Rogue Diamond (29 page)

"Depends on how desperate you are to find Jenni." Carol cleared their plates off the counter with a flick of her wrist. "The governor's office has as
si
gned a task force to solve
children's prob
lems in this state. Additional money has been appropriated for delinquents, runaways, abused and abandoned kids."

"
But,
Mexican kids?"

"You're a citizen of this state, Alex. If you made the request, I'm sure he'd listen. I happen to know that Jack is attending a benefit banquet tonight for the C
hildren's Home. It's a fancy af
fair, black-tie an
d all,
one of those high-end social events for a good cause
."

"Come on, Carol," Alex pleaded. "I told you, we parted on less than friendly terms."

"A knock-down, drag-out?"

"No, but—"

"For you, Alex, Jack would do anything. Still. Trust me. He'll be at the Hilton. The gala starts at eight." Carol left the carrot dangling and turned to load the dishwasher.

Trust me
. Alex could hear Nick's beseeching tone.
Trust me. Trust me.
Perhaps, if she had trusted him, she wouldn't be facing a dead-end today.

That night, shortly after nine, Alex trotted down the thick-carpeted hall of the Hilton
, ready to sell her soul to the devil – anything for Jenni
. By waiting until th
e attendees had been served din
ner, she managed to slip into the entrance
unnoticed
. Compared to some of her recent escapades this had been quite
si
mple. No lies required. She located the correct banquet hall and decided to wait in the ladies' room until the orchestra started and she could mingle ea
si
ly with the guests. They were playing "The Impos
si
ble Dream" when she decided to ma
ke her move.
I sure h
ope that
music
isn't ap
propriate, she mused as she
si
ghted her target.

"May I have this dance,
si
r?"

Jack Kingsley
's face showed his complete sur
prise when he saw Alex. She looked stunning in a
sleek
teal-blue cocktail dress with a
lacy
bodice. Her blond hair was piled glamorously on her head with a loose tendril or two for softness. A curving
si
de slit revealed just enough thigh to be daring. The dress fit so well, one would never guess she'd borrowed it from Carol.

"Well, do I have to drag you onto the dance
floor or are you going to stand there staring all night?"

"Forgive me, Alex. I'm just so surprised to see you here." Immediately, he took her in his arms and whirled her around the floor. "Hey, you're a knockout in that color. My God, woman, you take my breath away!"

"Does that mean you aren't going to throw me out on my ear for crashing your party?"

"I have other ideas for your ears, babe." He leaned forwa
rd and nibbled her left one ten
derly. "I thought I left you in Mexico to stay."

"I thought you left angry."

He pursed hi
s lips. "Not angry, Alex. Disap
pointed."

"Good." She smiled mysteriously. "Maybe an apology will make up for the disappointment." As they danc
ed, Alex admitted how very hand
some Jack was with his blond hair stylishly cut. He was impeccably dressed in black tux and cummerbund. He was smooth enough to say the right things every time. It occurred to her that he was being gro
omed for an eventual state po
si
tion—perhaps even the governorship—and all she had to do to
reestablish their wrecked rela
tionship was say the word. She could do worse.

Yet all she could think of tonight was how he could help her find Jenni.

"Are you in town to stay? Looking for a job?"

She nodded. "Pos
si
bly. Right now, though, I'm still looking for Jenni."

"You haven't given up that futile chase?"

She stiffened. "No. The
si
tuation has changed
si
nce you were in Mexico. We have reason to believe that she was brought into this country, and yet, the trail seems to
have stopped at Jes
sup."

They continued to dance and the band played "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." It's true, Alex thought. The only feeling between them was a strained friendship. Nothing stronger.

"Alex, I don't know if it's pos
si
ble to trace her."

"It is, Jack," she said with conviction. "If you know the right people. And if those people have the right connections."

"People like me? Are you con
si
dering u
si
ng me, Alex?"

She smiled gently. "You know how politics works, Jack. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that." He shook his head in mock dismay.

You've never seen me desperate, she thought. "Why, Jack, don
't tell me that people don't ap
proach you dai
ly for favors. Wouldn't you con
si
der my request, for old time's sake?"

He
si
ghed. "
Alex, babe, you know I'd do any
thing in the world to help you. Honestly, though, I don't think—"

"Listen to me, Jack." Her soft voice hardened slightly. "This isn't the usual political favor that will lean toward big bu
si
ness or overlook a legal violation. This is a very personal matter that will directly affect the life of a very little girl, and mine."

"When you put it that way, how can I refuse? You should know, Alex, I'm as soft-hearted as they come."

She smiled warmly. He said all the right things; now they were getting somewhere. "Jack, there's a group of people, a
connected
ring
of them
, bringing babies up from Me
xico through connections in Ari
zona."

"Alex, we've all heard those rumors, but no one has been able to substantiate them."

"I can."

"What?" He shifted closer and the orchestra began to play another song. They continued to move together,
more by rote than actually danc
ing. "How?"

"I've been through the system. I can tell you the procedure. I know people, places, names. I could direct you to the very house that keeps the babies until they're sold. I can tell you the method used to slip them over the border."

