BLACK MONEY LOVE

Chapter 12

The ride home hadn't calmed her. At every turn, she'd been violated. At every turn, her privacy and peace had been disrupted. This last incident was the last she'd accept. She might have been able to handle another threat, another demand. But he'd offered her a job position of a man who'd been murdered. Zack's brother.
A nightmare, Roma thought as she paced from window to window. She wished she could believe it was a nightmare. The cycle was drawing to a close, and she felt herself being trapped in the center. What Jerry Alpha had started, she and Zack would be forced to finish,no matter how painful. No matter how deadly. Finish it she would, Roma promised herself. The cycle would be broken, no matter what she had to do. She would be finished with it so her daughter could come home safely. Whatever she had to do, she would see to that.
At the sound of a car approaching, Roma went to the front window. Zack, she thought, and felt her heart sink. Should she tell him now that she'd met face to face with the man who might have killed his brother? If he had the name,if he knew the man, would he race off in a rage for the revenge, could the cycle ever be broken? Instead, she was afraid it would revolve and revolve around them, smothering everything else. She saw Zack,a man of the law,a man of patience and compassion,shackled forever within the results of his own violence. How could she save him from that and still save herself?
Her hand was so cold as she reached for the door and opened it to meet him. He knew there was something wrong before he touched her." What are you doing home? I went by the shop and it closed."
"Zack." She did the only thing she knew how. She drew him against her and held on." Morales is on his way here."
" What happened?" A little skip of panic ran through him before he could stop it. He held her away, searching her face.
"Did anything happen to you? were you hurt?"
" No,I'm not hurt. Come in and sit down."
" Roma,I want to know what happened."
She heard the sound of a second engine and looked down the street to see the unmarked car.
" Morales is here," she murmured." Come inside, Zack. I'd rather go through this only once."
She glanced at Zack as Morales came up the front walk. It was what Zack wanted. What he needed. And by giving him, she would take herself one step further way from him.
" Miss Altergracie." Morales took off his hat as he entered, glanced briefly at Zack and waited.
"Captain," she stood by a chair but didn't sit." I have some information for you. There's an American,a man named Scott Trydent. Less than an hour ago he offered me five thousand dollars to smuggle cocaine off the reef of Isla Mujeres."
Morales expression remained impassive. He tucked his hat under his arm." And have you had previous dealings with this man?"
"He joined one of my diving classes. He was friendly. Today he came by the shop to talk to me. Apparently he believed that I..." She trailed off to look at Zack. He stood very still and very quiet just inside the door. " He thought that Jerry had told me about the operation. He'd found out about the safe deposit box. I don't know how. It was as though he knew every move I've made in weeks."
As her nerves began to fray, she dragged a hand through her hair.
"He told me that I could take over Jerry's position, make exchange in the caves near Isla Mujeres and be rich. He knows..." She had to swallow to keep her voice from from trembling." He knows about my daughter."
" You would identify him?"
" Yes. I don't know if he killed Jerry." Her gaze shifted to Zack again and pleased." I don't know, but I could identify him."
Morales watched the exchange before crossing the room.
" Please sit down, Miss.Altergracie."
" You'll arrest him?" She wanted Zack to say something, anything, but he continued to stand in silence." He's part of the cocaine ring. He knows about Jerry's murder. You have to arrest him."
" Miss Altergracie." Morales urged her down on the sofa,then sat beside her." We have names. We have faces. But there's one we don't have. The person who organizes, the person who undoubtedly ordered the murder of Jerry Alpha. This is the name we need. Without it, the arrest of couriers,of salesman,is nothing. We need this name, Miss. Altergracie. And we need proof."
" I don't understand. You mean you are just going to let Trydent go? He'll just find someone else to make the drops."
" It won't be necessary for him to look elsewhere if you agree."
" No." Before Roma could take in Morales words, Zack was breaking in. He said it quietly that chills began to race up down her spine. He took out a cigarette. His hands were rock steady. Taking his time, he flicked his lighter and drew until the tip glowed red. He blew out a stream of smoke and locked his gaze on Morales. " You can go to hell."
" Miss Altergracie has the privilege to tell me so herself."
" You are not using her. If you want someone on the inside, someone closer to the name and proof,I'll make the drops."
Morales studied him,saw the steady nerves and untiring patience Along with simmering temper. If he'd had a choice,he'd have preferred it. It isn't you who has been asked."
" Roma isn't going down."
" Just a minute." Roma pressed both hands to her temples.
" Are you saying you want to see Trydent again, to tell him you'll take the job? That's crazy. What purpose could there be."
" Jerry Alpha lived with you, worked for you. He had a weakness for women. Neither the police nor the smugglers have been sure exactly what part of you played. Jerry's Alpha's brother is now living in your house. The key to the safe deposit box was found by you."
" Guilty by association, captain?"
Her voice took on that ice-sharp edge Zack had heard only once or twice before." Have I been on police protection or have I been under surveillance?
Morales tone never altered." One servers the same purpose as the other."
" If am under suspicion, haven't you considered that I might simply take the money and run?"
" That's precisely what we want you to do."
" Very clever." Zack wasn't certain how much longer he could hold on to his temper. It would have given him great satisfaction to have picked Morales body up and thrown him out of the house. Out of Roma's life.
" There isn't time. With your cooperation, Miss Altergracie,we can end this. Without it,it could take months."
" Months? She thought. Another day would be a lifetime. " I'll do it"
Zack was beside her in a heartbeat, pulling her off the couch." Roma--"
" My daughter comes home in two weeks." She put her hands on his arms. She won't come back to anything like this."
" Take her someplace else." Zack gripped her shoulders until her fingers dug flesh. " We'll go somewhere else."
" Where?" She demanded." Every day I tell myself I'm pulling myself from this thing and everyday it's a lie. I've been in it since Jerry walked in the door. We can't change that. Until it's over, really over, nothing's going to be right."
He knew she was right, had know it from the first moment. But too much had changed. There was a desperation in him now that he'd never expected to feel. It was all for her." Come back to the States with me. It will be over."
" Will it? Will you forget your brother was murdered? Will you forget the man who killed him?" His fingers tightened, his eyes darkened, but he said nothing. Her breath came out in a sign of acceptance." No, it won't be over until we finish it. I've run before, Zack. I promised myself I'd never run again."
" You could be killed."
" I've done nothing and they've nearly killed me twice." She dropped her head on his chest.
" Please help me."
He couldn't force her to bend his way. Two of the things he most admired in her were her capacity to give and her will to stand firm. He could plead with her, he could argue, but he could never lie. If she ran, they'd never be free of it. His arms came around her. Her hair smelled of summer and Sea air. And before the summer ended, he promised himself, she'd be free. They'd both be free.
" I go with her." He met Morales eyes over her head.
" That's not possible."
" I'll make it possible."