouldn’t have died.”
“That wasn’t your fault. You had no idea what was going to happen,” she said. “Did the boy understand that?”
Kyle shook his head. “He held me responsible and insisted I leave immediately and never come back. I left, but I set up a post some distance away and kept watch on the garage, thinking the same people would return and kill the boy, too. Later that night, I saw the garage catch fire. A case of arson, I found out later. I ran back in and got the boy out, but it was clear that he couldn’t stay in the area anymore. He had to be taken to a new village far away from his relatives and extended family. That was a huge loss in that part of the world.” He paused. “Eventually I found the ones responsible for what happened, but the price the boy paid...that was beyond my power to fix.”
“You acted out of compassion and did the right thing. You can’t take the blame for the actions of others,” she said, going to where he stood and wrapping her arms around him.
He gathered her against him and held her tightly. For several long moments neither said a word. “I care for you, Erin, more than you know.”
“Then show me,” she whispered.
She felt his body grow hard, and even though she understood the danger, an instinct rooted in nature itself kept her where she was. He was in pain, the kind that tore straight to his soul. He needed her...and she needed him.
He kissed her hard, dragging her head back and ravishing her mouth. He was rough, but knowing how badly she was needed and wanted made it all the more exciting.
“More,” she whispered.
Heat bound them together. He was out of control, but she invited everything and resisted nothing.
“I’ve fantasized about this....” she murmured.
He helped her undress, kissing her as she did, slowly driving her crazy with needs, determined to make tonight be better than any fantasy.
“Lie down for me,” he said, helping her onto the sheepskin rug.
Standing before her, he undid his belt and stripped.
Her breath caught in her throat. He was magnificent. “Tonight is about you and me—nothing else,” he growled.
As he came to her, she opened her arms, welcoming him. His body was taut, but he took his time, his touch impossibly gentle as he caressed her.
Like nature’s show outside, where darkness danced with light, there were no barriers or rules. He began to teach her things she’d never known, leading her to a place where fire ruled.
It wasn’t until afterward that he realized what had happened. He’d never lost control like that, but then again, he’d never been in love.
* * *
HOURS PASSED, BUT he remained where he was. She was lying on his chest, listening to his heart and he didn’t want to move. He liked the feel of her against him. It was where she belonged.
He kissed her forehead gently. “I’d like to stay here, but I have to go outside and take a look around.”
She sat up and reached for her shirt. “Time for work,” she said with a nod.
Seeing the disappointment in her eyes, he fought the temptation to lie back down and take her again. Instead, he got dressed quickly. “I’ll stay on the couch tonight.”
“Where should I sleep? Do you have a preference?”
“Take my bedroom and sleep easy, sweetheart. I’ll watch over you,” he said, kissing her gently.
Before she could answer, he turned away and walked out the door.
* * *
ALONE AGAIN, ERIN finished getting dressed. She’d never forget tonight, not for as long as she lived. In his arms, she’d discovered a side of herself she’d never known existed. Following her heart, she’d come alive and entered a world of passion. She smiled thinking of her mother. Somehow, she knew Rita Barrett would have approved.
Kyle would break her heart some day, there was no doubt about that. Yet some things were worth the price they exacted. She had no regrets.
Chapter Seventeen
Erin slept in Kyle’s bed wearing one of his flannel shirts. It was way too big and hung down to her knees, but she’d never slept so soundly.
She awoke after daybreak, hearing him moving around. Dressing quickly, she went to join him.
Kyle was on the phone, but smiled at her as she came into the room and pointed to a carafe of coffee on the kitchen counter.
She went over and poured herself a cup, all the time wishing she could ask him even one of the million questions still running through her mind. Had last night been a life-changing event for him as it had for her, or just another encounter in the dark?
She brushed the thought aside. Love, the real kind, didn’t come with demands or ultimatums. Its roots were in freedom.
“I have difficulty believing that they’ve gone so far underground we can’t find them,” Kyle snapped. “They didn’t follow us here. That much I know, and I’ll make sure I don’t pick up a tail on our way back,” he said, ending the call.
“Preston hasn’t been able to locate Frieda Martinez, but he did some digging and found out Frieda and the bartender at the Quarter Horse Bar, Ed Huff, had a thing,” Kyle told her. “His informant said it ended over a year ago, though. Now Ed Huff appears to have gone missing, too. He hasn’t reported to work in two days. The owner’s furious.”
“Then let’s go back to Secure Construction. That’s where this all began. The answers must be there somewhere,” she said.
“Preston suggested that, too, but we’ll have to stay sharp every step of the way. They’ll be watching for us.”
Despite her best efforts, she began to tremble.
Seeing it, he pulled her into his arms. “Listen to me, and listen good. No way they’re going to lay a hand on you. This is my turf and the home team has the advantage. My brothers have my back and I’m right here to protect you. I’m hard as hell to kill, too, which is what they’ll have to do to get anywhere near you.”
