Ezra stood, his jacket moving slightly so she caught a flash of metal. “I’ll get it for you.”
Just what she’d thought he’d say. Ezra, she could handle. It was Michael Malone who would likely prove to be the hardass. Case was his best friend and partner. Lucky for her he still wasn’t moving so great at this point so she’d likely only have to deal with the man she’d hired.
“I’ll come with you. Get a lay of the land, so to speak,” she said, striding up to him.
He took the bucket out of her hands and started moving toward the back of the building, the same way Santos had gone.
“I’ll hang out here.” Michael leaned back in his chair.
She looked straight ahead as she caught up with Ezra. “I need you to be my bodyguard now, but I need you to do it discreetly and from a distance.”
“May I ask why?” His tone was even, as though they were merely talking about the weather.
“Because Tony Santos is here.”
Ezra stopped. “Damn it. Did he see me?”
They’d gotten behind the second buildings and she didn’t see Tony anywhere. “I’m sure he did. He’s probably gone, but I have to look. Please watch my back, but do it from a distance. And tell Case I wasn’t alone. Okay?”
He set the ice bucket down. “Go. Do what you need to do. I’ll be there even if you can’t see me. I’ll follow you however I can. If he gets you in a car, stall him for a few minutes so I can follow you in a cab. There are a couple running around here most of the time from what I’ve seen.”
She nodded and took off, jogging the direction she thought he’d go. The beach was to her left. If she took a right, she would get back to the street. Likely he’d had a car parked on that street and he was driving away and he wouldn’t call again.
Not that he’d called in the first place. He’d e-mailed her the photo with all kinds of cryptic commands. Mia stalked past a massive bougainvillea bush. The back of the motel was covered in the glorious pink blossoms, but Mia didn’t have time to admire the flowers. No time to smell the flowers or enjoy doing touristy things with her man. No four-star hotel with a spa for her. No, she had to track down the crazy guy who couldn’t talk on the phone because everyone was out to get him.
And yes, she knew everyone really was out to get him, but it still sucked.
She was going to have to tell Case she’d screwed up. Again.
“Hello, pretty girl. How about a walk on the beach?”
She turned and there was the man she’d met six months before. After the debacle at Sanctum, she’d taken the assignment to write a story on human trafficking. Tony had been working, trying to find the daughter of a friend of his. He was a slender man, not much taller than herself, but she’d seen Tony fight. His lack of muscle belied his lean strength. He was also pretty mean. The man could bite with the best pissed-off Doberman. “I thought I lost you.”
He started walking slowly toward the beach. “I thought I told you to come alone.”
She felt herself flush as she followed him. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. You’ve finally got some sense.” Tony walked slowly, avoiding the super sandy part of the beach. Though he was dressed casually, no one would likely mistake him for a guest at the various beach parties going on around them. Makeshift canopies dotted the beach and cars pounded out various rhythms, all leading to one big party.
Tony looked out of place, his darkness skittering the edge of the light as if slightly afraid of what the sun might do to him.
“Were those two men with Taggart?” Tony asked.
She decided honesty was best with Tony. He was calm for now, but she saw the way his left hand fisted and relaxed, fisted and relaxed. He was always on the edge. It was sad, but he sometimes reminded her of her brother Bran. “Yes. How do you know Case?”
Tony chuckled. “I don’t. I know his oldest brother by reputation only. So you’re sleeping with Taggart the third? I have to number them to keep them straight in my head. The DNA runs true in that group. Whoever is following us is good. I can’t see him. I can feel him though. He needs to stay away. I would hate to have to kill someone on this lovely beach.”
She looked around but she couldn’t see Ezra either. He did blend in. “He won’t approach us. He’s just making sure I have someone watching over me. It wasn’t my choice.”
“Ah, then the Taggart cub is the one with the good sense to protect what belongs to him. Tell me something. Did you like my gift, pretty girl?”
His gift. The picture of Theo. “I did. It’s very important we find the man in that picture.”
“The youngest Taggart. The one who died. I’m sure now he knows there are some things worse than death.”
The words sent a chill through her. “Do you know anything more?”
“I know they’re still here. Still in the city.” Tony stopped, turning and staring out at the beach. “They’ll make a move soon. They stayed too long in Argentina and it almost cost them.”