The Texas Ranger's Family (13 page)

After phoning the Jehovah Witnesses Kingdom Hall number printed on the magazine, Kit asked if their people had been passing out magazines in northwest Austin. No one could give him a definitive answer. Call back tomorrow.

He intended to do that after he went to the office in the morning. Kit had already set up a 9:00 a.m. meeting with the FBI agent working on the accounting investigation at LifeSpan. While he was checking some new emails on his laptop, his phone rang. He picked up when he saw who was calling.

“Cy? I thought you were on a case.”

“I am, and something has turned up that might have a bearing on yours. Can you talk?”

“Yes.”

“When I gave TJ an update on my investigation, he informed me about your case and suggested we share any new information.”

“Does he see a link?”

“I think it's more of a hunch.”

“If you're coming in to headquarters in the morning, let's talk then. I plan to be there by six-thirty.”

“I'll be in around seven and find you.”

“Sounds good.”

“Luckey told me you nailed it at the rodeo. That's no surprise. Brandon could very well be the champion in December.”

“We're hoping.”

“So how are the widow and the priest? I've felt left out.”

Kit's smile turned into a chuckle. “You guys never give up.”

“As I recall you were relentless while I was protecting Kellie. Has the boss's advice been a help?”

He took a deep breath. “You
know
it hasn't.”

“Yup. That's what I thought. See you in the morning.” He was gone before Kit had a chance to say goodbye.

Kit would need surveillance on Natalie first thing in the morning. He made one more call, this time to headquarters to set it up. No sooner had he rung off than his phone sounded again. It was ten after ten. His mother. He'd been expecting this.

“Hi, Mom.”

“I hope you have a minute to talk. We didn't get a chance at the arena. Thank you for hazing for Brandon. Thank you for being a wonderful son.” Kit heard the tears in her voice.

“Luckily the captain gave me a day off that allowed me to do it.”

“Brandon was so grateful. He told me Mrs. Harris is a friend of yours.”

He'd been waiting for her to say something about Natalie. “She is.”

“That little girl of hers is darling.”

“Agreed. Mom? I'm still working on a case so I'll have to say good-night.”

“All right.”

“When this latest one is wrapped up, we'll all get together and take a little trip somewhere.” He knew his mother worried about her bachelor sons, but that was an area where he couldn't help her out.

“I'd love that!”

“So would I, but I've got to go. Love you, Mom. Talk to you soon.”

By the time he walked through the house to check the locks and turn off the lights, he discovered Natalie had gone to bed. Their talk last night had changed the atmosphere between them. She'd blamed herself for getting out of the car before he'd given her the signal.

All day she'd been careful to do everything right. Now she'd disappeared on him. He needed this case to be solved so they could behave naturally with each other.

Janie's unexpected appearance had made him realize he'd crossed the line in his mind. And in so doing, he'd left himself vulnerable. That meant he'd have to watch every step to ensure Natalie and Amy's safety, but it was getting harder and harder to do. Against his better judgment, his desire for Natalie had been growing, and now all he really wanted to do was to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

Chapter Seven

Kit's watch alarm went off at six. He got up and out of the house before anyone else stirred. After leaving a note on the counter that he'd be at headquarters if Natalie needed to talk to him, he left in his car. A rug-cleaning service van was parked across the street. He nodded to the guys and drove downtown.

At work he stopped in the makeshift lunch room where he poured two cups of coffee and grabbed a couple of doughnuts. When he reached his office, the first thing he saw was a forensics report in his in-basket. He put the food on the desk and reached for the printout.

The DNA from the black hair found in Rodney Harris's car was a match for the DNA of felon Juanita Morales. Kit didn't need to read the rest. The case was coming together. Where in the hell were she and Alonzo hiding out? How soon could Natalie expect another visit?

“Kit?”

Cy had arrived. “Come on in and have breakfast with me.”

“Don't mind if I do.” They sat across from each other. Cy bit into a doughnut. “The guys were right. Anyone would think you're a priest.” He squinted at his friend. “Is the collar providing enough protection?”

“What do you think?” Kit muttered before taking a sip of the hot coffee.

“I can only speak from my own experience. A week into my undercover role as Kellie's husband and I wanted it to be real. I take it that's the place where you are about now.”

“You're not a Ranger for nothing.” Kit let out a frustrated sigh. “I swear I'm going to go crazy if I don't catch up with the Morales duo soon.”

Cy leaned forward to reach for his cup. “That's why I'm here. After talking with TJ, I sent you an email. Open it and take a look.”

Kit turned to the computer and found Cy's email.

Marcos Garcia, 63, of Sunset Valley, Austin, Texas, convicted of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. He's been ordered to pay restitution totaling $400,000 by US District Court Judge Richard Salazar.

The Assistant US Attorney who handled the case stated that Garcia was an employee of the Empire Guaranty Mortgage Company based in Houston. He was responsible for preparing loan packages and forwarding the documents to financial institutions that provide financing and advisory services for assets management.

