Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
M arti looked up and smiled when Caleb entered the dining room.It was almost lunch time. If she hadn’t known, her growling stomach would have told her. She was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a t-shirt.
He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. “What are you working on?”
“My article for the paper. Don’t worry, I’m telling everything from my point of view as if you and the DEA weren’t there at all. Except for the raid, of course.”
Caleb ran a hand through his hair and sat across from her. “I don’t know how to say this other than to just say it. My boss wants to see the article before it’s published.”
Marti narrowed her eyes. “She can want all she likes, but that is not happening. No one censors my articles except my editor. She can take it up with him, but I’ll tell you right now, he’ll say the same thing. We believe in the free press. If she wants to read the article, she can buy a subscription to the paper.” She looked back at the screen, then saved the article to her laptop, to the cloud and to a flash drive.
Caleb gazed at her and grinned. “I had a feeling you’d say something like that.”
She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are we still going out tonight? Or have you changed your mind, since I won’t hand over my article?”
“We are going out. Nothing has changed.” He frowned. “Why would you think this has changed anything?”
“Because I’m not playing by your rules. Doesn’t that make your job that much harder?”
“No. You still have the best intel. As long as you do, we’ll keep using Rocket. I told my boss that.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is that the only reason? What if Rocket stops giving me intel? Are we still—” She pointed back and forth between them. “Or is this only while we’re working together?”
He stretched his arms around the laptop and took her hands in his. “I don’t care if we work together or not. When this is all over, how about you and me take a little vacation together? We can take the jet and go anywhere you want.”
“Anywhere?” I’d forgotten I read he had a private jet. That might be fun to go somewhere just for a weekend.
“Yup.” He held her hands and squeezed them lightly before he pulled her to her feet. “Anywhere in the world. You have a valid passport, don’t you?”
“Yes. So does Sophie. Vance insisted we get them. He said we’d go to Europe. Of course, that was before the cheating and the divorce. I thought we still had a chance then so we got them.”
“Good then, we can go anywhere. We can take the kids, if it’s a long way, or we can go alone for a weekend in New York, San Francisco, LA or Miami. There’s the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World. LA has Disney Land, Universal Studios, Knotts Berry Farm, so many things to do with the kids.”
Marti’s eyes were suspiciously wet. She didn’t realize tears were trickling down her cheeks until Caleb captured one with his right index finger.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, honey.”
“They are happy tears. You included the kids. I’ve not met too many men who would do that. Vance never would have. He didn’t like to share me with anyone, including Sophie. If he could have afforded it, he would have hired a nanny as soon as Sophie was born.”
Caleb growled. “You told me about him. He’s a real piece of work.”
“He is.”
Caleb reddened. “I also had a dossier worked up on him.” He turned and paced the width of the room. “I had to know who I was dealing with…if it became necessary. I can say for certain that it won’t become necessary. He acts like he couldn’t care less.”
Marti placed her hands on her hips as her anger rose. “Thank you for that wonderful review of my daughter’s father.”
He held his hands out to her. “Honey, I get the feeling that I crossed a line with you, but I had to know who I was dealing with. I have Danny to think about.”
“Did you have a dossier done on me?” She tried and failed to keep the anger out of her voice.
“I wanted to know if your ex-husband was any threat to Danny. If you had my resources, you’d have done the same.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I would make that decision, not some dossier.” She turned and stomped out.
“Don’t forget to be ready at eight,”he called after her.
She turned back toward him with her hands fisted at her sides. “What makes you think I’m still going out with you?”
He stepped toward her. “Because you want to see this through. Even if that means putting up a pretense with me.”
She realized his voice had a hard edge to it and dared a glance at his face. It might have been etched in stone, if not for the clenching of his jaw. He was as angry as she was. Well, good. At least the situation wasn’t all on her. “Fine. I’ll see you at eight in the kitchen.”
He nodded, then turned toward the back door. When he reached it, he stopped and turned back toward her.
The anger was gone, replaced by sadness.
She wanted to reach out, but her pride wouldn’t let her. Had she just ruined her relationship with Caleb? Could they come back from this?
Just before eight o’clock that night, Marti looked at herself in the full-length mirror in her room. She loved this dress almost as much as her black one. She’d also brought a sapphire-blue one on the assumption they would have another date at The Place. Now, she wasn’t so sure and wondered if she should have brought the dress at all. Perhaps she shouldn’t have such high expectations where Caleb was concerned..
Sophie came into the room. “You look beautiful, Mommy. Are you going on a date with Caleb?”
“I am, sugar bear. You’ll be fast asleep by the time I get home.”
“Will you read me a story before you leave?”
