Deadly Race

by Margaret Daley

  “He was only a reporter looking for a story. I told him there wasn’t one here.”

  “And you think he’ll go away?”

  “No. That’s why I’m frowning.”

  Ellie wadded up the ends of her terry cloth belt in her hands, but even through the material she could feel the bite of her nails as they dug into her palms. “Are you sure it wasn’t something else? Who is Elizabeth Hanson?”

  The lines in his face deepened. “You heard everything?”

  She nodded. “Kinda hard not to. You two were practically shouting at each other.”

  “She’s a woman I’ve dated from time to time.”

  “Don’t you think it is more than that?”

  “She is not my fiancée.”

  “Does she know that?”

  “Yes. I don’t know why that reporter said that. Maybe to get a rise out of me.”

  “We knew it was only a matter of time before the real world intruded. Today you’ll go back to your old life--and friends, and so will I.” Now that it was morning, she could get the first mode of transportation out of San Carlos.

  Ellie stomped toward the bathroom to escape Slade. Anger knotted her stomach. Of course, she had to pass Slade, and he wouldn’t allow her to leave so easily. He reached out and blocked her, tugging her into his arms. A smile lit his eyes, and she tried to pull away from him, enraged that he would be happy at a time like this when she felt her world crashing down around her. She felt as if she was reliving a scene from her past, when her fiancé had told her he was already married.

  “You’re jealous, Ellie.”

  “I am not.” She had to acknowledge she was dreaming of more with Slade than she’d let on during their time in the jungle and mountains. The news this morning of another woman cut deep.

  He tightened his arms about her. “I promise you I am not engaged to be married. Elizabeth and I have gone out together occasionally, but I made it plain to her from the beginning that I didn’t intend to marry again and it didn’t seem to bother her one bit.”

  The words hurt, even more than the fact that he might have already been engaged, and Ellie couldn’t deny their effect on her. He’d made the same thing plain to her on several occasions. She loved him even though they were from two different worlds. When had she started wanting marriage from Slade? Wanting any kind of relationship with him? The situation was far worse than she originally thought. She wanted the whole nine yards. Everything--a ring, a wedding, a house with a white picket fence, a baby, several babies. Because she didn’t have affairs. That wasn’t her.

  She tugged herself free from his hold. “Then I think you’d better clear up this mess, or no telling what that reporter will write about you, about us.”

  His smile touched his mouth. “You’re right. I’ll arrange for a press conference, then we can have the rest of the day to ourselves. Frankly, I don’t want the world to encroach on us just yet.”

  He tried to pull her close again, but she backed away. “But they have.”

  “What do you want?”

  That was a loaded question she had no intention of answering truthfully. “I want to get back to my life as soon as possible.”

  “Very well. I’ll order breakfast from room service then make a few calls about the press conference. We can leave after that. Okay?”

  * * *

  “What time is your press conference?” Ellie asked as she sat across from Slade, having finished what she could manage to eat. She couldn’t believe that had only been half an omelet. Even that hadn’t settled well on her stomach.

  “Eleven.”

  “I didn’t realize you were that important, but when the President of the United States called earlier, I figure you carry a lot of weight.”

  “It’s nothing. My company does work with different governments. I’ve gotten to know a few people.”

  “A few? After our president called, didn’t the President of Bella Isla call and offer his apologies for what happened to you? I didn’t notice him saying anything to me. You know, when we first met I wondered who you were. You seemed more than you appeared. You knew so many survival things. Now I’m wondering again.”

  “I’m simply a businessman.”

  “How big is your company?”

  “I employ several thousand people.”

  “How many thousand?” Ellie clasped her hand about the orange juice, in hopes the action would steady her hand, give herself something to do.

  “Ten.” He took his last piece of toast and popped it into his mouth.

  “That explains things.”

  “What?”

  “All the calls you’ve received, the people coming to the room.”

  He frowned. “I’m sorry. If I had known my reappearance would cause this much commotion, I would have registered under another name.”

  Ellie looked at Slade. He really didn’t realize how influential and powerful he was. He had a business to run and that was all he cared about. “When does Elizabeth Hanson arrive?”

  “This afternoon.”

  “What are you going to do about her?”

  “Set her and the world straight. I am not engaged to be married to Elizabeth Hanson, or anyone.”

  Ellie felt sorry for Elizabeth even though Ellie knew the woman had brought the situation on herself. In that moment Ellie decided she would make her escape without Slade’s knowledge. She didn’t want anyone, including the band of reporters staying at the hotel, to know when she was leaving to return home. She would ride off into the sunset, alone, and disappear from his life before he had a chance to tell her good-bye. To break her heart anymore. She couldn’t bear that, had always hated farewells. In all her moving around, she had never gotten used to telling a person goodbye. She stopped doing that a long time ago.

  “Be gentle with her,” Ellie murmured, watching the sunlight streaming through the balcony doors, cutting a path across the table as though separating them.

  “Don’t worry about Elizabeth. She doesn’t love me. She’s using this opportunity to get her name in the paper. I’m a means of publicity for her.”

