by Regina Duke
Russ looked sidelong at her and put on a Pepe Le Pew accent. “I sink mebbe she has ze sarcastic side, non? I sink mebbe I like zis prickly sense of humor, oui?”
Terri laughed out loud. “That’s great. You should do cartoon voice-overs.”
Russ grinned. It was hard to keep his eyes on the road with Terri’s legs just inches away. He was glad she was feeling better. Seeing her cry in the motel room was unnerving. She had a tender side, and he could appreciate that. But he needed her tough side if they were going to save Chad Nething and catch DaSilva.
Twenty more miles passed in easy silence. Russ glanced sideways at a road sign and announced, “Hey, this is Jacob Lake. If we don’t stop here, we won’t get to eat until we reach the North Rim.”
“I’m all for stopping,” said Terri.
Russ turned into the gravel parking lot and aimed the nose of the Mercedes at the entrance to the restaurant.
“I’ll bring my tote,” said Terri. “It’s easier than carrying my wallet in my hand. And if DaSilva is still following us, it wouldn’t hurt to dangle the bait.”
Russ was impressed at how game Terri was. Not only did she refuse to let herself feel like a victim, she was a willing participant in the pursuit.
Two other vehicles turned into the restaurant parking lot behind them. One was a tan mini-van. A family with two kids piled out, looking tired and hungry, and headed for the entrance. Russ and Terri were already at the door, and Russ held it open for the family. The mother looked ready for a break. The father looked like he wished he was somewhere else.
The other vehicle was a black pickup truck with tinted windows on the camper shell and the cab. Russ and Terri went inside the restaurant and were greeted by an enthusiastic teenage waitress with a bouncy ponytail. Within moments they were scanning menus, without a thought about the truck. They didn’t even notice when it pulled around to the other side of the restaurant to park in the shade.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
OVER LUNCH, Terri found herself talking more than she liked. A part of her mind kept telling her to slow down and shut up, but a part of her heart kept insisting on being open and honest with Russ. She realized she hadn’t been totally honest because she had not told him about Gavin. She vowed to do so as soon as she could work up that courage. The thought of Gavin reminded her that she didn’t want any complications in her life, and her heart would refuse to see Russ as a complication. At last, she mentally shelved the argument and decided to enjoy his company as a traveling companion. Besides with a bona fide hit man following her around the countryside, she felt more secure with Russ and his biceps in the picture.
Her hamburger was juicy and the fries were hot and salty. She licked mayo off one finger. “So, Russ, what made you choose bounty hunter over cowboy?”
Russ swallowed iced tea and darted a glance into the parking lot, keeping an eye on the Mercedes. “Actually, I started out as a private detective. It sounded like the cool thing to do, you know?” He held up a hand and ran it across an invisible title: “Russ Camino, Private Eye.”
Terri grinned. “What stopped you?”
Russ shrugged. “It sounds crazy, but it was too boring. I spent all my time taking photographs of wives and husbands for spouses who didn’t trust them. I also did some insurance work. You know, investigating accidents, making sure injury victims were really injured. Most of that work entailed sitting in a car for hours on end, waiting for someone else to do something. I got really good at working crossword puzzles with one eye while the other watched a doorway. Then one day I figured out that I was working long hours and not making much money. I guess I’m a soft touch. I kept helping people out. And if a client didn’t pay their bills on time, I was never able to go after the money. Not like I should, you know? So my puppy-sitter-slash-office-manager, Sara, told me I was going broke, and how was I going to pay her salary? Then she stuck a wanted poster in front of me and said she thought she had spotted the guy working at a gas station.”
“So, you caught him?”
