Betrayed by Lies Read online

  "Maybe we can catch up on that case you were working a few months back. I'm curious to hear how that turned out," he says, his eyes curious. There he is, the brother who has let the criminal element go, but as we in law enforcement know, it's never really gone. He may have turned his life around, thank the good Lord. But he's Alex Estrada Cortez, that life will always be in him. Of course he's talking about Navarro's case. Alex was critical in providing key information I was able to use to assist in bringing Jesus Navarro into custody.

  "Sounds good."

  "Emilia is anxious to show you both the coffee shop, too. She's expanded it into a small bookstore as well."

  "I love books!" Kate exclaims.

  Alex’s lips twist into a smile. "She has a decent selection. She started out as a coffee shop and internet café," he starts. "But we outgrew that. We needed more space. There is a new community college in town, and the shop quickly became the place where everyone came to study or relax. When the business next door closed, she bought it and built out, adding more seating and a small bookstore. I'm so goddamn proud of her. She has vision where I saw nothing," he comments, and I grin. Alex was always about starting new. He never could look at something old, something worn, and see the beauty in it. I'm glad Emilia has that vision.

  "Can't wait to see it," I remark, a look of pride shows in his eyes.

  Thirty minutes later, we're pulling into the driveway of a beautiful big house. It's large but not massive. Beautiful but not overstated. The front door swings open and there stands Emilia bobbing a little girl on her hip.

  My heart leaps when I see the two of them, a flood of emotions bubbling to the surface. Kate looks over her shoulder at me and offers me a worrisome smile.

  "There's my girls," Alex sighs as he closes the car door and opens the back of the SUV. He pulls our luggage down, and Gracie squeals in Emilia's arms. Alex and I pull the luggage toward the front door, stopping just outside. Emilia hands Gracie to Alex and reaches out for Kate, pulling her into a gentle embrace.

  "Welcome, Kate. I'm so glad I finally get to meet you." Emilia's eyes meet mine, and she offers me a sweet smile.

  "I'm so glad to be here," Kate responds and steps back, a look of nervousness etched across her face.

  "Sam," Emilia says, wrapping her arms around me next, and I instantly relax. There are no feelings to battle, no ghosts from the past lurking and waiting to find me. I feel a general sense of relief at Emilia's embrace. "Thank you for coming."

  "I'm glad we were finally able to make it work." I reach out for Kate's hand and she takes it. A small smile pulls at the corner of her lips, and she casts her eyes downward. She's fine. The awkwardness she was expecting is not there. The ice is broken, and we can all relax now.

  Just inside the door we're welcomed into an enormous foyer. A large, ornate crystal chandelier hangs from the tall, coffered ceiling. Alex hands the baby back to Emilia, and she guides us into the kitchen.

  Alex disappears with our luggage, leaving Kate and myself in the kitchen with Emilia and Gracie.

  Emilia does what she does best, making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. "Anyone want a drink? Wine? Beer? Water? Soda?"

  "I'd love a glass of wine," Kate responds. "White if you have it."

  Emilia's lips twist into a grin. "White is my favorite." Good. Something they have in common.

  Emilia hands Gracie to Kate and walks across the kitchen, opens a door, and steps inside. I realize it's a small wine cellar. Of course, my brother would have a wine cellar in his house. I shake my head and chuckle to myself.

  I catch Kate out of the corner of my eye, bouncing Gracie in her arms. She slowly presses her lips to my niece's sweet head and something inside me softens. I see my future with Kate standing right here in this kitchen. Family. Kids. Happiness. My heart is momentarily overwhelmed, and I fight back a growing lump in my throat.

  "Pinot Grigio okay?" Emilia asks when she emerges from the wine cellar with a bottle in her hand.

  "Perfect," Kate answers, grinning at me.

  "Good. I made a butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce for dinner. Pinot will go perfectly with it." Emilia uncorks the bottle and lets it sit for a moment on the counter while she pulls down wine glasses.

