Maverick Page 23

  Maggie spoke over a lump in her throat, eyes still watching for Melissa. “She’s all I’ve got.”

  Daniel Myles’ fingers moved on her shoulder reassuringly. “Won’t be long now.” For just a moment, her heart went out to the older man. His son—his only son, was off chasing one of the men after her. And here he was at the airport, waiting with her, watching over her. She glanced up at him. “Do you—is there anyway to reach Jack? To find out what’s happening?”

  Dan shook his head. “Jack will call. Or he’ll just meet us at headquarters like he said. Don’t worry about him.” Maggie opened her mouth to tell him she wasn’t worried, then stopped. She was worried. To tell his father otherwise would be a lie. She had a feeling Dan Myles didn’t tolerate lies—even white ones. And for a reason she couldn’t begin to understand, she didn’t want Jack’s father to consider her a liar.

  *** Kevin glanced over the crowd. His gaze lingered on the blond with the old man by the wall. Horny old bastard. She could have been his daughter. He couldn’t even turn her loose long enough to meet whoever the hell they were waiting for. His hand stayed firmly on her shoulder. As Kevin watched, she turned to speak to him and he could see her profile.

  He frowned. She was a looker. Obviously one with no taste. There was even something familiar about her. . . He shook his head and looked past the couple to a new wave of passengers.

  Melissa first, then Maggie. If Paul got away from the feds, he’d meet up with him later. If not. . . Kevin watched the arriving passengers and for the first time contemplated having all the money for himself. Mexico first, then further south. One of those countries where the drugs were as plentiful as the patriots’ dislike of the United States of America.

  *** Jack glanced between his gas gauge and the black Jeep four cars ahead of him on the two-lane highway. He swore softly. His last chance for gas—no matter which way Paul Cormack chose from here—was about ten miles ahead. He’d hoped Paul would lead him to his brother. That wouldn’t happen if he had to arrest Paul.

  His desire to see Maggie safely installed at the ranch had caused him to ignore a basic rule. He was pretty sure Paul didn’t know he was behind him, but that really didn’t matter. Arresting Paul might make him lose Kevin, but at least he’d have one of them. He unhappily accepted the fact that his nearly-empty gas tank would probably cost him Kevin. It sure as hell wasn’t going to cost him Paul. He reached for his cell phone.

  Chapter 14

  Maggie forgot Jack, forgot his father, even forgot her own rules and nearly smothered her sister in a hug. Melissa never cried in public—never did anything ever that might ruin her make-up. Today she broke her own rule, too. Her waterproof mascara didn’t live up to its promises. Gooey black streaked down her cheeks and her shoulders shook as she clung to Maggie.

  When Melissa finally released her, it was only far enough so she could see her. “Don’t you ever disappear like that again. You scared me to death.” Maggie blinked away her tears and smiled. She’d been disappearing on Melissa for nearly all their lives. The only difference was this time Melissa knew she was gone from the start. She burrowed into Melissa’s large handbag and handed her sister a tissue. Melissa dabbed at her cheeks and scowled at the black evidence of her running make-up.

  “Darn. I’m going to need a rest room. What did you do to your arm? I can’t believe you made me cry like that—but you really do have to promise me, Maggie. No more running off. I was so worried about you. What were you thinking—going off all alone that way?”

  Maggie caught Melissa’s hand. “This way.” Daniel Myles watched the tearful reunion thoughtfully. His only son had taken thirty-four years to bring home a girl. Although not a man to make snap-judgements, it would be a falsehood to say Maggie had his instant approval. But now, watching her with her sister, a smile tugged at his lips. Anybody who loved their kin like that couldn’t be all bad.

  When Maggie started to draw a still-chattering Melissa away, he cleared his throat. The sound worked as well as the hand on her shoulder. Maggie stopped immediately and turned to him, pulling Melissa with her. Melissa didn’t notice when they stopped in front of the older man. She yanked out another tissue and carefully blotted her cheeks. “Where’s Jack? He said he would meet me—I didn’t expect you to be here. Is he in the car?”

  “This is his father, Melissa. Mister Myles, my sister, Melissa Cormack.” “Oh, my. Jack’s father. I see where he gets his devastating looks. I’m so pleased to meet you. You have to excuse my appearance—I didn’t expect Maggie to meet me—and I’ve been so worried—did Jack tell you what she did?”

