The Only Way Out

by Susan Mallery

  He moved closer, then stopped dead. “That’s your car?”

  She nodded cautiously. “What’s wrong with it?”

  He looked from the vehicle to her. “It’s a rental.”

  “I know. I wasn’t able to bring my own car across the Gulf of Mexico. The water was a little too deep for my convertible.”

  “Let me guess. You flew in on a commercial flight, flashing your passport and credit cards at will.” He swore under his breath. “Stupid woman.”

  “Don’t call me stupid.”

  “Don’t yell at my mommy.”

  Kray’s ex-wife and child both glared at him. He bent over and lowered Bobby to the ground. The boy scampered over to stand next to his mother.

  “He’s mean,” Bobby announced.

  The childish pronouncement shouldn’t have mattered, but Jeff felt a slight sting. Andie laid a protective hand on the kid’s shoulder.

  “I may be inexperienced, but I’m not stupid,” she said. “I flew into San Juan, then took a series of tourist boats from one island to the other. I haven’t had to use my passport and I’ve paid for everything in cash.”

  “Except for the rental,” he said.

  “They wouldn’t let me pay cash. Besides there’s a hundred just like it on the island. The rental company only has Jeeps.”

  “Did you pay cash at the hotel in town?”

  “I haven’t been to a hotel.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “When did you arrive?”

  She brushed her hair out of her face. “Two days ago.”

  “Where have you been staying?”

  “In the Jeep.” She gestured wearily to the jungle around them. “I’ve been sleeping out, when I could sleep. Are there snakes on St. Lucas?”

  “Some.” He looked her over, more thoroughly this time. Weariness lined her face. There were shadows under her eyes, and her jeans weren’t as clean as they could have been. Camping out in the jungle for two nights. Not bad.

  He walked over and popped the trunk. She’d brought a small bag of clothing. He unzipped it. A pair of jeans, shorts for Bobby, T-shirts and underwear for herself and the boy. No makeup, no impractical shoes or fancy dresses. Next to the satchel was a cardboard box filled with bottled water, fresh fruit and a half-eaten loaf of bread.

  “You buy this in a local store?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “I went to the port when the cruise ship came in and shopped with the tourists. I’m obviously not a native. I figured it was the only way I would be able to blend in.”

  “I’m impressed.”

  He’d thought she might say something smart, but instead she smiled. A warm genuine smile that exposed perfect white teeth and made his gut clench. She’d been a model in Europe, earning a living on runways and in print ads. She’d never made it big, and after her marriage to Kray, she’d disappeared. God help the advertising world if they’d ever seen her smile. She could have made millions.

  He ignored his typically male reaction to a pretty face, reminding himself it didn’t mean a thing. It sure as hell wasn’t about her specifically. She’d once belonged to Kray. He would rather be roasted over open coals than be attracted to a woman Kray had been with.

  He walked around the vehicle. The glove box was locked. He held out his hand for the key. She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled it out. He opened the vehicle’s door, sat on the passenger seat and unlocked the glove box. Her purse spilled out. He dug around in it until he found her wallet. She murmured a protest, but didn’t try to stop him. He looked at her California driver’s license.

  “Not a great picture,” he said.

  “I was having a bad hair day.”

  He flipped through the credit cards. There was enough plastic here to buy a car. She had a couple thousand in cash, and no traveler’s checks. He put the wallet back and searched until he found her passport. It was in her name. Bobby was listed on the document. That was something at least.

  “What do you do in your real life, Andie?” he asked, stuffing the purse and its contents back in glove box and finally looking at her.

  She stood by the edge of the Jeep. Her spine was straight, defying her weariness. “I go to law school.”

  He laughed out loud.

  Andie glared at him. “Why are you so surprised? Even bimbos have brains.”

  He cleared his throat. “Look, I’m sorry I called you a bimbo. I’m sure you’re a great person, even if you have lousy taste in men. Does Kray know you’re studying law?”

