Читать книгу Christmas Double Cross - Jodie Bailey - Страница 14

FOUR

Pain, fear and confusion spun into a cocktail that threatened to swamp Danielle.

When the door closed behind the two men, the tension in the room dropped palpably. Danielle sank into the pillow and closed her eyes, willing the world to stop spinning. A Texas Ranger had gone undercover in her shop, then rescued her from kidnappers only to interrogate her now. This had to be a trauma-induced nightmare. The way he’d talked to her, it was clear that he believed she’d done something wrong, but he’d never said what it was.

The only thing she knew with certainty was that she wanted out of here before Colter Blackthorn came back. If he started in on her again, she didn’t know what she’d do. Too much had happened in the past few hours. The last thing she needed was to fall apart in front of the angry Ranger. He’d probably view the weakness as some sort of confession.

Her finger hovered over the call button for the nurse. They couldn’t keep her here. She could refuse treatment, tell them she wanted to be discharged. There were plenty of people from church who’d be willing to drive her home.

But the Rangers knew where to find her. This wouldn’t be over until they got whatever it was they wanted from her.

Dropping her hand to the bed beside her, Danielle gave up and closed her eyes. She’d have to ride this out and pray she didn’t wind up in jail for someone else’s crimes.

Jesus, I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t understand anything that’s happened tonight. But, Lord, give Colter Blackthorn the truth about me. Don’t let me go to jail and leave Justin on his own.

There it was. Her biggest fear. If something happened to her, who would take care of her brother? Especially now, when he was spending more and more time with those friends of his who now had him believing he needed a gun at fifteen. None of this boded well.

Two light taps on the door drifted across the room, followed by a slight shuffling sound.

Danielle didn’t even open her eyes. It was probably the doctor. Finally. He could discharge her and get her out of here.

“Ms. Segovia?” The male voice was quiet, but its speaker was unmistakable.

Danielle stiffened. He was back.

She had a choice. Knuckle under and collapse in front of him or put up the brave front she’d used when her parents died, the one that had gotten her custody of her brother when she’d fought for him in front of the family court judge.

Easing her eyes open, Danielle prepared for battle. She wasn’t backing down to a lie. Fixing a hard gaze on Colt, she bit out her next words. “I have nothing more to say to you.” The fire was unfamiliar on her tongue. She was used to being customer-service-oriented and friendly at all times, used to cooperating with law enforcement even when they didn’t cooperate with her.

The tiniest fringes of regret blew across her heart. He’d seemed so nice earlier, and to think it had all been an act...

Disappointment she really shouldn’t feel chewed at her, lighting a fire under a righteous indignation. He deserved her anger. “You can go now. I’ll speak to you when I have an attorney.”

Standing near the door, Colter Blackthorn stared straight at her, his brown eyes serious but lacking the rage they’d held earlier. Something else was there now, something like regret and possibly sadness. His jaw worked slightly, probably in frustration. Finally, he pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at it, then looked at the chair Justin had pulled up beside her bed. “May I?”

She should tell him no after the way he’d charged in here the first time, accusing her of vague crimes. But there was something about the air around him that said this time was different. It might be a tactic to get her talking, but he had her curiosity. “If you can be civil, you can sit.”

His mouth twitched, and a flash of amusement skipped across his face before he could reset his stern Ranger look.

It was cute.

Before she could stop herself, Danielle rolled her eyes. Zoe was right. She needed to go on a date soon. Really soon if she was going to think the Ranger who’d just tormented her was in any way attractive. He needed to say his piece and get out the door. That was all.

Settling in the chair, Colt stared at the window across the room, his thumb tapping his phone screen, but he said nothing.

The silence stretched so thin Danielle thought she might snap in two. “Is this an interrogation tactic? Stay quiet until I talk? I’ve watched TV, you know. I understand how this works. I get my rights read. I get a lawyer. I get a whole lot of things you haven’t given me, Mr. Blackthorn.”

This time, a slow smile did lift his lips. Not a big one. Just enough to give a hint of what it would look like if he ever gave up his rigid control and let himself be fully amused by something. “Call me Colt. And you’re right. I charged in here earlier and treated you worse than I should treat anyone—whether they are or aren’t a criminal. You’ve been through a lot this evening, and I apologize.”

Danielle’s mouth fell open, tugging painfully at the bruise on her cheek. This was the last thing she’d expected. The man before her was contrite and humble, more like the man who’d walked into her shop and shared a moment with her about her mother. “Is it true? You lost someone?” The question popped out before she could catch it. Something in her had connected with him in that moment over her mother’s statue, and she wanted it back.

