Out of Time

by Samantha Graves

  He paused as emotion filled his throat. “No one from the village came to get me out. I thought I was going to be there forever. And I would have, if it hadn’t been for Mancuso and Yancy. They heard about my skills and bailed me out.”

  Jillian’s voice was hushed. “And then you started working for them?”

  He nodded. “Yeah. I figured that was the least I could do after they saved my sorry ass. A few years later, I went out on my own.”

  It was so quiet, Simon could hear his heart beating in his ears. He couldn’t look at her.

  Finally, Jillian said, “Thank you.”

  He felt his throat tighten. Her capacity for compassion and faith was endless. But the longer he kept her here, the sooner that would die. “You’re welcome.”

  They were almost back to the hotel when one of his cell phones rang. He checked his pockets.

  “Yours?” Jillian asked.

  He looked at the screen of the first one, and his heart sank. “Jackson’s.”

  “Oh, God,” she said. Simon ushered her into a nearby doorway and answered.

  “Simon?” Celina answered frantically. “Is that you?”

  Jillian was watching him intently.

  “Yeah, it’s me. Are you okay?”

  “No,” she said with a sob. “He says if you don’t have something by Friday, he’s going to start hurting me. Cutting me.”

  He clenched his jaw. “That won’t happen, Celina. Put him on.”

  There was a bunch of clunking before a warbled, disguised voice came over. “I see that got your attention, Bonner.”

  The kidnappers knew his name now. They must have gotten it out of Celina. “We’re moving as fast as we can,” he told the bastard. “If I get Celina back with any parts missing, I will track you down and—”

  “Save it. We both know I’m in control here. Just trying to give you a little more incentive.”

  “I have all the incentive I need,” Simon replied. “If I don’t get Celina—whole—you don’t get the treasure. So back off and tell your henchmen to stop following me, unless you want to find them dead like the Mexican.”

  “What Mexican?”

  Simon paused. He didn’t know? Then who was the Mexican working for? Christ. This was getting damn messy.

  “So how will the exchange work?” Simon asked.

  “You find the treasure. You call me at the number I’m going to text to you. I’ll be there with Celina in twenty-four hours. You give me the treasure. I give you your ex.”

  Simon watched Jillian watching him. This was never going to work. The treasure was in a location. How was he going to give up the location without losing Celina?

  “If you break the deal, I destroy the lens,” Simon replied.

  Jillian’s eyes widened.

  Sorry, babe. “Now put Celina back on.”

  The phone rattled again before she came on the line. “Are you close?”

  “We’re close. It’ll be all right.”

  “Thank you, Simon. I know you don’t owe me this—”

  “It’s okay,” he said. “It won’t be long.”

  He hung up.

  Celina flipped the cell phone closed and placed it on the table next to the $65 mini voice disguiser they’d just finished using. Such a simple little device. Amazing how powerful it could be.

  “You think he bought it?”

  She smiled sweetly at Lance, who was sitting across the hotel coffee table from her. “Of course. Simon is a smart man, but his loyalty has always ruled his heart. He’ll find the treasure.”

  “He’s making a mighty big sacrifice for you.”

  He’ll make an even bigger one later. Celina reached for the pitcher and poured cold lemon water into Lance’s glass. “Don’t worry, love. I told you I’d take care of everything. By this time next week, we’ll have what we need to buy our freedom. Donovan will be nothing more than the memory of a good deal gone wrong.”

  “My deal gone wrong,” Lance said. “I still don’t know what happened. I was so careful, Donovan was careful. How could the FBI have known about that buy? Donovan’s five million dollars cash lost, plus all of my artifacts. I was lucky to escape the exchange with my life.” He took a big swallow of his water.

  She smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix it. Donovan will get his five million dollars’ worth of treasure back soon enough, and we’ll keep the rest. Everything will be fine.”

  He frowned, concern marring his handsome face. “What about the Mexican man Simon was talking about? Who was he?”

