by Desiree Holt
* * * *
Kenzi rode to the ranch with Trey in the morning, aware of how uptight he was.
“You’d better take a deep breath, soldier,” she told him, “or you’ll fuck up your mission.”
“Never. But I might fuck up this thing between us if I can’t figure out how to keep you safe without pissing you off.”
She laughed, and it eased the tension.
“You already know me so well.” She squeezed his thigh. “Better than any other man, for sure.”
“And it’s going to stay that way. Count on it.”
“I will. I do. You stay safe and everything will be fine. Do not let this distract you from what you have to do.”
He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I’ll be coming home to you safe and sound. You stay the same way.”
“Promise. I’m going to do my best. Any word on when you’ll be back?”
“Slade said the estimate on this mission is five days. We’ve got good intel. Get in, do our thing and get out.” He squeezed her hand. “I’ll probably need a lot of special care when I get back,” he teased.
“I think that can be arranged.”
Fifteen minutes later, she stood with Dana, Kari, Nikki Alvarez—Marc Blanchard’s fiancée—and Megan Welles—Beau Williams’ fiancée—as they watched the helicopter take off to deliver the men back to base. She did her best to squelch the fear that lodged in her throat—fear for the safety of all of them, but especially for Trey.
Please just let him come back to me safe and sound.
She couldn’t lose him just when she realized she’d unexpectedly found the right man for her.
Mike Williams came jogging out of the house. He and Jay had arrived at seven, about the same time as everyone not staying at the ranch.
“Ladies, there’s coffee in the kitchen. Teo brewed a fresh pot before they left.”
“I’ll have another cup before I leave for work,” Kari told him. “Then I have to get out of here. I have a court appearance today.” She grinned. “High profile. Murder case. The second one I’ve tried as first chair.”
“I bet you knock ’em dead,” Nikki said.
“Let’s hope.”
Jay was on the phone at the kitchen table, with printouts of maps and diagram spread out in front of him.
“Yeah,” he was saying, “just like that. Call me back when it’s all set.”
“When what’s all set?” Dana asked.
Mike gestured to the table. “Let’s sit down and I’ll go over it with you.”
She settled into one of the chairs. “You aren’t going to fuck this up, are you?”
He grinned at her. “That is definitely not my plan.”
“Listen, Dana.” Beau pushed back from the table. “If you don’t need us, Megan and I are heading out. I have to be at the hospital.”
“And I have a deadline,” Megan added. “Are you okay with us leaving?”
Dana nodded and reached over for Kenzi’s hand. “No, that’s fine. You don’t need to be in this mess and, besides, I’ve got my pain-in-the-ass sister with me.”
Kenzi actually smiled. “And you’re not getting rid of me.”
As soon as the two women had left, Mike sat down across from Dana and Kenzi.
“Time to get down to business. Kenzi, the first thing you need to do is call your office and get some sick leave.”
She nodded, pulled out her cell and dialed the familiar number. Reed Calhoun was not in, making her wonder exactly where he was this early. She didn’t remember him mentioning anything that he had specifically scheduled. She asked for his executive assistant and when the woman answered, did what she thought was a damn good job of impersonating someone with the flu.
“Okay,” she told Mike after ending the call. “His exec told me not to come in until I got rid of all my germs, so we’re good there. I just hope when the shit hits the fan, he doesn’t wonder if my flu has anything to do with it.”
“By that time, it won’t matter,” Mike told her. “And you might think about joining another law firm. We have no idea what all the fallout is going to be here or how high the corruption goes.”
She dropped her head into her hands. “You’re probably right. Damn.”
“I’m sorry if my story is causing any of this,” Dana told her.
“No worries.” Kenzi looked up at her. “This whole DEA thing is independent of your story. They were already all over it.”
Mike refilled his coffee mug. “Now. This spa is located in north San Antonio. We can take the road from the ranch to the Interstate and get off right near where the spa is located.”
“Good.” Dana nodded. “I was afraid it was in some isolated spot. Those always make me nervous.”
Mike grinned. “Don’t blame you. I’ve got some pictures here of the building, the parking lot and the surrounding area. Let’s go over everything until it’s etched in our brains. Stuff like where we can park to keep an eye on things.”
Several times during the morning, Kenzi’s phone dinged, first with incoming texts, then with phone calls.
“Don’t answer it,” Mike told her. “You’ve got a good excuse. You’re sick.”
“What if someone comes to check on me and I’m not home?”
“We’ll worry about that if it happens. Meanwhile, ignore it.”
By lunchtime, Kenzi was sure she had every inch of the area memorized. She’d called the spa and begged for an appointment around two o’clock. Lucky for all of them, they had a spot open. Dana wasn’t at all happy with some of Mike Elliot’s agents stationing themselves outside, but he’d ridden right over her objections.
“And I have to tell you, Kenzi,” Mike said, “Trey would really rather you did not go at all.”
“Too bad,” she snapped. “I’m a big girl and I’m not a prisoner here. Unless you lock me up—which I really do not recommend—I’m going with my sister. Besides, I think we’ll all feel better if she’s not in there alone.”
