Under the Gun, page 19
part #5 of The Blackmore Agency Series
“Of course. I don’t believe I know you sir, you are?”
He stuck out a hand, “I am Arturo Mora, Mr. Aldana’s legal counsel.”
“Right,” said Blaine. “We can speak in here.” He opened the door and motioned to the table and the two chairs.
“I understand your position is firm on the subject of bail for my client?”
“Triple murder rarely merits bail, sir. But it’s not up to me, it’s up to the presiding judge.”
“If I petitioned for bail, would you oppose me in court, Mr. Blackmore?”
“Yes, I would. Vigorously.”
“Thank you for your candor.”
Storming out of headquarters, still fuming over his conversation with Mora, Blaine forgot to retrieve his vest from the back seat before starting the truck. Jack should be with him, but he’d been so keen on driving by himself and exercising a little self-reliance, he’d foregone the safety issue that the man had recently emphasized.
I should take Aldana’s threat seriously. I know what he’s capable of.
Once he was home, he forgot about the threat for the moment, and everything else work-related. He grabbed a beer and headed onto the front porch to call Carson. His heart gave a little flip-flop as he waited for her to answer.
“You must have had a horrible day,” she said.
“I’m not dwelling on it. Are you finished work?”
“Uh huh. I’m at home.”
“Any dinner plans?”
“Not yet, but I have a lot of nukeable options.”
“I’m thinking Tulley’s for seafood.”
“I love their crab cakes.”
Fuck. So did Misty. Déjà vu and all that shit.
“Fantastic. I’ll pick you up.”
“You don’t know where I live.”
Blaine chuckled. “Yeah, there’s that.”
A van with blue lettering on the side pulled in next door. ‘Demolition Inc.’
Lily got another guy for an estimate. Good.
Blaine got to his feet as Lily came out the front door with Lexi running behind her. “Didn’t know you were home, boss. Called in a couple more guys.” She tilted her blonde head towards the van. “That’s one of them.”
“Go ahead and walk him through. I’ve got to take a shower.” He petted Lex on the head.
“Date night?”
Blaine grinned. “Could be.”
“I’ve got this.” She jogged next door with Lexi following.
ANNIE HOPED Farrell was wrong about the gangers out to get Blaine, but Farrell wasn’t usually wrong about anything street-related. He’d grown up fighting for survival on the streets for himself and for Neil and could feel vibes that nobody else felt. If he was worried, she should be worried too. Neil definitely was.
How should she handle it? Go to Blaine’s house for a visit and lurk around? Shadow him and protect him without him knowing? That might be better.
I don’t want to tick him off now that we’re back on good terms. And I can follow him discreetly. Farrell gave me his phone and showed me how to read the tracker he has on his brother.
JESSE FINISHED discussing the dinner menu for Annie’s birthday with Molly and Wendy. He wanted everything to be perfect and both the housekeeper and his sister-in-law assured him it would be. The girls were excited to be having a party. A ranch house full of men was boring routine most of the time.
Why was he so nervous? Annie had eaten dinner at the ranch dozens of times before.
He sat down in the great room to finish off the long list of stuff he needed to pick up and didn’t notice Brian come into the room and sit down in his favorite chair with the paper.
“You seem intent on what you’re doing, Jesse.”
“Making a list for the store. A few more groceries, a couple cases of beer, some coolers for the girls, and the only thing I’m stuck on is a gift for Annie’s birthday.”
Brian whacked the folded newspaper across his knee. “I thought you agreed you were better off without Annie in your life.”
“I did initially, but I’m a lot stronger now and it doesn’t feel that way to me anymore. I miss her too much.”
Brian leaned forward in his chair and showed Jesse his doctor face. “You might take a big step backward if you start seeing her again.”
“Yeah, Brian, I might. But then again, I might not. I invited her here for her birthday tomorrow.”
“You what? Why in hell would you do that without running it by me?”
“My house, Brian. I don’t have to run anything by you. Most of the time I do, just out of courtesy.”
“Fuck courtesy, this is your health we’re talking about, and we both know what a stress machine that woman is.”
“That woman is my wife, Brian. I love her and nobody else. Always have and always will. Live with it.”
“She’s not your wife, Jesse. You divorced her, and it was the smartest thing you ever did for yourself.”
“I was pissed at her for my own reasons, but they no longer matter. Race is dead, and Annie and I are two lonely people who are in love with each other.”
“Do the other boys know about this change of heart you’ve had?”
“I believe they do. Ty and I have discussed it. If not, I’ll be sure to fill them in.”
“How many people have you invited to your little soiree?”
“Only family and their dates, but that adds up to about seventeen counting the kids.”
“You can drop the count back to sixteen because I won’t be here.” Brian stood up, tossed the Statesman onto the table and stomped out of the room.
BLAINE TOWELED OFF after his shower wondering what he should wear to dinner. His phone jangled on his dresser and he checked the screen. He wasn’t taking any calls that could screw up his date with Carson. Chief Calhoun.
“Chief, what’s up?”
“Rumors, son. Rumors that are making me shake in my cowboy boots.”
