The Guardian (The Wolfe Series) by Donna Oltrogge

open, hoping against hope that an alarm wouldn’t be triggered.  She stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine still wearing the dark sunglasses, but minus the floppy-brimmed hat. 
     
    Enrique sat in his car watching the store front where Luzaro’s woman was still shopping.  He didn’t trust Laurie Kincaid, even with four bodyguards watching her.  He thought Luzaro a fool for letting the woman come into Nogales where she might be tempted to try escaping.  He’d watched her leave the store earlier, strolling along the street followed by her four bodyguards.  She’d then returned to the same store about fifteen minutes later as though she’d forgotten something.  Enrique was getting a bad feeling about this shopping expedition.  The sun had almost set and the store was getting ready to close and still the woman hadn’t reappeared. 
                  Opening the car door, Enrique stepped out into the street and strode purposefully toward the boutique, determined to find out what was going on.  He would hunt Laurie Kincaid to the ends of the earth if he found out that she’d escaped and he would destroy anyone who got in his way.  She’d seen him kill the DEA agent in cold blood and knew that she would be only too happy to testify against him if she got the chance. 
                  Enrique forced the front door of the boutique open, startling the young woman who was trying to hang a “closed” sign in the window of the front door.
                  “Where is she?” Enrique snarled as he shoved his way into the boutique.
                  “W . . . who?” Jenny stammered, frightened by the hateful look in the man’s furious, smoldering eyes.
                  “Sundress, big ugly hat,” Enrique sneered into the frightened girl’s face.  “Ring any bells?”
                  “Oh, you mean Laurie,” Jenny said, valiantly trying to control the tremors that were racking her body.  “I did what she asked but she was gone when I got back.  Are you her fiancé?”
                  “Hell no!” Enrique roared in rage and towered threateningly over the girl.  “When did she leave and which way did she go?”
                  “I . . don’t know,” Jenny stammered.  “She told me to pretend I was her so her fiancé could test some new bodyguards or something.  She was gone when I got back.” 
                  “The bitch!” Enrique railed as he stalked out of the boutique, slamming the front door shut with such force that the glass splintered into a million pieces. 
    “You’re fired, every damn one of you,” he shouted when all four bodyguards came running.  “She got away, damn you!  I should kill you all and would if I had the time.  Y ou’d all best disappear because if I ever see you again I will kill you!”
                  He didn’t have to tell the four men a second time as he watched them climb into the Escalade.  The driver quickly slammed the SUV into gear and turned the vehicle back toward the boarder, the truck’s wide tires squealing in protest as it rounded the corner on only two wheels. 
                  Enrique promised himself that he would find Laurie Kincaid, that he would hunt her down no matter how long it took him.  He would then enjoy taking his time with her, killing her slowly, inflicting as much painful torture on her velvety-smooth body as possible. 
    The psychopath in him smiled at the thought.
     
                  “Julie, it’s me, Laurie,” Laurie said breathlessly as she deposited additional coins into the pay phone next to the used car lot where she’d just purchased a vehicle.  “Listen, I haven’t much time . . .”
                  “Oh, Laurie, I’ve been so worried about you,” Julie cried, unable to stop herself from interrupting.
                  “I’m fine, Julie,