Buch lesen: «Concealed Identity»

ONE

Blair Sullivan glanced in the side-view mirror of her company’s box truck. The dark SUV seemed a little too close for comfort, and with her past, she wasn’t taking any chances. Not when the windows were tinted far beyond the legal limit. It looked exactly like the types of vehicles she’d ridden in over the years.

And no one good had ever been inside.

Pulse skittering, she laid on the gas while her sister, Gigi, obliviously switched radio stations and rambled about lunch destination choices. She must have pressed the pause button with her on-again, off-again boyfriend who co-owned the Black-Eyed Pea. That was where they normally ate their meals, since neither had mastered the kitchen, unless peanut butter and jelly counted.

“It’s hotter than blue blazes.” Gigi lifted her hair, a shade lighter and a few inches shorter than Blair’s, from her neck. “You notice Mr. Hollywood noticing you at the auction this morning? Because I did. I also noticed you noticing him.”

Could she use notice in a sentence one more time?

Blair’s stomach roiled as she glanced in her side-view mirror again. The SUV continued to follow. Could be paranoia. She’d been looking over her shoulder since her late husband, Mateo, was gunned down in Colombia. Not long after their wedding, she’d discovered he was a drug lord in a major cartel and not the man she’d believed him to be. But at that point, it was too late to get out alive. Blair had shielded Gigi from that world of fear, and she wasn’t about to pull her into it now.

It’s a casual drive home. Act normal.

A few cars sped by. Not much traffic this Saturday morning. Her heart rate continued to elevate as memories surfaced, but she forced herself to engage in conversation. “He wasn’t noticing me. He was watching to see if I’d keep bidding on the storage unit.” He had been attractive, though. Built like a superhero made of steel. Dark scruff that did little to hide the deep dimple in his squared chin.

Okay, so she’d noticed. Every woman at the storage unit auction had perked up when he had swaggered onto the scene. Not just because he was movie star good-looking, but he was new to the monthly auctions. “That reminds me, did you see Ronnie Lawson or hear him mention he wouldn’t be there today?”

The SUV continued to ride her bumper. She was going seventy!

“How does Mr. Hollywood even remotely remind you of Ronnie?” She snorted. “I didn’t hear jack, but I know you’d have lost that unit if he had. He seems to enjoy outbidding you.” Gigi paused, her dark eyes concerned. “Hey, you okay? You look wigged out.”

Blair cleared her throat. “I’m fine.” She breathed evenly, pasted a fake smile on her face and hammered the gas pedal as she exited the ramp onto the outskirts of her small town of Hope, Tennessee. The place where she’d started over. Where her grandparents had lived most of their lives. The only place Blair had ever felt safe and at home. “Just feeling buyer’s remorse. I may have paid more than I should for that unit.”

She’d hoped the SUV wouldn’t have taken the ramp, too. But it had. What to do... What to do...

“You’ll know once you get home and inventory everything. So, about the guy. He looked exactly like Superman. Coal-black hair. And those eyes. No one has eyes that blue but Superman.”

At twenty-six, and two years younger than Blair, Gigi acted more like fifteen. She wasn’t going to let up on the hot topic. Mystery Auction Man was no Superman. Superman didn’t hold wildfire in his eyes. Red flags had flown high. She’d been duped by charm and good looks before and ended up marrying the man behind them. Never again. No more falling for liars and men who pretended to be one thing when they were something else entirely.

Blair changed lanes, the SUV stayed in the right one. Okay, maybe she was being paranoid after all. A few cars zinged by, leaving the bypass she was now on empty. Only them and the SUV.

“Fine,” Gigi said, “if you don’t want to talk about Mr. Hollywood, let’s talk about our brother. You heard from him?”

Another flop of her stomach. Jeremy hadn’t called or answered any of her texts and voice mails in several days. It wasn’t like she could pop on over to his apartment, since he lived in Memphis, though she’d tried to get him to move to Hope. Closer to her and Gigi since their father traveled regularly now that he was retired. Right now he was off in the West Indies and her brother was AWOL. Surely Jeremy hadn’t relapsed. He’d been doing so well. Lord, please keep Jeremy out of trouble again. Watch over him.

