14
At a traffic light, Angel glanced back at Maria in a booster seat in Robyn’s Camry, and contentment filled his heart, if only for a moment. Buying his daughter new clothes was only the start of what he wanted to do.
“Look, Angel, a park! Can we stop?” Maria entreated him with her big blue eyes.
“Miss Robyn might not have time.” Angel queried Bailey’s sister with raised eyebrows.
She glanced up at the traffic light, then checked her watch. “My stomach agrees with my watch that it’s time to eat. If you don’t think it’s too cold, why don’t we stop and pick up something for lunch and have a picnic?”
The sun had warmed the day up, and even if it was a little chilly, Maria now had a down jacket, as did Solana. He turned to her. “How does that sound to you?”
Solana’s eyes danced. She seemed to have forgiven him for his questions last night. “It is a beautiful day. We should not waste it.”
At the next block, Robyn wheeled her Camry into a small grocery. “They have really good sandwich meat here. I’ll pick up what we need. You can wait here in the car.”
Maria unbuckled herself and threw her arms around Angel. “Thank you.”
“Thank Miss Robyn too.”
His heart warmed once again as Maria thanked her and threw kisses at Robyn. Claire had done well with Maria before she died. The thought of his wife twisted the knife in his heart, shredding his contentment. He had failed her. He must not fail his daughter.
A few minutes later, the driver’s door opened, and Robyn handed him a sack. “How does cheese and bologna on crackers sound?”
“What is this baloney?” he asked.
Robyn laughed. “It’s a Southern delicacy, but I won’t tell you what’s in it. You have to get hooked on it first. Like I did. When I was a kid and Daddy took me to town, we always stopped here. But I had to promise not to tell Mama, so it was like our own special secret. I did pick up a jar of peanut butter and jelly for Maria. And a few slices of turkey.” She pulled out of the parking lot and drove toward the park.
Angel wasn’t certain he wanted to try this Southern delicacy. He glanced back at Solana, but she was off in a world of her own. He really wanted to erase the haunted look in her eyes. The new clothes had helped some, even though he’d had to argue with her about buying them. He’d also won out over the plain white sweater she picked out. The lavender brought a little color back to her face.
“Bailey called while I was inside. It’ll be at least an hour and probably longer before she gets back.”
“I wonder if she saw the grandparents.” Angel had never met Claire’s parents, and from the way she had described her father, he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
“The grandmother. The grandfather is in ICU. Something about a heart attack.” She parked the car.
Angel climbed out of the car and scanned the area. While the park wasn’t teeming with people, there were several adults walking the trail, along with a couple of mothers with strollers. He opened Maria’s door.
“Can we swing before we eat?” Maria asked as he helped her out of the car seat.
Robyn shooed them toward the swings. “Solana and I will prepare lunch, and we’ll call you when it’s ready.”
At the swings, he helped Maria into the canvas seat.
“Will you push me high?” she asked.
“We’ll see.” He gave her a small push, sending the swing gently forward.
“Higher!” she squealed.
“This is high enough.” Surely God would not give him a daughter like himself. One who craved excitement.
“No! Higher.” She wiggled her feet, trying to increase the height.
“Hold on, then.” He shoved harder and she laughed. How many times had he longed for this moment? If only Claire . . . He shook the thought off. But what was he going to do? If the Calatrava wanted Maria now, they would want her even more when they discovered he was alive. They would rightfully believe they could control him with her. But why did they want her now? The answer came swiftly. The Calatrava already knew he was alive.
He allowed the swing to slow, receiving Maria’s displeasure. “It’s time to eat, I think.”
“Can we come back when we’re done?”
“Probably so.”
She hopped out of the swing and ran to the picnic table where Robyn and Solana waited.
“Did you have fun, little one?” Solana asked her.
Maria’s eyes danced. “Yes. Will you swing me next time? Angel says we can do it again after we eat.”
Solana picked Maria up and set her on the concrete seat. “Sí.”