  She leaned back in her chair, her smile set. So handsome and yet so weak. “Probably just some local looking for easy money. Nothing to worry about, I’m sure.”

  “Maybe. Or maybe he was working for Donovan.”

  She sipped her drink. Weak but smart. She just had to keep him in the dark until the end. “Now, how could that be possible? Donovan is in the States, waiting for his money. He doesn’t even know Simon is in the picture.”

  “You’re probably right.” Lance gulped down more water. “Do you think Simon killed the Mexican man?”

  She pressed the cool glass to her throat. “Only if it was in self-defense.” Another one of his faults. Simon could never see the merits of getting rid of trouble permanently.

  “Then it must have been Kesel. He’s getting close. You realize he’s going to be a problem.”

  She swirled her drink. Smart but weak. “Kesel is just a man. Flesh and blood like anyone else.”

  Still, the color drained out of Lance’s face. “I mean, he already killed Jackson. In cold blood.”

  She gave a little shudder for effect. “I know. That was horrible. We never expected anyone to get hurt. It wasn’t part of the plan, but we can’t predict the future, either.”

  Lance loosened his collar nervously. “If Kesel sees us first—”

  “He won’t,” she said in a soothing tone. The last thing she needed was for her main man to get cold feet. Not now. “Besides, we have a plan for that, too. We simply tell Kesel that Jackson stole the lens, not us.”

  Lance nodded. “Right. And what if he doesn’t buy it? What if he’s not happy with just getting his lens back? He’s already killed twice for it.”

  “Then we might have to resort to a more permanent solution,” she said sweetly. “It could be the only way we can be together forever.”

  He nodded, looking unsure. She needed to solidify his bond to her. So she set down her drink and stood up. His eyes narrowed as he watched her settle on his lap.

  “But that’s a last resort, and I doubt it will come to that,” she said as she pressed her lips to his jawline. “I love you so much. I can’t wait until this is all over with and we can be free.”

  His hands went around her waist. “I love you, too. I’d do anything for you.”

  She nipped his lips. “And so would I.”

  CHAPTER

  19

  Jillian stood at the open window of their hotel room. The moon was nearly full, hanging low in the steamy Mexican night sky. Stars twinkled overhead, oblivious to this little planet and all its troubles. A warm wind soothed her skin and sleep-deprived mind. The city slumbered under a blanket of darkness.

  If it wasn’t for the blue light on the horizon, it would be a perfect night.

  You have a gift, Jillie.

  Not quite, she thought sadly. In fact, right now she’d give up just about anything to get rid of it. A woman’s life was in her hands. Jillian knew exactly how Celina felt. Less than a year ago, Jillian had been kidnapped and terrorized by a man exacting revenge on her father. She couldn’t imagine what poor Celina was going through.

  Or Simon. He felt the same responsibility she did and more. He was a good man. But no matter how hard he tried to get out of this world, he never would. It would come back to haunt him and anyone he loved. Just like it had with her father, and look at the carnage her father’s life had left, even years later.

  Jillian felt Simon come up behind her and nuzzle her
neck. His arms wrapped around and cradled hers as he rocked her gently. She closed her eyes at the surge of energy that zinged through her body. It passed, followed by an ache that lingered in her bones.

  “You gotta sleep, babe. We have a long day tomorrow,” he said in her ear.

  “Do you see it?”

  He looked over her shoulder out the window. “The light? Uh, sure. It’s in the east.”

  She smiled a little. “South.”

  He turned his head south. “Oh, right. I see it now. Big white light.”

  “It’s blue.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment. “Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

  She warmed at his attempt to make her feel better. “It doesn’t bother you that a crazy woman is dragging you across Mexico on a wild goose chase for a legend that might not even exist?”

  “Naw. Happens all the time.”

  She laughed.

  “When did you first notice it? The vision?” he asked.

