Chapter Eighteen
AS THEY DEPLANED, LAREDO gripped Diana’s elbow to steady her. All of them, except her, traveled light, with carry-on bags only and no checked bags.
He carried a duffel bag on his left shoulder and kept close to her, his protective instincts going into overdrive as the five of them walked fast to the luggage carousel.
She frowned at Rachel. “You said I needed to rent a car? Why don’t we just take a taxi? I have my car at home.” Then she rubbed her forehead. “Oh, I get it. It’s not a good idea to go straight home in case someone follows us. And it’s best to be in control of the vehicle for the same reason. And probably best for me not to drive my car in case it’s... it’s wired or something.”
Rachel nodded approvingly. “Precisely.” At the carousel, she leaned against the wall, her posture relaxed, but no doubt, she paid attention to every word and sound.
His every cell was also on high alert. He’d felt much safer at their family ranch and missed it passionately. He could protect Diana much better there, or try to. Here, how could he figure out whether any people in the thick crowd, buzzing like bees, meant Diana harm, and if so, who exactly? Considering it was so close to Christmas, the traffic was high, and people meeting their friends or relatives rushed to each other, some waving bags and wrapped gift boxes. A few travelers wore festive red jackets with reindeer or Christmas trees.
A rose aroma reached them as a petite young brunette squealed and rushed into the arms of a tall guy who lifted her off the ground and swirled her.
“I’m so happy we can spend the Christmas holidays together!” the girl singsonged.
Laredo’s chest tightened. He didn’t need to close his eyes to know this was what he wanted. To have Diana in his arms. But they weren’t here on a romantic vacation but on a mission, quite possibly a life-threatening one.
“Sorry I’m making all of you wait.” Diana’s expression was shy and apprehensive as she looked at the empty carousel.
“No problem at all,” he and the rest of them said in unison.
After she’d learned the truth about her late husband, her shoulders slumped, and the light in her eyes dimmed. Now, he ached to reignite that light.
She was dressed simply in a white turtleneck and blue jeans tucked into white boots that hugged her shapely legs to her knees. His mind associated the white sweater with a doctor’s white coat. Her lovely face was void of any cosmetics, and her beautiful golden-blonde hair he wanted to run his fingers through kissed her shoulders. No matter how much he tried to be aware of his surroundings, she was the only person he could see in the crowd. The only person he could see in the world.
Considering how inept he was at this bodyguard thing, he was extra grateful for Rachel and his brothers’ presence.
“We’ll get a rental car to follow you and distract any tail if needed.” Rachel pushed the sunglasses up on her nose and moved her black baseball hat lower.
As often was the case, she’d dressed completely in black, including tall combat boots, and hid her blonde braid under a black cap. She moved stealthily and never drew attention to herself, which must be her intent.
At family dinners, she had compared herself to a mouse, like the ones she had as pets. But all his brothers and especially her husband had no doubt she was rather a lioness. Or maybe a panther, based on her favorite color and stealthy movements.
A rumbling behind the curtain announced luggage arriving as an incoming message pinged his phone. He’d already let his mother know they’d landed safely, but maybe this was from Marina with new information about the investigation.
The text was from an unfamiliar number, and he nearly ignored it because it was most likely spam. But when he opened it, his eyebrows jumped to his forehead.
This is Lolly. Don’t ask how I got your phone number. I talked to my producer about you, and he looked at the videos on social media. He thinks you have a lot of potential. He also thinks us being sweethearts at eighteen can work well for promotion. I can arrange a meeting with him to discuss this further. You’re welcome.
“Bro, you look like you’re gasping for air.” Harris nudged him. “What’s happening?”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Laredo read the text out loud, then looked up.
Diana’s eyes dimmed further. “That’s exciting news, right? You deserve a fabulous career in music. And... and maybe it’s a second chance for you and Lolly.”
“I don’t want a second chance with her.” He looked at the woman he wanted the first, second, and all the chances in the world with. And not just because he sensed Lolly wasn’t doing him a favor, only following her producer’s advice to find a new angle for self-promotion.
When he thought about Lolly, he didn’t feel anything. But when he looked at Diana, he felt a myriad of sensations, longing, compassion, admiration, and if he dared to admit it, passion, among so many others.
Harris slapped Laredo on the shoulder. “Congratulations, bro. We all will support you if a music career is what you want.”
Tex gave him a thumbs-up. “And if you need financing, I’m your guy.”
“Thanks.” Overwhelmed, Laredo stared back at the carousel. Once upon a time, this was his dream, to have people hear his songs and, yes, appreciate them. If Tex’s way to deal with their abusive childhood was to stand tall while building a successful company, Laredo had put his pain and hope into songs and dreamed maybe his experience would help someone else.
