"Not yet anyway," she murmured, an odd look in her eyes.
Fourteen
Tara felt incredibly tense as they took a long bus ride to an airfield near Monteria. They had to walk the last half mile, and every step in the open air made her feel like a target in a shooting range. But they made it to the tarmac without any bullets whizzing past her ear. Their pilot, Freddie De Salvo, had an easygoing smile and didn't ask them any questions, just ushered them into a small plane, much like the one they'd crashed in.
As she took a seat by the window and buckled her seat belt, memories of those last few moments before they'd hit the trees ran through her head. She could feel the plane shaking, feel the force of the trees as they hit, feel the thundering blow against her head.
"What are the odds?" Diego asked, drawing her attention to him, as he sat down next to her.
"Of what?" she asked distractedly.
"Running out of fuel, having to make a hard landing? What are the odds it would happen again?"
"You have the uncanny ability to read my mind."
"We'll be fine. The hard part is over. We made it to the plane without any gunshots."
"We still have to get off the ground and then get back down safely." She grabbed Diego's hand as the plane rolled down the runway, catching her breath as they took flight.
"Piece of cake," Diego said with a smile.
"I'd like some cake. I think it would make me feel better. A triple-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing."
"That's rather specific."
"It's my favorite. My mom always made me that cake for my birthday. I miss her. I miss my dad, my life, Bethany. I miss being normal."
"I thought you said your normal life was boring."
"True, but I don't panic every other minute."
"You'll get back to your life. You'll see your parents again. Hopefully, Bethany, too."
"Hopefully," she echoed. "I'm okay now." She attempted to pull her hand away from his, but he hung on tight.
"I know you're okay, but I still like holding your hand. I like holding you. We hit the ground running this morning, and we're looking ahead, but before we get too far down the next road, I want to say that last night…it was something else."
She flushed at the intimate look in his eyes. "It was definitely something else. I don't know if it was the smartest idea."
"It was the best idea either of us have had in the last few days."
She couldn't help but smile at his words. "I had fun."
"Me, too."
She took a breath. "It's weird how connected we are, isn't it? Talk about odds. We both go to the same church to talk to the same priest at the same time. We're looking for different people, but now it appears those people are together—and so are we. It does feel fateful."
"It does. I might have to rethink my position on destiny. While I'm doing that." He took her hand and raised it to his lips, pressing a kiss on her palm. "I'll need to hold your hand."
"I can live with that." She scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Can you live with being my pillow for an hour?"
"Absolutely. Why don't you get some rest?"
"You should sleep, too. Who knows what's going to be waiting for us when this plane lands?"
"Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
She closed her eyes, feeling completely safe for the moment. She just didn't think it would last.
* * *
They made it to Panama City without incident and an hour later, boarded a plane for Los Angeles. At some point during the seven-hour flight, she fell asleep again, her head on Diego's shoulder. When they landed at LAX, she let out a breath as she stepped off the plane. It felt good to be back on American soil.
"Where should we go now?" she asked, as they cleared customs and headed toward the exit. "Another hotel? Or we could go to my apartment, but it's about forty-five minutes from here, maybe an hour depending on traffic, and there's usually traffic."
"I don't think your apartment is a good option. I've made other arrangements."
She was surprised by his answer. "When did you do that?"
"I texted Wyatt from the plane. I bought internet while you were asleep. He's going to pick us up and take us to an FBI safe house."
"Do you still think we're in danger?"
"I'm not sure. We managed to stay out of trouble in Cartagena. It's possible we left the bad guys behind, but the fact that Bethany and Mateo are here makes me cautious. I would like to check out Bethany's apartment some time tomorrow."
"We can do that. I'm sure Michael is going to be at the top of your list, though."
"He is, but so is Bethany." Diego waved as a gray SUV approached. "There's Wyatt. Do you want the front?"
"No, I'll take the back."
As she got into the car, Wyatt gave her a smile. He was attractive, with wavy brown hair that was lighter than Diego's, brown eyes, and a stubble of beard on his jaw.
"You must be the beautiful, determined Tara," Wyatt said.
"I am determined," she said, liking how Diego had described her to his friend. "It's nice to meet you. I really appreciate all your help."
"No problem," Wyatt said. "I have to say I'm intrigued and curious as to whether the paths of your friend and Diego's brother are going to intersect."
"We've been wondering that, too," she murmured.
As Wyatt pulled away from the curb, he turned to Diego. "How was the flight?"
"Uneventful, which was appreciated," Diego replied.
"Good. I have some information for both of you. I thought the trail for Bethany had gone cold at the airport. But Bree did more digging, expanded the search area, and we have video of Bethany getting into a car." Wyatt handed Diego his phone. "Recognize this guy?"
Tara unbuckled her seat belt and scooted forward so she could watch the video over Diego's shoulder. Bethany stood at the curb, a duffel bag at her feet. Then a dark van pulled up. She looked both ways then picked up her bag, opened the door and got in. As the van moved forward under the light, she could see a dark-haired man at the wheel. "Who's driving?" she asked.
