Concealed Identity. Jessica R. Patch

turned in his direction and moaned. “Naturally, the guy with the eyes would see me ralph.”

      Holt chuckled. “If it makes you feel any better, you did it gracefully.”

      “It doesn’t.”

      Blair smirked, then sobered. “I want to get out of here.” She looked at Holt. “Blair. Sullivan. And this is my sister—”

      “Gigi. Yeah I got that. Seems you might need a little medical attention.” He pointed to her head.

      She touched it and sighed. “It’s not that bad. Thank you for checking on us.”

      Not that Holt came to their aid to get close to Blair, but he did hope it might be an open door to gain her confidence. Whether she was involved with the cartel or not, Blair could be the key to helping him find Jeremy and Bryan. And time was not on his side.

      “What happened? Who were those crazies?” Gigi took the water bottle Blair gave her and swished some water in her mouth before spitting it out and climbing back inside the truck.

      “Yeah, who were those crazies?” Holt asked, frowning. Blair had no business driving after knocking her head like that.

      Blair shrugged. “I don’t know, but I’m not sticking around in case they decide to come back and introduce themselves. Thanks again for your help.”

      “Yeah, thanks, Mr. Hollywood.” Gigi smiled and then winced.

      “It’s Holt, in case the head injury has you confused.” With all the acting he was about to do, Hollywood fit much better than Superman.

      Blair leaned out her driver’s-side window. She looked too petite to be driving this bulky thing. But clearly, the woman was strong. And brave. “Had you not shown up when you did, I don’t know what would have happened. You must have scared them off.”

      Holt studied her, searching her eyes for answers to what might have actually gone wrong. Nothing there but terror and confusion. “I guess I did.” It took squeezing off a few rounds himself. Relieved Blair didn’t realize he’d used his weapon, he relaxed his shoulders. “You sure you’re okay to drive? I can give you a lift to the hospital, and we can come back for your truck later.”

      Blair’s face blanched.

      Did she not plan on seeking medical attention? Not if she didn’t want questions raised.

      “I can manage,” Blair finally said. “Besides, my stuff’s in the back and I’m not leaving it.” She narrowed her eyes. “We’ll be fine.”

      Holt couldn’t blame Blair for being suspicious of him, but he’d have to remedy it. Quick. If saving her life didn’t get him in her good graces, he wasn’t sure what would. Charm? He could lay that on pretty thick when necessary, but something about the way she’d carried herself and avoided eye contact with him at the storage auction said charm wasn’t the way to go to win her trust.

      Honesty might be the ticket. But that was one thing he couldn’t give. Came with the territory. “You sure?”

      “Positive. Thanks again.” That was her polite Southern belle dismissal.

      “Okay.” He ambled toward his truck with no intention of letting them out of his sight. Blair cranked the engine and it sputtered to life. She pulled through the tall grass and back onto the road from the shallow ditch. Holt followed at a distance, hoping not to further scare them, but this was the only way into town, and he wanted to make sure they were safe.

      As he suspected, they went straight to their home. No medical attention. He clambered out of his truck.

      “Why are you following us?” Blair demanded.

      He held his hands up in surrender. “You took a whack to the head. Just wanted to make sure you got safely home.”

      “Well, we did.”

      Holt turned to Gigi, who was tottering out of the truck. He rushed to help her. “How do you feel?”

      “Like I got hit by a truck.”

      Holt winked. “Imagine that. Are you not going to the hospital? You really should.”

      Blair came around and slipped in between Holt and Gigi, creating a protective barrier. “I can take it from here.” She shifted her eyes toward Gigi and studied her sister’s face, as if she were in a battle about whether she should go or not.

      “I feel woozy, Blair.”

      Blair sighed. “We’ll go see Doc Drummond.”

      Ah. The local doctor. “What about the police?” he asked. Didn’t matter to him as much as them receiving some medical care. Better if she didn’t call the police. They’d only get in his way. Besides, based on the homework he’d done on the town, the sheriff was recovering at home from a stroke and the deputy chief was in charge. He was only a year younger than Holt’s thirty-two years. Probably didn’t know diddly-squat. This town barely had two thousand residents. Biggest crime might be cow tipping.

      Then again, Alejandro Gonzalez had been spotted here by Agent Livingston, so who knew what was going on? A place like this wouldn’t be on anyone’s radar. Could Alejandro have been meeting the head of the Juarez Cartel? No one had ever seen his face before. Which meant he could be hiding right under their noses.

      Did Blair know who he was? Was that why she’d moved here after her husband had been gunned down by the Juarez Cartel? Had she been in on Mateo’s execution? Or had the head of the snake moved here to lie in wait and strike at Blair as a move against her former brother-in-law, Hector Salvador?

      Too many questions clogging the wheel. Holt inhaled and exhaled, concentrating on the here and now.

      “I’ll call the police once I get my sister to Doc Drummond’s.” Her tone didn’t sound convincing, and her eyes shifted before she looked away. Nope. She wasn’t calling anyone. Seemed odd for someone innocent. “Let me drive you. I know you managed to drive home, but neither of you seem to be in any shape to be behind a wheel.” It killed Holt to see a hurting woman. A stray thought of his high school love crashed into his mind. She’d hurt for so long before the cancer took her, ruining all their dreams for a future together.

      But he didn’t want to think about it. Thinking meant feeling. And Holt didn’t want to feel. Not even right now while looking at the lovely Blair Sullivan. He was feeling something. Something he shouldn’t. She was an assignment. That was all.

      Blair gnawed her bottom lip. “I think we’ll be okay.”

      Gigi was already walking toward his truck. “Do you know where Doc Drummond’s office is?”

      “I just moved here, but it’s a small town. In fact, it appears you and I are neighbors. I rented the McCowens’ house across the street.”

      “Cool.” Gigi climbed inside the Ford F-150 he was using as his cover vehicle. “You have a head injury, Blair. I don’t want to wreck for the second time today. So get in.”

      Blair hesitated and chewed on her thumbnail as if considering the offer. “So you live across the street.” She eyed him. “What brings you to Hope?”

      “I’m opening up a used outdoorsman store. Kind of a dream of mine. That’s why I was at the auction today. Trying to stock the place.” And the lies continued. Worst part of his job—especially if he was lying to someone innocent. He wasn’t sure she was, but he wanted her to be.

      Blair scowled at Gigi, who had taken up homestead in his truck. “And where is your business?”

      Okay, this might be a little too coincidental, but he’d make it work. “Only place I could find for the right price. I leased a building on the square. Right by what appears to be your shop.” He pointed to her bulky box truck. The side was painted with a huge Christmas tree, and the name of her business was scrolled in red: It’s A Wonderful Life Antiques. “Guess we’ll be seeing a lot of each other, neighbor.”