CL Hart -From A Distance (26 page)

"Cori Evans," she said, spelling it out for him. "I also want to know who was in charge of the operation. I need to talk to somebody and I have no idea who I can trust."

"Have you talked to your commanding officer?"

"He was the one who sent me, and since someone also sent a back up, I have no choice but to suspect him. At the very least, I don't trust him, not with my life."

Judge Woodward pursed his lips as he wrote a couple of words down on the pad in front of him. "I'll see what I can do. Can I call you back on this number?"

Kenzie paused for moment, calculating the risks in her mind. "Yeah, but I hope to be on the
Helen
by this evening." She looked over at Cori who was watching her in return. "And Judge, please be careful."

"If you will promise to do the same, my dear."

The room in the back of Big Polly's office was similar to a cheap motel room. There was a bed with a small table, and a bathroom, which consisted of a shower, sink, and a toilet. Cori went into the shower first, and nothing had felt better to her in a long time. The water was hot and she savored the feel of it as she washed the dust and dirt of Mexico down the drain. A short while later, a smiling Cori emerged from the bathroom wrapped only in a towel.

"It's all yours," she said to Kenzie, who was sprawled out on the bed. There was no movement, so she took a few steps closer as she rubbed her wet hair with a towel. "Kenzie?" She watched the still form, sleeping peacefully, hesitant to wake her. Cori had had her opportunities to sleep - in the car, on the ferry, on the fishing boat, and on the plane - but the only time Kenzie had really closed her eyes since they'd met was when she passed out after Cori and Manny relocated her shoulder. She would have liked nothing more than to let her sleep, but she knew they were on a schedule, and that meant they had to be leaving soon.

Moving closer to the bed, Cori sat down carefully on the edge. Making the assumption that startling someone with Kenzie's training would not be a wise idea, Cori called to her softly, "Kenzie?" There was no sign of her waking, only the steady rise and fall of her chest. Cori reached out, but stopped with her hand just above Kenzie's arm.
What was it that the judge called her? Katherine.
The name sounded funny and didn't really seem to suit the sleeping woman, but Cori tried it anyhow. "Katherine?" This time she gently placed a hand on her arm as she called out to her. "Jesus, you're warm."

Eyes the color of gold opened slowly. She didn't lurch awake with fists at the ready and a gun in her hand, instead, she studied Cori's face for a moment and then smiled. "Hi."

"You fell asleep," Cori said, returning the smile.

Looking around the room, Kenzie didn't have to recall where they were or why. "Guess I did." Her gaze returned to the towel-clad blonde. "My turn?"

Cori nodded and started to rise, then stopped. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." Kenzie smiled as she leaned back against the headboard.

"I'm serious."

"So am I. Ask away."

"What's your real name? I mean the judge called you Katherine, and that doesn't sound anything like Kenzie."

"That's really what you wanted to ask me?"

"Yeah."

Kenzie shook her head, "Of all the things I thought you might want to ask, that wasn't one of them. My first name is Katherine, but no one calls me that except for the judge. Everyone calls me Kenzie, which is short for Mackenzie. Feel better now?"

"Yeah, I guess. Thanks."

Cori started to rise, but stopped when Kenzie laid a hand on her arm. "Just wait a sec," Kenzie requested. "There's something I have to say. I'm sorry about earlier."

Cori studied her face for a moment and then looked directly into her sleepy eyes, "About what - the kiss or the comment?" She could only hope it was the latter.

"I am not sorry about the kiss. I'm sorry," Kenzie paused, "I'm sorry that I called you naive. That wasn't right and it wasn't fair." Cori started to look away but Kenzie wouldn't let her. "Hey." She sat up straighter in bed and pulled Cori closer. "I mean it, that wasn't my intention." She brushed a wisp of hair back from Cori's face, tucking it behind her ear. "I didn't mean to hurt you...and I did. I promise I'll never hurt you again... You have my word."

Cori had no idea what to say, or how to say it, but the promise gave her a warm feeling of security as she reached out to touch Kenzie's face.

"I promise," Kenzie said as she leaned into Cori's caress, "we'll figure this out. Once we get to my boat in San Diego, I have the resources to keep you safe. I'll protect you with every ounce of my being." She placed her hand on top of Cori's. "No one will ever hurt you again."

Nobody had ever made her a promise like that before, at least not anyone with the ability to back it up. However, the promises seemed like impractical pledges, even for Kenzie. They didn't know who they were running from, or why, so how could she keep them safe? Cori considered Kenzie's words as she studied her unique eyes.

"You can't make that guarantee, Kenzie. I wish you could, but we both know you can't." Cori offered a smile, but her uncertainty affected its sincerity. Turning away from Kenzie's searching stare, Cori tried to hide her frazzled nerves. In the last several days, the quiet life Cori had been leading had exploded in an eruption of violence. It had shaken her to the very core of her being. She was scared and had been for what seemed like forever. Her eyes began to mist over and her lips quivered as she twisted the damp towel in her hands.

"Hey...hey." Kenzie saw the breakdown coming right before her eyes and she moved to get closer to Cori, but the young woman didn't want to be coddled.