“I can’t tonight. Bethany will be doing story time tonight, but I tell you what. I’ll read you two stories tomorrow night. How’s that?”
Sophie thought for a moment then smiled. The movement lighted up her entire face. “That sounds good, Mommy.”
“Okay, come here and give me a kiss.”
Sophie walked over to her mother and kissed her on the cheek.
“I love you, sugar bear.”
“I love you, too, Mommy.” Sophie skipped out of the room.
Marti followed her to the top of the stairs.
Sophie turned and went down the west wing’s hall toward Danny and Bethany’s rooms.
Marti headed down the stairs.
This red dress would knock Caleb’s socks off. She was fairly sure he wouldn’t be able to help himself. The dress was short, about three inches above her knees. It had spaghetti straps and draped low in front, showcasing her nice cleavage, and dipped low in back as it skimmed over her body, showing off her curves.
Marti wore the same black-and-red heels she’d worn the last time. It was nice Caleb was so tall. She could wear the four-inch heels, and he still towered over her.
Caleb waited in the kitchen. He was leaning against the island, looking out over the pool. He had on a black suit, and his wide shoulders and narrow hips made a perfect V silhouette. She had butterflies in her stomach. What if they couldn’t get past their earlier argument?
At the tap of her heels on the granite tile of the kitchen, he turned toward her and stopped. His mouth fell open as if he wanted to say something and was at a loss for words.
“Wow.” He said finally. “You look amazing. Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”
She had her evening clutch in her right hand and put both hands behind her while she glanced down. “Maybe, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”
He stepped forward and lifted her chin with a finger. “You’re the most beautiful woman I know.”
She lifted her gaze and met his. “Thank?—”
His mouth crashed against hers.
Whatever she was going to say went right out the window as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.
“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think what we have between us is just about work. It’s not. I want you with me, even when the job is done. I want us to raise our kids together.”
Marti swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I want that, too. But I’m scared, Caleb. Your job doesn’t end with this mission, and mine doesn’t, either. Another story will always come along that needs to be investigated. Not the cartel, maybe but something else for me. What if you get transferred to another city? Yes, I can write from anywhere, but my investigations are here, and I don’t want to uproot Sophie all the time. Once was enough. She’s finally got a friend in Danny, and I can’t imagine separating them. But she’s also just become comfortable with her teacher and the school and?—”
He placed two fingers gently on her lips. “Shh. I’m not going anywhere. I will not be transferred. That was part of my deal when I agreed to this. I’m not doing it for the money. I’m doing it to keep my home, my kids, safe. That was the only reason I agreed to this. I didn’t know how close to home it would be.”
She hugged him. “I’m sorry about Jamison. I know that has to be difficult.”
He hugged her back. “What’s difficult is to realize that his family means nothing to him. He’s selling that dope to kids and, eventually, if we don’t stop it now, it will be to kids Danny’s and Sophie’s ages. I can’t have that, regardless of who is doing the selling, I have to stop it…to stop him.”
She eased back to look into his eyes. “Now that you know where the next shipments will be, what do you plan on doing?”
He let out a deep breath. “I don’t know. That part of the property only has one road in and out. That’s another reason we put the barn there, so we wouldn’t be driving the hay all over the range for the cattle.”
“Was that something you planned before Jamison disappeared?” The timing of all this is too coincidental. Jamison had to have been planning this for a long time.
He pinched the skin between his eyes, then he nodded. “He was involved with the planning of the whole thing. Where it would be. Building the road to get there. Hiring the contractor. Everything. That barn was his baby.”
“Maybe he had this in mind the whole time. I know that’s hard to hear, but he had to have been with the cartel for a lot longer than the time he’s been missing.”
Caleb nodded and turned away. He walked over to the breakfast bar and turned back toward her. “I know, and I wonder how long he was using me and this ranch to do his dirty operation?” He turned and slammed a hand on the bar before grabbing it with both hands and leaning forward.
Marti went to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind. “Caleb, tonight we are not thinking about Jamison or anyone. We’re supposed to show everyone we are together, so let’s go be together. Come on, big guy, buy your best girl dinner and take her dancing…for real. Not because we have to put on a show, but because we want to.”
He turned so he could wrap his arms around her.
“Okay?”
“Okay.” He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. “When this is all said and done, you and I have some talking to do.”
“I agree, but it will wait until then. Let’s go paint the town red…to match my dress.” She laughed.
Caleb grinned. “Agreed, Ms. Parker. Let’s go.” He led the way to the six-car garage. “What car shall we take?”
“You took the Yukon and the truck out. What did you put in their place? I see the sparkling blue Camaro. The Ferrari is red. What is the teal one? It looks fast.”