  I expected to be uneasy around her, but I'm not. She moves flawlessly through the kitchen, and I search for what I saw in her years ago, coming up empty. Not bad, just empty. Everything I thought I believed I wanted then, I don't. Everything I want is standing in front of me, holding my sweet niece.

  "Sam, can you help me with the salad?" Emilia asks, setting four wine glasses on the large, quartz covered kitchen island.

  "Yeah." I snap out of my thoughts and walk over to the island where a large cutting board sits with a variety of vegetables on it.

  "Everything has been washed, can you slice the peppers and cucumbers? I'll manage the tomatoes." She pours four glasses of wine and puts one down in front of me. I pick up the knife and core the yellow and red pepper, slicing them into evenly sliced portions.

  "So how was the flight?" Emilia asks, handing a glass of wine to Kate, who's still holding Gracie.

  "It was good. Quick," I answer her and watch Kate sip some wine and walk with the baby over to a large set of floor to ceiling bay windows. Kate is talking softly to the baby, and both of them look out over the backyard that leads to the sand dunes and then to the beach.

  Slicing cucumbers, Emilia sips wine and dices tomatoes on another cutting board next to me.

  "I can't even tell you how excited Alex has been that you guys were coming. He's been pacing the house all morning, making sure everything was all set." She laughs and looks at me. Her hazel eyes crinkle at the corners when she smiles and, while she's beautiful, she's nothing compared to Kate.

  "You did not have to do anything special for us, Em," I tell her.

  "We didn't.” She shrugs. “Just freshened the sheets on the bed in the guest room and grocery shopped. Alex said he wants to make enchiladas, your mom’s recipe or something." She tosses the sliced tomatoes into a giant bowl of chopped lettuce sitting in the center of the island.

  "She made the best enchiladas," I remark quietly, remembering the meals my mom used to make for us. My heart aches we didn't get to spend more time with her, but I find comfort in how she used mealtime to bring us together as a family.

  "She did," Alex responds as he steps back into the kitchen and reaches for the last glass of wine on the counter. "I still miss her," he says somberly, and that lump that had disappeared is finding its way back.

  "I do, too," I admit and clear my throat, choking back my emotions. All of this is overwhelming. I never expected to be back on good terms with my brother and have some semblance of an extended family again. This is what my mom would want, though. Alex and I were her life, and I know she's smiling down on us right now.

  Emilia breaks up the somber mood. "So anyway, shredded beef enchiladas, rice, and Mexican street corn for dinner another night!" Alex glances at me, and something unsaid passes between us. Common ground. The love we both share for our mother.

  We all fall into easy conversation, snacking on cheese, crackers, and wine. Kate is absolutely in love with Gracie and has a hard time giving her back to Emilia. My heart is at peace watching her with Gracie. Emilia invites Kate to help get Gracie ready for bed, and Kate jumps at the chance. When the girls disappear, Alex and I get some time to catch up alone.

  "Let's go out back." Alex gestures to the French doors that lead out to the back patio. Alex lights a gas fire pit in the center of the stone patio that’s surrounded by plush outdoor furniture. Alex and I sit opposite each other with newly topped off glasses of wine. The wind is picking up and the fire feels good, warming the air around the cooling ocean breeze.

  "So tell me about Navarro," Alex says, propping his foot up over his opposite knee.

  "We got him," I start, twirling the wine glass in my right hand. "I don't think we would’ve gotten him that fast if you hadn't tip
ped us off to the strip clubs. We didn't know he was moving money through those."

  Alex laughs, "Seriously? How did you not know that?"

  "I don't know, man." I shake my head, feeling a little dumb that we hadn't picked up on that sooner. Most criminal organizations pass money through semi-legitimate business fronts.

  "Always look at strip clubs, night clubs, those shady used car lots—many of them are a front," he offers.

  I nod my head, tucking that info away. "So anyway, there are over one hundred criminal counts against him and those arrested with him. The FBI, DEA, and ATF were able to present charges."

  "Daaamn.” He cringes.

  "Anyway, on to the next. But seriously, Alex. I know you left all of that behind you, but I really appreciate your help."

  He smiles warmly. "Anything for you, brother."

