by SJ McCoy
“I know. That’s why you went everywhere with us this weekend, right?”
“Yep. I figured Morales was taking his time while he works out how easy a target you’re going to be. I decided to show our hand—at least in part. If he’s watching, and I’ll put money on the fact that he is, then he now knows that I’m here, and that I go most places with you—whenever you and Maria are together. So now he knows that you’re going to be easier to get to when you’re on your own.”
Zack smiled. “Thanks.”
Manny smiled back at him. “I know how important she is to you.”
“Yeah. I want him to come after me when I’m alone. Keep her as far out of it as possible.”
“Exactly. So, now I want you to come up with something that you do every day, at the same time. Alone.”
Zack thought about it. “I could join the gym?”
Manny nodded. “Do you know the place? Know the layout?”
Zack shook his head.
“Then let’s go.”
Zack frowned. “You want him to see the two of us out together?”
“Nope. You’re driving. I’ll just make myself comfortable on the back seat. I can scope out the exterior while you go in and sign up.”
~ ~ ~
“I want to close up a little earlier tonight,” said Laura.
“I’m not going to argue with you about that,” said Maria with a smile. It’d been a long week and she was ready for it to be over. It was Thursday and an early finish would get them a little bit closer to weekend. “You’ve been back here working on your designs all week without a break, and I’ve been busy out front.”
“I know. I’m sure you won’t mind getting home to Zack early.”
“And I’m sure you won’t mind getting home to Smoke. I bet you love having him home for this long, don’t you?”
Laura laughed. “I do, but at the same time you know I have a perfectly good workshop out in the orchard at home—but I’ve been in here all week.”
“Oh. I didn’t realize. I thought you were coming in here …” She stopped herself.
“Well, I didn’t want to leave you in here by yourself at the moment. I don’t like that idea. But, yeah. It can be hard to get anything done with Smoke home. He thinks since he’s off, I should be, too.”
“Zack’s the same way. He makes it hard to come out to work in the morning.” She smiled. “Very hard.”
“It’s not easy being married to a pilot, I have to warn you. It’s all or nothing. You miss them when they’re gone, and you have to find the balance when they’re home.”
Maria didn’t say anything, but she could feel the color in her cheeks.
Laura gave her a knowing smile. “I know, I know. Who said anything about you and Zack getting married, right? But that’s where it’s going. I know it is.”
Maria nodded. “I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t like that idea.”
“And I wouldn’t believe you if you did. I just hope all this crazy business with that man who’s after him is over soon.”
“I can’t wait. I know I should probably feel scared and be more careful than I am, but I can’t. I can’t make the threat feel real. All I feel is angry and irritated. I want it all to be over. I want us to be free to move forward.”
“Surely something has to happen soon. Even if he doesn’t make a move, I hope those detectives or whatever they are, are trying to track him down, too.”
“I think they’re more focused on drawing him out. They seem to think the only way they’ll ever find him is by waiting for him to attack Zack.”
Laura blew out a sigh. “I hope Zack’s going to be ready when he does.”
“He will be. That’s another reason I can’t get too worked up about it. He’s so confident that all it’s going to take is Morales coming after him, and he’ll be able to handle it—and of course, Manny and his men won’t be too far away.”
“I admire his confidence. I just hope he’s right.”
Maria nodded. She did too. She just couldn’t allow herself to think that there was any other possible outcome.
Laura looked out through the front window as someone walked by. “I still can’t believe that there’s some guy out there keeping a look out for you and we’ve never spotted him.”
Maria had to laugh. “Sometimes, I wonder if they just tell me that he’s there to make me feel better.”
Laura laughed with her. “He’s good at staying out of sight, but I can’t believe for a minute that Zack would let you even come to work if there wasn’t someone close by to step in if you need it.”
“I know … oh, is that Emma?”
Laura smiled. “It is. We’re having a girls’ night over here tonight. She said she might come by if she arrived early.”
The doorbell buzzed when Emma opened the door and came in with a big smile. “Hello, ladies. How are you?”
“I’m good, thanks, Em,” said Laura. “We’re going to close up in a few minutes.”
“Take your time. I know I’m early. I thought I’d rather come and see all your pretty, shiny things than go and sit in the café by myself.” She smiled at Maria. “And how are you? Are you coming tonight?”
Maria shook her head.
“No. She has the lovely Zack at home waiting for her,” said Laura.
“Oh, of course. He is lovely, too.” Emma grinned at Maria. “He’s yummy. I have to tell you I have a thing for the tall, dark, handsome ones.”
Laura laughed. “She’s not joking either. She’s had a crush on Missy’s brother, Chance, for what, twenty years?”
Emma nodded happily. “He’s lovely, too. But I only like to look. Jack’s the only one for me.”
Maria smiled at her. She liked Emma. “Does Jack have little Isabel tonight?”
“He does. It’s so sweet; he and Pete have her and little baby, Noah.”
They all looked up when the door opened again, and Missy came in. “Hi, girls. Sorry, I didn’t get to your place in time to ride over here with you, Em, but I got Scotty to drop me off so I can have a drink and ride back with you.”
