Alejandro (2 page)

Audrey moved to stand in front of him. Her fingers lightly brushed his as she took the frame from his hand. The glowing smile on her sister’s face as she stood beside the “sold” sign in front of her house warmed Audrey’s heart. She nodded. “It’s Penny,” she whispered.

“I knew her as Lana.”

Audrey’s eyes came to his, her eyebrows meshing. “Lana? I don’t understand. Why would she tell you her name was Lana?”

The man didn’t answer right away. Instead, his eyes narrowed on her.

Realizing they stood just a few breaths away, Audrey retreated several steps, hugging her middle.

“When was the last time you saw your sister?”

“I haven’t seen or spoken to her in years. We…” She bit her lip, considering how much information to reveal. “We didn’t part well.”

“Well, I knew Lana, er, Penny and she gave me an open invitation to come to her place.”

“I see.” Her eyes traveled the length of his form and then came back up. “You and Penny were close.”

His brows bunched, nose wrinkling just slightly. “Not
that
close.”

Audrey said a prayer, hoping the shadows covered the heat in her cheeks… and her neck… and her arms. It was easy to make assumptions when her sister was involved. Growing up, they never had to compete for boys — Penny always had them all.

His eyes assessed her carefully, starting from the top of her head and ending at her feet. Audrey took another slight step back, uncomfortable with his appraisal, despite having just done the same to him.
Why do I feel so exposed?
She tightened her arms around her waist.

“You don’t look a thing like your sister.”

For a brief moment, Audrey wished she hadn’t worn the long, hippie skirt that hung just below her waistline and the plain, buttoned-up shirt. She dragged a few fingers through her hair, grateful it still held some waves left over from the curls she ironed in this morning. Her sister possessed the fashion sense — short skirts, high heels, flashy tops, her hair and makeup always done. People praised Audrey’s brains, but they recognized Penny for her beauty. At fifteen, their mother caught Audrey praying to be pretty and held her while she cried bitter tears of jealousy over her sister. Her mother dried her tears, and with a look of love Audrey would never forget, told her God created good things, and not only did He give her a sharp mind, but a beauty different from her sister’s.

Audrey’s eyes dropped to the picture in her hand. Thick, straight blonde hair framed her sister’s oval face. She must have visited the dentist because her teeth were straight and white, even after the drug use. Still, next to her sister, Audrey always came up short. “Right. She’s the pretty one. I’m the older, less attractive sister. I got it.”

“I never said that.”

Audrey expelled a breath.
Calm down
. Whoever this man was, he didn’t need to know her insecurities. “I’m a little uncomfortable talking to you here in the dark. Can we move back to the living room?” She retreated backwards toward the glow in the next room.

“Sure.” He followed her.

Audrey kept her back away from him, not really trusting his credentials. He moved like a tiger, his steps slow and deliberate, eyes never leaving hers. Waves of masculinity washed over her and she shivered at their warmth. Backing up more quickly, she didn’t stop until her hands touched the frame around the fireplace.

When he stepped into the full light of the room, Audrey did her own assessment of the marshal. A dark shirt clung tightly to obvious ripped muscles beneath a leather jacket stretching over wide shoulders and tapering slightly near his powerful hips. Black jeans completed the stealth look.

“Better?”

He grinned, but she detected the slight sarcasm. Her eyes came to his face, taking in the thick goatee flanked by deep dimples. Jet-black hair was pulled back and fastened into a short, dense ponytail. She forced her gaze to his eyes, which watched her curiously. But those dimples… something was so familiar about them.

“Yes, thank you, Marshal… Marshal… What
is
your name?”

“Santiago. Alejandro Santiago.”

Santiago!
Her eyes narrowed. She knew a Rafael Santiago, a police officer who recently moved from California to Virginia. Her best friend Genie was going to marry him. Rafael had a couple of brothers, but she hadn’t seen them in more than a decade — since high school — and really didn’t know where they were. She remembered the younger one was named Ricardo, but the name of the oldest brother escaped her. Was it Alejandro? She searched for the trademark Santiago dimples but they’d disappeared. “Well, Marshal Santiago, can you please tell me why you’re here?”

