Sworn to Protect (13 page)

Chapter 22

Fear cannot be without hope nor hope without fear.

Benedict Spinoza

Sandra tiptoed back to her room and closed the door. She leaned against it, hating herself and what she’d done. She knew Lucy was behind tonight’s threatening call to Danika, but how had she gotten the cell number? Repeatedly, Lucy had asked Sandra for it, along with many other demands, but she’d refused. Neither Jacob nor Barbara would give the private number to anyone. Could Lucy have broken into the house and searched through Danika’s desk? Or could the number be posted in Jacob and Barbara’s house for easy reference—like on the refrigerator?

The implications of the call frightened her. Lucy meant business, deadly business. The woman had killed before. But Sandra had assumed Danika had immunity since she was a Border Patrol agent, and Lucy would never risk her position in the community. Stupid thought. No one escaped Lucy when she needed information or sought revenge.

This situation was heading into deeper, more dangerous waters.

“Either you help me, or those you love will be hurt,” Lucy had said earlier. She’d stopped by to see Sandra and give her a monthly paycheck.

Sandra glanced at the check, hoping to gather her thoughts before responding. “You shorted me seventy-five dollars.”

“You owed me association dues. It’s a privilege to work for my services.”

“I will not be bullied.”

Lucy walked over to the coffeemaker and poured herself a cup. She reached into the refrigerator for the half-and-half and topped her cup with a generous portion. “Do you remember what happened to my parents?”

Sandra remembered the story. Lucy’s parents were dead. They’d been killed when they refused to tell where their oldest son had stashed drugs. Lucy hooked up with one of the gang members who executed her parents. Rumors were she had killed a woman in El Paso and assumed her identity.

“No need to answer. A fire at night would be a sad thing for your parents.”

Was this a bluff, or was Lucy capable of such a thing? “I have nothing to give you about Danika.”

“I want her backpack searched to see if she keeps a list of the sensors.”

Sandra was trapped. “I don’t think I could get it.”

“Let’s start with something easy. What’s her middle name?”

“I’ve never heard it, and I’ve heard her say she doesn’t use it.”

“It has to be written somewhere. Look around. What about Tiana’s baby book? Or her Bible?”

Sandra could give one concession out of fear for her parents. What hurt was there in giving a middle name?

“Where is Tiana now?”

“She’s playing in her room.”

“Go check the baby book. I’ll wait here.”

Sandra complied. It was a small thing. Right? What damage could this information do?

But tonight she heard Danika tell her supervisor that the caller had used her middle name. Now, as Sandra glanced around the shadows of her tastefully decorated room, the bedroom Danika had redone according to Sandra’s tastes, she despised her small role in the phone call. This was only a beginning for Lucy. The woman had Sandra right where she wanted her, and the next order would not be as simple. Sandra’s parents had been targeted, and if they were gone, she’d come after Tiana. The little girl was like her own—
mi niña
. She’d do anything to protect her. God forbid such a thought, but Sandra would allow her parents’ death before her Tiana . . . even Danika’s death.

And she’d sent Jose to Lucy? Had she become as base as the evil woman? Sandra reached for the cross hanging around her neck and sobbed. How deep into this snake pit would she have to venture before this nightmare ended?

Chapter 23

The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.

G. K. Chesterton

Friday morning at eight o’clock, the pre-weekend rush of patients hit Alex with a full ER. He heard the crying babies and the coughs over the hum of voices mixed with the TV. He sighed. Long day ahead. An accident in the wee hours of the morning had sent two to the morgue and four to the hospital. Then a young Hispanic woman walked in with a missing finger. She said she’d cut it off a few days ago while cutting frozen meat and the knife slipped. That made no sense, but she refused to change her story. She didn’t have the finger, and he scolded her for not having her hand treated before now. No wonder a doctor’s life expectancy ranked near the bottom. Between the sleep deprivation and the coffee that ripped their insides raw, their hearts wore out faster than most people’s.

“Got a minute?”

Alex glanced up from his perch behind the ER station. He mentally noted the patient’s medical history in the file before him and closed it. “Ed, I sure hope you don’t have patients for me. It’s going to be a while.”

Ed scanned the waiting area. “Looks like illegal processing on most mornings.”

“Very funny. What can I do for you?”

“Is there someplace we can talk?”

Alex picked up on the seriousness. “For a couple of minutes. I’m sorry, but that’s all I can give.”

“My truck’s outside. Will that work?” Obviously Ed didn’t want the conversation overheard.

Alex followed him out the double doors and into the sultry air. Already he was dripping. Once inside the white Border Patrol truck, Ed cranked up the air-conditioning.

“What’s happened? I saw the news last night. So someone told reporters about the investigation for the rogue agent.”

