VEILED MIRROR (15 page)

Jason tucked the gun in his waistband and the flashlight under his arm, then cupped his hands around his mouth. “Hang on, Beth! I’m coming to get you. I’ll be right back!”

“I’ll be here.” He smiled at her attempt at humor, but his heart clenched at the same time. He could barely hear her. She must be exhausted. He had to hurry. He turned, just in time to see a dark shape swinging a mallet toward his head.

Jason twisted and the blow fell on his injured shoulder. Pain cut like lightning through his body, as breath fled his lungs. The mallet lifted again for another blow. There was no time to pull his weapon. Jason threw himself at the other man, grappling for control. His opponent pushed him back. Jason barely kept his feet, but he pulled the man with him. The water tore by, only inches away. Ignoring the pain, Jason landed two solid blows to the man’s belly. The man grunted as each connected, then tried to twist away. Jason held on and drew back for another punch. Before it landed, the ground beneath their feet collapsed, pitching them into the buffeting flood.

The cold torrent hit him like a body slam. His mouth filled with gritty water as he struggled to right himself in the swirling flow. The maelstrom pulled him under and rolled him over. Jason toed off his shoes and struck out for the other shore. He was downstream from Beth now. He had to get to her. He couldn’t allow this beastly flood to carry him away from her.

He had to get to her, before the killer did.

Jason kicked, pushing against the buffeting current, cleaving the water with strong strokes, angling upstream for the opposite bank. But the water was cold despite the summer heat, and moving faster than he was. Taking him farther and farther from Beth.

Jason slammed into something, knocking the wind from him. It was Beth’s car. The headlights were still on, pointed down into the murk. He clung there for a moment, catching his breath, then pushed off from it.

He swam as hard as he could, his damaged shoulder burning. He ignored it, just like he had in physical therapy. Stroke, kick, stroke, kick. The clouds began to break, and a bit of moonlight showed him he was close. He reached for a branch overhanging the water.

A pile of debris rushed toward him and tangled on his arms. His head went under. Dirty water rushed up his nose as the current rolled him over and over, like an alligator crushing its victim in deadly jaws. Jason struggled to right himself, fighting his lungs’ need to breathe.

Suddenly the turbulence shook him free of the storm wrack. He came up coughing and flailing, hungry for air.
Beth. I have to get to Beth.
He’d lost valuable time and distance. Somewhere he found the strength to strike out again, and he swam, stroke after stroke, as the churning water broke over him, trying to push him down, pull him away from the bank, away from Beth. His shoulder was on fire, but he couldn’t stop. He wouldn’t.

It was so dark, and the water had turned him around. He was no longer sure if he was swimming in the right direction, but he couldn’t give in. Not to the pain, not to despair.

I refuse to drown in water that’s only four feet deep.
Even if it
was
raging like a demon. He would not be a morbid statistic.
Beth won’t be one either.
His good shoulder was hurting now too, but he swam on.

Then his hand was grasping a root, and his foot found solid ground. He clawed his way up onto the bank.

His lungs bellowed, drawing in precious air. He made his way to hands and knees, then to his feet, shaking with the effort. He stood, muddy water streaming off him, wet clothes clinging to his body. His hand went to his waist, where he’d tucked his weapon while shouting to Beth. It was gone.
Damn it!
That would require a pile of paperwork, but that was the least of his worries.

Jason moved slowly, ignoring the biting rocks and stickers that found his sock clad feet, calling out for her and receiving no answer.

“Beth?” Had the mesquite given way? Had her strength given out? Was she caught up in that torrent? “Beth!”

He was almost on top of her before he heard her. “Jason!”

He had to squeeze between a tree and some kind of prickly bush to get to the bank. Thorns scratched and caught at this shirt. Moonlight silvered the terrifying scene of her clinging to the black, twisted branch, her face barely above the water. Jason got down on his belly and stretched. It was too far for him to reach her.
I wish I had that rope
. But he didn’t, and wishing wouldn’t make it so.

But maybe he had something almost as good.

Jason pulled his tee-shirt off over his head. With an outward fling he tossed one end of it toward Beth. “Grab it!”

She shook her head. Her eyes were wide with fear. “I can’t!”

“Come on, honey, you can do it. Just let go with one hand. Just reach out a little bit.” He thought she’d loosed her grip just a little when the mesquite she was clutching shuddered with the force of the current. The edge of the shirt floated away from her. Jason pulled it back and flung it toward Beth again. This time she reached for it, but again it was short, and the shirt trailed away from her. In that moment she lost her grip and her head went under.

