He grabbed her arm. “Dammit, that’s not what I meant.” His fingers bit into her. “Stop it, Andie. I’m not going to hurt you or Bobby.”
She swallowed the fear and struggled for control. “Then what are you saying?”
“I don’t like this.” He jerked his head toward the building. “It’s been too easy and I have a bad feeling. What I’m saying is that I’ll stay here with Bobby while you go make your deal with the pilot. If something happens—I’m not saying it will—but if something happens, he won’t know about Bobby.”
“What could happen?”
From Jeff’s shuttered expression, he could probably name her a hundred things, but he didn’t detail them. Instead, he shrugged as if to say it was up to her.
He made sense. She hated that. He didn’t like her because of Kray and he expected her to leave her son with him? She couldn’t.
She didn’t have another choice.
“Stand just outside the door so I can see you,” she said, then looked at Bobby and tried to smile. “Stay here with Jeff. I’ll be right back.”
“But I’m hungry.”
“I know.” Andie left her suitcase beside Bobby, then straightened her back and marched into the building. When she crossed the threshold, she looked back to make sure Jeff was right where she’d left him. He was.
Inside the building, several large airplane engines lay in pieces. Four men were bent over different workbenches. The room smelled of sweat, beer and machine oil. Andie walked to a cleared section in the center and waited for someone to notice her. Finally, the dark-haired man closest to her looked up.
“Can I help you, lady?” he asked, getting to his feet and smiling at her.
She smiled tightly back and was grateful Jeff’s hat hid her hair color. The way this man’s gaze was roving over her body, he would have every detail memorized.
She glanced at his wrist, but didn’t see a snake tattoo. “I’m here to meet a pilot. His name is Michael.”
The dark-haired man frowned. “Michael no here.”
“We were supposed to meet at one.”
“Michael no coming in.”
She didn’t like this one bit. Andie glanced over her shoulder. Jeff and Bobby weren’t in the doorway. She was about to panic, when she saw a flash of red from Jeff’s tank top. They were just outside the door, keeping out of sight. She hadn’t completely agreed with the precaution before, but the bad feeling growing in her stomach told her it was for the best.
“Why won’t he be in?”
Dark brown eyes met hers. “None of the pilots are coming in today. All flights out have been canceled.”
“Canceled? Why? The weather’s perfect.”
“Not weather, lady.” The man pulled a rag out of his pocket and started cleaning his hands. “Orders. No flights leave today. Maybe not tomorrow, either.”
Kray. He’d ordered the airport closed. Damn.
“You tell me what you want,” the man said, moving closer. “I can help.”
“I don’t need anything,” she said, backing up slowly. “Really. Michael was just going to…ah, he was going to give me a tour of the island from the air. He was recommended by my boss back in New Jersey.”
“Michael no give tours,” the man said. “Who are you? What’s your name?”
From behind her came a sharp cry. “Let me go! Mommy, make him let me go. I’m hungry. I want a hot dog.”
The man whirled toward the sound. “Who’s that? Your boy?”
He said something in a language she’d never heard before. The other three men rose from their benches.
“Dammit, run,” Jeff called to her.
She turned and ran. The mechanic raced after her.
By the time she reached the open door, Jeff already had the Jeep started and was circling around toward her. She heard the man behind her gaining. She dug deep for her fading last reserves and lunged for the vehicle. Jeff leaned across and opened the passenger’s door. Bobby was in the back seat, clinging to the sides, crying.
“Mommy, he’s right behind you. Mommy!”
The man reached for her. She felt the brush of his fingers against her back. She shrieked and dove for the seat. The man grabbed again, this time tugging off her wide-brimmed hat.
As the Jeep sped off, she glanced back and saw him staring after them. His expression hardened as he took in her features. A blond woman with a boy. He would be able to identify her to Kray.
She was trapped on Kray’s island, trying to kidnap Kray’s only son. She was alone with no way to escape. She looked at Jeff. He didn’t spare her a glance as he drove expertly over the winding roads, turning again and again, as if he feared they were being followed.
“You all right?” he asked at last.
“Yes,” she whispered, knowing she had to lie for Bobby’s sake at least.
“You can kiss your plane ride goodbye,” he said.
“I figured that.”
“Now what?” he asked.
Now what? she echoed silently, then bit down on her lower lip to stifle the sob that threatened. Now she looked until she found another way out.
Chapter 4
Jeff continued driving north, away from the city and away from Kray’s villa. He circled around small villages, turned onto one-lane roads, always keeping the ocean in sight and on his left.
The woman trembled. Every few seconds a tremor swept through her. She clasped her hands tightly together, her fingers squeezing so hard, the skin around her knuckles turned white. Even Bobby was quiet, as if he somehow understood the danger.
