Free Caught in the Act by Jill Sorenson Page A

handsome.”
    “Yes.”
    “And you like him.”
    “How do you know I like him?”
    “Your face, when you speak of him.”
    Kari glanced away, sighing. She did like him, and she felt awful about turning him down. “I told him I’d just started dating someone, and … well … I’m not sure, but I think he thought I meant you.”
    Maria frowned. “Me?”
    “I know he saw you at the store. I might have given him the impression that we’re …” She swirled her hand between them, a vague gesture. “Together.”
    After a moment of confusion, Maria smacked a palm over her forehead. “Ay, Dios mio,” she said, laughing in surprise. “My mother would be very upset to hear this. No husband, no children, and now I am a lesbian!”
    Kari laughed along with her, almost until she cried. She felt a little delirious from stress. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to say.”
    “It’s okay,” Maria said, grinning. “You own home, business. I could do worse.”
    Kari smiled, shaking her head. “How’s your new job?”
    Maria shrugged. “Very much like Mexico. Hard work, no breaks.”
    “Better pay, though.”
    “ Claro que sí . Ten times better.”
    “Have you seen that man again, the one who found you?”
    “No.”
    Kari pulled into the parking lot at the Hotel del Oro, glancing around. It was a little run-down, but many of the older hotels in this area were. “Be careful,” she said as Maria exited the vehicle.
    “You too, mi amor ,” she said, giving her a saucy wink.
    Kari continued on to Zócalo, trying to look on the bright side. It was a sunny morning, breezy and warm, no hint of June gloom. Traffic was busy, as usual. Summers in San Diego were unparalleled, and the tourist season was just beginning.
    She relaxed her hands on the steering wheel, anticipating a good day of sales. Immersing herself in work always calmed her nerves. Maybe Maria was right. If Moreno kept his end of the bargain and broke up with Sasha, this could all work out for the best.
    She could also take Sasha’s advice and ignore the threats. It seemed like a risky proposition, but they couldn’t force her to cooperate. Although Kari felt responsible for her little sister and wanted to keep her safe at any cost, Sasha was an adult now. Maybe it was time to let her pay her own debts.
    When the store came into focus, Kari knew refusing wasn’t an option. Zócalo was trashed. Someone had thrown eggs at the front windows and left garbage on the sidewalk. Gang graffiti covered the side of the building, thick black lettering against the white-painted bricks. Debris littered the parking lot, and the sign at thefront of the store had been demolished. The Plexiglas façade was shattered, leaving an empty metal frame.
    Her heart stalled in her chest.
    Smothering a cry of shock and frustration, she parked in her usual spot and hurried toward the back entrance. The alarm was still on and there was no evidence of a break-in. Thankfully, her inventory was safe.
    She glanced around the store, knowing how much worse it could have been. She would have to order a new sign, which was a considerable expense. But the graffiti could be painted over—she’d done that before. Her most valued pieces of merchandise were one of a kind and couldn’t be replaced.
    Taking a deep breath, she went outside to assess the damage. Smashed eggshells clung to the front windows. There were broken beer bottles everywhere. Although she couldn’t decipher the graffiti, which looked like a foreign language, its message rang loud and clear: Don’t fuck with Carlos Moreno .
    He’d sent some angry young men here to make trouble for her. Next time they might burn the place down.
    Straightening her spine, she walked back to the storage room and grabbed her cleaning supplies. Reporting the vandalism to the police would get her nowhere. There was nothing to do but take care of this mess herself.
    Last night Adam had followed Karina to the mall, watching from a