  His cynicism darkened the color of his eyes and made the lines about his mouth deeper. Ellie had always known Slade’s world was very different from hers, but not how much. He moved in the fast lane, knew a lot of wealthy, powerful people. She’d known the real world would intrude on them, but she hadn’t wanted it to happen this quickly. She would be gone before he was finished with his press conference later this morning.

  She rose, needing some distance from him. Moving out onto the large balcony that overlooked the water, she relished the gently cooling breeze. She strolled to the railing, grasped it and closed her eyes. She wanted to remember this--not the madcap escape through the jungle. She had to forget that and Slade. Somehow.

  He approached her at the railing and wrapped his arms around her, tugging her back against him. “You’re beautiful, Ellie. I haven’t had the chance to tell you how much I like you in that skirt and blouse.” He trailed kisses from her ear down her neck to where her skin lay bare from the off-the-shoulder blouse she wore.

  She squeezed her eyes closed and surrendered to his kisses that always stirred her beyond reason.

  “I think we should have a little celebration tonight that we made it out alive.”

  She wouldn’t be here to do that. But her pounding heart protested that decision. She had to change the subject. “There was a moment or two on that mountain when I didn’t think I would. It was your positive attitude that made the difference to me.”

  “There were a few moments when I had my doubts, too. I’m glad they didn’t show.”

  Ellie twisted about to look at him. “When?”

  “When the plane crashed to the ground, missing us by inches. When the helicopter full of soldiers turned around and came back up the river. When you fell.” He faced her, his expression intense, a tic in his jaw twitching. “I thought I had lost you, even after I saw you on the ledge.”

 
The protective fierceness in his voice touched her, and for a few seconds she felt hope that he might love her a little bit. Then she realized Slade would feel that way about any human being. After all, he had been a stranger who had come to her rescue in the hotel bar, had offered her his protection and a ride out of Bella Isla.

  Her hope died. She smiled sadly, reaching up to brush her fingers across his mouth. “I knew mountain climbing would never become one of my hobbies.”

  He took her hand and fit his fingers through hers, forming a tactile link with her. “But you did it because you had to. You conquered your fear and won. I admire that, Ellie. Not everyone can do that.”

  The phone ringing in the suite saved her from having to say anything. He glanced back at the balcony door, hesitant. “You’d better answer that. It might be someone important.”

  As he strode inside, Ellie sank back against the railing. Because I’m not.

  CHAPTER 9

  “Are you sure you don’t want to fight off the dragons with me?” Slade leaned over the back of the couch in the suite and kissed her briefly on the mouth two hours later.

  “Are you kidding? I’m no fool. I’m not going anywhere near that press conference.” Ellie poured herself another cup of tea, concentrating on keeping the smile on her face. Soon she would be gone, and that thought left nothing but sadness in her.

  “You’re a wise woman. I shouldn’t be too long if I have any say in this.”

  “You’re dreaming. They won’t let you go until they have a juicy story for their next edition.”

  “Well, there isn’t one here.” Slade opened the door to the suite and glanced back at her, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “At least not one for publication,” he said with a wink, then left the suite.

  Taking a sip of her tea, Ellie stared at the entrance, watching for him to return. Her heart felt heavy, each beat an ache. One part of her didn’t want to move from the couch; the other knew she had to, in order to survive emotionally. If she stayed, she would break down and give in to her feelings. Making love with him was not a choice if she wanted to escape with some of her heart in tact.

  When she was satisfied he wouldn’t return, she quickly stood and hurried into her bedroom. She didn’t have much time before he would be back. She ran a brush through her hair and stuffed a few items into the oversized purse she had bought the day before at the boutique. Everything else she would leave behind, including a part of her heart--no matter how much she’d tried not to fall in love with him.

  As she crossed the living room toward the door into the hallway, she caught sight of the couch and his last kiss a few minutes ago. The tightness in her throat made it difficult to swallow. One tear rolled down her cheek, then another.

  You’re running away. Since when do you turn away from a challenge? Maybe he would change. No, staying would only prolong the inevitable. If she remained, they would still part tomorrow. Whenever they parted in the future--whether tomorrow or a few days later or a month from now--the tears would still come, along with the good-byes. She didn’t want to hear that from his lips. She hated that word.

  The dull ache in her chest grew. She inhaled deep breaths, but nothing alleviated the pain. Slade had told her he was not the marrying kind. He had been there and didn’t want to go there again. And she could never be a man’s mistress, no matter how much she loved him.

  Squeezing her eyes shut against the sight of the suite, she pivoted away. Swinging the purse up onto her shoulder, she made her way to the coffee table and propped up a note she’d written earlier saying, “It has been an experience. Ellie.” She’d refused to write the word good-bye, and she hadn’t been able to write love either. She had to retain some dignity in this situation.

  Ellie strode out of the suite, determined not to look back. It took all her willpower to keep walking down the corridor. Her heart felt as though it had cracked into two pieces as she waited for the elevator to arrive.

