Southern Comfort (16 page)

Chapter Fourteen

Were it not for the nagging fear over Rick's predicament and possible threats to her son, Analise would label her days as perfect. There had been no trouble aside from the dust storm since she'd been at Riley's, and this morning when she spoke with David, he was going on a hundred miles an hour about the agents escorting him to Texas.

It was such a relief to know that he was safe, and she was looking forward to seeing him in two days. Until then, she was going to enjoy every moment she had with Riley. It was almost like being on a honeymoon. Well, aside from the mountain of work that had to be done on the ranch. She'd never realized ranch people worked so hard. Or had such a good attitude about it.

Riley wasn't a boss who just gave orders and stood back to watch everyone else work. No indeed. He labored as anyone else on the ranch. He did take some time in the evenings to work in his shop and she'd been thrilled to start helping him.

It was such a comfortable and companionable time. She asked a million questions and he answered every one patiently. She was learning so much and finding that she really enjoyed the woodworking.

Today he'd let her help with the birth of a foal. The baby was breach and she actually got to turn the creature inside its mother and help it into the world. It was amazing and she'd been full of energy all day. She'd done laundry, cleaned, written pages of notes and had finished in time to start dinner and take a shower.

She planned on having everything ready for when Riley walked through the door. She hummed as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself. When she started to wrap the towel around her body Riley walked into the bathroom, grabbed the towel, tossed it aside and captured her for along long wet kiss.

"Oh my god, you're good at that." Her voice was soft against his lips.

He grinned and waltzed her backward into the bedroom. "We're just getting started, honey."

She forgot about everything else but him and the pleasures they shared.. When at last their passion was sated, he lowered himself down on her, rolling over with his arms locked around her so that she lay against his side. With her head on his chest, Analise closed her eyes, listening to the rapid beat of his heart and feeling her own breath trying to return to normal.

For a long time he held her there then drew back and looked into her eyes. "You make me feel like a kid again."

She laughed. "Oh god, I don't think I could have handled you as a kid, Riley Morgan."

"No?"

"Well, I would've given it my best shot, you know, but seriously, don't even ask me to stand right now."

"Well damn, and here I was going to ask about dinner."

She pinched him lightly. "Oh so that's how this goes, eh?'

"Honey you gotta feed me if I'm gonna be doing all this world-class lovin'."

Analise laughed again. "Well, when you put it that way, let's get ourselves to the kitchen. It just so happens, I have a world- class dinner ready in the oven."

"World- class?"

"You better believe it, big guy."

She started to roll away but he stopped her and when she looked at him his expression was somber. "Annie, all kidding aside, I don't expect you to wait on me. I was just kidding about—"

"Riley, I like doing this for you. I like helping on the ranch and working in the shop. I even like taking care of the house and cooking. And I especially like doing it for you. It makes me happy."

"You sure?"

"Positive."

"I like you being here, Annie. It feels like – it feels like how I always wanted life to be."

"Me too."

"So…" he reached up to stroked her side of her face. "So, maybe we could make it a permanent thing?."

"What do you mean?  I'm still married you know."

"Yeah, I know. But you could still live here. With me. And once you're divorced, if it's what you want we can—"

"Don't say it." She put her finger to his mouth. "Please. I want to be here with you. More than anything. But I don't want promises of marriage. To be honest, I don't know if that's a bridge I ever want to cross again. But we don't need a piece of paper, Riley. What I feel for you is stronger than that. I'm yours for as long as you want me."

"What if that's forever?."

"Forever sounds real good to me."

The kiss he gave her was the sweetest she'd ever received. She could feel his love and it flowed into her like warm light. When it ended she smiled at him. "Now, about that dinner?"

"Right behind you, ma'am." He rolled out of the bed and headed for the shower. "Soon as I clean up."

Analise smiled and watched him go. If only life could be like this every day.

Chapter Fifteen

Rodrick checked his rearview mirror again. It had taken far longer than he anticipated to lose the companion Moretti assigned to accompany him. The man was a bulldog, sticking to him to the point that Rodrick could barely take a piss without the man standing guard on the door.

It was in San Antonio that he'd finally managed to ditch the man. He insisted on going to a bar on Saturday night, and one that he wouldn't have frequented had desperation not demanded it. He'd even gone shopping for the night out.

Dressed in wrangler jeans, a plaid shirt, boots and a cowboy hat he purchased at a second hand store, he'd walked into walked into the country western bar at half past eleven at night. His companion, Tony, stuck out in his Italian suit and loafers, clearly identifying himself as an outsider.

Half the people there were well on their way to being drunk so it wasn't all that hard for him to start a brawl.He'd simply yelled at his companion. "Don't you fucking talk that way about Texas!"