“Yep. I went down and filled my gas tank and asked if someone could check under the hood. Out he comes, as relaxed as can be. I called the cops and they arrested him on the spot. He was so surprised, he didn’t even try to get away. The bail bondsman was so pleased, he paid me the bounty and told me to get my bounty hunter’s license. So I did.” He laughed. “Of course, it was never that easy again. But that’s how I got started. Mostly, I find people who have jumped bail. I started chasing DaSilva because he ran over a client’s dog.” That was the thumbnail version, but he still wasn’t ready to tell Terri the whole story behind why he’d been after DaSilva for fifteen years. Instead he started talking about the dog. “The Stewarts had this gorgeous boxer, Bongo, a real big boy, seventy-five pounds. Perfect markings, and such a sweetheart. They took him to the same doggie daycare that I used sometimes. When I’m working long hours, I can’t ask Sara to exercise two energetic shepherds, so two days a week they go to doggie daycare. They loved playing tug-of-war with Bongo. When the Stewarts called me and asked me if there was anything I could do about finding whoever hit Bongo, I couldn’t say no. I didn’t know for sure if it was DaSilva, but he was driving a car that matched the eye-witness description.”
“The same Stewarts whose Great Dane you saved? Whose Mercedes you’re driving?”
“Yes, actually.”
“They’ve had bad luck with their dogs,” said Terri. “And you think DaSilva ran over their boxer?” She grew serious and set the rest of her hamburger back on the plate. “People like DaSilva are scary.”
Russ reached out and lay his hand over her fingers. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to let DaSilva hurt you. I promise.”
Terri eyed him with mock disapproval. “So you think I’m a helpless female who needs protecting?”
Russ felt the color rise to his cheeks. “No, of course not. I mean—” He recalled how it felt, cradling her against his chest, and he blushed even hotter. He covered by making his Pepe Le Pew face and agreeing with her. “Oui, oui, it iz zee truth you are speaking. All zee females, zey need zee protecting, non?”
Terri stuck out the tip of her tongue, then glanced around to make sure no one else saw her do it. Russ was so funny and sweet. Why couldn’t he be something safe and ordinary, like that courier who ran the vet’s lab samples back and forth? He was always flirting with her. And she never gave him a second look. Okay, so maybe it was exciting to be traveling with a bounty hunter, but could there be any chance for a normal life with someone who chased criminals for a living?
A normal life? She marveled at her own lack of resolve. She’d just got Gavin out of her hair, and she was already fantasizing about a guy she’d known less than twenty-four hours. Then she realized that Gavin seemed to have plans to get back into her life. She was happier than ever to be traveling with Russ. Maybe she should tell him about Gavin’s threat to follow her.
Just then Russ glanced at his watch. “Maybe we should finish up and get back on the road.”
Terri nodded, relieved that the moment for revelations had passed. “I’ll visit the ladies’ room, then I’ll be ready.” She took her tote and headed for the restroom sign.
Russ took his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Sara. “Hi, it’s me. Any news about that reservation?”
Sara’s voice sounded sympathetic. “Sometimes I wonder about you, Russell. Did you know that the cabins on the North Rim are usually all booked up by February? For the entire summer?”
“Well, I do now, because you just told me. I take it this means you couldn’t get me a reservation.”
“Sorry. I even asked about camping spaces.”
“Well, I don’t have any camping equipment with me, so that wouldn’t work. Thank goodness I always pack a suitcase for surveillance. At least I have clean clothes.” He gave her a quick rundown on the photo switch and the slashed tires in the motel parking lot. “See if you can find some information on a young artist named Chad Nething. His father is
a veterinarian in Carson City. Chad winters as a parking attendant at local casinos. I think DaSilva may be after him.”
“Should I alert his father that he might be in trouble?”
“No, don’t say anything yet. I’m not a hundred percent sure, and we don’t want to panic the guy. Besides Chad is working at the North Rim, so I’ll be able to warn him in person pretty soon.”
By the time Terri emerged from the ladies’ room, Russ had paid for their meal and was waiting for her at the entrance. The family with the minivan was already loading the kids in the car. Russ watched them for a moment until he heard Terri coming. “That was fast,” he said.
“Liar.” Terri suppressed a smile. “Where’s the bill? I want to pay my share.”
“Oh, no, you don’t. After what DaSilva did to your car this morning, the very least I can do is buy you lunch.”
“Maybe you’re right. Hey, it’s almost three o’clock! We spent more time talking than I thought.” Terri put on her sunglasses and headed for the car.
