by Rebecca Deel
“Italian or Mexican. Watch your back, Lily. I don’t want to lose another friend.”
Lily shoved her cell back in her pocket, resumed pacing. If Zane was worried, this op could get even more interesting than it already was. The SEAL had nerves of steel. It took a lot to rattle him.
The door to the suite opened. Remy slipped through and locked the door behind him, his gaze locked on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“Just got off the phone with Zane. He found Montgomery’s treatment facility.”
“Where is it?”
“The Chihuahua province.”
Remy closed his eyes a second, sighed. “Figures. I hate that area. Had my fill of the locals when we rescued Wolfe and Smith’s wives from the Scarlet Group.” He tapped a couple keys on his phone and hit speaker.
“What do you need, Remy?”
“Backup.”
“When and where?”
“Probably within 48 hours. Montgomery’s place is in the Chihuahua province.”
Maddox growled.
“My feelings exactly. Who’s available?”
“Josh Cahill’s team should be on their way back from a mission by that time. Do you have an exact location?”
“Zane has it,” Lily said.
“I’ll get the information from him and divert Durango to that location. How much fire power do you and Remy have?”
“Not enough,” Remy said. “We didn’t expect to leave the country and head into hostile territory.”
“Mitchell’s team is deploying tonight. I’ll have them refuel in New Orleans and deliver some heavy duty firepower to your plane. Both of you watch your backs. We don’t have many friends in that area.”
“I haven’t forgotten our reception a few months ago.”
“If you think you need more backup than Durango, let me know sooner rather than later.”
“Will do.”
“Lily, anything you need from me?”
She glanced at Remy. She hadn’t had a chance yet to tell him what she’d found in Montgomery’s office. “Before we head to Mexico, I need to stop in Texas.”
Remy’s eyebrows shot up.
“What’s going on, sugar?”
“When I was in Montgomery’s office, I found Christine Wilder’s file along with my birth mother’s.”
“Your mother is a patient of his.”
“Yes, sir. I need to tell her to put her money into traditional treatments.”
“And you don’t want to do this by email.”
“Doesn’t seem like the best thing to do. I’m afraid they won’t take me seriously unless I tell them in person.”
“Plane needs to refuel anyway. Texas is as good a place as any. Your mother’s in Westfield?”
“That’s right.”
“I’ll contact the pilot, have him file a flight plan to Westfield.”
“Thank you. Wish we could leave tonight.”
“You need more hardware before you infiltrate Montgomery’s compound. Besides, the NOPD won’t take kindly to you skipping town before they have a chance to talk to you. Remy?”
“Yes, sir?”
“A Detective Baylor has already contacted me to confirm your mission in Louisiana.”
He grunted. “That didn’t take long.”
“The receptionist was the doctor’s emergency contact with the alarm company. You two were the only visitors today.”
“We didn’t give her our names.”
“Trina did.”
“Of course,” Lily muttered. “Remy pushed her hard to get the doctor’s name.”
“Get your story straight. You should be hearing from the local cops within the hour.”
After Brent ended the call, Lily glanced at her partner. “We need to hide our packs. They smell like smoke.”
“Take out what you need. Don’t pull out the files. We’ll study those on the plane.”
She hurried to her pack, removed her backup piece and ammunition. Everything else she left in the bag. When Remy finished transferring what he needed from his pack, he took both backpacks. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes.”
While he was gone, Lily took the muffins out of the coffee shop’s bag, grabbed a plate to set the baked goods on. She lifted the iced coffee in the cardboard carrier and took the drinks and muffins outside to the balcony and placed everything on the small iron table.
Laughter, music, and voices carried on the breeze as the streets bustled with activity. A kaleidoscope of colors swept by as men, women, and a few children moved from one side of the street to the other. A few places of business were still open. Most of the activity, though, came from adult venues.
Remy stepped onto the balcony. “All set.”
“What did you do with them?”
“Let’s just say we shouldn’t start the engine any time soon.”
She blinked. “Why didn’t you stash them with the spare tire?”
“One of the first places a cop will look.” He inclined his head toward the muffin. “Better eat now, sweetheart. Got a feeling we don’t have long before company arrives.”
Lily had just swallowed the last bite of her muffin when someone pounded on the suite door.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Remy glanced at Lily. “Remember, stick to the truth as much as possible. Don’t volunteer any information. Make them ask for whatever they want to know.” He stood, leaned over and brushed his lips over hers before taking his time going to the door.
He checked the peephole, noted standard suits and ties on the two men waiting to be admitted. Remy unlocked the door, opened it, blocking entrance into the suite. Being too eager to cooperate would rouse suspicion as much as hostility.
“Remy Doucet?” the blond male asked.
“That’s right. And you are?”
“Detective Harrison Baylor, NOPD. This is my partner, Adam Coltrane.”
“ID?”
Baylor’s lips curved slightly.
Yeah, Remy knew they were legitimate, but he wasn’t going to make their jobs easier by not going through the expected steps. He examined each of their credentials, returned them, then stepped aside to allow them entrance into the suite.
The detectives’ gazes immediately scanned the room and paused on the open French doors and Lily.
