Dakota Homecoming

by Lisa Mondello

  He didn’t know. He didn’t know if he wanted to. All he knew is that this was the first of many nights he’d have to be near Georgie Garcia.

  * * *

  When they’d reached Nebraska, he’d let her drive. Georgie sat in the driver’s seat looking at the road ahead, thankful she had something to concentrate on. Another day of watching trees and street signs rush past her and she was going to flip out. Of course, this was Nebraska. There was nothing but farms on both sides of the road for miles on end. How did long distance truck drivers stand this?

  “We’ve tapped your cell phone,” Julian said.

  He’d been engrossed in reading information off his tablet for the last half hour, so his admission startled her.

  When she said nothing, he continued. “Every call that comes into your phone will be recorded. So if you have a boyfriend you want to talk romantic with, don’t do it on your phone.”

  Her cheeks flamed and she hoped Julian didn’t notice. “There’s no boyfriend in that file of yours, is there?”

  “No,” he said, giving her a half grin.

  “You already know so much about me and my life, why would you expect one to call me?”

  “I don’t. I just want to be fair and warn you.”

  “Well thanks for the warning. But it’s not necessary.”

  “Still, if Eduardo or Angela calls you for any reason, any reason at all, alert me right away. Even if it’s in the middle of the night.”

  “That brings up a good point that we need to discuss. Last night we slept in different rooms. What about when we get to your parents’ house?”

  He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. Clearly he hadn’t thought out all the details of this trip. It was one thing to stay in separate rooms in a motel on a quiet Texas road. It was another thing to stay in Julian’s parents’ house.

  Last night had been tough for a lot of reasons. More than a few times Georgie’s mind wandered to the man who was sleeping in a bed not more than twenty feet from where she lay staring at the ceiling. Sure, there was a wall between them. But the door was slightly ajar. Every so often, she heard Julian’s heavy sigh as if he were wrestling with something in his sleep or having a fitful dream. It was comforting because she knew he was there.

  But he was there. Just twenty feet away. And her mind couldn’t shake the image of him standing at the doorway in his bare feet wearing only the bottoms of flannel pajamas. She had to fight to keep looking at Julian’s face instead of the strong muscles of his chest as he said goodnight to her and shut the light off.

  In the dark, her fingers itched to travel the length of his body, feel his muscles bunch up beneath her touch as she made her way down the center of his chest to the soft patch of hair on his lower belly that disappeared beneath his pants.

  It taunted her all night. She was surprised she’d gotten any sleep at all. And now as the memory assaulted her once more, she was glad to be staring at green grass and what looked like the same old farmhouse on the side of the road so she wouldn’t have to look at Julian. If she did, her wild thoughts were sure to betray her and he’d know.

  “When you want me to take over the driving, just let me know.”

  She nodded, staring at the broken yellow line in the center of the road as the car rolled over the pavement.

  “Did you tell them I was coming?” she asked.

  “I told you not to be scared.”

  “It’s hard not to be. Angela is my only family. How many McKinnons are there?”

  “A lot. But no one is going to grill you or make you feel like you’re being tested.”

  “And your mother is okay with my staying there?”

  Julian chuckled. “Yes.”

  “So, what did you tell them? Are we dating? Are we just friends? How long have we known each other?”

  He put the tablet down on the seat between them and rubbed his chin again. “It’s best to keep any lies to a minimum. We’re already lying by omission. So let’s just tell them we met a month ago and we’ve been together ever since. That’s true enough.”

  She nodded. “And if they ask if we’re serious?”

  “Yes, we are. Which is true. We’re serious about why we have to be together right now. Let them draw their own conclusions. Look, Georgie, we only have to get through the week. Hopefully, Angela will be able to call with information about Cash. Once we have that, we can set up a plan to get Angela and her kids out of Colombia.”

  “Cash and then Angela,” Georgie said as if she were trying to drill it into her brain so she wouldn’t forget.

  But she wanted to forget. She wanted to forget about the moment that Eduardo saw her standing in the hallway when she’d foolishly gone to his compound to get Angela and convince her to leave. She wanted to forget the moment when he’d learned who Georgie’s mother was and how he’d taken an immediate interest in her.

  She’d left for America that evening.

  “Hey, where did you go?” Julian asked, placing a steady hand on hers as she gripped the steering wheel.

  “Someplace I hope I never have to go again.”

  “You still don’t want to talk about it?”

  “It won’t help.”

  “Maybe not in finding Cash Montgomery. But it might help you.”

  She glanced at him quickly. “I just want to feel safe again, like I did when I was in college before my mother died.”

  She was naïve back then. She’d believed her mother’s dreams. But only because her mother had been so good at keeping the nightmares from her.

  “You will be safe. And one day you’ll feel safe, Georgie.”

  “You know the kind of man Eduardo is,” she said quietly.

  “Yes.”

  “He…didn’t kill my mother directly. But he killed my stepfather. She was there and so she was just as expendable as any one of the other thugs in his employ.”

  “There isn’t much information about how your mother died.”