  Changing the conversation to something more upbeat, I say, "So tell me how you're doing."

  "Good, good. Just managing the business. Picking up the slack with Gracie while Em is at the café."

  "You have a beautiful family, Alex. I'm proud of you." And I mean it.

  "I love them more than I thought was humanly possible," he admits, leaning closer to the fire. It's easy to see the love he has for Emilia and Gracie and how much those two have changed his life for the better—to the man he was always meant to be.

  "I can see that." I turn and see Emilia and Kate standing at the kitchen island, smiling and laughing, and my heart is happy and content.

  * * *

  The sun is barely rising when I sneak out of the room to let Kate get some extra sleep. We didn't exactly go to sleep last night, and I know she's tired. As I descend the stairs, I see Emilia rocking Gracie in an oversized recliner, and I can hear Gracie cooing.

  "Good morning," Emilia says as she sees me approaching. "You're up early."

  I shrug. "I've always been an early riser." I lean in and press a kiss to Gracie's sweet little head before throwing myself down on the couch.

  "Can you take her for a few minutes?" Emilia asks, setting the little girl in my arms regardless of my answer. "I just want to get some coffee started and pop a breakfast casserole in the oven. She likes to be held and snuggled in the morning and who's better to do that than her uncle?"

  I cradle my sweet niece in my arms, a blanket covering her little body. She smiles at me, and I press a kiss to her chubby little cheek. She settles into my arms and rests her head on my chest. Her dark hair falls across her forehead, and she coos as I gently rock her.

  I can hear Emilia behind me in the kitchen, and I settle into plush couch, leaning onto the arm and snuggling Gracie.

  "You look like a natural," Alex says quietly as he comes down the stairs, joining me in the living room.

  Gracie lifts her head and smiles at her dad, but sets her head right back down on my chest as he settles into a large recliner.

  "I can't say I've honestly ever held a baby before," I remark.

  Alex chuckles. "Well, she's beyond the little baby stage, but she still likes to be held like one." He smiles affectionately at Gracie and looks up at me. "Kate still sleeping?"

  I nod as Emilia joins us back in the living room, carrying a cup of coffee for both Alex and me. She sets mine on the coffee table, just within reach, and Alex takes his. "I like her," Emilia says, returning with her own cup of coffee. "I don't know what I was expecting," she admits. "But it wasn't Kate. She's the real deal." Emilia slides into Alex's lap on the recliner, carefully juggling her cup of coffee.

  "She is," I tell them. "I wasn't looking for anyone, and she just kind of showed up and never left."

  "You moved into her house, asshole," Alex laughs.

  I correct him, "Her guesthouse."

  "Regardless, I like her. She's good for you. She's smart, gorgeous, but mostly, she's got a good heart. I can tell."

  Emilia nods in agreement. "So is it serious?" he asks, tiptoeing around the question I know they're both wanting to ask me.

  "It is." I pat Gracie's chest and look at her sweet fingers gripping my t-shirt. "She's definitely the one. I even—" I pause, stopping myself.

  "What?" Emilia looks at me, prodding for more detail.

  "Nothing." I decide to keep this to myself. My pulse quickens when I think of the diamond ring I have hidden in my luggage upstairs. Emilia notices my hesitation and moves on.

  "And I would never have known she had surgery," she says, looking up at the stairs to make sure Kate isn't coming down into a conversation about her. "I was worried when you told us she had a brain tumor removed."

  I blow out a puff of air. "I know. It was a scary time for us, but I wasn't ready to lose her." I think back to that time in our lives. Kate means everything to me. She's the one I want to talk to first thing in the morning and the one I want to kiss goodnight. Good days, bad days, and boring days in between, she's the one I want by my side.

  "Well, I'm happy for you, brother," Alex says, sipping his coffee. "She'll fit right into this family."

  I nod, thinking of Kate being a Cortez. "I believe she will, too."

  * * *

  An hour later and Kate is still sleeping so I decide to take a walk on the beach. Dressed in a sweatshirt and joggers, I head out the back patio.