  Maggie watched Dan’s eyes go soft as he beamed at Melissa. She groaned at Melissa’s last words but Dan nodded.

  “Told me enough. Pleased to meet you, too. You’re a pretty thing. May I call you Melissa?” He lifted her heavy carry-on as he spoke. “Do you have other luggage?” “Just two other bags.” Melissa smiled. “That’s all they’ll let you bring now, you know. Is it hot here? The heat was terrible in Grand Junction. They said it wasn’t as bad in Denver, but I didn’t get to go outside the airport there.” Dan took Melissa’s arm and got her moving again. Maggie followed along, remembering her rules at last. Her eyes darted over the people waiting for their luggage to arrive.

  Melissa glanced across Dan at Maggie, who walked on the other side of Jack’s father. “Did Jack tell you he had someone meet me in Denver? His name was Rick. He was pretty cute—but kind of serious. Not really my type, but he did buy me a latté and then he sat with me until they called my plane. Wasn’t that sweet? Right at the gate, too. I can’t forget to thank Jack. I swear Maggie—you are the luckiest woman—and to treat him like that.”

  Maggie’s cheeks flushed. Maybe Dan hadn’t heard—hopefully he’d tuned out the non-stop prattle as soon as Melissa started. She glanced up at his weathered face. He’d heard. He caught Maggie’s eye, keeping his head turned carefully away from Melissa’s. She expected a glower, or at the very least, a question. Dan Myles merely offered her an exaggerated wink. Surprised and relieved, Maggie smiled back, saw an answering glimmer in Jack’s father’s eyes, then went back to watching the other airport visitors.

  *** Paul Cormack glanced at the traffic behind him. Sure enough, the silver Chevy Tahoe was still there—just like Kevin said it would be. He glanced at the nearly-deserted expanse of highway ahead of him. Kevin swore, if he did what he was told, it would all be just fine. But it didn’t feel just fine. And Kevin wasn’t the one with the FBI on his heels.

  He fingered his cell phone. He could always call Kevin—make sure he had the instructions right. There hadn’t been time to write them down. Paul always felt a lot better when he had things written down. over. Kevin knew stuff like that. television was the news. Nothing else. Ever. Made Paul crazy, all that news did.

  Kevin told him to drive into Louisiana and lose him. Could a Jeep lose a Chevy Tahoe? Paul eyed a road sign. He could lose him in Houston. He could lose anybody in Houston. Paul had been lost himself in Houston a bunch of times. He wasn’t so sure about Shreveport. But he also wasn’t so sure if Kevin would like him changing the place where he lost the FBI to Houston, either.

  “Just over the state line,” Kevin had told him. That part he remembered clearly. But what difference did it make? The guy was FBI. A state line wasn’t going to matter to him. “Only one way to find out,” he breathed. Billy always said that. Paul blinked hard. He missed Billy. Billy liked him—looked out for him. Billy had always been a lot of fun. Sure he teased him sometimes—but only when he drank. And even then, when Billy was around, fun things happened. Poker games and pretty girls. Billy had pretty girls around him all the time. Pretty girls knew Billy was fun. Kevin wasn’t fun—he was mean. Pretty girls never stayed around Kevin long. And Nathan. . .Nathan had pretty much ignored Paul. Except when he did stupid things. Nathan hated it when people did stupid things.

  Paul sighed. Yep. He did miss Billy. And Billy would’ve told him there was only one way to find o
ut.

  Kevin had assured him the FBI agent wouldn’t pull him Probably because the only thing he ever watched on

  ***

  Dan waited by the carousel for Melissa’s other bags. Maggie drew her sister aside and held up her hand to stop the stream of chatter. The gesture didn’t work.

  “Melissa?”

  “It was awful—Clint yelling and Derek, well, Derek didn’t exactly yell, but you know that tone he uses?”

  “Melissa!” she hissed.

  “Yeah—just like that. Only he doesn’t call me Melissa. You’re the only one who calls me Melissa. What?”

  “You can’t be talking about Jack and me like that in front of his dad.”

  “Oh.” Melissa obviously didn’t remember what she’d said. She smoothed her dress. “Where is Jack, anyway? Did he forgive you? Did you make up? Your hair looks terrible, Maggie.”

  Maggie smiled. “Thanks bunches.”

  “Well it does. Short and curly was okay, but this just isn’t you.” She stopped for a breath, but only one. “Jack’s dad is cute.” Maggie’s eyes opened wide.