The SUV changed lanes and zoned in on her bumper. Blair white-knuckled the steering wheel and slid her upper lip into her mouth, concentrating. Thinking. Praying. Lord, let me simply be paranoid. She shifted back into the right lane, hoping the driver was in a hurry and would pass her.

Please. Please. Please.

Pulse pounding as they shifted in behind her, Blair inhaled and exhaled. “Can you turn the radio down?” She couldn’t think straight. Her head buzzed.

“Why?” Gigi lowered the volume but huffed. “Blair, what’s wrong with you?”

The SUV rammed the back of her truck.

Gigi squealed. “What was that?”

“Sit tight.” Blair increased speed. Nothing but fields for miles on their way home. Of course, she wasn’t dumb enough to try to make it there and lead her pursuer to the house, but she didn’t know where to go or what to do. She could hardly swallow.

She glanced in the rearview.

The SUV was gone!

But there it was in her side mirror, gaining.

“Reach under the seat and get my gun, Gigi!”

“Gun! You carry a gun?” Gigi’s eyes widened, hysteria and questions blaring loud and clear.

Blair didn’t have a choice. “Now is not the time. Get it,” she hollered, and floored it. Gigi’s hands trembled as she handed Blair her Glock.

“What are you going to do?” Gigi’s voice squeaked with panic.

Good question. She had to protect Gigi and herself. Blair had learned a thing or two—if only indirectly—being married to Mateo. Always be wary and always be on the offense.

She rolled her window down and aimed the gun, hoping her time at the gun range and some prayer would help her hit the tire and spin the SUV out.

Gigi’s anxious cries echoed through the cab.

Blair gripped the gun with clammy hands, lungs squeezing, and fired a round.

The SUV rammed her again, sending them lurching. What was that thing made of—steel? The passenger window lowered. A man she didn’t recognize, wearing dark glasses, raised the barrel of a gun.

Blair cracked off another shot, missing the tire, but hitting the metal around it. The SUV swerved, giving them time to veer ahead.

Gigi screeched.

Cracks sounded in the body of the truck.

“Lord, save us!” Blair prayed, then shifted in her seat. “Take the wheel and the gas!” she commanded, and raised her gun, firing at the tires again. Blood whooshed in her ears, and her throat had turned as dry as dead grass.

Gigi scooted over, gathered the wheel and replaced Blair’s foot with hers on the gas pedal. “I’m scared!”

“Me, too, G. Hold on and pray.” Blair didn’t want to hang out the window, but she couldn’t get a clear shot at the tire. What other choice was there? If she didn’t spin the SUV out, she and Gigi might get killed.

Blair turned in the driver’s seat and leaned out the window.

Another pop pierced the air, and the SUV struck the corner edge of her vehicle.

“I’m losing control,” Gigi shrieked, and flinched. “Blair!”

Her truck swerved and Blair whirled around to take the wheel, but it was too late. They sailed into the ditch on the right side of the road.

Shots were fired in rapid succession as if a gun war was happening behind them.

Blair’s head nailed the steering wheel. Her neck popped and a blinding pain shot clear to her toes. Gigi, eyes closed, slumped against the passenger-side door, her long walnut hair covering her face.

“Gigi!” Blair called.

Another round of shots were fired.

With blurred vision, she groped for the gun that had clattered to the floorboard and grabbed it. She had to save them from whoever was trying to kill them. Why were they being targeted?

Blair forced the driver’s door open. Hot, sticky blood oozed down her forehead and cheek. Hands shaking, she stumbled into the brush on the side of the road. The world tipped.

The SUV fled the scene as a red truck stopped on the side of the road.

A man bounded toward her as she tottered to the ground.

* * *

DEA Agent Holt McKnight raced toward the woman he’d identified as Blair Sullivan, who had collapsed into the waist-high weeds. He’d been on his way back from the auction outside town but had to stop about six miles back for gas. Somewhere between the gas station and here, someone had emerged and tried—worst-case scenario—to kill Blair and her sister. Best-case, scare and run them off the road.

Based on things her brother, Jeremy, had told Holt in casual conversations, Blair wouldn’t hurt a fly. From the hailstorm of bullets, Holt wasn’t so sure. Not exactly the same innocent-looking woman he’d observed at the storage auction this morning.