"His name is Pablo Salazar," Wyatt returned. "He's twenty-four years old. He was born in Colombia to Santoro Salazar. He came to the US six years ago to go to school at Long Beach State. He dropped out after two years. He worked part time at a liquor store for a while and then was a driver for a catering company. Fourteen months ago, he was arrested for assault after a bar fight, but the case was dismissed when the victim chose not to pursue charges."
Everything Wyatt said made her nauseous. Bethany had jumped into the car with one of the Salazars? What on earth was going on? "Can I see the video again?" she asked.
Diego handed her the phone. "Bethany doesn't appear to be scared of Pablo. She gets in the car of her own volition," he said.
"I know, but I don't understand," she muttered, as she watched the video play once more. "Why would she go with this guy? We've been under the assumption that she's running from the Salazars."
"Maybe the wrong assumption." Diego took the phone back, so he could watch the video again. "She clearly knows Pablo. Maybe he's the man she's in love with."
"Rosa thought the guy's name started with M."
"Rosa didn't really remember," Diego said. "Is there anything else, Wyatt?"
"Pablo's last known address is an electronics store. It was obviously not his real address. But we can check at the store tomorrow and see if anyone knows him."
"An electronic store," she said. "The burner calls."
Diego met her gaze and nodded. "Another lead to check out." He turned back to Wyatt. "Anything more on my brother?"
"His wine bar is sponsoring a celebrity golf tournament tomorrow in Palos Verdes. Michael should be there. I think it would be a good place for you two to meet. It's a public venue—neutral ground."
"I'm not sure I want our reunion to be in public," Diego said.
"It's safer," Wyatt returned. "There's no telling how y
our brother will react when he sees you. You might not have been able to find him all these years, but it's possible he looked you up. He could know you're an FBI agent."
"If he'd looked me up, he would have come to see me," Diego began, then stopped abruptly. "No. He wouldn't have done that, not if he found out I was with the bureau, not if he's tied up with the Salazars."
"Exactly. You need to tread carefully," Wyatt said. "I think the golf tournament is a good option."
"You're right."
"As always," Wyatt said with a laugh.
As they got on the freeway, Tara sat back and refastened her seat belt, thinking about Bethany getting into the van with Pablo Salazar. Was he her lover? He was a couple of years younger, not that that mattered. But he was a criminal. He didn't seem to have a job, or one that was paying taxes. And he'd gotten arrested for assault, which meant he could be violent.
Her stomach continued to churn, and more questions ran around in her head. Had she been wrong all this time? Was Bethany in trouble or was Bethany the trouble? Was her best friend, her little sister, a criminal, too?
She really did not want to believe that.
Lost in thought, she barely heard what Diego and Wyatt were talking about, although it seemed like they were catching up rather than exchanging information.
She looked out at the window at the city lights. It was almost midnight. They'd started the day in Colombia and they were ending it in Los Angeles. What a crazy life she was now leading. And she had no idea where she'd be tomorrow.
A few minutes later, Wyatt turned in to a parking garage under what appeared to be a duplex. There were four spots in the garage; three of them were empty, a silver sporty SUV in the last spot.
"You can stay in this condo tonight and tomorrow—longer if you need," Wyatt said. "There's no one in the second unit, so you'll have complete privacy. That's Bree's car. She's upstairs stocking your refrigerator. We went to the store on the way in."
"You called Bree in, too?" Diego asked.
"She was with me when you texted. All for one—one for all, right?"
"Right," Diego agreed, as Wyatt parked the car.
"I'm glad you're out of Colombia. It will make things easier."
"I hope so," Diego said. "But let's see what LA has in store for us."
Wyatt unlocked one of the two doors leading out of the garage and waved them inside.
She went up the stairs to the main floor, impressed with the thick carpeting under her feet and the beautiful white leather furniture in the living room. There was also a wall of windows that apparently overlooked the ocean.
"Wow," she said. "This is not what I expected."
"We use it as both a front and as a safe house," Wyatt explained.
"Hello," a woman said, as she came out of the kitchen. She was a pretty woman, with brown hair and sparkling green eyes. She gave Diego a big hug and then turned to her. "I'm Bree."
"Tara Powell."
Bree shook her hand. "It's great to meet you. I'm sorry about your friend, but we will do everything we can to help you find her."
"I am so grateful."
"It's what we do. I got you both some food. I thought you might be hungry and we all know airplane food is terrible." Bree smiled at Diego. "I can't believe we're finally in the same room, on the same continent, Diego. It's been too long."
"It has. I just wish the circumstances were different."
"Unfortunately, these are usually our kind of circumstances," she said with a laugh.
"Good point."
"This place has a great security system," Wyatt added. "There's a door through the bedroom closet that leads into an enclosed room where you'll find security camera monitors for all entrances and exits to the building, including the garage. You'll also find some weapons there. The code for the door is 4362. You can use the SUV for transportation. Bree will give me a ride home." He tossed the keys to Diego. "I also brought you a laptop from the office." He tipped his head toward the computer on the dining room table.
"You've thought of everything," Diego replied.
"Do you want backup at the golf tournament tomorrow?" Bree asked. "I assume you are going there, right?"
