To save a child

Regret. Assistant District Attorney Myra Delgado knows all about it. She’s spent seven years regretting a foolish betrayal of her ex, Levi Coyote. But now Myra needs Levi, a private investigator, and the stakes are bigger than their history—a baby has been kidnapped. And only Myra is brave enough—or crazy enough—to go after a Mexican drug lord and attempt a rescue.

Levi might not be able to forgive her, but he can’t let Myra face the danger alone. As they work to save an innocent child, he learns a shocking truth about their shared past. If they make it through this, he and Myra just might get a second chance at not only love, but family.

Her heels sank into the dirt again, and she reached down and yanked them off

“I’m not going to rehash the past with you again. It’s done. It’s over. I was young and stupid. I’m not sure what your excuse was other than being a total asshole with a high-and-mighty attitude. I’m human. I made a mistake. Get over it.”

She swung toward the door, heels in her hand, and just as quickly swung back. “Good luck with your marriage. I hope she never disappoints you, because you’re one unforgiving bastard.”

Levi drew a sharp breath and slung his hat across the barn. It landed softly on bales of alfalfa. The horse skittered away and he stroked it to calm her, but nothing was going to calm the churning in his gut. Myra made him madder than anyone. She knew how to push his buttons. Damn her!

Dear Reader,

A Texas Child is the third book in my Willow Creek, Texas series. In the first two books—A Texas Hero (July 2013) and A Texas Family (October 2013)—I shared how the ideas for the stories were born. A Texas Child was a little different, created by pure imagination and a little luck. Myra Delgado is a character from The Texan’s Bride (Mills & Boon Superromance, October 2011), and Levi Coyote is a character from Her Christmas Hero (Mills & Boon American Romance, December 2010). Both have very strong personalities and I knew one day I would write their story.

First, I had to have a way to bring them together. Second, I needed a plot. Myra is an assistant district attorney and Levi is a private investigator. They both work in law enforcement, so I started by giving them a past. Voilà! That worked. I still needed a plot. One day on the news was a story about a woman who’d married a man from Mexico and he’d taken their child and disappeared. She couldn’t get the law to help her, because the man was the boy’s father. My imagination wheel began to spin and I thought I could work that in as part of the plot.

Believe me, it wasn’t easy. My editor suffered through many emails and talks about how the story wasn’t working. At times, I wanted to admit defeat. Miraculously, I finished it. Now you’ll be the judge of whether it works or not. I have to say, though, that after all the frustrations and changes, I like this story. I hope you do, too.

Until the next book, with love and thanks,

Linda Warren

P.S.—You can email me at lw1508@aol.com, or send me a message on Facebook, www.facebook.com/lindawarrenauthor, or on Twitter, www.twitter.com/texauthor, or write me at P.O. Box 5182, Bryan, TX 77805, or visit my website at www.lindawarren.net. Your mail and thoughts are deeply appreciated.

A Texas Child

Linda Warren

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Two time RITA® Award-nominated and award-winning author Linda Warren loves her job, writing happily-ever-after books for Mills & Boon. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch, all set against the backdrop of Texas. Her favorite pastime is sitting on her patio with her husband watching the wildlife, especially the injured ones, which are coming in pairs these days: two Canada geese with broken wings, two does with broken legs, and a bobcat ready to pounce on anything tasty. Learn more about Linda and her books at her website, www.lindawarren.net, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/authorlindawarren.

To my dear editor, Kathleen. Thank you for patiently listening to me moan about this book for almost a year. And thank you for your continued support and faith in me and my stories. I’m honored and blessed to have you as my editor. You’re the best!

Acknowledgments

To the people on the internet who helped me sort through a lot of problems.

A big thanks to Tammy Medina for sharing her visits to Matamoras, Mexico.

And a special thanks to Crystal Siegert and Sarah Stanley for sharing all things baby.

All errors are strictly mine.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Epilogue

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

AN OLD LOVE slept on her conscience, gnawed at her heart and tortured her soul. Betraying Levi Coyote had scarred Myra Delgado for life. She’d spent the past seven years regretting, blaming and cursing herself, but it hadn’t changed a thing.

As an assistant district attorney in Houston, Texas, she didn’t quite understand what she was doing in Willow Creek, Texas, following the GPS in her Lexus to Levi’s home. But then again, she did. Levi was the best private investigator in the state and she needed his help.

She’d called his office and left messages, but he never returned her calls. After all this time, she’d thought he might have mellowed enough to forgive her. Since she couldn’t forgive herself, it was understandable that he couldn’t, either. It just made her very aware Levi was not a forgiving man.

The GPS said to turn right, so she pulled over on the country blacktop road. Up ahead, bordered by ranch land, were a cattle guard and a mailbox. On the box was written Henry and Levi Coyote.

Had Levi moved here permanently?

He’d often talked about retiring to his grandfather’s ranch, but Levi was too young to retire. They were both thirty-four; he was older by five months. But it might explain why he was never at his office. She’d waited there for an hour this morning and he’d never showed.

Driving over the cattle guard, she gripped the steering wheel as the pipe grids jarred her and the car. Barbed-wire fences flanked her on both sides. Cattle grazed on the left in the warm September sun. Horses frolicked on the right. The graveled road led to a small white-frame farmhouse with a wide porch across the front. A chain-link fence surrounded it. Barns, pens and sheds were in the distance. A typical ranch one would see all across Texas.

She stopped at the fence gate. Two trucks were parked in a carport, and a car was behind one of the trucks.

An elderly gray-haired gentleman sat in a rocker on the porch. Myra got out of the car, but loud barks had her scurrying back inside. A black-and-white dog barked ferociously at her and then darted through a hole beneath the fence and joined the old man.

Once again she stepped out, using the door as a shield. “I’m looking for Levi Coyote,” she shouted to the man.

“What?” He evidently couldn’t hear her, so she had no choice but to step away from the car. She left the door open, though. Seeing her, the dog made a dash for the hole.

“Come back, John Wayne,” the man called, easing out of the rocker. “Pay him no mind, missy. He’s harmless.”

His dog’s name was John Wayne. Missy? She didn’t have time to react as the dog sniffed around her feet.

Please don’t lick my shoes, she silently begged. Not my Jimmy Choo heels. Deciding the shoes weren’t that tasty, the dog dashed back to the man.

She heaved a sigh and collected her wits. She should be used to animals. Her friend Jessie had all kinds of friends of the four-legged variety, but Myra was more of an indoor person instead of the outdoor type. Now was no time to dissect her failings. There were just too many.

“I’m looking for Levi Coyote,” she said to the man.

“He lives here occasionally,” the man replied. “I’m his grandpa, Henry.”

“Is he here now?”

“What’s this about?”

“It’s business.”

“Ah.” The man nodded as if he understood something she didn’t. “You got a cheating husband you want him to follow?”

She ignored the remark. “Is he here?”

“Yeah, but he’s out riding with his girlfriend.”

Girlfriend? She hadn’t counted on that. But why not? Levi was handsome, virile and available. He’d always wanted a family and a home of his own. One of the few things they’d argued about. He’d longed for children. She hadn’t.

Why was she thinking of that now? It had nothing to do with the present.

“Do you know when he’ll be back?”

“Nope. Levi’s a grown man and he does as he pleases.”

She hadn’t driven all this way to turn around now. It was too important. “Do you mind if I wait?”

“Suit yourself, but it might be a while. With Valerie around, Levi’s not looking at his watch, if you know what I mean.”

Sadly, yes, she knew. They used to spend Sundays alone together and never glanced at a clock.

Brushing back a stray strand of dark hair, she asked, “Is there a place I can get a bite to eat or something to drink?” She hadn’t eaten a thing this morning. She’d been in too big of a hurry to leave Houston.

“Sure, about a mile up the highway is a convenience store and a café. Got good food there. But if you’d like something to drink, we got water, tea and beer.”

“No, thank you. I’ll just―”

The sound of hooves pounding against the hard ground caught her attention. Laughter floated on the wind as two figures on horseback came into view. A blonde with long flowing hair raced into the barn, followed by a man whose features were etched with broad, bold strokes on her memory: strong, hard-boned angles shaped his face, while a tall, lean body with unbelievable muscles, dark eyes and hair were indicative of his Indian ancestry. Levi Coyote personified strength and character and was a hard man to forget. Lord knows she’d tried.

“There he is,” Henry said as if he needed to point out his grandson.

“Thank you. I’ll drive to the barn.”

“Suit yourself.” Henry ambled to his rocker. John Wayne sat on his haunches beside him.

She drove to the weatherworn barn and got out, her heel sinking into the dirt. Damn it! She shouldn’t have dressed in her business attire. Oh, well, all she needed was five minutes of Levi’s time and then she could return to her comfort zone—the city.

The wind tugged at her hair and a pungent scent greeted her. Alfalfa, maybe. As she neared the big double doors, she didn’t hear voices, which was strange. She stepped inside and saw why. They were kissing. The blonde had her arms clasped around Levi’s neck and his enclosed her small waist, pulling her against him.

She should just walk away, but her feet wouldn’t move. It was like watching a car accident. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. She’d gotten over Levi a long time ago—only the regrets remained. She just didn’t expect to feel this piercing pain in her chest at the sight of him kissing another woman.

This was invading his privacy and she needed to leave. Before Myra could move, the kiss ended and the blonde noticed her standing in the doorway like a voyeur.

“Oh,” she said in a startled lilting voice.

Levi swung around and his dark eyes bore into her like a sharp arrow, intending to wound and to frighten her.

She dredged up every last ounce of courage she possessed, as she had so many times in the courtroom when faced with an egotistical alpha opponent determined to break her.

She pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. “Hello, Levi.”

* * *

AT THE SIGHT of her, Levi’s heart crashed against his ribs in well-remembered pain. God, he hated the woman. She’d hurt him more than anyone he’d ever known. Yet he couldn’t deny her beauty. Long brownish-black hair was pinned behind her head. She looked like a model, with high cheekbones and black eyes that could flash with anger or smolder with desire.

He’d loved her more than anyone in his life and she’d broken his heart without a second thought. Myra was determined to succeed in a man’s world and nothing stood in her way. Not even her love for him.

“What are you doing here, Myra?”

“It’s business,” she replied, walking farther into the barn in ridiculously high heels.

Valerie kissed his cheek. “I’ll go, then. I’m running late, anyway.”

Guilt zinged across his conscience. He’d forgotten Val was standing there. “Don’t forget to say bye to Pop. He gets a little miffed when you don’t.”

“He’s such a sweetheart.” She hugged him and he returned it. “Don’t forget I’m fixing dinner.”

“I won’t.” They kissed briefly and Val walked out. Levi refused to introduce them. Myra wasn’t going to be around that long.

He placed his hands on his hips. “What do you want, Myra?”

“She’s nice,” Myra said.

“What do you want?”

“It’s about Stu. He’d like to hire you.”

