After the Fall (Broken Angel #2) (12 page)

Just as she was about to take off her shoes and relax, there was a knock at the door.

She opened the door. “Yes?”

“Mr. Prescott is waiting for you in the library,” said a young woman who stood at the entrance. “He would like to go over details of the presidential announcement in Gardenville as soon as possible.”

“Of course.”

“Oh, and here is the paper you requested.” The woman handed her a copy of the Dallas newspaper.

Jane skimmed the headlines. She felt a knot in her stomach when one caught her attention.

Gas Explosion Kills Gardenville Woman.

“Ma’am?”

She blinked and looked up at the woman. “Tell Mr. Prescott I’ll be there in a moment.”

She nodded and closed the door.

Jane pulled out her reading glasses and sank to the plush sofa. Scanning the paper, she inhaled sharply when familiar names appeared.

A gas explosion in Gardenville, Texas, a small town west of Abilene and the hub of Prescott Oil’s hydrofracture drilling, ripped through a home, shaking the nearest neighbors, miles away.

The blast instantly killed the homeowner, Verna Dalene, 45. Emma Dalene, 4, was seriously injured and taken to a nearby hospital for burn injuries and smoke inhalation. Megan Dalene, 21, and Chuy Duran, 23, were treated for smoke inhalation and released.

Authorities reported that the explosion may have been caused by a gas leak after a gas line in the home was damaged. One authority noted that a recent string of earthquakes has caused cracks in underground pipes and gas lines.

Residents in the community suspect that the quakes are linked to the recent fracking in the area and are calling for local officials to investigate Prescott Oil.

Billionaire Luke Prescott is well known for his ties to Senator Jane Sutherland, who will be formally announcing her presidential campaign in Gardenville on Friday.

She folded the paper, tucked it under her arm, and headed out of her room toward the library. As she walked down the stairs, she wondered if Luke knew anything about this and if maybe they should move to a different location for their announcement. Or maybe postpone.

And the name...Chuy Duran. It couldn’t be the same Durans. Could it? It was too much of a coincidence. Maybe Luke could have Sal look into it.

When she was a few feet from the library, she heard muffled voices arguing. She stopped outside the door, shocked when she recognized Sal’s harsh, baritone voice. She’d never heard him raise his voice at Luke before. Something was wrong.

“How can you be so sure she’ll make an appearance?” Sal’s voice drifted down the hall.

“Do not forget, Saleos. The girl’s greatest weakness is her love for her family,” Luke said. “She is so much like Raphael.”

Raphael? Who’s Raphael?

Luke shared a lot of his business contacts with her, often giving her little bit of gossip to amuse her during boring social functions she had to attend in Washington. She didn’t recall anyone named Raphael. And why was Luke calling Sal ‘Saleos’? Was that his real name? Strange.

“You’re taking much risk going after that one. We should focus on the plan to increase the company’s investments so that we can take Prescott Oil global. Without it, you’ll not be able to rise in power. As we speak, Michael is gathering forces.”

“It’s a risk worth taking,” Luke snapped. “Your job is to make sure that the Durans stay put, and see to it that they’re not put in harm’s way until the girl is here.”

Jane gasped. The Durans! It wasn’t a coincidence. It was Anita Duran’s grandson who was in the paper.

Why was Luke bothering that poor family, especially after the girl, Naomi, disappeared in the desert a year ago? She wondered what he was hiding and why. Why would he do something like that? She remembered asking him about the boy, Javier Duran. Could it be that he lied to her?

She shook her head. None of this was making sense. What did Sal mean about Luke’s rise in power? Luke was already a powerful man with his vast amount of financial resources. She knew he wanted to expand fracking into third-world countries. He was also expanding into water exploration. Was this Michael who Sal mentioned a business competitor?

“I’ve checked the hospital. The boy called Chuy suffered no injuries, other than smoke inhalation.”

“Good, make sure he and his grandmother stay out of trouble.”

Sal laughed.

“Do you find anything humorous about the situation?”

Sal cleared his throat. “Don’t you? It was the quake that created the leak in the gas pipes that eventually led to the explosion. Do you think Michael placed Megan Dalene in Chuy’s path?”

