2

Gracias,” Danny said when the waitress offered to refill his coffee.

“My pleasure,” she replied.

He smiled up at her. “Your English is very good. Do you have American friends?”

“No, family in Arizona. I only just returned from there last week.”

He pushed his plate back. He was sure the egg-topped enchiladas were delicious, but seeing Bailey with Joel had taken his appetite. Besides, there was something different about Bailey. Nothing he could put his finger on, maybe a dampening of her boldness . . . a hesitancy.

Or maybe he just imagined it. After all, she was in Chihuahua, one of the most dangerous places in all of Mexico, especially for an American woman alone. She couldn’t afford to come across too bold. When he returned home, he would enlist her family to help convince her to stay in Logan Point.

Not that it would likely do any good. She believed her God had called her to Mexico, and that was it as far as she was concerned. Well, he didn’t believe God called her to have dealings with Joel McDermott.

Danny had flown to Mexico determined to find the Blue Dog Company and the man behind it. This same man was the one who had bought stolen Maxwell AR-15 rifles from Geoffrey Franks, former chief financial officer of Maxwell Industries. McDermott was on his list of possible suspects.

“Leave it alone, Danny. Let the ATF handle it—they’ll get the information from Geoffrey.” His cousin’s words rang in his head, but Danny brushed them aside. Ian didn’t understand, and while a full investigation last year had cleared Maxwell Industries of any wrongdoing, Geoffrey Franks had tainted the company’s image.

The way Danny saw it, the only way to prove that none of the owners were involved was to find the person Geoffrey had done business with. He couldn’t believe a judge had granted Geoffrey bail. The man steadfastly refused to give up his contact in Mexico and probably thought he’d beat the rap.

Danny glanced toward Bailey’s table again. He hadn’t expected to find her in the company of a possible suspect. Not that he came to that conclusion easily.

He’d known Joel for years, ever since he went to work for Montoya Ceramics . . . probably eight or nine years ago. And the man had already had enough trouble for one lifetime with his sister dying last year, leaving him with a four-year-old niece to care for. But, until Danny ruled him out, Joel McDermott would remain on his suspect list.

Danny took another sip of coffee and took note once more of a man sitting a couple of tables away from him. Light coloring but definitely Latino. Earlier he’d been staring at Bailey. That wasn’t unusual. Even though she didn’t have the sultry beauty of Mexican women, she had a way of attracting attention, especially in Mexico with her fair skin and ashe blonde hair that she’d pulled up in a ponytail.

No, her beauty came from within. Like a fountain, it bubbled up and spilled out of her as almost childlike innocence and joy. And those eyes that saw only good in people, good even in him. Even though he’d dated a lot of women, he’d never met one with eyes as beautiful as Bailey’s. Rich blue-green framed a gold starburst in the center. Unfortunately those eyes would never look at him filled with love again.

With a sigh, he picked at his breakfast, keeping a wary eye on Bailey as well as the man watching her.

“I can’t get over that you two know each other.” Joel seemed mildly amused.

“I certainly didn’t expect to run into him in Mexico.” Bailey had known somewhere in the back of her mind that Maxwell Industries contracted for their ceramic production somewhere in Mexico. If Danny was a frequent visitor to Chihuahua, it was a wonder she hadn’t run into him before. Or that Joel hadn’t mentioned him.

After all, how many people did Joel know from Logan Point? But then, Bailey’s involvement with Joel was mostly from their contact at the school and with Maria.

“Why did you break the engagement?”

Why indeed?

“We want different things from life. I should have realized that before I accepted his ring.” She grabbed her cup and drained it. That was only half true. The problem hadn’t been with Danny. It had been with her. Keeping the ring and marrying him would have been a disaster, something she’d been able to see after wrestling with it all night. After she’d returned the ring, she’d run away to Mexico a week later. Coward.

Bailey cast a covert glance at Danny. The waitress tilted her head as he spoke, and part of her wondered what he’d said to bring such a warm smile to her face. How many times had her heart ached for one of his smiles?

“I won’t say I’m sorry,” Joel said and covered her hand with his own.

Her heart stilled. So she hadn’t been imagining the long looks he’d been giving her. She swallowed. How could she tell him she couldn’t commit to him any more than she could to Danny? She pulled a smile out of her bag of tricks. “I think it’s time to discuss Maria’s medicine and whatever last-minute instructions you have for me.”

His eyes twinkled as he reluctantly moved his hand and took papers from his briefcase. Handing them to her, he said, “I printed your flight information out last night, as well as info about Maria’s headache medicine. You have my cell phone number so you can get in touch with me whenever you need to, and I have yours. Do you have any questions before I go over the info about Maria’s medicine?”

Before she could answer, the waitress appeared at his side. “Coffee?”

“No, and I’ll let you know when I do,” Joel snapped in his perfect Spanish.

The waitress froze. “Excuse, please.”

Bailey flinched and noticed Maria did as well. “I’ll take more.” She moved her cup closer to the edge of the table and gave the waitress an encouraging smile.

