Fatal Charm. Aimee Thurlo
to contend with more pain than most of us. He’s on the edge. He’s been there for a long time. Just make sure he doesn’t get pushed out of control.”
As Amanda walked with Tony and Raymond to the door a car pulled up. Bernice quickly opened the rear door and Winston catapulted out. The bullmastiff bounded to the front door and stopped less than three feet in front of Tony.
Tony froze. Raymond backed up a step, but hearing the ominous throaty growl that came from the dog, stopped dead in his tracks.
“He doesn’t like either of you,” Bernice said pleasantly, walking up to the porch. “He always blocks the path of people he takes a dislike to. I wouldn’t do anything too quickly right now, gentlemen,” she added pleasantly. “And for your sakes, please don’t even think of sneezing. He might not understand.”
“It’s all right, Bernice,” Amanda said quickly, trying not to laugh. Both men appeared to have stopped breathing. She crouched and called Winston, but the animal continued to stare at Tony.
“Winston, heel!” Bernice said. The dog went to Bernice’s side, but his gaze stayed fixed on Tony. “I’m sorry, but as I said before, he doesn’t like you.”
“Occupational hazard,” Tony muttered, then edged around the dog, never turning his back. Raymond followed. “See you later,” Tony said.
Bernice waved at them sweetly. “Goodbye, gentlemen.” As the men drove off, she quickly turned to Amanda. “I came by to make sure you were okay, but I didn’t expect to find Ramos here with a friend. What the heck was that all about?”
As they stepped inside the house Winston loped past them running straight to Hope’s bedroom. The little girl squealed with delight. Used to this routine, and certain the child and dog would be safely occupied for some time, Amanda and Bernice went into the kitchen.
Amanda gave Bernice the latest news as she brewed a fresh pot of coffee and made a bedtime snack for Hope. “I’m terrified of going up against these people, but I can’t just sit tight and do nothing. If they make good on their threat I have no doubt I’ll have to fight Tony. If that happens, the more I know about him, the better off I’ll be.”
Bernice shook her head. “Amanda, listen to me. Ramos is nobody’s fool. The kidnappers wouldn’t be able to trick him into believing Hope was his for long. A simple blood test would establish the truth.”
Amanda placed two cups brimming with hot coffee on the table, then sat down. “The problem is, he would want to believe them. Given the lack of documentation at the state level, thanks to the kidnappers, he might not even stop to question it. At that point, he could do anything. He might even take off with my child. He’s already proven that the law is something he’s willing to bend to suit his own purposes.”
“But surely that’s a bit drastic, even for him,” Bernice said.
“Maybe, maybe not. He’s desperate to find his child. Who knows? And if he makes the authorities suspect I obtained Hope illegally, even if he didn’t take her, it might take months of legal action and cost me everything to get her back. And if word leaked out to the press, the publicity could damage my credibility as the owner of a day-care center. Even if that didn’t happen, there could still be a problem. When Ron and I took custody of Hope, we promised never to reveal that she was really his sister’s child. There could be problems in the family, especially since Louise’s husband knows nothing about the baby. And even though Ron told me his sister hasn’t heard from the father for quite a while, he could turn up and claim he wants her back, if only as a way to extort money from me.” Amanda shook her head. “I won’t risk it. I’ve got to stay one step ahead of everyone else.”
The quiet that descended over them was interrupted only by enthusiastic squeals from Hope, who was still happily playing in her room with Winston. Amanda rose to take her empty coffee cup to the sink, when suddenly a monstrous crash erupted from the front of the house. As a gust of wind blew through the kitchen doorway, Amanda heard Hope scream. Spikes of fear pounding through her, Amanda raced to her daughter.
Chapter Three
Tony sat sipping a cup of black coffee in the corner booth of the small café. Though most other people couldn’t read Raymond, years of practice had made Tony proficient at it. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that Raymond was really ticked off. “Buddy, I wouldn’t have asked if there was any other way, but I really need that file. It’s payback time.”
“Don’t pull that crap on me. You and I have been through a lot of close calls. I think the score’s about even,” Raymond answered through a clenched jaw.
“That’s true while we were both agents. But I wasn’t an agent last year, and if it hadn’t been for me, the perps you ran across in the parking lot of Santiago’s would have killed you.”
“Do you really think I’d be doing you a favor by loaning you that file? Think about it,” Raymond snapped back. “You, of all people, should know that it doesn’t pay to negotiate with kidnappers.”
The words hit him as hard as Raymond meant them to. Tony swallowed, but maintained his confrontational gaze. “Don’t become my enemy on this.”
“I’m not your enemy, you jackass.” Raymond leaned over and lowered his voice to a growl. “I’m only telling you what you already know. You need a few cards up your sleeve, and the only way you’ll get them is if we talk to the S.A.C.”
“The special agent in charge?” Tony looked at Raymond as if he’d lost his mind. “No way. After that fight we had right before I quit, he wouldn’t give me a glass of water if I were dying of thirst.” He leaned back. “You’re either with me or against me, buddy. That’s the way it’s got to be. I’ve never been convinced that it wasn’t a leak somewhere within the Bureau that made the kidnappers bolt.”
“I looked into that. You’re way off base there.” Raymond stared at him for several long moments. “I’ll get you something that looks real, but not the genuine thing. The substitute will have to be altered. Deal?”
“Okay, but I’ll have to see the original file.”
“I can arrange that, but you’ll have to come to my office tomorrow morning at six before anyone else gets there. The S.A.C. is at the Albuquerque office, but I still don’t want you to show up while the support staff is present.”
“I’ll be there.” Tony felt as if a great weight had landed on his shoulders. He knew what he had to do. Although he’d never betrayed a friend before, he had no choice now. He wouldn’t risk blowing everything by giving the kidnappers false information.
“By the way, once I get you inside, remember to duck your head. I don’t want your mug showing up on the surveillance cameras. All I’ll have to say then is that you’re one of my more nervous informants.”
“No problem.”
Raymond stared pensively across the room. “Have you considered the possibility that pursuing this lead could take you someplace you don’t want to go?” Raymond asked quietly. “Are you prepared to face the worst, if it comes to that?”
Tony met his friend’s gaze, using all the willpower he had to shutter his emotions. “You still don’t believe she’s alive.”
“No, I don’t. If she were, they would have used her before now.”
Recognizing the grain of truth in Raymond’s words made his gut clench, but he knew he had to see it through. “I’ve got to know either way.” Tony stood up. “One more thing. I’d like you to do a full background check on Amanda Vila.”
“Good idea. I was about to suggest it myself.”
As they reached the door, Tony’s pager went off. He glanced down. “It’s Amanda’s number.” Tony spotted a public phone near the cash register and went directly to it. Amanda picked up the phone on the