Russ followed, making the most of the opportunity to gaze at her legs again. He almost forgot to unlock the car doors with the key chain before she reached the passenger side. He growled at himself. His attraction to Terri could mean big trouble. Maybe even put Terri’s life in danger. He took a long, slow breath and got in the car.
“We should be there in another hour or so,” said Terri, tracing their route on the map with one slender finger. “We take highway sixty-seven from here. The North Rim parkway. The Canyon is only forty-two miles from here.”
Russ turned the Mercedes around on the gravel to head for the two-lane highway.
Terri shared information from the travel atlas. “Did you know that the North Rim is only ten miles away from the South Rim as the crow flies? But via the highway, it’s a two-hundred-mile trip, so most people stop at the South Rim and never see this side. It’s also a thousand feet higher than the South Rim. Wow. Eight thousand feet! At least we’re from Reno. That’s already 4500 feet high. What do people do who come up from sea level?”
Russ accelerated up to sixty. “I suppose they need a few days to acclimate,” he said.
“According to this information, we’re on the Kaibab Plateau. Kaibab is a Paiute word meaning ‘mountain lying down.’ Oh, look here.” She pointed at a photo, then apologized. “Sorry. You’re driving. It’s a picture of Angel’s Window. I love those natural rock formations. They’re so breathtaking. I hope we have a chance to drive up to Cape Royal. Too bad they make you kennel your dogs at the Canyon,” she said, jumping to a whole new topic. “You could bring Lucy and Sheila up here some time.”
“Maybe camping,” he said. “That would work.” He pulled out onto the highway. In the rear view mirror, he saw the family minivan doing the same maneuver. He began to think they’d lost DaSilva. Then something caught his eye, and he stared hard at the mirror.
“Hey!” Terri grabbed the steering wheel and corrected their trajectory. “Try to stay on the road, Russ, or I have a feeling you’ll be buying your clients a new Mercedes.”
“Sorry,” said Russ. “That was stupid. Quick thinking on your part.”
“Do you want me to drive? You must be tired, coming all the way from Vegas.”
“No, I’m fine. Really.” He glanced in the mirror again. The black pickup with the tinted windows and camper shell was what had distracted him from the road. There it was, behind the tan minivan, looking ominous. He couldn’t remember seeing the driver of the pickup leaving the restaurant. But maybe he was a local. He decided he was being paranoid. Then again, he had a right to be paranoid, after the tricks DaSilva had been playing. “Hey, Terri, why don’t you read me some more about the North Rim. As long as we’re going to be there, we might as well know what we’re seeing.”
“Good idea.” Terri turned back to the travel atlas and started reading aloud about the history of the North Rim lodge.
Russ was only half listening. He just wanted to give her something to do so she wouldn’t notice the black pickup. It was bad enough that he was worried. There was no reason to upset her if it turned out to be nothing. This part of the highway wound through a narrow gorge. On the right, a cliff wall shot straight up. On the left, the shoulder dropped precipitously in some spots and in others it ended against another cliff face where the road sliced between the walls of the gorge.
“I wonder if it will be as impressive in person as it is in these photos,” said Terri, not even looking up from her tour books. “It’s hard to get a sense of scale. But it looks nice.”
Russ glanced in the rear view again. The tan minivan was still between him and the black pickup. Maybe he could relax a little. “I’ve heard it’s gorgeous. That dining room you were reading about sounds pretty special. We’ll have to eat there.”
“Yes, I think ‘have to’ is the operative phrase. Aside from a snack bar and a camp store, I think it’s the only real place to eat at the lodge. Gee, I hope it’s not too expensive.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll make you an honorary bounty hunter and let you share my expense account.”
Terri shook her head. “There you go again, being nice and helping people out. Sara is going to be upset with you.”
Russ grinned. “You don’t know the half of it.” He glanced in the rear view again, and his heart lurched. There was no sign of the minivan, but the black pickup was directly behind him and coming up fast. “Uh, Terri?”