She’d noticed earlier that Joel made the girl nervous. The poor thing couldn’t be more than twenty, and Bailey figured the pronounced limp she walked with did nothing to boost her confidence. Bailey glanced down. The girl wore some sort of orthopedic boot or cast.

The waitress’s eyes reflected her gratitude. Her hand shook as she poured the coffee, sloshing a little on the table.

“Stop. You’re making a mess.” Joel waved her away before turning to Bailey. “Now, about Maria’s headache medicine. I’ve given her the morning medication, and there will be another dose due at noon.”

Her attention was on the nervous waitress, and a little of the old Bailey stirred. “She didn’t spill the coffee on purpose.”

She didn’t know if it was her tone or her pointedly raised eyebrows, but the scowl on Joel’s face softened. He called the waitress back. “I didn’t mean to take my frustrations out on you,” he said, his voice much softer. “How about if I let you know if we need anything else.”

“Sí.” With one last, questioning glance at Bailey, the waitress limped away.

He gave her an “Is that better?” look, then took out a notebook. “Give me your cell phone number so I can write it down.”

“It’s in your phone.”

“I know that, but something could happen to my phone, and although I have your number memorized at the moment, I may forget. I’ve learned to never rely on my memory—messed up too many things in the past when I did. Now I write everything down.”

“So I noticed,” she said and pulled out another sheaf of papers he’d given her when he picked her up. “I have the letter giving me medical power of attorney as well as one for your parents, Maria’s passport and visa, the headache medicine, and three pages of instructions and phone numbers. I am to drive Maria straight to your parents’ house after renting a car at the airport.”

“Good. The number, please?”

She gave it to him, managing to keep laughter from her voice—he totally did not hear her emphasis on the three pages.

He closed the notebook and put it in his jacket. “My parents have arranged to take Maria to our family doctor so he will be familiar with her health issues, just in case something comes up. You should have their contact information in those papers, along with a photo of them.”

“Yes.” The photo, showing an older couple, was tucked in her black bag, and she had an extra copy of the numbers and the medication in her purse. According to the nurse at the school where Bailey taught and Maria was a kindergartener, the child had only been on medication since her mother died eleven months ago, and the nurse believed it had resolved her headaches. She glanced at Maria, who had picked up a crayon and was coloring the place mat.

Though small for her size, Maria made up for it in personality. Other than having blue eyes, she didn’t favor her uncle at all, with his fair skin and red hair. Perhaps Maria looked like her father, Angel Montoya.

Maria never mentioned him, making Bailey wonder if the child even remembered him. When Bailey questioned the other teachers, they didn’t seem to know anything about him other than he’d died two years ago, which would have made Maria about two at the time. So it was possible she had no memory of him. After Angel died, Joel brought his sister and niece to live with him and became the primary male figure in Maria’s life.

The girl was being unusually quiet, and Bailey wondered if she was nervous about flying. Or meeting the McDermotts. “You say she’s never seen your parents?”

“No.”

He offered no explanation, and she couldn’t think of a way to ask why not, not with Maria sitting across from her, listening to every word they spoke as she colored.

“My dad’s health is not good, and when Claire—”

“They couldn’t come,” Maria said matter-of-factly. She looked up at Bailey with an expression that gave nothing away. “But it was all right. Mama was in heaven, anyway.”

Joel’s lips pressed together. “You know you’re not supposed to interrupt when grown-ups are talking.”

Bailey flinched, and judging by the way the brightness in Maria’s eyes dimmed, Bailey suspected this wasn’t the first time her uncle had hurt her feelings. She softened her lips into a smile for the girl. “It’s quite all right. I’m sure you’re a little nervous, with it being your first plane trip and all.”

Maria darted her eyes to Joel, then she lifted a small shoulder. “Yes, ma’am.”

“There are no other grandparents?” She didn’t want to come right out and ask about Maria’s father.

“No. They’ve both passed away.”

Maria dropped her crayon, and when she stood to retrieve it, she bumped the chair with Joel’s briefcase on it, knocking it to the floor. The child froze, and Bailey threw her a quick smile. “Looks like you’ve been around me too much,” she said and bent over to retrieve the objects that had fallen from the opened briefcase.

Joel reached at the same time. “I’ll take care of it.”

Her fingers closed around a beautifully wrapped box, and she set it on the table. It had the child’s name on it. “Oh, you bought Maria a going-away present.”

“What?” He jerked his head around and stared at her, then at the box, a frozen expression in his eyes.

She could tell she’d said the wrong thing. The gift was probably a surprise. “I . . . I’m sorry. I thought—”

Joel held up his hand. “No, it’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine. His tight voice gave him away. Her stomach roiled as he picked up the box and handed it to Maria.

“I, ah, planned to give this to you at the airport, but now is fine.”

Maria’s eyes lit up. “A present for me? Can I open it?”

“Of course.”

She reached for the box, then hesitated. “Do you have one for Miss Bailey?”