His smile faded. “There are some things I won’t lie about even when I’m undercover. That’s one of them.” The heaviness of his voice dropped it into bass territory, the tone thrumming across Danielle’s heart.

Whatever meds they had pumped into her, she needed to be off them fast. They were making her delusional enough to think she was attracted to this man. “Why would you have to go undercover for me? What exactly is it you think I did wrong?”

“Ms. Segovia.” Colt leaned forward, his dark eyes serious. “We have a problem.”

Adrenaline jolted against Danielle’s chest and throbbed in the bruise on her cheek. “Whatever you think I did, I didn’t. I’ve never—”

“It’s not you.” Glancing down at his cell phone and flicking through a couple of screens, he said, “Do you know who Rio Garcia is?”

Danielle’s head jerked back in shock. Rio Garcia was the leader of a notorious, murderous drug cartel. Everyone in the state, maybe even in the country, knew that name. In these parts, it brought fear to most who heard it. He was known for his calculated cunning and his murderous rages, for his ability to slip away from the authorities even when they believed they had him cornered. She lay awake at night worrying the group her brother had gotten tangled up with was somehow tied to the cartel, because Garcia had his hands in nearly all of the criminal activity in the area. He squashed any criminal who didn’t answer to him.

Her stomach roiled. This was about Justin, about his friends. This was her worst nightmare. “I don’t have any connection to him.”

“But the men who tried to kidnap you tonight may.”

Danielle’s muscles went weak. If she wasn’t already lying down, she’d melt to the floor. “Why?”

Colt didn’t answer the question immediately. He stared at his cell phone for what felt like an eternity, then studied Danielle’s face before passing the device to her without a word.

Hand trembling, Danielle took the phone but didn’t look at it. Instead, she studied the silent man beside her, trying to decide if he was friend or foe. Whatever she was holding in her hand, something told her she was about to need a friend in a very big way.

The screen went dark, and Danielle swiped her thumb to bring it back to life. At first glance, the woman staring back up at her could be her twin sister. They had the same hair, the same eyes, but the other woman had a small scar next to her ear. Still, the resemblance was enough to make her feel she’d fallen out of reality into a very bad horror movie. “Who is this?” She couldn’t take her eyes from the picture. If the picture didn’t include an outfit she’d never owned and a setting she’d never before seen, she’d swear the woman was her.

Colt studied her as though her reaction to what he was about to say was of vital importance. “Her name is Adriana Garcia.”

Garcia. Heart pounding, Danielle stared at the woman. “She looks like me.”

Holding out his hand, Colt took the phone and pocketed it. “She’s Rio Garcia’s sister. She’s wanted by both sides of the law for multiple reasons, and both sides will do whatever it takes to get to her first.”

“Why is he having to search for his own sister?” She couldn’t fathom that sort of distance between siblings. “I don’t understand.”

“The most I can tell you is that she stole something from him, and he wants it back.” He laid a hand on hers, his fingers warm as hers grew increasingly chilled. “We had intel that suggested you were her, but as you know, that intel was bad. The problem is, we believe Rio Garcia received the same intel, and that those were his men who came after you.”

Danielle shook her head. Over and over again, back and forth. She wasn’t hearing this. It couldn’t be true.

Because if a killer like Rio Garcia believed she was the person he wanted, he would stop at nothing to drag her to him.

* * *

Over the years in the military, in police work, and in his newly minted career as a Texas Ranger, Colt had encountered his share of females in distress. While his heart normally went out to them, it always remained mostly untouched. He’d always been able to stay completely focused and professional.

When the gravity of her situation hit Danielle Segovia, draining the color from her face, his heart clinched in his chest and threatened to stop beating. It was a feeling he hadn’t experienced since he was a teenager, watching as his mother suffered with the news that his brother Caleb was gone.

If he’d doubted Danielle’s innocence before, there was no more question. A person could fake a lot of things, but unless they were very well trained, they couldn’t make their skin pale with fear. He couldn’t imagine how the news was hitting her. Learning that the leader of one of the most dangerous drug cartels in North America had you in his sights would give even the bravest man pause. The blow he’d just delivered to Danielle in the wake of her attempted abduction ought to be enough to slay her.

For the longest time, she stared at the door as though she expected it to be kicked open by Garcia’s henchmen at any second. It was as though she’d forgotten Colt was there.