“Yes?” She set the travel atlas on the floor at her feet.
“You have your seat belt fastened, right?”
“Hmmm? Yes, of course. What—?”
The black pickup chose that moment to pull into the oncoming lane. It sped up until its passenger-side window was even with the Mercedes’ front wheel. Nothing was visible through the dark tinted glass. Russ thought the pickup was going to pass them, but instead, it swerved to the right, forcing him to swerve as well to avoid a collision. He managed not to hit the steep canyon wall, but only by inches. Gravel from the shoulder spat harshly at the undercarriage.
The pickup braked hard and fell back behind them, tailing them again. A moment later a big rig barreled down the hill, blasting its horn, going the opposite direction.
“That would serve him right,” said Russ, “if he were run off the road while trying to run us off the road.” He eased the Mercedes back to the center of its lane.
Terri gripped her shoulder harness with both hands.. “You think that’s DaSilva?”
“Can you think of anyone else who would like to smash us into the wall of this canyon?”
Terri blurted out, “My ex-boyfriend, for starters!”
Russ frowned at her. “You have a homicidal ex?”
Terri immediately regretted her outburst. “I’m sorry. I’ve been trying to pick a good time to tell you about Gavin. I don’t think he’s homicidal but I know he’s desperate. He owes a loan shark some big money. He has a gambling problem. He threatened to follow me to the Canyon and force me to give him money.”
Russ struggled to stay in control of the speeding Mercedes. “For now, we’ll assume this is DaSilva, and we’ll talk about Gavin later. Deal?”
Terri’s eyes were big as saucers and glued to the road. She nodded agreement.
Russ looked grim. DaSilva was upping the ante, and Russ wasn’t sure why. Whatever DaSilva was after, it must be bigger than anything he’d been involved in before. He decided the situation was too dangerous to allow Terri to continue to be involved. “Take out your cell and call for help.”
Terri did as he asked, but try as she might, there was no response. “Damn! I’ve got no service here.”
“Use mine,” he said. “I was just talking to Sara back at the restaurant.”
Terri took his phone and punched numbers. “Nothing. Oh, I hate that about cell service! Just when you could really use it, bam, nothing!”
“It must be the steep canyon walls,” said Russ. “Hang on.”
The pickup was pulling into the
oncoming lane again, ready to make another run at them.
“Is he nuts!?” Terri clung to the seat belt strap that secured her. “If he wrecks us, he wrecks himself!”
“It’s not his truck, he probably stole it. So what does he care?” Russ tapped the gas and the Mercedes sped ahead of the truck, taking the uphill grade like it was nothing. The truck engine roared as DaSilva tried to keep up, looking for another chance to force them off the road.
“Look out!” cried Terri.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
ANOTHER CAR was coming downhill, blasting its horn to get DaSilva’s attention. This time the oncoming car hit the brakes and started to swerve out of control before DaSilva pulled back in line. Russ took advantage of the pickup’s diminished speed to pull away, moving the Mercedes as fast as he dared around the curves of the canyon road. When he came to a passing lane, he floored it to get around a big rig before the lane ran out. The trucker blasted his horn, but the Mercedes had no trouble pulling far enough ahead before the passing lane ended. And now they had a big rig between themselves and the nefarious pickup.
Terri released the breath she was holding and allowed herself to relax a bit in her seat. “That was too close for comfort,” she said. “I guess that answers our question about whether he found another source of information about Chad. But how could he know that I’ve even looked at those photos? How could he know that we’re going to warn Chad?”
“I’m not sure,” said Russ. “When he spotted you in Beatty, he must have remembered you from the store where you picked up the photos.”
“He butted into the line right next to me,” said Terri.
“He may have grabbed for your bag on the off chance that you got his pictures. Or maybe, before he left the store, he’d already checked with the others in line to see if they had them. In which case he saw his chance in Beatty to get them back. Whatever he’s involved in, those photos must be an important link or he wouldn’t bother. They must tie him to something big. Meanwhile, the opportunity to get rid of us might have seemed like a lucky break to DaSilva.”