Hidden Prey (Lawmen) Page 3
When he re-holstered his phone, his eyes were a darker green. “Tell me everything you saw and heard.”
“For Heaven’s sake, let the girl sit and catch her breath.” Teresa shuffled toward a table that barely fit in the postage stamp-sized kitchen as she admonished Landon. “You look like you could use a glass of cold water, young lady.” Teresa was already opening the door of the small, older fridge.
“Yes, thank you.” Tori’s mind was spinning but she still thought about offering to help the woman. Landon was already there and he took the pitcher out of the fridge. Teresa grabbed a glass out of a dish drainer.
Tori sank into a chair at the table, her body still shaking. Her breathing had slowed and her skin had cooled some, but her face still felt hot.
It was the first chance she’d really had to look at Landon. Her eyes were a little bleary, but she forced herself to focus on him. Anything but think of the man whose face had been blown off.
Landon was over six feet, and he wore a blue T-shirt beneath a white overshirt with rolled-up sleeves, which now hid the holstered gun. In spite of the overshirt, she could tell he was way past built and must regularly work out or do something to stay in such great shape. He had a tough, seasoned look about him to go along with his hard, masculine features, and a wicked scar along the right side of his face, from his cheekbone to his jaw. She guessed he was in his late thirties, early forties.
He faced her and her already heated cheeks warmed even more. She couldn’t believe that in this situation she’d been taking stock of his assets. She took the glass of water that he handed her. Her hand hadn’t stopped shaking and a little of the water splashed on her hand.
“Thank you.” She took a long drink then set the glass on the table with a light thump. She managed to gather her composure enough to ask, “What agency are you with?”
“Department of Homeland Security.” Landon eyed her. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.”
She leaned back in her seat and took another drink of water, hoping it would help settle her nerves. “I’m lucky you were outside.”
“I was at the right place at the right time.” He pulled out a chair for his grandmother to Tori’s right.
“And I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She was surprised she was able to do more than stutter.
After the elderly woman sat, Landon remained standing but leaned over and braced his palms on the table, directly across from Tori.
“Sit, Landon.” Teresa spoke in her no-nonsense tone, but the man remained focused on Tori.
“The police are going to need to know what you saw, Tori.” It was clear in the way he talked to her that he wanted to keep her calm, but needed information. “When did it happen?”
“Only minutes before you rescued me.” She swallowed. “I was walking up the hill and took a shortcut. Then I saw some men talking.” She described the two vehicles and the men the best she could with her mind pinging all over the place. “A fourth man got out of the SUV. He pointed a gun at the man standing against the white car.” She felt again the fear that had shot through her. “It happened so fast.”
“Did the men say anything?” Landon asked.
“Yes.” She struggled to remember what the men had said. Her thoughts were jumbled, confused and she wrinkled her forehead in concentration. “The one with the gun called the man he killed by something.” She frowned and then it came to her. “Mateo. The man who was shot was named Mateo. He said something and called the man with the gun by a name…something strange.” She shook her head and struggled to remember, but it lay just out of reach. “Damn. I can’t remember what Mateo called him.”
As she spoke, Landon straightened, a granite-hard look on his face that she couldn’t read. “Mateo. You’re sure that was the name of the man who was shot?”
She rubbed her palms on her jeans. “Yes.”
“Shit.” Landon was already pulling out his cell phone. He looked both concerned and furious as he punched in a number and turned away.
“Language.” Teresa shook her finger at Landon.
Landon didn’t seem to have heard or have seen her shaking her finger at him. He walked through an archway, out of the kitchen, and into another room.
“Where are you from?” Teresa’s strongly accented voice was firm as she spoke to Tori.
“I’m originally from Bisbee.” Tori was glad for the reprieve from thinking about what she had witnessed. She reached for her water glass with both hands, sliding her fingers over the condensation. “My parents are Josie and Henry Cox.”
Teresa looked thoughtful. “You grew up on Tembly Avenue?”
“Yes.” Tori wasn’t surprised that Teresa knew. Her family had been lifetime Bisbee residents.
The woman tapped her forehead. “I may be nigh on ninety-six, but the mind’s still sharp.”
Tori cleared her throat in an effort to speak. “Do you know my parents?”
“I knew little Josie Nuñez when she was just a child. Back before she married that Cox boy.” Teresa met Tori’s gaze. “He was something of a bad seed. Is he drinking like a fish, same as always?”
Yes, the woman was blunt, but Tori found she didn’t mind because it was true. “As far as I know he’s still a regular at St. Elmo’s.”
Teresa shook her head. “A real shame.” She eyed Tori. “You don’t seem to have come out any worse for it.”
“My dad wasn’t around a whole lot.” Tori clenched the glass tighter, trying to focus on Teresa’s questions. “My mom mostly raised me.”
Teresa looked thoughtful. “Josie was a good girl. A real good girl.”
Landon walked through the archway and came into the kitchen. “I need to check on something. I’ll be right back.” He opened the kitchen door and let himself out into the evening.
Moments later, he returned. “I’ve got to get to the scene.” He looked at Tori as she held her hand to her throat. “Police are there now, so you’ll be safe in my SUV. Likely the men are long gone, too. The police will need to question you and so will I.”