  She tensed slightly at the question. He’d shared his darkest moments with her tonight. It was only fair that she share hers. “When I was about eight. I was staring at a vase in my house one day, and I saw the shadow of a man put his hands around it and put it into a bag. At first, I thought I was watching a ghost.” She paused. “Then I saw it was my father.”

  “Shit,” Simon said softly.

  Jillian continued, “So I asked my mother why my father put the vase in a bag. She told me I had a gift. That I could see things that other people couldn’t. But I was never to talk about him like that again. He was a good man.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  She felt Simon’s embrace tighten around her, felt the warmth and the sincerity there. “It’s okay now. He’s better. He was a thief for a long time, but he paid for his crimes.”

  Simon kissed her hair. “So did you.”

  Yes. And I can’t do it again. I’m not that strong.

  “Come on,” he said and tugged her back to the bed.

  “I thought you wanted me to sleep,” she said and eyed him.

  He sat on the edge of the bed, pulled her against him to kiss her belly. “What kind of guy do you think I am?”

  “Horny?” she ventured. “Insatiable? Inexhaustible?”

  He grinned up at her. “True, but only with you.” Then he pulled her until she fell across the bed on her stomach. Before she could twist around, he straddled her bottom.

  “Well, this is a little kinky,” she said, breathless from the excitement racing through her body.

  Then she felt his hands on her neck, warm and strong. He pressed his fingers to the tight muscles and smoothed out the tension.

  “Relax,” he whispered.

  She sighed and sank into the bedding while his fingers worked their magic. “You really aren’t afraid that I’m crazy? A freak? What if I suddenly snap and kill you in your sleep?”

  “That would definitely solve all my problems,” he said and pressed a nerve that sent a shock wave down her spine. His thumb slid along the muscle, and she felt herself relax despite the conflicting sensations.

  She gave in to the rhythm and strength of his caress, lulling her toward sleep. Her eyes closed, and the last of the tension eased out of her body.

  Simon heard her breathing even out and felt the fight go out of her. He continued to stroke her satiny skin, feeling the heat through his fingers. Perfect skin. Perfect hair. Perfect clothes. Perfect everything.

  And now he understood why. If he thought he was a freak, he’d probably try to be perfect, too. Or maybe not. He never cared what anyone thought of him. But Jillian did. She’d grown up knowing that her father was a thief. No wonder she walked the straight and narrow.

  And now he’d brought her to the dark side with all the thieves and killers.

  Good going, Simon.

  Donovan was sipping his morning coffee on the balcony when his cell phone rang. He checked the number and frowned. This could be trouble.

  “Donovan here,” he answered, bracing for the worst.

  “Raul is dead,” Walsh said.

  Donovan swore softly. “How bad is it?”

  “A farmer found him and called the local police. We were able to intercept and clean it up. He didn’t have any identification on him, so that helped. We should be okay.”

  “Should be? I’m not sticking my neck out for ‘should be,’ Walsh. Is it cleaned up or not?”

  “It’s as clean as it’s going to get.”

  Which meant it wasn’t.

  “Did Bonner kill him?”

  “They had a run-in, but Bonner let him go.”

  So someone else killed him. Another raider? Was the word on the street already? Another player he hadn’t foreseen. How many were there? “Is the job in jeopardy?”

  “I don’t think so. I can’t believe that anyone would be able to put you and Raul together.”

  That much was true. They were worlds apart.

  “Is the couple in danger?”

  “That I don’t know.”

  Donovan tapped his fingers on the fine-bone-china cup. All the years of waiting. All the years of hoping were now at stake. “Can we protect them until they locate the archives?”

  Walsh exhaled loudly. “Possibly, but we’re trying to stay low so they don’t detect us. I’m walking as fine a line as I can right now. Any closer, it could blow up in our faces.”

  A seagull drifted across the blue sky. Donovan had waited a long time for this, longer than he could remember. There wouldn’t be many more opportunities, and none like this one. He thought about his wife waiting for him in the States and all the sacrifices she’d made for his obsession. He wanted to end it now, to go out in a blaze of glory and to quiet the passion in his soul once and for all. This treasure was like no other. It would be enough.

