Kelee decided to try the door again. She rattled it when it wouldn’t open, then she heard a click to her surprise and it opened. Kelee paused for a moment and thought of her next move. If she could make it back to the docks, then maybe she could get on the yacht and get back to St. Pala. She didn’t know how to drive a boat, but she couldn’t just sit here. The shoreline was still visible; she recalled as much, as Tyce had dragged her from the yacht earlier.
Cautiously Kelee left the room. She quickly looked around, and hurried as quietly as she could down the stairs. The front door was ajar; she made a run for it. Suddenly she was yanked backwards by her hair, spun around and slammed into the hard wall. She screamed as the back of her head collided with the wall; she saw stars. A hand clasped her neck and she screamed, kicking at her assailant, the man in the cap. He was a dark, hard-looking man with hazel eyes. He scared the hell out of her. Then he slapped her so hard her ears buzzed. The entire left side of her face stung so badly, she became dizzy and her knees started to buckle. His hand around her neck kept her upright, but also left her gasping for air. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“Please let me go,” she cried and he slapped her harder this time. Kelee tasted blood in her mouth.
“I want yu’ to go back to yu’ room, an’ if yu’ leave that room, I will kill yu’!” His eyes blazed at her. She trembled in fear knowing he meant every word he said. Kelee started crying, she couldn’t help it. The man released her and Kelee had to brace herself against the wall to steady her nerves.
Tyce walked into the hall then. His eyes immediately met and held hers; he looked at her with a blank expression. Kelee cradled her bruised face and headed back upstairs and back into the room. She closed the door behind her and fell onto the bed crying.
“Please, God, let Sean find me,” she prayed.
Sean and Jack surveyed the mansion from behind the bushes. They hadn’t seen any movement in the past few minutes. They had come up on the side of the mansion, which was concealed by shrubs. It was a great cover for them.
“I’m goin’ ’round back,” Sean told Jack.
“I got the other side.” Jack nodded. Sean quickly ran up to the side of the mansion. He glanced behind him to see Jack disappearing around the other side of the house. Sean proceeded with caution. At the back of the house he spotted the helicopter sitting on a platform about ten feet from the empty pool. He surveyed the area. He didn’t see anyone. Sean noticed that a long crate held the back door of the mansion open. He wondered what was in it. They had to be inside the house, which kind of complicated things. He didn’t know the layout of the house or how many of them were in there. Jack came up on the other side of the house and nodded to him. Sean signaled to the door. Cautiously they approached the open door. The kitchen was dusty and decaying. Sean noted a number of crates and moved over to them. He easily opened one of the boxes and was shocked at what was inside: M-16 rifles. So Curve had gone from running drugs to guns.
“So it’s guns now,” Jack whispered to him.
Sean checked for ammunition; there was none. He noted that the serial numbers were scratched off the guns, so there was no way they could be traced. Sean wasn’t about to let Curve traffic any of these weapons into St. Pala. He wondered where else Curve was selling the guns.
Just then they heard footsteps. They immediately took cover. Jack moved behind the door and Sean behind the kitchen aisle. Tyce walked into the kitchen and Jack was instantly in his face, gun pointed right at his head. Tyce froze. Jack dragged Tyce farther into the kitchen. Sean was on him in a second.
“Where is she?” He jammed his gun in Tyce’s jaw. Tyce laughed and Sean slammed the butt of his gun against Tyce’s head. The blow stunned him and he staggered. Tyce gave him a murderous look. Sean hit him again, this time hard, busting his lip.
“I said, where is she?”
Suddenly Sean heard a scream. He instantly knew it was Kelee. He released the safety off his gun.
“She’s upstairs, first room on the left,” Tyce told him quickly. Sean gazed at Jack.
“Go, I got him,” Jack said. Sean ran into the living room. He quickly cased the room, which was empty, and like the kitchen, dusty. Sean noticed numerous footprints. He wondered who else was in the house. They’d only seen Tyce, but there were a number of different size footprints outlined on the dusty wooden floors.
“Get away from me!” he heard Kelee scream and he ran upstairs, kicking in the first door on the left. What he saw stopped him cold in his tracks. Penn had a hold of Kelee’s arm and she was trying to get away from him. Penn looked at him and smiled, relieved.