Jason’s heart stopped. “No!” He surged forward, lunging for her, then her head surfaced even further from the bank. Jason barely pulled back before he tumbled into the water. Beth coughed violently, her fingers clutching the branch anew with white knuckles.

He couldn’t risk her like that again. He needed more reach. His belt wasn’t long enough. He tossed his shirt aside and peeled off his wet jeans. Heart hammering, he threw one leg to her while holding the the other. Small finger-like twigs caught it, holding it a yard from her, like a demonic game of keep-away. He hauled his jeans back and pitched them again.

The end of the leg landed on the branch right in front of her face. Beth only had to move her hand a few inches to grab it. Hope rushed over him in a frightening wave. He mashed it down. She wasn’t safe yet.

“Take it, Beth!”

But she’d already grabbed it with one, then both hands. A moment later he was pulling her up the slippery, crumbling bank. He was exhausted, but he had the strength to hold her as he collapsed backward, pulling her on top of him.

Beth lay shivering on
Jason’s body. His arms remained locked around her, holding her close. The rain had stopped. She ought to get up, but she couldn’t move. “Thank you,” she murmured.

Jason’s chest shook with half a chuckle. “You’re welcome.”

Another minute passed as they remained motionless, their bodies quivering with exhaustion. Jason’s skin was warm against her face, and his chest hair tickled her nose. The feel of his bare legs tangled with hers triggered memories of their lovemaking. She shouldn’t let herself want this, but it was better than thinking about how close she’d come to dying. She couldn’t make herself push away.

He’d saved her. Didn’t that mean something?
No. He would have saved anyone that needed help.
But still, he had risked his life to save hers.

“We need to move,” Jason said. “I don’t trust this bank not to fall apart, and that guy could still be out there.”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“You have to Beth. It’s not safe here.”

She didn’t want to leave the warmth of his body, but somehow she found the strength to push up and roll to a sitting position, grateful for Jason’s steadying hands. “Do you really think he’s still out there?”

“I don’t know. He fell into the water with me. I made it across. We have to assume he did too.”

Beth shivered again.

“And we have to get you dry.” Jason stood, none too steady himself, and offered her a hand up.

Beth made it to her feet and stood leaning against him for a moment, feeling wired and shaky. She held onto Jason like an anchor, only letting go long enough for him to struggle into his wet pants. The clouds were starting to break up, and she couldn’t help but enjoy the view of his muscular thighs in the fitful starlight before he covered them with wet denim.

“Come on. We’ll take it slow.” Jason put his arm around her as they started walking back upstream. Beth rested her hand just above the band of his jeans. His skin was warm under her fingertips. The moon broke through, bathing the wet desert in silver and shadow.
Under different circumstances, it would be romantic.

“Did you see who pushed you in?” Jason asked, bringing her back to reality.

“No. His headlights blinded me. I couldn’t see a thing,” Beth said. “Thank God you came back and found my note.”

“What note? I haven’t been back to the house.” Jason’s voice rumbled through her flesh as well as her ears.

“But … How did you find me?”

Jason was silent a long time. His hand on her waist opened and closed, bunching her wet tank-top against her skin. “Ellie told me you were in trouble.”

What?
Beth stopped and looked up at him. The bright moon cast sharp shadows under his brows. “You
saw
her?” If Jason had seen her sister too, he had to believe her now. She wasn’t lying, crazy, or hallucinating.

He shrugged. “I saw
something
. In my mirror.”

“Something? Something that convinced you to drive halfway across the ranch to find me in a flooded wash that you didn’t even know was here?”

Jason didn’t meet her eyes. “Yeah.”

“Something that looked like Ellie.”

Jason turned back to her. “And talked like her too. She led me here. Just in time.” His voice grew husky. “And I’m grateful she did.”

He bent and kissed her. His lips were not at all tentative. His hands stroked her back, pulling her tightly against his body as he plied her mouth with sensuous attention. She heated under his ministrations, taking and giving back. A small part of her warned her not to do this again, not to abandon herself to the joy and pleasure of his touch, that it wouldn’t last, but her body wasn’t listening. The world was spinning and her hands came up around his shoulders. Her heart raced and little flames raced over her skin. She pulled him closer.

Then an odd sound caught her attention. She froze, breathing hard. “What was that?” she whispered.

Jason put her back from him, listening and scanning the scrub around them. Beth held her breath. After several long moments, Jason relaxed. “I don’t see or hear anything.” He pulled her under his arm again and started walking. “We should keep moving.”

A few minutes later she asked, “So you believe me now?”

Jason blinked, as though he didn’t understand the question. Then he said, “I … Yes, I guess so.”

Beth rolled her eyes. “A ringing endorsement.”