Either way, Holt had a job to do and Blair Sullivan’s sunny smile and warm eyes weren’t going to interfere. Jeremy, his criminal informant, and Bryan Livingston, his DEA colleague, were missing. The only connection between the disappearances was Alejandro Gonzalez, the right-hand man of the Juarez Mexican Cartel, who had last been seen in Hope.

Holt had jumped on the undercover assignment to investigate and hopefully find Agent Livingston and Jeremy alive. He’d never forgive himself if something happened to Jeremy. Not only was he his CI, but Holt had been mentoring him over a year after helping him get into rehab in Memphis.

Holt knelt over Blair. Blood slicked her cheek and neck, but the injury didn’t appear too bad. Next to her lay a Glock .380 auto. Slimline. Nice choice. It appeared Blair knew guns. But then, she’d been married to a criminal who trafficked them along with drugs. How could a woman who seemed so kind and gentle have gotten messed up with someone like Mateo Salvador?

Holt checked her pulse. Steady.

Blair’s long eyelashes fluttered and rose to reveal dazed eyes the color of medium-roasted coffee beans. Man, but she was beautiful. Get a grip, Holt. She’s a person of interest and you know her past. She shot up and skittered back. “Get away from me!” She searched along the ground frantically.

Holt raised her gun. “Looking for this?”

Terror pulsed in her eyes, and she held her hands up. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“Then that makes two of us.” But trouble had reared its ugly head. Question was, had it come for her or because of her?

Easing into his cover, he pasted on a grin, hoping to disarm her. He needed Blair Sullivan to trust him. “I’m Holt Renard. Was on my way home when I came up behind that vehicle.” He’d been following her for two days, not that he wouldn’t recognize her. Jeremy had a few family photos on his mantel, and Holt had thoroughly examined the case files on Mateo Salvador. “Why were they shooting at you?”

Not that she’d tell him if she did know, but she was scared and it might tumble out. Had it been Alejandro in that SUV? Or Hector Salvador, her late husband’s brother and the head of the Colombian Salvador Cartel? Did he find out Blair was fraternizing with his greatest enemy? Was she playing both sides? Eyes that held goodness and honesty told him she wasn’t playing anyone. But looks could be deceiving.

Recognition lit her face. “I know you. You were at the auction today. Trying to outbid me. You’re Superman.”

Wow, she’d really nailed her head good. He’d been called a lot of things, but Superman wasn’t one of them. Had to admit, he kinda liked the idea. But reality smacked him with truth. Holt was no one’s hero. The one person he’d wanted to save most in his life, he couldn’t.

He cocked his head and contained his amusement.

She shook her head as if confused. “Did I say that out loud?”

“That I’m Superman? Yeah. You said that. And you’re right—I was at the auction today.” It had been a great place to blend in and study her without raising suspicion. He didn’t think she’d paid him a lick of attention. Apparently, she had. He clasped her hands and helped her to her feet. She swayed a bit, and he steadied her. “Got a name?” he asked.

“Gigi!” Blair’s face flashed with panic, and she hobbled to her truck. She opened the passenger door, and Blair’s sister moaned and touched her head as she exited the vehicle. A small cut above her forehead oozed a few drops of blood. “You okay, G?”

Gigi nodded and then threw up in the field.

“We need to get her to a hospital.” Holt stepped closer.

Blair held Gigi’s hair away from her face and soothed her, stroking her back. Holt’s chest squeezed. Her soft voice and words of comfort to her sister moved him, not to mention she was ridiculously pretty. Fairly tall, even compared to his six-foot-three frame. Curvy where she should be, but delicate. Surely this woman wasn’t neck-deep in drug trafficking.

Gigi turned in his direction and moaned. “Naturally, the guy with the eyes would see me ralph.”

Holt chuckled. “If it makes you feel any better, you did it gracefully.”

“It doesn’t.”

Blair smirked, then sobered. “I want to get out of here.” She looked at Holt. “Blair. Sullivan. And this is my sister—”

“Gigi. Yeah I got that. Seems you might need a little medical attention.” He pointed to her head.

She touched it and sighed. “It’s not that bad. Thank you for checking on us.”

Not that Holt came to their aid to get close to Blair, but he did hope it might be an open door to gain her confidence. Whether she was involved with the cartel or not, Blair could be the key to helping him find Jeremy and Bryan. And time was not on his side.

