Secrets That Kill by Colleen Helme Page A

a text message, and relief poured over me. Woohoo! Ramos was finally here! I texted him back, and he told me to meet him in the main terminal just past the security checkpoint by the baggage carousel. I couldn’t wait to get out of the airport and quickly gathered my things.
    After a quick visit to the restroom, I rushed through the corridors and got on the train. It reached the main terminal and I got off, staying close behind some people to keep out of sight. Almost to the security checkpoint, I slowed and glanced at my phone as a pretense to watch for any sign of the alligator shirt.
    When I couldn’t see or ‘hear’ him, I put my phone away and, keeping my head down, walked past security and into the main terminal. I arrived at the carousel but couldn’t see Ramos, so I ended up pacing back and forth in front of it. I knew it would take him a few minutes to meet up with me, but I couldn’t stand still any longer. I was just about to turn around when I heard his voice behind me.
    “Babe,” he said. “What’s with the hat hair?” His chuckle rumbled deep in his chest.
    “Ha, ha,” I said turning toward him. He was dressed casually, wearing jeans and a dark blazer over a tight-fitting shirt, with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. It was hard not to throw my arms around him, so I went for sarcasm instead. “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting here for hours!”
    “Yeah. Sounds like you’ve had a rough day.”
    “You don’t know the half of it,” I exclaimed. “But… it’s better now that you’re here. I hope coming wasn’t too much of an imposition.” I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t appreciative that he’d come.
    “Well you know Mr. Manetto. He sends me out to do his dirty work and I have to drop everything. It can really put a cramp in my style. You ready to go, or what?” He was playing along to keep things light, but in the back of his mind he thought I looked fragile and scared. It brought out those protective feelings in him that made him want to kill somebody. He didn’t like feeling that way.
    “Where are we going?” I asked. “I know you just got here, but I’d sure like to go home now.”
    He shook his head, raising his brow at me. “I think you know what we have to do first.”
    “Yeah, I figured as much, but I still had to ask.” I smiled and shrugged.
    “I’ve booked a place for tonight. Hopefully, after we’ve retrieved the item, we can leave first thing in the morning.”
    “All right,” I agreed. I scanned the crowd as we exited the airport, still anxious about being spotted.
    “Have you seen any sign of the guy that followed you?”
    “Yes, actually I did. He came looking for me at my terminal, but he didn’t spot me, and then he left.”
    “What did he look like?” Ramos asked.
    “He was medium height and had longish wavy dark hair. When I saw him he had on an alligator print shirt. I think he was trying to look like a tourist.”
    “Latino?” he asked.
    “Yeah, I think so. There’s something else you need to know.” I was a little nervous about this part, but it was Ramos. I had to tell him. “The detectives were here too. They summoned me over the intercom to come to the service desk. That’s when alligator shirt showed up. He recognized the detectives and figured they were looking for me. Now he knows my name.”
    Ramos glanced at me, his brows drawn together.
    “No,” I answered his unspoken question. “I didn’t talk to the detectives, but I did ‘hear’ them. I just hid behind a plant to find out who had summoned me to the service desk.”
    “But you talked to them earlier?” he asked.
    “Yes. They questioned me at the scene of the crime, like everyone who was there. Detective Fitch noticed a car following my taxi and decided to find out where I’d gone. That’s why he came to the airport.”
    Ramos’ step slowed. Dozens of images of a much younger Detective Fitch flowed through his mind.
    “You know him?” I