Cheyenne McCray - Point Blank (Lawmen Book 4) (13 page)

Brooks crouched and put his hand under Taz’s muzzle. “Beautiful Belgium.” Taz sniffed his hand when Jase gave permission with a sign.

“Taz is a hell of a partner.” Jase was smiling at the K9 when Brooks looked up at him. “The other night was a little crazy.” Jase’s smile faded as his gaze met Brooks’s. “I didn’t get the chance to tell you about my encounter with Natasha earlier that day, before the party.”

A tickle traveled down Brooks’s spine as he got to his feet. “What happened?”

“Taz let me know Natasha had come in contact with some form of an illegal substance.” He explained the K9’s reaction. “I had to search her according to the rules, but I came up with nothing.”

“She must have handled a product containing something that’s being trafficked through her.” Brooks looked at the building as if he could see straight through it, to Natasha’s showroom. “I have to tell you, Jase. My instincts are telling me she’s being used and I don’t think she’s aware of anything to do with the drugs.” Brooks surprised himself with the admission, but every word he spoke came from his gut.

When he turned his gaze back to Jase, he saw the agent watching him intently. “What makes you so sure?”

For a moment, Brooks was quiet. “Spent some time with her and not a single red flag was raised. She comes across as friendly, genuine, open, and not capable of pulling off what she’s accused of doing.”

Jase studied Brooks, as if trying to get a read on him. “You don’t think she’s just a damned good actress?”

Brooks folded his arms across his chest, his hands in his armpits to keep his fingers warm. “I don’t think she has it in her to be someone she’s not. She also has a history of family drug possession and abuse by parents who have been in and out of jail, and it’s clear she disapproves. She won’t have anything to do with them.”

Jase furrowed his brow. “You don’t think it’s a case of the apple not falling far from the tree?”

“I considered that when she told me about her parents.” Brooks shook his head. “But no, I don’t think that’s it. Natasha is damned close to her cousin. What Christie went through at the hands of her ex was enough to keep anyone from being involved with the Jimenez Cartel.”

Jase didn’t seem entirely convinced. “You can’t be certain.”

“Everything I have is telling me she’s innocent.” Brooks blew out a breath of frustration. “My gut and my instincts are usually right.”

“Those instincts can serve a good agent well.” Jase gave a slow nod. “But I’m not willing to believe she’s completely innocent. With everything pointing to her like it is, there’s a good possibility she is involved.”

“We’ll work every aspect of this case.” Brooks had the intense desire to defend Natasha, but held himself back. “If she’s guilty, we will arrest her. But I intend to give her the benefit of the doubt. I think she’s being used.”

“I went by her showroom a little earlier.” Jase frowned. “Her expression told me something was wrong and she looked scared.”

A prickling sensation rolled over Brooks’s scalp. “Did you approach her?”

Jase shook his head. “I didn’t want Taz to find the product before we’re ready to make a case against the whole ring. Arresting her now for possession would put a screw in the works. We want to bring down everyone at the same time and not scare anyone off.”

“Right.” Brooks’s breath fogged in the cold. “Let’s proceed as planned and bring down the bad guys. Just know that I intend to do everything I can to prove Natasha is innocent—if she is. If she’s not—” He shook his head. “Then we’ll take her down with the rest of them.”

“We have to do what we have to do.” Jase paused. “Even if it goes against what we believe. Sometimes our gut isn’t right.”

“And sometimes it is.” Brooks touched the brim of his hat. “It’s getting close to the show closing for the day, and I’m going to wait for Natasha to come out. She was running late this morning, so I gave her a ride here. I’ll get her back to the hotel. That will give me a good opportunity to question her more.”

“I’ll touch base with you if I learn anything else,” Jase said.

“Same here.” Brooks pulled out his phone as he started to turn away. “Now I need to call Sofia.”

As he walked to the front of the building, Brooks pressed speed dial for his RAC and brought the phone to his ear.

“Sofia Aguilar,” she answered.

“Checking in.” Brooks gripped the phone with his cold fingers.