“No.” The horses neighed and he turned to them, undoing a cinch on a saddle. “You wasted your time invading my privacy. I’m not working for anyone who has a connection to you. Not even Stu.”

“If you had answered my messages, I wouldn’t have had to come out here.”

He threw the saddle onto a sawhorse. “I didn’t answer for a reason. You and I have nothing to say to each other. Most people would have figured that out.”

“Just give me five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”

He undid the cinch on the other saddle. “You just don’t give up, do you?”

“I try not to, especially when a friend is involved.”

Swinging the saddle onto another sawhorse, he said, “If you were that committed to your love life, you would have been one hell of a woman.”

“Why are you making this personal, Levi? I’m sorry I hurt you and I’ve apologized, but you couldn’t seem to get past your anger. After all these years, I would have thought you’d have gotten over it.”

His hat lay in the dirt where Val had thrown it. He reached down to pick it up and dusted it off, giving him time to gauge his next words. “I have. It’s just the shock of seeing you again, so sudden like, brought back a lot of painful memories. I’ve moved on and I’m happy now. I don’t need you complicating my life.”

“I have, too.” She tucked a flyaway strand behind her ear. “Yes, we have a past, but we’re adult enough to not let it interfere with the present.”

He leaned against the saddle and crossed his boots at the ankles. “That’s true, but you see I don’t want you in my present in any way. Not because I still have feelings for you. I don’t. I’d just rather not clutter my life with a past I regret.”

“It’s not for me, Levi. It’s for Stu, who needs a good P.I.”

“Stu knows just about every private investigator in the state. Besides, if he wants to hire me, why doesn’t he call himself?”

“His daughter’s in a coma and he’s very distraught.”

That threw him. Stu was one of the best friends he’d ever had when he was a cop. But Myra had ties to Stu, too. “I’d rather not get involved.”

“Five minutes, Levi. What harm can that do?”

He drew a long breath. “Okay.”

“Stu’s daughter, Natalie, works in my office in Houston.”

“The D.A.’s office?”

“Yes. She’s a secretary and has worked with us for about three years. After her mother died, she came to Houston to get closer to her father. Last year, she got involved with Marco Mortez and we all thought it was great she’d found someone. But he turned out to be a loser. On Monday, he beat her into a coma and took their nine-month-old son. The police haven’t been able to locate him.”

“Were they married?”

“No.”

“Is he the boy’s father?”

“Of course.”

“How serious is Natalie’s condition?”

She bit her lip, something she did when she was nervous. He was probably the only person who knew that, except for her friend Jessie. He’d heard that Jessie had gotten married but he wasn’t in the mood to discuss any details about Myra’s life.

“It’s bad. The doctor said he must have banged her head repeatedly against the wall or a table. They operated to stop the internal bleeding. Now they’re dealing with the swelling of the brain. The doctor said she will either wake up or she won’t. She has a fifty-fifty chance. The baby has to be there when she wakes up or she will be devastated.”

Levi felt himself being pulled into Natalie’s plight, but then, he was always a sucker where a baby was concerned. Still, he wasn’t relenting.

“If the police are on the case, I don’t see why you need a private investigator. And like I said, Stu still has a lot of pull in the police department.” Stuart Stevens had been the police chief in Houston, but he’d retired after a bout with cancer.

She bit her lip again.

“You’re not telling me everything, are you?”

“It’s complicated, Levi.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “Oh, really. I don’t do complicated anymore, Myra.”

“Okay.” She shoved her hands into the pockets of her black slacks. “When the police couldn’t locate Marco, I did some checking on my own. His family might have connections to a Mexican drug cartel.”

“Might?”

“I don’t have any evidence to back it up. Only what people in the apartment complex told me about Marco and the people who visited with him. I’m waiting on a report from the FBI to confirm.”

“Well, then, I’d say it’s safe to say that baby is in Mexico.”

“Maybe not. Marco’s parents have a home in Brownsville. The police there checked it out, but they said they hadn’t seen their son in weeks. They could be hiding him, though.”

“If he’s wanted in Houston, he’s not hanging around in Texas.”

“Levi, please,” she begged, her eyes dark with emotions he remembered too well. “I know you can track Marco down and find him when no one else can.”

“You have a lot of confidence in me.” Confidence that came just a little too late.

“I always have.”

He lifted a hand. “Let’s not go there.”

“Levi, just check into it. Stu is willing to pay your fee plus expenses and a five-thousand-dollar bonus if you bring his grandson back.”

“You’re asking me to get involved with the drug cartel in Mexico? That’s like signing my own death warrant.”

“All you have to do is locate him. The police will take it from there.”

“In Mexico? I doubt it.”

“I can see you’re not eager to go into Mexico.”

“No. Valerie and I are talking marriage and I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize that. I’m ready to settle down and have a family. Putting my life in danger is not going to happen.”

She stepped forward and a heel sank into the ground, almost toppling her over. “Good grief, it’s like quicksand in here.”

“You’re in a barn, Myra. It’s called dirt. No one wears high heels in a barn.”

She yanked the heel out and managed to stand upright. “I thought you would be in your office. I didn’t plan on driving way out here to the middle of nowhere.”

He pushed away from the saddle. “You wasted your time. I’ll give you the names of some investigators in Houston. They can do just as good a job as I can.”

“I work in the D.A.’s office. I know investigators all over Harris County, but it’s going to take someone willing to go the extra mile to flush out Marco. I thought that man would be you. So did Stu.”

“Sorry.” He remained firm.

“You’re one stubborn asshole. Do you think it was easy to come out here and face your wrath once again? It wasn’t. A little boy’s life is at stake. You may be able to ignore that, but I can’t.”

Myra was getting revved up, like he’d seen her do in a courtroom. When she was passionate about something, her Mexican lineage came out and she was unstoppable.

“And since you don’t care one way or the other, there’s another sad twist to this story. Did you know Stu had part of one lung removed?”

“Yes. I went to see him at the time.”

“The cancer has spread. He’s very ill. If I have to go to Mexico myself, I will. Stu and Natalie need a break and I won’t turn my back on them.”

Her heels sank into the dirt again and she reached down and yanked them off. “I’m not going to rehash the past with you again. It’s done. It’s over. I was young and stupid. I’m not sure what your excuse was other than being a total asshole with a high and mighty attitude. I’m human. I made a mistake. Get over it.”

She swung toward the door, heels in her hand, and just as quickly swung back. “Good luck with your marriage. I hope she never disappoints you, because you’re one unforgiving bastard.”

Levi drew a sharp breath and slung his hat across the barn. It landed softly on a bale of alfalfa. His horse skittered away and he stroked her to calm her, but nothing was going to calm the churning in his gut. Myra made him madder than anyone. She knew how to push his buttons. Damn her!

He removed the bridles and saddle blankets from the horses, and then opened the door to the corral so they could eat the sweet feed he’d put out earlier. They trotted through and he closed the gate. He always liked to rub them down after a hard ride, but today he feared he might rub through their hides. He was that angry at her.

Leaning on the gate, his thoughts turned inward. Seeing Myra again was like someone touching him in the middle of the night when he was alone. It was startling, jarring and frightening. And he’d responded badly. He was struggling to figure out why.

When they’d met seven years ago, he was a cop with the Austin police department and she’d just joined the D.A.’s office. They’d worked a murder case and theirs was an instant attraction. They’d slept together on their first date and, by the end of that week, he’d moved in with her. Their need for each other was insatiable.

At first, he’d thought it was just about the hot sex, but as the weeks passed, he realized it was much more. He admired her drive, her determination to succeed in a man’s world. And her devotion to her friend Jessie was admirable, too. He liked everything about Myra. Her Latin looks were an added bonus.

He wasn’t a dreaming man, but she’d had him dreaming about a future, babies and a home. And forever. He just hadn’t counted on how much her career meant to her. More to her than he ever would. That’s what hurt the most.

Things had blown up so fast they’d never had a proper goodbye. One wasn’t required. Maybe that’s what bothered him. Maybe he needed closure. Closure? Hell, that wasn’t a word men used. He didn’t. Men just moved on. And he planned to keep on moving. He’d found the woman for him and Myra Delgado was just a bad memory.

CHAPTER TWO

MYRA WAS FURIOUS and she had to let off some steam. The only way to do that was to talk to Jessie, who understood her better than anyone. Myra had never told her why she and Levi had broken up. There was a reason for that. She wasn’t sure her friend would understand.

Jessie firmly believed in love and everything it encompassed, so how did Myra explain to her that she’d screwed up? Myra was angry enough to lay it all on the line this time and be honest. Mainly because Jessie would love her no matter what. She was that type of person.

Jessie was the motherless daughter of Roscoe Murdoch, the oil tycoon. When Roscoe’s niece had been kidnapped and murdered, he became paranoid about Jessie’s safety. He’d hired guards to watch over her, and Rosa and Felipe Delgado to care for her. Myra was two years older than Jessie and they’d grown up as best friends in the Murdoch household.

Since Jessie was guarded twenty-four hours a day, her life was a living hell. She rebelled numerous times, but Roscoe was always in control. Jessie gained her freedom the day Roscoe passed away. She fired the guards and went after what she wanted out of life—a man named Cadde Hardin. She was now happily married and living in High Cotton, Texas.

Myra set the GPS for the small town and sped down U.S. 290. When Jessie had lived in Houston, they saw each other all the time. But since she lived so far away now and had two babies, they had to make time for those special occasions.

As Myra drove, she thought of her next course of action. She wasn’t giving up. She’d promised Stu she’d do everything she could to bring the baby home and she intended to do that with or without Levi. Like he’d said, there were other investigators and she just had to find a capable one.

The urge to pull the car over and have a pity cry was strong, but she was stronger. She didn’t do the weak female crying bit. But, oh, God, she wanted to. However, she wouldn’t waste one more tear on Levi Coyote.

She’d never dreamed it would be so hard to see him again and to reexperience all the anger he still carried from her betrayal. It was time to let it go—for good. There was no going back and there was no more apologizing. She had begged Levi for the last time.

Taking the cutoff to the county road that ran through High Cotton, she soon pulled into the driveway of the two-story colonial. Jessie’s Suburban was in the garage, so Myra knew she was home. She glanced toward the house a short distance away. Cadde had built Myra’s parents their own home as a way to repay their service over the years. They wanted to be close to Jessie because they loved her and had taken care of her for more than twenty years.

Myra didn’t see her dad’s truck. That meant they were out. She was hoping to see them, but considering her state of mind, it probably was best if she didn’t. Her mother had a knack for ferreting out her moods as if she were five years old.

The back door was open, so she went inside. Childish giggles and laughter echoed through the house. “Jessie,” she called.

“We’re in the den,” her friend shouted back.

Jessie sat on the floor playing with four little kids, three boys and one girl. Jessie’s hair was in a ponytail and her eyes were bright with happiness.

“Hey, friend, what are you doing out this way?”

Myra squeezed into the little group on the floor. “I was out this way and thought I’d drop in. You know, unannounced, like my mama told me never to do.”