"Yes, I'm going. No, I don't need backup."
"I'll be your backup," Tara interjected.
Diego frowned. "We'll talk about it."
"No, we won't talk about it, because that's what's happening. We're still working together, Diego. Don't think we're not."
He put up a hand in retreat. "All right. You're coming, too."
"You bet I am."
Bree smiled at their exchange. "Come by the office afterward," Bree said. "I'll text you the address. By the way, Parisa and Damon will be in town tomorrow with their significant others, so you'll get to see them, too."
"Really?" Diego asked in surprise. "Why?"
"It's for the dedication," Bree answered. "For Jamie. I know you were invited, Diego."
"I vaguely remember an email about that."
"Jamie's father is funding a new wing at the children's hospital in Jamie's name. They're breaking ground on Wednesday, and he'd like us all to be at the ceremony and at a party later in the evening."
"It's all coming back to me. I meant to answer the email. I've been on the road a lot the last few weeks."
"Well, you're in town, so maybe you can go. It wouldn't be bad for you to talk to Vincent again," Bree added. "We can get your take on whether you think he's playing us."
"I can't think about that now."
"You should think about it. Because it feels like it's your turn, Diego, like someone is pulling the strings, and you're dancing on hot coals, running for your life, like I did, and Wyatt did—Parisa and Damon, too. You're the only one who hadn't had a secret from his past come back to haunt him—until now."
Tara didn't know if Diego was swayed by Bree's words, but she certainly was. Maybe Diego needed to pay more attention to what Bree was trying to tell him.
"I hear you," Diego said somberly. "I will think about it."
"Good. Once this is all resolved, we can talk further. In the meantime, I really hope things go well with your reunion with your brother. I remember the first time you told us the story back at Quantico. It was when I realized how much scar tissue you carry around."
"We all have our wounds," Diego said quietly.
"We'll see you tomorrow," Wyatt said.
"Oh, Diego," Bree said. "There's a special dessert in the kitchen." She gave him a wink.
"Thank you," Diego said.
After they left, he bolted the door and said, "I'm hungry. Shall we see what's in the kitchen?"
"I could eat." She followed him down the hall into a gourmet kitchen. Bree had definitely bought out the store, with plenty of bread, crackers, chips, and cereal on the counter as well as a bowl of fresh fruit, and… "Oh, my God." She gave him an amazed and delighted smile as she held up a plastic container holding a triple-layer chocolate cake. "This is the special dessert? Did you do this?"
"Maybe."
"I can't believe you asked them to pick up the cake."
"I know it's not your birthday—actually, I don't know if it's not your birthday."
"It's not. I was born in September."
"Okay then. Anyway, you've had a rough couple of days and I thought you deserved some cake, and it's big enough to share."
She was amazed by his caring gesture. In the midst of everything that was happening, he'd thought about her. She walked over to him, threw her arms around his neck and gave him a long, hot kiss. "We'll eat the cake later. Let's go into the bedroom."
"Really?" he asked with surprise. "It just took some chocolate cake—"
"No, it just took you being you." She gazed into his eyes. "You're a good man, Diego Rivera."
"I feel the same way about you—well, not the man part," he said with a laugh.
She smiled back at him, then leaned in to take another kiss.
* * *
Tara woke up hungry at eig
ht fifteen in the morning. She rolled over onto her side and saw that Diego was still asleep. She smiled, allowing herself to savor the handsome features of the man next to her. His thick brown hair was completely tousled from where she'd run her fingers through it. There was a shadow of beard on his jaw that made him even sexier, if that was possible. His face was so perfectly formed: wide-set eyes, long nose, and strong jaw. The hint of the bruise from the shiner he'd gotten a few days earlier only made him more ruggedly appealing.
This man could not only make her scream with pleasure, he could protect her; he could make her laugh; he could inspire her. No matter what happened next, she would never regret what they'd had together.
As her gaze drifted down to his broad shoulders and powerful arms, her heart beat a little faster. She couldn't help but remember their night of lovemaking, how perfectly they'd fit together, how they'd moved as if they were one person. She'd never experienced such explosive chemistry with anyone.
She'd always been a little restrained when it came to sex—too shy, not adventurous enough, sometimes a little awkward—but with Diego that had certainly changed. And what was weird was that she actually felt more like her real self with him than with anyone else.
They'd been through a lot together and she'd not only come to respect him and trust him, she also really liked him. And the fact that he'd had Bree pick up a chocolate cake for her made her heart melt.
That thought also made her stomach rumble.
Sliding out of bed so as not to wake Diego, she used the bathroom and grabbed a terry cloth bathrobe off a hook on the door. Then she went into the kitchen and opened the plastic container.
Cake for breakfast actually sounded perfect. But she also needed coffee. She started the coffeemaker, then cut herself a slice of cake and took it to the small table by the window. They had a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean and there were already surfers in the sea taking advantage of the sunny morning.
It felt good to be back in the States, although she was nervous about what the day would bring. She was more than a little curious to meet Diego's brother. However, she still had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that the reunion between brothers might not be as joyful as Diego wanted it to be.
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