  Melissa grinned. “Well he is. What’s his mom like?”

  “Like a mom.” The description was all Maggie could think of to say. For some reason, thinking of Jack’s mom—there in her new kitchen—hurt. “How’re things at Shipwrecks?” “Same as usual.”

  “Did you work?”

  Melissa’s smile grew dreamy. Maggie couldn’t tell if the smile was for Shipwrecks, or for Derek. “Yeah.” She suddenly looked like a billionaire’s beloved mistress. “I’m his hostess,” she breathed.

  Hostess? Shipwrecks didn’t have a hostess. Two bar-maids and Derek. Two bar-maids when he could get two bar-maids. “Hostess?” “Yeah. I greet people when they come in and show them to a table. And sometimes I do a few dishes—but only when they’re really busy.” She glanced at her hands. “That soap you use isn’t good for your skin.”

  Maggie surprised Melissa with another hug. “So you’re not waiting on tables?” “No.” Melissa shook her head for emphasis. “Derek said it was too hard on my feet—since I wore my heels and all.” She fanned her face. “It’s really hot here, isn’t it? Almost as hot as the bar on Saturday nights.”

  Maggie tried to look sufficiently sympathetic. She glanced at Dan. Bags from Melissa’s flight were beginning to arrive. Melissa kept going. “Sally’s friend came in for a while to help—but Derek didn’t like her. He wants you to come back. And he wants me to stay. I already quit my job in Chicago. I had to—since Jack said I had to stay with Derek.” She frowned suddenly. “But I haven’t been able to get hold of Emily to tell her. I wonder where she is.”

  Maggie knew where Emily was. She wondered where Jack was—had he caught up with Paul yet? She didn’t like the automatic connection her brain made between Melissa’s missing friend and her missing Special Lieutenant.

  *** Jack kept his eyes on the black Jeep. Local back-up would catch up to him in five minutes. He’d be at the gas station in four. He wouldn’t stop—and he wouldn’t let Paul Cormack out of his sight. Paul was the youngest of the three brothers. He wasn’t as tall as Billy or as mean as Kevin. And he was about five cans short of a six-pack in the brains department. But he was a Cormack. He’d walked into that bank with his brothers. And he was Jack’s best link to Kevin. Maggie wouldn’t be safe until he had Kevin.

  Jack scanned the black ribbon of highway behind him. Way back, over a mile, a car threaded through the traffic—coming along much faster than the other cars in its path. He smiled and locked his gaze back on the Jeep. He’d be able to turn in some of the evidence and one perpetrator. That ought to make headquarters happy.

  Paul pulled abreast of the gas station and turned in. Jack grinned at his good fortune. He snatched up his cell phone and was connected to the state troopers behind him before he, too, reached the gas station.

  “Hang back, boys. Our rabbit’s stopped for gas. Stay with him if he leaves the station before I do, but don’t move in. I’m hoping he’ll take us to big brother. If that happens I can wrap up a long-overdue package and deliver it neatly to our uncle.”

  “Just keep us posted. You know how much we love helping uncle.” Jack chuckled. He knew. The Texas State Troopers were never thrilled at having feds in the neighborhood—especially not since Waco. But he also recognized this particular trooper’s voice. “Just keep that underwhelming enthusiasm to a minimum there, Davy. You know you couldn’t catch a two-legged blind bull.”

  There was a moment of silence. Jack waited. Paul’s Jeep was second in line to get gas. Jack eased his car in alongside an eighteen wheeler, stopping when he had a clear shot of Paul. Paul was on the phone. Gotcha, Kevin.

  When the trooper spoke again, his voice was full of suspicion. “That you, Jack?” Jack kept his windows up and the air conditioner on so his voice wouldn’t carry. His grin was evident in his voice. “You bet your ass, cuz.” “Aunt Josie said you were in Colorado. And last I heard you were back east. Ain’t there enough bad guys out there in the rest of the country that you got to be chasin’ ‘em home? Why don’t you run along back to the ranch and enjoy your vacation? We can handle this homeboy.”

  Jack’s voice stayed calm and smiling. His eyes, still focused on Paul, were suddenly dead serious. “Thanks, but this one’s mine, Dave. He’s after my girl. And he took a job at the ranch to get to her.”

  A long, low whistle sounded out of the phone. “Then lead the way, cousin. Let us know what you want us to do. We’re half a mile back and waitin’ for orders.”