Jessie hugged her. “I’m glad you did.”

Myra looked at the shining little faces. Jacob, who was two and a half, toddled over to her and plopped into her lap. She hugged him a little tighter than she should have because she needed to feel loved today. Cadde Thomas, twelve months younger than his brother, also fell into her lap and she held them close.

“I think they remember me.”

“Of course they do.” Jessie reached over and kissed her sons. “They know Auntie My.”

Myra glanced at the other two children. “Are you running a kiddie day care now?”

“No.” Jessie poked her in the ribs. “There’s a problem with the oil well on the property. They’re fracking it or something, and the Hardin boys of Shilah Oil are keeping a close eye on it. You know how Cadde and his brothers are about the oil business. They have to personally supervise everything.”

Cadde had worked for Roscoe for years, and on his deathbed Roscoe had made a deal with Cadde: marry my daughter and keep her safe and I’ll give you half of my oil company. It was a dream come true for Cadde and he gladly took the offer. He just didn’t know that Jessie had put her father up to it because she’d been in love with Cadde since the first moment she’d met him. Luckily, it had all worked out, but not without a lot of heartache and pain. Myra wondered if real love had to be tested first, put through the bowels of hell before it could survive.

“That’s Cody,” Jessie was saying, “Chance and Shay’s son, and the blonde cutie is Carly, Kid and Lucky’s daughter.”

“She’s adorable.” Blond curls covered her head and a pink bow was clipped to the side.

The back door opened and Myra heard a rumble of deep voices.

The three boys jumped to their feet. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” they chorused, and took off running for the kitchen.

Carly stood up and Myra was surprised. She didn’t think the little girl was old enough to walk. Cadde and Chance came into the den with their sons in their arms. Carly looked past them, her bottom lip trembling, and fat tears rolled from her eyes.

Jessie immediately gathered her into her arms. “Sweetie, Daddy’s coming.”

Kid burst through the door about that time. “Hey, what’s wrong with my baby?”

Carly smiled, slipped from Jessie’s arms and waddled to her father. Kid scooped her into his arms and everyone was happy.

Myra and Jessie got to their feet. Jessie hugged her husband and her boys and she seemed to melt right into them. It was clear how much love they shared, and it made Myra very aware that there was real love in the world. Jessie had been lucky enough to find it. For Myra, that would never happen, which made her a little sad. But only for a moment.

“Hello, Hardin boys,” Myra said with her hands on her hips.

“The wicked lady’s back,” Kid quipped.

“You better believe it.”

Kid grinned. “Always a pleasure, but I’ve got to run. We’re meeting Lucky for lunch and that’s a big part of our day.”

“Me, too,” Chance added. “Nice seeing you, Myra.”

“I’ll take the boys outside so you two can visit,” Cadde offered.

“Thanks, honey.”

Myra and Jessie sank onto the sofa. “What’s wrong?” Jessie asked.

Myra made herself comfortable. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”

Jessie sat cross-legged in shorts and a tank top. “Because you’re here in the middle of the day when you should be at work. And you look a little stressed.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re beautiful when you’re stressed.”

“I saw Levi today,” Myra blurted out.

“Levi Coyote?”

“Yes. There’s only one Levi.”

“I always loved his name. He was just so big and strong and indestructible and I liked to see him smile. He reminds me a lot of Cadde. You know, tough and unbending. It takes a woman to soften them up.”

“Levi’s found someone to soften him up. He’s getting married.”

“That bothers you?”

“I... No.”

“I think it does.” Jessie touched her arm. “Tell me why you saw Levi today after all this time.”

“You remember I told you about Natalie.”

“Yes, how is she?”

“Still in a coma and the police haven’t been able to locate the boyfriend or the baby.”

“How sad.”

“Stu, her father, and I had this insane idea that Levi would be able to find them.”

“So you asked him?”

Myra took a breath. “Yes, and the response was a big no with capital letters and an exclamation point.”

She could feel Jessie’s eyes on her.

“You never told me why you and Levi broke up. At the time, you said you didn’t want to talk about it. Do you want to talk about it now?”

Myra stood up. She couldn’t remain still any longer. “I didn’t tell you because I knew if I did you would look at me differently.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’d think I was a horrible person.”

“Not likely.” Jessie lifted an eyebrow. “Nothing on this earth will ever change my opinion of you. You were the only bright spot in my dismal childhood and I know you as well as I know myself. If you did something you’re not proud of, then it was just a bad choice.”

Awkward silence followed and that was new for them. They could always talk about anything.

“Tell me what happened,” Jessie said softly.

Myra resumed her seat on the sofa and gathered her thoughts and courage. “You remember when that serial rapist was released from prison and, a week later, he followed a mother and her sixteen-year-old daughter home from the mall?”

“Yes. Levi was involved. The story was everywhere, but I don’t remember much of the details.”

“A neighbor was looking out her window when the guy forced them inside the house with a gun. She called 9-1-1. Levi was in the area and the first to respond. He was ordered to stand down until the situation was assessed, but as soon as Levi heard who the truck in the driveway belonged to, he knew the man was dangerous. He’d arrested him before. He parked down the street, out of sight, and walked to the house. Hearing a scream coming from the upstairs, he acted quickly, disobeying a direct order.

“He got in through one of the downstairs windows. The father had been shot in the living room. The screams and sobbing continued as Levi made his way to one of the bedrooms. The mother was tied up and the guy was ripping clothes off the teenager. His gun lay on the carpet. Levi burst in and the guy immediately went for his gun. Levi shot him.”

“I remember Levi received an accommodation for his bravery.”

“Not at first. He was immediately suspended for disobeying a direct order. But the father survived, and when he heard what had happened, he was livid that Levi had been suspended for saving his wife and daughter. He had political connections, and once he got through making phone calls, the suspension was lifted immediately and the accommodation awarded.”

“I don’t understand what this has to do with you and Levi.” Jessie’s face scrunched into a frown.

Myra wrapped her arms around her waist as if to ward off what she had to say, but she had to tell Jessie. She had to tell someone.

“Before the father woke up, the cops and detectives were all behind Levi, especially Stu, who was assistant police chief, and they supported his choice to go into that house against a direct order. They got a petition going so everyone could sign to show their support, and it was to be given to the chief of police and higher-ups.”

“Oh, Myra.” Jessie placed her hands over her mouth. “You didn’t sign it, did you?”

“No.” It came out as a moan. She rested her head on the sofa and covered her face with her hands. “The D.A. hadn’t signed it and I didn’t know what my position was supposed to be. Can you believe that? I was afraid of losing my job and, in the end, I lost something much more important. When Levi saw my name wasn’t on the petition, he came to my office and said, ‘You didn’t sign it,’ and I had to say no. He walked out without another word. His things were gone from my apartment that afternoon and I never spoke to him again...until today.”

“My—”

“Wait, that’s not quite true. I met him in the hall a couple of times and told him how sorry I was. He walked away without a word.” She drew a long breath. “Now you can tell me what a horrible self-centered bitch I am.”

“I will do no such thing.” Jessie scooted closer and hugged her. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but no one is perfect and—”

Myra sprang to her feet. “Don’t do that, Jessie.”

“What?”

“Be understanding and nice. I need you to be angry with me.”

Jessie shrugged. “Sorry. Not gonna happen.”

Myra paced. “When he walked into my office looking so hurt and disillusioned, I knew I’d screwed up so bad I could never make it right. I don’t understand why I let him down so badly. I’ve never been afraid to speak up for what I believe in, and that day, it seemed like another person had taken over my body and my thoughts.”

“It was your first big job and you had to go through several interviews before they hired you. Since you’re a Mexican-American woman, you were afraid they wouldn’t hire you. Which was totally ridiculous, I have to say. But they did and you worked hard to prove yourself, learning all you could to be part of the team. You were very young and that job was important to you.”

“But it shouldn’t have been as important as Levi.”

“Maybe. But, in my opinion, you were trying to follow the rules for your department and you weren’t sure what those were concerning a signed petition to support a cop whom you were dating. Why would you need to sign it?”

“What?”

“What weight would your signature carry? After all, your support should be understood and they shouldn’t have asked you to sign in the first place. So, please, stop beating yourself up. If Levi was the man for you, you’d be together. Just let it go, My. And now how about some chocolate? I got chocolate. That cures everything.”

Myra smiled. “I knew I needed to see you. You always make me feel better.” Arm in arm, they walked into the kitchen. They sat at the large island eating Truman Chocolates and Myra felt as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

Almost. There was something Myra had left out, but she just might keep that secret forever. No need to bare her soul. In her heart, she knew Jessie would understand, as always.

“Where’s Merry?” Merry was a dog Jessie had rescued. Someone had brutally abused her, stabbing her and cutting off her ears and tail. But Jessie had nursed her back to health, and she was usually under Jessie’s feet, along with two little boys.

“She’s under our bed, probably asleep by now. She’s getting older and the kids sometimes tire her out.”

Jessie had a loving heart and a goodness that went all the way to her soul. Myra could only hope that through the years a little bit of that goodness had rubbed off on her.

* * *

LEVI TOOK TIME to cool off before he went to the house. Pop could zero in on his moods like a rifle aimed at a target. Sometimes he hit the bull’s-eye, and other times he veered so far off it wasn’t worth the effort to endure the questions that would be fired at him.

Pop followed him into the house. “What did that fancy lady want?”

“She wanted to hire me.” Levi washed his hands at the kitchen sink and dried them with a paper towel.

“I knew it.” Pop slid into a chair at the kitchen table. “She wants you to find out if her husband is cheating?”

“What?” Levi threw the paper towel in the trash can. “No. I don’t even know if she’s married.” And it didn’t matter if she was. Myra meant nothing to him. But it might take a while to get her out of his head again.

“What did she want you to do, then?”

“Find a missing child.”

“I guess you’re packing. I did laundry this morning and your tighty-whities and socks are in your drawer.”

“I’m not taking the case.” He leaned against the cabinet.

“Why not? You just finished a case and you’re always eager to help find a child.”

“I’m busy.” He walked into the dining room and sat down at his laptop.

Pop immediately followed. “That’s a truckload of bullshit. What’s wrong with you?”

Hurt feelings. Hurt pride. Hurt until he didn’t want to feel it anymore. But, of course, Levi didn’t say that to his grandfather.

“Nothing. Some cases I take. Some I don’t. It’s my choice.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Pop pulled out a chair and sat facing him. “Do you know how old you were when I could tell you were hiding something?”

Levi didn’t reply, just kept checking his in-box.

“You were about seven, I think. I was called to the school about you, Ethan and Carson fighting with the Wilcott boys. Your dad was at a cattle auction and your mom worked in Austin, so I had to go. I asked you who started the fight and you stonewalled. You know what that is?”

“Pop, I’m not seven years old anymore, and if I don’t want to talk about it, I’m not. And yes, I know what stonewalling is.” He clamped his jaw tight and stared at his grandfather.