“Cut me some slack here. This goes against reason. I’ve never seen a ghost before. I’m still not sure what I saw. But whatever it was, I can’t explain it.”

“And what about the rest? Do you still think I’m after Chris’s money?”

Jason grimaced. “No. I’m sorry. I know better. It’s an occupational hazard. But you have to admit that pretending to be Ellie was pretty stupid.”

“Stupid!”

“Okay, that was a poor choice of words. Impulsive. Ill-considered. Not to mention, dishonest. I don’t appreciate being lied to.”

“And if I’d told you, would you have gone along with it?”

“No, of course not.”

“I rest my case.”

“You haven’t proved anything.”

Beth gazed heavenward and shook her free hand. “Argh!” Had he always been this stubborn and pig-headed? When she looked up at him, he was smiling. “What?”

“I’m glad you’re alive,” he said.

She started to smile back, then she frowned and stopped, pulling away to really look at him. A dark line crossed his upper body. She touched his shoulder. In the silvery light she traced a long diagonal seam along his skin. “What happened here?”

Jason looked away. “Just a little surgery.”

“Uh-huh. What kind of surgery?”

“Nothing important. Don’t worry about it.”

Beth stared. His scar was at least ten inches long. “I don’t appreciate being lied to either,” she said quietly.

Jason swallowed. Beth waited. Whatever he had to say was big, or at least he thought it was. Still, she’d managed to tell him the truth. Whatever he had to say could hardly be bigger than her admitting to a false identity. Beth settled herself. She wouldn’t overreact. She’d just let him tell her.

“I was shot.”

S
hot?”

Jason watched Beth’s eyes widen, but she kept most of the shock and horror out of her voice. He was impressed. Then she asked the inevitable question.

“What happened?”

He could tell her that he’d been mugged, or that it had been a random drive-by shooting.

I don’t appreciate being lied to.

As an undercover agent it was his habit to dissemble. Those smooth alternate explanations had kept him alive more than once. It was routine, business as usual
. But this isn’t business, this is Beth.
The op was over. The
CIA
had their info and Babinevich was free. There was no good reason to hide the truth.

“I’m not just an attorney. I’m also an
FBI
agent.”

After a moment of silence she said, “So you lied to me.” Underneath the reasonable tone, her voice had an edge.

“No. I never lied. I
am
an attorney. I just didn’t tell you everything.”

“That’s cutting it pretty fine, isn’t it? Especially from someone who’s picky about being lied to himself.”

“I didn’t lie to you,” he repeated.

“But you didn’t tell the truth, either.” Beth looked over at the arroyo, then shook her head. “The water’s going down. We’ll be able to cross soon.” She started walking again.

He followed. “I was undercover. It was safer if you didn’t know.”

“Well I’m undercover, too.” She looked at him with one eyebrow cocked in challenge. “And what about the other Feds? They don’t tell their wives and girlfriends what they do?”

Jason winced. “Well, yeah, they do, but—”

“But you decided not to. After all, I was just a quick fuck. Our friendship wasn’t important enough to you to merit the truth. What I don’t understand is why you spent so much time on the phone with me. Don’t they have girls in Austin? Assuming that’s where you’re really from. Why come all the way to Cruces just to get laid?”

Jason pulled her to a stop. “You weren’t … It wasn’t like that!” It had seemed so reasonable to keep things to himself.
Safer.
For her as well as him. But what had he been thinking? That Beth would run off to the Russian mob and tell all? He couldn’t think of an explanation now that didn’t sound lame. “You
are
important to me!”

Beth turned away and returned to picking her way up stream, heading for the road. She still had her sandals on, and they squished with every step she took. Jason followed on sock clad feet.

What can I say that will fix this?
He’d told her the truth back then. She needed stability after having such a crappy childhood, and he couldn’t give that to her.
But now she won’t believe a thing I say.

Jason minced over the rough ground. His socks didn’t provide much protection against the rocks and stickers. He just hoped he didn’t step on a scorpion.

He hadn’t had the right to pop in and out of her life whenever his job permitted. He still didn’t.
It’s not like I can go home to her each night. We live in different states. It would be selfish for me to keep her waiting by the phone.

She stopped in front of him, turning to face him. Jason tried not to notice how her wet top clung to her breasts . “You don’t have to protect me,” she said as he came up to her.

Jason knew she wasn’t talking about the killer, or drowning.

“What do you want?” he asked.

She was quiet for a moment, then said, “I want what we had before. I want our friendship back.”

I want that too
. It shocked him how much. But he wanted more than just her friendship.

Beth hesitated, then looked him in the eye. “I want you.”

