Chapter 28

“ARE YOU SURE?” Sawyer joined Janie at the breakfast bar in front of his computer. How did she recognize her missing fellow hostage from the photos?

“Positive. Who is he?”

Brody answered the question. “Logan’s contacts came through on the identification of the passenger. His name is Diego Hernandez, the leader of Vatos Locos.”

A ball of ice formed in Sawyer’s stomach. Not the confirmation he wanted to hear. “Sweetheart, how do you know this is the missing hostage? I couldn’t find a picture of this man’s face anywhere on your sister-in-law’s social media posts.”

Janie pointed to something on the man’s hand. “The signet ring. I recognized it, as well as the scar on the back of his neck.”

Sawyer took the photo Janie indicated and dumped it into a Fortress program to clean up and enhance the picture. A minute later, he turned the screen around for her to study the shot again. “Take your time. Do you recognize him from the plane?”

She did as he asked, then nodded. “I’m positive he’s the missing hostage.”

“Did you see Hernandez when you were visiting Maria and David?”

“No, and I didn’t recognize him when he sat beside me on the plane.” She looked at Sawyer. “Maria knew him before she married my brother?”

He hesitated, loathe to hurt her. Couldn’t be helped. She needed to know the truth. “I don’t think so. I went back over a year on Maria’s social media pages. Hernandez didn’t appear in her photos until two months ago.”

She stared at the screen again. “She’s in love with him,” Janie murmured. “You can see it in her face and in the way she looks at him.” She sat at the breakfast bar. “This will break David’s heart. I don’t know if he’ll fight to recover when she leaves him for Hernandez.”

“That’s assuming Hernandez is looking at your sister-in-law the same way she’s looking at him,” Brody pointed out. “We never see his face.”

“Brody’s right.” Sawyer sat beside Janie. “Don’t assume the worst until we have all the facts.” He had little doubt that David and Maria’s marriage was doomed, baby or no baby. Maria loved another man and that would be a blow to a man reeling from a vicious beating and a stroke with still unknown repercussions.

Janie looked at him without saying a word.

He held up a hand. “I know, baby. I think you’re right. However, we deal with one thing at a time. Do you know if David suspects his wife loves Hernandez?”

Janie shook her head. “He barely talked to me when I was in Chile, and Maria never mentioned Diego.”

“All right.” He leaned over and brushed her mouth with his. “We need to leave soon. Would you like to pick up breakfast on the way?”

“If it includes an apple muffin from Tabitha’s Cafe, absolutely.”

“You got it.”

Jesse strode in. “Breakfast?” he asked, his expression hopeful.

“Stopping by Tabitha’s Cafe on the way into Hartman.”

“I love her food.”

“Good thing since it’s the only food place open at this hour.” He poured the medic a to-go cup of coffee, picked up his own, gave Janie her tea, and grabbed his Go bag. “Ready?”

She nodded and glanced at Brody. “Thanks for keeping watch overnight.”

“Glad to help.” He turned to Sawyer. “I’ll lock up. Keep me updated. Max will take over from Jesse. He’ll contact you when he leaves home.”

“Copy that.” He ushered Janie to the SUV.

“I’ll follow you in.” Jesse unlocked his SUV and climbed behind the wheel.

Once Janie was set, Sawyer stored his gear in the back and settled into the driver’s seat. He drove toward town, detouring ten miles out to stop by the cafe. He parked near the entrance and came around to help Janie to the asphalt. The three of them went inside and ordered breakfast to go. In less than five minutes, they resumed their journey toward Hartman.

Despite Janie’s protest that she wasn’t hungry, she consumed both the apple muffin and banana muffin he’d bought her. When she finished, she sat back with a sigh.

He polished off his own banana muffin. He didn’t know anyone who made better muffins than Tabitha. “Need anything else?”

“I’ll be fine until later in the morning. Thanks for stopping at Tabitha’s, Sawyer. Her muffins are wonderful.”

When he reached the parking lot of the strip mall where Janie’s shop was located, Sawyer parked at the back of the shop. “Ready?”

She nodded. “Let’s get this done. Maybe I can convince Maria to let me see David.”

He exited the vehicle and circled the hood to open Janie’s door.

Sawyer held out his hand. “I want to check the shop before you go inside.” When she handed him the key, he glanced at Jesse, who gave a slight nod.

Unlocking the door, he slipped into the back room of the shop and disabled the alarm before checking every room and storage area of Natural Bliss. He breathed easier when he finished the sweep and found the shop clear.

He returned to Janie and Jesse. “We’re clear. I’ll grab my Go bag and join you in a minute.”

Sawyer grabbed his gear and headed inside the shop. Once he closed the door behind him, he locked it, set his bag out of the way beside Jesse’s, and joined Jesse and Janie at the long table. “What are we creating today?”

“More oatmeal and honey bath salts, bath bombs, soap, and body cream. We also need to create products with a tropical breeze scent.”

He froze. “Tropical breeze?”

Janie smiled. “Someone said men wouldn’t like girly smelling bath products. We’re trying your idea today.”

Sawyer grinned. “Nice.”

“Hope you still think so when you’re elbow deep in the ingredients. If you don’t like it, we’ll find out fast.”

They worked fast as a team and ended up refilling stock in five different scents, plus the new one Janie created for Sawyer. When they finished, the sun was lightening the sky to a steel gray.

“I’ll check the perimeter of the shop while you help Janie add stock to the shop and the stockroom,” Jesse said.