“Yep, that’s it. When you do that, I know you’re hiding something.”

Levi leaned back in his chair. “Pop, don’t you have something to do? Check on your cows? Or visit Walt?”

“Aw, I’m not going over to Walt’s no more. He’s keeping the baby and you can’t make any noise. Hell, I’m old. I make noise. What’s Ethan and Abby thinking, letting Walt keep that baby?”

Levi, Ethan and Carson had grown up like brothers in the small town. Walt, Ethan’s dad, and Pop were best friends but sometimes it was hard to tell that by talking to them. Carson’s dad had passed away last year, but not before wreaking havoc with Carson’s life. Through it all, Carson had managed to find happiness with Jena. Both his friends were married with families. He was the lone bachelor.

“Do you know Abby milks herself?”

“What?” That grabbed Levi’s attention.

“Yeah. Walt has it in his refrigerator. I almost drank it. He said Abby leaves it for the baby. Beats me why she’d want to do that. I don’t understand young women.”

“It’s called a breast pump, Pop, and women have been using it for years. One of these days, you’re going to have to start living in the twenty-first century.”

“Like hell. I’m not using that cell phone you got me, either. If I want to talk to someone, I’ll use the phone in the house.”

“I bet Walt uses his.”

“Hell, yeah. Abby calls ten times a day to check on the baby and so does Ethan. If the baby farts, they want to know about it.”

Levi wanted to laugh and he wasn’t in a laughing mood. “Did you take your blood pressure pill this morning? You’re grouchier than usual.”

“You’re changing the subject.”

“Well, you’re rambling. I don’t know what the subject is anymore.”

His grandfather nailed him with one of those I-know-you-boy looks. “Who’s the fancy lady?”

“Someone I knew a long time ago.” He didn’t bother to stonewall or lie.

“Thought so. Someone took her child?”

“No.” He gave him a short version of the story Myra had told him because he knew Pop would keep jabbing until he drew blood.

“That bastard beat his girlfriend into a coma and took her baby? And it’s Stuart Stevens’s daughter?”

“That’s about it.”

Pop tapped the table with his arthritic knuckles. “You can be packed and on the road in ten minutes.”

“I told you I’m not taking the case.”

“Why not? It’s Stu’s grandson and his life is in danger.”

“I’m not the only P.I. around.”

“You’re the only one who can find him in less than twenty-four hours and it looks like that little boy doesn’t have much time.”

“Pop...”

“Wait a minute. How do you know this woman?”

Levi tried hard not to grit his teeth. “I met her when I was a cop.”

“Is she the woman you were holed up with for about six months?”

“We weren’t holed up. I moved into her apartment.”

“Same thing. It was like you were in heat or something. You couldn’t come home. You had to be with her and then all of a sudden it just fizzled out.”

“Yep.” He wasn’t talking about this with his grandfather.

“So what happened to all that heat?”

“Like you said, it fizzled out.”

“Mmm. So what’s the problem?”

“I’m not getting involved with her again.”

Pop scratched his gray head. “Some of my brain cells nap, some of them have just plain dried up, but the ones that are working are confused as hell. The woman is just asking you to take the case. I don’t see a problem. Oh, is this about Valerie? You sure as hell don’t want to mess that up. She’s making pork chops, mashed potatoes and gravy tonight. I’m not eating all day.”

Levi closed his computer and got to his feet. While Pop was on another subject, he decided to make his escape. “I’m going into the office.”

Pop frowned so deep his forehead looked like road ruts. “Wait a minute. We’re not through talking.”

“I am.”

Pop pointed a gnarled finger at him. “If something happens to that boy, you’ll never forgive yourself. I know you just as well as I know myself. You’re a P.I. It’s a job. Valerie will understand because she loves you, and if she don’t trust you, well, then, son, you ain’t got a thing.” Pop pushed to his feet. “Now I’m gonna go drive my tractor and push some dirt around just for the hell of it, and if I feel like it, I might plant some winter coastal for my pain-in-the-ass cows.”

It’s not about Valerie. But explaining that to Pop would take more patience than he had right now.

Levi took a quick shower, pushing Myra to the back of his mind. She wouldn’t stay there, though. Yanking on jeans, he tried to figure out what he was so angry about. She had some gall coming out here and destroying his peace. Grabbing a shirt out of the closet, he paused.

He was overreacting.

This wasn’t about Valerie. This wasn’t about Myra. It was about him and his damn pride. Myra had taken a strip of it and crushed his heart. It wasn’t easy to trust again and let a woman back into his life. He loved Valerie and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, so his anger was out of place.

Slipping his arms into a white shirt, he thought about his parents. They’d had a crappy marriage. His father had been a cowboy rancher and his mom was a city girl. They’d fought all the time. It had come to an end when his father was killed in a car/truck accident when Levi was nine. His mom had moved them from the ranch to Austin. Levi hated the city and had begged to live with his grandfather. That hadn’t happened until his mom met someone else, a short six months later. They’d moved to Virginia and Levi refused to go, so his mother relented and allowed him to stay with his grandfather. After that, Levi had minimal contact with his mom and his sister. They visited every now and then, but they felt like strangers.

He was well aware he had a trust issue with women. He blew out a breath and admitted that maybe a part of him was never going to get over Myra. That was a long way from doing her a favor, though.

But what about Stu?

Opening his sock drawer, he pulled out a pair. Unable to stop himself, he reached into the back corner where he had a single sock stored. He sat on the bed with it in his hand and dumped out the object that was inside—a ring box. Flipping open the top, he stared at the solitary diamond he’d planned to give Myra that weekend long ago.

He wasn’t sure why he’d kept the ring. Maybe as a reminder of the pain she’d caused him. Putting it back in the drawer, the anger left him. He’d learned from his affair with Myra. No one was perfect. Certainly not him. He didn’t hate Myra. He’d hated what she’d done to his pride. It was a man thing. But he was tough and she’d made him tougher. It reinforced his decision not to get involved with her again—even if it was business.

As he headed for his truck, he couldn’t help but think of what Pop had said. Could he live with himself if something happened to that little boy?

CHAPTER THREE

MYRA DROVE TO the Westwood Nursing Facility to visit with Stu and to let him know Levi wasn’t taking the case. On the way, she called Mick Travers, another P.I., and left a message on his cell. She’d worked with him before and she knew he’d call her back.

Stu was lucky to have good health insurance that included extended care. He’d lived in a condo, but was so weak from the cancer treatments, Natalie had talked him into moving here, where he had constant care. The place was very nice and it brought Natalie peace of mind.

Stu and Myra went way back. Fresh out of law school, Myra had been searching for a job for weeks and had an interview with the D.A. of Travis County in Austin. She’d been sitting in the secretary’s office when Stu walked in. She had no idea he was the assistant chief of police. He was dressed in ordinary street clothes. They struck up a conversation and she told him she had little hope of getting the job but she was a damn good attorney. He told her she had guts and that would see her through and he wished her luck.

After the interview, she was called back. The D.A. told her Stu Stevens had put in a recommendation for her and the job was hers. She was stunned, having no idea who Stu Stevens was. But it didn’t take long to find out. Ever since then, they’d had a connection.

When he was offered the chief of police job in Houston, Stu moved on and she soon followed. He was the reason she had a job in the D.A.’s office in Houston. The relationship seemed to go on, too. She found him to be one of those trustworthy men she could count on...like Levi.

Stu had been one of the officers to start the petition to support Levi when he’d disobeyed the direct order. So she and Levi owed Stu a lot and she didn’t understand Levi not helping the man who’d always been there for him. This wasn’t about her and Levi. Couldn’t he see that?

She stopped at the nurses’ desk. “How’s Stu?”

“Sad.” Barbara, an R.N., shook her head. “We just called his daughter and the nurse held the phone to Natalie’s ear so she could hear her father’s voice. But she’s still in a coma. I hope you have some good news for him.”

Myra’s heart sank. Too much heartache and there was nothing she could do about it, except curse Levi under her breath. That didn’t help, either, though.

“Not really, but the police are still trying to find the baby,” she replied, and walked off down the hall. At Stu’s room, she knocked on the door.

At a faint “come in,” she went inside. Stu had a private room and sat in his recliner with oxygen tubing in his nose. He was painfully thin. His dull, tired eyes lit up when he saw Myra.

“Is Levi coming?”

“No. I’m sorry, Stu. He’s not taking the case. You should have called him. Seeing me only made him more bullheaded to never work with me again.”

“That surprises me.”

At the thoughtful light in his eyes, she asked, “Why did you want me to see him in person? A phone call from you would have been more effective.”

“Because, to get my grandson back, I need both of you on my team. I thought the two of you would have grown up enough to let the past go.”

“If I didn’t love you so much, I’d really be pissed.”

A slight smile touched his face. “I’ve always liked your spirit. Don’t worry, kid, Levi will come around.” “Kid” was his nickname for her and she found it hard to stay mad at him.

“Just in case your instincts are off, I called another P.I. and I’ll have him on it just as soon as he calls me back. The cops are still searching, too. I’m doing everything I can.”

“I know. You’ve been a good friend to Natalie and to me, but as each hour passes we’re losing time.”

Myra didn’t know what to say. Nothing was going to comfort Stu until Natalie woke up. Until Daniel was back with his mother.

“The nurse said you spoke to Natalie.”

“I couldn’t visit yesterday because I was so sick from the chemo. I had to do something. I was hoping my voice would trigger something and she would wake up.”

Myra chewed on the inside of her lip, wanting to give him some hope. “Would you like to see Natalie today? I’ll arrange it. Maybe in person your voice will be more effective.”

“Let’s do it.” His voice sounded stronger.

“Well, then, I’ll talk to the nurse and let you know what the other P.I. says.”

“Thanks, kid.”

“I’m making this my top priority.”

It took Myra ten minutes to set everything up. The home had a wheelchair-accessible van and it was available for the afternoon. She drove over to the hospital to be there when Stu arrived in case he needed someone.

On the way, she got a call from the FBI agent and made an appointment to meet him in two hours in her office. Things were starting to happen now and Myra hoped Daniel could be found soon.

While she maneuvered through Houston traffic, her cell buzzed again. It was her mother. Myra groaned. She knew a lecture was coming.

She clicked on. “Hi, Mama.”

“You come to High Cotton and you don’t take time to visit your parents.” No hello. Just go right for the juggler.

“You weren’t home and I had to get back to Houston.”

“You always have to get back to Houston. You never have time for your family.”

One. Two. Three.

“There’s a girl who works in the office and her boyfriend beat her into a coma and took their little boy. We’re working very hard to locate him.”

“I know. Jessie told me. I have to hear everything from Jessie.”

One. Two. Three.

“As soon as everything settles down, I’ll come and spend a weekend.”

“We do have phones, Myra. If you had just called, we could have been home today to see our only child.”

One. Two. Three.

“I’ll call soon, Mama. Tell Papa hi. I’ve got to go.”

