over every vehicle. Glenn is charming, he’s altered his appearance somewhat, he could have said any number of things to convince the couple to drive him across. Seriously, everyone is warned about bringing passengers from Mexico into California, but in reverse?”
Will knew Hans was right, but what was he going to tell Robin? Once in Mexico it was up to the Federal government to extradite him and the Mexican government rarely helped. The American government had no authority down there.
“I have LEGAT on it and they’re going straight to the top. No playing around on this one. But-”
“But we probably won’t get any help.”
Hans glanced around, made sure no one was eavesdropping. “I might have someone who can look around for us. Completely off-the-record.”
“Who?”
“A friend of mine. I’ve worked with him in the past, he has contacts everywhere.”
Will told Hans firmly, “You find him; I’ll bring him back.”
“You can’t, Will, and you know it. But my friend can.”
Will nodded. Hans said, “I’ll make the call.”
Robin had been trying to paint all day, with little success. Worry about her business, Theodore Glenn, the nice Jim Gage being killed in his own home-everything she attempted to create on canvas looked as bleak as she felt. So when Will came by late that afternoon, she relished the break-until she looked into his tired, worried eyes.
“I don’t even want to ask, but something happened.”
Will said, “Glenn slipped out of town.”
“He’s not here? How do you know?”
“He was spotted crossing the border into Mexico. Tijuana.”
Robin blinked rapidly. “And no one stopped him?”
“I watched the security camera tape. He changed his hair-added some gray-and he has on dark contact lenses. Very average looking. And he wasn’t alone. He had two seniors with him.”
“Are they okay?”
“We have an officer at their house waiting for them to return. We ran their license, we know who they are-no record, not even unpaid parking tickets. We spoke to their neighbors and learned that they go down one Friday a month to meet with some retired teachers’ group. They’ll be back tonight and we’ll talk to them. Find out where they left Glenn, if he said anything.” Will looked at Robin, rubbed her chin. “We will find him.”
“He’s gone.” The stress of the last six days intensified. He was gone…but for how long? “Is the Federal government going after him?” Will averted his eyes, just a fraction, but Robin knew he was keeping something from her. “What is it? Will, what aren’t you telling me?”
“It’s not-”
“Don’t tell me it’s not important. If it’s about Theodore Glenn, it’s important! I need to know.”
“He killed Sara Lorenz. Stabbed her to death last night.”
She sat heavily on the couch. “I–I want to feel bad. But she helped him. She
“He also left me a letter. Told me he was going to Mexico.”
“And?”
Will didn’t say anything for a long minute.
“Dammit, Will, I’m not a fragile flower. Tell me!”
“He said he was coming back. I just won’t know when.”
Robin took a deep breath. This had been what she feared, in some ways more than facing Glenn again. Knowing he was free, waiting to pounce on her. Taking his time.
“I’m not going to let him touch you. Robin, we have everyone looking for him. The Feds have people in Mexico. We are on the border-”
“You were supposedly on the border before he crossed it, too,” she snapped, feeling bad for taking it out on Will. “I’m sorry, it’s not you-”
“Don’t apologize. I know how you feel, Robin. I feel the same way.”
She shook her head. “No. No, you don’t. I’ve put my life on hold. I hired a bodyguard. I closed my business. I’ve barely left my loft. I’m trapped. All because of
She stood, walked over to the window and looked down at the crowded street below. “I’ve been living in fear for seven years, even while he was in prison. The dark scares me because I immediately think about Anna. Falling in her blood. I sleep with the lights on like a little girl. I have a gun because I think it can save me, but only I can do that. Only I can take back my life.”
She faced Will. “He’s not going to have power over me anymore. I’m not going to let him.” She stepped toward Will, a weight lifting from her heart. Saying the words out loud,
Will grabbed her, pulled her tight against his body, his lips pressed hard on hers. She opened her mouth, tasted him, a free woman at last. Free and in love.
“Robin,” he murmured. “You’ve never let anyone control you.”
He ran both his hands through her hair and she leaned into his caress. “I will do anything, Robin,
She touched his face. “Will-” She kissed him. “I’m glad we found each other again. Older and wiser.”
He rested his forehead on hers and she breathed in his warm scent. “I have to go.”
She nodded
“Being involved with a cop isn’t easy. It’s not a regular nine-to-five job.”
“Neither is running a nightclub.”
“I want to share everything with you, Robin, but some of it isn’t pretty.”
“You certainly don’t have to tell me that.”
“No, I don’t.” He paused. “How long are you going to keep Mario around?”
“I told Isabelle-who manages the art gallery-that Mario would handle security for the event.”
“Good.”
“But Sunday is Mario’s last day. I’m not going to have a bodyguard for the rest of my life. I can’t live like that.”
“You’ll have me.”
“That I can live with.”
It was six when Will arrived back at the station. Carina had already written up the report on the Sara Lorenz homicide. “During the canvass,” she said, “neighbors said that Sara was friendly, kept to herself, and told everyone she was an attorney. In fact, she was a paralegal but has been putting herself out as a lawyer. Doug found more money and the Feds are locking it down. Dominguez and Hazelwood met with the bank manager this morning, with a warrant from Stanton, and we now have all the bank records and contents of a safe-deposit box.”
“Busy day for everyone, not just us,” Will said. “What was in the box?”
“You’re not going to like it.” She slid over a folder.
Inside were copies of photographs of Robin. They’d been taken over time, over at least two years. “Sara,” Will said.
Carina nodded. “Sara kept a journal of Robin’s movements for the last twenty-six months, much more intensive in the last year since she started working at the Sin under the name of Gina Clover. There were also letters from Glenn to Sara about how to circumvent the system, how to create corporations within corporations, things like that. We have a good chunk of their correspondence and Doug is going over it now to create a better time line.”
“We know the gist of it.” Will looked through the pictures. Robin at the art gallery. Robin at work. Robin at
