Against the Law (25 page)

“Yeah? What makes you such an expert on women?”

Rafe shrugged. “I suppose because I am not like you. I am not afraid of love. If the right woman came along, I would make her mine and I would not let anyone take her from me.”

Dev made no comment. He wasn't like Montez. He didn't love Lark and even if he did, he didn't have room in his life for a woman.

“I didn't come out here to talk about my love life. I wanted to thank you. I appreciate everything you've done to help us. You're a good man to have on the job.”

Rafe studied the thin trail of smoke drifting up from the tip of his cigarette. “I am being well paid. And I would like nothing so much as to see Alvarez in his grave.”

“Maybe you'll get your wish.”

Rafe snuffed the cigarette out with the tips of his fingers then tossed it into the trash beside the door. “Think about what I said. Your lady…she is special. I wish I were as lucky as you.”

Dev watched him disappear back inside the house and released a slow breath. Montez was wrong. He had to be.

Dev refused to imagine the consequences if the man was right about his feelings for Lark.

T
he smell of meat and tortillas still lingered in the air. Outside the house, it was cool, the desert beginning to show the first signs of winter, coming in the months ahead.

As she descended the four back steps to the yard, Gracie pulled her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders. She loved this time of year. It wasn't too hot and not yet too cold. She could enjoy the vast emptiness of the landscape without being overwhelmed by the weather.

She turned at the sound of footsteps, for an instant hoping it was Jake, knowing in her heart it was not. She was only a little surprised to see the man with the light brown hair and interesting gray eyes, Emilio Campbell.

“I hope you don't mind if I join you,” he said. “I wanted to thank you before Rafael and I left for the village. The meal was delicious.”

“I am glad you enjoyed it.”

He stared off into the desert. There were no fences, nothing to interfere with the vast stretch of openness. Only the faint outline of the distant mountains was visible in the moonlight.

“I love the desert this time of year,” he said, mirroring her earlier thoughts.

“So do I.” She turned to face him. “I am a fan of your work.”

He seemed surprised. “You've seen my paintings?”

“I admired your landscapes first in a gallery in Ciudad del Cordon.”

“So you enjoy art, then.”

“Very much. I dabble a little with watercolor painting, myself. It is a hobby of mine. I am not so good, but I enjoy it.”

“Was that your work in the bedroom? The desert landscape? I noticed it when I walked down the hall.”

“That is mine. I told you I am not so good.”

“I liked it. I thought it showed a great deal of talent.”

She tried not to feel pleased. Men said those sorts of things all the time.

“It's been a while since the gallery show I had in Ciudad del Cordon.”

“
Sí,
it was before my brother was killed.”

“I'm sorry.”

She looked up at him. There was something in those interesting gray eyes, something that held kindness and comfort, as if he understood her loss. Then she remembered that his father had also been killed in this war they waged against drugs.

“Do you think you will be able to help them?” she asked.

“I hope so. Alvarez needs to be dealt with.”

“You mean killed.”

“Yes.”

“You are a harder man than you seem.”

“Life does that to you.”

“
Sí,
it does.”

He gazed out into the darkness. “You and Cantrell… Montez says you're just friends. But you look at him as something more.”

Her smile held a trace of regret. “In the past, I have wished there was more. But I am not a fool. I am not what Jake needs and I have begun to think that perhaps he is not what I need, either.”

Emilio reached out as if he meant to touch her but stopped himself. “I live in Rio Negro. That's not so far from here. When this is over, perhaps I could call on you.”

She laughed. “That sounds very old-fashioned.”

He smiled, and she thought that he looked far younger and even more attractive. “Sometimes old-fashioned is not such a bad thing,” he said.

“You are right, and I would like very much for you to call on me.”

“We'll make a date, then. When this is over.” He seemed pleased. “It's time for us to go. Tell the others I'll call as soon as I have something to report.”

“Thank you, Emilio.”

“There's no need for thanks. Just say a prayer that this works. If it does, perhaps there'll be less killing.”

She watched him walk away, his strides long and confident. On the surface, he looked like an average man, but she thought there was a core of steel beneath his every-man facade.

She wondered if she would see him again and smiled, somehow certain she would.

 

The call came at 3:00 p.m. the following afternoon. Lark listened anxiously as Dev talked on the phone to Emilio Campbell, then turned and spoke to the men.