And that was the weekly sermon for the ungrateful, disrespectful daughter. Her parents had never understood her desire to be a career woman. They wanted her to be a wife, a mother and a homemaker, and they never failed to remind her that a woman’s place was in the home.

Myra never went gaga over babies like Jessie had. Nor did she ever have the urge to bake cookies. Her mother was domesticated enough for both of them. She wasn’t sure why she was so different.

Until she was about nine, they’d had a normal life. Her dad had worked as a welder at a trailer manufacturing company and her mom was a housekeeper for Roscoe Murdoch. Then two things happened that changed their lives forever. Her father was laid off from his job and Roscoe’s niece was kidnapped and murdered.

Since her father had been in Vietnam and knew how to use a gun, Roscoe had hired him to guard Jessie, and the Delgado family moved in with the Murdochs. The house had been a little cramped, so Roscoe had built a fortress and they had plenty of room. Her parents poured all their energy into watching over Jessie, and sometimes Myra felt invisible.

She loved Jessie dearly and she didn’t begrudge her one second of her parents’ time. But sometimes she wished her parents had recognized that she needed them, too. Myra had become tough and independent and determined to make it on her own.

Roscoe had paid for her college education. He made it very clear, though, if her grades slipped or she got in trouble, her educational funding would stop. She’d graduated in the top 10 percent of her class and gone on to law school. She’d had boyfriends along the way, but not once did any of them instill in her the urge to settle down and have babies.

Until Levi.

She’d often wondered if they could make a marriage work. He wanted kids and she didn’t want to be forced into that situation. Both partners should want a baby with all their hearts and she hadn’t been there yet. She’d kept stalling and, in the end, it hadn’t mattered. She’d lost him, anyway.

She found a spot in the parking garage at Memorial Hermann Hospital and made her way to the critical care unit. She stopped at the nurses’ station. Since she’d been here so many times, most of the nurses knew her.

“Any change?” she asked one of the nurses.

“No, and the doctor just checked Ms. Stevens.”

“They’re bringing Mr. Stevens from the home,” Myra said.

“I know. The nurse called. The doctor’s going to allow it for a few minutes.”

“That’s about all he can handle. I’ll wait for him.” She walked to the waiting area and sank into a chair, feeling hopeless. She needed a miracle, but they seemed to be in short supply these days. Pulling out her cell, she called Detective Tom Hadley, who was handling the baby’s disappearance.

“Hi there, Myra. How are you today?” Tom was divorced and considered himself a ladies’ man. Being unattached made her a target for his unwanted flirting.

“Any news?”

“No. Nothing is popping up. It’s as if he’s disappeared into thin air.”

“Have the Brownsville police made another visit to Marco’s parents’ house?”

“Now, sweet cheeks, they’ve got as big of a caseload as we do and they’re not going to keep tabs on that house. They don’t have the manpower.”

She took a deep breath. “A little boy is missing.”

“I know that and we’re doing everything we can. If I hear anything, I’ll call you.”

“I’m hiring outside help.”

“Well, sweet cheeks, that’s your prerogative. But I didn’t know the D.A.’s office was into funding preferred cases.”

“This has nothing to do with the D.A.’s office. This is personal and we’re not using public resources, so you can take your snotty-nosed comments and stick ’em.”

“C’mon, Myra, I—”

She clicked off and took several deep breaths. “Idiot.” She wasn’t going to let that chauvinist ass upset her. As a lawyer, she’d met numerous Tom Hadleys and their egos were the biggest part about them.

She checked her messages. Why hadn’t Mick returned her call? He was usually very prompt. Movement by the nurses’ station caught her attention and she saw Stu and an orderly had arrived. Myra hurried over.

“You okay?”

“Yes. Just a little tired.” Stu was in a wheelchair with a portable oxygen tank attached if he needed it, which he did. His face was flushed from the drive over.

“I’ll take him in,” she said to the orderly.

“Have you seen her?” Stu asked.

“I was waiting for you, but the doctor says there’s no change.”

She pushed Stu into one of the small rooms that faced the nurses’ station. Natalie lay completely motionless with tubes in her arms and a ventilator tube in her throat. A tube was also attached to her head where they had drilled holes in her skull to release the pressure on her brain. They’d shaved her head, too. The left side of Natalie’s face was badly bruised, as was her neck. She was very pale and the only color on her face was the dark eyelashes lying softly against her skin. The only sound in the room was the beeping of the monitors.

“Oh, my poor baby girl.” Stu reached out a hand to touch his daughter. “Baby, it’s Daddy. Can you hear me? Please wake up. Daniel needs you. I need you. Baby, please wake up.”

As Myra watched her lifeless friend, she blamed herself. She’d seen all the signs, the bruises and heard the lame excuses Natalie made for them. They were roughhousing or making love and Marco didn’t mean to hurt her. Then her vibrant energetic friend had turned into someone Myra didn’t know. Natalie was continually late for work, broke their lunch dates and, most of the time, looked stressed. When Myra questioned her, Natalie would become defensive, so she’d backed off and let her live her life her way. Looking back, Myra should’ve had the bastard arrested the first time she saw a bruise. Why hadn’t she? She respected Natalie’s privacy. But that counted for very little now.

“Ms. Delgado,” a nurse spoke from behind her.

She turned. “Yes.”

“There’s a man asking for you.”

“Here?”

“He’s in the waiting area.”

“Did he give a name?”

“No.”

“Give me a minute.”

The nurse walked out.

It had to be Mick. He must have tracked her down, but that was odd for him. “I’ll be right outside,” she said to Stu.

“Take your time. I just want to look at my baby girl.”

Myra patted Stu’s shaky hands and went to the nurses’ station. The nurse pointed to the waiting area and whispered, “If he’s single, I want his phone number.”

Myra was taken aback. Mick was portly and bald. She couldn’t imagine him generating that kind of response. She stopped short in the entrance to the room. The place was empty except for the man standing at the window looking out: tall, broad shoulders, in jeans, boots and a Stetson. Only one person stood that straight with a proud lift of his head.

Levi.

She swayed as the blood rushed from her head to her now-wildly beating heart. Had he changed his mind?

“Levi, what are you doing here?”

* * *

LEVI SWUNG AROUND, wondering the same thing. He did what he’d been taught his whole life. He told the truth and didn’t stonewall. “You wanted to hire me. I’m here.”

“But you said—”

“I know. I let my anger get the best of me, but I realized I don’t have to work with you. You’re just the middle person. I’ll do my best to find Stu’s grandson and then we’ll part ways again. This time for good.”

“I see.”

The hurt look in her dark eyes got to him for a second and then he quickly pushed it away. He wasn’t making this personal.

“What about Valerie?”

“She understands my job takes me away from time to time and she trusts me.”

“Must be nice.”

“Mutual trust always is.”

She opened her mouth to say something and snapped it shut. Myra wasn’t known for holding back. Maybe she had matured.

“If the trail leads to Mexico and the drug cartel, Stu will have to admit it’s a lost cause. There’s no way to guarantee anyone’s safety in that situation.”

“I’ve already contacted another P.I.,” she said more to herself than to him, it seemed.

“Good. I just didn’t want to not take this case because of something that happened between us.”

“He hasn’t agreed to it yet.”

“Make up your mind, Myra. We’re wasting time.”

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and he watched her graceful movements even though he didn’t want to. “Okay. I know you’re the best and, as you said, we’re losing time. Stu is here visiting his daughter.”

“I know. I’m waiting to see him.”

She walked away and he blew out a breath. He didn’t quite understand what he was doing here, but he couldn’t discard his code of ethics to help people just because Myra was involved. And it was for Stu. Levi owed the man. His emotions were all over the place and that was odd. He’d been told by more than one woman that he didn’t have any. It seemed one dark-eyed dark-haired woman brought out the worst in him.

Myra pushed Stu in a wheelchair into the room. His ashen skin and gauntness seemed to have worsened since Levi had last seen him. His heart went out to his friend.

“Hey, Levi.” Stu held out his weak hand and Levi shook it. “I knew you’d come.”

“You kind of know me inside and out.”

“You bet.”

“But, as I was telling Myra, I have some limitations. I will not get involved with the Mexican drug cartel.”

“You locate my grandson and I’ll take it from there.”

“Deal.” They shook hands again. “I’ll need a photo of the baby.”

“Sure. Myra will get you one.” Stu’s voice was hoarse and now it was more of a wheeze, and Levi could see his old friend was exhausted.

“My daughter doesn’t know that monster took him. At least, I don’t think she does. Myra and I haven’t mentioned it in case she doesn’t. No one knows what happened in that apartment.”

“When did the father take the child?”

Stu had to stop and take a breath, so Myra answered. “It happened on Monday. Natalie has an hour for lunch, and when she wasn’t back in two hours, I got worried. At three, I drove to the apartment and found her in a pool of blood. I immediately called 9-1-1, and an ambulance had her at the hospital in minutes. The E.R. team worked with her and then they took her into surgery. I realized it was time to pick up Daniel from day care, so I called another girl in the office to see if she could get the baby and keep him for a while. In fifteen minutes, she called me back to say Natalie had gotten him at noon.”

“My grandson probably saw his mother being beaten,” Stu choked out.

Myra patted Stu’s shoulder to comfort him and Levi stared for a moment. This was a different side of Myra, one he’d never seen. And it was a little jolting.

He swallowed. “The police have confirmed that Marco Mortez is the assailant?”

“Yes,” Myra replied. “Nat told me Marco was in town and she was meeting him for lunch.”

“But she didn’t mention picking up the baby?”

“No. Marco must have told her to bring him.”

He caught her eye. “When did you start accepting assumptions for facts?”

She gave him a heated glance that could melt chocolate in a refrigerator. “There was a call on her cell from him at 12:05 p.m. The last call she took. That’s fact. Jerry Black, who lives in the apartment complex, said he saw her go into her apartment with him and the baby. That’s fact.”

“Just checking.” He stopped her before she got all fired up.

“I do my job, Levi. Thoroughly.”

He let that pass. “You said Marco was in town. Did Natalie live with him?”

“No. He stays with her when he’s in town. He’s away a lot on family business.”

“Which is?”

“As far as I can tell, they restore vintage cars and ship them all over the world. Marco drives a Jaguar. Natalie said some of the cars are worth millions.”

“What’s his father’s name?”

“César.”

“He lives in Brownsville?”

“Yes.”

“Anything else you can tell me?”

“Marco was very secretive and he never let anything slip.”

“Levi, find my grandson. He has to be here when my daughter wakes up.”

“I’ll do my best, Stu, but as I told you, if—”

“Let’s stay positive,” Myra said.

“It’s difficult, Myra.” Stu coughed into a handkerchief.

Myra squatted by the chair. “You’re getting tired. Levi and I will take it from here.”

An orderly walked up. “Ready to go, Stu?”

Stu looked at Levi. “You’re the only investigator who can bring my grandson home. I trust you, Levi.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“If you’ll come back to the home, I’ll write you a check.”

