Boyd pulled a picture of Leona out of the folder in his suitcase. For the next two hours they questioned every ticket seller, airport security person, janitor and car rental agent they could find, first showing them the photo and when that didn't produce results, describing Leona in her disguise. Their inquiry was futile.
Back at the hotel, they found a message from Lewis Hamond to call him.
“Leona called Garduchi a little over an hour ago. She told him that she'd tricked Katrina into helping her because she wanted to see her niece one last time before disappearing for good. She assured him that she hadn't turned over any evidence to any law enforcement agency, but said she would if anything happened to her niece,” Lewis informed Boyd.
Hanging up a few minutes later, Boyd told Katrina what her aunt had done.
Katrina groaned. “Garduchi doesn't like to be threatened.”
The phone rang. Again Boyd answered. As he listened, the grim expression on his face sent a chill through Katrina. Hanging up, he said, “The word on the street is that the reward on your aunt has been upped to a quarter of a million.”
“I have to find her.”
The grim expression on Boyd's face deepened. “No. You're going home.”
Her eyes rounded in surprise. “I thought you didn't trust me out of your sight.”
“Every small-time hoodlum up through the top ranks of professional hitters is going to be looking for your aunt. Being anywhere within ten miles of her is going to be like being a target in a shooting gallery.” His gaze narrowed on her. “I don't care what part you're really playing in this. Whatever it is, it's too dangerous.”
Again she saw the protectiveness in his eyes. “Admit it, you like me just a little.” Inwardly, she gasped. She couldn't believe she'd said that. But what really shook her was how much his answer meant to her.
Maybe blurting that out wasn't such a bad thing,
she reasoned, seeing the coldness return to his eyes.
He'll say no and that will put an end to this attraction I keep experiencing.
“If I liked you just a little, this would be easy,” he said curtly.
A smile spread over her face at the implication in his words. “You like me a lot.”
“It's only lust and I don't plan to give in to it.”
She liked the idea that he was lusting after her. Her gaze traveled over him. “I've heard that animal attraction is what draws couples together from across crowded rooms.” She suddenly flushed. That sounded like a come-on line from a bar. “Not that I believe in instant intimacy. I'd have to get to know someone first. I'd want to know we had a relationship that would last.”
For a moment he'd thought she was going to try to seduce him and he'd been considering letting her. Sometimes a taste of honey was the cure. But she'd clearly decided to move more slowly. Well, that was the end of that. She was a distraction he didn't need. “You're going home.”
She knew that Garduchi exerted a lot of power but so did the reward he was offering. “A quarter of a million dollars is a lot of money. Even if Garduchi has put out the word that I'm to be left alone, there's always the chance someone will get greedy enough to pay me a visit to ask if I know where my aunt is.”
“You'll be watched over. I'll have some of our people keeping an eye on you and I'm sure Garduchi will have some his men protecting you as well. He won't want to take a chance on you getting hurt and Leona keeping her word about turning over the evidence.”
“And what if Garduchi decides I know more than I'm telling and decides to try to persuade me to cooperate with him. When I can't help him, his temper could easily take control. Or, what if my watchers get greedy?” She saw the protectiveness beginning to show on his face. “Either I hunt my aunt with you or without you, but I'm not going home and I'll shake any tail you try to put on me.”
The thought of her being out on her own chilled Boyd to the bone and she had a point about Garduchi and her watchers. He envisioned her being tortured for information and wanted to pull her into the secure circle of his arms and hold her there forever.
This could all be an act,
he reminded himself for the umpteenth time. Maybe she just wanted to hang around to see if the FBI could find her aunt It could be a way of testing Leona's ability to remain hidden. Once she and her aunt were certain they knew how to hide from anyone, she'd disappear as well.
“So what now?” she asked.
Even if she were using him as a pawn in a game, he couldn't bear the thought of her getting herself hurt or killed. “We go back to Washington and wait.”
Katrina frowned thoughtfully. “We could fake my death and make it look like Garduchi was involved.”
Boyd studied her for a long moment, then said curtly. “You'd have to stay dead. If your aunt turns over the evidence and then you reappear, Garduchi is sure to put a contract out on you.” Sudden enlightenment showed on his face. “Is this a way you and your aunt cooked up so that you could become part of our relocation program...have the government protecting you while you and she enjoy the money she embezzled?”