Maria glanced down at Solana’s feet. “Can you push me with that on your foot?”
Solana touched Maria on the nose. “The cast has not stopped me from doing anything I set my mind to. And you must never let anything stop you, little one.”
If they remained in Logan Point, Angel would ask Bailey where to take Solana to get the ankle x-rayed.
“Perhaps we will even try the slide,” Solana said.
“Can we?” Maria turned to Angel. “Will you take me up to the top of the slide?”
He laughed. “Thanks, Solana. She hadn’t seen the slide yet, and I was hoping she wouldn’t.”
When Solana’s shoulders drooped, he regretted his words. “I was only teasing. She would have found it. What do you say we try this Southern delicacy Robyn has for us?”
He examined the crackers that had some type of meat and a slice of cheese between them. “You are certain it is good?”
“Try it,” Robyn said.
He bit into the crackers. The taste was similar to a hot dog with a bit more garlic. “This is good.”
Robyn held her thumb up, then turned to Solana, who shrugged.
“Not bad, but I think I will try the peanut butter and jelly with Maria.”
After they finished, Maria looked like she had more jelly on her face than in her stomach. “I’ll take her to the washroom,” Robyn said.
Angel scanned the area again. No suspicious people lurked about, and he nodded. He kept his eye on them until they disappeared into the building.
“When are you going to tell her?” Solana asked.
He jerked his head around. “Tell her what?”
“That you are her father.”
He opened his mouth and closed it. “How did you know?”
She replied in Spanish. “She looks like you around the eyes. Once I questioned that she was your daughter, I put two and two together and came up with Angel Montoya and not Angel Guerrera.”
He closed his eyes. He hadn’t thought anyone would notice any other similarities.
“So, when?”
“I don’t know. It’s not that simple.”
“Why did you let people believe Angel Montoya was dead?”
He raked his fingers through his hair. “I had no choice. Joel walked me into a trap. I should have been dead from the gunshot wound. My men carried me out of the building before it could be discovered I was still alive. By the time I got out of a Texas hospital, Claire was dead and Joel had custody of Maria.”
She touched his arm. “I am so sorry.”
He looked up and lost himself in the warmth of her dark chocolate eyes. Since yesterday he’d wanted to take her in his arms, but once again he pushed the desire away. He would not make someone else a target for the Calatrava. He stood. “Thank you. I wish things were different.”
She stood and cupped the side of his face with her hand. “But they are not, and we have to live each day as if it might be our last. You are a good man, Angel Montoya. God will protect Maria. Tell her who you are.”
“Soon, maybe.” He turned as Maria called his name.
“Angel! Can we swing again?”
“I’m coming,” he said and gave Solana a lingering gaze. Maybe it would be possible to live a normal life someday.
Car tires crunched on the drive, and Bailey parted the drapes as Joel climbed out of a light blue hatchback. She hadn’t been sure she’d ever see him again. Sunglasses covered his eyes, but from what she could see, he looked slightly better today than when she last glimpsed him at the hotel. She wanted a few answers from him before Angel arrived with Maria, and then she wanted answers from Angel. She met him at the door. “Come in.”
Inside the house, he removed the sunglasses, and she gasped. The tissue around both eyes was swollen and bruised. “Do you know who did this to you or why?”
He shrugged. “The drug cartel, and I have no idea why other than they wanted information about where you and Maria were. Where is she?”
“With my sister. They’re on their way, but we need to talk before they get here.”
“They?” Joel asked.
“Angel and the waitress from the cafe. Solana.”
Joel showed no reaction other than a twitch of his mouth. “So the report is true. Angel Montoya is alive.”
“Evidently, although the man with us doesn’t go by Montoya, and since I don’t know what your brother-in-law looks like, I’m not sure. But if it is him, you didn’t know?” she asked.
“No. We all thought he was dead, including my sister. Does Maria remember him?”
“No, but let’s discuss this in the kitchen with Danny. We both have a lot of questions.” She turned and led the way down the hall. In the kitchen, Danny waited, his arms crossed.
