The Midnight Hour (18 page)

An understanding grin touched his lips. "Hey, I don't have a problem with it."

"Thanks."

After she said grace for the both of them they began eating. Either the food was terribly good or she'd been extremely hungry because the food tasted like ambrosia. Probably both, she thought, taking sips of her milk shake. So far she'd been lucky with her pregnancy. She hadn't suffered morning sickness and her energy level had remained high. She woke up every morning feeling on top of the world and she seemed to have more energy than ever. During her initial visit to the doctor he had given her a prescription for prenatal vitamins that she took each day.

She glanced over at Drake. Like her he seemed to have a healthy appetite, but then he'd always had one. "I feel there's something we should be doing instead of running away and hiding. I packed my laptop. As soon as we get settled into a hotel I plan to use it and see what information I can find out."

Drake nodded. He knew how she felt. He was getting antsy as well. At one time the ASI had become one of the most feared drug cartels in the world and seemed unstoppable until several major countries had joined forces to shut them down. The United States had been their biggest consumer so it stood to reason that to keep being a major drug supplier, the ASI paid off just about anyone to keep their operations moving-including DEA and CIA agents who were willing to become corrupt for the right price.

Drake wanted to believe that most of his fellow operatives were clean, but he wasn't stupid enough not to believe there were some who weren't. He hated to admit it but even honest men could be bought if enough money was thrown their way. And September 11 had shifted a lot of people's attention off drug trafficking and onto terrorism. The shift in focus had helped the cartel's cause, and the illegal organization was more profitable than ever.

Drake had also known that keeping a low profile for the past five years hadn't been Cross's choice. The mess he'd made by putting those United States dignitaries' lives on the line in Haiti, as well as the casualties that had resulted… his actions had caused immediate international repercussions. Because of Cross's need for personal revenge, he had put his fellow drug lords' businesses at risk and ASI hadn't been too happy about it. However, instead of taking him out and eliminating him altogether, since Cross's fraction had always been a very profitable one for the cartel, they decided to spare his life but had ordered that he hang low and stay out of trouble. Now it seemed that their bad boy was trying to cause problems again, which meant he either had the ASI's backing or he was operating without ASI knowledge. Drake rubbed his chin. Now that was an interesting theory; one he planned to check out when they got to the hotel and Tori booted up her laptop.

A half hour later they walked back to the car, Drake's eyes scanning the parking lot. "Do you want me to drive?" she asked, feeling a lot better now that she had a full stomach.

"No, I don't mind driving. In fact, I prefer it. You can continue being the lookout."

"All right." He wasn't going to get any argument from her since she detested driving for long periods of time. She glanced around the parking lot and didn't see anything unusual. A part of her hoped that she and Drake had gotten a clean getaway but she knew that probably wasn't the case. If Cross was the person looking for her then he wouldn't stop until he found her. And they could show up at any place, at any time. That alone was enough to drive her crazy.

"What do you think their next move will be?" she asked Drake once they were in the car. She snapped her seat belt on.

Out of habit, Drake scanned the parking lot one more time before turning the key in the ignition, mentally cataloging his surroundings and finding nothing suspicious. "By now they know that Rangel has failed and chances are they're looking for us. If they've done their homework, they know we've left the area by now, but they don't know if it was by plane, train or car. Their first assumption would be by plane since it would be the quickest mode of transportation. There's a chance they might have someone posted at various airports looking for us. I think we should stick to driving. It's less risky."

He looked around before backing the car out of the slot, and then continued. "It won't take them long to figure it out, but all I expected was a head start." His eyes narrowed. "They still don't know where we're headed. Let's see how long we can keep it that way."

"Do you think it's wise to stay on the interstate?" she asked as they pulled out of the restaurant's parking lot and entered the four-lane highway that would lead them back to the expressway.

"Let's do so for now. We can always change our plans later if we have to. Besides," he added, "I want to reach Phoenix before dark."

At first traffic was pretty congested then the further they drove the less traffic there was. They had driven less than a hundred miles when Tori happened to notice a car weaving out of traffic behind them. "It may be paranoia slipping in, but I don't like the look of that black sedan a few cars behind us. It's been passing other cars trying to keep up with us."

Drake glanced into his rearview mirror at the same time he shifted to reach for the pistol he had placed on the seat next to him. "Yeah, I noticed that, too. Let's get off at the next exit to see what it does."

His first thought when he'd noticed the car was that a professional would have had better tailing skills and wouldn't have been this obvious, which meant the person driving was an amateur or someone who wanted them to know they were being followed.

The next exit was a good ten miles away and sure enough the black sedan was right behind them. Not knowing who or what they were dealing with, Tori had already taken the safety off her gun and was ready, grateful there weren't many cars on the road. No matter what, she wanted to consider the safety of others.

"We don't want to give him the appearance that we're on to him, so let's keep driving for a while," Drake said, turning down a two-lane road that contained even less traffic. "It may not be the actual hitman but someone who's been ordered to tail us. I think a hitman would have made a move by now."

Tori nodded at the same time Drake's mobile phone rang. He snatched it out of his inner jacket pocket and hit the talk button, his hand still steady on the wheel. "Yes?"

"I've called in a few favors with the Bureau," Hawk said. "Don't panic. The black sedan that's following you is on our side."

Drake sighed deeply. "I was beginning to wonder."

"Thought you might be and the driver called suggesting that I let you know that the Bureau will have someone posted every so many miles until you're out of California. They won't interfere with you, but will be there for protection just in case you need it. Once you reach Arizona you'll be on your own for a while."

Drake nodded. After Phoenix he would head for Texas. He had plenty of friends who he trusted in Houston; especially Ashton and Trevor.

