“Okay.”
AS PRESTON PASSED a slow-moving pickup, Emma stared down at the cell phone she’d just borrowed from him. “Your number won’t come up on his caller ID?” she asked hesitantly.
“Not if you press star six-seven before you dial. That’ll block it.”
“You’re sure?”
He checked his speed. “I’m sure.”
Max unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over her shoulder. “Who are you calling, Mommy?”
She didn’t want Max to know. Maybe someday in the future he’d be able to speak to his father. But not today. Emma couldn’t trust that Manuel wouldn’t say something offensive. “Put your seat belt back on, honey. It’s not safe to have it off while the car’s moving.”
“But I have to go to the bathroom.”
Emma doubted it. He’d just gone to the bathroom. But he was tired of being restrained. “We’ll stop as soon as we can, okay?”
“When?”
“Soon. Get back in your seat belt.”
When he finally obeyed, she turned to Preston. “I’ll try Rosa first.”
“What good will that do? She’s feeding information to the other side, remember?”
“Only because she’s frightened. Who wouldn’t be?”
He didn’t answer.
“Besides, I only need to know if Juanita’s okay. I think she’ll tell me that much.”
“I want to talk to Juanita,” Max cried. “I miss her.”
Emma missed her, too. And hoped to heaven that she was all right. But either way, this call would be difficult to make. If her threat had worked and Juanita was home safe, Emma would know the list meant what she feared it did. Along with that knowledge came responsibilities she didn’t want to face. On the other hand, if she learned that something terrible had happened to Juanita, she’d never be able to forgive herself.
After taking a deep breath, she dialed.
Hola. This is Rosa. Leave your name and—
Emma punched the End button. “No one’s there.”
Preston shifted in his seat. “So what now?”
“It’s time to call…our friend.”
“Want me to do it?”
She remembered Manuel’s threats against him and quickly shook her head. Manuel had already met Preston twice; he’d probably recognize his voice. As much as possible, she wanted to keep Preston from becoming a target.
“Let me,” he coaxed.
“No.”
He looked unhappy with her answer, but she pressed star 67 and dialed anyway.
When Manuel said hello, the curtness of his voice led her to believe that her disappearance was driving him as crazy as she’d expected.
“Is she home?” Emma asked bluntly.
“It’s you.”
“Good guess.” She twisted around to see if Max was still paying attention and found him staring at her. “Is…our mutual acquaintance home yet?”
“Juanita?”
“Yes.”
“How the hell should I know?”
“Don’t play stupid with me.”
“You think I’m going to let you blackmail me, querida?”
“Quit calling me that.” Emma shot an uncertain glance at Preston and was surprised when he reached for her hand.
His support made a difference. His warmth seemed to encompass her, lending her the strength she needed.
“I’ll call you whatever I want,” Manuel said. “You’re asking for trouble. You know that.”
“Forget it,” she said angrily. “I’ll go ahead and send what I’ve got to the DEA. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She acted as though she was about to hang up and was secretly grateful when he stopped her.
“Wait!”
“Your memory’s improving?”
“Maybe. But my temper isn’t. You’re going to be sorry—”
“Here we go again. Should I hang up?”
“No.”
She hesitated, but he didn’t seem in any hurry to say what he wanted to say.
“Are you sleeping with him?” he asked at last.
“That’s none of your concern.” Preston’s hand tightened around hers.
“Like hell!” Manuel shouted. “Tell me the truth! You’re still with that guy I saw at the Hilton, aren’t you? He was in Ely, too. I should’ve known. Instead I let him send me on another wild-goose chase. Las Vegas, the airport…”
Emma would not allow Manuel to commandeer the conversation. “What have you done with…our friend?”
“Where did you meet him? Have you two been sneaking around behind my back?”
“I’m going to hang up now—”
“Wow, you’re really mad, huh, Mommy?” Max said.
Emma was too wrapped up in the conversation to answer him.
“Juanita’s fine,” Manuel snapped.
“Prove it.”
“Come back to me and I will.”
“Never.”
At her response, he must’ve thrown something. Emma heard a loud crash, followed by shattering glass. But it was difficult to determine exactly what had happened with him cursing so loudly. “You can’t do this to me! Do you hear? I won’t let you!”
The craziness in his voice chilled Emma to the bone, but she refused to succumb to the intimidation he was trying to use against her. She was taking control of her life. She couldn’t continue to live in fear.
“You don’t have a choice,” she said, and hung up. Then she called Rosa again. She started to leave a detailed message on the answering machine, telling her she’d call at a certain time and to please be home, that they needed to talk. But Rosa picked up in the middle of it.
“Vanessa?”
Preston had released her hand when Emma dialed, but she reached for him again. Rosa was wailing and sobbing hysterically. “Yes?” She gulped.
“She’s dead. Juanita’s dead. The police just found her body.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MAX WATCHED Preston talking to his mommy over by the bathrooms. They’d taken him potty, tested his blood and promised him a treat if he’d be good and wait in the car for a few minutes. But they were taking so long.
Bored with turning the steering wheel and making car sounds, he opened the console, where he found a pair of sunglasses. He knew he shouldn’t touch them, but his mommy had promised him a treat and he hated to wait. He needed something to do.