And then Scott walked out, and it was only her and Garrett.
He gave her an odd look. Tears trickled from her eyes and her nose itched. He walked over and gently wiped her face, and she thought maybe everything was going to be all right, and that Scott would come back and say it had all been a bad joke.
“What’s going on, Garrett?” she finally asked, hating the wobble in her voice, the tears that dripped down her cheeks.
“You’ll have to stay here until you’re calm. Then you will leave the school. But Scott insisted I don’t involve the police.”
“P-police?”
“It’s okay. I promised him you won’t be charged. However, I want you off the grounds. Your possessions will be collected from your room and brought here, along with your vehicle. Please don’t interact with any students.” Garrett dragged a tired hand over his jaw. “Just go away.”
A warm wetness gushed from the corners of her eyes. She guessed she was bawling but couldn’t wipe her face. “You’re k-kicking me out because I’m Joey’s sister?” She sniffed and bent her head, trying to dry her face on her arm. “I want to see Scott,” she said weakly. “Please.”
“He’s gone, Megan. He doesn’t want to see you again. He had a fiancée who was an addict. To him, dealers are the lowest form of scum.”
“Gone? He’s gone?” She sniffed and Garrett’s face blurred.
“Don’t worry. He left the key. Made me promise to remove the cuffs once you’re calm.” Garrett frowned. “Do you want to use the bathroom? Wash your face?”
She nodded, trying to work her words around the lump in her throat. Scott was gone? Really gone?
“I was going to tell him,” she whispered. “About Joey. And that Miguel hurt Tami.”
“Well, unfortunately it’s too late for that.” Garrett’s eyes looked sad as he pulled the key from his pocket. “Stand up.”
She lurched to her feet. Garrett moved behind her, fumbled for a moment. The cuffs clinked off.
“Bathroom is second door on the right.” He pointed down the hall.
Her throat felt too raw to talk so she merely nodded and stumbled down the hall to the bathroom.
Her reflection in the mirror was scary. Her head spun, and she looked like a stranger with frayed eyes, blotchy skin and unkempt hair. She splashed water on her face and held onto the sink for a long moment.
This was crazy. And Scott was as big a jerk as Miguel. To cuff her and leave without any questions. He hadn’t even tried to understand. Maybe she should have told him earlier, but at the time she’d mistrusted his tight relationship with Garrett. All his talk about dependability, about sticking around. What bullshit.
She blinked, trying to soothe the sting behind her eyes. Splashed more cold water on her face.
Finally, it seemed as though her brain worked a bit better. Seemed she was back to her original plan…minus Scott.
Asshole. She ached all over, especially her chest. Probably because of the way he’d manhandled her. She checked her arms, even lifted her shirt, but couldn’t find a single bruise. She pulled her shirt back down with a sniff. Cops probably learned how to muscle people around without leaving a mark. No wonder people resisted arrest. It was horrible, humiliating and frightening.
“Asshole,” she muttered, aloud this time. Still, it was over. Not really a big deal except for the ignominy of being kicked out. So now she’d just drive up to Santa Anita and find Eve. She pulled out her phone and checked her messages. Nothing from Eve but a rather frantic one from Tami.
Lydia is here packing your stuff!! WTF???
Wow. Garrett hadn’t wasted much time although at least it wasn’t Ramon going through her drawers, handling her underwear. She clamped her mouth, fighting her regret at not being able to say good-bye to Tami. At least she could text so Tami wouldn’t worry.
Her fingers felt clumsy as she pressed a message. Talk later. Is Lydia still there?
Yes, Tami texted back.
Will call. Stay away from Miguel. Keep my necklace.
I luv u, Tami messaged and Megan smiled, stiffly but still a smile.
She slipped her phone in her pocket and replaced Garrett’s plush towel on the heated rack. She hadn’t noticed the bathroom earlier, had been too staggered by events, but it was magnificent with luxurious fixtures and elaborate lighting that emphasized the rich tones.