He could picture Sofia’s all-business expression. “What do you have?”

Brooks explained all that had happened over the past two days, including the party and the arrests. He didn’t include anything about his “gut feeling” because he knew Sofia wouldn’t accept that as a reason to believe Natasha was innocent. He kept to the facts and simply told Sofia that so far he hadn’t come across anything that proved her guilt.

“Are you certain she didn’t intentionally take the Ecstasy?” Sofia asked.

Brooks hesitated. No, he couldn’t be certain—it would be a matter of Natasha’s word against Gary’s, or whoever else it could be. “I’ll keep working on the case.” Brooks’s fingers were growing numb from the cold and he switched the phone to his other hand. “I’ll report in tomorrow, or if anything develops that you need to know about immediately.”

“Get me some proof, one way or another, Brooks.” She disconnected the call.

She never was one for conversation, greetings, or partings. He sucked in cold air as he shoved the phone into its holster on his belt. Air fogged as he released his breath through his nostrils.

He strode toward the building and then hitched his shoulder against the side of the building, close to the entrance. He should be able to see Natasha with no problem as she left.

Not much later, people began pouring through the doors as the show reached the official closing time. He watched and didn’t see Natasha come out. He imagined she was wrapping up things with her display, making sure everything was ready for the next day.

When she finally walked outside the building, he started to go to her but hesitated. Her complexion was pale, her eyes haunted, her entire bearing tense. She looked nothing like the free spirit she’d been before.

He pushed away from the building. It didn’t take long to reach her with his long strides, and he fell into step beside her. “How did your day go?”

She came to a stop, a terrified expression on her face as she cut her gaze to his. “What are you doing here?”

He frowned. Something was wrong, seriously wrong. “What’s going on, Natasha?”

“Nothing.” She snapped the word like a tiny firecracker. “I need to grab a cab and get back to the hotel.”

She turned away from him, walking fast as she headed toward a line of waiting taxis.

He kept up with her. “I’m here to give you a ride. You don’t need to take a cab.”

“I don’t need a ride from you.” She didn’t look at him. “I don’t
want
a ride from you.”

He grabbed her by her upper arm and pulled her to a stop, bringing her around to face him. “What the hell happened?”

“Don’t touch me.” She jerked her arm from his grasp. “And stay out of my business.”

He stared at her, trying to figure out the sudden change. Not only did she not look like the same Natasha he’d spent time with yesterday, she wasn’t acting like it. At this point, it was clear she wouldn’t be changing her mind about going with him.

With a shake of his head, he held his hands up. “I won’t touch you, and I won’t try to convince you to come with me. But can you at least tell me—”

She darted into the crowd, leaving him behind. He was tall enough that he could see her head as she pushed her way to the line of taxis.

He wanted to get back to the hotel before she did. He jogged to his truck. Once he was on the crowded road, he used his flashers for the second time that day. As far as he was concerned, this was business and the use of the lights was necessary.

The hotel was close enough that it took him less than ten minutes to get there by using his lights and going over the speed limit. He parked in a rush and strode toward the entrance. He gave the doorman a nod before letting his gaze drift over the lobby.

When he arrived at the hotel the first day, he made a point of examining the area and had pinpointed two fairly secluded spots. Now he chose one of the two lobby chairs that would give him both a view of the entrance and the elevators.

He wasn’t positive yet on what he was going to do. He would watch her when she came into the hotel, but he hadn’t decided on his next step. That would depend on her and once again, his gut.

Not long after he made it to his watch post, she walked through the entrance. She looked much the same as she had when she’d left the show building, her face drawn and pale. She clutched her purse to her like a shield, as if protecting herself. With a single-minded expression on her features, she looked straight ahead, clearly not aware of her surroundings. Maybe she didn’t even care, but he wasn’t sure that was the case. It was possible she was afraid of what she might see.

He furrowed his brow at the thought. What would she be afraid of? His mind worked over the behavior that seemed bizarre for this woman. Something had happened, and it wasn’t good. Had she been threatened?