He squeezed her fingers, half surprised to find her hand still in his. “Ms. Segovia...”

“Danielle.” Gently, she extracted her hand from his, though she didn’t look at him. “What do I do now?”

Sitting back in the chair, Colt puffed out a heavy breath. This was the tricky part. With Carmen missing, the team was already short a member. He’d love to offer Danielle a twenty-four-hour guard, but he wasn’t sure it was feasible, and it wasn’t something he could do without Major Vance’s permission. “That’s up to you. We can try to locate a safe house, if you’d like.”

“A safe house?” She blinked twice, and her gaze swung to him. “As in disappear?” She shook her head. “I can’t do that. Justin has school. My shop can’t simply shut down during our busiest time. I’m volunteering at the Mission and, this close to Christmas, they need me. And...Christmas.” Her voice faded into nothing as the reality of her situation dug deeper. “Is there anything else I can do?”

Their options were limited, especially with all available resources dedicated to the hunt for Adriana Garcia. They had to keep their attention on their target. The last thing they needed was another Garcia funneling drugs into the country.

Additionally, taking down Rio Garcia had been a top priority of E Company for years and would represent a major blow to the drug trade on the US-Mexican border. He’d been on the move more than usual lately, tracking his sister. Sooner or later, he’d slip up enough for the Rangers to snap the trap. Until that occurred, they couldn’t afford to lose their focus.

Except...

Colt stared at the woman in front of him. The Rangers knew Danielle wasn’t Adriana, but Rio had no idea. He’d tried to take her once, and the chances were high he would come after her again. Not only was her safety as a civilian precious, but her very existence might lead Rio Garcia straight to them. She couldn’t be bait—Colt would never suggest putting a civilian in danger like that—but since they knew Garcia was bold enough to try again, they might as well put someone into place to not only protect Danielle but to keep an eye out for the cartel leader’s next move.

Colt was on his feet and headed for the door. He had to talk to the team, then call Major Vance. If they could have a Ranger stick close to Danielle, then Rio Garcia might play right into their hands.

“Colt?” Danielle’s voice, thin and questioning, caught his ear as his hand landed on the doorknob.

He stopped. What must she think of him, practically running for the door when she’d asked him for help? “I’m sorry.” He turned to her, trying to control his excitement. Adriana Garcia might have slipped through their fingers, but her brother was closer than ever. “I need to talk to my team. I have an idea about how to protect you.” He probably shouldn’t have said that and gotten her hopes up, but she needed to know he wasn’t running out on her when she needed someone close.

Though he had no idea why he cared how she felt.

“Trust me. We’ll find a way to have someone watch over you.”

“And my brother.”

The request jolted through Colt so hard, she had to have seen the way his head jerked. For a second, he couldn’t get his voice to cooperate, the plea so close to the one his own heart had once cried. “Your—Yes. Your brother, too.” He couldn’t deny her that.

“Then I want you.”

“Excuse me?” Colt’s head tilted. “You want me for what?”

“I want you to be the one protecting Justin and me.”

Colt’s mouth opened then closed, no words leaking out. He couldn’t be placed on a protection detail, not even if it meant catching Rio Garcia. He’d failed to be a sufficient protector in the past, when it had mattered the most. He couldn’t risk another life by failing again. “I’m not... That’s not my wheelhouse. I can make sure it’s someone you’re—”

“When my store was vandalized, I called the police. They came and did nothing other than apparently call the Rangers to tell them I was a wanted felon.” The woman before him might still be weak in a hospital bed, but there was a strength in her expression and in her words that brooked no argument. Danielle Segovia was serious, and she wasn’t going to back down. “It’s you or nobody.”

“I’ll do my best.” Turning his back on a request that carried the weight of history, Colt pulled the door open, then turned back to Danielle. “Why me?”

“You were sincere about my mother’s memory, about the statue in my shop. You understood that. I could tell.” The determination in her expression wavered and her gaze flicked to the window before resting somewhere above Colt’s head. “I trust you.”

The corner of Colt’s eye twitched. Those were rare words. He’d never heard them from a stranger, and no one in his family had said them in years. They lay like a blanket over him, alternately warming and suffocating him. The air in the room seemed charged with something he would never be able to define.

Seldom was he at a loss for words, but everything about the moment rendered him speechless. There was no way to answer what Danielle was saying. With a curt nod, he turned and walked out the door to find his team and to attempt to convince them to give him the one job at which he was guaranteed to fail.