“My girlfriend and I were enjoying the nice night. Quite a change from what we experienced today walking around the Quarter. Care to join us?”
The two glanced at each other before Baylor nodded. “Thanks.”
“Would you like some water?” he offered.
Coltrane’s gaze shifted from Lily to Remy. “Appreciate it.”
Remy’s jaw clenched. Yeah, he’d seen the look in Coltrane’s eyes, didn’t like what he saw.
“You don’t seem surprised to see us, Doucet.” Baylor watched Remy’s progress to the refrigerator.
“Maddox called me. You boys move fast.” He yanked open the appliance door and grabbed two bottles of water, tossed one to each man. He rejoined Lily on the balcony, leaving the two detectives to trail behind him.
Remy dragged his chair around the table so he was beside Lily, facing the other two men. Hated having people at his back. Typical cop thing. You can react to things you see. No good soldier or law enforcement officer sat with his back to the room. Having already finished his muffin, he took a few sips of his iced coffee, letting the detectives see the name of the coffee shop on the plastic cup.
“Do you know why we’re here?” Baylor asked.
“Why don’t you tell me.”
“Do you know Dr. Charles Montgomery?”
“No.”
“You were asking about him all over the Quarter today,” Coltrane put in.
“An exaggeration, Detective. We talked to Erin Hughes at French Quarter Boutique, Katie Benson at Wicks, Trina Roberts, the concierge here, and Merry Sunshine.”
Baylor glanced up from scribbling down the names he’d rattled off. “Merry Sunshine?”
“Montgomery�
�s receptionist,” Lily said. “We didn’t catch her name.”
“You said you didn’t know Montgomery.”
“We don’t.”
“Why did you go to his office, then?”
“We’re looking for Christine Wilder. She’s one of his patients.” Remy sipped more coffee, watching the two men over the rim of his cup. “Her husband hired us to find her.”
“Why?”
“No one’s heard from her in over a week. She has cancer, Detective. She needs medical treatment.” He paused. “Real medical treatment.”
“How do you know she came here?”
Anticipation fired Remy’s blood. Yep, he’d missed this part of the job. “We tracked her to the French Quarter and learned Trina had recommended Montgomery to Christine.”
“So you decided to confront the doctor.”
“Talk to the doctor. Our job is to find Christine. James Wilder is anxious to talk to his wife.”
“Where were you this evening?”
Remy named the restaurant where they had eaten dinner.
“Good food there,” Coltrane murmured.
“It was amazing,” Lily said with a smile. “I love New Orleans cuisine. Have you been to Nashville, Detective?”
He looked startled at her question. “No, ma’am.”
“You should visit sometime. We have great southern cooking. One of the best places in town to eat is the Loveless Cafe. Be prepared to wait, though. It’s very popular with tourists and locals alike.”
Amusement spiraled through Remy. Lily was handling the detectives like an old pro. His attention shifted to her, speculation growing. Just how much contact had she had with the police while she was in the system and on the streets?
Baylor scowled. “Let’s get back on track. Where did you go after dinner?”
Remy captured Lily’s hand in his, raised it to his lips, and pressed a kiss to her fingers. “Lily and I walked around the Quarter, enjoying the crowds and window shopping. I want my girlfriend to love this area as much as I do. Since my family lives about an hour from here, she’ll be visiting frequently.”
The detective’s gaze shifted to Lily. “What shops did you see?”
She named a few of the shops and boutiques Remy had pointed out to her and ended with their stop at the coffee shop. “We bought some muffins and iced coffee.” She paused. “Would you like to see the receipt?” She smiled at Remy. “You have that don’t you, baby?”
He eyed the two men. “I’m going to reach into my pocket to get the sales slip.”
Coltrane snorted. “Worried we’ll shoot you, Doucet?”
“I used to be on the job, Coltrane.”
He straightened. “You were a cop?”
“Homicide, NYPD.”
Baylor motioned for Remy to proceed.
He stood, dug into his back pocket for his wallet and withdrew the receipt with the name of the coffee shop printed across the top.
The senior detective examined the slip of paper. “While you were walking around the Quarter, were you in the vicinity of Montgomery’s office?”
“His office is in the heart of the French Quarter.”
“Do you know what happened tonight?”
“Maddox mentioned a fire.”
“A bomb exploded in his office. The building is a total loss.”
Remy returned to his seat, stretching his arm across Lily’s shoulders. “You’re sure it was a bomb?”
“Arson investigator says there is no doubt. You’re a mercenary for hire.”
“That’s not a crime, Baylor. We’re searching for a missing woman, not hiring out as homegrown terrorists.”
“In that case, you won’t mind if we search your suite.”
Remy smiled. “As long as we’re in the room with you, feel free. We have nothing to hide.”
They all trooped back into the suite. Remy kept Lily’s hand in his as he watched the two detectives search the kitchen and living room. Baylor opened all the cabinets, the drawers, and refrigerator. He poked into the bag that held the coffee mugs Lily bought. He glanced up. “Nice mugs.”
“That’s what I told Remy. He can’t ever have too many Saints mugs.” Lily grinned.