  *** Maggie waited walked ahead of Dan and Melissa to the parking lot, lugging her sister’s fifty-pound carry-on bag. Melissa’s chit-chat had slowed but only slightly. As her sister directed most of her comments to Dan, Maggie gave up all pretense of listening.

  Melissa was silent for long seconds before Maggie realized she wasn’t talking. She felt prickles of fear just before she turned. “Melissa?”

  Dan Myles lay crumpled over the two bags he’d carried.

  Melissa, eyes closed, had her head tipped back. It rested against Kevin Cormack’s shoulder. With his chin resting smugly on her sister’s temple, he smiled at Maggie. “Care to dance, Maggie-May?”

  Nathan’s pet name for her. She didn’t like it from Kevin anymore than she had from his cousin. Rod Stewart hadn’t done the Maggies of the world any favors with that one. “What did you do to Melissa?” He hadn’t changed a bit. His eyes were as cold and hard as the last time she’d seen him—sitting behind Melissa with that big gun.

  Kevin lifted Melissa in his arms. “I think your sister fainted, Maggie. Let’s get her out of this heat, shall we?” The parking lot around them remained deserted. Where had everyone gone? Maggie watched in helpless frustration as Kevin crossed to a nearby car and swiftly deposited Melissa in the back seat. He took a step toward Maggie. She backed up, then stopped. Kevin laughed—a mirthless burst of sound.

  “Whatcha gonna do, honey? I’m offering a simple trade—your sister for the evidence. Just like last time.” He moved slowly forward. Maggie tightened her grip on her briefcase but didn’t let herself retreat. Each step backward was one away from Melissa. “I don’t have it.” That was true—the pouch was in the trunk of Dan’s Lincoln.

  “Then we’ll go get it.” “I—it’s in Colorado.” She threw the words at him across the short span of concrete. Still no one there—arriving or departing. The panic that nibbled at the edges of her calm exterior had already taken over her insides.

  Kevin sidestepped Dan and took her right arm, squeezing it, just enough to hurt, at the wrist. His other hand dropped to the handle of her briefcase. Maggie slid her fingers back away from the contact, but she held on. Kevin’s fingers bit into her arm slowly, eventually with enough force that Maggie had to let go of the handle.

  Kevin smiled at the easy victory. “I repeat. Let’s go.” He swung the briefcase onto his shoulder by its long strap. When Maggie didn’t move, he tightened his grip on her wrist. Magg
ie cast a quick glance at the rows of cars. Where the hell was everyone? Kevin suddenly released her. “I’m leaving. You can drive, or you can give me a message to give to your sister.” He spun and strode to the car. Maggie cast one final glance at the deserted parking lot. There wasn’t time to summon help—wasn’t time for anything. Kevin’s smile accompanied her to the driver’s door of the late model sedan. A quick glance revealed Melissa was still out cold in the back seat. As she looked, her sister stirred with a soft moan. Maggie eased behind the wheel. Kevin slid in beside her.

  “What did you do to her?”

  “Let’s move.” He inserted the keys into the ignition and started the car for her. “Kevin—what did you do to Melissa?”

  “Step on the brake.” She did and glanced in the rear view mirror. No police moving into place to surround the vehicle—no sign of anyone. . . The alley came alive all over again. Just like the alley, she didn’t have a choice. Kevin pulled the lever to Drive and Maggie gripped the wheel and pulled out of the parking space.

  “Ten miles an hour,” Kevin warned. “Just like the sign says. That’s good—now stop for those people, smile at the cop and take a look in the back seat.”

  On the floor behind Kevin’s seat, Melissa’s hand was palm up—fingers slightly curled. Kevin held a smooth, sharp knife against her wrist. “Nooo.” Maggie breathed. Kevin met her eyes cooly. “I killed Nathan. I’ll kill her. Unless you give me a reason not to. Being my dead brother’s wife doesn’t count.” He turned her chin forward. “Now drive.”

  Maggie drove.

  ***

  “Yeah. Houston’s fine. Houston’s good, actually.”

  Maggie glanced at Kevin. His arm was still snaked over the seat. She assumed he still had the knife on Melissa. They were twenty minutes north of Austin now. The cell phone had startled her, but not Kevin. He seemed to expect the call.

  “No, we’re right on schedule.”

  Maggie glanced at Kevin again. Right on schedule for what?