After he left, Janie looked at Sawyer. “Are you sure I can’t persuade you and Jesse to join my team of employees? You are fantastic assistants.” She nudged him gently with her elbow. “No question that my sales and profits would go up. Can’t lose with two assistants who look as handsome as the two of you.”

He gave her a mock scowl. “Hey, you’re not supposed to notice that other men are attractive.”

Her eyebrows soared. “That restriction wasn’t in the engagement contract.”

Amusement had his lips curving. “I’m amending the contract. No noticing other men.”

Janie laughed. “Deal. Besides, I only need you to send my profits through the roof. The women won’t be able to resist buying stock you recommend.”

Jesse returned. “All clear. What’s next?”

“I’d like to wait for my employees to arrive unless you think it’s too dangerous for them and for us,” Janie said.

Sawyer didn’t blame her for wanting to check in with her employees. They’d been carrying the shop load by themselves for several days. He didn’t like the idea of Janie being in the shop. Something was coming, and soon. He didn’t want Janie in the danger”s path. “How soon will they arrive?”

“Another hour. We arrived very early today.”

“To change your schedule,” Jesse said. “Routine is good, unless you have someone tracking your movements. Let’s not make it easy for them to find you, sugar.”

She sighed. “All right. I can call my employees later to see how things are going.”

A knock sounded on the back door.

Sawyer glanced at Jesse, who murmured something to Janie and urged her toward the stockroom. She hurried out of sight and closed the door.

With Janie safe for the moment, Sawyer checked the security feed in her office as the knock sounded again. His eyes narrowed. Why were Maria Moran and her bodyguards here at this hour of the morning?

He returned to Jesse. “Maria and her entourage,” he murmured to Jesse and unlocked the door. “Mrs. Moran, what are you doing here?”

“We’re on the way to the hospital to see my husband as soon as we’re allowed. Since we were this close, I wanted to stop for a tour of Janie’s shop and give her an update on David. May we come inside? We won’t take much time.” Maria offered a slight smile.

Although he stepped back to allow the three Chileans inside the shop, he was uneasy. He felt to his bones that something was off. Was it just his suspicions because of Maria’s infidelity with Hernandez or something else?

“Maria, what’s wrong? Is David all right?” Janie hurried from the stockroom.

“There you are. Everything is fine, Janie. I’m sorry to disturb. I remembered you telling me you came to the shop early every morning. I convinced my cousin to stop on the way to the hospital so I could see Natural Bliss. Do you have a few minutes to give me a tour?”

“Of course. This room is the prep room where we create salts, soaps, and lotions for the shop.”

Maria wandered to the table on which sat several large bowls and plastic containers of supplies. “So this is where the magic happens.”

Janie laughed. “Would you like to see the store itself? If you see anything you’d like to try, I’ll be glad to give you samples.”

Maria smiled. “I don’t need samples. I already know exactly what I want.”

“Come with me.” Janie led Maria into the front of the store.

Sawyer followed them, his uneasiness growing. He glanced at Jesse and signaled him to be on alert.

The medic dropped back so he could watch the two bodyguards as they followed Sawyer and the women into the store.

As Janie and Maria walked around the store, Matias Reyes eased up beside Sawyer. He snorted. “Women,” he muttered. “Always wanting more bath stuff. I don’t understand it.”

“Janie’s products are natural, and she has a large customer base.”

Maria’s brother looked at Sawyer. “You don’t mind your woman working?”

He frowned. “Why should I? This isn’t the Dark Ages, and she loves the work.”

“My woman doesn’t work. She stays at home where she belongs.” A careful look at Sawyer. “I make plenty of money so she doesn’t have to provide for me.”

Why was this guy trying to get a rise out of him? He glanced over his shoulder to see Lorenzo, Maria’s cousin, had drawn Jesse into a conversation near the doorway to the workroom.

“Matias,” Maria called. “Come here. See what you think of this scent.”

Despite his muttered curse, the brother crossed to Janie’s side to sniff the contents of a jar.

Sawyer walked closer.

Matias shoved the jar away. “No,” he snapped. “Too strong for real men.” He glanced at Sawyer. “Perhaps Janie’s man doesn’t agree.” He motioned Sawyer over. “Come. Sniff this and tell us your opinion.”

Something was off here. “Pass. Janie, come here, baby.”

Maria reached into her purse as Janie started toward him. She pulled out a gun and pointed it at Sawyer as Matias wrapped his arm around Janie’s neck and yanked her against his chest, a gun pressed against her temple.

Janie gasped and tried to pull Matias’s arm away from her neck without success.

Sawyer’s gun was in his hand and pointed at Matias in a split second. “Let her go,” he snapped.

Matias pressed the muzzle harder against Janie’s temple. Blood trickled down the side of her face. “You can shoot me. If you do, your woman will die. My weapon has a hair trigger. A bit more pressure, and I will blow a hole in her pretty head.”

“Put down your gun, Sawyer,” Maria ordered. “Do it now or Janie and your medic friend die.”

“Jesse?”

No response.

The barrel of a gun pressed against the back of Sawyer’s neck. “Drop your gun. Your friend is unconscious and can’t save you. If you fight us, he dies. Choose.”

“Put down your gun, Sawyer,” Maria repeated.

“Maria, why are you doing this?” Janie asked. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Shut up. No one asked you to speak,” Matias said. “Your man hasn’t taught you how to act properly.” He smirked. “Perhaps because he isn’t one. No matter. I’ll be glad to teach you.” Matias gave a slight nod.

Sawyer started to turn, but he wasn’t fast enough. Pain exploded at the back of his head, and the world went dark.