James smirked and turned his back on them.
“We need food and water,” Keith said, standing now. “Can you at least do that?”
It was the other man, the one named Rafferty, who answered. “We’ve got some extra water, but no food. We didn’t figure we’d be out overnight. Once we get to the compound, you’ll be taken care of.”
There was more grumbling, but no one felt the need to push the issue. A few minutes later, they were herded to the boats and paired off again. It was only at the last moment that James intervened.
“You’re coming with me,” he said, pointing at Patti.
“No way, you asshole,” she snarled.
He reached out and made to grab her arm, but Susan stepped between them.
“Get out of my way,” James ordered.
“Leave them alone,” Rafferty said. “You can sort it out later. Let’s get out of here.”
The younger man gave Rafferty a glower, but headed toward his own boat.
“What a dick,” one of their captors muttered.
“Who is he?” Susan asked.
“Commander Ellers’s nephew,” he replied. “Which means we can’t beat his ass like we’d like.” Then he looked around, as if worried someone might have overheard him.
As Susan mulled over that bit of news, their boat headed out into open water, joining up with the others in a line. She leaned closer to Patti. “How did you get to know James? Where did you meet him?”
“In Atlanta. He changed my flat tire.” The girl frowned. “After that, he was just everywhere I was, or so it seemed. I thought it was kinda cool.”
“And now?”
Patti rubbed her nose. “Now I’m wondering why I didn’t realize he was a creeper.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll get better at creeper detection as you get older.”
“Really?”
“I’d like to think so.”
“You’re not as much of an airhead as before,” Patti observed.
“Let’s just keep that between ourselves, okay?” she replied in a lowered voice. It’d been hard to keep up the ruse as long as she had, mimicking her college roommate’s flirty behavior.
The teen gave her a long look. “You’re up to something, aren’t you?”
Susan gave a wink. “Maybe.”
Or maybe not. Because it was a good bet that James’s uncle had his own plans for her and her fellow campers. Until she knew what those plans were, all she could do was wait them out and hope someone noticed that the group had vanished.
Chapter Fourteen
After claiming a pair of undamaged paddles down by the shoreline, Cait and Brannon tromped along in mud and near silence. An hour had passed and the going had been slow, as she’d feared.
“Are we there yet?” Brannon said, mimicking Patti.
“That was good. You got her whine dead on.”
“My ex-fiancée had a younger sister. She was remarkably whiny.” He paused. “Come to think of it, the ex was as well.”
Cait laughed. “Ex, huh? Didn’t make the cut?”
“No.”
From that one word, she could tell it was best not to ask for details. “So how did you make the move from the Army to Veritas?”
“One of my platoon buddies didn’t make it back, and I promised I’d keep an eye on his wife and kid. Well, the boy gets himself arrested, charged with a Class C misdemeanor because he was being an asshole in school. It should have resulted in a fine and suspension. Instead, he ends up in a private juvenile facility, sentenced to three months.”
“What?”
“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it. Jake’s mom was freaking out, so I started asking questions. Seems the judge was taking bribes from a company that managed the prison. They wanted to make sure they had a steady supply of inmates. When I made a big stink, it got ugly.”
“How ugly?”
Brannon walked around a rotting log before replying. “I was warned off and when I refused to back down, I was arrested and beaten. Next thing I know, there’s this lawyer from Veritas bailing me out. They’d been building a case against the judge for some time, and when I came into the picture, they decided I’d make a good ally. Together we shut it down. The judge and local sheriff are doing time, the company who owned the prison went bankrupt, and my buddy’s kid is on the straight and narrow.” Brannon grinned. “Because if he doesn’t stay that way, Jake knows I will seriously kick his ass.”
She heard the strength of that commitment. “You’re a good friend.”
“Just honoring my promises. After it was all over, Veritas’s boss offered me a job, and I’ve been with them ever since. I’ve never regretted that decision.”
“What about the robbery? How’s that going to play with them?”
Brannon issued a long sigh. “It’s already causing problems. If I get the goods on Ellers, my boss will have a better chance of talking the FBI into dropping the charges.”
“God, I hope so.”
“Yeah. I hope Veritas called my folks. I can just imagine what will happen if they hear my name on the evening news.”
Cait paused and checked her compass against the map, and then they set off again. The humidity was still off the charts, a heavy fog in some of the low-lying areas.
He smiled over at her. “This cabin of yours, does it have hot running water?”
“Only if you heat the water and pour it over your head. It does have a roof that doesn’t leak, well not too much, and some supplies.”
“Satellite phone?”
“Affirmative,” she said. “I’ve been kicking myself for leaving it there the last time. That was stupid.”
“Your cell phone should have been enough. You didn’t plan on being ambushed.”
“Yeah, and it bites me that we were,” Cait replied, frowning. “I really didn’t see that coming.”
“You’re not the only one. So what other features does this fabulous cabin have?”
“Food, a bed, guns, and ammo. It’s pretty fancy.”
He grunted. “My idea of fancy is a suite at one of the classy hotels, with a king bed, walk-in shower, twenty-four-hour room service, and a high-definition big-screen TV.”