“You're impossible! Here I am offering myself as a sacrificial lamb to get Garduchi and you're twisting it into some sort of scheme. I can't believe I'm attracted to you.” Her fit of anger had caused the pounding in her head to increase. “I need some of those aspirin you brought along.”
Boyd produced the bottle, took three for himself and gave her two.
“You're definitely a three-aspirin pain,” she retorted and held her hand out for one more.
He dropped it into her palm, then went into the bathroom to run a couple of glasses of water. After swallowing down his aspirin, he said tersely, “Even if you are on the level, I wouldn't let you do it. You'll have to spend the rest of your life in hiding, always looking over your shoulder, knowing that if Garduchi discovers you're still alive, he'll come after you. Then there's always the possibility that your aunt is playing liar's poker and doesn't even have any evidence, in which case you would have placed yourself at risk for nothing.”
“I still think we should consider it.”
“No. If your aunt really wanted to turn over the evidence on Garduchi, she'd have done it.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. “And, I'll admit, I have a selfish motive as well. If you are on the level, I'd like the chance to get to know you better. If you disappear into the witness protection program, that can never happen.”
“That would definitely be a downside to my plan,” she admitted, the heat of his touch causing her blood to feel like molten lava.
Boyd forced himself to release her. “We'd better get going or we'll miss our plane,” he said gruffly.
Katrina. frowned as he turned away from her. What if he never allowed himself to fully trust her? She could do no more than she had already done to prove herself. She wanted to cry. Life wasn't fair!
But then nobody ever told me it would be.
Her head still pounding, she rose and packed quickly.
Chapter 9
O
n the way to the airport, they stopped at a mall and bought Katrina a satchel to replace the plastic bag she'd been using for her clothes. The car had been a rental. They returned it at the airport and flew back to Washington, D.C., arriving in the early hours of the morning. During the flight Boyd had questioned her about places her aunt had mentioned as being locations she'd like to live in or visit.
“Almost anyplace where she can get good room service,” Katrina had replied. “Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, Denver, Paris, Rome, London, Morocco, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, etc.”
“That takes in about half the world and her tastes may have broadened in the past few years,” Boyd had grumbled and allowed a silence to fall between them for the rest of the flight.
“You'll be staying at my place,” he told her as they left the terminal and he hailed a taxi.
She didn't object. She liked being with him. Even if he didn't trust her, he cared about her and for the first time in a very long time, she didn't feel alone in the world.
His apartment was small but neatly kept.
“You can have the bedroom,” he said.
He looked tired and she wanted him to be comfortable. “I'll take the couch.”
Boyd read the determined line of her jaw. “Fine.”
A short while later, snuggled comfortably on the couch, she smiled softly to herself. He'd closed the bedroom door, leaving her alone with a phone and an easy exit. Maybe he was allowing himself to begin to trust her. Abruptly the smile changed to a frown. Or, maybe he thought she might contact her aunt and he had a trace on the line. Or maybe, he was hoping she'd leave and lead him to her aunt. With his acute sense of hearing, she was certain that even with the door closed, he'd be aware of her movements.
Don't start liking his company too much,
she cautioned herself and, trying not to think about him, she closed her eyes and slept.
Â
Boyd woke at seven. He couldn't believe he'd slept so soundly. Wondering if he still had a guest, he pulled on a pair of slacks before leaving his bedroom. As he opened the door, his gaze went immediately to the couch. He saw her curled up, still asleep and a smile played at one corner of his mouth. Her presence added a warmth to his apartment that had been lacking. In the next instant, he was frowning at the paths his mind was taking. Reminding himself of how short a time he'd known her, he headed into the bathroom to shave.
When he came out she was up, dressed and her bedding neatly folded.
“We'll get some breakfast on the way to headquarters,” he said continuing into the bedroom.
“Fine,” she replied to his retreating back. The smell of his aftershave filled her senses. Silently, she cursed his hardheadedness.
A while later when they entered the operations room where all the information about Garduchi and Leona was being routed, a man who looked to be in his late fifties rose to greet them. He was medium in build and height. His hair was still thick but had turned completely white.
