by DiAnn Mills
“Now I remember,” Cole said. “Blame the drugs.”
“Y’all scare me,” Valerie said. “Tori lives this life, but she spares me the inside scoop.”
“Twenty-four years of it, and I’ll never get used to the danger.” Max’s wife glanced at her husband. Her compassionate look told Cole her fears referred more to his health than being an agent.
“You’re one tough hombre,” Max said. “By all rights, you both should be dead.”
“Max,” Tori said.
“Yeah.”
“Had to be God.”
Janie nodded. “Without a doubt.”
Max was silent. What would it take for him to see he needed God too?
“We need to let this man rest.” Janie hooked her arm through Max’s.
“Yeah, give Cole and Tori time alone. Let them flirt in private.”
Cole stifled the urge to grin.
Less than ten minutes later, the group left him to rest. Truth known, he was exhausted and the steady drip into his veins made him sleepy. He woke an hour later when a nurse helped him roll over onto a stretcher and pushed him toward his suite for the night.
When Cole opened his eyes, Tori was sleeping in a chair close beside him. She had her hair pulled back with a clip, but a few curls flowed around her face. How peaceful she looked, with the faint light over his bed accenting her beauty. He noted the bandage on her arm. It had to hurt, and still she was there with him. He could get used to her company.
A distant memory crossed his mind, but it must have been a dream.
He managed to wrap his fingers around his phone on the nightstand and pressed in Manny’s number. His friend answered on the first ring. Once they got past the catching up, Cole dug into the reason for his call.
“Remember you told me about your cousin in prison?” Cole said.
“Might get parole in ten years. What’cha need?”
“Earlier Tori and I found Jose Aznar’s body in a shed at the rig. Hermanos de Pistoleros used me and Tori for target practice this morning. We left three bodies behind. I want to know who paid them. It’s linked to Nathan Moore’s murder, Preston Ustach, and now two explosions at the same drill site. And Aznar’s cousin is a member of the gang.”
“Just heard about the firefight and the explosion, but names weren’t released. Should have known you were in the middle of it. Were either of you hurt?”
“Tori has a few stitches on her arm and a minor head injury. I’m okay. At the hospital in Galveston waiting to hear from the doctor.”
“Close call. I’ll light a candle for you at Mass in the morning.”
“Thanks. As soon as you have the names, give me a call. Day or night.”
“I’ll see if I can get hold of my cousin’s wife now.”
Cole ended the call but kept the phone in his hand and closed his eyes.
“You neglected to tell Manny how seriously you were wounded or that the doctor is keeping you overnight.”
He refused to open his eyes and see the scolding in those green depths. “The doctor could review my test results and change her mind.”
“Wouldn’t put any money on your theory. Agents are outside your door, and I’m sleeping in this chair tonight with my Glock in my shoulder bag.”
He blew out his frustration. “You’ve got to be kidding. How about I take the chair, and you take the bed?”
“Do I hear a bit of male chauvinism?”
“Yes.”
“Honesty is the first step toward recovery.”
“What am I going to do with you?” If he could have kicked himself, he would have. This wasn’t the situation to confess his ever-growing feelings.
She examined the amount of fluid in his IV. “Is that honesty or anger?”
Her softened tone told him what his heart wanted to hear. “Both,” he said. “By any chance did you kiss me at the drill site?”
She would not look at him. “We were in the middle of trying to stay alive.”
“Not then. Later.”
“Really, Cole. Do I look like the kissy-face type?”
Actually she did, but he’d drop it for now. “What have we uncovered that has the bad guys upset?”
“If they were following Preston Ustach, they might think he revealed critical info before he died. We’re snooping around. Makes them nervous.”
“Do you have any idea the amount of money funding these crimes?” Cole said. “Two explosions at the drill site, Nathan’s hacker, a sniper for Ustach, and a hired gang to take us out. What they’re hoping to gain must be huge.”
“Control of Moore Oil & Gas? Who is running operations now?”
“We’ll learn who’s in control at the reading of the will.”
“Right,” she said. “Tuesday. Sally’s in line to inherit millions, but who runs the company remains to be seen. None of his immediate officers indicate they have an idea. All appear to be confused and waiting.”
“Are you sure the history on his execs has gone deep enough?” He rubbed his face. “If one or more of them is orchestrating the crimes, the very assets making money are being destroyed.”
“You’re right, Cole. Money is the motivator here. Someone has millions of dollars in their sights.”
“We’re a smart team. We’ll figure it out.” The effort to carry on a conversation weighed on him.
Her gaze turned tender. “For the record, if you ever play hero again, try to protect me like I’m a girl with no skills, I’ll personally unload my weapon on you.”
“As a graduate of the US Marshals’ gladiator academy, I might have found my match.”
“You have.”
He tried to hide the smile, and not because it hurt to move his lips. “Got it, Special Agent Templeton.”
“One more thing. God and I have the best friend thing going.”
He’d take another bullet to hear her repeat the claim. “What happened? Did you think I was going to die on you?”
“Right, and then I’d have to finish the case with Max.”
He settled back against the pillow. “I’m glad. This is better than church.”
