Protector(99)

“So you got him,” Jack said, gazing at them in approval. Alex straightened and nodded.

“Yeah, I don’t think he’s going anywhere anytime soon.”

Then Miguel glanced up the aisle, eyes narrowing. An electric cart with the words “Mall Security” on the side was moving toward them. “Alex, take Caitlin and Zoe and Danica, and get out of here. Jack and I will handle the mall cop.”

“What’re you going to tell them?” Caitlin asked, even as Alex moved toward her and took her hand in his. She clutched his fingers gratefully, still shocked by what he had done. Well, it seemed her powers weren’t the only ones that could get amped up when under pressure.

Smiling, Jack pulled out his wallet and flashed a Scottsdale P.D. badge at them. “No worries. I’ll handle it.”

He turned toward the approaching mall security officer, and Alex began moving then, collecting Zoe by looping his arm through hers and dragging her back toward the entrance to the shopping center, while Caitlin reached out with her free hand and took hold of Danica. Her friend still seemed a bit bewildered, but came along without protest.

Blinking at the sudden turn of events, and trying not to worry too much about how out of it Danica still was, Caitlin looked up at Alex and demanded, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me your cousin Jack was a cop?”

Alex sent her a blazing smile in reply. “Well, you never asked.”





19





There wasn’t anything like a “witch jail,” and so Miguel and Jack volunteered to keep an eye on the three miscreants until all the parties involved could be contacted and some sort of determination made about what should be done with the warlocks. After they’d fled the mall, Alex drove Zoe to his aunt and uncle’s house in Fountain Hills, where they took in their wayward daughter while wearing expressions that seemed to indicate she was about to get read the riot act about talking with strange young men in malls. Even though he was feeling wrung out and not as relieved as he’d thought he’d be, considering that Matías and Co. had been caught, Alex had to force back a smile at the resigned look on his cousin’s face. Clearly, she was used to having her parents give her grief over something or other.

Then it was time to backtrack to Scottsdale so he could finally meet up with his own parents at Maya’s home. It was a house in mourning, the curtains closed, the mirrors covered, even the fountain in the courtyard shut down. A cowardly part of him wished he could have gone back to Tucson and taken Caitlin with him so they could spend some healing time together, but that was not an option. For one thing, they needed to stay with Danica until her parents could get down to Scottsdale and reclaim her. Throughout the whole car ride over here, she hadn’t spoken, but only stared out the car window, and Alex couldn’t help wondering if being continually under Matías’ control for the past few days had done something to permanently mess with her mind. God, he hoped not. That would be the final blow. Alex told himself she just needed time.

As for Caitlin, she was looking pale but calm enough, although he knew she must be dreading what had to come next. Events had spilled over them so quickly that she hadn’t had a chance to call home and let her mother know what had happened to Roslyn, but it was a call that would have to be made soon.

Luz came and greeted them in the foyer, then folded Alex into a fierce, brief hug. Now she seemed composed, but he’d seen the shadows under her eyes, the smudging of the eyeliner she wore, and knew she must have been weeping not too much earlier.

“Are you okay, Mama?” he asked her.

“As much as I can be, mijo,” she replied. Then her gaze moved to Caitlin, and she went to her, taking Caitlin’s hands in hers. “My dear, I am so sorry about your friend.” A little pause, as Caitlin nodded, and then Luz turned toward her companion. “Danica, would you like to come sit down in the living room? I can bring you something to drink — some iced tea, or lemonade?”

Danica’s hazel eyes still looked a little blurry, but then it seemed as if she made an effort to focus. “Um…yes. Yes, please.” She glanced around her, obviously confused. “Where am I?”

“You’re at Maya de la Paz’s house,” Caitlin said. “This is Luz, Alex’s mother. You remember Alex from the car, right?”

“Yes.” Her brows pulled together, and she frowned. “Wasn’t there another girl?”

“Yes, my cousin Zoe,” Alex said. “We dropped her off at her house a while ago. Remember?”

“Oh, right.” Danica put her hand to her head. “I feel hung over. Did we go out drinking last night, Caitlin?”