“Sean,” Kelee said, glad to see him. He was glad to see that she was OK.
“Thank God yu’ here,” she said, moving towards Sean. Sean looked at a frightened Kelee. She had a large bruise on her right cheek. Sean instantly pointed his gun at Penn. While Sean was relieved to see him alive, something wasn’t right.
“Hey, hey, I jus’ came to get the girl.” Penn held his hands up. “Curve said she was up here, an’, an’,” he stuttered.
Sean could see that Penn was trying to make something up.
“Where’s Curve?”
“He’s downstairs,” Penn said quickly.
“Where were yu’?” Something wasn’t right here.
“He had me locked up?” Penn said. Sean studied Penn. He had unusually clean clothes for someone who had been missing for weeks and locked up. Instantly Sean knew he was the one. Penn was the one who Curve had in his pocket. No wonder Curve was always a step ahead of him.
Suddenly Penn made for Kelee. Kelee screamed and jumped onto the bed. Penn pulled a gun from his waist in the process. Sean reacted in a split second. The first shot hit Penn in the shoulder. Shocked, Penn looked at his wound, then at Sean in disbelief. Penn raised his gun at him.
“Don’t do this, man,” Sean told him. Penn laughed, and continued to raise his gun. The second bullet hit Penn in the chest. Penn laughed; then he fell to his knees, then dropped dead onto his face.
Seconds later Kelee was in his arms crying and thanking him for coming for her. Sean held her close as she cried. He didn’t feel right about any of this. He’d just had to kill one of his best men, who had betrayed him. This just wasn’t right, but he had threatened Kelee’s life and he’d sworn to protect her.
“Are yu’ OK? Did they hurt yu’?” Sean asked, putting Kelee away from him.
“No, no,” she cried.
He wiped the tears from her eyes. He could see the fear still in her eyes and it tore at his heart. He kissed her long and hard; she clung to him, returning his kiss. It felt so good to have her safe and in his arms. But he also knew it wasn’t over until he got Curve and got Kelee off this island.
Suddenly Sean heard gunshots. Kelee gasped, clinging to him.
“Jack,” Sean said. He looked around the room; there was no other way out. Taking Kelee’s hand, he led her from the room with caution. In the hall Sean turned to Kelee. “I want yu’ to find somewhere to hide.”
“Please don’t leave me,” she cried, frightened. It tore at his heart. He took a hold of her face and looked into her eyes. “Yu’ have to find somewhere safe until I come back for yu’, understand?”
She nodded. He hated leaving her, but he had to make sure Jack was OK. Plus, Curve was still here and there was no way he was getting away from him.
Sean turned to go downstairs when he heard Kelee scream. Sean felt a sense of dread. He reacted instantly, turning, gun drawn. But he already had her. Curve had Kelee in a choke hold with a gun at her head. Sean’s eyes met and held Kelee’s. He saw only fear in her tear-filled eyes.
“Let her go, Curve!” Sean demanded.
Curve tightened his arm around Kelee’s throat. She started to gag. Sean didn’t have a clear shot. If he didn’t do something Curve’s hold on Kelee would kill her. He had used that kind of choke hold on numerous criminals; it could be fatal. Tears rolled down Kelee’s cheeks.
“Sean,” she
cried. His heart raced with fear of losing her. But he had no intention of losing her, not today.
“Let her go, Curve!” Sean demanded, trying to find a clear shot at him, but Curve was smart. He kept Kelee directly in front of him and out of his line of fire.
“I knew she’d bring yu’ to me.” Curve laughed dryly.
“She has no’ting to do with this,” Sean insisted.
“Yu’ ’tink she means more to yu’ than my brother did to me?” Curve’s tone was cold and chilling. Instantly Sean knew he meant to kill Kelee.
“Sean,” Kelee cried, reaching out to him.
Curve intended to kill Kelee, Sean could see it in his eyes. Kelee’s face was overcome with fear and it tore at his heart. Sean kept his eyes on her. He couldn’t lose her, not like this. Kelee didn’t deserve this. Sean looked at Curve and knew it had to end right here, right now. Curve laughed and tightened his hold on Kelee. Kelee’s sobs tore a deeper hole into Sean’s heart.