“Lewis Hamond, Boyd's partner,” he said, extending his hand toward Katrina. “And I can certainly understand why he wanted to be the one to keep an eye on you.”
Katrina had been prepared to face the same distrust she'd grown to expect from law officials. Instead, the man's broad smile was genuine and there was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he winked at Boyd. “I'm pleased to meet you,” she said accepting the handshake.
“Boyd been giving you a hard time?” Lewis asked solicitously. “Getting stabbed turned him real cynical Sometimes I wonder if he trusts any of us, anymore.”
She cast Boyd a rueful look. “He does have a problem on that point.”
Boyd didn't hide his surprise at seeing his partner. “I thought you were watching Garduchi.”
“I left the locals to keep an eye on him. Figured finding Leona was more important. Slippery, uh?”
Boyd's neck reddened with embarrassment. “I'll admit she blindsided me.”
“I'm really sorry,” Katrina said quickly. “I thought she honestly meant to cooperate.”
Boyd's manner became sternly businesslike. “Have you had any possible sightings?”
“Nothing that's proven worthwhile.” Lewis gave Katrina another sympathetic look. “The truth is Garduchi has a lot more men out there looking for her than we do. No matter how clever she thinks she is, she's in deep trouble.” A plea entered his voice. “Are you absolutely certain you have no idea where she might have gone?”
Katrina shook her head. “Until she called me a few days ago, I hadn't seen or spoken to her for years.”
“Too bad.” Quickly, Lewis added, “I didn't mean it was too bad you had broken all ties with her and the rest of Garduchi's âbusiness' associates. I just meant it's too bad you don't know where she might be.”
“I can tell you that it'll be somewhere luxurious. She does like her creature comforts,” Katrina offered.
“That'll help some,” Lewis said encouragingly. “At least we'll know not to waste our time checking bag ladies.”
“I wouldn't put anything past her,” Boyd interjected. “She'll need a good disguise to fool the men Garduchi has looking for her. Being a bag lady for a while to give herself time to get out of the country might be just the thing she'd try.”
Mentally, Katrina groaned. Boyd probably thought she was trying to throw them off her aunt's trail. “You're right, she might,” she agreed. “I wouldn't put anything past her.”
“Bag ladies are back on our list,” Lewis said and returned to the computer he'd been sitting at before they entered.
“I wasn't trying to throw anyone off my aunt's trail,” Katrina whispered defensively to Boyd.
“I didn't think you were.” Surprised that he hadn't suepected her made him uneasy. Again he cautioned himself not to let his lust do his thinking for him.
Kauina smiled. So maybe she was breaking through that shell of his.
As the morning progressed, it became evident to Katrina that others in the office weren't as willing to accept her on her word as Lewis. By noon, she'd taken all the suspicious glances she could stand. All she wanted to do was escape. Tapping Boyd on the shoulder, she said, “I need to do some laundry.”
He too was growing tired of the tension her presence was causing. “Me, too,” he replied, not wanting to let her out of his sight.
Â
Katrina wiped the sweat from her brow on the sleeve of her shirt as they left the laundry room in the basement of Boyd's apartment house and entered the elevator. He'd called Lewis while the clothes were drying to discover they were following up on several leads but none looked promising.
Leaning back against the wall of the elevator, Katrina frowned glumly. “I feel like we're looking for a needle in a haystack.”
“A needle who has set herself up with at least one other identity, is my bet,” Boyd said, thinking aloud.
Katrina looked at him questioningly.
“She has to be getting money somehow and none of her credit cards have shown up and she hasn't withdrawn anything from her checking account Considering how well she's planned everything so far, a second identity seems like a reasonable explanation.”
Katrina nodded. “You're right. She might even have a couple more.”
“So who would have helped her with the documentation?”
Katrina thought for a long moment then said, “No one. She had to know Garduchi would come after her. She didn't dare trust anyone. She would have done it on her own. And it's obvious she's been planning her escape a long time. She probably searched out gravestones, got birth certificates for women who would be her age now but who passed away a long time ago and used those to set up new identities.”
Boyd nodded in agreement.
Seeing the tired lines in his face, Katrina wanted to mother him. “Why don't we go by the grocery and pick up a few things and I'll cook dinner.”