“You’ll be there, no matter what,” she said.
“Yes. No matter what.”
“All right.” She took a deep breath, and thought back to her last conversation with her boss.
As they set out, she lapsed into a long, thoughtful silence. They were back on the highway, on secure, solid ground, when she spoke again. “Hank was a bit of a control freak. He made me manager, but I still had to check everything I did with him. He wasn’t the kind to share responsibility.”
“So would you say that his business was the single most important thing to him?”
She considered it. “No. I’d say it was his reputation. He liked being considered one of Hartley’s leading citizens—or at least, a success. That’s why I don’t see him as a smuggler, Kyle, especially with something so dangerous and un-American. It would have gone against his nature, do you understand?”
“Yes, but that need to protect his reputation would have made him even more susceptible to blackmail.”
“Had he known he was shipping back detonators, he would have refused. Look what happened once he dismantled those electronic tools and found out what they held. His sense of duty took over immediately,” Erin said.
“And he did what he could to undo the mess he was in, hoping he could make things right somehow,” he said with a thoughtful nod. “Let’s say he expected them to come looking for the detonators. He didn’t know how much time he had so he needed to hide them fast.” He paused. “Erin, those detonators are on his turf. That would fit in with his need to control the situation, too.”
“Your brother and his team already went through Hank’s home, right?”
“Yeah, and Preston is very thorough. If he says they’re not at the house, you can count on it. He looked through the o
ffice, too, even with dogs trained to sniff out explosives.”
“There are lots of places to hide things over at Secure Construction. The yard alone is huge. Then there’s the warehouse. It could take months to go through absolutely everything.”
“That’s what worries me. We don’t have that much time. It’s Friday. The dedication ceremony is the day after tomorrow.”
She expelled her breath in a hiss. “Hank was incredibly security minded. Going from that standpoint, I have an idea.”
* * *
SHE REMAINED QUIET for the most part as they rode back to Hartley. Giving her time to think, he didn’t interrupt the long silence.
Kyle kept his eyes on the road and on the rearview mirror, but the elusive flowery scent that clung to her was making him crazy. It was soft, like her cries last night as he’d given her pleasure.
He’d been with a lot of women throughout his life, but with Erin everything had been different. What they’d shared hadn’t been a one-off, not in his mind anyway.
He shook free of those thoughts. No more distractions. He had to focus on protecting her.
They stopped for coffee and a bag of doughnuts, then about twenty-five minutes later, arrived in Hartley.
“You haven’t said much the past fifty miles. Are you ready to share your thoughts?” he asked.
“Yeah. There’s a small safe room in the warehouse. It was Hank’s favorite haunt. Whenever he wanted to do without interruptions, he’d tell me to hold his calls, then he’d head over there.”
“We’ll search there first,” he said, and made a hard left.
“Whoa! Where are you going? Secure Construction is to the right,” she said, grabbing the arm rest for balance.
“I need to make sure we haven’t picked up a tail.” He looked in the rear and side mirrors. “Okay, we’re good for now, but stay sharp.”
“I will.”
“One more thing. This is only a precaution, but I’d like you to carry this with you at all times.” Reaching into the pocket of his jacket, he brought out a plastic button.
“This is more than just a button, right?”
“Yes, it contains a GPS tracker. Should we ever get separated, I’ll find you,” he said, switching it on. Pointing to the computer screen in the car, he showed her the signal. “Carry it somewhere where there’s no chance you’ll lose it.”
“Like where? Tucked in my bra?”
He slipped the leather cord from around his neck and handed it and the attached pouch to her. “Take out the fetish and give it back to me, then put the GPS inside the pouch and keep it around your neck on the cord. Make sure it’s out of sight, like inside your shirt.”
“You were going to tell me about your pouch and the fetish yesterday, but we got sidetracked,” she said with an impish smile.
“That’s one way to put it,” he said, chuckling.
She pulled out the tiny carving. “Is it a fox?”
“Yes,” he said. “The fetish was a special gift from Hosteen Silver. All my brothers have a different guardian animal, one whose spirit matches their character. According to our traditionalists, the right combination can enhance the abilities of the person who carries it. For example, Fox’s attributes are intelligence and observational skills. Fox helps me find answers even when none are apparent.”
“What an interesting gift,” she said.
“And a powerful one, too. I never thought much about it back then, but over the years I learned how to use it. Fox is my spiritual brother. When I focus on Fox’s spirit and go about my business, positive results invariably follow.”
“Maybe someday I’ll get my own fox,” she said.
“You have one already,” he said, and gave her a wink.
“I meant a fetish,” she said, chuckling.
He grew serious. “Fox wouldn’t be right for you. Your spiritual sister will have to be an extension of who you are.”
“Since I have the cord and the pouch, where will you keep your fetish?”
