Caught in the Act by Jill Sorenson

Author:Jill Sorenson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2012-03-26T13:00:00+00:00

15

Maria glanced in the mirror before she left the house, wondering if she should change back into her old clothes.

The hand-me-down dress was sexy, she supposed, with its black and red floral design and the thin straps that crisscrossed over her back. Although it wasn’t Maria’s size, the stretchy fabric conformed nicely to her smaller frame. Kari said it suited her coloring better, too.

Shrugging, she put on her “cute” shoes, a pair of simple black flats. Tossing her pepper spray in her purse, she walked out into the sultry night.

She hadn’t picked up any new information at the hotel this week. She hadn’t summoned up the nerve to ask Armando about Sasha, either. He seemed like a decent person, not an emotionless monster, but Maria didn’t feel safe around him.

Even so, Kari needed help, and Maria wanted to do her part. While her friend was feeling out Officer Cortez, Maria could seek advice from Agent Foster. As far as she was concerned, he was an untapped resource.

She had his phone number written down on a scrap of paper in her purse. He hadn’t given it to her, of course, and he wasn’t pleased by her call. His brusque tone had hurt her feelings a little, but it hadn’t surprised her. He was in a dark place in his life. She got the impression that he wanted to hide from her.

Sighing, she picked up the pace, arriving at the café a few minutes early. Foster was already there, waiting by a bike rack outside. His clothes weren’t quite as ragged as usual, but he still looked like a rough character, a rawboned thug. His jaw was scruffy and his black T-shirt sported a tear near the hem.

He waited for her to come forward, his eyes wary.

“Let’s go there instead,” he said, jerking his chin toward a dive bar across the street.

She stared at the low-class establishment, hesitating. Nice girls didn’t go to bars like that. Denny’s looked so innocuous and well-lit in comparison.

“We can drink soda. No one will bother you.”

“Okay,” she said, following him.

He put a hand on her bare shoulder, leading her to a booth in the corner. A couple of gray-haired bikers watched her pass by, their eyes bold. Foster ignored them, so she lifted her chin and tried to look classy. After gesturing for her to sit with her back to the bar, he slid into the space across from her. A waitress came to take their drink order.

“Two Cokes?” Foster requested, glancing at Maria.

She nodded at the waitress, a chubby woman with exaggerated makeup. “Fine.”

“Any rum for yours, honey?”

“No thanks.”

Disappointed, she left to fill the order.

Maria studied Foster while they waited. His eyes looked bloodshot, but the muddy green color was still nice. The keen intelligence was still there.

“I don’t have any money,” he said.

“I’ll pay for the drinks.”

He gave her an impatient look. “That’s not what I meant.”

The waitress appeared with two Cokes, two napkins, and two paper-covered straws. Maria thanked her and turned her attention back to Foster.

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