“Don’t worry about it, Stu. Just take care of yourself and I’ll catch you later.”

“Thanks, Levi. I’m indebted to you.”

The orderly pushed Stu down the hall, and Levi and Myra stared until they were out of sight.

“Why did you interrupt me?” he demanded, not letting her off so easily.

She faced him. “Haven’t you heard of finesse, Levi? You’ve already told him you weren’t getting involved with the drug cartel. You didn’t need to jam it down his throat again.”

“He’s a cop. He knows the truth just like you and I do.”

“Leave him with some hope.”

“When did you get to be so damned considerate?”

“When did you get so hardhearted?”

“Myra—” He slammed his hat onto his head. “This isn’t going to work. Maybe it would be best if you hired the other guy.”

“You gave your word to Stu.”

“Then stay out of it. You don’t need to control everything.”

“I’m only trying to help a man I admire who’s been blindsided by grief and tragedy.”

“I know that, but Stu needs to be aware there is a very good chance that baby is in Mexico and there is no way to get him back.”

She lifted a dark eyebrow. “Is that a fact you can back up? You’re big on facts.”

“Damn it, Myra.”

“You can’t,” she said with a touch of glee in her voice. “Until you can tell him with certainty, you’re not mentioning it again.”

He stepped closer to her, so close he got a faint whiff of her fragrance. The gardenia-scented lotion she wore. It used to weaken his concentration. Now it only infuriated him. “Let’s get one thing straight. You will not tell me what to do. I get it, you’re concerned about Stu and Natalie. I am, too, but my patience is not as good as it used to be. So back off.”

“Fine. Do you need the detective of record on the case?”

He sighed and walked past her. He knew his job and he didn’t need her to explain it to him.

“Levi.”

He told himself to keep walking, but against every sane thought in his head he turned back.

“Thank you.”

He nodded, trying not to look into her dark eyes, trying not to get caught in the allure that was Myra Delgado.

CHAPTER FOUR

MYRA WASN’T UPSET at Levi’s high-handedness. He was on the case and that’s what she’d wanted. But she did wonder what had changed his mind. He probably couldn’t ignore his code of ethics and honor, and he had a soft spot for kids. Of course, Stu was a big pull, too. She was glad her old friend hadn’t been proven wrong. Now Levi just had to find Daniel.

Levi had a rocky relationship with his mother. She’d remarried within six months of his dad’s death, which was something Levi just couldn’t understand. At nine years of age, he’d refused to move with her and her new husband to Virginia. It was one of the few personal things Levi had shared with her. In his childish mind, he’d been hoping his mother wouldn’t go, but she did, leaving Levi with his grandfather. He’d felt deserted by a mother he loved and he’d never quite got over that. It made him tough, independent and, without a doubt, bullheaded. When Levi made up his mind, very little could change it. That’s why she was so surprised to see him today. But the thought of a child being separated from his mother had hit Levi in the heart.

The buzz of her phone interrupted Myra’s thoughts. Looking at the caller ID, she saw it was Tom. She quickly clicked on.

“Hey, sweet cheeks, we finally got a break. You might want to come down to the station.”

She gritted her teeth at the words sweet cheeks but didn’t respond. Tom wasn’t getting to her. He just annoyed her. “What have you got?”

“Brownsville police spotted the Jag on International Boulevard going into Brownsville.” She whipped into another lane, her heart pounding. This was the break they needed. “Have they stopped the car?”

“No. We’re keeping a tail on it to see where he goes and we want to be careful in case the baby’s in the car.”

“I’ll be at the station in a few minutes.”

Clicking off, she took the next exit and pulled into a restaurant’s parking lot. She poked in the FBI agent’s number.

“Steve, could you meet me at the central police station? They’ve spotted Mortez’s Jaguar near Brownsville.”

He quickly agreed. It was all coming together and Daniel might be back with his mother by nightfall. Maybe they didn’t need Levi, after all.

She sped toward the station, found a parking spot and hurried inside. Before she could reach Tom’s desk, she got a call from the D.A.

“Myra, I heard they’ve located Mortez’s car.”

“Yes, Mr. Chambers, I’m at the station now.”

“Good. Stay on it and keep me posted. If something happens to that baby, the D.A.’s office and the police are going to look bad in the eyes of the public and I don’t like looking bad.”

“I’m on it, sir.”

“Have you checked on Natalie?”

“Yes. She’s still the same.”

“I want that son of a bitch caught.”

“I’m on my way to talk to Detective Hadley. I’ll call as soon as I’m finished.”

She knew Clarence Chambers was more concerned about reelection than he was about Natalie, but that was the nature of politics.

Tom wasn’t at his desk. She looked around and a detective sitting at a desk pointed down the hall. “Tom’s in there.”

“Thank you.” Walking down the hall, her heels made a clickety-clack noise. She tapped on the door and went in.

Lieutenant Moyer met her. “Mr. Coyote says he’s been hired by Stu to help find the child.”

“Yes. Considering our investigators are overloaded, I thought we could use a little outside help. Daniel Stevens needs to be found as soon as possible.”

“I’ll allow him to sit in, then. Tom’s in charge.”

She nodded and he walked out.

Levi, Steve and Tom sat at a table strewn with laptops, iPads and phones. She eased into a chair next to Steve, across from Levi and Tom, who was talking on his cell. She wasn’t surprised at seeing Levi here. She knew he would make contact with the lead detective, which was protocol. She was just surprised he’d done it so quickly.

Tom laid down his phone. “Okay, counselor, are you ready for the police to stop the car?”

“The D.A. wants to wrap up this case, but he wants to be very careful the baby is unharmed. As do I.”

Tom snorted. “Like we go around hurting babies.” He made the call. “Stop the car, but make sure the baby is safe.”

They waited in silence. Myra hoped the stop went well and that Marco would soon be in custody. The time dragged. She glanced at Levi and he was doing something on his iPad. With today’s technology, he was probably keeping tabs on the car. One of the cool things about Levi was that he was a whiz with a computer.

The buzz of Tom’s phone startled her. He immediately clicked on. “Son of a bitch.” He slammed a fist onto the table. “Are you sure?...Yeah....Yeah....Let me know what he says.”

Tom ran a hand through his hair. “The driver was Juan Reyes. He works for the Mortez family and was ordered to pick up the car at the Brownsville International Airport. Juan says that’s all he knows. They’re taking him in for questioning.”

“Was there a car seat in the vehicle?” Levi asked, still on his computer.

“Damn it.” Tom reached for his phone again and asked the Brownsville police that question. Laying his cell on the table, he said, “Yeah, there was a car seat.”

Levi leaned back in his chair. “That baby is well hidden in Mexico by now and the law will never find him.”

Myra’s stomach churned. All she’d eaten today had been chocolate, and she had a niggling sense she was about to throw it up. She took a couple of deep breaths. What she’d feared most had just happened. Daniel was lost to them and to Natalie. How did she accept that?

Steve opened his computer and turned it so they could see the screen. He touched the keys. “This is the Mortez home in Brownsville. It sits on about ten acres with several metal buildings that are cooled and heated for those expensive cars. As far as we can tell, César Mortez, his wife and Marco live there. An agent checked the house yesterday and just the servants were there. One said the Mortez family had gone to the Matamoras home for a few days.” Steve clicked another key. “This is their home in Matamoras.”

Myra saw a three-story beige concrete structure with a red tiled roof. What caught her eye was the stone fence around it. It looked like a fortress and Steve echoed her thoughts.

“If Mortez has taken the baby to the Matamoras house, there’s no way in without Mortez’s permission and there’s certainly no way out without it, either. It would take a small army to infiltrate it, and the Mexican police will not help. There are not many Americans who are willing to go in, either. So I say we have a dilemma here.”

Levi studied the house on the screen. He pointed to several spots. “High-tech digital cameras are everywhere. They know you’re coming before you even get there.”

“So we just let him keep the baby?” Myra tried to keep her anger in check at this turn of events. It was hard for her to simply give up as the men were suggesting.

“There’s not much we can do, Myra,” Tom replied. “Not without getting a lot of people killed. After all, Marco is the boy’s father and he’s not in imminent danger.”

Myra jumped to her feet. “Don’t tell me that shit, Tom. Marco brutally beat a woman into a coma in this country and took her child. Natalie Stevens has full custody of that child. Marco broke the law here and he needs to be punished.”

“Marco is a Mexican citizen and I’m not sure what we can do to him in this country except deport him. I’ll contact the Mexican authorities, but I can guarantee you they will do nothing.”

Myra knew he was right, but it didn’t keep her from seething.

Tom looked at Levi. “Now, if Mr. Coyote wants to go in there and tackle Mortez and the drug cartel, he’s welcome to go, but no one from this department will volunteer. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.”

Levi’s eyes were on Steve. “What’s the Mortez family into?”

“We know it’s either guns or drugs, but we haven’t been able to catch them with anything. We’ve raided the house in Brownsville, stopped those vans carrying the expensive cars and found nothing. They seem to know when we’re coming.”

“How do you know they’re involved with the drug cartel?” Levi kept on.

Steve tapped another key and photos popped up. “That’s César, the father, with one of the kingpins of the cartel. Here are more of meetings in Brownsville. The Mortez family is involved with moving guns or drugs for them, we’re sure. We just can’t prove it, but one day they’ll slip up and we’ll get them.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Concerning the baby...” Steve closed his laptop. “Ava Mortez seems like a nice enough woman and I’m sure she’s taking care of the child. The conditions in Matamoras are not as good as they are in Brownsville and Mrs. Mortez spends most of her time in Texas. Once this cools down, she’ll probably bring the baby back to Brownsville. We keep close tabs on that house and we’ll let you know when that happens.”

“Sorry, Steve.” Myra reached for her purse. “I have a friend who is fighting for her life and I just can’t wait that long. If she wakes up and Daniel’s not here, I don’t know if she’ll survive. The only choice for me is to go to Matamoras on my own.”

“Are you insane?” Tom was the first to speak. “Stu wouldn’t want you to do that.”

“Probably not. But I’m going.”

“Myra, it’s not safe for a woman to go there alone. You’ve worked in the D.A.’s office long enough to know that.”

“Yes, I have, Tom. It still doesn’t change my mind.” She turned and walked out of the room.

Steve followed her. “Myra, please think about this. Just give this some time and we’ll flush him out.”

“Natalie doesn’t have time and Stu doesn’t, either.” She looked over Steve’s shoulder and saw Levi watching her. She could read his thoughts in his eyes: You’re crazy.

“Thanks, Steve. I appreciate your concern, but I have a feeling I’m on my own on this.” She continued her journey for the door and her legs were a little shaky once she reached her car. It was crazy. It was insane. But she couldn’t seem to do anything else. Wherever Daniel was, she knew he was afraid and wanted his mommy. She would take things slowly and feel her way.

There was no need to talk to Levi. He’d already made his position clear. Under no circumstances was he going into Mexico. She made her way to her office in the criminal justice building to tell her boss her plans.