But he wasn’t like Lolly. He didn’t want to stand in front of crowds, didn’t care for touring and traveling. Singing in his family circle was more than enough.
He spotted Diana’s luggage on the carousel, grateful for the distraction. “I see it. I’ll get it.”
“Please don’t hurt your shoulder.” As always, she was considerate of others. “I should get it myself.”
“Let me, bro.” Harris picked up her tan bag and hustled them toward the rental car counter.
“Thanks.” While Laredo wanted to carry the bag for her, he’d be no good to her if he reinjured his shoulder. But boy, was it difficult to pull back.
If he’d wanted to find Pat before for Diana’s sake, he now sent up a prayer to find her for Harris’s sake, as well. Harris’s feelings for Pat had run deeper than Laredo had initially suspected. He’d so love to see his brother have a chance at whatever was brewing between him and Pat.
“Be careful. And don’t step outside until I have a chance to check.” Rachel shifted forward.
“And here goes my illusion of a vacation. I guess I’ll just admire my beautiful wife as she works.” With affection in his eyes, Tex hugged his wife and brought her near him.
They all joined the line at the rental car counter. Tex was the only one of the brothers who wore black slacks instead of jeans and polished leather shoes instead of scuffed cowboy boots. Which made sense, as he was one of the few of them who didn’t work at the family ranch. He didn’t change his dressing habits during travel, either.
Laredo would never guess his serious workaholic brother would behave like this. But Tex seemed as smitten as the day he’d said “I do.”
Probably as smitten as the moment he’d met Rachel in a stunning purple gown at the annual masked ball he organized, not knowing she wasn’t a guest there but working incognito. Laredo hid a smile, then stole a glance at the beautiful woman he himself was smitten with.
His stomach clenched at the fear and hurt in Diana’s gray eyes. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. Something softened inside him when she didn’t remove his hold.
He had to remind himself about the scary reasons for their travel. “Do you... do you think we had any tail?” he asked Rachel.
Rachel wiggled out of her husband’s embrace, but her lips curved up. “I didn’t spot any tail. But there are no guarantees.”
Tex sobered up. “True.”
“I didn’t spot any tail, either. But then, I’m not a professional,” Harris said.
Soon, Rachel walked away from the counter with a key, and so did Laredo.
“True that, too.” Tex slapped Harris’s back as they all strode to the exit.
“Hey! I have eyes and ears!” Harris protested jokingly. “I can help.”
“And I appreciate it,” Diana said softly. She turned to Laredo. “All of you. And I know I wouldn’t be alive if not for you, Laredo. You’re a true hero.”
His chest puffed a bit, but heat rose inside him. Probably tinting his neck as scarlet as the wide-brimmed hat that passenger with nauseating perfume wore.
Tex now patted Laredo’s back approvingly.
“I’m no hero,” Laredo muttered. But he did want to be a hero in Diana’s eyes. He just didn’t know how.
On the other hand, Rachel was competent at keeping people alive. Then she halted close to the exit, holding up a hand to halt all of them, as well. She gestured them away from the crowd, so they stepped aside.
She frowned as she glanced through the glass door. “I don’t have a specific reason, but my intuition tells me something isn’t right.”
Diana paled, and he wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulders while his gut twisted. “What should we do?” While he did have his male ego, Rachel was much better at this than he was, so he’d just have to trust her wholeheartedly.
Her mouth thinned, and she pushed her sunglasses higher. Her voice dipped, making them huddle around her. “Diana and I will trade places. Thankfully, we’re about the same size, and I already have a wig resembling Diana’s hair. I have a large collection of disguises. I’ve got another pair of sunglasses, as well. Would you be okay with that, Diana?”
Diana nodded, a determined look in her eyes. “Of course. But I don’t want you, Rachel, to become a target.”
Rachel just shrugged as if it were no big deal. “It’s my job.”
He winced. “Does that mean Tex and I will need to trade places, as well? Or would I have to go with you, Rachel?” He wanted to stay near Diana. Way too much for comfort.
And okay, he wasn’t in the mood to wear Tex’s fancy clothes and shoes—the outward signs of his CEO brother’s success. Not that Laredo blamed Tex.
But Laredo’s comfort or discomfort didn’t matter. He’d never jeopardize Diana’s safety. “I’m more broad-shouldered and taller than Tex, though.”
“Hey! Just slightly.” Tex seemed to lift himself onto tiptoes.
Rachel’s voice softened as she looked at her husband. “Honey, could you please go with Laredo and Diana? Just for this drive?”
Tex’s expression turned serious. “Sure. As much as I’ll miss you.”