  “I’ve worked too hard for that to happen,” Donovan said. “Keep your distance. If Bonner is half as good as I’ve heard, they’ll be fine.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Walsh said.

  Simon woke up to sunshine and an empty bed. The shower was running, and he could hear Jillian singing. He listened to her soft, lilting voice. He could get used to this. Sleeping with Jillian, touching her, listening to her, arguing with her. Living with her.

  He closed his eyes. Don’t go there, Simon. You are not the right man for her. He knew in his heart of hearts that was true. Every time she looked at him, she saw trouble. He couldn’t even deny it. There were a shitload of skeletons in his closet. He couldn’t ask her to live in there with him.

  He rolled over onto his back and checked the clock.

  6:00 a.m. Time to move out. He got up, retrieved his phone from his bag, and yawned as Paulie’s number dialed.

  “Hey,” he answered. “Is Jillian okay?”

  Simon glared at the phone. “What about me?”

  “You can take care of yourself.”

  “Trust me, so can Jillian. She has more skills than she lets on. Did you know she can handle a weapon?”

  Paulie gave a laugh. “Seriously? Good for her. I wouldn’t doubt that Raven taught her.”

  Simon shook his head. Someday he was going to have to meet Raven.

  “How’s it going with Alexis?” he asked Paulie.

  “We have a date tonight,” he said. “She’s very excited.”

  Simon grinned. “I’ll bet. Just a friendly warning. She could ruin you for life.”

  “Shit, sounds good to me. But just in case, I’m gonna try to tap into her cell phone and place a GPS on her somewhere.”

  “Somewhere?”

  Paulie laughed. “It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.”

  “Right,” Simon said. “I talked to our kidnapper last night. He’s getting antsy.”

  “Jeez, it’s only been a few days. What’s he want, miracles?”

  A miracle would have been real nice right about then. “Looks like. He text-messaged me a phone number to call when we get close. I want
you to track it down.”

  “Will do. Just send it along. I have some news on the kidnapper’s call to Jackson’s phone. I managed to trace the number and associated GPS signal. Unfortunately, the phone is registered to a nonexistent company in Mexico City. That’s the good news.”

  “What’s the bad news?”

  “The call originally came from southern Veracruz. But I’m watching the GPS, and the signal keeps moving.”

  Simon rubbed his eyes. “Let me guess. They’re following us?”

  “You got it. Probably homing in on Jackson’s cell phone signal.”

  Which might not be a bad thing, because that would mean Celina was moving with them. Maybe the kidnapper was planning on following this through. A ray of hope emerged.

  Simon heard the shower being shut off and lowered his voice. “One more thing. We had a run-in with a dead body.”

  “’scuse me? I could have sworn you said ‘dead body.’”

  “I did, and before you ask, no, I didn’t kill him. But someone saw me rough him up when I caught him following us. The next morning there was a stiff in the backseat of our Jeep.”

  “Crap. Jillian must have wigged.”

  “A little,” he admitted, although not as much as he’d expected. He gave Paulie the location where he’d dumped the body. “Someone should have found him by now. I need to know who he was and who he was working for.”

  “Wow, this just keeps getting better and better. I’m amazed you have any living friends.”

  Simon told him, “Be careful. Some of them I killed myself.”

  “I’m shaking,” Paulie came back. “I’ll keep an ear to the airwaves. Have you found any clues to the archives yet?”

  Simon looked over as Jillian came out of the bathroom wearing khaki short shorts, a thin pink tank top, and no bra. Blood made a mad rush from his brain, and he almost forgot what he was going to say. “Jillian saw the priest at Tres Zapotes, so we know the lens works. We just don’t know how or why.”

  Her expression dimmed, and he hated it.

  “Or where the treasure is,” Paulie noted.