“Campbell met with de La Guerra. Don Ricardo has agreed to a meeting. He insists I bring Lark and the child.”

Jake started shaking his head.

“No way,” Riggs said.

“De La Guerra is willing to listen, but there are no guarantees.” Dev looked over at Lark. “He wants you both there as insurance. He wants to be sure we're telling him the truth.”

“I'm going—you couldn't keep me away. But Chrissy—”

“You don't have to worry,” Dev said. “Chrissy's staying with Cantrell and Riggs. I'm only taking you because it's our best chance, but I'm not risking the life of a four-year-old girl.”

“When's the meet?” Jake asked.

“Tomorrow morning. Ten o'clock at de La Guerra's house. I'm thinking we drive down to Ciudad del Cordon tonight. We've got to be there on time. We can't afford to risk running into trouble.”

“Good idea,” Johnnie agreed. “I could use a night's
sleep in a real bed and besides, we don't want Sassy throwing some kind of female fit and breaking down on the road.”

Jake grunted, but Lark smiled. “I'd better get ready. Chrissy's outside with Gracie. I'll get our things.” And the clothes Gracie had rounded up for Chrissy from the bag of hand-me-downs she was taking to the children at her school.

It took less than ten minutes for the men to collect their gear. Lark thanked Graciela for all she had done and hugged her goodbye.

“You've been wonderful, Gracie. I'll never be able to repay your kindness.”

“I will say a prayer for you and Devlin. And for your little girl.”

“Thank you.”

“Jake will take good care of you,” Gracie said, casting him a sideways glance.

Lark just nodded, her throat suddenly tight. The men had saved her child and she had come to care for them greatly. But she was still in Mexico, still running for her life from a ruthless man set on killing them. It made her realize how much she missed her normal life, how much she missed her friends.

Scotty and Delilah, Carrie Beth and Dex, she knew they must be worried sick, but she couldn't risk calling them. If Alvarez was trying to find her, he might tap their phones. If she called, he could trace the call backward. He would see the call came from Mexico and know who was calling. He could track their location and come after them. It was just too dangerous.

Besides, if Dev's plan worked, in a few more days the threat would be over.

If Dev's plan worked.

A cold tremor went through her. They were risking everything on a plan that might fail. If de La Guerra refused to help them, eventually Alvarez would find them. He would kill them without the slightest hesitation.

Lark took a steadying breath. It wasn't going to happen. She was going to convince Ricardo de La Guerra to help them.

One way or another.

 

They checked into the Hotel Barranca, a small motel near the outskirts of Ciudad del Cordon, a sprawling desert town named for the chain of mountains visible in the distance. It was a pretty town, Dev thought, with several old-world cathedrals, a square with old-fashioned iron lamp posts, and cobbled streets. Though the surrounding lands were arid and rocky, palm trees grew here and there, and the streets were lined with leafy trees and dark green foliage.

Dev rented two rooms, one for Jake and Johnnie; one for him, Lark and Chrissy. Emilio Campbell had already left town, his task finished, heading back to Rio Negro where he lived. Montez had flown on to Cabo San Lucas to do some badly needed recon and try to find out if Antonio Alvarez's plans remained unchanged.

What happened at tomorrow's meeting and what Montez discovered would decide their fate. Or at least their next effort to stay alive.

Dev glanced around the room, not entirely shabby by
third world country standards, with two double beds and a bathroom with a shower that was only slightly rusty. While Lark read to Chrissy from a children's book about a lost puppy that Gracie had given her, Dev phoned Trace Rawlins.

“It's me. You back in the States yet?”

“We're in Arizona.”

“How's Madman holding up?”

“Doin' fine. Mean as a rattler. One of those doc-in-the-boxes stitched him up. He's waitin' for a flight to L.A. You gonna be okay?”

“So far so good. Working on Plan C. I'll tell you all about it if it works. Keep your fingers crossed.”

“Will do.”

He signed off and turned off the phone. He didn't think there was any way Alvarez could trace the call back to him, but he wasn't taking any chances.

“Anybody hungry in there?” The voice belonged to Riggs, who called to them from the other side of the door and followed with a sharp rap of his knuckles.

“I am!” Chrissy jumped off the bed and ran to let him in. She stepped back and grinned up at him. “I want a taco, Uncle Johnnie.”

