“I want you to find out who sent me the note. If it was the Carreras, I want to stop them, make sure they can’t get away with threatening me, or any one of us.”
“But no police.”
“No police.” Her green gaze was steady, but he sensed the tension coiled within her. “I don’t know what the range of your services is, but I may also need protection.”
“Personal protection?”
She shifted in her seat. “I have . . .” She seemed uncertain how to continue. He waited, knowing sometimes silence worked better than questions. “I have an issue I learned about yesterday that I’m still working out.”
“What kind of issue?”
She was silent so long he thought she might not answer him. Then she drew in a breath and expelled it in a rush. “I’m . . . pregnant,” she blurted out. “About three months. It’s my husband’s. I’m still adjusting to the news, and I really don’t know what to do about the Carreras, but I want to feel safe. I want my baby to be safe.”
As Lucas absorbed that information, the smell of eastern spices drifted to his nose. It apparently reached hers, too, because she turned toward the aroma like a bloodhound with a scent.
“Any chance you and the baby might like some Thai-ish food?” he asked, hooking a thumb toward the wall that separated his office from the restaurant.
“Thai-ish?”
“Asian fusion.”
She relaxed a bit for the first time. “The baby and I would love it.”
Chapter Four
They headed out together and he was locking the door to his office when he remembered Helena. She was late, not the first time she’d forgotten the time or been a no-show. Still ...
“Go on in and get out of the heat. I gotta make a call.”
“No, I’ll wait.”
“Okay, but ...” He trailed off as he looked across the front lot and saw Helena slam the door on her Ford Escape. She saw him, too, and barreled his way. “I had a client scheduled for eleven-thirty,” he explained to Andi. “I thought you were her, but there she is now.”
Andi looked past him toward Helena, whose red hair was flying out behind her like a cape as she stalked toward Lucas. “Hmm. I’ll get that table,” Andi said and wisely headed inside.
Helena flicked a glance at Andi’s retreating back as she approached Luke. “Who was that?”
“Someone I’m meeting for lunch. You were late.”
“Barely. Carlos wants full custody of Emily and it’s your fault!”
“Whoa ... whoa ... How is it my fault? And since when are you getting a divorce?”
“Since I filed papers last week. Now, all of a sudden, he wants to be a daddy, and he’s never been there for her!”
That was patently untrue, but Luke knew better than to say so. He guided Helena back to his office and hustled her inside. “Make it quick,” he told her.
“Why? So you can meet your date?”
“Helena, Carlos hasn’t shown any indication that he’s anything but a model parent. I never found anything that said otherwise. I’m not a lawyer, but—”
“You didn’t try hard enough. Now he’s going to take Emily away from me!”
“He can’t do that. Neither of you can.”
“I’ve got to get away from him. He’s a crazy man. You just don’t see it.”
“Don’t do anything rash. You need a good lawyer. Why did you file for divorce? You never said anything about filing.”
“What does it matter?”
“Well, because now things can escalate. You’ve thrown down the gauntlet.”
“I don’t know what you’re saying. If I don’t do something, Carlos wins. He’ll take Emily back to Colombia and that’ll be it. You’ve got to help me!”
“Myrna Mintz is an excellent divorce attorney. I’ll give you her number.”
When Luke turned toward his desk, his eye fell on the note left for Andi. Little birds need to fly . . . He was momentarily distracted until Helena grabbed him by his sleeve. “I don’t want a fucking lawyer. I want my daughter safe with me.”
“Helena,” he warned.
“If you won’t help me, I’ll get someone who will.”
“C’mon. Take a moment.”
“You haven’t helped me at all. You just tell me what not to do.”
“I don’t think Carlos is trying to kidnap Emily.”
“Good-bye, Luke. Thanks for nothing.” With that, she stomped out of the office and slammed the door. Luke carefully put Andi’s note back inside the envelope and tucked it beneath a few papers that were already inside his in-box.
*