“There’s a small town just above Douglas, near the Arizona-New Mexico border…” The satisfaction in Garrison’s cultured voice was blatant.
Judd listened attentively while he as given the name of the town, and then he slowly hung up the phone. The charges had been reversed but the call was going to cost Leo Garrison a lot more than money. When he turned around Judd found Honor standing a few feet away, her face strained. The green and gold of her eyes had never been more vivid as she awaited the verdict
For an instant he just looked at her, knowing an incredible sense of relief. Then he stepped forward and gripped her shoulders. “It’s okay, honey. Everything’s okay. Knight or Garrison, or whatever his name is, just put his foot in it as far as I’m concerned. Don’t worry. You’re not going back to him.”
Beneath his hands she seemed to crumple a little in her relief. He could feel the tension draining slowly from her slender frame. “Please,” she murmured, “I’d like to sit down.”
He led her anxiously over to one of the old wooden chairs that lined the ramshackle office and carefully eased her down. A new worry assailed him. “Are you all right, Honor? You’re not getting sick, are you? You’ve been down here for quite a while and God knows the food and water aren’t all that reliable.”
“I’m fine.” She sagged back in the chair, leaning her head against the wall. Her eyes were closed. “What did he say that convinced you he wasn’t my father?”
Judd crouched down in front of her, taking one of her cold hands in his and chafing it lightly. What the devil was the matter with her? He’d told her all along he would take care of her. Was she actually faint with relief now that it was all over? Didn’t she understand she’d had nothing to worry about?
“He tried to bribe me to take you in over the border without stopping at customs. As far as I’m concerned a worried father wouldn’t have wanted to have his daughter exposed to that kind of risk. He would have met us at the border with his proof of identity and the doctor he seems to think you need so badly.” Judd lifted one shoulder. “Maybe I’m just getting tired of being thought of as a complete mercenary. He didn’t even bother trying to tell me he’d provide proof of his identity when we met at the rendezvous. He just assumed that for the right money I wouldn’t ask too many questions.”
She smiled bleakly~~ “So you decided to trust me because he insulted you? Do I owe my life to the fact that you don’t like being called a mercenary?”
He frowned. “No, it’s just the logic of the situation. I’ve been trying to figure this mess out from the beginning. Your story was wild, Honor, you’ve got to admit.But Garrison’s asking me to bring you in illegally over the border sure as hell doesn’t sit right, either. Under the circumstances I’m not about to turn you over to the man.”
“I see,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”
He blinked owlishly, not liking the cold formality of her voice. Well, she had been under a lot of strain lately. Judd got to his feet “Come on, honey, let’s get back in the air. We’ve got some flying to do.”
“Where are we going now?” she asked, but she was getting obediently to her feet.
“Where you should have gone as soon as you realized you were in trouble: to the authorities. There’s a man I know in Tucson. We’re going to look him up and tell him your story. He can sort the rest of this out. He’s good at things like that.”
“But, Judd, I can’t prove a thing! That’s why I didn’t go to the authorities in the first place!”
“We’ll let Maddock worry about proving things. Let’s go.”
Two hours later they were in Tucson. With determined perseverance Judd pushed himself and Honor through several levels of red tape until Honor finally found herself talking to a harried-looking man in a rumpled suit and tomato-sauce stained shirt. Judd never left her side as she wearily went through her tale over and over again. She was astounded when she was informed that the Feds were more than a little interested.
“Miss Knight, you are a godsend to a poor, struggling government employee,” the man called Craig Maddock announced at the end of the long, trying interview. “We’ve had Garrison and Prager under investigation for months. We know they’ve been arranging shipments of arms out of this country and then selling them overseas, but there were too many missing facts for us to close the net. We didn’t know about that San Diego warehouse, for example. We’ll get in touch with the local people there and tell them to have a look.”
“Mr. Maddock, I have no idea whether or not they’re using that warehouse for anything illegal,” Honor protested quickly. “I just happened to remember hearing Nick mention it one time.” She had remembered a good many details under Maddock’s persistent, skillful questioning. “I wondered why Garrison and Prager needed a warehouse but I never bothered to question it. I guess I just assumed it had something to do with a business sideline.” Her voice trailed off weakly.
Judd leaned forward intently. He had been sitting beside Honor for the last two hours and he could see how utterly exhausted she was. “I think you’ve gotten just about everything out of her that you’re going to get, Maddock. Let me take her someplace where she can get some rest. She’s been on the run for weeks. She’s had it.”
Maddock nodded. “Should have come to us in the first place,” he told Honor firmly. “Could have saved yourself a lot of trouble.”
“Yes, sir,” she said politely, and only Judd recognized the underlying mockery. Good Lord! Couldn’t she even resist baiting a government agent? But Maddock didn’t appear to notice.
“With the information you’ve given us this afternoon we should be able to move quickly on the case. We [_can ]move quickly at times, you know,” he added wryly. “Since this office has been handling the case from the beginning, we should be able to wrap things up fairly[ _]rapidly. Thanks to the rendezvous Judd has scheduled near the New Mexican border, we even know where Garrison and, perhaps, Prager will be this evening!”
“Come on, Honor,” Judd ordered, helping her to her feet. “We’re going to get a bite to eat and some rest.” He glanced at Maddock. “You’ll let us know when things are cleared up?”
Maddock nodded briefly, eyeing Judd coolly. “I’ll let you know.” There was a pause as Judd walked Honor to the door, and then Craig Maddock spoke again. “You came a little close to the line on this one, didn’t you, Raven? One of these days you’re going to find yourself stepping over the edge.”