Rider on Fire. Sharon Sala

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      Sonora typed the last word in her report and then hit print. She gathered up the pages with one eye on the clock and the other on the scowl her boss was wearing.

      Gerald Mynton wasn’t any happier than she’d been about letting Miguel Garcia get away. Capturing two out of three wasn’t the kind of odds Mynton operated on. He was an all or nothing kind of man. Added to that, Sonora Jordan was no longer a viable agent in this case. He knew Wills was partly responsible for missing the last Garcia brother, but there was nothing they could do about it now except pick up where they left off—minus Jordan.

      When he saw Sonora get up from her desk, he motioned for her to come in. She gathered up what was obviously her report, and strode across the floor.

      Even though he was a happily married man and totally insulted by the thought of sexual harassment among his agents, he couldn’t ignore what a beautiful woman Sonora was. She was over five-feet-nine inches tall and could bench press double her weight. Her hair was long and dark and her features exotically beautiful. In all the years he’d known her, he’d only seen her smile a few times.

      But it wasn’t her looks that made her a valuable agent. Besides her skill, there was an asset Sonora had that made her a perfect agent. She had no relatives and no boyfriends. She was as alone in this world as a person could be, which meant that her loyalties were one hundred percent with the job.

      Unfortunately, killing Juanito Garcia had temporarily put an end to her usefulness, and until Miguel Garcia was brought to justice, she needed to lay low. Miguel was the kind of man who dealt in revenge.

      Gerald Mynton hated to be in corners, but he was in one now. If he put Sonora back to work on anything new, Garcia could dog her until he got a chance to kill her. Mynton’s only option was for her to drop out of sight until Garcia was brought in and she could live to solve another case.

      He squinted thoughtfully as Sonora entered his office. Now he had to convince her that it was in her best interest to hide, when he knew her instincts would be to confront and overcome.

      “My report,” Sonora said, as she laid the file on his desk.

      He nodded. “Close the door, then please sit down.”

      Sonora stood her ground with the door wide open. “I’m not hiding.”

      Mynton sighed. “Did I say you should?”

      “Not yet, but you’re going to, aren’t you?”

      “There’s a contract out on your life.”

      Sonora’s chin jutted. “I heard.”

      “So…do you have a death wish?”

      “No, but—”

      “Garcia won’t take what happened without payback. No matter what case I put you on, your presence could put everyone else in danger, not to mention yourself.”

      Sonora’s shoulders slumped. “I hate this.”

      “I’m not all that excited about it myself,” Mynton said.

      Sonora nodded. She wasn’t the kind of person who let herself be down for long. If this was the way it was going to play out, then so be it.

      “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll do as you ask,” she said.

      Mynton stood up and then walked around his desk until they were standing face to face.

      “You don’t apologize,” he said shortly. “You don’t ever apologize for doing your job and doing it well. Do you hear me?”

      “Yes, sir.”

      “Is there anyplace special you can go?”

      She thought of the hallucination she’d had in Mexico—of the house surrounded by a forest of green and the wind chime hanging on the porch. It had seemed so perfect. If only it had been real, she’d already be there.

      “Not really. I’ll think of something, though.”

      “Find a different mode of transportation. We don’t think Garcia is in Phoenix yet, but once here, it won’t take him long to find out where you live. I don’t want you to be there when he arrives. As for leaving Phoenix, you can be traced too easily by credit card. Also, I’d skip the airports and bus stations.”

      “Well, damn it, sir, since my broom is also in the shop, what the hell else do you suggest?”

      Mynton’s frown deepened. “Use your imagination.”

      “This is a nightmare,” Sonora muttered. “Just do me one favor.”

      “If I can,” Mynton said.

      “Find Miguel Garcia,” she added.

      “And you stay safe and keep in touch,” he added.

      A few minutes later, she was gone.

      By the time she got home, she was exhausted. However, there were plans to be made. Mynton wanted her to get lost. He didn’t know it, but she’d been lost all her life. Dumped on the doorstep of a Texas orphanage when she was only hours old, Sonora had grown up without a sense of who she was or where she was from. When she was young, she used to pretend that her mother would suddenly appear and whisk her away, but it had never happened. Life, for Sonora, was nothing but one kick in the teeth after another. She didn’t believe in luck, had never believed in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, and trusted no one. What had happened on their last case had been unexpected, but she could handle it. All she needed to do was get out of town.

      Transportation was no problem. She knew exactly how she would travel. All she needed to do was call her old boyfriend, Buddy Allen, and have him bring back her Harley.

      She stripped down to a bra and panties before she sat down on the side of the bed. She rubbed the back of her neck with both hands, wishing she had time for a massage, but that was too public for someone who needed to lay low.

      She picked up the phone and dialed Buddy’s number. Although it had been more than six months since they’d quit seeing each other, they were still on good terms. Sonora had been gone too much to commit herself to anyone, and Buddy wanted more than a once a month lay. The decision to quit trying had been mutual.

      Still, as she waited for Buddy to pick up, she couldn’t help but wish she had a little back-up in her personal life.

      Buddy answered on the third ring. “Heelloo, good lookin’.”

      “Did you know it was me, or is that the way you always answer your phone?” Sonora said.

      Buddy laughed. “Caller ID and yes.”

      This time, it was Sonora who chuckled. “Some things never change…you СКАЧАТЬ