Mike threw up his hands. “Fine, but just remember, we’ll be right outside and if anything smells weird, we won’t wait for you to yell for help.”
“This is a spa,” Dana bit off. “Filled with women. Don’t get your panties in a wad.”
“You think women are safer than men?” Jay snorted. “Just look at yourself, Dana.”
“Then there should be no worries about us going inside,” she snapped.
Kenzi swallowed a laugh and turned away so the men wouldn’t see her grin.
At the appointed time, she and Dana drove from the ranch to the spa in her car. Located outside the city in the Hill Country, it was a pretty stone and stucco building surrounded by a parking lot, and beautifully landscaped. It was obvious it catered to a certain class of women. She knew Mike and Jay were close behind her and Mike had managed to get a couple of men working on landscape maintenance around the little building. Kenzi hoped to hell they wouldn’t need all that firepower. She wondered if the woman they were meeting was already here or was watching for them and waiting until they arrived. It was hard to tell from outside.
She parked at one end of the lot, as Mike had instructed, in case they needed to make a quick exit. Does he think this woman has a gun? Or has armed people with her? Anything was possible.
She pulled open the heavy carved wooden door and they stepped into a beautifully appointed lounge furnished with comfortable chairs and settees. Soft music played through hidden speakers and a credenza held coffee and fruit platters. A receptionist, immaculately dressed in slacks and a silk blouse, gave them a professional smile.
“May I help you?”
“Yes. My name is Dana Roberts. I’m meeting someone here who made this appointment for me. She told me to give you my name and you’d show me to the room where she’s waiting.”
“Of course. May I see some identification, please?”
“Yes.” Dana took out her billfold and displayed her driver’s license.
The woman and rose. “One moment,
lease.”
“Wait.” Dana reached out a hand to stop her. “My sister is with me and she made an appointment for the same time. I’d love for her to join us. I was told some of the rooms can accommodate up to four people.”
“Let me see your identification, also,” she told Kenzi.
“Do you do this with all your clients?” Kenzi asked.
“Those who are here for the first time,” the woman told her. “In this particular case, with this special client, extra precautions are always taken. Our client was very specific about the arrangements today. A room for the two of you. That’s what she requested.”
Dana chewed her bottom lip for a moment. Then she pulled a little notepad from her purse and scribbled something on it, folded it and thrust it at the receptionist.
“Here. Give her this and tell her I would not presume to include anyone who would make her uncomfortable.”
The other woman hesitated. Finally, she nodded. “I just hope you aren’t getting me in trouble.”
They stood at the desk while the woman hurried into the actual salon portion of the spa.
“What did you say in the note?” Kenzi asked, curious, her voice low enough for just the two of them to hear.
“I told her if she needed protection you had the best connection to provide it,” Dana whispered. “I said if she trusted me enough to meet me, she could trust my sister.”
“We’ll see.”
When the receptionist reappeared, she seemed slightly disturbed and the smile on her face looked artificial.
“I am to bring you both back to the room,” she reported, “but my client has warned me there may be a…dispute. You should know our clientele is comprised of extremely wealthy women who sometime acquire stalkers, so we have security on premises.”
Kenzi opened her mouth to comment, but Dana took her hand and squeezed it, signaling her to keep quiet.
“That makes us feel secure also,” she said. “Thank you.”
From the reception area they were taken into a changing room and handed over to a smiling attendant. They were given lockers to hang their clothes in, and soft, fluffy robes to put on.
“Purses go in the lockers, too,” the girl said. “I promise everything will be secure.”
When they had stashed everything, they were given wristlets with a key dangling from each one. But Kenzi noticed that Dana, when she was putting things inside the locker, managed to sneak something into her pockets. She’d have bet a month’s salary it was a voice-activated recorder.
“This way,” the girl told them, her smile still in place.
She led them down a short hallway with doors on either side to a door at the end.
“Enjoy your afternoon,” she told them as she opened the door.
The woman waiting for them was dressed in a robe similar to theirs. Although there were three spa chairs in the room, the woman was standing and was obviously nervous. She was of medium height, with thick black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Kenzi had a feeling that style was strictly for the spa. Without makeup to disguise any signs of aging, Kenzi guessed her age to be around fifty-five. But even dressed as she was, there was an ageless grace and beauty about her, and dignity in the way she carried herself, despite the nerves.
Whoever this woman was, she was no low-level snitch.
“I’m Dana.” Her sister stepped forward. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this meeting. You obviously trust me since you requested this meeting. You can put the same trust in my sister. Neither of us will reveal your identity.”
“I sincerely hope not.” The woman’s voice was low and melodious. “Miss Bryant, I’m well aware of the risk I am taking. There’s always the chance you could put me in danger if you reveal who I am. I want you to know that.”
Kenzi cocked an eyebrow. “And why is that?”
“Because of your business relationship with my husband. I’m Mercedes Reyes.”
Chapter Eighteen
Kenzi didn’t know who was more stunned, herself or Dana. The last person she’d expected to be their source here was Alex Reyes’ wife, and she was sure Dana felt the same. Only long practice and discipline, a byproduct of both their professions, kept them from showing their shock.
Mercedes looked from one to the other.
