Harlequin Romantic Suspense January 2021

by Marie Ferrarella, Regan Black, Karen Whiddon

  “I do,” Eva answered, surprising Jesse, who hadn’t known. “It’s in the garage, covered in a tarp. I’ve made sure to start it up every couple of weeks.”

  “Good.” Raul pushed to his feet. “Then let’s go for a ride. All three of us.”

  Eva appeared shocked. “I don’t know about that. Drew didn’t like me riding the Harley, and, of course, I couldn’t when I was pregnant. It’s been over two years. I’m not sure I remember how.”

  Jesse felt a pang. She’d always been so sexy, roaring around in her custom maroon-colored Harley. Why on earth would Drew have objected to that?

  “No one forgets,” Raul insisted. “It’s like riding a bicycle.”

  Watching her prevaricate, Jesse realized he’d give almost anything to see her ride again. “Come on, Eva. Let’s do it. It’ll be fun.”

  “Okay. But it’ll have to be a short one. I’m seriously out of practice.”

  Careful to hide his elation, Jesse nodded. “Let’s make sure your bike still runs okay. I know you said you’ve been starting it up every so often, but let’s double-check to make sure.”

  Jesse and Raul followed her out to the garage. She’d parked her bike in one of the bays and covered it with a lightweight tarp. When she pulled the tarp off, she grinned. “She’s still pretty. I keep her clean and the chrome polished.”

  Walking over to the wall, she pressed the button to open the garage door, then climbed on the motorcycle, turned the key and started the engine. The low, melodic rumble sounded as if the motor had recently been tuned up.

  “I’m impressed,” Raul declared. “You’ve taken good care of her.”

  “Of course I have. I learned from the best.”

  Her compliment made Raul beam. “I parked in the driveway,” he said, looking at Jesse. “You game?”

  Jesse grinned. “You bet.” Maybe, just maybe, the Eva he used to know was on her way back.

  CHAPTER 10

  When Jesse uncovered and wheeled out his own black-and-chrome Harley, Eva and Raul waited for him in the driveway. He caught his breath at the sight of Eva astride her powerful maroon Harley, looking so much like the old Eva it made his mouth go dry.

  “Come on,” she teased, revving her engine. She grabbed her helmet, securing it under her chin before putting on her mirrored aviator sunglasses.

  Jesse grinned at her before doing the same. Raul watched them both, his expression inscrutable.

  “Where to?” Raul asked. “Eva, you lead the way. I don’t know the roads around here.”

  “I do.” Chin up, Eva pulled out. Raul and Jesse followed right behind her.

  Jesse rode his bike so much that he rarely even thought about it. Today, though, felt different. Watching the slender woman in front of him confidently maneuver her Harley gave him a thrill that reminded him of how he used to feel when he got his first bike. The entire world had looked different, the colors brighter and more vibrant, viewed up close and personal from his motorcycle.

  For right now, he allowed himself to pretend the old Eva had come back.

  After they left Eva’s gated neighborhood, they roared through downtown, drawing more than a few stares. Once they reached the residential area on the other side of town, Eva turned left, heading east. The winding road took them into the sparsely populated wooded countryside. Jesse had taken a few rides here by himself, marveling at the leafy isolation. Having lived most of his life in crowded, busy Houston, he’d never taken the time to visit east Texas. In the time he’d been here, sometimes he thought how much it felt like visiting another state.

  Now, with his Harley rumbling under him and the most gorgeous woman in the world leading the way, he thought he’d never been anywhere more beautiful.

  Finally, Eva pulled into a driveway and turned around, heading back toward town. Jesse and Raul exchanged glances but they followed her.

  This time when they roared through town, they attracted a lot of attention. Jesse wondered why, but since most of the people were outside on the sidewalks, strolling to either one of the downtown restaurants or shops, he figured the noise of the bikes caught their attention.