Sitting at her desk, she gathered her thoughts. Could she do this? She thought of her parents and Jessie. And then there was Stu and Natalie. Who would help them if something happened to her?

Before she made any concrete decisions, she needed food. Opening her bottom drawer, she pulled out a protein bar and then went down the hall to the kitchen for bottled water. Munching on the bar, she resolved she couldn’t leave little Daniel in Mexico.

She hurried to the D.A.’s office and spoke to his secretary. “Is he available?”

“Depends.”

Myra knew this drill. She wasn’t getting inside unless it was important. “It’s about the Stevens baby.”

“Did they find him?”

Myra lifted an eyebrow. “You know I can’t tell you that.” Oh, turnaround was fun.

“Go in,” the girl said with a frown.

Myra tapped on the door and poked her head around. “Do you have a minute?”

Clarence waved her in. He was on the phone. Laying his cell on his desk, he asked, “Any news?”

She took a seat and told him what they’d learned.

“That pretty much takes it out of our hands.”

Myra smoothed an imaginary speck off her slacks. “I’d like to ask for some time off.”

Clarence nodded. “Sure, sure. I know this has been stressful for you. It has for the whole department. Natalie was very likable and easy to work with.”

Myra shifted uneasily in the chair, not sure how to say what she had to without him blowing a gasket. It was at that moment she realized she could lose her job over this. In the old days, that would’ve stopped her immediately, but she wasn’t young and naive anymore. She had the battle scars to prove it.

“I’m planning to go to Matamoras.”

Clarence pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and leaned back in his big leather chair with a shocked expression on his face. She waited with bated breath for his next words.

“You’re going to try to find Natalie’s baby?” He quickly held up a hand. “No, don’t answer. I don’t need to know that. You do what you feel you have to and leave the department out of it. I’ll let everyone know you’re on vacation and what you do on vacation is your business.”

Myra was positive disbelief was written all over her face. She expected him to try to talk her out of it and, for the first time since she’d worked for him, she admired that he was willing to take a risk because this could surely come back to bite him in the butt. Only if she didn’t succeed.

She got to her feet. “Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about Natalie. I’ll get Michelle to look in on her daily.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Myra, just realize you can’t save everybody from the bad guys.”

She frowned. “Do I do that?”

“You’re one of my best prosecutors because it somehow eats at you when a person gets away with bad behavior. But sometimes you have to let go. Sometimes the bad guys win.”

He was right. The thought of that monster keeping that little boy was eating away at her like an acid in her stomach. Now she had to really look at her motive and understand what she was doing.

“My advice is to take someone with you. Preferably someone big and strong and not afraid of the devil.”

Levi blasted across her consciousness. He fit the bill, but he wasn’t willing to take a risk and ruin the life he had planned. But there were other men. Surely.

“I’ll think about it.”

Back at her desk, she made notes of what she’d need to carry and checked airline reservations. No way was she driving across the border. Her cell went off and she reached for it in her purse. Mick. Just the man she needed to talk to.

“Hey, Mick, you took your time calling back.”

“Sorry. I got caught up on a case. What do you need?”

“I need a bodyguard.”

“Hell, Myra, I’d guard your body any day of the week.”

Mick was like any other man. He had to get that sexual innuendo in there. But he wasn’t as sleazy as Tom. “I guess you read in the paper about the girl in our office who was beaten into a coma by her boyfriend.”

“Yeah, it was in the paper and on the news.”

“The boyfriend has taken their son into Mexico and we believe he’s hiding out in Matamoras.”

“If you’re suggesting what I think you are, the answer is no. I work in Texas. I have a wife and two kids and I’m not going into Mexico.”

“Do you want to think about it?”

“No, sorry, Myra. But if you need a job done here, I’m your man.”

“Thanks, Mick.”

Fiddling with the phone, indecision gripped her. Everyone was telling her this was insane, so why wasn’t she listening? Maybe, like Levi, the thought of that little boy being taken from his mother had gotten to her. Something needed to be done.

She found herself headed back to the hospital. She needed to see Natalie to resolve all the doubts in her head. It was getting late and the hospital seemed very quiet, or maybe that was just the uneasiness in her. The nurse allowed her to see Natalie for a moment.

Myra stared at her friend, who was only a shadow of the vibrant young woman she used to be. The bruises stood out against her pale skin. When she woke up, how was Myra going to tell her that Daniel wasn’t here?

Dr. March walked in with a chart in his hand. “Good evening, Ms. Delgado.”

“Good evening,” she replied. “Is there any change?”

He scribbled something in the chart. “No. Sorry.”

“If her son was here with his baby chatter, would it be a stimulus for her?”

He closed the chart. “Yes, that’s why we allow her father to visit. A familiar voice can be a trigger to bring her out of this deep sleep. Have they found her son?”

“No. I was just wondering.”

“Keep positive thoughts,” he suggested. “Her body and mind have been traumatized. It takes time to heal.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

She reached out and touched the limp hand on the bed. “Get better, Nat. I’m doing all I can, but you have to help me. You have to get better.”

There was no response and Myra knew there wouldn’t be. As she stood there in the quiet room, with only the hum of the machines, a calm came over her. Doing nothing wasn’t in her nature. If she let Marco have Daniel, she would never be able to face Natalie again. Natalie looked up to her, but it was more than that. Natalie trusted her, and now Myra had to trust her own instincts. She had to tackle the most dangerous job she’d ever attempted.

But first she had to tell Jessie and her parents.

* * *

LEVI DROVE STEADILY toward Willow Creek and home. His services weren’t needed and there was nothing else he could do. Thinking about Myra and her ridiculous plan only pissed him off. She’d been told the risk repeatedly and, as always, Myra did as she pleased. His conscience was clear.

He wasn’t sure why he kept glancing in his rearview mirror. He had no reason to feel guilty. Going to Houston in the first place was a crazy thing to do. He’d sworn he wouldn’t help Myra, but both Stu and the thought of a kidnapped baby who needed his mother had swayed him. And then there was that little matter of living with a conscience that continually mocked his decisions.

The more miles he left behind him, the more his conscience chimed in. Myra’s body would probably be found on the banks of the Rio Grande within days. If there was one thing the drug cartel didn’t like, it was Americans asking questions, and Myra was good at asking questions. It was her forte and it would be her downfall.

He pulled over to the side of the road. Cars whizzed by on the warm September day, the heat intensified by revving motors and blacktop. He told himself he wasn’t responsible for Myra’s actions. Her number was on his phone and he quickly found it. What could he say to her that hadn’t already been said? Could he go back to his safe life and leave her to face an untimely death? Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, he knew there was only one answer. He finagled his way back into traffic and headed for Willow Creek.

* * *

MYRA SPENT AN hour with Stu explaining the situation and, though he was upset, he didn’t try to stop her. He left that decision up to her, but strongly suggested she hire guards to go with her. Stu wanted Daniel home with Natalie and he offered to pay for a bodyguard.

Nothing much was said about Levi. Stu only commented that Levi wouldn’t let them down. Telling him Levi already had seemed cruel, so she didn’t.

On the way home, she stopped at a sporting goods store and got appropriate apparel, plus hiking boots. Then she went home to figure out her next move.

After eating yogurt and an apple, she called Jessie and told her the situation and quickly added, “I just wanted you to know in case you don’t hear from me for a while.”

“My, are you sure about this? Let the authorities handle it.”

“It’s a delicate situation, but I’ll try to stay in touch so don’t worry.”

“Oh, please. This sounds a little insane even for you.”

“Thank you very much.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes. I’ll admit I’m a little scared, and if I feel the situation is too dangerous once I get to Matamoras, I’ll call everything off. I haven’t lost my mind completely.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“I was going to call Mama and Papa, but they wouldn’t understand and we’d just get into an argument. If they mention they can’t get in touch with me, make an excuse or something.”

“I’m not lying to them, My.”

Myra sighed. She knew Jessie wouldn’t lie. That was one of the things she loved most about her. She was very honest and up-front.

“Okay. I should be back in a few days. Say a prayer for me, and I love you, kiddo.”

“Myra, please ask Levi to go with you.”

“He made it very clear he won’t go into Mexico, but I’ll hire someone, so don’t worry. I’ll call as soon as I get there.”

“Take care of yourself.”

Myra sat for a long time with the phone in her hand. She should call her parents, but it would turn into a big argument she wasn’t in the mood to deal with. Since her parents had moved so far away, she didn’t talk to them as much. If she was lucky, she’d be home before they realized she’d been gone, and by then she’d be prepared for the lecture.

Even she couldn’t make that argument sound convincing. She touched the number to call home. Her mother answered.

“Hi, Mama. I’m sorry I was short today. I just have a lot on my mind.”

“I know you’re worried about your friend.”

Myra didn’t expect so much understanding and she was speechless for a brief second. “Yes, it’s been very stressful.”

“Well, then, come home for a few days and relax.”

Myra chewed on her lip. “I can’t right now. I’ll probably be leaving for Matamoras tomorrow. We have a lead on the baby.”

“Matamoras?” She could almost see the worry gathering in her mother’s eyes like clouds before a thunderstorm.

“I’ll be careful.”

“Why do you have to go? Aren’t the police supposed to do that?”

Myra didn’t feel she needed to go into a long explanation. “I just wanted you to know in case you were trying to reach me. I’ll call as soon as I get back.”

Her mother wasn’t having any of it. She called to Myra’s father, “Felipe, talk to your daughter. She’s doing something crazy.”

She explained the situation all over again to her father. “Papa, I have to go. I just wanted to touch base before I left.

“Take care of yourself, bebé. We love you.”

That’s all she wanted to hear, just in case she didn’t make it back.

For the next thirty minutes, she contacted retired police officers who might want to make some extra money, but none of them wanted money that badly. The realization of just how serious the situation was finally began to sink in. She hung up from the last one feeling frustrated. She took a long breath and paced in her living room. What did she do now?

She didn’t have an answer, so went to take a shower. Slipping into shorty pj bottoms and a tank top, new energy surged through her. She emailed Steve, requesting all the info he had on the Mortez family. He replied within minutes and she sat in the living room reviewing the Mortez compound in Matamoras. An outsider had no way in. That left no options, except one. She had Marco’s cell number. She’d tried it a couple of times and he hadn’t answered and she didn’t leave a message. But if she left a message saying she was in Matamoras, he might meet with her. And how stupid would that be, meeting him alone on his turf where justice was a foreign word? What did she do?

Her doorbell chimed and she jerked her head up in surprise. Who could that be? Due to her work and prosecuting hardened criminals, she lived in a gated community. She had to buzz people in and no one had rung the buzzer. It might be a neighbor, but then, they usually called.

She went to the door and stood on tiptoe to look through the peephole. She blinked and looked again. Could it be...? No. She took another glance to make sure.

Levi.

CHAPTER FIVE

“MYRA, LET ME in.”

She released the dead bolt and unlocked the door. Levi strolled in wearing worn jeans, a black T-shirt and a backpack. Mystified, she could only stare at him.