Kelee’s heart was racing so fast she couldn’t breathe. She had to take short quick breaths to remain conscious. Curve stank of cigar. The scent was overwhelming. His hold on her was starting to make her dizzy. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. Curve meant to kill her for Sean’s killing his brother. Kelee didn’t want to die, not like this.
“Jus’ let her go, Curve, this is between me an’ yu’,” Sean said. Curve laughed again, his hot cigar-scented breath warming her cheek. Kelee shivered in fear.
“It’s too bad she has to die,” Curve said and Kelee’s knees began to buckle. Please, God, don’t let me die, Kelee prayed.
“No!” Sean shouted and rushed at them. Kelee watched in horror as Curve shot Sean. The impact sent him slamming against the wall. Kelee screamed. Curve let her go and she ran over to Sean. He lay facedown, motionless. She threw herself onto him. He couldn’t be dead, not like this. Her heart exploded into a million pieces. She’d lost Sean.
“Sean, Sean, oh, God, no,” she cried.
“Yu’ made it so easy,” Curve said above her. Kelee looked up at him to see that he had his gun pointed at Sean’s head.
“No,” Kelee cried, covering Sean’s body with hers.
“Jus’ makin’ sure he’s dead,” Curve said, getting ready to pull the trigger again.
Suddenly a voice came over a PA system. “THIS IS THE COAST GUARD. CURVE, COME OUT WITH YU’ HANDS UP.”
“Shit.” Curve took off downstairs.
Kelee lay on top of Sean, crying. He’d sacrificed himself for her. It was so unfair; why did he have to die? Kelee heard Sean moan and move beneath her. He wasn’t dead. She quickly turned him over. She didn’t see any blood, but she saw the bullet hole in his shirt just under his chest. She felt his chest and realized that he had his bulletproof vest on. Sean opened his eyes, looking at her.
“Thank God,” Kelee cried, excited and relieved, throwing her arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face.
“I’m good, jus’ winded.” He coughed and looked around. “Where is he?”
“The coast guard is here, he took off.”
Sean started to get up but stumbled a bit. Kelee helped him to his feet. He leaned against the wall clutching his ribs where he’d been shot, catching his breath. Kelee saw his gun a few feet away and picked it up, handing it to him.
“Thanks.” He took it and slapped a new clip in it without missing a beat.
“Come on.” He took her hand and they headed downstairs. Kelee held his hand as tight as she could. There was no way she was letting go of him until she got off this damn island.
Downstairs Sean found Jack slumped in a corner, bleeding from a shoulder wound. He rushed over to him. He had a nasty hole in his shoulder.
“I’m good. Curve,” he said through the pain and pointed at the back door.
“Tyce?”
Jack pointed to the other end of the room where Tyce lay facedown. “I took care of him, tried to pull a fast one on me. Curve’s man shot me.” Jack winced under the pain.
“So there are two of them?”
“Yeah.” Jack winced.
The whine of the helicopter starting up could be heard.
“Kelee, stay with Jack,” Sean said and headed out the back door.
Sean ran outside to see Curve getting into the helicopter. Curve paused as he was about to close the door. He looked at Sean, surprised, and instantly started firing at him with an M-16 rifle. Sean ducked back inside the house, bullets missing him by inches. No way in hell; he wasn’t going to let Curve slip out of his hands, not this time.
“The crate,” Jack shouted at him, pointing to the crate that was holding the back door open. When the firing stopped, Sean ran to the crate. He shot the lock off to see a handheld rocket launcher. He quickly pulled it out; it was loaded. Sean went back outside to see the helicopter taking off over the ocean. Sean flipped off the cap, lined up the helicopter and pressed the trigger. The blast of the rocket leaving the shell caused him to stumble; a sharp pain ignited in his chest where he’d been hit. For a moment it took his breath away. Sean watched in satisfaction as the missile connected with the helicopter and it exploded in a ball of fire, falling into the ocean in flaming pieces. Now it was finally over. Sean dropped the rocket launcher, no longer able to hold it. The pain was getting worse in his chest.