Her words were shocking. Jack eyed her warily for a moment. "You're serious, aren't you, Alex?"

Her eyes met his like cold steel. "Never been more serious in my life."

"Come over here and let's talk, babe." He led her to a private table and ordered them each a glass of white wine. "Now, tell me everything. When did you find out about this information? And how?"

Alex briefly outlined her experiences the day before in Jessup, carefully omitting names, places, and her
vegetable
truck theory for ille
gally transporting the babies. "Details will be
forthcoming if you'll help me, Jack. Please, don't turn me away."

"Is this a form of blackmail, Alex?"

"Call it whatev
er you like. I have valuable in
formation. In the right hands, it could create quite a stir,
and expose international corrup
tion."

"You know I'd like to be the one
taking credit for that
," Jack admitted. Rubbing the back of his hand thoughtfully over his chin, he con
si
dered her story and the accompanying plea. "This will take a little time, but if you can tell me what you claim to know, we can blow this case wide open. It'll have media exposure, the works."

"I only care about finding Jenni."

Without a pause, he concurred. "Yeah, sure, and we'll find Jenni. I'll need some time, maybe a couple of hours. I
'll have to contact certain peo
ple who aren't in this room tonight. Then you and I need to be able to talk someplace private."

She nodded. "
Make it tonight, Jack. We're lo
si
ng time. Where?"

"Tonight?" He lifted his handsome head so that their eyes met. "My place?" The implication was obvious in his questioning gaze.

She he
si
tated, knowing what he was asking. Once more, for old time's sake. The game was getting tougher for novices to play. Novices like her. How much pride was she willing to swallow for the sake of finding Jenni? Alex's eyes flickered and she forced a confident, "Sure, Jack."

He reached into his pocket and discreetly handed her a key. "I live in a different place now,
Alex. I'll call the doorman and tell him to expect you. You go on over. Make yourself at home. Fix yourself a drink and watch T.V. I'll meet you there in a couple of hours." He jotted the address on his bu
si
ness card, and excused himself.

Alex gazed bleakly at the card. Okay, kid. You 're playing in the big leagues now. Even with old friends, the stakes are high.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Alex felt strange let
ting herself into Jack's luxuri
ous apartment. She left her purse on the dining table and wandered around his exclu
si
ve abode. It was a far cry from the modest place they'd shared when they were both teachers. Of course, his present sal
ary probably exceeded their com
bined income
s of three years ago. She remem
bered when they pooled pennies at the end of the month to have enough for a movie.

She entered the bedroom, a spacious room in cool blue tones
with subtle, Southwestern acces
sories. She stared at the king-
si
zed bed and tried to imagine making love to Jack again. That's what he expecte
d, didn't he? But could she? Im
pos
si
ble, was her first thought. Unlikely . . . difficult ... oh, hell, what am I doing here?

Alex con
si
de
red leaving without her informa
tion. But where else would she go for help? U
si
ng the elegant French phone on the bed
si
de table, she called Carol, saying she probably wouldn't return tonight. And yes, Jack had agreed to help.

There were no questions, no judgmental comments from her friend. Just a tender warning. "Alex, please be careful."

"Sure, Carol."

Alex walked back through the house and slumped on the curved sectional sofa which seemed to go forever around the room. Lifting the small remote-control device, she turned on the T.V. and changed to a dozen channels with the flick of one finger. Such convenience, she thought. And I've just returned from a country that struggles to feed its children.

After a while the waiting grew monotonous and she searched out a pen and paper. Scribbling as fast as she could, Alex filled the page in no time. When finished, she folded it, stuffed it into her purse, then ambled over to the bar. She poured herself a little glass of wine then settled down to late-night T.V. and more waiting. She'd rushed out of Mexi
co to escape this infernal wait
ing. For hours she'd waited at the border, waited at Consuela's cafe, waited in the back of the camper. Now here she was, waiting again.

She couldn't help wondering if she would have been better off to wait for Nick. Thoughts of him flooded her, and she could almost see his strong image. She missed his boyish smile, his ability to reassure her, his love. Where was he tonight? What was he doing? Like her, seeking company elsewhere?

Oh, Nick, how could I do this to you? You are really the only man I love. But what a way to prove it
.
She covered her face with her hands, trying to blot out the guilt that overwhelmed
her. She fell asleep curled against plush pillows, dreaming of Nick.

"Is this any way to greet your lover?"

Alex started awake, Nick's name on the tip of her tongue. She opened sleepy eyes to Jack's handsome countenance. "Oh, Jack. Hi."

"Hey, babe, th
e least you could do is fake en
thu
si
asm to see me." He kissed her nose and walked across the room. "How about a drink?" He rammed a finger into his tie to loosen it.

"No, thanks, Jack. I had some wine. That's probably why I fell asleep." Maybe she should imbibe, after all, she thought. This might be an evening she wo
uld want to blot out of her mem
ory. The sound of ice clinking against a glass told her Jack was fixing a drink for himself. She almost said, Make mine a double, but something on T.V. caught her eye.