Within thirty seconds the trouble started. Within two minutes, a fist fight ensued and within three, Rodrick was running out of the bar. He hailed a cab and asked to be taken to the hotel where they'd rented a room for the night. Five minutes later, he was packed and waiting on another cab to take him to a car rental place.

Now he was a good hundred miles from San Antonio with a rental car, a prepaid phone and a chance to get to Analise and talk her out of the money she'd taken before that psycho Moretti found him. If he could get his hands on the money, he fully intended to leave the country.

He'd spoken with someone his family did business with, a less-than-honest businessman who said he could get Rodrick to Mexico for ten thousand dollars. For another fifteen he could get Rodrick to a country with no extradition treaty with the States.

With the money Rodrick could get from Analise, he could live like a king for the rest of his life. So what that he left Gina behind?  She'd certainly proven her loyalty was to her father and not to him. This was a time to think of saving himself and that was what he fully intended to do. All he had to do was find Analise. If Moretti was correct and she was in a little backwater town called Cotton Creek it should be easy. There couldn't be that many out-of-towners in a place like that, and greasing palms was a sure way to find out her location.

Satisfied that soon he would be a free man, he hummed to himself as he headed southwest.

*****

Analise ran down the steps of the front porch and across the front yard as David stepped out of the back of the black SUV. She threw her arms around him. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Me too." He returned the hug but was the first to pull away. "This is--wow, it looks like a real ranch."

"It is." She smiled at him and then turned to look at the tall man who climbed out of the driver's door of the SUV.

"Mrs. Becke? I'm Kade Lawson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. And thank you so much."

He nodded then turned with a big smile as Riley's voice boomed out. "Kade Lawson."

"Riley."

They shook hands and Riley clapped him on the shoulder. "Appreciate you doing this, Kade."

"Happy to help. Oh, Riley, Mrs. Becke –" he gestured toward the beautiful brunette woman who was walking around the front of the SUV toward them. "My partner. Cia Whitehorse."

"Partner and wife," Cia said and stuck out her hand to Riley. "I've heard a lot about you. And while Kade told me you don't particularly like hearing it, I really enjoyed your movies. Shame you aren't doing that anymore."

"Mrs—" Riley was cut off by Cia.

"Cia. Please."

"Cia. Nice to meet you. And my thanks to you as well."

"Glad to help." She looked at Analise. "And this must be David's mom. Analise?"

Analise stuck out her hand. "I don't know how to thank you. Both of you. Knowing that David was safe – it – thank you. Thank you."

"You're welcome. And he's a great kid. Curious as a bag of cats but great."

Analise smiled. "I have lunch if you're hungry."

"I could eat." Kade replied.

"You can always eat." Cia teased.

"Then come on in." Riley gestured toward the house.

Analise hung back and walked with David. "You okay?"

"I'm not a kid, mom."

"I know that, but this is – this is not an ordinary situation."

"You mean about Dad turning out to be a thief and playing with mob money?"

Analise stopped in her tracks. "David, we don't know."

"Yeah, we do. At least the FBI does. Mom, he's in a world of shit and he's either going to go to jail or getting killed, depending on who finds him first."

"What do you mean depending on who finds him?"

"I overheard Kade and Cia talking. They thought I was asleep. He vanished a couple of days ago. That mobster has people out looking for him and the FBI has him on a no-fly list. So like I said—"

"I know, jail or getting killed."

"And before you say anything, I don't want that money. Not if he got it illegally."

"I'm proud of you for feeling that way, and I agree. I'll give it to the FBI or whatever they tell me to do. And I have enough – enough legally to help you out. I promised I'd support you until you were finished with school and that's what I'll do."

"I know you will. Never doubted it, Mom, but if I have to I can get financial aid and loans."

"But I don't want you to do that."

"But I will if I have to."

"Okay. Let's cross that bridge when we get to it. For the moment I'm just happy you're here and safe."

"I'm glad to see you but …"

When his gaze slid away she took hold of his arm. "What is it?"

"This guy, Riley. He's your friend, right?  The one you've been going on about for the last year?"

"Yes."

"Just a friend?"

Analise had never out-and-out lied to her son and she wasn't going to start now. "No, he's more than that."

"You love him?"

"Yes. I do."

"And you want to stay here with him?"

"Very much."

David shrugged. "Well, if Kade's right then I guess Riley's a pretty stand-up guy. You do know he used to be an actor, right?"

"Yeah, that was a shocker."

"But he's a good man, isn't he?"

"The best."

"Well he better be if he wants my Mom. Otherwise, I might have to break out my mad ninja skills."

Analise laughed. "I don't think that will be necessary but I do appreciate you having my back."

"Always."

"Same here."

David gave her a hug then released her. "So what'd you fix to eat?"

"Steak sandwiches, potato salad, baked beans and an apple pie."

"I'm down with that."

"Then let's get to it."