Dev cast him a glance. “Uncle Johnnie? When did that happen?”

He shrugged his thick shoulders. “Chrissy seems to have a lot of uncles lately.” Riggs took her hand. “Let's go find Uncle Jake. He wants to go with us.” Chrissy grinned and nodded, did a little hop toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Lark asked. “Are you sure it's safe?”

“The café's right next to the motel.”

“Alvarez won't be looking for us here,” Dev added. “He'll figure we're heading north, back to the States. There's no reason for him to consider we'd be going deeper into Mexico. On top of that, we've crossed into El Dorado cartel territory. Alvarez is risking all-out war if he invades the area de La Guerra controls.”

Johnnie turned, lifted the back of his flowered short-sleeve shirt, showing Lark the Beretta semi-auto he had shoved into the back of his khaki pants. “She'll be fine. Like I said, the place is right next door. If you don't want to come, I'll bring you back something.”

“That would be great,” Lark said.

She looked tired, Dev thought, she needed a rest and she trusted Chrissy with Johnnie and Jake. She managed to smile. “Have a good time, sweetie.”

“Bye, Mommy.” Chrissy waved and skipped away holding on to Johnnie's big hand. Dev figured Riggs was taking the child so Lark could have a short break from her newly acquired parenting duties.

When the door closed and he looked at Lark, she had tears in her eyes, which she hurriedly blinked away.

“What is it?”

She shook her head. “Nothing…it's just…that's the first time she's ever called me Mommy.”

He smiled at her softly. “It won't be the last.” He walked toward her. “She's a really good kid, Lark, and she loves you.”

She smiled, nodded.

After he had made love to her in the ravine, he had purposely been keeping his distance, as she had asked. It
wasn't fair to either of them to keep fueling the fire that always seemed to burn between them. But she looked so sweet and vulnerable, keeping his distance was nearly impossible to do.

“We could read or something,” he said when he saw her watching him with a hint of uncertainty. She was sitting on one of the beds, her shoulders propped against the orange vinyl headboard, her knees drawn up beneath her chin. He couldn't miss the worry lines across her forehead, the slight droop of her shoulders.

She looked exhausted and troubled and he couldn't blame her. Tomorrow's meeting would determine her future and that of her child.

She unfolded those long sexy legs and came to her feet, closed the short distance between them and looked into his face.

“I know it isn't fair of me to ask…I know you've been trying to respect my wishes, but I was hoping… Do you think, for a minute, you could just hold me?”

His chest squeezed. Most women would have broken down long before this. He opened his arms and she walked right into them, rested her head against his shoulder. She felt so good. So perfect. He closed his arms around her and felt her tremble. A sigh of relief whispered through her slender body.

“It's all right,” he said, tightening his hold. “I've got you.”

Lark looked up at him. “This is going to work, isn't it? We aren't going to have to go into hiding? I'm not going to have to start my life all over again?”

His hand came up and sifted through her hair. It felt like silk beneath his fingers. “It's going to work, baby. Everything's going to happen just the way we planned.”

He prayed it was true. He prayed Alvarez would take his mistress to Cabo just as he'd said. That de La Guerra would agree to help them get rid of the vicious thug once and for all. That Lark and Chrissy would finally be safe.

She relaxed against him, absorbing his body heat and maybe a little of his strength. Dev just held her. God, she fit him so well, her soft curves meeting his more solid frame in all the right places. His body stirred and he began to go hard.

He wanted her. Had from the first moment he'd seen her. But he hadn't known how good it would feel just to hold her. She took a shaky breath and started to pull away, but he wouldn't let her go. He looped a heavy strand of her hair behind an ear. “You gonna be okay?”

She swallowed and glanced away. When she turned back to him, he lowered his head and very softly kissed her. It was a gentle, tender kiss, surprisingly gentle. There was no pressure, no urgency, and yet it felt exactly right.

For an instant she kissed him back in that same soft way. Lark ended the kiss before he was ready, eased from his arms and moved away.

“I can't…can't do this, Dev. I want to make love with you so much. I think about it all the time. But if we do,
it's only going to be more difficult when all of this is over.”

His chest felt strangely tight. So far, he hadn't allowed himself to think how he would feel once Lark was out of his life. Looking at her now, her pretty green eyes searching his face, her lips still moist from his kisses, it hit him with the force of a blow.