Laura shook her head. “It’s still hard to believe that Scott’s driving these days.”
“Isn’t it?” asked Emma. “And even scarier for me to think that before I know it, Isabel will be, too.”
Missy laughed. “The time goes by fast, but you’ve got a little while yet, Em.” She turned to Maria. “Are you coming tonight?”
“No, not this time.”
Missy nodded. “It’s funny how we’re all at different stages, but we all still get along so well. I’ve got Scott who’s almost grown. Em’s got little Isabel. Laura … I still don’t know about you. I’m sure you always said never when it came to babies, but now it’s, never say never.”
Maria watched Laura’s reaction. She, too, had started to wonder if she and Smoke might announce they were pregnant one day.
Missy turned back to Maria. “And you. You and Zack are just getting started, but I think you’re on the same path we all are. I hope the two of you have babies; they’d be gorgeous. I mean you’re both so good-looking. You couldn’t produce anything but beautiful children.”
Maria laughed. “Like you said, we’re just getting started. That’s a long way off.”
Missy smiled. “Maybe, but you didn’t tell me not to be ridiculous, did you?”
Maria felt the color in her cheeks. Missy was right. She hadn’t told her not to be silly, because she herself didn’t think it was silly; in fact, she loved the idea.
“Okay,” said Laura. “I think we need to move this over to the café. Why don’t the two of you meet me there and I’ll lock up and come around.”
“I can lock up,” said Maria. “You go out the front with them and I’ll lock up inside and then let myself out the back.”
“No freaking way.” Laura shook her head adamantly.
“Why’s that?” asked Missy.
Laura frowned. “Because I don’t like leaving Maria to go out
there by herself.”
Missy nodded. “Then we’ll all go out the back. We can see Maria safe into her car and then walk round to the café together. Will we go past the back of Holly’s store on the way?”
Laura nodded. “Yeah. We can see if she’s still there.”
Maria wanted to tell them she was fine, but she loved the way they all looked out for each other—and that she was included in that.
When they were all outside, Laura locked the door and they walked Maria over to her car. All the little hairs on the back of Maria’s neck stood up at the thought that they were being watched. They were; but only by Manny’s guy who’d been watching her every day for weeks now.
She opened her car door and got in. “Thanks, ladies. I hope you have a great evening.”
Missy frowned at her. “I thought we were just being overly cautious coming out here with you. Why do you need that?”
Maria didn’t need to follow her gaze to know that she’d spotted the baseball bat she kept behind her seat. She smiled and tried to make light of it. “Hopefully, I don’t. But what’s that saying? It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it, right?”
Missy wrinkled her nose. “If you say so. Are you sure you’re okay?”
Maria gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, really. Right, Laura?”
Laura nodded. “So you keep telling me.”
They all turned at the sound of car tires screeching as they pulled away.
Emma shuddered. “Eesh. This is freaking me out. Do you want us to follow you home, make sure you get there okay?”
Maria smiled. “No, honestly. I’m fine.” She wanted to tell them that there would be someone following her home and he’d probably be of more help if she needed him.
“You go,” said Laura. “I want to see you drive away before we leave.”
“Okay. See you tomorrow.” She closed the door and started the engine, then watched them all waving in the rearview mirror as she pulled away. When she pulled out onto East Shore, she checked the mirror a few more times, but if there was anyone following her—good guy or bad guy—she didn’t see them.
When she got back to the house, she waited impatiently while the gate swung open, grateful that she had her own remote and didn’t have to open her window and press the buzzer. She was on edge. She’d managed to not allow herself to think too deeply about Morales and what might happen, but something about the way the girls had acted tonight had burst her bubble. She was scared.
She drove into the garage and closed the door behind her before she got out of her car. Then ran for the door that led into the kitchen.
Zack was standing there at the island, pouring them each a glass of wine. She went straight to him and closed her arms around him.
“Hey!” He wrapped her up in a hug. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
She buried her face in his chest. “I’m scared, Zack. It hit me tonight that he might really get you. He could hurt you—he could kill you. I can’t stand it. Why don’t we leave? You’ve done okay all this time by hiding and moving on. We should do that. I don’t want you to let him find you.”
He hugged her to his chest and dropped a kiss on top of her head. “It’s okay, peanut. It’s all going to be okay.”
“You don’t know that. You can’t know that. We should run while we can.”
He tucked his fingers under her chin and made her look up into his eyes. “I do know that. It’s going to be over soon. I saw him today when I came out of the gym. He wanted me to see him. He’s letting me know he’s going to make his move soon.”
Her blood ran cold. “Then we need to leave. Now!”
“No. If we run now, we’ll be running forever. It needs to end.”
“But Zack …”
“It’s going to be okay. I told you. I love you. You’re stuck with me forever.”
She had to blink away tears as she buried her face in his chest. “Forever had better be a really, really long time.”
Chapter Eighteen
Maria didn’t want to go to work the next morning. She wanted to stay with Zack. She had a horrible sense of foreboding.
