“The drug cartel will find him.” Jolene bunched her skirt in her hands. “Why did Melody keep seeing him?”
“You know your cousin liked bad boys, right? That’s why she handed me off to you. I was on the wrong side of the law for her.”
“While I’m glad she handed you off to me, as you so delicately put it, I wish she would’ve found a good guy of her own.”
“I guess the joke was on Melody because I didn’t turn out to be such a good guy, after all.”
She flashed him a quick glance. Was he fishing for compliments? That wasn’t his style.
His tight jaw and turned down mouth told her otherwise. He was still beating himself up for lying about the last time he’d hooked up with his ex.
Who was she kidding? She was still beating him up for that. Could she ever stop?
“At least you’re on the right side of the law.” Jolene bit her lip. That hadn’t come out right.
Sam snorted. “At least that.”
As they made the drive to Tucson, the sun set over the desert floor, the scattered clouds creating pink-and-orange streaks across the sky.
Sam talked about San Diego and after some tentative starts, told her more about Jess. She must’ve given him the impression that she blamed his daughter for their separation. Didn’t she? She hadn’t wanted to think about Sam with his daughter, but he seemed like a great dad and she liked this side of him. So, she encouraged him this time and learned even more about him as a man and a father.
As the signs began to herald Tucson, Jolene asked, “So, where are we going to find Gabe or Chris?”
“His address is near the university.”
“He’s not going to want to talk to us.”
“Me. I brought you along, but I want you to wait for me someplace public. I’ll deal with Contreras.”
“That’s not gonna work, and you know it, Sam. You’re not going to get any information out of him.” She held up her hand as he opened his mouth. “I have an idea. Let me finish.”
“Go ahead, but I can already tell I’m not going to like this idea of yours.”
“Chris knows me, right? Or at least Gabe does. He’ll talk to me. I have an excuse to see him. I’ll bring him the news about Melody, tell him that she confided in me that they were still a thing. I’ll get him talking. Just tell me what you want to know.”
Sam had been shaking his head during her entire speech. “Bad idea. We don’t know that he didn’t kill Melody. His prints were in her place.”
“Gabe didn’t have a motive to kill Melody. She loved him and would’ve done anything for the guy—and he knew it. She defied her brother to be with him on the sly.”
Sam flicked on the turn signal to exit the freeway. “Do you think Contreras cares about that? Melody knew too much. She was cousins with you—a woman who wanted to know more.”
“You know I’m right, Sam. He’s not going to give you the time of day. Let me go in first. You can be close by.” She snatched up her purse and unzipped it. She spread it open to show her dad’s gun. “I came prepared. I’ll be okay.”
His eyes widened. “You told me you knew how to use that thing, right?”
“Dad taught me.” She zipped up her purse and stashed it at her feet. “If it makes you feel better, I can call you first and leave the line open so you can hear everything that’s going on between us.”
“That would be dangerous.” When Sam ran his knuckles across the stubble on his jaw, she knew she’d hooked him. “I can keep out of sight while you make contact with him. He starts acting aggressive, get out of there. He asks leading questions about the casino project and your interest in it, get out of there. If he’s hostile, suspicious—”
“I know.” She snapped her fingers. “I’ll get out of there. This will work, Sam—better than the law marching in there making accusations.”
“We’ll see what the setup is first.” He hit the steering wheel with the heel of his hand. “Damn, I wish I had a wire or something to listen in—and don’t mention leaving the phone line open. Too much could go wrong in that scenario.”
A few turns after the freeway exit, and Sam was wheeling through downtown Tucson. A little more wheeling, and they’d be exiting downtown Tucson.
“How close to the campus is he?”
“Close enough to have a thriving street business with the students, if that’s his game here. He’s in an apartment off Broadway.”
Two minutes later, Sam turned onto Broadway itself, the street busy with cars. The GPS informed them they’d be turning right in two blocks.
“Looks like school started or is about to.” Sam pulled into a grocery store parking lot and took a spot near the street. “Let’s plan this attack. I’ll wait here. You take the car, so he’s not suspicious. Will he recognize you?”
“Probably.” She tossed her hair over one shoulder. “I had shorter hair, but I don’t look much different.”
His gaze appraised her, and she hoped a blush hadn’t accompanied the warmth she felt in her cheeks.
“Then I’ll tell him I’m there with news about Melody...or I’ll ask him if he heard about Melody because I’m supposed to know they’ve been seeing each other. I’ll explain that I was in town and wanted to make sure he knew what had happened. Will that work?”
“I don’t like sending you in there alone.”
“I won’t be alone.” She dragged her purse into her lap and patted it. “I’ll have Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson with me.”
Sam rolled his eyes. “Now, I’m really worried. That gun is a Glock.”
“Better yet.” She hitched the purse over her shoulder. “I’ll have Ms. Glock with me.”
“Okay, this is where you and Ms. Glock are going.” He rattled off the address, and then slipped out of the car.
She