Lunch passed in an easy atmosphere. Kade and Cia were interesting people, and seemed to be wildly in love. It was easy to tell from the looks they shared. Kade told about being assigned to guard Riley when he was in Dallas on a film and all the trouble they got into.

Everyone laughed at the tale, including Riley. They were just finishing dessert, when Bobby Daniels rapped at the front door. Riley got up to answer it.

"What's up Bobby?"

"That new mare?  We're about to unload her and I figured you'd wanna be there."

"Yeah, I do. Let me grab my hat."

He walked back into the dining room. "Got a new mare that just came in and I need to be there when they unload her. Get her settled in. Moving sometimes gets 'em disconcerted."

"A horse?" David asked.

"Yes. Nice little paint I got for your mama."

"For mom?" He looked at Analise. "You can ride?"

"I can now."

"Can I go see?" He directed the question to Riley.

"Sure. Come on. Kade, you and Cia gonna be around a while?"

"Only long enough to go over some things with Analise then we're headed back to the field office to bring everyone here up to speed before we leave for DC."

"Well if I'm not back, stop by the paddock on your way out."

"Will do."

"Okay, young buck, let's do it." Riley said to David.

"You mind?" David asked Analise.

"Not at all."

"Thanks. And thanks Mr. Lawson and Mrs. Whitehorse. I appreciate everything you've done for me and my mother and I'm serious about what I said before. If you can put in a good word for me…"

"Consider it done." Kade got up to shake David's hand and Cia rose to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"You take care, Dave." She said and smiled.

"You too. Okay, I'm ready."

He left with Riley. Kade and Cia reclaimed their seats. Analise looked from one to the other. "Before we get started, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Kade mumbled around his last bite of pie.

"Who's the guy in the plaid shirt?"

Kade literally spewed. Cia grabbed a napkin and started wiping at the mess as Kade caught his breath. "What guy?"

"That one." Analise pointed across the table towards an older man with long gray hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a plaid shirt.

"You see a man sitting there?" Cia asked.

"Well of course she does, Gracie." The man said in a decidedly Southern accent then smiled at Analise. "I'm Joe."

"Nice to meet you, Joe. I'm Anali—Annie."

"Annie suits you."

"Yeah, I think it does too. So, tell me. Why didn't Riley and David notice you were here?"

"David knows I'm here. He can see me. Not everyone can."

"And why is that?"

Joe shrugged and then looked at the pie. "Mind?"

"Help yourself." She got up to get him a plate and silverware. "Would you like some sweet tea?"

"I surely would."

Analise got him a glass of tea and then sat back down at the table. "Okay, I'm really trying not to freak out here, but I get the feeling you people are not the run-of-the-mill FBI agents, so can we all put our cards on the table?"

"Amen to that." Cia agreed. "Kade and I work for a special division of the FBI, the SACU or Specialized Anomalous Crime Unit. We typically investigate any crime in which  paranormal activity is suspected."

"Paranormal? So, what are you, psychics?"

"Not all, but all do have paranormal abilities."

"Such as?"

"We have a telepath capable of communication with humans or animals, an empath who senses the physical and emotional states of others, agents who are precognitive, one skilled in retrocognition, clairvoyants, clairaudients, a clairsentient and those who have psychometric abilities. We also have people skilled in remote viewing, aura vision, one of our agents can astral project and we have two mediums."

"And you?"

"I see the dead."

Analise gestured toward Joe. "Is he dead?"

"No."

"Then what is he?"

"An angel." Kade said, then quickly added. "For lack of a better word."

"An angel." Analise looked at Joe and smiled. "Well, I could use an angel right about now."

Kade and Cia looked at one another and then at Analise. "You don't seem surprised or disturbed about what Cia just told you." Kade remarked.

Analise smiled again. "I was born in the mountains of Georgia, just a small little place populated by decent hard-working folks, including some who would have been shunned by mainstream society. My maternal grandmother was one of those. A witch."

"Wiccan?" Cia asked.

"No. She just had abilities, some of which you mentioned."

"Did you inherit any of her abilities?"

"I didn't think so – until now. Grannie could – see things. People no one else could see. So, while there's part of me that feels like the kid who wants to go hide under the bed, another part accepts it as something in the realm of possible.

"But that's not why we're all here and I'm sorry I sidetracked you. I wanted you to know upfront that I did take money from offshore accounts that my husband has. I put it all into a trust for David. I also took money from joint accounts we shared. I have those funds and I'm willing to bet they're legal. Rodrick would not have put the money in US banks if they weren't.

"I'll dissolve the trust and return the money if that's what's necessary. I only took it so that David would be provided for. He could finish school, start his life and not have to worry."

"We appreciate that, Analise." Kade looked at Cia for a moment and then continued. "However, at the moment our primary objective is locating your husband. If we can get him to testify to money laundering for organized crime, we may have a foothold to put Moretti and more like him away."