“Like what? Aldana is going to take me out?”
“I should have known you’d be aware. You’re always out front.”
“My mother called and told me to wear my vest.”
“Damn right, son. You listen to your mother. That’s a woman who knows the business end of a gun.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“And you’ll wear the vest?”
“Even though it will look dorky when I go to dinner, I’ll wear it.”
“Blacky.”
“Yes, sir?”
“I’d consider it a personal favor if you’d make yourself scarce for a few days. Get out of town. Go to Vegas and stay in a hotel. Anything, until things cool down with the gangs.”
“I have business in Abilene. That might happen.”
“Make it happen.”
BLAINE MADE a face as he glanced in the hall mirror on his way out the door. “I look like I gained twenty fuckin pounds.”
“Don’t matter what it looks like,” said Jack. “It’ll keep you alive.”
Blaine picked up his keys and reached for the door handle and felt Jack and Greg close behind him. “Where are you guys going?”
“You didn’t think you were going out alone, did you? We were with you all day even though you didn’t see us.”
“My shadows.”
“Don’t knock it. We have jobs to do.”
“I know. Just feels weird going on a date with a convoy.”
Jack chuckled. “You won’t even see us.”
ANNIE SAT in the mall four blocks away and watched the blip on Farrell’s phone. Blaine had started to move, and she had to focus. Technical stuff wasn’t her strong point, but she could learn if she had to.
Farrell had phoned three times already to make sure she was okay, and nothing was going on with Blaine. He was sick with worry and torn up because he wasn’t doing the job himself.
JESSE DROVE into Giddings, about a ten-minute drive from the Quantrall ranch. He could get everything he needed for dinner at the grocery store, but he wanted something special for Annie. Something she would know he’d put a lot of thought into. He parked the Rover in front of the gun shop and went inside to look around.
Annie was a gunny. Teacher, coach and expert in every way. A woman who knew her way around ordnance. She’d made Farrell and Blaine into the expert marksman they were in their late teens and they kept on improving. He’d never be as good if he lived to be a hundred.
He strolled around the shop, staring at all the guns, makes and models, thinking Annie probably had one of everything.
“Help you sir?”
“Got anything new? Something a gun expert might like? I need a gift.”
“A Nightforce scope just came in this morning and it’s a beauty. Have to be a gift for somebody you like a lot, cause it’s gonna run you around two k.”
“No problem. I’ll take it. Can you giftwrap it?”
“We don’t get much call for fancy wrapping in the gun store. Think y’all are gonna be on your own for that.”
Jesse grinned. “No problem.”
After the gun shop, he hit the florist and ordered two dozen white roses for the dinner party and another two dozen to be delivered to Annie’s ranch the following morning.
He picked up all the other items on the list and figured he had it all covered.
Except for Brian. He’s being a prick.
CARSON MCLEAN lived in one of the new condo communities near Lady Bird Lake. Blaine recognized the address from a couple of calls he’d made to the same complex investigating a murder or two in the past.
He parked out front, waited until Jack was in position and then hopped out. The sun was setting, but there was lots of daylight left. No hitters worth their salt would be out this early. Still… you couldn’t be sure.
The vest was bulky and uncomfortable under his jacket, and hot… he couldn’t believe how fuckin hot he was walking a few steps through the wrought iron gate and into the courtyard. All units faced the courtyard—a design detail. The door that faced the street was for the sake of appearances and a fire exit, not much more.
Hot, testy and sweaty was not the way he wanted to feel as he rang the bell on Carson’s condo, but that’s the way it was.
She answered immediately, wearing a cotton dress that made her eyes look greener. Her hair hung in the perfect jagged points he’d become addicted to and she flashed him a beautiful smile as she opened the door wide. “Come on in and have a beer.” As he brushed past, she gave him a second look and asked, “Why are you wearing a jacket? It’s a hundred degrees out there.”
Blaine shrugged and followed her into the pristine sitting room to the left of the foyer. Cream leather love seats formed an ell, with a dark wooden coffee table in front. A candle with three wicks burned brightly in the center of the table and gave off a strong spicy scent that made him dizzy.
Is that aroma therapy?
He sat down and tried to relax.
“Something’s wrong,” Carson said when she returned with his Corona, a lime wedge and a napkin. “Tell me.”
Not wasting time on the lime, Blaine picked up the beer and chugged half of it. He managed a half smile before saying, “I’m hot and miserable because my mother is making me wear my vest.”
Carson giggled and gave him a thumbs up. “Let’s hear it for mom. She knows what she’s doing.”
“It’s too bulky and I’m sweating.”
“But look at it another way—you’re not dead. That’s what mom’s care about.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“We don’t know each other hardly at all,” said Carson, “and most of the time I’m amazed by your maturity and your experience in things I know nothing about, but when you say something like you just said, it makes me realize how young you are.”
“Are you playing the ‘too young’ card again?”
“Not at all. I’m ready for some hot young passion.” She leaned over, brushed his damp black hair out of his face and kissed him.
