Beef Stolen-Off (31 page)

“Aha!” Michael exclaimed. “You knew there could only be one explanation for her knowing you’d been there.”

“Exactly. The reason I never play poker is because one look at my face and you know what I have in my hand. Bella knew immediately I was onto her. When I grabbed Victor and tried to get out of there to call the cops, she pulled out the gun.”

“Holy cannoli,” Rose said. “You must have really been scared.”

“I don’t know about Jordan, but I came this close to needing an underwear change,” Victor deadpanned, holding his thumb and forefinger up about an inch apart. “And I didn’t even connect Bella to the killings when she pointed the gun at us. If I had known what was going on in Jordan’s head, I would have embarrassed myself for sure.”

“She threw a scarf at me,” Jordan added. “And immediately, I knew it as the one Lucas had given me the last time I was at the ranch. I’d torn it on a nail outside the warehouse, and when I ran across the parking lot after hearing
the shots, it blew off. I was too frightened to stop and pick it up.”

“That must be how she knew you’d been there,” Lola said.

“It is, plus she saw Jordan on the security tape from the warehouse.” They all turned as Ray walked into the room and stood at the end of the bed. “The police found the tape at the ranch. It shows Jordan sneaking across the parking lot.”

He snickered. “A cat burglar, you are not, Jordan. Anyway, I just had a conversation with my old partner’s kid, Paul Rutherford. He said Bella confessed to killing Diego and the other two men when ballistics linked the gun they found to the murders. Apparently, she’s denied having anything to do with Rusty’s death, though.”

“She admitted killing him to me and Victor,” Jordan said. “Mentioned something about it being Maria’s fault that he had to die. Never in her wildest dreams did she picture us climbing out of that hole to tell anyone, which is probably why you’re not viewing us on a slab in the morgue right now.”

“She must have thought the snakes would do the job for her,” Victor said. “And they almost did.”

“Lucky for you that old ranch hand was around.” Rosie held a glass of water with a straw up to Jordan’s lips.

“I’m not helpless, Rosie.” She closed her eyes after she took a sip. The truth was, she could get used to the TLC from her closest friends in a hurry. Shortly after the ambulance had brought her to the ER, it had finally registered how close she and Victor had come to dying.

If it wasn’t for Farley…

She couldn’t even think about it without tearing up.

“We may never know who actually paid the waiter to
kill Rusty or if he acted alone,” Ray said. “When they investigated his death, the police discovered he had a sister who committed suicide a few years back.”

“That’s true,” Jordan said. “Bella told us that’s why it didn’t take much to persuade him to do the deed. But she was still the one behind Rusty’s death.”

“It’s a moot point, anyway, since she’ll most likely spend the rest of her life behind bars without a chance at parole for the other four murders,” Ray added.

“Make that five if Lucas dies,” Jordan said, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice. “Has anyone heard how he is?”

Ray grinned. “Here’s why it pays to be nice to cops. Paul said Lucas is still in ICU, but he’s coming around slowly. They managed to get his potassium level down and hope it won’t be too much longer before his blood clotting is back to normal. Unless something unexpected happens, Paul said the prognosis looks good.”

Jordan exhaled in relief. Although she never wanted to spend time with Lucas Santana again, he was just as much a victim as she was.

“How long do you have to walk around on crutches?” Michael asked. “The cruise is coming up, you know.”

“Don’t worry. It will take more than a little sprain to keep me off that ship.” She pointed to her ankle, now elevated on pillows. “You know the old RICE routine—rest, ice, compression, and elevation for the first forty-eight hours. The only time I’m allowed up is when nature calls. The doc said I could get rid of the crutches when it doesn’t hurt to put my weight on it anymore.”

“That settles it. I’m moving in with you for a few days,” Rosie announced.

“I’ll be okay,” Jordan said. “I appreciate the offer but I’ll—”

“No arguments. Knowing how much you hate fancy food, I’ll need to fatten you up before the cruise, anyway. With all those wannabe chefs cooking up dishes we can’t even pronounce, you’re probably the only person on this planet who will lose weight on a cruise ship.”

When they all laughed, Jordan caught Rosie’s eye and mouthed,
I love you
.

“Back atcha,” Rosie said.