  She chuckled wryly. “Well, there won’t be, will there? I didn’t know how she died. Not until Eduardo saw me at the compound. I should have never gone there. I had only heard rumors. But when I found out that Angela was working for Eduardo and she began to confide in me some of the things she’d seen and overheard, I knew she was in trouble. I…actually thought I could save her. How crazy is that? Me against Eduardo Sanchez, the biggest drug runner in all of Colombia!”

  “Don’t beat yourself up about this. You couldn’t have known Eduardo would recognize you.”

  “He didn’t. One of the other maids saw me and told me I looked just like my mother. My mother never mentioned Eduardo other than she’d been working for him as a maid. I assumed that was the only association she had with him. It’s a big compound and there are a lot of people working there. She’d never told me of his advances toward her. He murdered my stepfather, Julian. Right in front of her. And when she tried to stop him, he murdered her. Oh, the other house staff said it was an accident. He hadn’t meant to kill my mother. He just wanted her husband out of the way. Well, he succeeded in doing that and getting my mother out of the way as well.”

  Tears filled her eyes. It had been five years since her mother’s murder and still it was as fresh as the day the dean of the college and the college minister had shown up at her college dorm room to deliver the news.

  “When Eduardo learned who I was, I saw it.”

  “What?”

  “That disgusting interest of a man who wanted only one thing. To possess. To own. He was looking at me that way. I knew if I’d stayed in that compound any longer, Eduardo might succeed. My mother must have lived with that every day just to make sure I was able to stay in college. ”

  “You were right to come to the FBI,” Julian said. “I hate asking you this, but has Angela every mentioned Cash Montgomery?”

  Georgie shook her head. “I was the one who heard Eduardo talking about Cash Montgomery. One of the other servants told me to stay in the foyer to wait for Angela, but I wa
ndered the hall instead. People were looking at me and I didn’t know where Angela was or how long she’d be. So I went looking for her. I ended up walking onto the patio where Eduardo was having a drink with another man. He wore a military uniform so I thought it was something official.”

  “I know you’ve told me you heard him talking about Cash Montgomery being taken captive. Did he know Cash was DEA?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Did he say at all why he was interested in Cash?”

  She shook her head. “All I remember is that Eduardo told the man he wanted to keep Cash alive. He wasn’t ready.”

  “Ready for what?”

  “He didn’t say. But he wanted Cash brought to a private location to find out what he knew and who he’d told.”

  “Told what?”

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry. It was all so vague. I froze when I was standing there. They didn’t know that I had been there for a little while. Eduardo kept referring to Cash as The American. And then he saw me and I panicked.

  “I never did get a chance to see Angela that day. Eduardo took me into his private study and gave me a drink. I didn’t drink it. I was too afraid.”

  “Rightly so.”

  “But he…I don’t know, he seemed so strange. At times, he was almost fatherly to me. And then he…would look at me.”

  Even now it made Georgie feel dirty just remembering that day.

  “And then he told me about my mother and how he was sorry that I’d been left without her. He intended to make it up to me. As if he could ever do anything to atone for murdering my mother.”

  She read the exit sign and put her blinker on to signal getting off the highway.

  Julian glanced at the exit ahead and frowned. “Where are you going?”

  “To get a coffee. Stretch my legs. My body is starting to get stiff again.”

  She was glad for the distraction. Talking about her life in Colombia and the events that led to her mother’s death was too draining for her. She didn’t know how much more she could take. If only Angela would call, and hopefully call with news of Cash Montgomery. Then this nightmare of hiding would end. Angela would be able to leave Colombia and they could all start over.

  But first, she had to get through a week with Julian’s family.

  Chapter Four

  “What do you mean you aren’t sharing a room?” Julian’s mother asked. “I thought you two were a couple.” She said the last part in a whisper as if she didn’t want to offend Georgie.

  His parents had stayed up well past their normal bedtime in order to greet Julian and Georgie, who had finally arrived at his childhood home in Rudolph. Julian’s father was in the living room getting to know Georgie and already showing her the family pictures that were hanging on the living room wall. His mother was making sleeping arrangements.

  “It’s not a problem,” Julian said, kissing his mother on the cheek. “I’ll sleep on the sofa if one of the other rooms isn’t ready. Georgie can sleep in my bed. I assume you haven’t turned my bedroom into a sewing room yet.”

  “No. I turned Luke’s room into a sewing room six months ago. Your father is using Ian’s room as his office. Of course the house is big enough. I raised five children so there are bedrooms to spare. And it’s only the two of you who are staying here now.”

  “Where’s everyone else?”

  “Well, Gray is over at Nina’s place. Their new house isn’t ready yet. Luke is practically moved in at Tessa’s ranch. Grace has her own house down the road. And of course Ian and Abby have that beautiful house out by the river. I’m sure Georgie will be comfortable in Grace’s old room.”

  “Fine. Then we don’t have a problem.”

  “Separate rooms? Are you sure?”

  He wanted to laugh. Was his mother actually pushing him to share a bed with Georgie under her roof?