  As they pulled up to Eva’s neighborhood and stopped at the gates so she could enter the code, he couldn’t help but wonder what her neighbors thought of the big bikes. For the first time, he understood Drew’s dislike of all the attention they tended to draw. Especially in a well-heeled part of town like this.

  As for himself, to hell with what the neighbors thought. Jesse was just glad to see Eva back, for however long it might last.

  As they pulled up into her driveway, she punched her remote and motioned to them to pull into her garage. Once she’d killed her engine, she removed her helmet and shook her hair free. Her eyes sparkled as she grinned at Jesse and her father. “That was fun!”

  Raul grinned back. As for Jesse, he stared at her and could barely catch his breath. His chest ached.

  Eva’s eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong with you?” she demanded. “You look like you just ran over a squirrel or something.”

  Dragging his hands through his hair, Jesse turned away. He didn’t want her to see the need in his face. “Nothing’s wrong,” he said, his voice gruff. “It was just good to see you ride again.”

  “Thanks.” She tossed her head and looked away.

  “That was fun,” Raul said. When Jesse looked up, he realized the older man watched him closely. “Come on,” he said, clapping Jesse on the back. “Let’s go inside. You look like you could use a beer.”

  Eva’s cell rang. She grimaced as she glanced at the caller ID. “It’s Lori. Hello?”

  She listened a moment, all the color leaching from her face. “Thank you for letting me know. My DVR is set to record the midday news, so I’ll check it out.”

  Once she ended the call, she grabbed the remote and turned on the television. “Lori says we’re on the noon news.”

  “We?” Raul asked, frowning. He hated publicity, and preferred to stay in the shadowy background as much as possible.

  “Yes.” Expression grim, she pulled up the news and clicked it on.

  A banner flashed across the top of the screen, announcing the upcoming stories. “Cold front to bring rain,” read one. And another, “Grass fire threatens ranch.” Finally, “Local politician’s wife returns to her biker roots.”

  Eva cursed. “One time. I ride my bike one time and this is what they have to say?”

  “What’s the big deal?” Raul looked from her to Jesse. “Who cares if you return to your biker roots? Drew’s gone and as far as I know, you’re not running for political office. What difference does it make?” Raul’s dark eyes flashed. “Don’t tell me you’re ashamed of where you come from.”

  “I’m not,” she shot back. “But right there is the reason Drew didn’t want me riding my Harley around. We haven’t even buried him yet. I can only imagine what people will think.”

  “The Eva I knew never cared what people think,” Jesse put in, even though he knew he should keep his mouth shut.

  Eva glared at him. “Well, maybe I’ve changed.”

  “Then change back,” Raul suggested, his dark gaze snapping.

  Instead of responding, she aimed the remote at the TV.

  Fast-forwarding until she got to the story, she clicked Play. They all watched the cell phone video of the three of them rumbling down Main Street, their bikes gleaming in the sun. The female newscaster read the story with a faint thread of amusement in her voice.

  Jesse waited until it was over before saying his piece. Though she’d bared her body to him, allowing passion to claim her, she’d held back her inner essence. “I agree with Raul. Haven’t you hidden your true self long enough?”

  Both men waited while Eva digested both the story and their words. When she finally lifted her chin and nodded, a shiver snaked up Jesse’s spine. Her dark eyes,
so like her father’s, flashed. “You know what? You’re right. I’ve missed riding my Harley and I had fun today. Thank you both for talking me into going.”

  Raul grabbed his daughter and crushed her in a bear hug. “That’s my girl,” he said, his voice full of approval.

  More than anything, Jesse wished he had the right to hug her too. Instead, he jammed his hands in his pockets and walked toward the back door. “I’m going to go check on the guys,” he said, and escaped.

  “I’ll join you,” Raul said, hurrying after him.

  * * *

  Once Raul and Jesse had gone outside to visit with the other Brothers, Eva kicked off her boots and leaned back in her recliner. She’d spoken the truth—riding today had felt good, as if she’d managed to escape to another time when she’d been an entirely different person.