Maybe she’d renovate her bathroom when she returned home. She didn’t want the inconvenience of major changes, but a little decorating might be good. Buy some new furniture, a nicer TV, a sofa for two… Her heart cracked.
And I won’t think of Scott anymore.
She yanked the door open. He’d cuffed her, handing her off to Garrett like a criminal. And even though she was drained of tears, the stabbing in her chest wouldn’t quit. She had let herself imagine a future, had pictured Scott sprawled on her couch, tussling with her over the remote.
Asshole. She tramped down the hall.
Garrett raised an eyebrow. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
She jammed her hands in her pockets and shook her head. Refused to pretend this was a normal visit. “So am I allowed to leave? Gather my stuff?”
“Lydia is getting it. And then you’ll vacate the property. Stay away from the students.” He paused, his blue eyes glittering with an odd intensity. “And I expect you to stay away from Scott too. Although since he despises traffickers, it’s clear your relationship is finished.”
“Our relationship is definitely finished,” she snapped. “And I might charge you both with unnecessary roughness.” She paused. “What do you mean, trafficking?”
Garrett shrugged, still studying her face with a peculiar intensity. “I should have guessed you were related to Joey, the way you insisted on digging up every little detail. But I never dreamed you’d drag Scott into it. Do you intend to continue this ridiculous search?”
“It’s not ridiculous. I’m going to find out what happened to my brother.”
“But Scott won’t help you any longer.” Garrett turned and poured himself a coffee. “I wish you well, my dear, I really do.”
“Joey’s not a trafficker,” she said fiercely, “and I wish you’d believe that.”
“Doesn’t matter what I believe. We’ve obtained a three-year mandate, and the school’s operations can continue.” He walked to the front door and glanced out the window. “Ah, the ever-competent Lydia had arrived. Just wait inside. I’ll get your bag, then drive you to pick up your truck.”
He wasn’t even going to let her explain to Lydia. “You’re carrying this too far,” she said.
He gave her a warning look so she blew out a resigned sigh and flopped on the sofa. But as soon as he stepped outside, she whipped out her phone and called Tami.
“What the hell!” Tami said, her voice rising. “Lydia said you were kicked out because of heroin possession. Half a million dollars in street value. I told her she was crazy, but she said both Garrett and Scott saw it.”
A chill swept Megan. Her legs turned so numb she was relieved she was sitting. “That’s not true. Garrett is kicking me out because I’m Joey’s sister…and I concealed it.”
“You’re Joey’s sister?” Tami was silent for a moment. Then her words came in a rush. “Well, that’s good. You could say it was Joey’s heroin. And I’ll vouch I never saw you selling. That’s not a lie.”
“But I don’t know anything about heroin.” Megan rubbed her forehead. “I think you must have misunderstood Lydia.”
“No. She was surprised too. Said you weren’t even allowed to go to Rambo’s retirement party. She thought you should go, you know, because you found Rambo the home, but Garrett refused.”
Megan shook her head. It seemed as though Tami spoke a different language. “Tell me about the heroin,” she said.
“I told Lydia the only person with drugs was Miguel. But Scott and Garrett saw heroin in your bag.”
“Oh, God! So that’s what Garrett meant. They think I was trafficking.�
� She glanced up as Garrett opened the door and dropped her large leather duffle bag by the wall. “This is all a big mistake, Tami. I’ll call you back.”
She cut the connection and leaped to her feet. “Garrett, you have to listen.”
“Who were you talking to?” he asked.
“Tami. She told me about the heroin. But it wasn’t mine. I swear it. Someone must have put it there. I didn’t even know why you and Scott were so angry, and I lost my temper because of Miguel. Please, you have to believe me. It’s not mine.”
Garrett’s face darkened, and he didn’t look at all pleased. “I think the best thing is for you to go home and forget this. Just give it up.” His eyes narrowed. “Or I will call the police. Scott doesn’t believe you either. In fact, you sicken him.”
She flinched as though slapped.
“I’ll refund your tuition,” Garrett added. “Go and wait for your brother to come home. No one wants you around.”