  “I don’t care if he does. Despite what you might or might not think of me, until three weeks ago I hadn’t seen or spoken to my ex-husband in over five years.”

  Jeff stepped out of the car. “Kray doesn’t let go easily. Especially not a woman like you.”

  She rubbed at her damp cheek, then stared at the dirt on her fingertips. “I’m a real prize. You can see the men lining up for miles. It made it hard to get away, as you can imagine.”

  He had a feeling that if she stopped mouthing off, she would start crying. He couldn’t deal with her tears. It would make him feel sorry for her, and he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to think of her as a person. Not now, not after what had happened with Jeanne. He couldn’t forget and he wouldn’t forgive. It might not have been Andie Cochran’s fault, but he still blamed her for being alive when his wife wasn’t.

  “How are you planning to get away?” he asked. “Back the way you came?”

  She stared at him without answering.

  He walked over to her, stopping so close that she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. Fear battled with exhaustion and determination.

  “Kray controls this island,” he said quietly. “He comes here several times a year to relax.”

  “I know that,” she said. “That’s why I was able to find Bobby.”

  “You don’t get it. He owns the ground we’re standing on. He owns or controls all the hotels, half the banks and most of the people. He’s everywhere. You’ve been lucky, but don’t expect your luck to hold out. How are you planning on getting off of the island?”

  “I won’t tell you. How do I know you’re going to help me? How do I know you aren’t with Kray? Maybe you’re keeping me hostage until he gets back and then you’ll turn me over to him. I won’t tell you anything.” She glared at him. “Not a word. I don’t care what you do to me.”

  Before he could decide whether or not to just leave her to her own devices, a sound caught his attention. He cocked his head, trying to identify it.

  He swore under his breath.

  “Mommy, that man said a really bad word.”

  “I know, honey.”

  Jeff ignored them both and slipped off his backpack. He pulled out his powerful binoculars. There was a clearing a few feet to the left. He walked to it, then looked out toward the ocean.

  Sunlight sparkled off the clear water. Rocks jutted out to meet the sea, while waves crashed over the uneven formation. He waited patiently. In less than a minute, he saw that he’d guessed correctly.

  “You’re about to find out if your theory is true,” he said, holding the binoculars out to Andie.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look.”

  She took them and stared out at the ocean. “So?”

  “See that boat? The one that’s followed the coast of the island and is making a wide turn and heading back in the other direction?”

  “Yes.”

  “Does it look familiar to you?”

  She adjusted the focus, then gasped. “Oh, God. Kray.”

  “They’re heading back here in a hurry,” Jeff said, then glanced over his shoulder at Bobby. “Looks like somebody figured out you took his kid. It’ll take them about forty minutes to get back to the house. So if I’m with Kray, this is where I make my move.”

  Chapter 3

  The man leaned casually against the front fender of her rented Jeep, watching her. Waiting for his words to sink in. Waiting for her to crack. Andie swallowed the
fear, wondering if she would ever be able to forget the bitter taste of it or let go of the memories.

  She’d been nervous before in her life; she’d even been afraid. When she’d been eighteen and had been in the back seat of the car with her parents when an oncoming car had crossed into their lane, she’d been terrified. Not just in those brief seconds before the collision, but in the months afterward. She’d walked away, physically unhurt while her parents had died, leaving her alone in the world. Later, she’d been afraid when she’d married Kray, only to find he wasn’t the suave businessman she’d imagined, but was instead a cold-blooded killer.

  But none of those experiences, none of those fears, prepared her for the heart-pounding terror that had gripped her ever since her ex-husband had stolen her son. She’d lived with the fear, had even grown used to the sweaty palms and jumpy nerves. Until today. Until she’d come so close to escaping with Bobby, only to be captured by a stranger who looked at her as if he hated her.

  So if I’m with Kray, this is where I make my move.