Blaine set his beer on the table and pulled her closer. He forgot all about the vest and his misery and existed only in the moment. His heart pounded as the kiss deepened.
“Do we have a reservation?” Carson asked, when she came up for air.
“I could change it.”
“No. Let’s eat, then when we come back you can take off a couple of layers and get comfortable.”
“Your call.”
“Not my call. We both decide, that’s the way I like it.”
Blaine smiled. “I could easily not eat and not move from this sofa, but once I get going I’ll be fine.”
“You had a terrible day and I want to hear all the details. You can unload on me in the truck.” Carson stood and offered her hand to help him up.
“Unload?”
She pulled him off the sofa, reeled him in and kissed him again. His tongue found its way into her mouth and his erection struggled against his tight jeans. He moaned with wanting her.
She is the sexiest thing I’ve ever been close to.
Carson let him go. “We better get out of here.”
THE HOSTESS AT Tulley’s seated them right away at their reserved table in a private alcove near the back of the dining room. The restaurant was crowded, and grilled seafood aromas filled the air. Blaine was starving.
“Your server will be with you in a moment, Mr. Blackmore. Enjoy your dinner.”
“I’ve never sat back here in the elite section before,” said Carson.
“It’s just a table, like all the rest of the tables.” His words came out with an edge he didn’t intend.
“You hardly said a word in the truck. I was waiting for you to tell me the horrors of your day.”
“Best if we try to tuck that stuff away for now. I want to enjoy my time with you.”
“Okay, that’s nice.” Carson reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Remember before… when we were kissing at my place?”
“How could I not remember? I was so turned on, I’m surprised we’re even here.”
“That’s what I’m talking about—the chemistry. I think you were right. It’s not about matching ages, it’s about chemistry, and I’m pretty sure we have it.”
“We have it all right—in spades.”
“Are you a card player? You look like you might be.”
“Uh huh, I am. Annie is a huge poker player. A high-stakes-in-Vegas player.”
“I guess she can afford it.”
“It’s all relative. Anybody can play. There are games at all levels. Pick one that suits your bankroll.”
The green eyes widened. “So much I don’t know about you and your life. But on the other hand, I’m willing to learn.”
Blaine ordered drinks and the server left them alone. “I’m willing to learn too. Anything you want to teach me.”
“That has sexual connotations.”
Blaine grinned. “Yeah, those.”
“I’ve heard different stories about how you’re a genius. Is that true?”
Blaine shrugged. “My IQ is high, and I learn quickly. Nobody has to beat me over the head to teach me anything, if that’s what you mean.”
Carson grinned. “I enjoy your personality. Serious on the surface… like—I take no shit—and underneath you’re laughing at people, situations, life in general.”
He smiled. “Annie is funny.”
“And you are a reflection of your mother?”
Blaine finished his beer and motioned to the server. “We’re soul mates. We love each other a lot.”
Carson fastened the green eyes on him and they were intense. “I could be jealous of that if we were in a relationship.”
Like Fabiana.
“People have been in the past.”
“Is it a stumbling block for you?”
“Not for me,” said Blaine. “Annie is my mother, plain and simple.”
The server brought the second round of drinks and they ordered.
“You’ll meet her tomorrow,” said Blaine, “and I think you’ll like her. She’s friendly, smart and fun.”
“I’ve seen her picture from time to time, and I know how gorgeous she is,” said Carson, “This is the pivotal question.”
I don’t like where this is going.
“Okay, shoot.”
“Did you ever wish or fantasize, in a different lifetime that she wasn’t your mother, but played another role in your life?”
Every minute of every day.
He stood up and said, “Order me another beer. I need to go to the men’s room.”
I’m drinking too fast on an empty stomach and she’s baiting me. Watch the temper.
Blaine took his time in the bathroom, washing his hands and staring into the mirror over the sinks. What was Carson trying to do? They barely knew each other and yet she was pushing into the most private parts of his soul, wanting to know things he wasn’t even sure of himself.
“I’m not up for more questions,” he mumbled to himself as he strode back to the table.
Luckily the food had arrived in his absence, and Carson was knee deep in crab cakes. Blaine drank his beer and watched her eat.
ANNIE SAT in her tree. A tall oak growing at the back of Tulley’s parking area. The trunk of the tree sprung up out of the property behind the restaurant, but the branches hung over both sides, so she wasn’t in essence, trespassing. To her way of thinking, this would be a prime location for a hitter or a drive-by. She hadn’t seen any gangers skulking around yet, but she’d only been in the tree for an hour.
She’d seen Jack and Greg patrolling out front, and spoken to them about positioning, and they were prepared. They didn’t seem at all surprised she was there.
The parking lot was dimly lit, but security lights shone in the two back corners and there were two more poles closer to the building. It could be deemed adequate, and bright enough to discourage muggings or auto thievery.
These were her thoughts when Blaine appeared with his date, a lady Annie had not yet met. From a distant glance, she looked pretty, but Annie didn’t have time to look at Blaine or his date, she was watching for kids in dark clothing on the run. Gangers on foot with weapons waiting to ambush her son.
