Page 6 of Grave Peril

Lela smiled.

“Of course, you do present a challenge.” Ash grinned. “I love you…you know that. But, I mean, there aren’t many men who can handle an independent woman, especially one who can fight like you can.”

“I thought we were talking about you.”

Ash shrugged. “So what was up in your office? I caught you deep in thought. Is there something I should know?”

Lela took a gulp of tea, stalling. Her friend had her own suspicions about their boss. The senator had odd habits, unaccounted for meetings, and his lifestyle exceeded his income. Constitutional attorneys didn’t earn that much, and a senator’s salary for attending the legislative session every other year was paltry. Although Lela happened to know the position’s benefits made up for it, even for the honest senators.

Ash leaned forward and lowered her voice. “You’re onto something, aren’t you?”

“There are some things it’s best if you don’t know about.”

Ash narrowed her eyes. “Just be careful,” she said. “And I could help. I’m not useless, you know.”

Lela laughed, and then the waiter came by with the food, giving her a reprieve from continuing the discussion. What she had planned was best done alone. Involving her closest friend would put both of them in a dicey situation, so she’d chosen not to share the juicy details.

*****

After work, Lela took the short walk to her apartment. When she’d divorced four years before, she’d moved close to the law office. Plus, she enjoyed the downtown area. Since she lived alone, there was no need to take on the expense and upkeep of a house in the suburbs. The loft with a view of the city suited her well.

At home, Lela turned on some music, then shed her business attire and put on her workout clothes. She had a training session later. In bare feet, she walked across the hardwood floors to the kitchen, and rummaged in the refrigerator for a snack. A carton of vanilla yogurt and a banana should fuel her enough for now. She’d eat a light dinner afterward.

She sat at the dark wood table and peeled open the container. Before moving in, she’d had the interior redone. The bright red and yellow colors were cheerful. The plush furniture was comfortable. And most of all, the place was secure. Security personnel were posted downstairs every hour of the day.

Lela had changed the lock, and added a deadbolt she closed from the inside. Living in a big city had its risks. But she’d become more safety conscious now that she’d delved into the senator’s criminal life. And she’d had a safe installed, so she could securely store all the evidence she’d acquired.

A safe deposit box might have worked, but Lela was familiar with the law. With a court order, a box could be opened, and she didn’t want that. As it was, no one knew about her hidden safe. And she’d had it installed in an inconspicuous place. A search of the apartment wouldn’t reveal it. And the safe was encased in rubber, so a metal detector would be of no use.

Lela finished the yogurt and started on the banana. She tapped her foot to the rock tune that was playing, and enjoyed looking at the artwork on her wall. Over the desk, there were photos of her family, and some of her goofing off with Ashlee. Her eyes went to a family portrait.

When Lela had married, she’d kept her maiden name. That had been another bone of contention with Tomás. But she was proud of her family and her heritage. Her grandparents on her father’s side were from Barcelona, but had moved to Houston before starting a family.

Her father had lived in Houston all his life, and so had she. It wasn’t just a city; it was home.

After polishing off the fruit, Lela grabbed a bottle of mineral water and headed for class. It was Krav Maga training, and she paid for private lessons. Classes didn’t work for her, because her ability with the method was advanced—twenty years of perfecting a skill would do that.

She’d started at the basic level right after her father’s death. Like most martial arts, the military combat method encouraged students to avoid physical confrontation. So it wasn’t like she went out looking for fights.

But if avoiding an encounter was impossible or unsafe, then the next best alternative was finishing a fight as quickly and aggressively as possible. Her training taught her to aim attacks at the most vulnerable parts of the body that could result in severe injury, or permanently injure or kill the opponent.

Lela was five feet, six inches tall, and not overly muscled. She didn’t need to be. The training had taught her how to defend herself, even against a ruthless aggressor. One of her father’s hopes for her had been made a reality. He’d preferred not to worry over his daughter’s safety, so had encouraged her to learn self-defense. She’d achieved that for her own peace of mind, as well as for her father.

Besides, she didn’t have a man in her life to look after her. Tomás had been a good financial provider, but not a fighter. Her two older brothers were in the oil industry, and her youngest brother was in aerospace. As much as they loved her, her male siblings weren’t prone to physical violence, even to defend her—which was just as well.

Lela’s thoughts drifted to the web of evidence she’d constructed against the senator so far. There was no reason to think that she’d need to physically defend herself. But having the confidence that she could made her feel much better about poking a stick anywhere near the cartel.

*****

Tonight was the night. All the waiting was about to pay off. Ortiz was on his way to catch a flight to Austin. The legislature was not in session this year, but he had an appointment with a litigator. Lela had checked it out, and it was a legitimate meeting, not some clandestine affair with a shady drug lord.

The senator’s absence provided the opportunity that Lela sought. During the day, she saw to her normal tasks, careful not to reveal any change in her attitude. Ash was the most difficult to avoid, but she was in meetings with clients all day, so there was no chance for conversation.

At the day’s end, Ash rushed off. “I have a date, a new guy. I’ll tell you all about it.” With a grin, she disappeared. Gradually, the other paralegals and staff filtered out. The associates had finally left, too.

The receptionist stuck her head into Lela’s office. “I’m off for the day. The answering service will pick up.” She paused. “Do you need anything before I go?”

“No, you go ahead. I’m just finishing up a report. I shouldn’t be long.” Lela smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

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