Flying in Shadows (The Black Creek Series, Book 2) (32 page)

He would then break down the binary code back into the series of keystrokes that made
up the ID and password into the data system. And cha ching.

Duncan came in wearing a ball cap. He pulled up a chair next to him in the back corner,
facing away from the café's only security camera. Low budget.

"That one's already popped up. ID is pnmartinez. Password is PNbemine 2. I was waiting
for someone with better clearance," Duncan said.

"How do you remember that shit?" Andy shook his head. "Let's try her out. We're not
looking for dish on a high profile."

Sure enough, there it was. Reports of a series of robberies tied to assault in and
around the city of Managua. Then, there was nothing. In clicking further, they saw
the face... and the name.

* * *

"May I come in?" Andy knocked hard enough to open the cracked door of Dave's office.

Dave rolled his eyes annoyingly as Officer Savage walked directly to the case board
and pulled across a blank sheet.

"I have some information regarding Rose's father, biological father." He handed a
folder to Dave.

As Dave opened it, Andy recited, "Miguel Ramirez. Born in Managua, Nicaragua, to a
Beatrice Ramirez. Apparently, his father, listed as unknown, was white. Miguel is
wanted in Nicaragua for robbery and assault. Last sighting was twenty years ago."

Dave's brow deepened heavily.

Officer Savage interjected as she looked over his shoulder. "How did you get these?"

How could he explain that he hacked into a foreign state database? "They were anonymously
given to me."

"That's bullshit," she blurted out, then repeated, "How did you get these?"

Dave held a hand out to her, signaling it was time for her to stand down. Andy appreciated
it. "It would be helpful to know the source, son."

Andy sighed. No way around it. "I can't tell you that, sir. I'm sorry. There's a picture
of him on the back page. He was younger, of course, but it's him." He sat on the edge
of Dave's desk. "What now?"

Dave rubbed his fingers across his five o'clock shadow. "Now, you take my daughter
far away from here. Keep your phone on you. I'll call if I find out anything." Dave
looked to him. "Anything, rest assured. Call when you get there and if you change
locations." Dave took out a business card, set the file down and wrote on the back.
"This is my personal cell. Don't call reception."

Andy nodded and stood.

Dave held out his hand. "And, Andy... thanks."

* * *

"I've spent weeks at your action center," Andy said. "Now, I want you to see my life."

Rose closed her eyes as he closed his hand around hers as he drove. He lifted their
joined fingers and kissed the back of her soft skin.

"Buildings aren't just for the rich or the careless," he went on. "They can be formed
to be practical, efficient. They can be pieces of art or a combination of both. Certain
cultures or religions enjoy specific characteristics that solidify the distinctness
between their buildings, creating unity and community."

Rose had always carried an interest in his passions, even though they weren't hers.
However, he couldn't seem to keep her from worrying about taking her first leave in
eight years or about leaving her mother. Amanda had dealt with this Michael for years.
That was rough.

"Roman Catholics traditionally incorporated pointed arches, ribbed vaults and Gothic
flying buttresses." He drove while using hand gestures to describe details. "Expertly,
the characteristics lent themselves to appeal to emotions. Methodists took a more
conservative approach with common Greek Revival architecture, using lancet-arched
windows that flanked the entrances."

Rose worked not to let the images, or the blood rushing through her veins, spoil her
time away with Andy. Pieces of tension softened as she realized she could never once
remember Andy giving himself to her so openly about his work before.

"Synagogues generally contain an ark, called an aron ha-kodesh where Torah scrolls
are kept." He lifted his eyebrows up and down dramatically.

She had never thought of it before, but now, she did think about the similarities
between churches.

"Some architects, on the other hand, focus their work on whoever is to be the owner.
The customer. Personalizing a building to the buyer. That's what I work to do. I love
creating... where there wasn't before. Catering to the individuality of the buyer's
tastes and practical needs." He looked to her. "Are you comfortable?"

"Quite." And, she was nearly completely cured of any vacation guilt. She smiled, looking
down at their hands.

"What is it, then?"

"Nothing, really. I had no idea so much went into design and really had no idea how
thoroughly you've learned about it. I guess I could say, however, that Nathan has
a plane."

He glanced over as he drove and smiled his thousand-watt smile that forever made her
knees weak. "It's not that far now, and I've already used the plane once this year...
to get to a protest."

A picture of a knight in shining armor flashed through her mind. Laughing, she responded,
"Thanks for that. How are the lots selling?"

"About half sold. It's incredible, really. Since then, I've started to look into other
ways to interest the tree hug... to interest the green population."

She turned to face him now, resting the side of her head on the seat.

"I've found organizations that take donations for the purchase and planting of trees
in third world countries. Fruit trees, trees that produce syrup and rubber trees.
I'm beginning to have customers search me out because they know I'll donate a dozen
trees for each one torn down from an excavation."

Her heart softened as she watched him gesture wildly with his free hand as he explained.
He'd always been so smooth.

"Everyone wins. I get the business. The tree huggers... sorry... get a clear conscience
with their new house. Poor folks get a way to support themselves, not just a perishable
hand out."