“I’m investigating, and as an investigator, I’ll be asking the questions. Now, Ms. Hughes, can you tell me why
you’re
here?”

Audrey bristled at the sudden shift of control. “I told you, I have a key to the place.”

“As do I, but that hardly tells me
why
you’re here.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m looking for something.” Officer or not, she still didn’t know who he was and whether or not she could trust him with her sister’s wishes.

“Yes, and?”

“And considering my sister gave me a key, I have a right to be here. Now, you on the other hand,” she said, pointing at him, the other hand resting on her hip, “I haven’t seen a warrant or anything. You identified yourself as an officer of the law, so I assume you’re here in an official capacity?” A lazy smile stretched a full goatee as he crossed his arms over his chest in a stance Audrey could only assume as mocking.

“You assume correctly.”

“Well? Are you going to fill me in?”

“I’m here investigating your sister’s involvement in narcotics trafficking.”

Audrey’s jaw dropped at the blunt admission. “Drug trafficking? I don’t believe it.” She shook her head. “I know my sister was troubled, but she wasn’t stupid.”

“She wasn’t? Funny. Did you know she was mixed up with Miguel Trujillo?”

“I don’t know who that is.”

“He’s a major distributor on this side of the border. And he’s dangerous.”

The way Marshal Santiago said Trujillo’s name sent a chill through Audrey. Drugs?
Not Penny.
Audrey knew her sister experimented with the stuff years ago, but Penny told her she had quit. “Impossible. My sister knew better than to get involved with drug dealers. Last time I spoke to her, she swore she was clean.”

“Then she ignored her instincts, because I have proof they were in a relationship. How deep it went is what I’m investigating.” He uncrossed his arms and walked past her to a table full of paperwork. He started sifting through the pile.

“Hey, wait a minute!” She grabbed an arm and turned him around. His green eyes shadowed with anger. They were mere inches apart and she wasn’t prepared for the jolt of electricity that passed between them. She stumbled back, but his arm around her waist set her upright — and fully aligned with his body.

“Ah…” Audrey could have smacked herself for the audible sound of — what exactly? — when the warmth of his touch set her trembling against him. So this is what dozens of girls — last count from high school — felt when pressed up against a Santiago. An instantaneous current of high voltage had her sweltering and immediately aware of feminine desires. She forced her eyes to the papers in his other hand. “Those are my sister’s,” she protested weakly.

“Don’t you want her killer to be brought to justice? I need anything I can get on Trujillo.” Dropping his arm from her waist, he continued his search into the pile until he spotted a sheet of paper and picking it up, he began reading softly.

Audrey stood there, coolly stunned by the weight of his words. He had to be mistaken. Officers usually show up at a person’s door to report a family member’s death. Her mind flashed to the solemn faces of the female officer and her male partner on the day her parents died. Penny was in her room, chatting on the phone with a friend from school while Audrey fixed dinner, thinking her mother was running late from her church job. Now her sister was dead? Someone named Miguel Trujillo had killed her? “She…” Audrey swallowed, trying to find her voice.
God, please help me!
“She was murdered?”

The marshal turned his gaze on her, the sheet floating from his hand and landing on the table. Hands on hips, his brows furrowed. He let out a frustrated breath, followed by a word in a language she didn’t understand. “No one told you,” he stated softly.

Audrey shook her head. “I… I got a letter from her. She said something about being dead once I read it, but she’s always been a little dramatic.” Audrey shrugged. “I just thought she was in some trouble she couldn’t tell me about so I came here first, hoping she’d be here. I… I didn’t know she was…” Her voice broke. She put both hands to her eyes, the sudden onslaught of hot tears streaming down her cheeks. A sob escaped her lips, and her body began to tremble. Her sister was dead. Murdered.
How did she die? Was she alone? Did she suffer?

She sniffed and dragged her hands, wet with tears, through her hair. She opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. Santiago stood before her, his eyes full of sympathy. He cautiously put his hands on her upper arms, giving them a gentle squeeze.

“I’m sorry. I thought you knew.” His rough voice was heavy, even though he whispered.

