Desert Heat by Kathleen Pickering

Author:Kathleen Pickering
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

TICO WATCHED AS Meg shifted the Ferrari into gear and started down the driveway. Twenty minutes had passed since their phone calls. Eric Longwood had called Tico. After hearing the news, the two of them had scrambled to get on the road as fast as possible. Melissa Collins had been found at dawn this morning—dead and buried in a shallow grave. Since Meg and Tico were undercover as jet-setters, they couldn’t go to the crime scene. They could, however, be guests of the mayor’s and attend a brunch at his ranch.

Things were getting hotter in Adobe Creek, and Don Francisco’s blood pressure was rising. The team would meet at Rio Plata Ranch since the crime scene had been secured. At Barbara’s insistence, wives were invited to make the brunch look as natural as possible.

As they passed the spa, Tico and Meg both looked toward the parking lot. Enrique’s car was there along with several others. “Looks like Sunday morning is a busy time,” Meg said.

“And Enrique is front and center.” They both turned their attention back to her driving.

“Why does going to brunch sound so wrong when we’re dealing with a young woman’s death?” Tico asked.

She patted his hand. “Welcome to life with Don Francisco. Things aren’t always conventional. Besides, from what he told me on the phone, he believes we’re being watched. Eric didn’t want to blow our cover when we’re just starting.”

Meg had changed into what she called ranch clothes. She looked stunning in tight jeans, a turquoise embroidered Mexican tunic and boots. Bangle bracelets jingled on her wrist, and silver hoops gleamed in her ears. Her dark hair fell in waves on her shoulders. Tico reached over, toying with a tendril. “So, your father heard that we’re doing the investigation together and isn’t happy, eh?”

“You heard me arguing with him?”

“It was hard not to. You sounded pretty angry.”

Worry crossed her brow. “He’ll try to stop me.”

She’d downshifted to wait while the Quarry gates opened to let them out. He intertwined his fingers with hers over the stick shift. “No, he won’t.”

“How do you figure that?”

He released her hand so she could bring the car up to road speed. “I just explained to Eric about the leads we found last night. We have to stay in the Quarry until all our hunches are cleared.”

She looked at him gratefully. “And you’ll explain why we have to finish as a team?”

“Precisely. There’s no real danger at the moment. I can’t imagine your father would want to ruin the investigation he spearheaded.”

“I wouldn’t abandon the case anyway, you know.”

“For the record, I wouldn’t want to work without you.”

After a moment, Meg said, “We’ll beef up surveillance when we need it. That should make him feel better.”

“Do you have a problem facing him now?”

“Nope.” Meg punched the pedal, shifting into fourth gear, taking the remote road to the ranch at over ninety miles per hour. The Ferrari’s engine thrummed. Meg handled the car the way Tico wanted her to handle him—smoothly, skillfully and with satisfaction on her face.

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