The term
tree hugger
didn't bother her, but his need to apologize did. "How will we make this work, you
and I?"

"As we were meant to. What kind of question is that?"

"Don't pretend like you don't see the vast differences between us."

"Not a problem. We've already begun to piece that together. Were you listening?"

"Of course, I was listening. About the tree huggers," she said flatly and had almost
completely forgotten about her worries by this time, about anything but him.

"And about this..." He turned up a drive that was quite literally out in the middle
of nowhere. The building at the end was expansive; a waterfall in the forefront flowed
beneath the place and away. Visually uncomfortable concrete slabs jetted out from
different angles in aesthetic form. Thick wooden beams and natural stone lined the
walls and framed the different areas of the... Home? she wondered.

They parked with the other visiting cars. Andy stretched after he opened her door
and held out a hand for her. "Come. Let me share a land developer and builder's work
that holds a touch of Rose."

They strolled through the home like the tourists they were. She'd never seen anything
like it. An actual home filled with serene character, surrounded by an earthy theme.
She felt intensely touched he would bring her all the way out here. To a building
that was formed around nature, with nature.

"It's called organic architecture. Drama, disagreements and all-out fights went into
building this girl."

She was in awe of the structure, the flow and the character. The rooms were immense
with shiny stone floors and built-in planter boxes scattered about. Walls of ceiling-to-floor
windows overlooked massive cantilevers and one waterfall that seemed to lead into
another. All were nestled tightly among a forest of towering trees that were, indeed,
in the middle of no where. No city, no interstate. Mostly, she melted into a puddle
at the sight of Andy showing off like a proud dad.

"There've been problems with this building." He stepped in front of her. "Water leakage,
rotting boards."

She recognized his purposeful metaphorical comparison to their relationship and smiled
warmly at him.

Facing her on the front balcony with the sound of the water rushing beneath them,
he knelt to one knee. "And the girl still stands. Through the fighting. Through the
changes. Because the foundation is solid, unwavering." He pulled a ring from the pocket
of his jeans and held it out to her. "Because the ones who love it worked to keep
it strong, keep it new." He took her hands in his. "Be mine, Rosemarie. Forever. I
don't care if you want to keep your name. I love you. Marry me."

She pulled him from the stone floor, flooded with love and covered in peace. "I've
been in love with you since I was old enough to be in love." She held out her left
hand. "Of course I'll marry you." The diamond was oval with two smaller on either
side. A thin line of white gold twined around the two smaller, joining them to the
solitaire. She looked into his caramel eyes. "I don't want to keep my name."

She watched as his eyelids closed hard. He sighed deeply and kissed the wrist of her
ringed hand, her palm and around to the ring on her third finger. When he opened,
he gently pulled her toward him, pressing their lips together in smooth, drawn out
velvet.

* * *

"Are you leaving for real this time?" Brie gave Duncan a smile that he recognized
didn't reach her eyes.

He sighed and walked to her, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her on
the top of her head. "I'll be back. I've got the house to check on now."

Her smile was slight but this time sincere. "I know of a pair of excellent landscape
artists when you're ready."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

The smile remained but her brows dropped slightly. "I can't believe I never knew,
never even suspected."

Duncan followed her subject change. "She made sure of it."

"I'm her best friend, her coworker. And I should have known Amanda would never turn
to drugs unless something heavy was going on. How sad and lonely for her. I haven't
seen her shine like she is with Dave since, since... well Dave."

"It was Ramirez I saw. I don't know what he wanted, but Rose will be safe with Andy
while Dave heats up the investigation." Purposely, he sat and rested his arm lazily
on the back of his chair as a way to show his aunt he was in no hurry.

Following his lead, Brie sat next to him and rested her chin in her hands. "You say
you really saw him?" She shivered.

"Mmm." He nodded. "Dave's assistant is suspicious of me."

Brie let her hands drop. "What? Why?"

"She thinks I'm involved... that I shouldn't have been able to sketch him in such
detail."

She leaned back, contemplating something. It was several seconds before she spoke.
"Why don't you just tell her?"

He was sure his eyes didn't reveal his surprise. Surely, his pause was twice as long
as Brie's had been. He shook his head ever so slightly to her before he changed the
subject and added, "It's better that Andy took the information we... umm... gathered
to the station on his own."

Of course Brie would follow his lead. She was that kind of person. She covered her
ears and said, "See nothing, hear nothing."

Chapter 26

Andy opened the door for Rose to the expansive hotel room. "I wanted the penthouse
suite but thought you might spend the night thinking of how you could have used the
money at the action center."

A white couch and chairs were arranged in a sitting area on one side, a tall table
with leather barstools on the other. A walk-out balcony led to padded lounging chairs.
A tray of fresh fruit was arranged and visible through the small refrigerator's clear
door. Champagne set on ice near an enormous, round bed covered with a dozen ringlet
pillows.

"This is the best you could do?" She ran like a child and jumped on the bed, spreading
her arms and legs like she was making a snow angel.