Laredo’s heart sank to the tile. That meant he’d have to separate from Diana.
“Harris and Laredo, you can just trade jackets and cowboy hats. Then Harris can come with me while posing as you. You’re about the same height and build.” She searched for something in her bag and then handed it to Harris. “Please use this to make it appear as if your arm is in a sling.” Then she turned to Laredo. “You’ll have to hide your sling with your jacket. Make sure you both draw your hats low so they conceal your faces. The jeans, cowboy boots, and Wrangler shirts you wear are similar. You even have the same buckle.”
“Yes, with our ranch logo.” He’d never been so glad to have the same fashion sense as his cowboy brothers.
Once they all emerged from their respective restrooms, Laredo was stunned. Okay, from up close, he could see the difference. But from afar...
Rachel even hunched her shoulders and hid her hands in her pockets like Diana often did. She moved now as if a mountain weighted her shoulders.
Diana grimaced. “Do I really walk that way?”
Rachel’s voice softened as she drew the black cap lower on Diana and placed her sunglasses on Diana’s face. “Sorry. You do. Please pull your shoulders back, look straight ahead instead of at the floor, and move smoothly as if you were gliding instead of walking.”
Diana straightened her shoulders and lifted her head. “Like this?”
“Yes, exactly.” Rachel nodded her approval.
Maybe the change of posture could boost Diana’s inner confidence, as well. She more than deserved to spread her wings, and he sent up a prayer for that. With all his heart, he wanted her to be happy. Even if he wasn’t there to see it.
They strode toward the exit. If only he could see her eyes behind the sunglasses. Incredible how, in a matter of days, he got attached to seeing the kindness in her eyes.
Near the exit, Rachel lifted her hand. “Hold on a second. Please let me make sure outside looks safe enough.”
A few seconds later, she nodded. “All clear.”
Tex’s chest puffed beneath his white shirt, displaying his pride in his wife.
Outside surprised Laredo with cold wind and clouds in the gray sky. He hoped it wasn’t a prediction of how their stay was going to be.
Diana shivered, but sadly, he couldn’t give her the jacket because he was pretending to be Harris. Couldn’t wrap his arm around her shoulder, and Laredo clenched his teeth at the effort it took to stay away.
She seemed to have read his thoughts. “I’m fine. Really.” She stopped and got a blazer out of her bag.
They found their respective rentals. While Laredo craved the familiarity of a truck, he and Diana opted for a maneuverable black SUV sturdy enough to stay on the road if they were hit again. The latter better not happen, though.
Lord, please keep us safe.
Tex and Rachel seemed to have the same logic and got a silver SUV rental.
Inside, the vehicle had that famous new-car smell, but it was only coming from the air freshener. Diana buckled in the driver’s seat while Tex took the front passenger seat.
Grimacing, Laredo had to settle in the back seat. He couldn’t begrudge his brother being near Diana, especially considering that Tex would much rather be near his wife. Yet it took Laredo a few seconds to tamp down his irritation.
Diana adjusted her rearview mirror. “Do you think Rachel will be okay driving in Dallas? Especially if she has to...”
“Distract a tail?” Tex supplied.
“Right,” she continued. “I’m familiar with this city, and she is not.”
Even in a perilous situation, heartbroken after the betrayal of the person closest to her, she was still considerate of others. No wonder she made a great nurse. She never ceased to amaze Laredo.
“My wife behind the steering wheel is like a fish in the water.” Despite Tex’s confident words, worry seeped through them. “I often press on invisible brake pedals when I’m in the car with her.”
A few minutes after they left the airport, Tex’s phone rang. Laredo rather expected it to be Rachel, but his gut twisted over the possible reason for her call.
“What’s happening, honey?” Tex’s voice was tender, but his shoulders visibly tensed. “Okay, I’ll put you on speakerphone.”
“I spotted a tail.” Rachel’s voice filled the SUV cabin. “I’ll do my best to shake it off. Please be mindful of checking your rearview mirrors in case there’s more than one tail.”
She had a point.
Laredo tightened his fingers around the door handle. “I’ll watch the mirrors.”
“Thank you. I’ll have to speed up.” Diana probably pressed on the gas pedal because the SUV jerked forward.
Tex’s voice trembled slightly. “Be careful, honey.”
“Always.” Loud honking accompanied Rachel’s words.
Laredo craned his neck to look back. Rachel’s silver SUV changed lanes fast, weaving between traffic.
“I love you.” Tex’s voice cracked on more tenderness and worry.
“I love you, too.” Tires screeched, making Rachel pause. She took the exit at high speed, but a sedan behind her careened and barely made the exit, tires squealing. “Always.”