Kit looked up from his reading. “How do loan packages like these work?”

“In legal transactions, financial institutions purchase loans originated by mortgage companies, allowing the mortgage company to receive immediate payment and the financial institution to collect the interest.”

“How exactly was Garcia implicated?”

“During this scheme, he signed a number of loan documents using various names. He forwarded these documents to multiple investor financial institutions, one of which was Austin Metroplex Bank. In effect, Garcia set it up so that there were numerous loans all connecting back to a single property, a fact that was not disclosed to the financial institutions.”

“Ah.”

“The proceeds of the fraudulent loans were subsequently wired into the account of a company associated with Empire Guaranty Mortgage Company. It's a bogus company. The name Julia Varoz comes up on the records, but there's no live body to prove she exists. As a result of Garcia's actions, Austin Metroplex Bank was one of nine financial institutions to suffer a loss. The total fraud scheme amounted to approximately twenty-five million dollars.”

Kit let out a whistle. “Why does TJ feel this case touches on the one I'm investigating?”

Cy's brows lifted. “Julia Varoz is missing and so is four-hundred-thousand dollars. You're looking for Juanita and Alonzo Morales. One or both of them ransacked Natalie Harris's house looking for that exact sum of money.”

“So TJ is thinking Julia could be Juanita, but the alias hasn't come up on the criminal index.”

“Not yet. The connection I see is that Park withdrew four-hundred thousand from his account the day before he was murdered. Garcia owes that amount in restitution for his crime, but he's behind bars and Julia Varoz is missing.”

“So maybe all four of them have been pulling off two cons at the same time,” Kit mused aloud.

“It's possible.”

Kit's thoughts shot ahead. “Juanita might be the girlfriend trying to find that money to help Garcia when he's released from prison. Maybe she turned on Harold.”

“I don't know. But think about it... Garcia's only serving an eighteen-month sentence. Maybe Park double-crossed them and hid the money where they couldn't get at it.”

“Esger made fraudulent documents for Juanita, but she might have found another forger to make her a new Varoz alias in order to run that dummy account for Garcia. But to find the right forger is a tough order.”

“Yup.” Cy finished off his coffee. “I've got to get going, but I wanted to give you something to chew on. Knowing you, you'll find the common denominator.”

“Back at you. Your instincts are never wrong, Cy. Neither are TJ's. This could be huge.”

He stood. “We'll just keep pecking away.”

“Amen to that.”

Deep in thought after Cy left, Kit went to the conference room to meet with the FBI agent working on the LifeSpan accounting fraud. He added his input. After they concluded their meeting, he left the building for the Kingdom Hall Center.

* * *

A
S
SOON
AS
Natalie put Amy down for her nap at two, she went into the kitchen and called the nursing home in Denver. Today a service had been held for Amy's great-grandmother. The older woman had been on Natalie's mind.

“Cottonwood Nursing Home.”

“Hello. My name is Natalie Harris. I'm calling to speak to someone who handled the funeral service for Gladys Park earlier today.”

“Oh. That would be Mrs. Issac. I'll connect you.” In a moment another voice came on the line.

“Hello? Mrs. Harris?”

“Yes. Thank you for answering. I want to know how the service went for Gladys Park. I sent flowers and wondered if you'd received them.”

“We certainly did. The carnations were just lovely.”

“I'm glad. Can you tell me anything about the service?”

“Well, the pastor said a few words and then one of the patients here spoke. Several of her friends from the church came. Also the podiatrist who took care of her sore feet right before she died. Gladys was well loved.”

“I'm so glad to hear it. By any chance was there a picture taken? I'd like to have one for my daughter's scrapbook.”

“I did take some for the pastor with his camera. He wanted to post the photos at the church in Gladys's memory and asked me to be sure I caught one of the floral arrangement with her name on it in gold letters.”

“I'd love to have copies. Could I have his phone number?”

“Of course. You left your information when you were here. I'll email his number to you right now.”

“Thank you so much.”

“You're very welcome.”

Natalie got off the phone and opened her laptop. As soon as she received the information, she phoned the number of Pastor Sidney Clark. Her call went to his voice mail. She left a message with her phone number and hung up.

She had no idea when she'd hear from him. Time was weighing heavy on her hands. Kit hadn't called and he'd left early this morning. Amy had asked for him several times throughout the day, and every time the little girl said his name, it echoed in Natalie's heart.

It was no good waiting for the phone to ring. She picked it up and dialed Jillian, but her voice mail picked up, as well. Colette would be at work, so it would be better to talk to her tonight.

Natalie went to her bedroom and turned on her TV. She skimmed through the channels. As she was trying to get interested in a program on supernovas, her cell rang. The screen indicated a Colorado area code. She reached for it and said hello.

“Mrs. Harris? This is Pastor Clark returning your call.”

