Linc pulled out his cell phone and hit Taggart’s contact number. The FBI agent picked up on the second ring.
“Quinn, it’s Cain. We need to talk about that problem we discussed.”
“What’s going on?” Taggart asked.
“Things are heating up. El Jefe’s been in contact. Trouble’s coming and we need your help.”
“Where do you want to meet? I can get there tomorrow or you can come here.”
“The guy’s got eyes and ears all over. We’ll meet in Dallas, same place as before if that works for you.”
“I’ve got a few things to deal with in the morning. ElevenA.M.okay?”
Linc turned to Carly. “ElevenA.M.in Dallas?”
She nodded.
“We’ll be there,” Linc said.
“We?” Taggart asked.
“I’m bringing that friend I mentioned. See you tomorrow.” Linc hung up and turned to Carly. She wasn’t a fragile woman, but she looked ready to break right now. He wanted to pull her into his arms and just hold her, tell her everything would be okay. He was afraid it would only make things worse.
“I know you’re not ready for this,” he said, thinking of Zach, anotherproblem she had to face. “There’s a second call we need to make.” Her gaze shot toward the bedroom where Zach lay sleeping. “It has to be done, honey.” When her eyes glistened, his chest clamped down.
“Zach’s been hurt so much already,” she said. “Can’t we wait another day, give him a chance to sort all this out? We need to talk to him, explain what we’re going to do.”
He didn’t want to wait. The cops were looking for the boy, spending their time and energy on a wild-goose chase when the kid was here and safe. But one look at the tears Carly was fighting so hard to hold back and his decision was made.
“All right, dammit, he stays until tomorrow. He gets a good night’s sleep and plenty to eat and tomorrow when we come back, we’ll talk to him, make sure he understands we aren’t abandoning him. While we’re in Dallas, I’ll call my lawyer, set things in motion. Okay?”
Relief eased the worry in her face. “Thank you.”
“Ever ything’s going to be okay, baby. We just have to take things one at a time.”
She relaxed a little more. “I’m going to call Brittany. She’s a teacher. She’s really great with kids. If she isn’t substituting, maybe she can come out and stay with Zach while we go to Dallas.”
“Good idea.”
She walked away with the phone against her ear, came back smiling. She was the most resilient woman he had ever known.
“Britt’s off tomorrow. I told her the guards at the gate would know she was coming and let her in.”
Linc nodded, felt a little better. Things were beginning to line up. He didn’t like chaos. He always felt better when he had a plan. Tomorrow he’d talk to Taggart, work things out with the FBI, find a way to bring El Jefe down.
He glanced at the woman weaving her spell around him. Whatever happened, he’d find a way to keep Carly safe.
Chapter Twenty-One
Carly awoke Monday morning beneath a dark cloud of dread. A nightmare that included a knife-wielding El Jefe had jolted her awake sometime after midnight with a scream locked in her throat. Linc had drawn her into his arms and held her, put her back to sleep with some of his magnificent lovemaking.
Today she had a meeting with the FBI. Tomorrow she was supposed to pick up El Jefe’s shipment of God-only-knew-what. She had no idea how either of those things was going to turn out.
Tired and out of sorts, she wandered into the kitchen to the smell of frying bacon, found Linc cooking breakfast for Zach. Ignoring a shot of guilt that she hadn’t gotten up earlier and done the cooking herself, she gave Linc a grateful smile. “Smells great,” she said.
He smiled back. “I hope you’re hungry.”
As soon as the eggs were scrambled, the three of them sat down around the dark oak breakfast table and dug into the delicious eggs accompanied by bacon, juice, toast, and coffee, and a big glass of milk for Zach.