“That would be very unlikely. It would be an act of desperation for Michael to place a human at risk. He has too much
faith
”—Luke sneered the word—“to do something like that. No, I think it was mere coincidence.”

“Should I do something about the Dalene girl? There’s a lot of media attention on her right now. Your political adversaries may use her against the senator.”

“The blonde whore? Who in their right mind would listen to her?” Luke laughed. “I have a copy of her criminal file right here.”

After a ruffling of papers, Luke continued. “Arrested for prostitution, in possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, petty theft, and the list goes on. No, this Megan Dalene is not a threat. Let the media have their fun with her. It’ll blow over quickly.”

Jane heard footsteps down the hall heading in her direction. She quickly walked toward the library, clicking her heels loudly on the wood floor, making sure she was heard and then knocked. “Luke?”

“Ah, Jane, come in, come in.”

She entered the library and glanced over at Sal, giving him a slight nod of greeting. His jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth, his head barely making a nod in return.

She blinked and felt a sense of cold wash over her. She took in the way he stood stiff and unmoving. Somehow, he seemed to look bigger, more threatening. Although she was used to his dismissal of her, only acknowledging when it was expected from him, his animosity toward her seemed to have grown within the past few months.

She took in black eyes that pierced through her, the ferocious scowl, and huge muscles that bulged in a snug-fitting black suit. He looked like a hit man. The type of guy one would see in the movies, who mob bosses hired to kill people like...political figures. She shivered at the thought.

“Did you read the Dallas paper?” She waved the paper at Luke.

“Yes. What a shame.”

Jane studied his face. For the first time, she noticed his gray eyes looked empty, void of emotion, even though his words sounded sincere. “I was thinking we could put together a small fundraiser for the family.”

“My dear Jane,” he took the paper from her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I do admire your compassion. However, it’s not a good idea to do so at this time. We don’t want to draw attention away from your announcement.”

“We have to do something. And the poor little girl, she’s fighting for her life. If Prescott Oil is to blame, we need to make this right, Luke.”

Anger flashed across his face. His hand seared her shoulder as if it was on fire. She winced, taking a small step away from him.

In a blink, his face was back to normal, as if she had imagined it. His lips curled into a smile that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand. “I’ve already made some phone calls, and there’s a full investigation underway as we speak. I’ll send Sal to set up an
anonymous
donation to the family.”

He crumpled the paper and tossed it into the trash. “There. Done. Now, shall we go over the key points in your speech?”

Jane was shocked by the way he took over. He’d never done that before. He was definitely hiding something from her.

She glanced over at Sal and then back at Luke. Both were watching her expectantly, as if wondering what her next move would be. A voice screamed inside of her, warning her not to press the issue with him. That same voice warned her that it would be dangerous for her to do so.

She’d stop for now, but she wasn’t letting go. Somehow, she was going to get to the bottom of this. She’d find out, one way or another, what was going on. And the place to start was to find and talk to Anita Duran.

N
aomi brushed the tears from her cheek with the back of her hand as she watched Megan read to a sleeping Emma. It broke her heart to see the little girl in the hospital bed, her tiny body lying in a sea of white: white bandages around her arms and hands, white sheets and pillows, and the white walls of the hospital.

Naomi alternated between feeling heartbroken for Emma and elated that Chuy was alive. She hadn’t believed Jeremy when he told her Chuy was still alive until she’d seen him, limping out of the house with a fireman under his arm, helping him.

She had cried into Jeremy’s chest, relieved, until another fireman came out with Emma in his arms. Pain had crossed over Jeremy’s face, and she had realized that the look he’d given her when he first came out was because of Emma.

Chuy sat in the corner of the room, taking turns with Megan reading all of Emma’s favorite stories. Naomi wasn’t surprised that he had stayed with them, even though he had just met Megan. He was always the first person to volunteer to help a neighbor when it was needed. And when it came to children, he was putty in their hands.

Chuy had held onto Megan when the doctor told her that her aunt died. Naomi could tell Megan already knew her aunt was dead. There was something about hearing it from someone else that somehow made it more real. She knew what it was like, and so did Chuy.