“What happened? Who were those crazies?” Gigi took the water bottle Blair gave her and swished some water in her mouth before spitting it out and climbing back inside the truck.

“Yeah, who were those crazies?” Holt asked, frowning. Blair had no business driving after knocking her head like that.

Blair shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m not sticking around in case they decide to come back and introduce themselves. Thanks again for your help.”

“Yeah, thanks, Mr. Hollywood.” Gigi smiled and then winced.

“It’s Holt, in case the head injury has you confused.” With all the acting he was about to do, Hollywood fit much better than Superman.

Blair leaned out her driver’s-side window. She looked too petite to be driving this bulky thing. But clearly, the woman was strong. And brave. “Had you not shown up when you did, I don’t know what would have happened. You must have scared them off.”

Holt studied her, searching her eyes for answers to what might have actually gone wrong. Nothing there but terror and confusion. “I guess I did.” It took squeezing off a few rounds himself. Relieved Blair didn’t realize he’d used his weapon, he relaxed his shoulders. “You sure you’re okay to drive? I can give you a lift to the hospital, and we can come back for your truck later.”

Blair’s face blanched.

Did she not plan on seeking medical attention? Not if she didn’t want questions raised.

“I can manage,” Blair finally said. “Besides, my stuff’s in the back and I’m not leaving it.” She narrowed her eyes. “We’ll be fine.”

Holt couldn’t blame Blair for being suspicious of him, but he’d have to remedy it. Quick. If saving her life didn’t get him in her good graces, he wasn’t sure what would. Charm? He could lay that on pretty thick when necessary, but something about the way she’d carried herself and avoided eye contact with him at the storage auction said charm wasn’t the way to go to win her trust.

Honesty might be the ticket. But that was one thing he couldn’t give. Came with the territory. “You sure?”

“Positive. Thanks again.” That was her polite Southern belle dismissal.

“Okay.” He ambled toward his truck with no intention of letting them out of his sight. Blair cranked the engine and it sputtered to life. She pulled through the tall grass and back onto the road from the shallow ditch. Holt followed at a distance, hoping not to further scare them, but this was the only way into town, and he wanted to make sure they were safe.

As he suspected, they went straight to their home. No medical attention. He clambered out of his truck.

“Why are you following us?” Blair demanded.

He held his hands up in surrender. “You took a whack to the head. Just wanted to make sure you got safely home.”

“Well, we did.”

Holt turned to Gigi, who was tottering out of the truck. He rushed to help her. “How do you feel?”

“Like I got hit by a truck.”

Holt winked. “Imagine that. Are you not going to the hospital? You really should.”

Blair came around and slipped in between Holt and Gigi, creating a protective barrier. “I can take it from here.” She shifted her eyes toward Gigi and studied her sister’s face, as if she were in a battle about whether she should go or not.

“I feel woozy, Blair.”

Blair sighed. “We’ll go see Doc Drummond.”

Ah. The local doctor. “What about the police?” he asked. Didn’t matter to him as much as them receiving some medical care. Better if she didn’t call the police. They’d only get in his way. Besides, based on the homework he’d done on the town, the sheriff was recovering at home from a stroke and the deputy chief was in charge. He was only a year younger than Holt’s thirty-two years. Probably didn’t know diddly-squat. This town barely had two thousand residents. Biggest crime might be cow tipping.

Then again, Alejandro Gonzalez had been spotted here by Agent Livingston, so who knew what was going on? A place like this wouldn’t be on anyone’s radar. Could Alejandro have been meeting the head of the Juarez Cartel? No one had ever seen his face before. Which meant he could be hiding right under their noses.

Did Blair know who he was? Was that why she’d moved here after her husband had been gunned down by the Juarez Cartel? Had she been in on Mateo’s execution? Or had the head of the snake moved here to lie in wait and strike at Blair as a move against her former brother-in-law, Hector Salvador?

Too many questions clogging the wheel. Holt inhaled and exhaled, concentrating on the here and now.

“I’ll call the police once I get my sister to Doc Drummond’s.” Her tone didn’t sound convincing, and her eyes shifted before she looked away. Nope. She wasn’t calling anyone. Seemed odd for someone innocent. “Let me drive you. I know you managed to drive home, but neither of you seem to be in any shape to be behind a wheel.” It killed Holt to see a hurting woman. A stray thought of his high school love crashed into his mind. She’d hurt for so long before the cancer took her, ruining all their dreams for a future together.