“I’m sure I’m not the person you were expecting to meet, Miss Roberts. Am I right?”
Dana nodded. “Yes. That’s true.”
“I trust you, believe it or not, because my husband’s cousin had you kidnapped. If you were somehow tied to the cartel, that would never have happened.” She turned to Kenzi. “And you, Miss Bryant. I know you have worked on my husband’s business projects, but your sister vouches for you. I’ll take her word, because if she’s wrong, we are all dead. You understand?”
Kenzi nodded. “I do. Is it okay to tell you that for the past few weeks I have had suspicions about his operations myself?”
“Oh?” Mercedes lifted a gracefully arched eyebrow. “And why, may I ask, is that?”
Kenzi shrugged. “Nothing specific I can put my finger on. Just the complicated structure of the new international operations and things my sister has written about the cartels and how they are expanding.” She paused. “And forgive me for saying this, but I really don’t like your husband.”
Mercedes’ laugh was anything but humorous. “You’re probably part of a very small minority. Alex can charm even the most irritating person.”
“I’m sure he can. Just not me.”
Mercedes picked up a phone on a table next to one of the chairs and pressed a button. “No coffee is allowed here, but I’ve ordered some nice herbal tea that I thought would ease the tension a little. Oh, and I paid for your spa service today, even though you won’t get to enjoy any. That’s so there’s a record if anyone looks.”
“Thank you,” Kenzi said.
“Yes, thank you,” Dana added. “But won’t your husband wonder at the size of the bill?”
Mercedes shrugged. “Not especially. I am noted for spending a lot of money here.”
They waited until a spa attendant brought in a tray, poured their tea and set a cup next to each chair. Once they were seated, Dana looked at Mercedes.
“Before we get started, I have two questions. Do you have any objections to my recording this? I don’t want to forget any of the information. And secondly, I’d like to know why you are doing this. Sabotaging your husband this way. It’s a very dangerous thing for you to do.”
Mercedes nodded. “Understood. I thought long and hard about contacting you, Miss Roberts. But everything I learned about you told me you could be trusted not to betray me.”
“I thank you for that. I’ve worked hard to establish that reputation.”
“So yes, you may record this. As for the other, I would say my reasons are my own, but that won’t encourage you to believe what I tell you.” She sighed. “Alex has been a good husband, and for the most part a good father. Alicia, our daughter, is safely out of his realm, working for a marketing firm in Houston. But Sebastian, our son…”
Kenzi and Dana waited while the woman. gathered her thoughts. They could see that this was a stressor for the woman.
“I’m not a stranger to the cartel,” she said at last. “My father was second in command to Hector Lopez Garcia for many years. We lived a rich, charmed life in Mexico, but there was always the danger. I knew Alex was part of the triumvirate that ran everything, but again, we lived a good life and I could ignore the underbelly because it did not intrude on our daily lives. I only asked one thing of my husband.”
“And that was?” Dana prompted.
“Not to involve Sebastian in the cartel.”
“And he did,” Kenzi guessed.
“In a big enough way that there is a price on his head in Mexico, and who knows what will happen here in the States. The only thing I can think of to do is in some way to help destroy the cartel. Then maybe my son can go on to other things, even change his name if he has to.
And I can draw a breath again.”
Kenzi looked at her sister and saw the same thing in her eyes that she herself felt. Sympathy for the woman, although she had chosen the life for herself. And excitement that this could be the big break in the story.
“All right.” Dana pulled the micro recorder from the pocket of her robe and set it on the table between her chair and Mercedes’. “Then let’s begin, shall we?”
Kenzi was very impressed listening to her sister lead the other woman through her story. She was stunned at the knowledge Mercedes Reyes had and shocked at some of the things she learned, although she didn’t know why. She’d read enough about cartels online to realize the scope of their operations as well as the uncontrolled cruelty.
Kenzi sipped into the locker room twice to check her cell phone, knowing Mike would be antsy not hearing from her. Sure enough, he’d texted her twice asking for an update, so she typed in a quick message.
Going well. Don’t know when we’ll be finished.
No problem. We’ve moved the car a few times to avoid attention. Just text when u r done.
They paused at one point when Mercedes called for another tray of the delicious tea, then continued. Kenzi was surprised to see that it was just after five o’clock when at last they finished.
“You must be exhausted,” she told the woman. “Telling all this had to be very emotional for you.”
“Exhausted, maybe.” Her lips curved slightly in a tired smile. “But relieved, also. This wasn’t nearly as exhausting as talking to the DEA.”
The women stared at her, dumbfounded.
Dana found her voice first. “That was quite a risk. What if your husband was having you followed?”
“Oh.” She waved a hand. “I’m sure he does. Since we clashed over Sebastian, I don’t think he has quite trusted me. But I’m not as naive as he thinks. I contacted them on a burner phone I managed to buy. Then I drove downtown, parked in the lot for the Rivercenter Mall, spent an hour wandering through stores, watching to see if Alex’s men were following me or just waiting by my car. It turned out to be the latter. I shop in the mall a lot, so they had no reason to think that day or the others would be any different. I met up with two agents in a designated spot.”