He even helped her by contacting her aunt’s ex-husband, who was driving in from North Dakota. When he read a Berenstain Bears book to Emma, Megan asked him to do voices as he read. Naomi couldn’t help but smile when his voice went up three octaves when he read the momma bear’s part.

“I hope she’s not in pain,” Naomi said as she watched Emma’s little chest rise and fall. “Do you think she can feel anything?”

“I don’t think so.” Jeremy’s voice was somber as he also focused his attention on Emma. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. I must have taken hundreds of children to the other side. I still can’t get used to it.”

“Really?”

He looked down at her, his eyes sad. “Yeah. They’re so full of life, so trusting.”

Naomi glanced over at Chuy just as his hands gently brushed back Emma’s hair out of her face, and she thought of Welita. She wondered how Welita was reacting to Chuy almost getting killed. She hadn’t been able to follow Chuy when he left the hospital briefly to visit Welita. Knowing Chuy, he probably hadn’t told her, or if he had, he’d played it down.

The thought that Chuy could have died, leaving Welita all alone, tore her heart. If only she could see her, somehow she would let her know that she was watching over her.

“Naomi?” Jeremy placed an arm around her shoulder. “What is it?”

She looked up into blue eyes that looked at her tenderly. “I need to see my grandmother. Please,” she breathed.

He held her eyes for a moment and then pulled her to him, pressing her against his chest. She heard his heart pounding frantically. She knew she should pull away, but she couldn’t help herself. She felt so alone, and he was her friend.

Lips pressed against the top of her head, and he sighed. “I know it’s been hard for you. I’ll find a way for you to see her.”

She squeezed him tight. “Thank you.”

When she looked up at him, the raw emotion on his face took her breath away. Intense eyes searched her face and then rested on her lips. Slowly, he ducked his head, lips parting.

A voice inside her told her to let go, step away.

“I can’t stand this anymore!”

Jeremy jumped at the sound of Megan’s voice.

Naomi pulled back and watched Megan as she rose from her chair and paced the room.

That was close.
She couldn’t let that happen again.

“Why don’t you go outside and get some fresh air?” Chuy said, placing the book down on his lap. “I’ll stay with her until you come back.”

“No, it’s not that.” She pressed her hands against her forehead and shut her eyes. “It’s just that this didn’t have to happen. If we weren’t getting all these quakes, the pipes would’ve never gotten damaged, and Aunt Verna would still be here, and Emma...Emma would...”

Red blotches appeared on her face and she choked on tears.

Chuy immediately stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

She sobbed into his chest. “It’s not right. This shouldn’t have happened.”

“Megan, you’ve been here twenty-four hours straight. You need to get some sleep. You’ll feel better,” he said as he rubbed her back, trying to soothe her.

She shook her head. “No, I can’t just sit back and let them get away with this. All my life I’ve been pushed around. I never fought back because I thought I deserved it. I thought I was nothing. I’m not nothing. I
am
somebody.”

“Of course you are. What do you want to do?”

Megan sniffed. “I want to take Prescott Oil down. I just know this is happening because of all the fracking they’re doing. It’s messing up the land somehow. I even heard that they’re putting something in the water.”

“I don’t know, Megan.” He brushed a hand through his thick hair. “People have been saying that for years. There are entire organizations that have tried to bring them down. No one can touch them, and they’re gonna keep growing.”

Megan shook her head. “I don’t care. I’ll find a way. I’ll go to the media. Wait a minute.” She paused, furrowing her brow, deep in thought. Then her eyes widened, and she snapped her fingers. “You work for them. Maybe you can find out what they’re doing. I’m sure they’re doing things illegally.”

“I can’t do that. I don’t want to lose my job.”

“You still want to work for them? Emma doesn’t have a mother anymore because of them.”

“You don’t understand, Megan.” His voice was somber. “I have to take care of my family.”

“You could’ve died too, Chuy! Who would’ve taken care of your family then? I bet you wouldn’t go back to work for them if Prescott Oil killed your family.”