“It’s my latest acquisition. It’s a Lamborghini. Want to see how fast it goes?”
Marti laughed. She loved seeing him excited, and his blue eyes sparkled with mischief, too. “Okay. The Lamborghini it is. I think you like these fast cars just because you like looking at my legs when I get in and out.”
He lifted a brow and grinned. “That could have something to do with it.”
She sat and then turned in the seat while she brought her legs inside.
Caleb waited until she’d buckled up before he shut the door. Then he walked in front of the car, lightly dragging his fingers over the hood, and slid into the driver’s seat. After he’d buckled his seat belt, he started the car. “Ready? We have a very long driveway. I built it like that for a reason. Hold on.” He pulled the car out of the garage and onto the driveway, then he floored it.
Marti’s head snapped back against the headrest, and she held on for dear life.
He laughed and slowed at the end of the driveway. “Hoo-wee, that was fun.”
She shook her head and laughed at the delight in his voice. “You sounded just like a kid with a new toy…which I guess you are. Your toys are just more expensive than other peoples.”
“I suppose that’s true. There is another reason to take this car.”
“What’s that?”
“Jamison will know where we are. I’m probably the only one around here who would buy this car.”
She turned toward him. The sunset providing the light inside the car. “You want him to know, don’t you? You want him to come after you.”
He put the car in gear and pulled out onto the paved road and headed to Bozeman. “Yes. I do. I want this over with as soon as possible.” He looked over at her. “Am I wrong?”
“No. I want it over, too. Do you think he’ll approach you tonight?”
“I honestly don’t know. I no longer know him or what he’ll do. The Jamison I knew would never have thought to kill me. I have my team watching this establishment and a few other places where I thought he might be. We were trying to find his home and thought we had it, but the place was empty. It didn’t look like it had been lived in—just set up to throw us off his scent.”
“Maybe he has a girlfriend he stays with. Did he have a sweetheart in high school or college who was from here?”
He looked over at her for a moment before returning his gaze to the road in front of him. “He had a girlfriend all through high school. They broke up when she couldn’t go to the same university he did. She went to Montana State here in Bozeman. It’s a great school, but Jamison wanted to go to some fancy school back east. Karrie’s family couldn’t afford something like that. When I offered to pay, first they were offended that I would do something like that and second, she didn’t want to go far from home. Her grandparents were living with them and her grandfather wasn’t doing well. She wanted to stay close, which I don’t blame her for. I offered her a position in my marketing department when she graduated. It’s here in Bozeman and her major. Luckily, she accepted. That was eight years ago. She’s now the head of my marketing department.”
“Good for her.”
“No. Good for me. I really got lucky when she agreed to come on board. She’s smart as a whip and knows her stuff. She researches all the time and stays on top of the latest trends and makes sure we are on top, as well.”
“I’d say you lucked out that she didn’t hold a grudge for Jamison being such an asshat.”
“She met and fell in love with a man in the testing department. They have two kids now. One boy, four, and a little girl who just turned one.”
“Ahh. They are so cute when they are that age. Everything is new, and they still think Mommy and Daddy hang the moon every night, just for them.”
The trip passed so fast they were at the restaurant and club before Marti was ready.
The same young man, Ronny, was at the valet stand, same as the other night. This time, he waited for Caleb to help Marti from the car.
“I’ll take really good care of it, Mr. Malone. I’ve never seen a Lamborghini before except in magazines.”
Caleb dropped the keys into Ronny’s hand. “Enjoy it. You can take it around the block before you park it, if you promise to take it easy and don’t speed.”
Ronny’s eyes about popped out of his head. “Really? I’ll be really careful, I promise.”
Grinning, Caleb put an arm around Marti’s waist. “Go for it. We’ll be back in about three hours, maybe four. Depends on how good the dance music is.”
The boy shrugged. “Oh, you’ll like it. They’re playing a lot of oldies tonight. Some bigwig came in for his birthday and requested all this old, slow music. Said he likes to hold his date when he dances. Who wants to dance that slow, I ask ya?”
Caleb laughed. “Some of us like to hold our dates in our arms, Ronny. You’ll understand that when you get to be my age.”
Ronny shook his head. “I don’t know, maybe for one dance, but this guy is dancing all the dances, and they are all slow.”
Caleb turned to Marti. “Looks like I get my wish and will hold you in my arms.”
“I’d say we get our wish.” I want you to hold me, I’d like it to be forever, but that’s not likely. I have to remember that this is more for show than for real. Will Jamison show up? Is he already here in his own VIP room? Surely, he wouldn’t be here himself. It would be too easy to recognize him, and he’s supposed to be missing. But I would bet that he has a spy here somewhere, either working here or dining here.