Page 46 of Her Reluctant Hero
Chapter Eight
Isabella had calmed a bit by the time she got to the room, but when Alex went to throw the bag of worthless pictures away, she snatched them back and held them to her. He knew the x-ray machine they’d gone through at airport security in Tegucigalpa had probably wiped out the pictures, but she hadn’t said anything about film, and who would have thought she’d have dozens of rolls of baby pictures? Hell, hadn’t Santiago had the money to buy her a digital camera? He didn’t know anyone who had a film camera anymore.
“Bella, they aren’t going to become visible just because you want them to,” he murmured.
“They were his pictures.”
“No, they weren’t. Not since they were ruined.”
Her head came up at that and he cursed himself. Of course she’d be looking to place blame. He had to think of something to settle her down, fast.
“DEA was able to track two of the people you named from the compound into the country.”
She looked at him sharply. “Who?”
“Pablo and Carmen.” He watched her face carefully as he said Pablo’s name. Nothing. No reaction. How had she just been able to shut that out? “Pablo’s in Texas, they think, and Carmen is in Florida.”
“Do they know where?”
“Not yet. How close was Saldana to these people?”
“Pablo would do anything he said. I’m not sure about Carmen. I didn’t really know anyone other than the housekeeper that well, and her only because she helped me with Hector.”
“Where is she? Did she leave the compound?”
She shook her head, slumping again. “I left her behind.”
He nodded, considering, but deciding not to tell her about the fire at the compound. “I wondered if she could have Hector. Would Carmen have him? Or Pablo?”
She did pale this time at the mention of Pablo’s name. “No, I don’t think so. I mean, they left after Santiago had sent Hector away.”
“But they could have met with someone somewhere and gotten him.”
For a second, just a second, hope flared in her eyes, then frustration took over. “But we don’t know where they are either. Texas, Florida, we still don’t know where.”
“No, but we have people looking.”
“While they’re looking, I’m supposed to just sit here?” As if that was wrong, she pushed to her feet. Her legs wobbled a little.
“We don’t have any other leads.”
“We know Santiago was at The O last night.”
He took a step back. Damn, he didn’t want to take her where it was so difficult to protect her. But his assignment was to find Saldana through her, and he wouldn’t accomplish that by sitting in the hotel.
Besides, he didn’t think he could sit in this room all night, with just her, after seeing that video. Getting out would give him something else to think about.
As much as he hated it, The O was their only lead.
“What, you’re going to just go up to him and demand to know where Hector is? Hell, as far as he knows, you died in the jungle.”
She pressed her lips in a straight line. “Then he won’t expect me to show up at The O.”
“He won’t be there. DEA went over the surveillance tapes from last night. They didn’t see him.”
She shook off his doubts. “He might have been in disguise. I saw his eyes.”
“You wanted to see his eyes. I mean, you wanted to see him. Not to seehim, but you’re anxious for this to be over, to find your son.”
