AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes, sir,” Sam said. “I was just curious. All of my contacts and informants seem to believe that Heston has left the state.”
Freeman spoke up. “I got word today that Gilberto Sanchez was in Brownsville this weekend, and again this morning. He’s supposedly still in retirement, but considering the family tie, it may be probable that’s where Heston is.”
“Or maybe the old man is in town for one of his monthly blowjobs,” Sam said, and they all laughed.
Gil Sanchez thought he was on the down low with his visits to the redhead at the massage parlor. She was discreet; he paid her well enough to be. But the bleached blond that worked the counter every so often when Gil came in was a heavy drinker, and almost any amount of information could be plied out of her with enough whiskey. She also had a fetish for black cowboys. Freeman, who was a recent transplant from the field office in Brownsville, had been just the man to combine the two.
When they’d first spotted Gil’s pattern of coming to Brownsville once a month, they thought perhaps there was some drug business going on in the parlor. They were still trying to find out who was at the helm of the massive cocaine operation, and they had to consider the possibility that the business was Sanchez’s, or at least a spin-off of it.
After a few drinks and some dirty dancing that Freeman would later tell them he would never, ever engage in again, the middle-aged blond had told Freeman the truth about Gil Sanchez. The old man had a fetish for redheads and blowjobs. He came all the way from his home in Matamoros, Mexico, to Brownsville Massage to satisfy both of his needs.
Gomez looked at Freeman thoughtfully and said, “Why don’t you take Corbett with you, and you two go visit the boys down in Brownsville. See if you can find out exactly where Sanchez went when he was there this weekend and this morning. Maybe take a few agents from Brownsville’s office and check those places out. It might be a slim lead, but it’s the only one we have now, unless y’all have anything else to report?”
They all shook their heads. Freeman stood up as the meeting broke up and looked at Corbett. “I suppose you want to drive?”
“Don’t I always?” Corbett said with a grin. “I need a minute with the boss first, though.”
“Okay,” Freeman told him. “I’m going to see a man about a horse and check in with the wife. I’ll meet you at the car.”
As he headed to Gomez’s office, Corbett noticed Sam on his cell phone over in the corner of the room. He hated knowing this, but if Barry was right about Sam, he was sure that by the time he and Freeman got to Brownsville, Vincent Heston would be gone.
CHAPTERFIVE
WITNESS PROTECTION
Stockdale, Texas
Tuesday Morning, 5:30 A.M.
Raven and Cherylmade it to work at exactly the same time. Raven had been hoping to get in a tad bit earlier than Cheryl today. She loved her boss. Most of the time her lively talking amused her. However, this morning Raven had woken up with a bit of a headache and wanted a few glorious minutes of hot coffee and silence before Cheryl got there. She wasn’t so lucky. It seemed that was going to be the theme for the day.
She’d woken up to a cold, empty bed. Ridge was gone already, and in his place was a note. It was a nice note, and it made her smile, but it wasn’t warm and sexy to cuddle with like Ridge was. She had turned on the light next to the bed and read:
My beautiful Raven,
I’m headed to work. I have a session with Sandy’s primary trainer, Eli, this morning. He’s just going to go over the basics like membership, cost, paperwork, stuff like that with me.
You’ll probably be gone before I get back, though, so I wanted to tell you to have an amazing day, and I love you, and I will be thinking about you all day. You looked so beautiful and peaceful this morning; I couldn’t wake you.
I did do things to you while you were sleeping, though. (Ridge had drawn a happy face next to this.)
I’m kidding. I’m a pervert when it comes to you, but not that bad.
I love you, Raven.
Ridge
She put the note down after she’d read it and picked up her phone. She sent him a text that said:
Anytime you want to do things to me, feel free. I love you, too! Have a great day!
Then she had reluctantly gotten out of the warm bed and prepared for work. She was almost ready to leave in enough time to get there long before Cheryl when her phone rang. It was Maggie.
“Hey, sweetie,” her friend said, “I’m sorry to call so early, but I need a huge favor.”
“Sure,” she told Maggie. She owed Maggie and Wes a lot for the fresh start they’d given her. “What can I do for you?”
“Wes had a few too many last night and left the car down at the bar. Mitch and Flynn put Wes into a cab. I can take one back to get it before I have to leave for work this morning, if you’re in a rush, but I was hoping…”