“Okay, then it’s settled. Rosie will stay with Jordan for a few days. Now then, there’s another problem that needs our attention. Who’s going to call Alex and tell him we almost lost her again?” Ray asked. “I guarantee it won’t be me. Before that boy left for El Paso, he looked me in the eye and made me promise to take care of her.”

“Oops!” Michael said, covering his mouth with his hand. “I say we let Jordan tell him. And be forewarned, we’d better make damn sure nothing happens to our girl on the cruise.”

It felt strange being alone in a car with Lucas Santana, but he’d insisted, even though Jordan was perfectly capable of driving herself. She’d been off crutches for two weeks but still had trouble putting all her weight on the ankle. When he’d called and told her what he was planning, she’d jumped at the chance to be there when he discussed it with Maria.

Shortly after he was discharged from the hospital, he’d contacted Jordan and asked if he could stop by the apartment. Initially, she’d dreaded seeing him again, thinking that with Bella now sitting in a Huntsville’s cell awaiting her trial, she was through having to make nice with Lucas.

But the man who walked into her apartment that day
wasn’t the same obnoxious jerk she’d met in the limousine. Clearly, his priorities had changed, and she’d seen a side of him she never would have believed existed until he broke down and cried when he’d talked about Maria and Diego Morales. She’d even found herself empathizing with him.

Finding out the woman he’d allowed to manipulate everything in his life was responsible for all that pain and misery must have been devastating. He knew he couldn’t bring back Diego or Rusty for Maria, but he’d spent a lot of time trying to come up with a way to make it up to her.

After several conversations with the Dallas specialist who ran a rehab hospital catering to stroke victims, Jordan knew exactly how he could help. Although the private facility was world renowned, it was also pricey, and way beyond Maria’s financial capability.

Lucas hadn’t blinked or even asked how much it would cost him when Jordan suggested he foot the bill. And now they were on their way to visit Maria at the nursing home to tell her she would be transferred to the new facility in the morning.

“Jordan, before we go in, there’s something I want to say.” Lucas sniffed back a few tears. “The doctor tells me I would have been dead in a matter of hours if you hadn’t sent help. I will always be grateful. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

She studied his face, trying to decide if this was just another attempt at seducing her into becoming his next conquest. She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“We’d better get in there. I can’t wait to see Maria’s face when you tell her.”

As they walked into the nursing home, Jordan couldn’t stop thinking about how many times Maria had tried to tell her she was afraid. Unfortunately, they’d lost valuable time
because Jordan had assumed Maria’s fear was of her husband. But Maria had already figured out Bella was the one trying to kill her. It must have been so frustrating to be unable to get help, knowing Bella would try again.

When they got to her room, Lucas opened the door to let Jordan lead the way. Maria glanced up when she heard them and immediately noticed Jordan’s limp. Her face showed her concern as she pointed to Jordan’s foot.

“I sprained my ankle. It’s good now, though.” She plopped down in a chair opposite Maria’s wheelchair, and Lucas stood behind her.

When Maria’s eyes questioned why he was there, he took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Jordan and I are here to give you some good news. God knows you could use a little of that.”

Her eyes darted from one to the other.

“Bella’s in jail,” Jordan started. “She’s admitted to killing Diego because he was blackmailing her.”

Maria’s eyes grew wide.

“We also know she was the one who gave you the overdose of blood thinners,” Lucas said, bending down on one knee to grab her hand. “She nearly killed me the same way.”

“Do you know why Diego was blackmailing her, Maria?” Jordan asked. Although she had no intention of telling this woman that Bella had blamed Rusty’s death on her, Jordan felt she deserved some answers, considering she’d almost gotten herself killed over it.

Maria shook her head.

“Oh well, it doesn’t matter. They found the man who poisoned your son. He was dead in a field outside of town. Since Bella wouldn’t say why she paid this man to kill Rusty, I thought it might clear up a few questions if we knew what Diego had on her.”

Maria rubbed her forehead as if she were chasing away a migraine. Jordan decided the woman had heard enough depressing news for one day.

“I spoke to a specialist in Dallas who works with stroke patients. He’s had a lot of success, especially with people like you who can’t speak. He’s agreed to admit you to his facility tomorrow morning to begin your therapy.”

Maria turned to the window and stared for a few seconds before turning back to them. She used her thumb and forefinger to make the classic motion for cash.

