Texas Proud and Circle of Gold (Long, Tall Texans #52) - Diana Palmer Page 0,46
“I miss your cooking. Not that Mrs. Johnson isn’t good.”
“I know she is,” Mandy replied. She gave Mikey and Bernie a secret smile when she saw them holding hands.
Mikey noticed, but he didn’t let go, even when they sat down together at the long kitchen table with Paul and the two feds.
“Okay,” Mikey said. “What’s up? You guys tailed us the whole way here,” he added to McLeod.
“Cotillo sent one of his boys down here after you,” McLeod replied quietly, watching Mikey’s face harden. “We caught him at the courthouse yesterday.”
Mikey blinked. “How?”
“We have facial identification software,” McLeod said simply. “I used it. He’s got wants and warrants outstanding in Jersey. Our guys took him into custody and they’re delivering him right back to the authorities there.”
US Marshals, that was, Mikey knew without being told. He let out a breath. “I guess I’d better be more careful about taking Bernie out to public places.”
Her fingers, unseen, contracted around his.
“Not at all,” Agent Murdock said. “As long as they’re pretty public. Drive-ins aren’t a good idea. Too much opportunity for covert work.”
Mikey sighed. “I guess so. Damn.”
“It’s okay,” Bernie said. “We can sit in Mrs. Johnson’s parlor anytime we like, and talk or watch television,” she reminded him.
He smiled at her. “You’re a rare girl, Bernie.”
She flushed and laughed. “Not so much.”
Mikey glanced at the government agents. “So why was he at the courthouse?” he asked.
“We think he was looking for a contact there. But he came after quitting time, so we didn’t have the opportunity to find out. When we questioned him,” McLeod added, “he said he was looking for San Antonio and got lost. He was just looking for directions.”
“Oh, that sounds very sincere,” Mikey said sardonically.
“Yeah, considering that he flew into the San Antonio airport,” Paul added drily.
“Here’s coffee,” Mandy said. “And how about some nice pound cake? I made a chocolate one!”
Mikey made a face. “Gosh, I’d love that, but I’m just getting over a really bad migraine. Chocolate’s one of my triggers,” he reminded her.
“I’m sorry,” Mandy said. She patted him on the shoulder. “But I’ve got a nice cherry pie?” she teased.
He chuckled. “I’ll take that. Thanks. You know, she nursed me through the headache, sickness and all,” he added, looking at Bernie with evident affection. “She never left me, and even called a doctor out to the boardinghouse to treat me. She’s quite a girl.”
Bernie’s face flamed because everybody was looking at her.
“Yes, she is,” Sari said, smiling. “At work, she’s always the first one there and the last one to leave, and she never minds staying over if we need her.” She made a face. “It’s not the same with that new woman the boss hired. Jessie. She’s constantly late and she makes clients uncomfortable. She made a real play for one of the wealthy married local ranchers, and the boss gave her warning.” She sighed. “I wish she’d do something he could fire her for. Nobody likes her.”
“She’s an odd fit for a small town,” Bernie said. “She’s overly sophisticated.”
“We have a few overly sophisticated people, like the police chief’s wife, but she’s nice,” Mandy broke in, putting a platter of sliced pound cake, saucers and utensils on the table, along with a saucer containing a slice of cherry pie for Mikey.
“This looks delicious. Thanks, honey,” he told the housekeeper and grinned at her.
“You’re welcome. Go ahead, people, dig in. We don’t stand on ceremony here.”
“No, we don’t,” Sari said, smiling warmly at her husband.
“Oh, that’s good coffee,” Paul said with a long sigh. “I just hate trying to drink it at work,” he added with a pointed glare at Murdock.
Murdock made a face. “Not my fault. My mother always drank tea. She never taught me how to make coffee and I never drink it.”
“No wonder it tastes so bad,” Paul teased.
Murdock sighed. “There have been threats, you know,” he said complacently. “In fact, ASAC Jon Blackhawk’s brother, McKuen Kilraven, was openly talking about men in ninja suits and a pickup truck and a big sack.”
“You’d never fit in a sack, Murdock,” Paul chuckled. “Besides, Kilraven’s too occupied with their new daughter to do any such thing. That’s two kids now. He and Winnie are over the moon.”
“She still working 911 dispatch down here?” Murdock asked.
Paul shook his head. “She’s got her hands full with two preschoolers. Kilraven’s still with the company, but he’s mostly administrative these days. No more hanging out of helicopters by one leg wrapped in camo netting while