“Media always has a field day with the Border Patrol. The only time we look good is when we apprehend significant criminal activity.” He shook his head. “That’s not true of late. With all the fighting in Mexico and the threat to our borders, we’ve garnered more appreciation. I have no idea who leaked the information. That’s not why I’m here. I’ve got two agents named Morales, and they’re eating my lunch.”

“Pardon my bluntness, but Jacob has the personality of a junkyard dog. Danika is a woman of integrity.”

“You’ve had one date with the woman, and you’re ready to nominate her for sainthood. Problem is, I can’t figure out Jacob. He’s not the agent we once respected.”

Alex needed to get back inside. Patients waited, and he didn’t want to think about the woman who had stolen his breath as an agent on the take. “Just tell me what’s going on.”

“First of all, this is between you and me. Homeland Security is aware you’re helping us nail whoever is leaking information.” When Alex nodded, Ed continued. “Wednesday morning someone mailed a finger to Jacob, a human finger. On it was a ring that he’d given his daughter for her sixteenth birthday. That daughter has been missing for almost two weeks.”

Alex moaned. No wonder the man had been in a bad mood. “I take back everything I’ve thought and said about him.”

“The finger wasn’t hers. But it means she had to give the ring to someone or someone took it from her.”

“How old is his daughter?”

“Seventeen. Police haven’t found a lead on her whereabouts. Seems real strange that she’s missing, her ring shows up on a human finger, and we have a rogue on our hands.”

Alex considered a connection. “Last night I treated a young Hispanic woman who had severed her finger. The odd part was the injury had been done a few days prior, and she didn’t have the finger.”

“Did she give a name?”

“Are you kidding? As soon as I treated the infection and stitched her up, she slipped out. Didn’t wait for me to hand her a bottle of pain meds or antibiotics. Looks like the two incidents are related.”

“Oh, I’m sure of it.”

Alex’s thoughts rolled back to Jacob. “Do you still think Jacob’s selling Border Patrol info?”

“Maybe. Blackmail is responsible for a lot of crime.” Ed tapped the steering wheel. “He’s pretty torn up. I wanted to send him home, but he begged me to stay. Said he and his wife weren’t getting along.”

“No surprise there.” Alex remembered his own marital problems and the exchange of emotions that propelled him into overdrive. “Is he riding the line?”

“The past few days he’s been working administration.”

Alex didn’t ask what Jacob had done to deserve a desk job filing papers. A veteran Border Patrol agent stuck behind a desk doing menial tasks typically meant disciplinary action. “What about Danika?”

“Someone called and threatened her, which is why I’m here.”

He barely knew her and Tiana, but he was ready to fight for her. “I’m listening.”

“She’s a good agent. Impeccable record. In fact, she’s up for a supervisor role as soon as this mess is cleared up.”

Good. A desk job would keep her inside and away from danger. “I knew her husband.”

“I remember. Does she know it?”

A tweak of his conscience was supposed to be a good thing. “Ah, not yet.”

Ed lifted a brow. “Go ahead and tell me it’s none of my business, but she needs to know about your friendship with Toby. You know his killer was never found.”

Alex nodded. “No motive, either.”

“My personal opinion is his death is tied to what’s going on with my agents, specifically the change in Jacob. I used to think grief ruled his temperament. But with the rogue investigation and his missing daughter, my mind is churning with other possibilities.”

“As in you suspect Jacob was involved with Toby’s death?”

“What do you think?”

“That I’m glad I’m not in your shoes. What do you want me to do?”

“Just what you’ve been doing—be my eyes and ears.”

Alex understood exactly, and he didn’t like the guilt accompanying it. “You want me to ask Danika questions and report back to you.”

“Exactly.”

“Ed, that’s low and not my style. You already said she’s being considered for a supervisor position. How can you suspect her?”

“I don’t. My goal is to keep her alive. I can’t go into all of my suspicions because that is all they are. Someone is out to kill her, and I want the jerk found. The more facts I uncover, the more I’ll tell you.”

So Ed believed Jacob had betrayed the Border Patrol. If Alex could be with Danika every minute of the day, he would. How noble he sounded. If the truth were laid bare, she possessed the skills to defend herself. But that didn’t stop the fear embedded in his heart.

Chapter 24

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Saturday morning, Danika stumbled into the kitchen after a restless night and made a strong pot of coffee. Alex had called after she’d talked to Chief Jimenez, but she chose not to answer her phone. He didn’t need to be involved with the threats. If he and Jimenez were as close as Alex indicated, he may have already learned about the new problem.

“
Amiga querida.
Dear friend, did you not sleep last night?” Sandra opened a cabinet door and reached for two cups. Her hand trembled. Maybe she hadn’t slept well either.

Danika forced a smile. She must really look bad for Sandra to comment. “I had a lot on my mind.”

Sandra frowned. “Worries add wrinkles to your pretty face.”

“I may look seventy by the time I’m forty.”

“Not funny. Anything I can do to help?”

Danika leaned against the kitchen counter. “Pray for wisdom and guidance.” She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “Let’s sit at the table for a few minutes. I need to discuss an important matter.”