Coltrane pulled cushions from the couch, searched the armchairs, the drawers of the end tables. He checked behind the television. Glancing at his partner, he shook his head.
Baylor pointed at the left bedroom. “This room next.”
Remy walked ahead of them, opened the door, and stepped aside to allow them to enter. The men split up and searched the room. Coltrane nodded at Remy’s Go bag. “Okay to check that?”
“Go ahead.”
The detective unzipped the bag and let out a soft whistle. “Lot of hardware, Doucet.”
“We have to be prepared for anything.”
“Regular boy scout, aren’t you?”
“Doubt boy scouts carry that kind of equipment.”
Baylor poked into the bag. “Nice. Your equipment is better than ours.”
“Fortress takes care of its operatives.” He nodded at the bag. “Our lives depend on what’s inside there.”
“Know how to make a bomb?”
Lily’s hand tightened around Remy’s. “The basics,” he answered. “That’s not my area of expertise.”
“What about you, Ms. Stanton?”
“Same as Remy.”
“Where is your bag?”
“The other bedroom.”
The detectives searched her room next. Like Remy’s, the most interesting thing she had was her Go bag.
Coltrane’s eyes widened. “You have more hardware than your boyfriend.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she murmured. “I’m small. Have to compensate for the size difference. I find it equalizing to have more rather than less firepower.”
Baylor studied her through flat cop eyes. “You any good?”
“She’s better than I am,” Remy said. “You through here?”
“For now. Where’s your vehicle?”
“We were on foot, Baylor. Our vehicle hasn’t left the garage since we arrived.”
“Then you won’t mind if we take a look.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Remy shrugged as though he didn’t care one way or the other. In the garage, he waved at the SUV and tossed Baylor the keys. “It’s a rental, so don’t destroy it. My boss will bill the NOPD for the deductible if we have to make a damage claim on the insurance.”
Coltrane grimaced.
The two men searched through the SUV, opening the hatchback and checking the space for the spare tire. Every pocket, nook, or crack was searched with no result.
Baylor reluctantly handed Remy the keys. “We may have more questions.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Our cooperation this time was a courtesy. If you come back, you’ll need to bring a search warrant and wait for our legal counsel to arrive. You can contact us through Fortress. We may not be here much longer. Clock’s ticking on finding Christine.”
The senior detective gave a mock salute, his lips twisting. The two men left without a backward glance.
When Lily opened her mouth to comment, Remy held up his hand, signaling her to wait. Sound carried in garages. Anything she said would more than likely be heard by the detectives who probably lingered out of sight, hoping to overhear something to help their investigation.
He slid his arm around her waist and nudged Lily toward the elevator. Back inside their suite, he said, “Told you they’d search around the spare tire.”
“Good thing you used to be a cop. I never suspected they’d check there.”
“It’s a big space, especially if you remove the spare. Typical place to stash narcotics and weapons you don’t want in plain sight.”
“When do we leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. We’ll stop over in Westfield to let the pilot refuel and check out the plane. The last thing we want is a mechanical malfunction on Mexican soil. We’ll need a quick, clean
getaway.” Hopefully without engaging what passed for local law enforcement. “Get some sleep, honey. Got a feeling things will ramp up pretty fast from here on out.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Lily’s heart pounded against her rib cage as she stared at the two-story brick home on the north side of Westfield, Texas. The clear blue sky hinted at the heat to come as the day progressed.
Inside that house lay the answers to the questions that had plagued her most of her life. She’d fooled herself all these years, convinced she didn’t care why her mother abandoned her. Turned out she did care. A lot. Not a good mental place to be as she faced an emotional tidal wave sure to come. She had a job to do, one that included convincing the Higgins family that Montgomery was a fraud. She may not have an emotional connection with these people, but she couldn’t let them invest money and hope into a treatment which netted them nothing.
Remy opened the door to the SUV they’d rented at the Westfield airport. She’d argued to take a taxi. He insisted they didn’t know exactly what they’d face and it might take longer than she anticipated. Lily hoped he was wrong. Handling a boatload of strong emotions from virtual strangers was not something she wanted to face long term.
“You ready, Elf?” He cupped her cheek with his palm. Compassion filled his gaze.
“Not really,” she murmured.
“You’re not alone, Lily. I’ll stay with you as long as you want me to.”
Her gaze skated to lock onto his face. “How did I ever get so lucky to have you in my life?” she whispered.
“Feeling’s mutual.” His thumb ghosted over her bottom lip. “We’ll support each other.”
A faint smile curved her mouth. “You haven’t needed me for anything yet.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetness. You’re everything I’ve ever needed.” Remy leaned in, kissed her gently.
“They’re going to hate me.”
“Why?”
“What I have to say will destroy their hope, Remy.”
He shook his head. “You’re giving your mother a chance at life. Maddox had a doctor friend look at the formula you copied from Montgomery’s computer. The doctor says it’s a bunch of vitamins and minerals, nothing that will hurt, might even help the patients feel better in the short term. It definitely won’t cure cancer. If Elaine Higgins knows the truth, she’ll be able to seek treatment that will help.”