  “I know you’re in a rush to get more grandchildren, Mom, but Georgie…well, she’s very old fashioned. I want to respect that.”

  His mother frowned. Then she put the back of her hand on his forehead.

  “What are you doing?”

  “No fever.”

  He chuckled. “I thought you’d be relieved.”

  His mother smiled. “Just when I think I’m becoming more progressive, one of you throws me a curve ball.”

  “We like to keep you on your toes.”

  He introduced his mother to Georgie.

  “I’m so pleased to meet you, Mrs. McKinnon,” Georgie said.

  “I’ll have none of that. Call me, Joan. We’re all very casual here.”

  “You have a lovely home,” Georgie said.

  “So, Georgie, Julian tells me you both drove from Texas. Is that where your family is from?”

  “Um, Mom, it’s been a long two days. Georgie and I are beat.”

  His mother gave him a sheepish grin. “Of course. I’m sure you just want to get to your room and get some sleep.”

  “I am a little tired,” Georgie admitted.

  “Well, Julian will show you the way. I’m really pleased to meet you. I’ll make some breakfast for you both in the morning. We have a busy week planned. Sam and Summer are coming in from Colorado on Thursday. Kate insists on having a big engagement dinner at the diner for just the family. And of course we’ll be having dinner here tomorrow night so you’ll get to meet the rest of Julian’s family, Georgie.”

  “Mom?”

  She opened her mouth and then closed it again, patting him on the back.

  Grabbing the two suitcases he’d retrieved from the car, he carried them upstairs. Georgie followed behind. He stopped in front of his sister’s room.

  “This is your home away from home for the next week,” Julian said, dropping her bag and then flicking on the light switch.

  Georgie glanced inside and smiled. The room was lit up to reveal a full size bed and a room with young feminine decor. The chair by the window was old, but had a calico print in pink and yellow. The pillow that Grace had embroidered when she was twelve years old was propped on the chair. Georgie took in all the details before walking inside. Her face was dreamy.

  “This is really pretty.”

  “It’s looked like this for as long as I can remember. My mother and sister did most of the sewing when I was a kid. They both like to sew.”

  Georgie continued to look around.

  “The bathroom is across the hall,” Julian said, mesmerized by how the simple furnishings of his sisters room seemed to transform Georgie’s whole face. “I’ll leave some towels on the sink so you can wash up before bed.”

  “Thank you,” she said.

  He went to turn away and he heard her voice again. Softer this time.

  “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  He looked at her eyes and saw them twinkling. He wondered if it were tears or if Georgie was simply tired.

  “Goodnight, Georgie.”

  He shut the door and was filled with an odd feeling. It was much different than the feeling he’d had last night at the motel. He was home. And for some strange reason, as he’d stared at Georgie in the bedroom, she looked as though she’d belonged there. Here. Maybe it wouldn’t be as difficult to pull this off as he’d originally thought.

  * * *

  Georgie had slept better than she’d expected, given she was sleeping in the home of people she didn’t know, in a room that was decorated for a young girl and in a state that felt as cold as the Arctic. Julian’s room was just across the hall. She’d bumped into him on the way to the bathroom to brush her teeth last night. They were no further away from each other than they’d been at the motel the other night, but with the door closed, he seemed closed off to her. It hadn’t kept her from thinking about him for a good while before she finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep.

  As her eyes drifted open and she blinked from the morning light coming through the window, she had an overwhelming desire to run. Why had she come here? Why had she opened her mouth and contacted the FBI? A
ngela’s life was at risk if she couldn’t keep up this charade with Eduardo. She wanted to end it. His attention was unwanted. But she’d agreed to help Kelly Montgomery in exchange for his help in getting Angela and her kids out of Colombia. If it meant she had to pretend when Eduardo called, then she’d do it. If it meant pretending to be dating Julian McKinnon in order to get through the week, she’d do it. Then she’d be free.

  It was only going to be a week. She’d bluff as long as she could. Then the FBI and their teams would make their move. And hopefully Angela would be on her way out of Colombia. Georgie didn’t care where she went. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. Eduardo’s reach was far. But if Angela was able to at least make it to Mexico, she might eventually be able to make it to the US before Eduardo found her. In the US, she had a chance at protection in exchange for what she knew.

  She stayed in bed for a few minutes looking up at the ceiling. The air smelled different this morning, something Georgie wasn’t used to. She’d lived in a wide variety of places in her short life, but most of them were dumps. The air in those places always smelled the same. Earth and trash, and sometimes something worse.

  The floor was cold when she stood with her bare feet on the wood. She glanced down at her feet and saw the worn pine floorboards where polyurethane had worn off. Children had grown up in this house and worn a path on the floor from the bed to the door. Georgie could imagine Christmas mornings and the sound of stomping feet on the floor as the McKinnons piled into the hall and elbowed their way down the stairs to the living room in search of presents from Santa. Padding across the floor, she grabbed her sweatshirt and sweatpants from the calico chair by the window and shrugged into them over her pajamas. Then she pushed the curtain aside to look outdoors and gasped.