  Andie still clutched the binoculars in her hand. She lowered them to her waist, prepared to throw them at him if he made a move. Not that being hit by them would slow him down much. As he’d already pointed out, he was bigger, stronger and armed. He also moved through the jungle with the casual competence of someone who had been through this before.

  Was he with Kray, or someone else? She didn’t know. He hadn’t killed her. Yet. She took a step back toward Bobby. Her son was her only concern. He had to get away from Kray. If he stayed with his father—She shook her head. She couldn’t think about that.

  Jeff didn’t budge from where he leaned against her rental. She moved back again, then held out her hand. Bobby slipped his palm against hers as his fingers closed around hers trustingly. They would run, she decided, trying to pick a direction without actually looking around them. She would have to count on adrenaline to give her speed.

  Jeff pushed off the vehicle and placed his hands on his hips. He didn’t tower over her, so he couldn’t be more than six foot one or two. His hat shaded his face, hiding his eyes and concealing his expression. He wore a camouflage-colored shirt and pants, heavy boots and a holster. There were several compartments attached to his leather belt. She studied them to avoid looking at the pistol.

  “Once they dock, it’ll take them about two minutes to get mobilized,” Jeff said, his low voice calm, as if he were discussing the weather. “He’ll call for reinforcements from around the island. They’ll be looking for a woman and a child traveling alone. Within the hour he’ll know about the rental car charge on your credit card, and by nightfall he’ll figure out you flew from the States into San Juan.”

  “Who are you?” she asked.

  “Someone who’s willing to help.”

  Andie wanted to believe him. She’d spent the past six years looking over her shoulder, always afraid that Kray would show up to take her child away from her, or maybe even drag her back. She hadn’t dared get close to anyone because she couldn’t explain about her past. One mistake, she thought for the thousandth time. How long was she going to have to pay for one mistake?

  “Are you with the U.S. military?” she asked, hoping he would say yes.

  He shook his head.

  “Let me guess. You’re some sort of spy.”

  His posture didn’t change, nor did the straight line of his mouth. I can’t do this anymore, she thought, clinging desperately to her fragile grip on reality. It was too much. She was so far out of her element; she didn’t know the rules anymore.

  “How were you planning to get off the island?” he asked again.

  If he was with Kray, he would already be taking her back to the house, she told herself. If he was with Kray, she wasn’t getting off the island anyway, so what did it matter if he knew her plan? And if he wasn’t, well, she could use a little expert assistance.

  “I still don’t trust you,” she said.

  “Good. You don’t have to trust me. Just pay attention to my instructions and we’ll all get out of this alive.”

  That’s all she wanted. To get Bobby and herself out of here alive. Once they were back on American soil, she could disappear.

  “I’ve hired a private plane to fly us to San Juan. There are several flights from there to Florida tonight.”

  “How do you know you can trust this guy?”

  “I don’t trust him, but I’m paying enough.”

  “What if Kray pays more?”

  She didn’t have an answer for that. She couldn’t bear to think about it.

  “What time are you supposed to meet the pilot?” he asked.

  “One o’clock.”

  He glanced up at the sky as if he could use the sun to tell time. “Then we’d better get going.” He bent down, picked up his backpack and flung it into the back seat. When she didn’t move, he glanced at her. “You driving or do you want me to?”

  “Where are we going?” Now that she’d thrown in with him, she was nervous about getting into the Jeep. What if he had been toying with her?

  “We need to get out of here. My Jeep is about two miles down the road. It isn’t a rental, so it can’t be traced. We’ll leave yours there and then—”

  “I can’t just leave this at the side of the road.”

  “Why not?” he asked as he sat in the passenger seat.

  “The rental company will assume I stole it. I don’t need them looking for me as well as Kray.”

  “If you’re worried about that, you can call the car rental company when you get to Florida. Tell them that you’ve returned home unexpectedly and that they should come and collect the car. We’ll leave the key under the seat mat.”

  She couldn’t think of any more excuses, so she led Bobby over to the Jeep and opened the driver’s door. The boy scrambled in to the back seat. Andie then slid in and inserted the key into the ignition.