He stood too close, his spicy scent threatening to drag her thoughts away from her sister. Her
dead
sister. Why didn’t he say something sooner? Why hadn’t she been contacted by the police? His eyes, the color of forest fern, caused her heart to warm. His large hands, quite gentle in his touch — oddly — continued to knead her arms, summoning a dull heat to her skin. Why didn’t he back up? Sudden anger swelled at the dichotomy of her thoughts. “No, I didn’t,” she snapped.

Hands dropping, he backed away to a safe distance where she could only barely breathe in his scent. “Again, sorry.”

Audrey nodded, wiping away a lagging tear. “I didn’t mean to bite your head off. I… You surprised me. I didn’t expect…”

“No worries.”

Audrey snagged a couple of fingers in her long hair, and continued to wrap a tendril around them as the marshal awkwardly glanced around the room. “Um, how did she die?” As soon as the question left her lips, she wished she hadn’t asked. What if Penny had lingered in pain? Audrey didn’t think she could handle any more upsetting news.

The marshal’s tone was clipped and professional. “Gunshot to the head. Death was instantaneous.”

Audrey’s lower lip trembled. Her arms instinctively wrapped around her body, eyes blinking away fresh tears. The marshal watched her with veiled interest, stepping towards her but halting when she backed into the mantel. “Why? Why did he kill her?”

Santiago shook his head. “I don’t know. That’s a question I’ll get answered, I promise you.”

His eyes burned with truth, and she believed him. “Are you sure this Miguel killed her?”

Santiago smoothed the hair on top of his head, his eyes straying to the piles of paper and books surrounding them. “Yes, I’m sure.” He sounded dejected. What didn’t he want her to know?

“Look,” she took a few steps toward him, “I can understand if this is an active investigation and you can’t talk about it, but Penny was
my
sister.” She swallowed a lump of emotion threatening to choke the words in her throat. “I think I deserve to know what’s going on.” If she were firm, perhaps she could persuade the marshal to give her more details, but her voice shook and it annoyed her.

Santiago held her gaze. Audrey lifted her chin, knowing he weighed the forcefulness of her demand and possibly the strength of her constitution.

The sound of something sharp zinged through the air. Audrey turned her head toward the front window. Her eyes narrowed on the swaying blinds, revealing a small hole behind them. Then several more pops came, forming similar holes in the window. Audrey opened her mouth to scream, but the breath died in her lungs as something hard and heavy rammed into her chest, knocking her off balance. She landed on the floor with a thud. Large hands gripped the sides of her head. Spice and musk filled her nose and mouth from the nearness of Santiago’s neck. He covered her, yelling for her to stay down. She didn’t fight him, squeezing her eyes shut as explosive sounds of gunfire, glass crashing, and papers tearing surrounded them.

Then as quickly as it began, it ended. Eyelids fluttering open, her foggy gaze focused on pieces of paper floating slowly to the floor, her ears picking up the last sounds of glass cracking. No light shone from the living room lamp.

“Are you hurt?” Warm breath brushed the skin near her ear, and then moved to her cheek.

“What?” Audrey blinked, her head dizzy with disorientation.

Alejandro’s face came into view, so near to her own. “Are you okay?”

Hands threaded her hair, and the urgency in his voice forced her to focus on the worry in his eyes. “Yes… yes,” she forced out, her breathing slightly inhibited by the weight of his torso.

Warm lips covered her mouth — his kiss full of hunger and relief. Half shocked, half impassioned, a soft moan escaped her lips. He answered with one of his own before abruptly pulling back. She opened her eyes to see him propped above her, his face contorted in either pain or displeasure, she wasn’t sure. Embarrassment surged to her cheeks, the heat even more stifling than his body weight. “Please, get off me.” She put her hands to his chest and pushed. He rolled off to one side and she turned away.

“Careful.” His hand on her back supported her efforts to stand.

“I’m all right.” Her attempt to brush his hand off failed as the other one grasped her waist and pulled her up. “Please, I don’t need your help. I can stand on my own.”

He ignored her protests, his arm still locked around her body, holding her close. “There’s glass everywhere. The lamp got shot out so watch your step.” Only then did he release her. “Wait here.” He pulled his weapon out from its hiding place and moved quietly through the room, despite the floor being littered with shards of glass from the front window and living room table. He reached the side of the broken window and shifted the blinds, peering out toward the street.