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her down.
    What should she do? Go back to the police or to Father Ramon ? Feeling panic growing within her, Alex feared she was on the verge of hyste ria. A drop of rain hit her arm, and she frantically stuffed the newspaper article deep in si de her purse to protect it.
    "You're going to get soaked, you know. It'll be pouring soon."
    Alex looked up as Nick Diamond fell into step with her. She had been so deeply absorbed in her own thoughts , she hadn't even heard him com ing behind her. H e was impres si vely tall, she no ticed, as they walked together. His shoulders were level with her ears, and that wide-brimmed sombrero he wore made him seem even taller.
    She stared ahead and ignored his comment. Right now she didn't care if she got wet, or anything about this El Capitan , Nick Diamond. She only cared about Jenni and how to find her.
    A crazy thought struck Alex. Was Jenni getting wet this m inute? Was she hearing the thunder and frightened by unfamiliar si ghts and sounds? Was she hiding nearby? Alex clamped her teeth to gether, determined not to cry in front of this arrogant man.
    "I'd like to know what happened that day in the marketplace. Let’s take refuge in that cantina . We could have a cup of coffee and talk," he offered quietly.
    She continued walking ahead and raindrops started to pelt her head and shoulders. Was he making a pass? Or was he offer ing to help? "Are you saying I was wrong about you?" she asked, looking up at him.
    "No, your as sessment of me is about as accu rate as any. I' m certainly no hero. And compas si onate is not a word used to describe me."
    "Then what do you want with me?"
    "Well, we could have some coffee and—"
    "It's too hot for coffee."
    "A fruit ice, then. We could talk about—"
    Impatiently, she said, "Talk, Mr. Diamond?" She grasped at a shred of hope that he was con si dering her plea. "I need help."
    "Look, I . . ." He put his hands in his pockets and hunched his broad shoulders against the pelt ing rain. At least he was protected some what by the sombrero. The rain was hitting her unmercifully, and she didn't even flinch. "We could talk about the kid. I'll see if there's any thing I can do."
    Alex stopped and faced him. Now he was talk ing turkey . Large raindrops bathed her face and smeared her mascara at the corner of each eye.
    "Would you listen to my story? Will you try to help me, Mr. Diamond?"
    He gazed down at her, tempted to wipe the smudges from her big eyes. Big, beautiful eyes, he thought. "I'll try. No rash promises, though. We'll talk about the si tuation." Her mouth looked incredibly appealing, especially as it was moist from the rain. She opened it slightly in a slow, he si tant smile. Her hair hung in tawny wet strands to her shoulders and dripped on her blouse. Nick tried not to notice how the damp blouse clung to the rounded curves of her breasts. Nice breasts.
    "Yes! All right! Thank you, Mr. Diamond!" Alex grabbed his hand and pumped it up and down jubilantly. "Thank you for trying to find my child."
    He held onto he r hand a little longer than nec essary and they stood staring at each other in the rain for a mome nt. "If we're going to wor k tog ether on this, call me Nick."
    "Okay . . . Nick." Her eyes crinkled as she smiled up at him through the raindrops . "Call me Alex."
    Even in the r ain, with her wet hair now plas tered to her head, she looked beautiful. At that moment Nick would have done anything she asked him, but what he wanted to do was take her to bed. "Damned monsoons started early this year. You're soaked."
    Alex felt a little breathless as she smiled up at him through the rain. "So are you. Sorry about dragging you out in this." The man was a symbol of strength, a hope she could cling to. Maybe he wasn't completely corrupt, after all. He certainly had an aura of efficiency about him. He would take charge. "Let's get out of the rain so we can talk. You grab a table with an umbrella, and I'll get us the fruit ice."
    In a few moments they