Texas Hold 'Em (Smokin' ACES) - By Kay David Page 0,11
mystery person with all this information?”
He came to his feet and planted his hands on the table in front of her, looking her straight in the eye. “I’m looking for your mother. We think she’s with Ortega, and I need your help to find her.”
Chapter Three
Rose tried to stay calm. All she could think was Oh, no, Mom. Oh, no… What the hell have you gone and done now?
She stood and met his gaze head-on. “That’s crazy,” she said evenly, her turmoil hidden. “What kind of evidence do you have that my mother’s involved with this guy?”
“It’s straight from a source I trust completely.”
Rose stilled, her blue eyes unblinking, her heart beating painfully. “Unlike my mother?”
A flicker of some indefinable emotion crossed his expression before disappearing. It might have been defiance, or it might have been guilt. She told herself she didn’t care what the hell it was. Their relationship was over. She didn’t give him time to respond. “I haven’t seen her since before I left San Antonio, thanks to you. If she was around here, don’t you think I’d know?”
“I’m not sure.” He gave her a level look. “You tell me.”
She pretended a sudden interest in the sleeve of her uniform. She wasn’t as shocked as she should have been by the possibility that her mother might be with a man like Pablo Ortega. Gloria Renwick had lived a life that was very far from perfect, and her history with flawed men had only been one of her problems. But she and Rose had secrets, secrets that ran deeper than the bottomless canyons surrounding Aqua Frio. Santos had no idea—nor would he ever know—what those secrets were.
He spoke, his hand on her arm, bringing her back to the moment. “I know for certain that Gloria was Ortega’s lover a few years back, and that only means one thing—”
“You’re right,” she flared suddenly. “It means she fell for a guy she shouldn’t have. If that’s against the law, then every woman I know—including me—would be in jail.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly. I would think you might, too, since you were there the last time it happened to me.”
He released her, his mouth tightening. “You’re the sheriff, Rose, and you have an obligation to uphold the law. If your mother is involved with him personally, then she’s involved with his business.”
“Not necessarily.”
“Maybe not in a normal relationship, but that’s the way it works with the cartel, and you know it. Either way, we’ll find out when we talk to her. If she’s innocent and knows nothing about this, she’ll be fine.”
“She’ll be fine?” Rose repeated with disbelief. “And just what do you think is going to happen with her when your little conversation is finished? How does that usually work, Santos, with the cartel?”
Uneasiness flickered over his expression.
“If this guy finds out she’s in contact with someone like you, she’ll be dead before any of us could blink. Especially if he finds out I’m her daughter.”
“I’m more aware of that then you realize.”
“You’re asking me to risk my mother’s life for the chance—the chance—she might know something about your CI. Even if I did know where my mother is, and I don’t, asking me for help with this is pretty damn low, even for you.” Turning her back on him, she walked stiffly toward the sink, her knees shaking with anger.
He uncoiled his legs and blocked her movement, his hand snaking out to her shoulder. The kitchen suddenly felt smaller. His body took up a lot of space, but their past took up more.
“Who do you think sent those men who came after you tonight? You and I both know that wasn’t a random crime. Ortega has to be involved. Everything points to him. He’s moving into Rio County, and he won’t stop until I make him stop.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Santos. I told you about this guy named Enrique—”
“Sometimes Ortega uses the local talent.” His eyes turned stony and dark. She shivered because she’d seen this kind of determination in his gaze before, and it didn’t bode well for whomever he was hunting. “I’ve got to find this woman. She was taken on my watch. I’m responsible for what happened, and I can’t rest until I fix this and the bastard is behind bars where he belongs.”
She locked her eyes on his and shook her head. “If I thought you were right about my mother, I’d help you. But I don’t, so we’re finished. You need