“What?” he asked, as if it was natural for him to drop by her home unannounced.

“What are you doing here?”

He shrugged out of the backpack and dropped it to the floor. “Hell, I don’t know. I have a perfectly good life in Willow Creek, and yet I can’t get the picture of you lying dead on the banks of the Rio Grande out of my head.”

A shiver ran through her at the image. “Are you trying to scare me?”

“Is it working? You ready to change your mind?”

She heaved a sigh. “No.”

“God, you’re stubborn.”

“What are you doing here, Levi?”

He dragged the backpack into the living room and plopped onto the sofa. Unzipping the pack, he pulled out his iPad. “I found I couldn’t live with your death on my conscience, so I’m taking you to Mexico to search for the boy, but you will follow my orders and be as docile as possible.”

“Oh” was all she could say. Her heavy heart suddenly felt lighter and she sat cross-legged in a chair facing him. “Thank you.” She felt she needed to say that.

“Yeah” was his short reply. He was already engrossed in the iPad.

“Do you have a plan?”

He glanced up briefly. “Plans are usually shot to hell in these types of situations. We’ll play it by ear. In the morning, we’ll head out for Brownsville and cross the border and see how it goes.”

“I thought it would be easier to fly.”

That drew a dark scowl. “Tourists are easy targets and that’s what you’ll be getting off the plane in Matamoras.”

“Okay. I’m flexible.”

“Yeah. Since when?”

She took a deep breath. “If we’re going to do this, we’ll have to call a truce with the snide comments. To work together, we at least have to be civil to each other.”

His brown eyes held hers and she resisted the urge to squirm. “You’re right. For us to have any success, we have to work closely together. I’ll have to be able to trust you.”

“Is that a problem?”

He didn’t answer for second. “Yesterday, yes. Today, I have to go on faith. I’m here, so that’s about all I can say.”

She swallowed. “I’ll take it.” She pointed to her laptop on the coffee table. “Steve sent over everything he has on the Mortez family. Or at least what he could share.”

“I already have it.”

That surprised her. An agent didn’t share information with outsiders, or maybe Steve didn’t consider Levi an outsider. But she was still curious. “How?”

“I snatched it from his computer when we were at the station.”

Now she was more curious. “How?”

“I have a thingamajig on my phone....”

“Thingamajig?”

“That’s all you need to know.”

“But how did you do it? Steve was in the room with you the whole time.”

“While Steve and Tom were talking to the lieutenant, I laid my phone against his laptop and, in a few seconds, I had everything on the Mortez family.”

“Sometimes you’re scary, Levi.”

“Remember that and this trip will go smoothly.”

“You know what you did was illegal.” Why she was pointing that out, she wasn’t sure. Maybe just to annoy him, like he was trying so hard to annoy her.

He lifted a dark eyebrow. “In the next few days, we’ll be doing a lot of illegal stuff. Are you prepared for that, counselor?”

“Whatever it takes.”

“Mmm.”

Nothing was said for a few minutes as he worked on the iPad. She watched as he was totally focused on the computer. In the old days, he’d grasped things quickly and his memory was phenomenal. She was sure that hadn’t changed. He paid great attention to detail. It drove her crazy sometimes when he could tell her exactly what she wore on a certain day and with what earrings or high heels. And yet the same man had trouble matching up his socks. She would bet that the socks he had on now were mismatched. It was a Levi trademark.

She remembered so many things about him. His gentle touch when she was down about something. His kind heart and concern for everyone. When he loved, there was no holding back. He gave all of himself and there was never any doubt that he loved her. She had failed their relationship.

Her eyes were drawn to the black T-shirt molded to the muscles in his arms and across his chest. As he worked the keypad, his forearms rippled, reminding her of everything she’d lost. And of everything she could never get back—mainly his trust.

“We’ll leave early in the morning.” His words broke through her thoughts. “And try to make it to Brownsville by noon. Do you have a passport?”

“Yes.”

“I have Daniel’s so we’re set to go.”

She frowned. “How did you get Daniel’s?”

“On my way back, I called Stu and he sent someone to Natalie’s apartment for the boy’s birth certificate and a photo. When I arrived at the home, I faxed the items to a name Stu gave me and I picked up the passport on the way here.”

“You’ve thought of everything.”

“For us to succeed, I have to.”

He reached into the backpack and pulled out a laptop and a phone. “This is a cheap phone you can use while we’re in Mexico. Put all the numbers on it you’ll need. Leave your expensive one here.”

“Okay.” She took the phone, very impressed with his thoroughness.

“I have to take mine, but I have all my information stored in case I lose it. I’ll leave my laptop under your sofa.”

“Sure.”

“Do you have some old clothes?”

She jumped up. “I just bought some clothes to wear.” She ran upstairs to her bedroom and came back with what she’d purchased.

He stared at the clothes in her hands. “Camouflage? This is not a military mission. We want to appear incognito and that means we have to blend in. We’ll stop at a thrift store and get you something.”

“Thrift store?”

“Yeah, Myra. Preferably something old and grungy.”

She wasn’t going to argue because he knew what he was doing. She held up the boots. “How about these?”

“They’ll do, but we’ll have to make them look worn and old.”

“If you say so,” she replied, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

“Try to get some rest. I’ll wake you about four-thirty.”

“You say that as if you’re staying here tonight.”

“I am,” he replied without even looking up.

“I just have one bedroom. The other bedroom I converted into an office.”

He looked up at that. “Believe me, Myra, I can restrain myself. I lost those feelings for you a long time ago.” He patted the sofa he was on. “I’ll sleep here. Good God, is this white?”

“Yes, white leather.” Levi’s concentration was phenomenal, too. He could totally shut out the world when he was focused on something.

He glanced around and she knew he’d cataloged the entire room in that one glance. His eyes settled on the white area rug covering part of the hardwood floor.

“Everything in here is white.”

“And silver and black,” she quipped.

“I noticed.”

She laid the clothes and boots in a chair. “That reminds me. How did you get in here? This is a secure complex.”

He went back to the iPad. “No building is secure. If someone wants in, they’ll find a way to get in.”

“How did you do it?”

“I waited until someone was allowed in and then zipped my truck right in behind them. Easy as eating pie with both hands.”

“No one noticed?”

“It’s dark and I’m very fast. C’mon, Myra, stop grilling me. I have more important things on my mind.”

“What are you doing on the computer?”

“Don’t ask questions, either.”

She threw up her hands. “If I have to get up at four-thirty, I’m going to bed.”

“Do you have a sheet or a blanket I can put on the couch? I’d hate to drool on this white thing.”

“You don’t drool.” That came out of her mouth without thinking. She didn’t know how he slept these days. But in the old days, he’d slept sound, quiet and beautifully.

“That was seven years ago. I’ve changed.”

She lifted an eyebrow, but decided not to voice her thoughts. She needed his help and she wasn’t going to complicate things. Or at least she was trying not to. She went to a hall closet and pulled out a blanket and a sheet and carried them back to him.

He stared at them. “White? What is it with you and white now?”

“I like white. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing if you’re superhuman. A child could have a field day messing up this place.”

“I don’t have a child.”

“Yeah.”

Suddenly the room was full of palpable tension. She felt it. He felt it. They both chose to ignore it.

“I’m going to bed.” She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “Thank you. I’m glad you changed your mind.”

“Do you have anything to eat?” he asked, completely ignoring her thanks.

Another thing about Levi—he had a killer appetite. “Um, I have some yogurt and fruit. There’s ice cream and frozen dinners in the freezer.”

“That’s it?”

“I’m not here that much.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about your long hours.” He stood and marched into the kitchen, opening her refrigerator. With yogurt and an apple in his hand, he opened the freezer and pulled out a TV dinner. Looking around, he said, “I’m not sure where to eat in here.”

“There are bar stools on the island,” she said, pointing to the white-and-chrome stools. “And there’s also a table. Are you unfamiliar with these things?”

“I don’t want to get anything dirty.”

“I’m going to bed. You figure it out.” She left him with his dilemma. One would think he’d never been in a nice place before, but she knew that wasn’t true. The apartment they’d shared wasn’t as upscale as this, but it was still pretty nice. Actually, she couldn’t recall him ever commenting on their decor. He was just being cantankerous now because he didn’t want to be here.

As she made her way up the stairs, he hollered, “Where’s the bathroom?”

“You’re an investigator so it shouldn’t be that hard to find.”

“Funny. Okay. I found it. I just didn’t know if there was one downstairs.”

Memories, like photos from a favorite album, floated around her. Myra, have you seen my shoes? Myra, are my keys in the kitchen? Myra, where are my socks? For a man who could locate murderers, robbers, cheating husbands and missing children, he was hopeless at keeping track of his own stuff. Levi was a conundrum.

She didn’t bother to close her door. There was no need, because she knew he wouldn’t set foot in her bedroom. She crawled beneath her white sheets and relaxed even though she didn’t know what tomorrow was going to bring. That was okay. Levi would be with her and he would protect her and keep her safe. He might not admit it, but it was the reason he was here. She went to sleep with that thought on her mind.

* * *

LEVI ATE TWO TV dinners, two yogurts, an apple and a couple of protein bars he found in a drawer before he finished off the ice cream. Then he went back to the sofa and spread the sheet over it. He laid the blanket at the end in case he needed it. Sitting down, he reached for his phone.

It was almost eleven and he was sure Valerie was asleep. She had to be at the hospital at five, so she always went to bed early. Since she was upset at his sudden decision to take this case, he wanted to talk to her. Not wanting to wake her, he sent a text.

I’m sorry you’re upset. I do take a lot of dangerous cases. I just never realized that bothered you. We’ll talk when I get back. Love, L.

He went back to his iPad and worked until after twelve. By then, he had an idea of what to do. He removed his clothes, flipped off the light and stretched out on the sheet, staring at the ceiling. Thoughts bounced like Ping-Pong balls across his mind. For a man who was never indecisive, he felt more vulnerable than he ever had in his life. He would’ve sworn when Myra left his barn this morning he’d never take this case.

He’d made it all the way to Willow Creek before he’d known he had to go back. He’d talked to Pop, which was like an exercise in practicing patience. As usual, Pop didn’t see a problem. Stu’s grandson had been taken and Levi needed to rescue him. It was so simple in his mind, but Pop tended to believe that Levi was ten feet tall and bulletproof.

Usually Valerie was very understanding about his work. But today, her understanding didn’t stretch to him spending time with an old love. He flipped onto his side, knowing he could control the situation, but that was hard to explain to Valerie. This was just a case and he would treat it like all the rest. There was no need for his emotions to get involved.

He closed his eyes and let the world drift away. He needed rest to cope with tomorrow. As sleep tugged at him, he saw Valerie’s beautiful face and his body relaxed. The image was quickly replaced by Myra’s darker features, and blood pounded through his veins in remembered passion. He hated that he couldn’t control his reaction. He hated that he couldn’t completely erase her from his mind.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.