  “Drive back the way you came,” Jeff said, not bothering to look at her. “In a few minutes you’ll see a dirt turnout, like this one, only deeper. My Jeep is concealed behind some trees. We’ll leave yours in its place. With any luck, Kray and his men won’t find it before you’ve left the island.”

  “I think I used up all my luck getting Bobby,” she said and backed the vehicle up so that she could turn it around and head toward town.

  Jeff didn’t answer her. She wasn’t surprised. She could feel the disdain radiating from him. He judged her by Kray’s standards. She supposed she couldn’t blame him. She still judged herself for what had happened six and a half years ago. She should have known. She should have seen the clues. But she hadn’t. She’d been young and stupid, and now she and her child were paying the price.

  The steering was stiff on her rental. Andie gripped the plastic wheel tightly and concentrated on the road ahead. There wasn’t any traffic this far out on the island. She hadn’t seen anyone when she’d driven in, either. That was something. The man beside her sat comfortably in the bucket seat. Almost as if he were relaxed. If she hadn’t noticed the watchful pose of his head or the way his right hand was never far from his gun, she would have assumed he wasn’t worried about what they were doing.

  They rounded a bend in the narrow two-lane road. “Over there,” Jeff said, pointing toward a turnoff.

  As she turned off the ignition, he opened the passenger door. He bent over and collected her purse from the glove box, then grabbed his backpack from the seat behind him.

  “Through here,” he said, leading the way without bothering to make sure she followed.

  Andie wondered if it was because he assumed she would trail after him, knowing he was her greatest chance at survival or if it was because he didn’t care if she came with him or not. Then she frowned. He’d taken her purse, which had all her cash. Subtle but deadly. That’s how she would describe Jeff with-no-last-name.

  She opened the trunk and removed the small suitcase she’d brought. Bobby climbed out of the rental and stood next to her.

 
“I’m hungry,” he said.

  She opened the bag of bread and pulled out a slice.

  He grimaced. “I want a hot dog.”

  “Later, honey. This is all we have now. When we get to San Juan, I’ll buy you a hot dog.”

  “He needs to get changed,” Jeff said.

  “Why?”

  “Kray has a description of what he’s wearing. It won’t put them off much, but it may help if he has on different clothes.”

  “That makes sense.” She opened the suitcase and took out the shorts and T-shirt she’d brought with her.

  While she helped Bobby change his clothes, Jeff pulled away several large branches, exposing his Jeep. The vehicle was about ten years older than her rental. The tan paint had given way to rust. The tires were muddy, but closer inspection showed them to be new. The seats were torn and damp from the recent rains. There were a hundred vehicles exactly like this one in the capital city of St. Lucas, all of them belonging to poor locals. She saw instantly that between the new paint and rental sticker, her vehicle had stood out on the roads, even though she’d been trying to blend in.

  “Did you buy that?” she asked, repacking the suitcase and zipping it closed.

  “Yeah. It’s more expensive, but easier in the end. Cash can’t be traced.”

  “I should have thought of that.”

  “Why? You’ve got no experience at this.”

  “And you have?”

  He didn’t answer.

  Figures. Rambo types were always monosyllabic. She wondered if they got a pay deduction every time they spoke.

  “We’ve got to get out of here,” Jeff said.

  “I’m ready. Let me just get the box of food.” She set the suitcase down next to his Jeep, then returned to her own vehicle. After slipping the key under the mat, she did a quick check to make sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind. The rental agreement was still in the glove box. She pocketed that, then closed the trunk and picked up the cardboard box containing her meager supplies.

  “There’s plenty of room,” Jeff said, jerking his head toward his open trunk.

  She glanced inside, half expecting to see some powerful long-range weapon or a secret decoding device. There was nothing but an oily rag, a jack that looked rusty enough to collapse at the first sign of use and a baseball cap advertising a local beer. She set the box down.