"Must have been a hell of a favor you called in," Drake said, knowing it wasn't the usual protocol for the Feds to assist the CIA this way.

Hawk chuckled. "It was."

"Any more information about Rangel?"

"Nothing concrete. I've contacted Casey and of course he's concerned with what's going down. He's going to do a check on a number of things in-house and get back with me. He knows I'm the middleman between the two of you for now."

Drake nodded. He definitely preferred having Hawk at his back than Casey. There was something about the man he just didn't like.

"How's Tori, Drake?"

Drake glanced over at her. She was watching him and ev-idendy had been trying to follow his conversation with Hawk. "Tori is fine. Do you want to speak with her?"

"Yes."

"Hold on." Drake passed the phone to Tori. "It's Hawk and he wants to talk to you. And thanks to Hawk, that car following us is the Feds and they're clean."

Tori nodded and placed the phone to her ear. "Yes, Hawk?"

"I didn't mention this to Drake but we found a definite connection between Rangel and Solomon Cross. You may have to accept the fact that he's discovered your true identity, Tori, and that's the reason he's after you. Time has run out."

Tori released a deep sigh. She had accepted that possibility long ago. She glanced away from Drake to look out the window as he turned the car around to head back for the interstate. "What are you suggesting?"

"That you tell Drake the truth."

"No!"

The word had been quick from her lips. She knew Drake's attention had been drawn to her. "That's not an option right now, Hawk."

"Then make it one. Drake has to be told. He needs to know what's going down and why. He needs all the facts, Tori. That's the only way he can protect himself as well as you."

Tori shook her head. The thought of telling Drake her true identity wasn't something she wanted to think about. "I can't. Not now."

"You don't have a choice, Tori."

She breathed in deeply. "We'll talk again later." She then quickly ended the call.

"What was that about?"

Tori turned to see Drake staring at her. If only you knew. "It was nothing," she said, returning her attention to the traffic.

Drake's hand tightened on the steering wheel. "You're holding something back, Tori, and I don't like playing games."

Tori sighed deeply. She didn't like playing games either but there was no way she could level with him right now. But then Hawk was right. If Rangel was connected to Cross, then time had run out and Drake needed to know the truth as to why Cross had reappeared in both of their lives.

"Tori?"

She met Drake's eyes and said, "I don't like playing games either, Drake. But there are some things in my past that I'm not ready to share with you just yet." She nervously licked her lips. "Things only Hawk knows."

Drake nodded. "Does it have any bearing on what's going down here?" he asked, sighing heavily.

She shrugged. "It might, but until I know for sure, I prefer not saying anything."

Drake was silent. Had she been involved in some high-classified secret mission that may have involved Cross at one time, although she'd claimed that she hadn't? He could understand why she might feel duty-bound to keep her lips sealed, but if it would give him the edge in keeping them both alive, he wanted to hear it and told her as much.

Tori heard Drake's words and knew both he and Hawk were right. But how on earth could she tell the man she loved and who had once loved her with a passion that the Woman he thought had died, the same one he had mourned for the last five years, was alive and well and had a new identity? She shuddered when she thought of what his reaction might be.

She hiked up her chin and met his gaze. "You're going to have to trust me on this, Drake. I'll tell you everything when I feel I should and not a moment before."

Drake saw the worry lines darken between her brow and around her eyes. Whatever it was that she was holding back was eating at her, so he decided to pull back for now, but he intended to bring it up again later.

"When we get to the hotel in Phoenix, it will be best if we share a room," he said, glancing over at her again.

Tori frowned. She knew that was practical and that she would be safer but the thought of sharing a room with Drake for the night didn't sit well with her. Just being this close to him was wreaking havoc on her nerves.

"You don't have a problem sharing a room with me, do you, Tori?"

She swallowed, thinking, If only he knew. Already her body was tingling at the idea of one bed and two bodies One bed and their two naked bodies. Of course they woul request a room with two beds. That was the only way s* would survive the night.

"Tori?"

She lifted her chin and met his gaze. She had to remember that she was a professional and she had to think about them together as being on a mission-a mission to save her life. "No, Drake, I don't have a problem with it as long as there are two beds in the room." She wanted to make it clear that they would not be sleeping together.

He nodded. "Of course. That shouldn't be a problem," he1 said, with more gruffness than he'd intended.

Tori glanced out the window, refusing to meet his eyes. She certainly hoped that it wouldn't be a problem.

Getting a room with two double beds wasn't a problem. The problem was the coziness'of the room. With the two of them together it seemed to shrink in size. Drake, Tori noticed, didn't seem at all bothered by it. On the other hand, the thought of being in such proximity to him had her in knots.

They had shared tight quarters on their mission, but then her concentration had been focused almost exclusively on rescuing Robin Thomas and snot on seducing Drake-almost.

They had unpacked and she had set her laptop up on the desk in the room. She had a few contacts of her own-those she felt certain she could trust-and she intended to see what they could find out. One person in particular was a woman-another agent-whom she had befriended a few years ago when they'd teamed up together for a job in Pakistan shortly after the September 11 attack. Jody Barrow was still with the Agency and was a whiz at finding a connection to information on the computer.

"Why don't you go ahead and take a shower? It will probably relax you. After everything that's happened you must be pretty tense right now," Drake said as he double-checked the doors.

His back was to her and Tori thought from behind he looked just as good as he did from the front. There was just something about a good-looking man in a fitting pair of jeans, and boy, did his fit. Her skin suddenly felt warm and the stirrings of hot desire began flowing through her. She needed a shower, all right. A cold shower.

"Yes, I think I will," she said, barely able to get the words out. And when he turned and looked at her, she felt that emotional connection again, that physical attraction, and wondered if he felt it as well. By some miracle she hoped not. Anything other than business would complicate things, especially raging hormones.