“Thanks.” She pointed to the phone. “Tell me about your call just now.”
“An informant for the US Marshals Service might be able to give us a name.” He explained Manny’s connection. “As soon as I have info, I’ll let you know. My turn. What went on after I passed out?”
“Nothing exciting. Just a lot of heat. I phoned 911. Checked on the security guard, but he was gone.” She lifted her chin. “I sat beside you and dabbed at the blood on your head and talked.”
“What did you say?”
“Mostly how mad I was that you’d been hurt. Ordered you to keep breathing and not bleed out.”
“I listened.” His eyes grew heavy again. “If my phone rings, would you answer?”
“Sure. Cole, we will stop those guys . . . before they try again.”
“I know we wounded a couple of them, and they’ll have to risk getting medical attention. Hopefully something results from that. We’re closer to answers, or we wouldn’t have been in their sights today.” His speech had worn him out.
“Why don’t you sleep?”
He raised his hand, the one with the IV. “In a minute. Once I’m out of here, I want to talk to Mrs. Aznar.”
TORI WOKE from a sound sleep to a phone ringing. Her neck ached from the awkward position in the hospital chair. She glanced at the nightstand and saw the screen light up on Cole’s cell phone with Manny. Groggy and the pain in her head like a jackhammer, she listened to it ring one more time while struggling to reach it. Cole slept through it.
“Cole Jeffers’s phone.”
“This is Manny Lopez, a friend. Is Cole available?”
“Asleep at the moment.”
“Are you a nurse?”
She smiled in the darkness. “No. FBI Special Agent Tori Templeton. My nursing skills are sadly lacking. He said you might call.”
“He told me about you. Ho
w is he? For that matter, how are you?”
“I’ll survive, and Cole will be okay in a few days. I’m glad the doctor admitted him.”
“Sounds like he got the bad end of an ugly stick.”
“And was beaten with it. The test results are good, which means he’ll probably be cut loose in the morning.”
“Knowing Cole, he’ll be out looking for the gang who did this. When he wakes up, would you tell him I talked to my friend?”
Curiosity would drive her crazy. “Can’t you give me the info? We’re partners.”
“Yeah. I suppose I could.”
“I’m awake,” Cole said. “Is it Manny?”
“Yes.” She pressed Speaker while flipping on the light. “We have Cole with us now.”
The two men tossed a few bantering remarks before getting back to why Manny had called.
“Tonight’s conversations with my informant confused me about the Moore case,” Manny said. “I haven’t put it all together in my head, but I’ll help any way I can.”
What did Manny mean?
“Who ordered Tori and me eliminated?” Cole said, more alert than she expected.
“A man but no name. The only clue to his identity was he spoke perfect English. My informant will continue looking. The thing is if the Hermanos de Pistoleros were hired for the hit and they failed, they didn’t get paid.”
“Their reputation and cash flow are at stake.” Cole glanced at Tori. “They’re minus a few men too.”
“I’ll update you the moment I have something.”
“Thanks.”
“Pleasure meeting you, Tori.” Manny clicked off.
Cole rested against the pillow. “Are you up to sending a request to the ASAC?”
She pulled her phone from her purse and typed. “If you keep hanging out with the FBI, you might find yourself at Quantico.”
“No thanks.”
“Cole, I don’t think we’re going to find a thing unless there’s another red flag with Jose Aznar or Nathan’s trip to London.”
“I hate hospitals.”
She ignored him and scrolled through her phone for updates. A report hit her radar. “This came in around 3:10 p.m. yesterday. We were probably napping and didn’t hear it.”
“Read it to me, unless you’re not into clerical duties.” He chuckled.
She raised a brow. “How do you manage to stay up in the middle of trying to figure out who killed Nathan and all the other crimes?”
“It’s the steady drip of sweet stuff flowing through me.”
“I want some.” She moved her chair a little closer to the bed. “Here’s the latest from London. Nathan invested heavily in oil rigs in the North Sea. No partners in the deal.” She glanced up. “It makes sense for him to have an office and flat there, though he could also handle the business in the States remotely.”
“Who did he purchase the wells from?”
“A German corporation, and the company checked out.”
“What about the flat there? Did the agreement mention a woman?”
“No. We could request security footage from the area.”
“Request back to September when Sally stated he flew to London. Has she talked much about the reading of the will?”
“There’ll likely be surprises, and I want to offer support.”
“Should I accompany you? If Nathan made arrangements to financially take care of Anita Krantz, Sally could use both of us.”
She studied him, wounded and still thinking about their friend. “I’ll ask her.”
He looked at the time. “It’s 4:32. Can we get a little sleep before we dive into this again?”
“You’re hurting, aren’t you?”
“I’m not alone. Your face is drawn like your head’s about to explode. But requesting pain meds means I’ll be in a haze until noon.”
“Just in case, Marshal Jeffers, where’s your weapon?”
“In my muscles, Special Agent Templeton. Where’s yours?”
“My purse is at my feet.” She released her hair clip. “But I have a weapon in my hand.”
“What?”