Joel held out his hand. “Thanks for getting Maria here safely.”
Danny eyed him, then accepted his hand. “How did you get away? I saw you being carried to a car, then the next thing I know, you’re delivering the cartel to our door.”
“The Federals raided the warehouse where the men took me. Then at the hotel the cartel was more interested in you than me. At least the Federals killed the two who did this.” He touched his cheek, then turned to Bailey. “Do you know why the drug cartel is interested in you?”
“Me?” Her breath caught in her chest. “I assumed they were after Maria for ransom.”
Danny leaned toward Joel. “Why do you think they’re after Bailey?”
Joel shrugged and looked at her. “The men who took me seemed as interested in you as Maria. Of course, that could be because she was in your care.”
That had to be it, but the uneasiness stayed with her. “Did the cartel follow you to the hotel?”
“Yeah,” Danny said. “Did you lead the cartel to the hotel?”
“Good grief, no! Why would I do that?” He turned to Bailey. “I only wanted to protect you and Maria. I thought you’d be safer with me, but evidently, they put a tracking device on my phone and it pinged your location when I phoned you. I didn’t find the device until after you escaped the hotel. You have to believe me, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt either one of you.”
She wanted to believe him, but at this point, she wasn’t sure who she could trust, except for Danny.
“I want to warn you about Angel too. He’s a dangerous man.”
“He saved our lives,” Bailey said. “Without his help, we’d probably be in the hands of the Calatrava.”
Joel’s face turned the color of blood. “You can’t trust him, and when Maria gets here, I want to get her away from him. I’ll take her with me.”
“Maria stays here,” Danny said. “You’re just one person, and you have no way of protecting her.”
“Edward Montoya is with me. He has the resources to keep her safe.”
“Why isn’t he here?” Danny asked.
“He’s discussing business with your father, but he sent me here to collect Maria. I plan to take her to see my parents before we go back to Mexico.”
“No!” Bailey didn’t intend to allow Maria to go anywhere, especially Mexico. “I mean, taking her to see your parents is fine, but why do you want to take her back to Mexico?”
“That’s our home. I’ll hire armed guards to keep her safe.”
“You can’t take her back,” Bailey said. She searched for other ways to convince Joel he couldn’t snatch Maria up and return to the place where someone wanted to kidnap the child. “She’s been through a lot this week and needs to stay here to recover from being chased by those men. She has stability here.”
Joel folded his arms across his chest. “I’m her legal guardian.”
“You will not be her guardian for long, and she will not be leaving here.” Angel spoke from the doorway, the words dropping into the silence like a bomb.
Bailey whirled around. She hadn’t heard him come in. “Where’s Maria?”
“Solana took her out to where your mother is working. And your sister had an errand to run.” Angel turned to Joel. “You will take my daughter nowhere and especially not around my uncle.”
At least they agreed that Maria needed to stay here. Bailey pinned her gaze on him. “Why didn’t you tell us you were Maria’s father? Why did you give us a false name?”
“But I didn’t. My name is Angel de Montoya y Guerrera—Guerrera is my mother’s last name, and I simply dropped my father’s name after this one tried to have me killed.” He pointed to Joel. “I trusted you. You were family, my wife’s brother.”
“I had nothing to do with what happened in the warehouse. I didn’t know we were walking into a trap.”
Angel snorted. “You lie so easily. Somehow you miraculously walked away without a scratch while I took a bullet in my chest. Or did you hide and watch?”
“I’m telling you,” Joel said, “all I did was set up a meeting with a Federal officer to help you work out your problems. Problems caused because you went off the grid with your vigilante methods. Buying illegal guns is what made you a target, not me. I had nothing to do with what happened that day.”
“Then why were the Calatrava there if you did not tell them?”
“I don’t know how they found out about the meeting. Maybe the cop was on their payroll. But since he was killed in the shootout, we’ll never know, will we?”