  On the ride down she nearly pushed the button for the floor she had just left. Wavering in her decision to make a clean break, she gripped her hands in front of her until her fingers hurt in order to keep from going back up to his suite. Finally the doors swished open, and she stepped into the lobby, scanning the area to make sure Slade wasn’t anywhere around. As she started for the entrance of the hotel, shouts from a room off to the side caught her attention.

  Again her curiosity was going to be the death of her. She wanted to know what was going on in the press conference. She wanted to see him one last time. She eased the door open a crack and peered into the room filled with a half a dozen reporters, all trying to ask their questions at the same time.

  A lump in her throat constricted. Next to Slade stood a beautiful woman, elegantly dressed but clearly distressed over the situation. She must be Elizabeth Hanson, here earlier than he’d thought. Ellie started to turn away when she heard Slade speak.

  “Elizabeth and I had an understanding from the beginning that I had no intention of getting married. We are just friends. All of this is just a misunderstanding.”

  Ellie quickly moved away from the door, fighting the tears that had returned to moisten her eyes. She hurried to the bellhop and asked him to get her a cab, then she went to stand out in front of the hotel, making sure a large pillar hid her from anyone in the lobby.

  It seemed an eternity before the taxi pulled up, and she slid into the car. As she drove away from the hotel, she saw through the large glass window Slade emerge from the room and head for the elevator. She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer.

  * * *

  The suite was empty. Puzzled, Slade turned slowly around. Where could Ellie have gone? Probably out to get more clothes. But why didn’t she say anything to him earlier? He ran his hand through his hair and kneaded the back of his nape. Tension made his neck stiff and his shoulders hurt.

  He had a hard time understanding why Elizabeth had come to Bella Isla. He had known she loved the limelight but to go to the length of telling everyone she was engaged to him still was a mystery to him. She probably had thought he was dead, and she could become the grieving fiancée for the whole world to see.

  Slade shook his head, continuing to massage the tension from his shoulders and neck. The press conference had been grueling. The reporters wanted a story whether there was one or not, and he had no wish to drag Ellie into this. Their time together was special, something to savor alone without the world looking on. Walking into each room in the suite, he searched for Ellie, eager to put the press conference behind him, to enjoy what privacy they had before they had to return to the United States.

  He ended up back in the living room. The beginning of a headache throbbed against his temples. Surveying the area for a second time, he found the note she had left him, propped up on the coffee table. As he reached for the piece of paper, dread gripped him like a clamp. Without reading the note, he knew in his gut she was gone for good. The short message only confirmed it. He wadded up the paper and threw it across the room.

  Why, Ellie?

  He didn’t want to feel the hurt, but he did. It twisted into his heart and exposed emotions he was determined to deny. He’d thought once they’d reached civilization, he could say good-bye and get on with his life. Not look back on what they had gone through together. But he’d realized quickly she wasn’t out of his system. He stiffened. She would be soon if he had anything to say about it.

  * * *

  “Okay, girlfriend, enough is enough,” Kayla said, plopping down in the chair next to Ellie at the dining room table. She opened the pizza box and selected a piece. “You’ve got to eat. Something is definitely wrong when you refuse pizza. It’s one of your favorite dishes. Weren’t you the gal who was going to devour New York City when you returned from that island five pounds lighter?”

  “I changed my mind. I can, you know.”

  “Honey, you can do anything you want, but that won’t stop me from worrying about you. You haven’t even taken another assignment.�
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  “I’m taking a vacation.”

  “Spending it in the city? Girlfriend, now I know you’re off your rocker.”

  “Thanks. A gal always likes to know that.” Ellie chose a slice of pizza and put it on the plate her roommate had placed in front of her.

  “What happened on Bella Isla? You usually tell me everything after an assignment. I know more about what happened from the newspaper account than from you.”

  Ellie toyed with a pepperoni. “I fled a revolution, hiked through a jungle and spent a day in a vacation resort before coming home. That’s all.”

  “How about this Slade Calvert who was with you? He’s real good looking from his newspaper picture.”

  “Yes, I guess so.” Ellie put the pepperoni into her mouth. “See I’m eating. Satisfied?”

  “One pepperoni does not constitute a meal. And quit changing the subject.”

  “What subject?” Ellie took a small bite of the pizza.

  “Slade Calvert. You can’t tell me you were out in the jungle for days with this man and nothing happened.”

  “Yes, I can.” Ellie remembered the “nothing” and felt heat suffused her cheeks. Whenever she thought about their time together, her body went weak and her heart began to race.

  “Liar. You’re blushing. You forget we’ve been roommates for several years. We may not spend a lot of time together, but I’ve gotten to know you.”

  “Okay, Kayla. I can see you’re going to pester me until you hear the juicy details. He saved my life on more than one occasion. He is a wonderful man, and yes, something did happen in the jungle.”

  “You love him.”

  Ellie had admitted how she felt about Slade to herself but had never said anything out loud. Somehow voicing it to Kayla would make it so final, permanent. But nothing would change the facts. Slade was in Boston, picking up the pieces of his life, a life without her.

  “Of course you do, Ellie. You don’t have to say it to see it written on your face. What happened?”

  “Is that your question for the day?”

  “Something happened because you are here and he is in Boston.”