She displayed what the hair clip actually contained. “It has six tools—large flat-head screwdriver, small flat-head screwdriver, serrated cutter, 5/16” wrench, a small ruler, and keeps my hair in place.” She snapped off the light. “Good night, Cole.”
SUNDAY BEFORE 10 A.M., a two-man team of FBI agents drove Tori and Cole to their homes. She anticipated a Hermanos de Pistoleros attack, but no one appeared. The stress kept her adrenaline flowing, and her hand wrapped around her Glock. And something new to her arsenal—prayer.
Agents were in place at Cole’s home. Janie and Max planned to stay until Manny and his wife arrived. Cole protested, but when Janie asked where he kept his duct tape, he gave in. Then she offered to make a pot of chili and jalapeño corn bread. Tori promised to check in—which also met his disapproval. But she knew he’d sleep the moment he swallowed a few pain pills.
Two agents escorted Tori to her apartment. They searched each room. Finding nothing, they left to guard her apartment from the parking lot. The question penetrating her skull, along with the incessant hammering, kept her pondering. In her desire to keep Sally safe, would she put her friends in danger?
In her living room, she closed the blinds, forcing her injured arm to do part of the work. For some reason, the rock thrown through the Moore window came to mind. The Moores had their own stalkers too. Better she act as an additional bodyguard inside the house than do nothing. With that conclusion, she packed for a few days and requested the agents to continue watching her apartment. Within minutes, the exhaustion from the previous day and the lack of sleep the night before coaxed her into a nap.
She wakened with a need to phone Cole. Manny answered the phone, stating Cole was still asleep. She left a message for her hero to rest and contact her when he wakened.
Once at the Moores’, she unpacked her belongings in the guest room. Sally helped after making more than one comment about how tired Tori looked.
“Are you sure you can sleep here? The mattress is a bit hard.” Sally opened a drawer and tucked in pajamas. “My bed is comfy. You could sleep there, and I’ll take this one.”
The idea of sleeping where Nathan had laid his head seemed morbid. “This is perfect.” She hugged her friend’s waist. “Thanks for caring. Hey, I nearly forgot this, but did Albert Weiman ask you for my address?”
“No. He visited here to express his condolences. Do you remember Erik? According to Albert, he’s suffering with MS.”
“Albert showed up at my door before six one morning.”
“I think he’s grieving Erik’s illness. And I smelled alcohol on his breath.”
Tori finished putting her clothes in drawers and the closet. “Do we have things to do tonight?”
“I’ve dreaded the task since I woke this morning. Going through Nathan’s closet and personal items is depressing to say the least. Frankly, I’m afraid we’ll find more evidence of his betrayal.”
Tori hated to see her friend this miserable. “Nathan has surprised us with his activities, but he was killed by someone who had no right to take his life. That person deserves to be tried in a court of law. Whoever threatened you and your sons will be found. Because if he isn’t stopped, he’ll continue.”
“Thanks for using the term he. Makes me feel better, like I’ve been scratched off the suspect list.”
“You’ve been deleted from mine. I’d like nothing better than to make an arrest. Even more so is to see you and the boys safe until it’s settled.”
“I understand. Lance and Jack are my life. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them . . . except run from our home. Surely it will be over soon.” She stepped from Tori’s hold and closed the bedroom door. “I know I had things planned for tonight, but I keep thinking about Nathan’s office in London. Should I tell the boys first?”
“By all means. You don’t want them learning anything new from the
media or other kids.”
“I’m going to do it now.”
“Want me along for moral support?” Tori said.
Sally nodded. “I’ll find Lance and Jack, then meet you in the media room.”
A short while later, Sally informed her sons of Nathan’s second office and his trip plans.
“And you knew nothing about this?” Lance’s face held no trace of emotion, making him difficult to read until he rubbed the back of his neck. Frustration raged in him.
“He’d mentioned a second office but nothing definite.”
“Mom, do you have any idea what it means if it’s proven you were aware?”
“Yes. It means I could have motive to murder your dad. But we don’t know if he planned to live there permanently.”
Jack rushed to his feet. “Can’t Aunt Tori speak up for you?”
“I suppose. The problem—”
“So what are we supposed to do now?” Lance said. “We have been threatened, and you could be charged with murder. What then? A foster home?”
Tori bit back a retort. It wasn’t about Lance.
Sally paled. “My parents would never let that happen.”
Lance snorted, typical. “Oh, great. Kit and Wes to the rescue. Old people telling us what to do. I had enough of their interference when they were here. Really, Mom. They aren’t coming back until it’s no longer ‘dangerous’ and this family’s name is splattered clean, which means never.”
She rose from the sofa, her manicured nails digging into her palms. “Then how should we move forward, Lance?”
His face scrunched with agony. “I’m sorry. Promised myself I wouldn’t go off on you. I wish I had answers, to make everything right.”
“You’ve been doing good,” Jack said. “A great brother.”
Sally glanced at Tori, then back to Lance and Jack. “I . . . can’t take much more.” She swiped beneath her eye and left the room, leaving Lance speechless.
Tori moved beside him and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Lance, go to your mother and make amends. Hold her. Talk to her. You need to be united in love and support.”
He straightened and disappeared down the steps.