“And yet you were not harmed.” Angel shook his head. “And I have never bought illegal guns.”
Bailey tilted her head. It seemed Joel had a knack for escaping dangerous situations. Or . . . perhaps he was the instigator.
Joel’s hands clenched into fists. “If you want to hate me for not sticking around, fine. But don’t blame me for what happened. You’re the one who went after the Calatrava and broke the law doing it.”
Bailey cleared her throat. “All of this is interesting, but it doesn’t address the issue of Maria.”
Angel stood taller, his shoulders straight. “There is no issue. When she comes from seeing your mother, I will tell her who I am, and we will leave for a safe place.”
“Don’t you think that’s a little sudden?” Bailey said. “She doesn’t know you, and she’s already had too many changes in her short life. Don’t add to her stress.”
Danny cocked his head. “How do you propose to leave? You have no transportation, especially since I agree with Bailey.”
“So you will not help me?”
“I didn’t say that, but I think you need to slow down a little. The Calatrava have you in their sights, and maybe you’re the reason Maria is there as well. I mean, if the Calatrava know you’re alive, it’s possible that’s the reason they went after her.”
“Listen to him,” Bailey said. “Plans need to be made and that takes time. A few more days here won’t hurt.”
“If you stay, I’d like you to consider allowing Maria to go see her grandparents,” Joel said.
“No! She does not leave my sight.”
Joel shrugged. “You could go as well.” The two men squared off, neither giving an inch until Joel cocked his head slightly. “Wouldn’t Claire want her daughter to meet them?”
His soft words sent pain across Angel’s face, and Bailey winced. The man had almost lost his life, had lost his wife, and his daughter wasn’t safe. She could almost see Angel’s thought process.
Finally he nodded. “We’ll see. I am not a man who would deprive grandparents from seeing their grandchild. Does my uncle know you plan to take Maria to see your parents?”
“What is it with you and Edward?” Joel asked.
“He killed my parents and stole their company.”
The chilling words hung in the room, broken only by the back door flying open.
“Miss Bailey!” Maria ran into the kitchen. “I’m thirs—Uncle Joel!” She flew across the room and threw herself in his arms. “You came. Did you know the bad men were after us and Angel saved us? And I didn’t get to see my grandparents yet. Are you going to take me? And can I wear the dress Angel bought me today?”
Joel glanced at Angel. “I don’t know, honey. Maybe.”
Maria turned her head. “Angel, will you go with us?”
“We’ll see.”
The doorbell chimed, and Bailey jumped. “I’ll see who it is.”
Glad to be out of the tension in the kitchen, she hurried down the hallway. Two men stood outside the glass door, their features blurred by the pattern in the glass. She looked through the clear side panel. Ben and some man she didn’t recognize. She unlocked the door and opened it. “What’s going on, Ben?”
He nodded to the man with him. “This is Sergeant Chavez from Chihuahua, Mexico. He wants to talk to Angel.”
The man stood only a few inches taller than Bailey, and he appraised her with serious dark brown eyes set in a face pitted with acne scars. “Is he here?”
She swallowed. Whatever this Sergeant Chavez wanted was not good. She opened the door wider for them to enter. “Take him to the library, Ben,” she said. “I’ll get Angel.”
She hurried back to the kitchen. “There’s a man to see you, Angel. I told him to wait in the library.”
Angel narrowed his eyes. “To see me? Who is it?”
She glanced toward the others before turning back to him. “A Sergeant Chavez.”
“Chavez is here?” Joel said.
Angel’s lips thinned as he pressed them together, alarming Bailey. He was also familiar with the Mexican policeman.
Angel glanced at Maria, then Solana. “Keep her in the kitchen. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Bailey followed him as he strode down the hallway and into the library.
“Sergeant Chavez,” Angel said. “What are you doing in Mississippi?”
“I’ve come to question you.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “About?”
“Gunrunning and being an accomplice in the murder of Federal Agent Juan Chavez.”