  The landline rang, effectively destroying her moment of peaceful enjoyment. Only one person routinely called that number. For a moment, she considered not answering—after all, Jesse wasn’t here with his tracer gadget. But then, she was done hiding from reality. She’d face this head-on.

  “I saw you on the news,” the caller said. “Rejoining the Brothers of Sin isn’t going to help you. I want my money.”

  “I want my proof,” she replied. “It seems like you might be having trouble coming up with that.”

  “Ask Drew’s assistant for the ledger. The other ledger, the one he keeps locked in the safe behind his desk. That’s where you’ll find your proof.”

  She took a deep breath. “Was Lori in on this with him?”

  “She knew. Whether or not she received a cut, I have no idea. But it’s probably likely she did, as money to keep her mouth shut. If she knows where the three million is, I would be surprised if she doesn’t take it and try to run.”

  Wincing, Eva shook her head. It was bad enough to learn that the man she’d thought was an upstanding—if remote and cold—citizen had been involved in so many illegal activities. But then to find out Lori, the woman she’d trusted implicitly, had participated too?

  “Did you kill Drew?” she asked, her heart skipping a beat or two. “Or have him shot?”

  “No.” The answer came swiftly and certain.

  “Did Lori?”

  This time, the question made the caller chuckle. “No. Actually, I’m ninety-nine percent sure that the cartel had him killed for trying to cheat them. Now, since I was Drew’s partner, they’re going to come after me next. I need that money to pay them, to show them good faith, understand? This isn’t about me being greedy. This is about me not wanting to die.”

  Stunned, she wasn’t sure what to say. In the end, she settled for the truth. “I don’t know where the money is. Drew emptied out our joint savings account before he was killed.”

  “Then find out,” he demanded, effectively destroying what little sympathy she’d begun to feel for him. “Or I’ll make sure you suffer right along with me. You and that little brat of yours. I’ll give you until after Drew’s funeral.”

  Which meant he knew when the service had been scheduled.

  “Who are you?” she pressed, refusing to allow him to intimidate her. But he’d apparently already ended the call, as she heard only silence.

  About to go tell Jesse, she decided to wait. She wanted to call Lori and arrange to ask the other woman to her face.

  Lori answered on the second ring.

  “Do you have time to grab lunch with me?” Eva asked, her tone friendly. “There are a couple of things I’d like to discuss.” She named a popular café in the heart of downtown Anniversary.

  “Are you riding your motorcycle there?” Lori’s tone sounded a bit disdainful. “Because I really don’t want to draw a lot of attention.”

  Squelching her annoyance, Eva said she’d be driving her car. Lori agreed to meet her in thirty minutes.

  Wondering whether to ask Jesse to accompany her, she looked out the kitchen window and spied her father, Jesse, Shorty, Patches, Rusty and Baloo all sitting on the patio shooting the breeze. Why wasn’t anyone on guard duty? Had Jesse somehow decided the risk was gone, or had Raul distracted him and the other Brothers? Though disappointed, right now the situation suited her. She preferred not to have to explain her plan.

  Because she didn’t want anyone to worry, she dashed off a quick note saying she was meeting Lori for lunch and left it propped up on the kitchen counter, facing the hallway.

  Since her car sat parked in front of the house, she slipped out the front door, hurried to her vehicle, started the engine and backed out of the driveway. No one ran after her.

  Driving always calmed her nerves. She waited until she was out of the subdivision gate before cranking up her radio on the classic rock station. Singing along to Bob Seger, she pulled into the parking lot of The Catfish Hut and found a spot close to the door.

  Lori had already arrived and waited just inside. She’d changed from the morning and now wore a business suit and pumps, making Eva wonder if she considered this a business meeting.

  “There you are,” Lori exclaimed, hugging Eva and doing the air-kiss thing on both cheeks. “I’m so happy to see you came without your bodyguards.”

  Her words sent a shiver up Eva’s spine. Had she made a bad decision, sneaking out of the house without Jesse? But then she looked around at the crowded restaurant and relaxed.