Sandra added cream and sugar to her coffee and sat opposite Danika.

“I’ve been threatened,” Danika began. “It’s happened before, but this time the caller had access to information that . . . well, he couldn’t have gained easily.”

Sandra’s face paled, and she reached across the table, taking Danika’s hand into hers. “I will take Tiana with me to Mass this afternoon and light candles for you.”

“My sweet friend. You are so dear to me.” With a sigh, she continued. “Be very careful when you are out with Tiana. Don’t let her out of your sight for a moment.”

Sandra squeezed Danika’s hand. “I never do. Someone might know you are a Border Patrol agent.”

Danika allowed her friend’s touch to soothe her weary spirit. “Don’t open the door to any strangers. I understand these are precautions you take every day; just be more careful. And if someone calls and starts asking questions, hang up. If a situation alarms you, call 911.”

“I love Tiana like she is my own. I would protect her with my life.”

Danika’s eyes moistened. “I know you do. God blessed me when you entered my and Tiana’s life. I wish you could have known Toby.”

“If he was anything like you, I’d have loved him like a brother.”

“One more thing.” Danika glanced out of the window facing the backyard in bloom with yellow lantanas, orange marigolds, and deep pink pentas. A pair of hummingbirds darted about the feeder on the patio. “Do not answer the door to Jacob.”

Sandra’s eyes widened. “Has the problem gotten worse between Jacob and Barbara?”

“Nadine has not been found, and Jacob is not acting like himself.”

“I’ll pray for them too.”

“Good. I knew I could depend on you.” Danika pulled her hand back to her coffee. “I have an errand to run before going to work.”

“I’d planned to take Tiana to the park after Mass. Is that okay?”

How Danika wished she had the answers. “I’d say make sure there are lots of people around. If anyone looks suspicious, snatch up our little girl and leave. In fact, go straight to the police station.”

Tiana still slept when Danika readied to leave for the day. Planting a kiss on her child’s forehead and brushing a lock of dark hair from her face, she tiptoed from the bedroom and regretted all the hours spent away from home. Danika grabbed her uniform and drove to the McAllen Medical Center.

When Alex had left his message on her cell phone last night, he indicated he had an early morning and asked for her to call. The conversation she planned to have with him needed to be conducted in person, and she counted on the hospital’s being quiet this morning.

The receptionist summoned him, and she waited. Too nervous to sit, Danika paced the ER waiting room. She must have been crazy to think she could establish a friendship with Alex. Too many problems stalked her life, and putting a good doctor in harm’s way was a mistake. She’d been selfish, and regret had sunk in deep.

Then she saw him walking down the hospital corridor, smiling and waving. What a difficult conversation to have with such a great guy.

“Good morning,” he said. He looked far too appealing for what she needed to convey to him. “Sorry I called so late last night.”

“No problem. I did get your message.”

“I’m one lucky man to have you pay a personal visit.”

She failed to stop her smile. A relationship with him might be in the future, but not until life settled down. “Got a minute? I need to talk.”

“Sure.” His gaze swept the ER waiting room. An elderly couple and a young woman with a baby were the only occupants. “Is the left-hand corner okay?”

She led the way, just like she needed to lead the conversation. Once they were seated, she found herself momentarily lost in his blue eyes. Not a good start. “Some things have come up, and I have to end our friendship before we continue.”

Alex peered into her face. No emotion, and she wished she could read his thoughts. “Why? I thought we both agreed to give a relationship a try.”

“Things have changed.”

“Job related?”

“Yes.”

“Not another man?”

Her stomach did a flip. “Not at all.”

“The dangers of your job?”

How truthful could she be? “As a matter of fact, you’re right. There are serious problems at work, and it’s not fair to you.”

Alex crossed his legs and rested his hand on his knee. “That excuse won’t work. What’s the real reason?”

She contemplated feigning anger and leaving him, but honesty had always played a vital role in everything she did. “What if my job came between us? What if I were in a perilous position and you were thrown in the middle?”

“Do you want to guess the number of times I’ve been threatened? Do I need to remind you of McAllen Medical Center’s policy of treating all those who need care, without question? innocent people who want care for their children as well as tattooed gang members filled with bullet holes?”

She moistened her lips. Her situation was not the same. “I don’t want you hurt . . . physically . . . for befriending a border agent.”

He leaned closer. “I’ll deal with it.”

“You’re not taking no for an answer, are you?”

“And you don’t really want to stop seeing me. Nor do I want to end our friendship when it’s barely begun.”

Could he read her thoughts? “Do you understand some people play for keeps?”

His brows narrowed. “Precisely my point.”

His loyalty endeared him to her. “But—”

Alex’s pager buzzed like a bell during a prizefight. “I’m being summoned.” He patted her arm. “And you have places to go too.”

She’d accomplished nothing. Or had she?