But he didn’t want to think about it. Thinking meant feeling. And Holt didn’t want to feel. Not even right now while looking at the lovely Blair Sullivan. He was feeling something. Something he shouldn’t. She was an assignment. That was all.

Blair gnawed her bottom lip. “I think we’ll be okay.”

Gigi was already walking toward his truck. “Do you know where Doc Drummond’s office is?”

“I just moved here, but it’s a small town. In fact, it appears you and I are neighbors. I rented the McCowens’ house across the street.”

“Cool.” Gigi climbed inside the Ford F-150 he was using as his cover vehicle. “You have a head injury, Blair. I don’t want to wreck for the second time today. So get in.”

Blair hesitated and chewed on her thumbnail as if considering the offer. “So you live across the street.” She eyed him. “What brings you to Hope?”

“I’m opening up a used outdoorsman store. Kind of a dream of mine. That’s why I was at the auction today. Trying to stock the place.” And the lies continued. Worst part of his job—especially if he was lying to someone innocent. He wasn’t sure she was, but he wanted her to be.

Blair scowled at Gigi, who had taken up homestead in his truck. “And where is your business?”

Okay, this might be a little too coincidental, but he’d make it work. “Only place I could find for the right price. I leased a building on the square. Right by what appears to be your shop.” He pointed to her bulky box truck. The side was painted with a huge Christmas tree, and the name of her business was scrolled in red: It’s A Wonderful Life Antiques. “Guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, neighbor.”

Blair didn’t budge. She wasn’t buying it. The woman was tough. Smart. If she wasn’t a person of interest professionally, he’d admit she was definitely someone he’d like to get to know personally. But nothing serious. Holt’s heart couldn’t afford to do serious.

“Don’t worry, I won’t come knocking for a cup of sugar. I don’t bake.” If Holt could put her at ease, lower her guard, he could get close. At this rate, he wasn’t getting nearer than arm’s length, and that wasn’t good enough.

“Neither does she,” Gigi called from the cab of the truck. “My head hurts. Let’s go.”

Blair stepped forward and froze. “My gun! Where’s my gun?”

“I have it. You weren’t exactly thinking clearly back there.”

“I’d like it back before I go anywhere with you.” Her tone was laced with suspicion, caution.

Holt slipped it from his waistband and handed it to her. “What are you doing carrying a gun?”

“Why does anyone carry a gun? And I live in the South.” She grabbed her purse from her truck, tucked her gun inside, locked the doors and slowly made her way to his truck. He hoped she had a license to carry a concealed weapon. “Gigi, get out. I’ll take the middle.”

Safeguarding her little sister from the mysterious and probably—in Blair’s eyes—dangerous man. Something about her fierce protectiveness unraveled a cord he’d kept a tight rein over.

No doubt, this woman would sacrifice herself for her family. Whether she was the good guy or the bad. But which was she?

* * *

Blair sat next to Holt in Doc Drummond’s office, staring through the gold lettering painted across the large picture window announcing that this was indeed a doctor’s office. The heat filtering through the pane warmed her face.

“You doing all right?” Holt asked. He hadn’t budged since they entered. This man didn’t even know them. Why would he stick around like this?

“What do you think?” She hadn’t meant the question to come with a sting. “Sorry.” Blair lightly touched the bandaged area of her head where she’d hit it against the steering wheel. Thankfully, her hair covered it. She didn’t need the town asking a bunch of questions, although news traveled at warp speed, so they’d know about the wreck. Not the bullets, though. And she preferred to keep it that way.

Doc Drummond had bought her quick story, which wasn’t a lie, of losing control of the wheel and running off Farley Pass. She probably should have come here in the first place, but she’d been rattled and frightened. She’d wanted to get home. Safe.

Down the cobbled streets, neighbors bounced in and out of shops. Kids licked dripping ice-cream cones; friends laughed and peeked inside each other’s shopping bags. Vehicles lined the area in front of the regal courthouse.

Felicity Potts, the owner of Read It and Steep Bookstore and Tea Company, was sweeping the welcome mat. Blair caught her eye and she waved.

Blair waved back.

“Tea shop. How about I go over there and get a cup for you?” Holt asked.