  “I’ve got a few things I’d like to discuss with you,” Eva replied. “In fact, I need to request one of the back booths. I’d prefer to have privacy.”

  “Already done.” Had Lori always been so smug? She lifted up her tote bag. “I’ve got several documents I wanted to go over with you too.”

  The hostess led them to the back room of the restaurant, to the more secluded area where people went to discuss business. She showed them into a corner booth tucked into an out-of-the-way area. “Will this work?”

  “Perfect.” Lori smiled. “Thank you so much.”

  As they took their seats, Eva eyed Drew’s assistant, wondering why the other woman acted as if she were the one who’d called this meeting.

  Lori kept up a steady stream of chatter until the waitress arrived to take their drink orders. They both asked for sweet tea, and went ahead and requested the catfish platter.

  Once the teas arrived, Lori pulled several manila file folders from her tote and placed them on the table. “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Drew owns several other properties, most of them in Texas. The largest one is a cattle ranch up in the panhandle.” She slid one folder across the table. “I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of them and what they might be worth on the real estate market should you decide to sell.”

  “Thank you.” Eva looked the other woman directly in the eye. “Do you think any of them are worth three million dollars?”

  Lori blinked. “That’s a mighty specific amount. I’m not sure. But if you consult a Realtor, I’m certain they could tell you.”

  “Lori, I’m done playing games. What do you know about the missing three million?”

  Lori swallowed, the only sign that revealed her unease. “What are you talking about?”

  Pitching her voice low, Eva relayed everything the caller had said. When she finished, Lori had recoiled and was staring at her as if she thought Eva had lost her mind.

  “Drug cartels? Money laundering?” Lori shook her head, her voice full of simmering anger. “How could you possibly believe Drew was capable of such awful, illegal things? He was an upstanding business leader with political aspirations. He would never have done anything that might jeopardize his chance of becoming governor of Texas! He believed in what he was doing and wanted to make a difference.”

  Eva couldn’t tell if the other woman truly believed her words or had become a damn fine actress.

  “Whether you like it or not, it would appear Drew was involved in all this,” Eva began. Their catfish arri
ved just then, and she had to wait until the waitress left before continuing. “I have someone making threats and demanding this missing money. Drew cleaned out our joint bank account before he was killed. Someone sent a bomb to my house and shot out my back window. So don’t sit there and try to make me believe you’re completely in the dark. You were Drew’s assistant and campaign manager.” She took a deep breath, noting Lori’s shocked expression.

  “Why don’t you think about it while you eat,” she said, stabbing the perfectly cooked catfish fillet with her fork. “But know this. I’m going to find out the truth whether you tell me or not.”

  Lori pushed her plate away. “I just lost my appetite.”

  “Suit yourself.” Eva shrugged, putting her first delectable catfish bite into her mouth and chewing slowly. “But you’ll be missing a dang good meal.”

  Eyeing her, Lori finally reclaimed her plate and started slowly eating, though she continued to watch Eva the way a trapped mouse might a hungry cat.

  Finally, after eating about half her fillet, Lori put down her fork. “I didn’t know what to do,” she whispered. “Drew and your father were really tight. I think you should ask Raul about all of this.”

  “I already have. He told me everything he knew.” Eva leaned forward. “Has it ever occurred to you that you might be in danger from the cartel too? Especially if you knew about the missing money?”

  Lori’s eyes widened. “But I wasn’t involved in any of that. Yes, I overheard bits and pieces of conversation—enough to put two and two together—but Drew never asked me to do any of the legwork for that part of his business.”

  “Knowing makes you complicit. I wonder what the FBI would think about that.”

  Face flushing, Lori stood. “Are you threatening me?” Her strident tone caused several other diners to glance their way.

  “Of course not,” Eva said. “Sit down. Please. I have a lot more I’d like to discuss with you.”

  Though Lori sat, she didn’t look happy about it. “Discuss or question?” she asked, her voice as tight as her mouth.