“Maria!” Bailey was mortified.

“Actually, I do.” He pulled an identical small box from the briefcase.

“I can’t—”

“Yes, you can. Now let’s allow Maria to open her gift, then you can open yours.”

Joel had already given Bailey an expensive phone so he could keep in touch, not trusting her three-year-old model. She didn’t care what he said, she was not accepting another gift from him, especially when he didn’t seem at all happy about it.

Once again she thought about the long glances he’d given her when they met to discuss the trip. She could no longer tell herself he was only interested in getting Maria to the States. She focused her attention on the child as Maria carefully untied the bow and without tearing the paper opened the box. She gasped and lifted a dainty locket with an M on the front. “Isn’t it so pretty,” she whispered.

“Let me open the locket for you,” Joel said and flipped it open.

Maria peered inside. “Mama’s picture?”

“Yes. Now she’s with you wherever you go, so never, ever leave this anywhere.”

“I won’t, I promise.” Maria threw her arms around Joel, and Bailey blinked away the stinging in her eyes. Maybe she misread his reaction.

“Let me put it around your neck,” he said. Maria stood and lifted her long hair so he could fasten the necklace.

The child fingered the locket and then pointed to Bailey’s unopened gift. “Miss Bailey, open yours.”

Bailey picked up the small box. As happy as Maria was, she couldn’t refuse, but somehow she would return the gift to Joel. The box yielded an identical gold locket minus the initial and photo. “It’s beautiful, but I—”

“Let it go.” Joel lifted a hand. “It makes Maria happy that you have a locket like hers. It was a closeout, and I can’t return it. Here, let me help you with yours.”

“That’s fine, I can do it myself.” She slipped the dainty locket around her neck and fastened the clasp. At least he no longer seemed angry.

“Miss Bailey, it looks so pretty on you.”

Bailey fingered the heart-shaped locket, troubled that Joel would give her such a nice piece of jewelry that was no closeout. And she wasn’t buying for one minute that it was because of Maria. When a man gave a woman an expensive piece of jewelry, it meant something more than friendship.

That’s not a bad thing, Bailey. She raised her eyes to find his pale blue eyes studying her and instantly snapped her gaze to Maria. “Would you like to go to the ladies’ room and see how your necklace looks around your neck?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

She smiled at Joel. “If you will excuse us, we’ll be right back.” Her fingers found the necklace again. “And thank you, but you really shouldn’t have.”

“Indulge me.” He cleared his throat. “And before you go, I realize I’ve been a little grouchy today, but I hope you’ll chalk it up to my type A personality, plus it’s stressful letting Maria leave. When you two get back to Mexico, I’d like to take you out to dinner and make amends for my bad mood.”

“Why, ah, sure, that would be nice.”

She helped Maria out of the chair and led her inside to the restroom. Joel and her dating? Briefly the thought intrigued her. From what she knew about him, he’d worked his way through college, doing first one odd job then another, unlike Danny, who’d never worked hard at anything. Joel did seem like a good man under his sometimes grumpy exterior—after all, he was raising his sister’s child. It’s a dead end. She sighed. Why fight it? If nothing else, the experience with Danny taught her she wasn’t relationship material.

Bailey turned to glance back at Joel and froze. Father Horatio? It couldn’t be, but then his eyes met hers, and it was like staring into the eyes of a rattlesnake. He lifted an eyebrow, then shifted his gaze away from her.

She pulled Maria into the restroom and gulped air, trying to keep her breakfast down. What is he doing here?

“Miss Bailey.” Maria tugged on her hand. “Are you sick?”

Bailey swallowed hard and shook off her fear. It was only a coincidence. Elena had said he was in Chihuahua. And this was a popular restaurant. “I’m fine, sweetie. Let’s look at your necklace again.”

Maria turned first one way then another as she admired the locket in the mirror. “It’s so pretty. I guess Uncle Joel does like me.”

Bailey winced at the child’s words. Raising a child alone was a tough job, particularly a child who wasn’t your own. And of course there was that driven personality. “Of course he does. I’m sure sometimes he misses your mother quite a bit, and that makes him grumpy.” Bailey smiled at Maria. “Are you ready to go to the airport?”

Maria nodded slowly.

“Are you just a tiny bit afraid?”

Again the nod.

“Well, it’s very safe and feels like riding in a big car.” Not at all like Danny’s single prop plane.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I’ve flown bunches, and it’s really cool, looking out the window at the clouds. They almost look like cotton candy.” She tried to make the trip sound exciting.

“Really?” Maria smoothed back a strand of hair that had fallen across her face.

“Really. Would you like for me to put your hair up in a ponytail?”

“Yes, I would appreciate that.”

Maria’s vocabulary was far advanced for a four-year-old, and sometimes talking to her was like conversing with a tiny adult. More than anything, Bailey wanted to put a little fun in the child’s life.

Yes. This trip was going to be a good thing for Maria. And it would put her far away from Father Horatio.