He took hold of her hand as they sat at the island eating breakfast. “It’s going to be okay.”
She shook her head. “You can’t know that. You have to go back to Nashville on Monday and then what? Will he know where you’ve gone? Will he follow you? Will he decide that since you’re not here he may as well come after me?”
“No!” Zack shook his head. “I talked to Clay yesterday. I’m not going. I was going to surprise you, but you need to know, I’m not going anywhere till this is over.”
“But you have to. It’s your job.”
“It is, but I have to do what’s best for everyone. I explained things to Clay, and I talked to Luke. One of Smoke’s pilots is going to stand in for me.”
Maria blew out a sigh. “Okay. Good. I’m glad they’re all taken care of. I still think we should just pack up and leave though.”
He squeezed her hand. “Not now. We’re almost there. He’s going to make his move. I can feel it.”
“I can too! That’s why I’m saying we should go, before he gets the chance.”
“I’ll be okay. I promise you. You need to get ready. You’re going to be late.”
“I don’t want to go.”
“You’ll feel better if you do. It’ll take your mind off it.”
“I don’t want to take my mind off it! I don’t want to think about anything except keeping the man I love alive.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry … I’m kind of focused on that, too. So’s Manny.”
She frowned. “What are you going to do today?”
“I’m going to go to the gym this morning, same as I have every day this week.”
Maria scowled. “So that you’re in the same place at the same time so that he can find you easily and try to kill you, right?”
“Yes. So that we can get this over with. I know you think it’s crazy, but at least this way, we’re in control of the circumstances.”
She nodded sadly. “I know. I know all the logic. I get it. But I just can’t think logically right now. I love you too much to lose you.”
“And I love you too much to let anything take me away from you. We’re forever you and me, peanut. And dealing with Morales is the beginning of our forever, not the end.”
She nodded. “Okay, but I want you to call me, like every half hour or something.”
He smiled. “I’ll call you before I go to the gym, and I’ll call you when I get back.”
“What if you don’t get back? What if something happens to you?”
He squeezed her hand. “I’ll call you.”
She slid down from the stool. “You’d better. I’m going to go to work, but only because if I stay here, I’m going to drive us both nuts.”
“Just try to have a normal day. There’s no saying that today is going to be it.”
“There is. I know it. I can feel it.”
He walked her to her car in the garage and held her close before she got in. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. I love you too much to let anything happen. I need to do this, Maria. I need to end it.”
She had to blink back tears. “I love you, Zack. If you change your mind just call me. We can leave town, start over somewhere else. I’d rather do that, live life on the move with you than … than …”
“We won’t have to. I’ll see you tonight.”
~ ~ ~
After she’d left, Zack went back into the kitchen. He hated to make her worry, but he knew it all had to go down this way. He’d promised her it would all be okay, and he intended to do everything in his power to make sure that it would, but there was a niggling fear that maybe he wouldn’t be able to do enough. What if Morales surprised him? He and Manny had gone over all the scenarios they could come up with. Any place that Morales might come after him, they had a plan. Zack wasn’t a fighter by nature, but after his experienc
e at the hands of Morales and his brother, he’d taken all kinds of self-defense and martial arts classes. He knew enough, he hoped, to at least keep Morales at bay until Manny arrived to help. And Manny would never be too far away.
In the early days, he’d been afraid that Morales might just shoot him—pick him off from a couple hundred yards away with a rifle. But the FBI profilers had assured him that that was highly unlikely. Morales wanted revenge. This was personal. Zack wasn’t a stranger to him; he’d been Morales’ victim—his hostage—for weeks. His profile said that Morales was most likely to attack with a knife. Zack shuddered at the sure knowledge that that bastard would want to look him in the eyes and see his pain while he twisted a knife in his guts and watched him die.
He jumped when Manny came through from the annex. “Jesus!”
“What’s up?”
Zack shook his head. “I’m just psyching myself out, I guess. Maria was upset this morning and she set me thinking and …” He shrugged. “She has a feeling that today’s the day, and I think she’s right.”
Manny nodded solemnly. “That makes three of us. After all this time, I thought it would still come as a surprise—take us unaware—but I’d bet my life on it being today.”
Zack gave him a rueful smile. “You don’t need to do that … we’ll just bet mine.”
“It’s not much of a gamble, Zack. We’ve got this. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
“I know. I’m feeling a weird kind of calm. Either I’m just so ready for it to be over that I’m okay with it,” he gave a small laugh, “or some part of me knows I’m going to die.”
Manny scowled at him. “Not going to happen. Not on my watch.”
~ ~ ~
Maria couldn’t focus at work. All she could think about was Zack and Morales and what might happen and whether Zack would still be okay by the time she got home—she couldn’t let her mind go near the question of if he’d still be alive! She needed to have as much faith in him and Manny as he did.
Laura came out from her workshop in the back and gave her an odd look when she noticed that Maria was still polishing the same ring she’d been polishing twenty minutes ago. “Are you sure you want to be here today?”