Rising from the bed, Cori moved to the table and dropped the towel that she'd been using to dry her hair. Resting her hands on the back of the chair, she fought her growing fear. Kenzie's hand touched her bare shoulder and the dam holding back her emotions crumbled.

Kenzie felt the first shudder of a sob before she heard it. She turned Cori around and engulfed her in a hug. Cori collapsed into the warm embrace as she finally started to cry.

"It's okay, let it go," Kenzie whispered into her ear as she stroked her honey-colored hair. "Let it go." Cori was nearly naked, and her soft, clean skin was cool to the touch. Kenzie rested her cheek against her damp hair.

Cori buried her face against Kenzie's shoulder, letting go of the fear and anxiety that had been steadily growing inside her for days. The arms around her felt strong and safe, and they brought comfort to her. Kenzie's body was feverishly warm, but for just a moment, Cori indulged her own needs.

The sobs slowly began to subside, but the sniffles and tears continued, as did Kenzie's steady stream of encouraging words. "It's okay, I've got you."
And you've got me.
She sighed silently to herself as she began to realize just how much she had grown to care about Cori. They hadn't known each other for long, but the circumstances had been extreme, and she knew that time was not always measured in minutes.
Time.
She glanced at her watch. They were on a schedule. Kenzie was disinclined to break the embrace, but she knew she had to.

As if sensing Kenzie's reluctant need, Cori sniffed loudly and pulled away from Kenzie's damp shoulder. "Thanks, I needed that." Cori studied Kenzie's face, just inches away from her own. "You're awfully warm."

"You're awfully cute," Kenzie responded as she kissed Cori's forehead.

"Are you okay?"

"Are you?"

"Stop it, I'm being serious. You're very warm." Cori pulled out of Kenzie's embrace and touched her forehead. "I thought you felt warm earlier."

"I remember my mother used to kiss my forehead to check my temperature," Kenzie said with a smile.

Cori's features drew into a concerned frown as her hand slid from Kenzie's forehead to cup her warm cheek. "I'm not your mother," she whispered as she brought her other hand up to Kenzie's other cheek and pulled her into a kiss. This was no peck on the lips, but a woman's kiss of want and desire.

When Cori finally pulled back, Kenzie found herself a little breathless and more than a little sexually aroused. "You," Kenzie said as she licked her tingling lips, "are definitely not my mother."

"And you have a fever. Maybe we should stay here for a bit until you're healed," Cori pleaded. She felt safe in Kenzie's arms, surrounded by Big Polly and his men.

"We have to keep moving. Staying in one place for too long would be dangerous. It's only a minor wound and it will heal."

"Either way, I hope the antibiotic kicks in soon."

"Once I get cleaned up, it will look better and I'll feel better, trust me." She saw the concern on Cori's face, "I know all of this scares you, and it should, but you're going to have to trust me. A moving target is a lot harder to hit, so until we know what's going on, we're going to keep moving. Once we get to San Diego and onto my boat, we can pull up anchor and head out to sea."

"To where?"

"Wherever all of this leads us."

"And then what, Kenzie?"

"Then I'll do what I do best, because that's who I am."

Chapter 11

Transportes El Volante
was the local bus service that was supposed to deposit people at the US/Mexican border every fifteen minutes, but it ran on Mexican time and was seldom punctual. Every year, over twenty million people pass through the metal turnstiles at the Tijuana port of entry, so the buses were seldom empty. Kenzie hoped that no one would pay any attention to two more people in the ever-moving flow northward.

Big Polly had been true to his word, and both she and Cori had identification in the form of a California driver's license and a birth certificate. He had been adamant that they use the driver's licenses as their ID out of Mexico, or rather, their ticket back into the States.

Cori was dressed in a plain, teal-colored, cotton t-shirt and faded jeans; Kenzie in a button down, white linen shirt and a pair of khaki pants. The day was warm, but with the soon to be setting sun, there would be a breeze off the ocean, so Big Polly had also produced two lightweight windbreakers, blue for Cori and an emerald green for Kenzie. They were well worn but fit as if they owned them, and that was all they needed. Big Polly had arranged everything.

Kenzie glanced at Cori who was sitting close beside her. In her lap, nervous fingers clutched a black plastic shopping bag containing a couple of cheap t-shirts and a new leather purse, staple purchases for a tourist visiting Tijuana.

Feeling Kenzie's eyes on her, Cori leaned over and whispered in her ear, "The souvenirs are a nice touch."

"Speak for yourself." Kenzie glared at the bull shaped pinata on her lap. "At least yours are easy to handle and not so audacious." She'd had her reservations when Big Polly handed out the souvenirs, but when he assured her that her pinata held a special surprise, her reluctance turned to concern.

"They have x-ray machines at the border. What do I do when they want to x-ray this little fella?"

"It won't be a problem," Big Polly said with a knowing smile.

Kenzie was doubtful. "Really?"

"They can't and don't x-ray everything. Your little bull there won't fit through their x-ray machine."

Kenzie gave the pinata a little shake, but she felt nothing inside.

He smiled. "It's empty."

"Really?"

"No, but don't worry. I know for a fact that it won't be a problem."

"And if they do decide it's a problem and want to x-ray it?"

"They can't. I'm telling you - trust me."