Jason’s groin tightened. He was usually glib enough to talk his way out of sticky situations with a variety of ugly characters, but now, facing this wet, bedraggled, completely desirable woman, he didn’t know what to say.

“But no more lies,” she said. “No more shading the truth. You have to be straight with me. If you don’t want me, just say so.”

He still didn’t know what to say, so he kissed her. At first she just accepted the kiss, but then she softened, pressing her body to his. Her lips were as sweet and warm as the honey-butter his mother used to make, but Mom had never made anything as wonderful as the feel of Beth wrapping her arms around him and teasing his tongue with hers. Her nipples peaked beneath her wet shirt, pressing against his bare chest. He hardened further. Not want her?
Is she crazy?
He had missed this. He hadn’t realized how much until now, as he held her close, caressing her mouth with his.

Eventually she pulled away, and reluctantly Jason eased his hold as she looked up at him. Moonlight glistened on her fair skin.

“Okay. We’ve established that you do want me,” Beth said.

He liked that she sounded a little out of breath. He wasn’t the only one affected here.

“But what about the rest?” she continued. “Can you be honest with me?”

Jason rested his hands on her arms. “That cuts both ways, Beth.”

“I’ve already told you everything, and why I did it.”

She was asking more than she knew. He was so used to keeping things to himself. “I can’t tell you the details of my work,” he temporized.

She made a disgusted sound. “You know that’s not what I’m asking.”

Something deep inside gave way.
Maybe it’s time for this dog to learn some new tricks.
“Okay, Bethie. No more secrets. For either of us.”

Beth’s eyes gleamed. “You really did see Ellie. Only she called me that.”

That last straw broke the back of his doubt.
Jesus. I talked to a frigging ghost.
“Do you mind me calling you that?”

“No.” She smiled softly at him, then turned and continued on.

He reached for her hand. A little later they reached the road.

Beth stopped up ahead. The
SUV
was still there on the other side. Its high-beams showed the water was moving a lot slower and the level had dropped considerably. The stream only covered about half the channel’s width now, at about a foot deep.

Beth started forward, but Jason pulled her back. “We should cross back here, out of the light.”

“You think he’s still here?”

Jason put his arms around her. “I doubt it. We’ve been out here a long time. He would have found us by now, if he was able.”
Unless he’s waiting here for us.
But if that was the case, why leave his lights on? “I’m just being cautious.” Despite his reassuring words, he wished he still had his gun. “Let’s wait a bit, make sure the water has gone down enough to cross.” He wanted to watch for movement.

They sat down in the dark. Jason scanned the opposite bank for any sign of their attacker, but saw nothing. Beth sat next to him, her thigh pressed against his. It was hard to keep his mind on business with her warmth so close. Fear and joy and gratitude washed through him. He’d come so close to losing her tonight. He wanted to pull her into his arms and nuzzle her neck and never let her go. Instead he kept his attention focused on the area around the SUV.

“How long are we going to wait?” Beth asked after a while.

Good question
. “I’ll go across and check things out. If everything is okay I’ll come back for you.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes. I am.”

Jason clenched his teeth. He hadn’t seen this stubborn side of Beth before.

“Listen, if he’s there, he’ll have to divide his attention between the two of us. That gives us an advantage. And if he’s not there, we get home that much faster.”

She’s right. Damn.
“All right. But you do what I say, when I say it, okay?”

“Yes sir.” Beth took his hand as they made their way cautiously across the last narrow band of running water. The level had dropped to a mere six inches. It was hard to believe this was the same wash that had been raging only an hour ago.

Beth hadn’t spoken of the terror of nearly drowning. She didn’t have to. He knew, and he kept a firm grip on her hand as they picked their way across the wet sand. Jason could tell by the way she startled now and then that she was spooked. He didn’t blame her. The guy who’d tried to kill them could still be out there. Jason did his best to seem relaxed, though. He didn’t want to add to Beth’s fears. He strained his ears listening for anything that sounded like another person, but heard nothing except the natural sounds of the desert.

When they got to the other side, Jason memorized the license plate number of the black Expedition. The lights were dimming. The battery would be dead soon.
Good. If he’s still out here, he’ll be stuck on foot.
He reached for his cell phone. It was gone, lost in the water along with his weapon. Calling the sheriff would have to wait until they got back to the house.

Neither one of them was familiar with the little roads crossing the ranch, and the monsoon had made their dirt surfaces even more difficult to drive. It took them almost an hour to find their way back.

Ollie greeted them at the door, wiggling and wagging his tail in greeting. Beth dropped to her knees and hugged him. Jason tried not feel jealous.