“You?” Tori lowered her hand. “Why?”
“I’ll explain once we get going.” He shrugged out of his white overshirt and handed it to Tori. “You need to cover up that tattoo and that shirt. If anyone is watching from any number of vantage points, we don’t want them recognizing you.”
Tori’s eyes widened as she stood and took the shirt, and then slipped her arms into it. The shirt was big on her, hanging well past her hips to her upper thighs. She buttoned it up and rolled up the sleeves, concentrating on each task. He pulled a ball cap out of his back pocket and adjusted it for her smaller head.
When he’d guessed the size, he gave it to Tori. “Put your hair up under this.”
She took it from him. She wondered if her hands would ever stop shaking. Since her hair was chin-length, it took a little extra effort to push it up so that it was all under the ball cap. “Can you tell me what’s going on? It’s something more, isn’t it?”
“Questions can wait.” Landon turned, bent, and kissed Teresa’s cheek before giving her a one-armed hug. “I’ll come see you again, Grandma.”
“Sooner better than later.” Teresa studied him with her watery blue eyes. “I won’t be around for long, you know.”
“Sure you will.” Landon gave her a boyish smile that took away some of the rough edges on his features. “I always knew you’d live forever.”
Teresa harrumphed. “Get going, boy.”
“Love you, Grandma.” Landon opened the door and Tori followed him outside into the near darkness.
CHAPTER 3
Landon hurried out to his SUV with Tori next to him. He’d come out moments before to make sure it was clear with no one in sight who might be after Tori.
His blood thrummed in his ears. Mateo was Miguel’s undercover name. The cartel had killed him? God, he hoped not, but considering Miguel hadn’t shown up to the meet, there was a strong chance that he was the murdered man.
With fury burning in his veins, Landon opened the passenger side door of the SUV. He had to pause a moment to toss a pair of his western boots behind the front passenger seat and set his Stetson on the bench seat in the rear. He’d throw everything in the back of the SUV later.
He helped Tori into the vehicle and shut the door behind her when she was seated. He hurried to the driver’s side, yanked the door open, and swung himself into his seat. He slammed the door at the same time he crammed the keys into the ignition. He always backed into parking spaces so that he’d be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. It was a cop thing.
If it he hadn’t gone out to his vehicle earlier, he would never have seen the brunette running up the hill, terror in her expression, and wouldn’t have caught glimpses of the two men following her. He didn’t get a good look at them, so he didn’t think he’d recognize the men if he saw them again.
After getting Tori to safety, he would have gone after the men if he hadn’t been concerned that the men would see him come out of his grandmother’s home. The last thing Landon wanted was to put Grandma Teresa in any kind of danger.
Landon’s mouth was tight as he shot a look at Tori. She had her bottom lip between her white teeth and was worrying it. She was gorgeous with big dark eyes and dark hair that she’d tucked behind her ears.
“Why were you walking up the hill?” he asked, his tone harder than he’d intended.
She blinked at him, pausing as if she’d been lost in thought. “I just got into town. The shuttle dropped me off by the convention center and I had to walk the rest of the way.”
He frowned as he maneuvered his SUV on the narrow street down toward the location where she’d said she saw the shooting. “You don’t have any luggage, not even a purse.”
Her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. She lowered her hand. “I dropped my bag when the men started chasing me. I can’t believe I forgot about it. My purse was in the bag. Everything is in it—my driver’s license, passport, credit cards, everything.”
Beneath his breath he swore. “If they took it, they know who you are.”
“Oh, my God.” Her eyes seemed impossibly larger. “Will they come after me?”
“Probably.” Landon didn’t believe in sugarcoating. “Where were you going? Home?”
“I was headed to my parents’ home on Tembly.” Her voice wavered. “I live in Tucson. I took the shuttle here because my car is in the shop.”
“Is your parents’ address listed in your belongings?” Landon asked. “Anything that would tie you to them?”
She bit her lower lip then shook her head before saying, “I don’t think so.”
He glanced at her as she dug in her jeans’ pocket and pulled out a cell phone. The screen was lit up, a call coming in. She must have the phone set to vibrate since he hadn’t heard a ring. She looked at the screen and her lips formed a tight line before she sent it to voicemail and shoved the phone back in her pocket.
When she didn’t volunteer the name of the person who had called, he asked, “Will your parents be concerned about you?”
She shook her head. “They didn’t know I was coming.” When he glanced at her, she looked away and added, “I just needed to get away from Tucson.”
He wondered what she was running away from in Tucson, but it was clear she didn’t want to talk about it so he didn’t ask. He thought the call she’d received might have had something to do with her running.
The SUV jostled on the uneven pavement. Blue and red strobes flashed ahead, the lights from emergency vehicles bouncing off surrounding structures in the growing darkness.
Landon glanced at Tori. “Have you remembered the name of the shooter?”
She hesitated and then shook her head, the hat falling down over her forehead. She pushed the brim up, a pinched, worried expression on her face. “Not yet. I’m trying hard to remember.”