“This is my brother’s SUV. He’s no traditionalist, but I’m betting that if you reach into the glove compartment, there’s a pouch there.”
She did and found one all right. “What’s inside this one, a different fetish?”
“No. That one will have pollen, a crystal and a tiny sprig of Rocky Mountain juniper, another good luck plant, for protection.”
“I know what pollen signifies, but what does the crystal represent?”
“During creation, our gods placed a crystal in the mouth of each person so that their prayers would always be heard,” he explained. “Mixed with pollen, a symbol of well-being, the prayer also becomes a blessing.”
Kyle used one hand to place the fox in the larger pouch, then looped the leather cord around his neck.
“We’re all set then,” she said.
They pulled up to the closed gates shortly thereafter. The first thing Kyle noticed was that there were no noncompany vehicles visible and the gates were locked.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a key,” she said.
“The fact it’s just us will work to our advantage,” he said, taking her key. “No interruptions or explanations needed.” He went to open the gate.
After driving through and closing the gate behind them, Kyle’s car phone beeped. He saw it was his brother, and answered, putting it on speaker. “I’m here.”
“I know. I’ve got your GPS,” Preston said. “I drove by the business earlier and verified that no one’s on site. Bruce Leland, who has the best claim at ownership at the moment, told the work crew to finish up their current job then wait for further news before they come back in. The payroll checks have to be countersigned by the attorney, but since he’s dead, things are at a standstill.”
“Any word on Ron Mora?” Erin asked. “I sure hope he’s okay. He’s a really nice guy.”
“Turns out that he was using an assumed identity, so he’s not so nice, Erin. His social security number belongs to a dead infant and was stolen from a government database by a hacker,” Preston said.
“So who is Ron?” she asked.
“Your guess is as good as ours. We lifted prints from his desk, but have nothing so far, despite sending copies to the feds, plus Spanish law enforcement. It also turns out that Ron doesn’t have a driver’s license on file.”
“How did he manage to get a position working for Moe Jenner?” Kyle asked.
“With Jenner dead, we’re not likely to get that answer right away.”
“Keep on that,” Kyle said, “and the minute you find out anything, let me know.”
“Copy that. One more thing. Do you plan to stick around there for a while?”
“Yeah, I locked the gate behind us, but having some extra people in the area would be good,” Kyle said.
“You’ve got it,” Preston answered.
After he hung up, Kyle glanced around one more time. He’d parked out of view of the main street. “Let’s get out and take a look around.”
As they entered the warehouse, Kyle noted how quiet Erin had become. “Is something wrong?”
“It’s Bruce. Even if he’s the closest relative, he really shouldn’t be making decisions for the company.”
“Then who should?”
“The will specified what Hank wanted done, so I think everyone should respect that until we can find a new attorney.”
“Legal questions can take a long time to be settled,” Kyle warned.
“I know, but still...”
Kyle followed her across the warehouse to a self-contained room in the back. She stepped aside and waved him in.
“This is the safe room we show clients,” she said. “It’s not connected to any other walls so inside and outside construction details can be examined. Having this here gi
ves people a feel for what it’s like inside one of our models. The four walls are reinforced and it’s impossible for anything short of an armor-piercing round to penetrate them, much less a cinder block tossed around by a tornado. All our designs meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s criteria.”
She stepped to the fold-down table connected to one wall. “Once you close the door, you have complete privacy and soundproofing. Hank almost always worked on the next quarter’s projections in here.”
Kyle ran his hands over the chair legs, and the table, lifting it up enough to look underneath. “Not here.”
She sat down on the small sofa. “He used to like this particular spot. He’d lean back and think things through,” she said, imitating the position Hank favored.
Kyle examined the sealed walls and ceiling for any seams or concealed compartments but found nothing.
Turning around, he watched the way she was sitting. “Check your line of sight when you lean back like that,” he suggested.
He saw her focus on something just beyond the door and tried to figure out what had her attention. “What are you looking at?” he asked after a moment.
“The mower’s stored exactly where it should be, but the canvas bag used to gather grass clippings is missing,” she said.
“Let’s look around for it. My gut’s telling me you may be onto something.”
They searched the warehouse, then walked across the graveled compound toward the office, which was surrounded by a small lawn. Concrete pavers had been spaced across the grassy expanse, creating a walkway.
As they got closer, he stopped and pointed. “Two pavers are missing,” he said, “and based on the impressions still there, they haven’t been gone very long.”
“That’s odd. Who’d steal something like that? They’re just dead weight.”
“The night Hank flew back, I followed him here from the airport. He spent quite a bit of time in his office, and also went in and out of the warehouse twice. I couldn’t get close enough to see what he was up to without being seen. After about an hour he left the compound and headed home. He took the long way, using the less traveled old highway and the steel trestle bridge, but at the time I chalked it up to him wanting to make sure he wasn’t being followed. Now I think he had another plan in mind.”