“F-fine.” Her voice quavered. “But you should kick out Miguel too. He’s a creep and he hurt Tami and he might hurt other students—”
“I’ll look after Miguel. Now let’s get your vehicle. You have a long drive.” Garrett’s phone rang. He checked the display, then picked it up.
“Yes. Everything’s fine,” he said. He turned his back and paced to the window. “She’s leaving the property now. Meet me here, but don’t worry. Everything’s fine,” he repeated, glancing over his shoulder.
He closed his phone. “Better hurry before I change my mind.” He scooped up her duffle bag and her smaller overnight bag.
“May I see it?” she asked. “The drugs you saw in my bag.”
“Look, this is over, Megan.” His mouth flattened. “And if you talk to anybody about what happened here, I’ll be forced to report you to the authorities. In spite of my promise to Scott.”
“But I’d like to see it,” she said. “There must be some mistake.”
“Don’t be silly,” he said wearily. “We’re not letting you keep it. It was in your small bag, along with Joey’s iPod.”
She squeezed her eyes shut, remembering how Scott had raked her with such contempt. The same expression her father had when the police charged her with drug possession. He’d left then too.
“Of course he left,” Garrett said. “And no ridiculous explanation will change Scott’s mind. So forget about calling him.”
She realized she’d been speaking aloud and opened her eyes. “Scott’s the last person I’d call,” she said dully. “He didn’t care enough to listen.”
“Precisely.” Garrett had the door half open when his phone buzzed again. He glanced at the display, stepped back and dropped her bags on the floor. “Just a minute,” he muttered.
“Hey!” He spoke into the phone with such forced joviality, Megan leaned against the wall, guessing he was going to be more than a minute. Despite Garrett’s intention that he escort her off the grounds, she intended to pop up to her room and say goodbye to Tami. Surely they’d let her do that?
“Yeah,” Garrett was saying. “She’s fine. The cuffs have been off for a while.”
She straightened away from the wall and stared at Garrett. Obviously he was talking about her. Must be Scott on the other end. A pang shot through her.
“She’s…almost calm,” Garrett added, turning his back to Megan. “I think, maybe she’d been a little cranked. That explains the mood swings. Naturally really, considering…”
Megan frowned. She didn’t want to talk to Scott—after all, he’d deserted her—but she was more than calm, and she resented the inference that she was a raving junkie.
“Sure, I’ll tell her,” Garrett said, his voice almost jovial. He closed the phone.
“And of course he’s hardwired to help,” Garrett muttered, as if talking to himself. “It’s in his DNA.” He hardened his shoulders and turned.
“Just a moment,” he said to Megan. “I need to make a call.” His gaze flickered over her face but didn’t meet her gaze. “Ramon,” he said, pressing his phone back to his ear. “We have a situation.”
She gulped. Garrett’s voice sounded different. Resigned, flat. She backed up a step, uncertain. But the hair on the back of her neck prickled, and the adrenaline rush made her stomach roil. “I need to use the bathroom again,” she said.
She turned and stumbled down the hall, her legs so wobbly she felt drunk. She locked the door and stared wide-eyed at the knob while her heart hammered with a sickening dread. The drugs had been in her overnight bag. In Scott’s villa. The only people near it were Scott and Garrett. Scott would never plant drugs in her bag.
It had to be Garrett… But why?
She pulled out her phone and tapped in Tami’s number, her fingers clumsy. “Tami,” she whispered. “I’m in Garrett’s bathroom. If I don’t call you back in half an hour, I’m in big trouble.”
“You’re already in big trouble,” Tami said.
“Even bigger,” Megan said. “Never mind, I’m going to sneak out the back door. See you in a minute.”
She opened the bathroom door and listened. Garrett was still on the phone but speaking Spanish. There was a door off the patio to the pool. She remembered it from her interview. She crept down the hall and peered around the corner, watching as Garrett paced. He was doing more listening than talking, his face so twisted it looked like a stranger’s.
She waited until he’d turned back to the front door then dashed across the wide expanse and down the hall. Fumbled with the door, then slid it back, no longer caring about the noise. She just wanted out.