After he parked as close as possible to the scene, he looked at her. “Do not get out of the SUV. Understand?”
When she nodded, he got out and headed to the passenger side. When he reached Tori’s side, he opened the door.
He put his hand up to make sure she didn’t try to get out. “You are going to wait here. It’s too dangerous for you to get out of the vehicle.”
Her throat worked. “But I’m disguised.”
“Can’t take any chances.” He shook his head. “It may not be a good enough disguise.”
“Okay.” She gave a slow nod. “Can I take off my seatbelt?”
“If you promise not to get out.”
“I promise.”
He glanced over his shoulder at the scene and returned his gaze to hers. “From here you can look to see if you remember anything. Okay?”
“Yes.”
“Just sit tight.” He took a step away, the SUV door still open, Tori sitting sideways so that she could watch from her vantage point.
Lieutenant Liam Marks of the Bisbee Police Department was a few feet away, talking with another officer. Marks gave a nod to the officer as they finished their conversation and his gaze cut to Landon. The lieutenant approached Landon, who waited near the SUV. Out of professional courtesy, Landon would consult with Marks before jumping into the investigation.
Marks was approximately the same height as Landon, with blue eyes and blond hair. As far as Landon was concerned, Marks was a damned fine cop.
“Agent Walker.” Marks inclined his head toward the scene when he reached them. “What’s got the DHS interested?”
“Is the victim dead?” Landon asked.
“Sure as hell is.” Marks nodded. “Looks like a drug deal gone bad. Found coke in the victim’s vehicle and the registration is for a Mateo Torrez.”
Landon’s gut tightened and anger burned beneath his skin. “If I’m right, the victim is one of ours, an agent who was deep undercover. Mateo Torrez was his UC name. I need to see the body.”
“Sonofabitch.” Marks shook his head. “Sonofabitch,” he repeated. He glanced at the SUV. “One of your agents?” he asked Landon.
“Tori witnessed the murder,” Landon replied.
Marks looked surprised and peered closer at Tori. To Landon’s surprise, Marks said, “Tori Cox?”
“Hi, Liam.” From Landon’s observations, Tori was clearly trying to calm her shaking nerves.
“Damn, Tori.” The lieutenant frowned. “It’s good to see you, but not under these circumstances.”
Fear was still in her eyes. “I agree.”
Marks looked from Tori to Landon and back. “I’ll need everything from you, Tori.”
Tori nodded but flashed Landon a look, almost as if she was scared. Not of Marks, but of the men who’d chased her. She was afraid they’d find her here.
Landon settled his hand on Tori’s shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze. “You’ll be fine. I’ll be right back.”
“Yes.” She crossed her arms over her chest as if holding herself tight.
He squeezed her shoulder again before he turned away and strode to where the scene was being processed. He ducked under the yellow crime scene tape.
The body was lying beside an older model, dusty white Toyota. Landon recognized the tag and the make as Miguel’s. Landon’s heart dropped to the asphalt when he saw the man’s build. His face was turned away, but Landon had that bad feeling in his gut that had only increased since he’d been at St. Pat’s. The inside of the man’s wrist had the cartel tattoo, but Miguel had also had the tattoo put on as part of his cover.
Landon crouched beside the body, and despite the fact that the man’s face was mostly blown off, Landon was certain it was Miguel.
Anger burned hot and bright inside Landon and he clenched his fists. “Fuck.” Then louder, “Fuck.
”
At that moment he wanted to slam his fist into something. Anything. But a broken hand wasn’t going to bring back Miguel.
“Recognize him?” asked a young female officer who Landon didn’t recognize.
“Yeah.” Landon pushed himself to his feet. “I sure as hell do. He was one of ours, a federal agent.”
The female officer shook her head. “Oh, shit.”
Landon turned away, drew his cell phone out of his pocket, and dialed Sofia Aguilar, the Resident Agent in Charge. He’d called his RAC earlier to let her know that it might be Miguel.
“His face is unrecognizable,” Landon told her. “But I’m sure it’s Miguel.”
Sofia let out an expletive—she was as good at them as any of her subordinates. She had a grim note in her voice as she continued. “I’ll have a team sent to the crime scene immediately and notify Miguel’s wife. In the meantime we need to get our witness to a safe house. I’ll have Johnson meet you at the scene and then escort you and the witness to the location.”
Landon dragged his hand down his stubbled face. “Yes, Ma’am.”
When Aguilar disconnected the call, Landon dialed Dylan.
“Tell me you have something.” Dylan sounded like he’d had a long day. “Did you manage to meet up with Miguel?”
Landon gripped the cell phone tighter. “He’s dead.”
“Jesus.” Dylan’s voice was hard and much more intense than it had been when he’d first answered Landon’s call. “What happened?”
Landon spent the next few minutes running down everything that had happened from the time he saw Tori running from the two men, her story, and identifying the body.
Dylan cursed. “Miguel was a damned good man. We’re not going to let the bastards get away with this.”
Landon pushed his fingers through his hair. “The witness left her belongings, including all of her ID, at the scene.”
“So they know who she is.” Dylan growled another curse. “She’s not safe.”