“And a hot babe?” she said.
“All depends on the lady,” he replied, watching her closely now. “You game?”
Cait didn’t reply, because she didn’t know what to say. There was no way she should be looking at this guy as anything more than an ally, but she was. That was unnerving.
“I didn’t catch your answer,” he said, humor in his voice.
“The canoe should be right up here,” she replied, trying to change the subject.
“That was a well-executed diversion, Sergeant.”
“Glad you think so, Lieutenant.”
To her annoyance, it took Cait longer to locate the boat than she’d expected. She put her hands on her hips, studying the area around them.
“If you can’t find the canoe, you’ll have to answer my question,” he teased.
“I’m trying to locate my landmarks.”
After five more minutes, he raised an eyebrow. “You sure there really was a canoe on this island.”
“If I say I’ll find it, I will. Now be quiet.”
Brannon raised his hands in surrender, but more importantly, he stopped needling her. A few minutes later, she found the canoe.
“Well look at that,” she said, smiling.
“I’m sorry for doubting you. I should know better.”
She eyed him. “Did I just hear a Ranger apologize?”
“Yeah, but don’t let it get out. It’ll ruin our rep.”
Cait smirked, and after stowing away the map and her compass, she fetched a thick branch.
“Going to beat me into submission?” he joked.
&nb
sp; “Maybe. You into that kind of thing, are you?” she shot back, feeling feisty.
Brannon blinked. “Maybe. Depends on who’s doing what to whom.”
She laughed, wondering what it was about this guy that made her say things she never would to any other man. Made her wonder just what he’d be like in her bed.
Cait forced her mind away from those thoughts—and God, had they been steamy. She poked around the canoe until she was sure that nothing called it home, then flipped it over and studied the damage. The fiberglass had a grapefruit-sized hole along one side.
“Perfect.” She shifted off her pack. “Can you keep an eye out for company?”
Brannon gave a nod and drifted away. She watched him for a time, how he moved silently through the brush, how confident he appeared. Maybe he was right, and the demons in her mind would eventually call it quits and give her space.
Yeah. Sure.
The patching process was rather straightforward. First, she cleaned around the hole on both sides of the canoe, then laid down a crosshatch of duct tape on the inside. Cutting a piece of tarp a bit bigger than the hole, she placed that on top of the tape, then sealed it with another layer of duct tape. She’d just repeated the process on the outside of the canoe when Brannon returned.
“Anything?” she asked.
He shook his head. “That looks good. I’m smelling smoke, though. Seems to be coming from the northeast.”
She rose, frowning. “Could be a fire started by the thunderstorm. That happens out here.”
“How do you fight a fire in a swamp?” he asked, as they carried the canoe toward the water.
“About the only way is to dump a ton of water on it. If the peat starts burning, it’s hell to put out. It’s freaky because you’re not only fighting a surface fire, but also another ten or more feet underneath you.”
“Which means just walking on the wrong piece of ground can get you fried?” Brannon asked.
“Good chance of it. I have a cousin who fights those huge forest fires out in Oregon. I think he’s insane,” she said.
“Like what you used to do was totally normal?”
Cait looked over at him, matching his grin. “Like that, yeah.”
Once they reached the water, she shimmied out of her rucksack and left it on the shore. Climbing into the canoe, she waited. To her relief, there were no leaks. After handing in both her gear and his, Brannon climbed into the front.
“Are we seaworthy, Sergeant?” he asked, looking back at her.
“Roger, L.T. We are for the time being. If that hole had been in the bottom, not so much.”
They set off. The wind had grown stronger, and now Cait could smell the smoke too. In some ways that was a good thing, as it would mean the park rangers would be checking in on the tour, wanting to evacuate them. When they couldn’t reach either Preston or her, someone would take notice.
As if unaware that their world might be in danger, birds actively hunted for food while gators sunned themselves on the banks. Mist still covered the water in places, swirling as they moved through it, uncovering clumps of golden club, some in bloom.
“Feels like some horror movie,” he said. “The quiet before it all goes to hell.”
“I can’t watch those things. They scare me.”
“Really?” he said, surprised.
“I keep shouting at the stupid girls. You know, the ones who say, ‘I’ll just run out to the car for my lipstick’ after ten people have been slaughtered.”
Brannon chuckled. “I thought I was the only one who did that. Shout at the TV, that is.”
“Nope. And I warn you right up front, I have no football genes. It’s a stupid game. Now, if you take the padding off those guys and turn them loose, then we got something. Rugby all the way.”
He’d stopped paddling and she noticed he was favoring his left side.
“Something wrong?”
“Muscle cramp. My back gives me problems sometimes. I just landed wrong last night when we dove for cover.”
“You mean when you kept me from becoming a corpse.”
“That too,” he said. He touched his back and winced. “It almost feels like there’s something in there.”
“You rest. I’ll take it for a while.”
She expected him to argue, but instead he did as she asked.
“How’d you get injured in the first place?”
Brannon turned around toward her, stretching—and wincing as he did so. “Humvee rolled. Luckily, none of the other guys were hurt.”