She lurched across the pool deck, briefly blinded by the sun reflecting off the blue water. Spotted a gate to the right, on the other side of the huge barbecue. She swung it open.
Squeaked in fright when she saw Ramon looming on the other side.
“Hi,” she managed, her breath escaping in gasps. “Garrett’s busy on the phone. I’m just going to get my truck.”
Ramon said nothing, his dark eyes flat. She backed away. He stepped forward and pressed a phone to his ear.
“I got her,” he said.
She bolted around the pool, but he caught her arm and yanked her back into the house.
“Damn Scott,” Garrett said. He pulled her hands in front of her and awkwardly clicked the cuffs back on. “She’s got a phone somewhere,” he added.
Ramon patted around her pockets, extracting her phone, but she could only stare at Garrett. “Why? Why are you doing this?”
“I can’t have Scott poking around. He’s too relentless,” Garrett said. “I thought the drugs would turn him off, but I underestimated your charms. Inconvenient for us all.” His voice turned regretful. “Especially for you.”
“But Scott’s gone.” Her voice cracked. “And I’m just going home.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll ever stop looking for your brother. Will you?” He tilted her face so she couldn’t jerk away then sighed and dropped his hand. “Scott’s determined to help. So you see how it has to be.”
“N-no, I don’t see. How?” She trembled like a leaf but Garrett had already turned to Ramon.
“Take her to the cowshed. Stick to the back lane. I’ll get her truck.”
Ramon grunted and propelled her out the door. Her legs wouldn’t work and she stumbled on the cobblestones. He yanked her up and shoved her headfirst into Garrett’s car. At least her hands were in front. Scott had cuffed her from behind, a much more helpless feeling.
In fact—she eyed the door handle, resolving to jump out as soon as they were beyond Garrett’s sight, whatever the speed. She only wished her legs would stop shaking.
“Don’t worry,” Ramon said. “Everything will be all right.” But the door locks clicked and when she jerked her head around, he wouldn’t look at her, and she knew he was lying.
She fought the bile rising in her throat. “Is this what happened to Joey?” she asked.
“If you don’t make any trouble, we’ll take you to see him,” Ramon
said with an insincere smile. “No problem.”
“Oh, that’s good then.” She hoped he didn’t hear the wobble in her voice. She was terrified and sweating, her mind and body disjointed, but did he really think she was such a fool?
Maybe.
“Garrett told me what you two were doing,” she added, forcing a careless smile. “And of course, I’m cool with that, making money… I think you guys are so smart.”
Ramon gave a satisfied shrug. “We’ve moved over twenty million for the Baja Tinda.”
Megan’s hands clenched on her lap, so tightly her fingers turned white. “That’s a lot of money,” she croaked, deciding she really didn’t want to hear anymore.
“It was Garrett’s idea to bale the money in the hay,” Ramon said. “But it wouldn’t have happened without my cousin’s connections.”
“Your cousin?”
“Hugo, Miguel’s father. Someday he’ll be as powerful as Sanchez.”
Megan gripped her hands, so tightly her nails bit into her skin. The Sanchez cartel—even she had heard of them. They were rumored to have more guns than the California Police. And Miguel’s people were taking them on. Her laugh was almost hysterical.
“Do you hide guns in the hay too?”
“Only money,” he said. “Four horses, eight bales. Just enough for the journey. Not enough hay to draw suspicion.”
A sickening nausea lodged in her stomach. Now she knew. Joey had stumbled onto this. No wonder he hadn’t called. She stared at Ramon, her face frozen. “Is my brother at the Baja Tinda?”
“Of course.” But the edge of his mouth tightened, and she fought the urge to leap across the seat and scratch his lying face. “We’ll take you to him,” Ramon added.
“Great.” She swallowed, wetting her throat, trying to fake a calmness she didn’t feel. “I can help load the horses. But what about my passport? I hope Lydia put it in my bag. Maybe we should check—”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ramon said.
HORSES AND HEROIN (Romantic Mystery) Page 26