When she’d walked to the window and stared out, he’d wondered for a second if she could have heard the pounding of his heart but dismissed that thought immediately. Instead, her gaze held him captive and not the other way around. He wished the window would have had no covering so he would have been able to see her more clearly. Who was she? Why didn’t the older woman go with the rest of the family on their trip? Their intel had been that the entire family was traveling.
Alonzo Garza ran the Mexican side of their drug kingdom with an iron fist, hidden underneath the exclusive winery the family owned, giving them status and legitimacy in circles that wouldn’t have accepted their alternate business. His brother Vincent had immigrated to America as a young man, providing the across-the-border contact needed. While Alonzo and his current wife, Ann, had no children, Vincent and his deceased first wife had two, Juan and Maria. He was now married to Cheryl, an American he’d met through a charity event. While the two brothers had been on the radar of the FBI and DEA for several years, their cartel movements had been difficult to prove.
Vincent and his family had been visiting Alonzo, which they did often, then they all left for a weekend stay at their vacation home in Las Cabos, Mexico. All except the older woman and the nurse. The beautiful nurse with soulful eyes. Standing, he placed his empty beer can into the recycle container, giving his head a shake. Soulful eyes? Where the fuck did that thought come from?
He left the deck and moved into his house. Still restless, he stepped into the shower, hoping the hot water would drive the mission’s thoughts from his mind as well as the dirt from his body. Drying off, his gaze snagged on the scars on his right leg. He rarely thought about them, but now his fingertips skimmed the rough skin. And the image of the beautiful nurse floated across his thoughts, causing his fingers to twitch.
She wasn’t the only thing that came to mind. Another nurse, another time, another place. An IED explosion. Twisted, hot metal. Several men were dead, and Carson was trapped underneath with enemy fire approaching. Mace’s team took out the threat while Mace lifted the weight of vehicle parts from Carson, allowing him to crawl out. Injured but not severely, he and Mace made it back to Mace’s team, and Mace’s medic took care of him until he got to the base hospital. He required surgery to remove some of the shrapnel, and the face of a young Army nurse holding his hand as he faded into oblivion had stayed in his memory. She also had soulful eyes, and he wondered if that was a permanent condition with those who saw daily suffering.
But the one tonight works for a cartel drug lord. Drying off before he crawled into bed, Carson grimaced at his uncharitable thought. Maybe she’s got no choice who she works for. That would make her like a lot of people in the area.
Pulling the covers up, glad for his room-darkening curtains, he emptied his mind as he’d trained himself to do and fell asleep.
2
Jeannie had not slept well. Tossing and turning all night, she could not shake the sensation that she’d been watched. Sure, she’d seen guards around the winery, but they weren’t usually near the guesthouse. Climbing from bed, she dragged her fingers through her hair, pulling it away from her face. Snorting, she shook her head. Watched? Why the hell would I think last night would be any different? The truth was everything about the Garzas’ hospitality caused her Spidey-Senses to stay on alert. And she had no idea why.
Maybe it was those years as an Army nurse in a war zone. Maybe it was the subsequent years as an ER nurse in a busy Los Angeles hospital. She’d developed an intuition and knew just before the helicopters or convoy would come in bearing the injured servicemen and women. Same with the ER. It was as though she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck prickle just before the ambulances would scream to a halt outside the doors, and she knew something awful was getting ready to roll in.
And maybe I’m just tired and cranky with an overactive imagination, ready to go home. All of the Garza family had been welcoming. Well, Juan was a little handsy. But they only wanted the best for Maggie, and Jeannie didn’t mind the change of pace. Especially considering I have no idea what’s next for me.
Desiring to be ready before Maggie needed her, she hurried into the shower, taking the time to luxuriate under the spa steam shower. She washed her long hair, loving the expensive conditioner that had been placed in the guesthouse for her use. The Garzas’ guesthouse was nicer than any accommodations she’d ever had and immensely better than the Red Cross housing she’d left last week. It housed three large bedrooms, each with its own attached bathroom. The living room was filled with comfortable furniture, and the dining room was separated from the well-appointed kitchen by a large island complete with a stocked wine refrigerator.
The windows overlooked the mansion gardens on one side, the distant mountains on another, and the expanse of the vineyards from the living room. All picture-perfect. All expensive. All completely out of Jeannie’s league.
Meeting Maggie had been pure chance and luck. Working as a volunteer Red Cross nurse in the ER at the local hospital, Jeannie was at the end of her shift when Maggie was rushed in after having fallen while walking through the village shopping area. Her niece, Cheryl, had been hysterical, but Jeannie managed to calm her down while making sure Maggie was taken to x-ray. Once it was ascertained that she did not break her hip or leg, it was Jeannie who stayed past her shift to keep Maggie company. It was obvious when the Garza family descended upon the hospital they had either financial or political pull as the staff immediately snapped to attention, wanting to meet their every need.
While chatting with Maggie, Jeannie discovered she was visiting Mexico while traveling with her niece’s family. They were going to be leaving the area in a couple of days to visit the coast, but the doctor insisted that Maggie needed to rest. When Maggie looked at her and wished that Jeannie could be her nurse, the Garzas’ influence stepped in. When they’d asked Jeannie if she would take the position of Maggie’s nurse while she recuperated for several weeks, Jeannie explained that she was a Red Cross volunteer.
An hour later, she was In the Red Cross administration office being encouraged to accept the position.
“Doctor Cortez, I don’t understand. I have another week on my Red Cross contractual agreement to work in this hospital.”
“I understand, Ms. Carnes, but I have the ability to waive that contract.”
“Why would you do that? It’s obvious that the Garzas could afford any private nurse.”
“That’s true, but it appears that Margaret Collins has specifically requested you. And since, through her niece, she’s related to the Garzas, an influential family in our area who, I might add, provides large endowments to our hospital, I would encourage you to take the position.”
“I expected to fly back to California next week—”
“You told me your plans to return to your hospital in California were fluid. I think you’ll find that your travel plans can be just as fluid.” He lifted his brow. “Ms. Carnes, I cannot force you to take the temporary position of a private nurse with Margaret Collins, even at the insistence of the Garza family. But think of it this way: they own a lovely winery, have room in their guesthouse for you and her, and they will pay very well. Consider it a paid vacation for a few weeks until you can accompany her back to the States.”