His skin chilled at the thought. It was possible the cartel or Mark Okle had threatened her for some reason. Maybe she wanted out. More probable in Brooks’s mind, she had discovered the truth. If she had, that would be more than enough to make her act the way she was.

It wasn’t like him to be indecisive, but he wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. Should he go after her and demand she tell him now? Or should he wait and let her have time alone before heading to her room to confront her? The second choice was likely the smarter of the two in this case.

He started to rise from his chair to go to his own room, when he saw a man walk through the entrance. Something about him caught Brooks’s attention. The man wore a blue ball cap and his hair stuck out from beneath it like dirty brown straw. Ball Cap had sharp, angular features, was of medium height and slender build, and had a casual stride that was
too
casual.

Everything about Ball Cap told Brooks the man didn’t belong in the hotel. It was in the way he walked, the ragged cuffs of his jeans, and the scuffed blue nylon jacket. It was especially present in his hard expression that wasn’t characteristic of someone who would be a guest in a classy hotel like this.

Any guest could walk into the hotel, looking furious after an experience that had pissed him off, or he could be some jerk with an attitude. Ball Cap was different. The man took quick glances around, his eyes shiftier than someone who was simply angry, or an asshole in general. His entire presence was
wrong.

Ball Cap strode in the direction of the elevators, where Natasha stood next to the call buttons, waiting. Brooks’s muscles tensed as the man neared her. Ball Cap slowed and came to a stop near a large potted tree, likely out of her view.

Brooks had the keen desire to walk up to the man, take him by the collar, and make him talk. Not a smart idea, but the urge seared Brooks’s veins.

Elevator doors slid open and Natasha stepped inside. Brooks was ready to go after the man if he intended to hurry to the elevator and get in with Natasha. But Ball Cap stayed put until the doors slid closed.

The moment Natasha disappeared behind the doors, Ball Cap ducked out of his hiding place and walked toward the bank of elevators.

Ice chilled Brooks’s veins. There was no doubt. Ball Cap was following Natasha.

~~*~~

The key card slipped from Natasha’s cold fingers and dropped to the floor. Her hand trembled as she scooped it up from the hallway’s patterned carpet. She sucked in a lungful of air before letting it out slowly, and tried to calm her nerves. She’d been taking deep breaths ever since this morning when “the incident” had happened, and deep breathing hadn’t worked one damned bit.

How she made it through the rest of the day, she had no idea. She had felt wooden, heavy, terrified. It had been all she could do not to break down and cry.

Dear God, how was she going to make it through the next few days of the show?

How was she going to make it through the rest of her life?

She managed to slide the card through the slot on the door. The lock clicked as a tiny green light glowed before she pushed down on the handle and opened the door.

It was dark in the room, and darker yet when the door slammed closed behind her. Every light was off and even the blackout shades were completely drawn. The maid must have done it because there had been a gap this morning.

She ran her fingers over the wall behind her and stopped when she felt a switch. She flicked it on. Her entire body went cold when she saw the room in the light. Her purse slid from her grasp and dropped on the carpet with a thud.

The entire room had been tossed. Drawers had been emptied and lay upside down on the floor, her suitcase open in one corner of the room, her clothes and other belongings scattered everywhere. Even the blankets and pillows had been pulled off the bed and tossed aside.

Her heart pounded so hard her chest ached. She left her purse where it had fallen and took a step forward. Her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees. Tears stung the backs of her eyes.

She knew she should probably be worried someone was still in the room, but at that moment she didn’t care. She had the errant thought that if someone murdered her, at least her family and friends would be safe. Mark would have no reason to go after them if she wasn’t alive.

Her strong will to live never let her seriously consider the thought even though it had flitted through her mind. A side to her still existed that believed there was a possibility they could all somehow come out of this okay. Yet at the same time, the other side of her didn’t have that kind of faith.

No, Mark likely didn’t have plans to kill her. He had the perfect set up for her to deliver his product across the nation. He’d probably force her to go to more shows than she’d planned to do so that he could make even more money. Now that he had her in a place where she couldn’t refuse him, he could force her to do anything.