Kay David - Obsession

Emma should have realized Reina wouldn’t let the topic go. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. Even if she could tell her friend everything, she wouldn’t even know where to start. “I can’t.” She tried to soften her voice as she fibbed. “It’s business. And I really can’t discuss it.”

“Business I can understand. I thought it might be Raul Santos.”

Emma carefully reached for her teacup and took a sip. “Why would you think that?”

“Why? Gee, I don’t know, Emma. Maybe because the last time we talked I told you to stay away from him and you haven’t. And you’ve been avoiding me, too.”

“That’s not true! I’ve been swamped with this problem at work and-”

Reina stopped her explanation with a wave of her hand. “But you had time to go out with him last night.”

At Emma’s startled expression, Reina nodded smugly. “I have friends besides you, and they hang out at places like Michelangelo’s.” She leaned closer. “Are you crazy? What are you doing with that man, ¿chica? William Kelman told me he’s bad news.”

Just hearing Kelman’s name made Emma flinch. She tried to cover up. “And I told you I saw them fight. I hardly think Kelman’s a reliable source on this one, Reina.”

“Well, I think this is something you better verify,” her friend shot back. “And fast, before you get in over your head.”

Emma tensed and held her breath. “What do you mean?”

“Raul Santos just got out of prison, Emma. He was there for five years. For selling drugs.”

RAUL HANDED the Indian woman two bolivianos and told her to keep the change. It was twice what the iced drink cost, and her eyes widened at his generosity. She did what he said, though, and hurried down the street, quickly pushing her cart ahead of her as if worried he might change his mind. He hardly paid her any attention as she rattled around a nearby corner. He was focused on the restaurant across the street. Emma and her friend had gone in there a few minutes earlier.

He’d left Emma’s house-and her arms-early that morning. The wind had died during the night, and a heavy fog had moved in to replace it. As they’d stood on her porch, the mist had clung like diamonds to her hair.

He’d looked down into her heavy-lidded eyes and had one thought: What kind of son of a bitch was he? When she found out who he was and everything he’d done, she’d remember the way they’d made love-and she’d hate his guts. It wouldn’t be important to her that for just a few hours she’d given him back his life, that for just a little while, she’d made him feel like the man he used to be. Someone a woman like her could love, someone who’d dreamed of a family of his own and a life shared with others.

She’d know nothing of that.

She’d know only betrayal.

He cursed softly and shook his head. It’d been done. There was nothing he could take back, and in truth, he had only one regret-that it was over. If he closed his eyes right now, he was sure he could still feel the satin of her skin against his hands and the scent of her body as it’d heated in his arms. Cursing again, he tightened his jaw and forced such thoughts to the back of his mind. He’d just seen something more important than what had happened last night. He needed to concentrate on it, instead.

A man had bumped into Emma right in the middle of the street. In and of itself, that was nothing. Everyone walked everywhere in Santa Cruz, and the sidewalks were often crowded. But this man was not a simple stranger.

For a reason he couldn’t explain, Raul had left Emma’s house and gone straight to Kelman’s. The man who’d later stumbled into Emma had pulled out of the Las Palmas mansion driveway an hour after Raul had parked nearby. He’d driven directly to the bank and waited in the shade without moving until the minute Emma had left her office.

At that point, he’d gone into action. Following her closely, he’d moved in tighter and tighter until that moment in the boulevard. Raul wasn’t sure what the game was, but he knew one thing-running into Emma had not been an accident. The guy had planned it from the very beginning.

And that meant Kelman had planned it from the very beginning.

Leaning against a nearby fence, Raul thought about Kelman’s background. He knew all the old tricks, and he’d invented a few new ones, too.

Kelman had chosen Bolivia for the same reason everyone else who wanted to do something illegal did: it was an easy place to accomplish such tasks. Raul had found him without trouble. Denise had told him she thought Kelman would return here, and Wendy had confirmed his arrival.

Which brought Raul back to where he was. Kelman had obviously hired this man to follow Emma. To follow her, then bump into her in the middle of a crowded street. She’d been surprised and had grabbed her purse, turning at the same time to see who had shoved her. She’d almost caught sight of Raul, but he’d ducked behind a group of schoolgirls. She hadn’t seen him, or if she had, it’d been such a quick glimpse she hadn’t believed it was really him.

Swearing once more with frustration, Raul closed his eyes for a moment and let the scene replay itself. Emma walking. The man behind her. The bump. She turns and grabs her purse, her expression confused. He played it one more time, examining every detail.

A second later, his eyes flicked open and he understood.

“IN PRISON?” Emma’s stomach dropped. She felt the jolt as it hit the floor beneath where she was sitting. “Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. He was charged with possession of cocaine and he had a gun.” Picking up a California roll with a delicate pair of chopsticks, Reina arched one eyebrow. “Do you think I’d make up something like that? Kelman told me.”

Emma turned the information over in her mind. Sure, it was coming from Kelman, but hadn’t Leon Davis suggested the very same thing? He hadn’t found a criminal record, though, she argued with herself. She might be fooling herself, but she had to believe he was exactly who he said he was. It was the only way she could protect herself, even if it didn’t make sense.

“Well, if it’s true, what does it matter?” She spoke almost defiantly to Reina but avoided her eyes. “People who’ve been in prison have to have bank accounts, too, you know. What would you have me do? Tell the man to take his business elsewhere? You know I can’t do that. I need every account I can get.”

Reina stilled. Her sushi, caught in the chopsticks, hovered over the tiny bowl of fiery wasabi on the table between them. “If he’s doing something illegal and you get involved with him, Chris could find out. It could mean your job, Emma.” Her dark eyes filled with concern. “What would you do if…”

Emma froze. She’d been on automatic pilot last night, her body taking control, her mind too confused for any thoughts like this to intrude. Her mouth went dry.

“Don’t say it,” Emma answered sharply. “No one’s going to lose her job, okay? Especially not me. It’s too important.”

Reina nodded unhappily. She was one of the few people in Bolivia who knew Emma’s story. “I just want you to be careful,” she said. “That’s all.”

Emma squeezed Reina’s fingers. “I will be, so don’t worry about me.”

They finished eating with Emma turning the conversation in another direction. It was all she could do. Reina’s news was too much to handle right now. Emma had to think about it on her own time, when things were quieter. One thought did intrude, though. If Raul had been in prison-and for drugs, at that-she wondered what he’d thought of her confession the night before.

“Are you still going with me on Saturday?” Emma asked as she reached for another roll.