Six coast guards came running up to him moments later.
“Search every hole in that house,” he told them. They nodded and ran into the house.
“Got him?” Jack asked, coming up to him with Kelee at his side. Sean looked at Jack, then at Kelee, grateful they were both alive. Kelee looked at him, concerned.
“Yeah, it’s over,” Sean said, rubbing his still stinging ribs where Curve’s bullet had impacted and would have taken his life if he had not been wearing his vest. Kelee stared at him rubbing his ribs; he saw dread in her eyes. He gave her a reassuring smile, but it hurt like hell and he couldn’t help wrenching under the pain. Instantly, Kelee was beside him.
“Yu’ OK?”
“I think I broke a couple of ribs when I took that bullet,” he moaned, leaning against her.
The coast guard helicopter set down not far from them and two guards jumped out and ran over to them. One assisted Jack and the other Sean into the helicopter. Kelee followed and was helped into the helicopter. A few minutes later they were air bound and heading back to St. Pala.
Sean slumped into the seat, trying to catch his breath; the pain was getting to him. He held his ribs. He opened his eyes to find Kelee staring at him. Once again the fear in her eyes unnerved him. He knew she’d gone through a lot in the past week and its effect on her was no doubt traumatic. She’d witnessed him kill a man today; he wondered how that made her feel. She would need time to process it all, but for now she was safe and she was unhurt, and that was all he cared about at that moment.
Kelee was in a daze staring at Sean. He had saved her life today by taking a bullet for her. If it hadn’t been for his bulletproof vest she was sure he would have died. She wondered if he would have really died for her. In the short time she’d been here she’d been kidnapped and held hostage by a madman who would have killed her. It was all so much. Suddenly, she felt like she couldn’t breathe, her head was starting to throb. She desperately wanted to see Lori; she was concerned about her condition and the stress it had caused. She prayed Lori, the baby, and Allan were OK.
“Did yu’ see Lori, is she OK?” she asked Sean.
“The last time I saw her she was doing fine; a little shaken, but the doctors were still monitoring her.”
“An’ Allan?”
“Good; he wasn’t hurt.”
“Thank God.” She sighed, closing her eyes. Kelee knew it was over but the fear was still with her.
“Every’ting is OK now. Yu’ safe, there’s no’ ting for yu’ to worry ’bout anymore,” Sean told her. Kelee wished she could believe him. So much had happened to her in such a short time, all she wanted to do was get away from it all. It was just too much. K
elee pressed her lips together, holding back her tears.
Chapter 20
They were taken to the same hospital where Lori was. Jack was taken to surgery to remove the bullet from his arm and Sean was taken to x-ray to see how bad his ribs were. Kelee went to the nurse’s station to find out if Lori was still admitted. The nurse told her that Lori had gone into premature labor and had given birth an hour ago. Kelee’s heart raced with anticipation at seeing Lori and her new niece. Both Lori and the baby were doing fine. Kelee thanked God and raced to the room where Lori now was. She rushed into the room to see Lori sitting up in bed, breastfeeding. Allan was sitting at her bedside watching in awe.
“Kelee,” Allan and Lori said in union.
Kelee ran over to her, throwing her arms around Lori and the baby, kissing her cheek. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“Thank God yu’ OK.” Lori started to cry. Kelee looked down at her adorable niece and kissed the top of the baby’s bald head. She looked at Allan.
“Yu’ OK?” she asked. The last time she had seen him he was unconscious. Allan touched the back of his head where he’d been hit and smiled.
“I’m good.”
“I’m so sorry for everything.” Kelee choked up.
“It’s not yu’ fault,” Lori insisted.
“If I hadn’t come here”—she brushed away the tears that were rolling down her cheeks—“yu’, Allan, the baby, none of this would have happened.” Kelee couldn’t help but feel responsible for everything. If she hadn’t gotten involved with Sean, none of this would have happened.
“Stop right there,” Lori demanded. “None of this is yu’ fault. I have a healthy baby, she came a little early, yes, but she’s perfectly fine.” Lori smiled down at the baby feeding at her breast. The baby was on the small side, but she was beautiful and feeding hungrily. Kelee caressed her small bald head and smiled.
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