“Ever tried massage therapy? The deep-tissue kind?”
“Yeah. It hurts like a bitch, but it helps. How about you? I’ve heard you jarheads are fragile little flowers.”
“Huh,” she huffed. “You do know that ARMY stands for Ain’t Ready to be a Marine Yet, right?”
He broke into laughter and she joined in.
“We’re going to take Ellers down,” Brannon said. “We’re going to teach that SOB some respect.”
“And we’re going to enjoy every damned minute of it,” she replied.
*~*~*
It was mid-morning when the convoy of boats reached its destination. It wasn’t much different from any of the other parts of the swamp, though the island was more heavily wooded and the shoreline trampled down from use. Once they reached the shore, the captives were ordered out of the boats and bunched into a group, guards surrounding them. James stood near Rafferty, but his eyes were on Patti.
You touch her, and I will tear you apart.
“Any idea of what this is really about?” Bill asked, looking around.
Susan had no choice but to lie. “They must have confused us with someone else. I’m sure they’ll let us go soon. It’s all a big mistake. You’ll see.”
Keith shot her a frown like she was an idiot. She just smiled at him, reinforcing the notion.
“Airhead mode engaged?” Patti whispered.
Susan gave a subtle nod in return.
“This way,” Rafferty ordered, gesturing.
“What about our gear?” Keith asked, worriedly eyeing his camera bag.
“Leave it. We’ll bring it to you. It’ll be safe.”
Keith muttered under his breath, but joined the others in lining up like good little hostages. Ahead of them, the track into the woods was about eight feet wide, and been heavily used. As they hiked, Susan caught glimpses of men walking parallel to them on either side. There would be no opportunity for escape, at least not yet.
“Why are they doing this?” Bill asked, still pushing for an answer.
Preston didn’t answer, his eyes down again.
You know more than you’re letting on.
“So, any of you rich?” Keith asked. “Because there has to be some reason they kidnapped us. It sure as hell isn’t because of me. My ex-wife took every damned dime.”
“Not me,” Bill replied. “Everybody thinks authors are rich, but we’re not. Well, except the biggies.”
“Do you really think they killed Cait and Brannon?” Patti asked, her voice barely audible. Her hand clutched Susan’s so tightly it hurt.
When Preston looked over at the girl, his frown softened. “It’s not looking good. There was no reason for it.”
“Yeah, there was,” Keith replied. “Both she and the Hardegree guy were ex-military. They were a threat to these bastards.”
“Him, yeah. But why did you think she was?” Bill asked.
“The way she tucked her pants. It was just like Hardegree’s. My brother-in-law used to do that when he was in the military,” Keith replied.
“You know these people, don’t you, Preston,” Susan said. She hadn’t framed it as a question.
“Yes,” he muttered. “I suspected they were out here, but I didn’t figure Ellers would go this far.”
“What the hell does he want?” Keith demanded.
Before Preston could answer, they cleared the woods to where a fifteen-foot-tall fence rose in front of them, topped by concertina wire. Double gates demarcated the entrance to the compound. Susan shielded her eyes and looked up at twin guard towers that sat at the corners of the complex. They were manned and their weapons of choice were M-4 rifles. The group’s chances of escaping alive had just plummeted to zero.
Chapter Fifteen
They’d fallen into a rhythm over the past hour, moving through the water at a decent speed. It wasn’t fast, not with the floating debris from the storm, but progress was being made. Blessedly, the patch had held. The only issue was that, every now and then, Brannon would halt for a few strokes, trying to release the burning cramp in his back.
“Another hour or so,” Cait called out. “Once onshore, another fifteen minutes to the cabin. We’re getting close.”
Her idea of “close” wasn’t the same as his, not with his back spasming every few minutes. Before he could reply, the sound of a boat motor cut the stillness of the swamp.
Cait turned, paddle in hand, listening. “We got company. Could be nothing, or . . . ”
“I agree.”
Looking back, she pointed at the shore. “See near the big cypress with the Spanish moss? We can slot the canoe in there. Maybe if we hunker down they won’t see us.”
As the other boat drew closer, they redoubled their efforts, moving toward where Cait had indicated. Once they were up close to the shore, they pulled the canoe in behind the fallen log. Beetles skittered in all directions, and a pair of turtles sitting on top of the log stared at them.
“God, I hate bugs,” Cait murmured, flicking one into the water.
Brannon smiled to himself as they crouched down and waited. “If these folks are with Ellers, we could take them out. It’d get us a better boat.”
“Tempting, but if some of his people go missing, he’ll know something’s up. He’ll start hunting us before we’re ready.”
He nodded his agreement. “This is your part of the mission, Sergeant. I’m good with whatever you decide.”
Their eyes met. “You’re okay, for a Ranger that is.”
He stifled a laugh as the motor grew louder. They flattened down and waited. Cait’s hand curved around her knife. He already had his out. As they drew near, he could see there were two men in the boat, both of them in ranger uniforms.
Killing Game (Veritas Book 2) Page 11