“Go ahead and get in the shower,” he said fighting the image of soapy water coursing over her. “I’ll call Sheriff Connor.”

Beth stood and reached for his hand. “You need a shower too.” Her eyes were warm, but uncertain.

Jason felt himself harden again. How could just the clasp of her hand be so erotic? Every part of him ached to accept that invitation. He cupped her face, lightly kissing her lips. Need urged him to deepen the kiss, and Beth opened to him, returning his ardor. Her arms went around him. His mind fogged as he fell into the pleasure of her embrace. Her lips dropped hot little kisses along his jaw.

Sheriff.
The unwelcome thought surfaced. He groaned, then spoke. “We need to call Connor.” She looked away, but he brought her face back to his and brushed his lips against her forehead. He couldn’t risk her lips again. “We need to get the Sheriff out looking for that guy.”

She groaned too, but stepped back with a rueful smile. “I hate it when you’re right. Later?”

He answered with a tortured grin. “Oh yeah. Count on it.”

Then she frowned. “We
can’t
tell the Sheriff everything, Jason. He can’t know I’m not Ellie. What if he tells all his deputies? What if they can’t keep their mouths shut? This is a small town. Everyone knew within a day that Ellie was pregnant. How long do you think it would take for the news to get around that I’m really Beth? The media would have it in twenty-four hours. We’d lose any chance of luring the killer into revealing himself.”

Jason shook his head. He wasn’t too keen on Beth remaining a target. “We have to tell him. Someone tried to kill you. You don’t keep something like this from the locals. It’s called impeding an investigation. They can put you in jail for that.”

“No, someone tried to kill
Ellie
. It won’t impede anything if he still thinks that’s who I am.”

Jason rubbed a hand over his face. There were plenty of times the Bureau didn’t inform local law enforcement of something going on in their neighborhood, but this wasn’t a Bureau op. Not telling Connor the truth was one of the fastest ways he could think of to piss the man off.

“I can’t make the report because I can’t sign as Ellie,” Beth said. “But you could do it.”

Jason shook his head. “I’m sorry, Beth, no. I won’t sign a report that implies you’re Ellie, and I can’t swear at the inquest that I didn’t know who you were when I made the report. That’s perjury.”

Beth sighed. “You won’t have to. I was going to come clean at the inquest, anyway.”

Jason put an arm around her shoulders. “It’s better for you legally, if Connor knows. Don’t worry. I think we can convince him to keep your secret until the inquest.”

By the time the
sheriff arrived they’d both taken showers. Separately. Jason regretted not being able to take Beth up on her invitation, but they wouldn’t have called Connor until morning if he had. It felt good to be clean and dry again. Beth sat on the sofa in the library, gripping a snifter of Gran Marnier with both hands. As usual, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a too-large tee-shirt. It made her look small and vulnerable. Jason couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He’d almost lost her tonight. That bastard had pushed her into the flooded wash hoping she’d drown, and he’d almost succeeded.

It was nearly midnight when Jason let Connor in. Jason sat at the desk while the sheriff took the chair next to Beth, and said, “You look all right. Were you injured? Do you need to see a doctor?”

Beth shook her head. “I’m okay, thanks to Jason.”

Connor glanced at him then pulled a form out of the storage space in his metal clipboard. “Tell me what happened.”

Jason listened as Beth gave her account. Connor interrupted now and then to ask a question, but within half an hour he had nearly the whole story. She also told him about Eduardo Montenegro and his connection to the mine investment.

“Do you think Eduardo tried to have me killed because I’ve been poking around too much?”

Connor shook his head. “It’s way too soon for me to be making guesses like that.” He held out the pen and clipboard to Beth. “I need you to sign this, please.”

Beth studied the now empty snifter in her hands. Jason held his breath. He wished he could help her with this. Then she set aside the glass and signed the paper. Jason sucked in a sharp breath.
She signed it!
He couldn’t believe it. He thought they’d agreed about this.
Shit!
She’d just falsified her report, and he was going to have to turn her in.
Damn it!
Connor started to put the form into the clipboard storage.

“You may want to look at that, Sheriff,” Beth said.

Connor looked at the signature line, then looked up sharply.

Beth avoided Connor’s frowning eyes as she explained what she’d done and why. “It was the only way I could think of to get people to take me seriously,” she finished. “I’m sorry.”

“By people, you mean me,” Connor said, his voice stiff but civil.

“Mostly. You thought Chris’s death was an accident. The insurance agent thinks Chris committed suicide. But Ellie was sure it was murder. I had to find a way to make you listen.” Beth looked across the room and met Jason’s eyes. “It made sense at the time. At least now we know someone really does want Ellie dead.”