Boyd looked at her. He saw the softness in her eyes. He also saw his own exhaustion reflected there. “Thanks, but I think we should save that for another night. You look as tired as I feel. There's a little Chinese place I frequent. How about going there?”
“Sure,” she replied, unable to stop a yawn. “And you're right. I'd probably fall asleep standing at the stove.” Her shoulder muscles felt tight and she moved them around, trying to stretch out the kinks.
Seeing her movement, Boyd reached over with his right hand and began to massage the back of her neck. Immediately he regretted the friendly gesture. Her skin was soft and his ministrations threatened to become a caress.
“That feels delicious,” she purred.
The thought that she tasted delicious played through his mind. A heat began to build inside. The elevator came to a halt on his floor. Breathing a mental sigh of relief, he released her and stepped out.
Don't do that again,
he ordered himself, the texture of her skin still strong in his mind.
Katrina held in a groan of displeasure at the loss of hits touch. It had been so very soothing. It had also been igniting embers, warming her in a mellow sexy way.
Changing for dinner, she found herself wishing this was a real date. A sly smile played at the corners of her mouth. She could pretend it was. In which case, she would center the conversation on him. Her curious side liked that idea a lot. She wanted to know all there was to know about him.
She'd packed hastily, but she had thrown in a lightweight summer dress. The feminine effect, however, was ruined by her tennis shoes. And since they were the only footwear she'd thought to bring along, she had to settle for wearing slacks and a blouse.
At the restaurant, she waited until they'd placed their order then said, “I'm tired of talking about my aunt Tell me about your family.”
“There's not much to tell.”
Katrina wasn't going to let him get off that easily. “I know you have two brothers. I suppose they have names and ages.”
“Slade is four years older than me. Jess is five years younger.”
“And you're how old?”
He grinned at her perseverance. “Thirty-two.”
“And I know your mother is Apache and your father was a Texas Ranger. How did they meet?”
Normally he would have said he didn't like talking about himself and changed the subject. He preferred to keep his private life private. But this time, he heard himself saying, “She was out in the desert hunting plants when she found my father. He'd been tracking a couple of killers who had backtracked and shot him. They'd left him for dead. She's always believed it was the Great Spirit that led her to him. My father said he opened his eyes and saw this lovely face in front of him and thought it was an angel.”
In her mind's eye, Katrina pictured the Apache maiden kneeling beside the nearly dead body of a Texas Ranger. “That's a lovely story,” she said wistfully. “It must be nice to have a family you can talk about without feeling ashamed.”
Boyd read the pain on her face. “No one can choose their parents. As long as you're on the level, you've got nothing to be ashamed about. I've seen your record. You've worked hard to save kids from getting caught up in drugs and prostitution.”
“So how do I prove to you that I'm on the level?” she asked.
“By not playing any games.”
She looked hard into his eyes, willing him to believe her. “I'm not.”
“I believe you.” The words were out before he'd even realized they'd formed. They'd come from deep inside, but was it instinct or had he said it because he knew that was what she wanted to hear and he couldn't resist pleasing her? He recalled her reaction to the memory of her brother's killings and the protectiveness he'd seen in her eyes when the bellhops had knocked on the hotel room door and chose to believe it was instinct.
Tears welled in her eyes. “You really mean that?”
“I just hope you don't prove me wrong,” he said gruffly. “That'd make me lose all my faith in humanity.”
“I won't,” she promised.
Their dinner arrived at that moment and a silence fell between them as they ate. Katrina tried to think of some subject to make small talk with, but failed. She felt like a teenager on her first date...nervous and uncertain but wanting desperately to make a good impression.
Studying her covertly, Boyd considered his feelings for the woman seated across from him. They were strong and he was tempted to explore their strength, but they were dealing with some very dangerous men and it wasn't safe for them to be distracted by emotions.
As they finished their meal and returned to the apartment, Boyd couldn't help but notice how happy Katrina was. That he had caused the smile on her face, pleased him. But, he found himself admitting, it was another look, a look of passion he really wanted there. Stepping out of the elevator, their arms brushed. This simple contact was like a bolt of lightning striking him and he wondered how long he would be able to maintain the boundary he'd set for himself.
For as long as it is necessary to keep us alive,
he affirmed.