  Emilia is hot on my tail. "Mind if I join you?" she asks, pulling her long hair up into a ponytail that sways from side to side in the wind.

  "Sure."

  She guides me down the stone paved trail, off of their property, and beyond the dunes to the gorgeous beach. The area outside their house has been mostly cleaned, but just beyond that lies large pieces of driftwood, and we maneuver around those.

  "So how are you feeling?" Emilia asks once we get out closer to the water. "How are you really feeling?" She shoots me a look, and I know she's talking about my recovery from the shooting.

  I glance at her out of the corner of my eye, thinking back to how this once shy, nervous girl has blossomed into a beautiful woman so full of life and ambition. "I'm actually doing really well. No lie."

  "Good. I know that it's not easy to bounce back from an injury like that, and then when Alex told me you were transferring to Los Angeles, I felt like maybe it was too soon." I can see the genuine concern in her eyes.

  I shrug, stuffing my hands in the pockets of my sweatshirt. "I wasn't running, Emilia. I was just looking to start over. A clean slate."

  She looks at me, her lips twisting into a concerned smile. "If anyone deserves it, it's you, Sam."

  We walk quietly down the beach, the water lapping near our feet. We come across only one other person, an old man walking his equally as old Golden Retriever, who runs right up to Emilia and jumps on her. She laughs, tossing her head back and rubs the graying dog behind its ears.

  "Jefferson.” She giggles, and he jumps down.

  "Damn dog has no manners, does he?" the old man barks when he finally catches up.

  "Hey, Mr. Watkins," Emilia says, leaning in to give the man a hug.

  "Good morning to you, too, doll," he says, embracing Emilia warmly.

  She nods to me. "This is my brother-in-law, Sam Cortez. He's visiting us for a few days from Los Angeles."

  "Nice to meet you, son. Los Angeles is a shit hole, isn't it?" He reaches out his hand to shake mine. "Never could figure out why everyone wants to live in that fishbowl of a town." He carries on about how horrible Los Angeles is, the traffic, the smog, and the horrible people.

  Emilia rolls her eyes, and we laugh at Mr. Watkins. Emilia sends Jefferson and Mr. Watkins on their way, turning around every so often to make sure he made it back home to the small old beach house that sits beyond their house.

  "So I'm thinking about proposing to Kate," I say, catching Emilia off guard.

  She stops dead in her tracks and looks at me. "What?" she asks with a grin. "Are you serious? When?"

  "Here," I tell her. "While we're here."

  "Oh my gosh!" Her hand flies up to cover her mouth. "Do you even have a ring? Do you know how y
ou're going to do it?" She's asking so many questions that I can't keep up, and all I can do is laugh at her. "Can I help you?" She bounces excitedly in the hard sand.

  I stare out at the ocean, pondering my decision and it just feels like it's supposed to happen now. "I didn't know how I was going to do it, or where—but it just seems right to do it while we're here. We've been through so much, so quickly, and the timing just seems right." I shrug a single shoulder and look at Emilia. "And I'd love your help."

  "Oh my god, Sam." She shakes her head. "What about this?" She taps her lips with her pointer finger. "We have reservations tonight at Molina's in town." She points her finger at me. "Don't do it there, it's too cliché'." She grins conspiratorially behind us at their sprawling house down the beach. "But I ordered a dessert assortment from the local bakery in town, and it's being delivered to the house today. I was planning to have dessert back at the house with wine on the enclosed patio after dinner. We have these amazing lights and a fireplace, and it would be perfect. It's comfortable and private and—"

  "That sounds perfect," I laugh at her, appreciating her enthusiasm. However, I can tell I've lost her. Her mind is going a million miles an hour.

  Emilia snaps out of her thoughts. "We need to get back to the house." I can see her wheels turning again, and she turns around and takes off in the direction of the house. I follow closely behind her, but she's already pulled a cell phone out of her jacket pocket and she's talking to someone. I hear the words ‘flowers’ and ‘champagne’, and I look at Emilia who has a permanent smile on her face. I appreciate her help because I've been so goddamn nervous about this proposal that having Emilia think of flowers and champagne is appreciated.