“That’s the good part, Maria. All you have to worry about is learning how to speak again. Lucas is taking care of the rest.”

A lone tear slid down Maria’s cheek. She reached under her blanket and pulled out the photo of her and Diego with her sister, Gia, and began thumping on it with her finger.

Jordan’s first thought was,
Here we go again
. She took the photo from Maria’s outstretched hand and showed it to Lucas.

He made a choking sound as he stared. “I loved Gia, you know. I was so sorry when she left me and went back to Mexico so suddenly. Then when I found out she’d died, I didn’t think I would ever get over it.”

Maria lifted herself out of the wheelchair far enough to snatch the photo from his hand. Maintaining eye contact with Lucas, she threw it against the far wall with so much force, it shattered into a million pieces.

Jordan’s eyes widened and she cried out. She’d seen Maria angry before, but never enough to destroy a cherished photo. But when she studied Maria’s face, there was no telltale sign of anger, no flaring nostrils or narrowed eyes. Instead, she was smiling as she pointed to the broken picture frame across the room.

“I’ll get you a new one,” Jordan said, thinking this must be Maria’s way of saying,
I’m mad as hell and I ain’t gonna take it anymore
. Since she couldn’t express her anger verbally, maybe it was just the therapy she needed to heal.

Maria grabbed her arm and motioned for her to retrieve the picture. Jordan reached down and pulled out what was left of the frame, and the first thing she noticed was the piece of paper taped to the back of the photo. She turned to Maria and arched her eyebrows in question.

Seeing Maria bob her head up and down, Jordan pulled the yellowed piece of paper from the photo and unfolded it.

After several seconds, she glanced back up at Maria, who was now smiling like she’d just won the lottery.

“What is it?” Lucas asked.

Jordan pointed to Lucas, and again, Maria nodded. She handed it to him and waited silently while he read it.

The sound that came from him was full of pain, and he fell to his knees in front of Maria. “Rusty was Gia’s child?”

When Maria verified it, he asked, “And I’m his father?” He didn’t need an answer from her. Still clutching the paper that proved it, he hung his head and sobbed.

Jordan bent down and put her arms around him to comfort him. There was no way she could ever know how he must be feeling, finding out he’d had a son with the woman he’d loved. And realizing he’d never get to acknowledge that since the psychopath he’d allowed into his life had taken it all away from him.

Wearing the face of a broken man, he peered up at Maria. “I had no idea. Why did she go back to Mexico if she knew the baby was mine?”

Maria shrugged.

“Was it because she didn’t feel the same way about me, or had she already known she was going to die?”

When Maria nodded in reply, her eyes showed the regret she obviously felt.

“And that’s what Diego was using to blackmail Bella?”

Maria nodded before she lowered her head. As the woman’s shoulders shook with silent sobs, Jordan could only hope she’d finally get some comfort knowing the burdensome secret she’d carried for so many years would no longer weigh her down.

After saying good-bye, Jordan and Lucas walked out to the nurses’ station, where he made the arrangements to transfer Maria to Dallas in the morning. Then he and Jordan drove back to Ranchero. Lucas had taken the photo, assuring Maria he’d return it after it was reframed. He also promised that when she was able to leave the rehab facility, she’d come home to a wheelchair-accessible house with twenty-four-hour nursing care. She was still crying when they left, but Jordan knew there was a little joy mixed in with her grief.

“Why do you think Bella killed my son, Jordan?” Lucas asked when they were almost at Jordan’s apartment.

“Greed. As your only living relative, she counted on inheriting your money after you died.”

“I should have never signed that paper saying for all intents and purposes, we were in a common-law marriage.” He spat out the words contemptuously.

“In retrospect, you probably shouldn’t have. It guaranteed she would inherit your wealth when you died. Up to that point, she’d been prepared to wait as long as necessary. That’s why she panicked when Maria told her that Rusty was your son. With the very real possibility of seeing all those years she’d spent with you wasted, she knew she had to act quickly to silence Maria. I guess she figured if she’d blurted it once, there was a real possibility she might do it again.
Bella couldn’t risk that. When her plan didn’t go as she’d hoped and Maria didn’t die, she probably assumed she could control Diego with money now that his wife was unable to talk.”