“Thank you so much, Pastor. I spoke with Mrs. Issac from the nursing home and I understand you had pictures taken at the service for Gladys Park.”

“Yes. For the posting board in the foyer of the church. I like our flock to know and remember our church members.”

“That's a lovely thing to do. She's my daughter's great-grandmother. I've made a baby book for her and I'd love to have copies of the photos. Would it be possible for you to send them to me?

“Of course. I'll ask my secretary to forward them to your email address.” Natalie gave him her information; he promised to take care of it right away.

“You have no idea how much this means to me. Before we hang up, could you tell me how long you knew Gladys?”

“Oh, my, maybe twenty years. She and her husband Joseph were faithful members.”

“I married her grandson late in her life and only met her last week. I took my daughter with me so she could see her.”

“I visited her later that very day,” he commented. “She told me how happy your visit made her. Bless you for coming to see her. She died holding on to that memory.”

Natalie's eyes filled with tears. Without Kit, that trip to Denver would never have happened. “I'm thankful she had you to watch over her, Pastor. You don't know how much I appreciate your kindness. Do you know where she was interred?”

“Fairmount Cemetery next to her husband and their son and his wife.”

“One day when my daughter is older, we'll go there. I'll look forward to receiving those photos. Thanks again.”

“You're welcome, Mrs. Harris. God bless you.”

Thrilled to have made contact, Natalie got off the phone and went to the kitchen to make some kind of a treat for Kit to thank him. She took her laptop with her and put it on the kitchen table.

What would he love? After some thought she decided to make brownies. Once they'd cooled she would ice them with peppermint frosting then pour melted chocolate chips over the top. The trick was to cut them into squares before the chocolate set. Her mom's recipe had always been a huge hit.

An hour later Amy awakened. Natalie brought her into the kitchen and set her up so she could play with the tins in the kitchen cupboard. She dangled the measuring spoons on a ring in front of her. Amy saw them. “Mama.” She lifted her hands.

“Say ‘spoons.'”

“Spoons.”

“Yes.” She kissed her cheeks. “Spoons.”

Laughter bubbled out of Natalie. She found a wooden spoon so her daughter could pound on the bottoms of the saucepans. While she started cutting the brownies, she heard the text alert from her phone and glanced at the screen.

Driving into the garage.

Kit was home! Joy, joy, joy.

* * *

W
HEN
K
IT
WALKED
into the house he was bombarded by the delicious smell of chocolate. He had to stop when he reached the kitchen because Amy sat surrounded by pots and pans and utensils, blocking his path.

“Kit!” She showed him the measuring spoons she held in one hand. “Spoons!” In the other she gripped a wooden spoon that she pounded on everything she could find. He burst into laughter and got down on his haunches. Picking up a potato masher, he tapped along on a couple of tins.

In the midst of all this he shot Natalie a glance. In her nautical-striped top and white shorts, those long legs made his breath catch. “I think your daughter might be turning into a drummer. Look at her go!”

Her radiant smile was unexpected after the tension between them last night. “I've been listening to her repertoire since she got up from her nap. Show her the ice cream scoop and ask her what it is.”

He did as she suggested and held it in front of Amy. “What's this?”

“Scoop!”

Her answer amused him so much he picked up a heart-shaped cookie cutter. “What's this?”

“Cookie!”

That was close enough. He was having too much fun to quit. He found the spatula and lifted it.

“Spat!” She'd put her heart into it.

“Yes.
Spat
ula. You're even smarter than I realized.” Kit leaned forward and kissed the top of her golden curls. She smelled sweet, like Natalie. Heavenly.

“You're home early,” Natalie observed.

He looked up into those fabulous green eyes. “Yup. I could smell those brownies all the way to headquarters and decided to come home in time to sample them. Is that permitted?”

“I made them for you.” She put half a dozen of the small squares on a plate and carried it to the table with some napkins.

“What's the occasion?”

He watched her open a jar of Vienna sausages and hand her daughter one. “It's a special thank-you. Would you like coffee or tea?”

“How about milk?”

“Coming right up.” She poured him a glass and brought it to the table. Kit got up from the floor and joined her.

“What did I do to deserve all this?”

“I talked to the pastor who officiated at the service for Gladys today. He said our visit gave her peace before she died.” Kit could tell she was fighting tears. “I'll never forget that you made that visit possible. You could have gone on your own to get information. But being the kind of person you are, you included Amy and me, even though it would have been easier for you to go alone.”

“It was my pleasure, Natalie.”

“You're such a good man. The pastor said that Gladys and Joseph Park were revered members of the congregation. That means everything to me. One day I'll take Amy to visit her grandparents and great-grandparents at the cemetery.” She cleared her throat. “He had pictures taken at the service to post at his church. I asked him to email me copies for Amy's baby book.”

“Have they come yet?”

“I'll look after I put Amy in the high chair. It's time for her dinner.”