At the top of a rise, Jeff pulled into a dirt turnout. There weren’t any other cars or people around. With a quick jerk of the key, he shut off the engine. Instantly the silence swallowed them.
Straight ahead was the blue Caribbean sea. Below, waves slowly slipped ashore, aimlessly flowing onto the beach before retreating. Lush plants surrounded them. Large palm trees provided shade. After a few moments, the birds and insects scared off by the Jeep’s presence returned. The low hum of wings and sharp calls of separated mates filled the air.
He should have been able to smell the flowers, perhaps even the salty sea. Instead, there was only the scent of a woman’s fear. Andie Cochran had run out of options.
He glanced over his shoulder. Bobby was lying on the back seat. The boy had found a few leaves on the floor of the open-air vehicle and lined them up like soldiers.
Jeff knew the easiest thing in the world would be to walk away. They weren’t his responsibility. Maybe Andie would get lucky and find another way off the island. Maybe he would be able to finish the job he was here to do before she got caught. Or maybe Kray would choose not to be merciful when he found her. Maybe he wouldn’t kill her quickly, but instead would punish her for taking his son.
Jeff rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You have another plan?”
“Of course,” she said brightly. “Just drop us at the edge of town. We’ll be fine.”
“And pigs fly.”
She turned to look at him. “I’m telling the truth.” She made an X over her left breast. “I swear.”
“You don’t know how much I want to believe that,” he mumbled under his breath.
“You can, Rambo. Look, I don’t need to be with someone who thinks I’m slightly less worthy of life than the local variety of cockroach. So get us back to town and forget you ever saw us.”
He was surprised at her vehemence. He shifted in his seat, wondering how she’d been able to read him so easily. There’d been a time when no one had known what he was thinking. Of course it had been five years since he’d been in the field.
Rusty instincts or not, he was the best Andie and the kid were going to find on this island. Letting her go wasn’t an option. Not only because she could identify him, but because she was an American citizen. He didn’t have to like her, he only had to get her away from Kray. He started the engine.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Back to town.”
“You’re going to let us go?”
He glanced at her. The sunglasses hid her eyes, but he knew what she was thinking. He was going to take her at her word and dump her. The problem was she couldn’t decide if she was relieved or terrified.
“Let’s get some food and more supplies. Then we’ll discuss your options,” he said. “The man at the airport didn’t get a good look at me, so that helps. We’ll head to the shopping center by the harbor. The cruise ships stay in port until around six so the whole area will be crawling with tourists.” He shifted into gear. “Your braid’s come loose.”
He pressed on the gas, easing the vehicle out into the narrow road. As he headed back toward town, Andie dug through her purse for a brush. He tried not to notice as she drew her blond braid over her shoulder and brushed the strands free. He stared straight ahead as she raised her arms to begin refastening her hair in its neat style. But from the corner of his eye he could see the way her T-shirt tightened over her breasts.
His fingers clenched on the steering wheel as he swore under his breath. He didn’t want to notice she was a woman. He sure as hell didn’t want to feel his blood flowing hotter and faster through his aroused body. In the five years Jeanne had been gone, he’d avoided women and any connections, even the brief impersonal kind. He hadn’t needed anything but his pain and memories. He hated that his body chose this moment to come back to life. So what if she was attractive? She was Kray’s wife. She’d chosen to marry a killer. She and her kid were alive while his family was dead.
Refusing to look at her or acknowledge her, he drove down the coast toward town. As they got closer to the port, he began to check his mirrors. Up ahead, a white cruise ship sat in the harbor, an elegant vessel dwarfing not only the other boats, but the harbor itself.
“Do you think Kray already has men in town?” Andie asked.
He was still angry about getting turned on. “Yes,” he said, the single word curt.
“If the man at the airport phoned about me, they’ll be looking for us in a Jeep.”
“I know that.”
He continued on the waterfront road until they reached the edge of the shopping district. On the left were ancient stone buildings with low ceilings and small windows. Tourists swarmed along the narrow sidewalks. Laughter and bits of conversation carried to him. Everyone was having a wonderful time. Brightly flowered dresses and shopping bags blended into a kaleidoscope of colors. Tour buses lined up across from the shops, while cruise passengers disembarked.
Jeff scanned the vehicles in front of him, then checked the mirrors again. Kray’s men could be anywhere. There was an alley between a linen shop and one of the many jewelry stores. He turned left into the alley and parked next to three other Jeeps. Only then did he look at Andie.
She clutched her purse to her stomach. Her skin was pale under her tan. Her sunglasses hid her eyes, but the fear was still tangible.
“Look like you’re having a good time,” he said, getting out of the driver’s side. Bobby scrambled after him.
“I wanna hot dog!” the boy announced.
“I know you do, sport.” Jeff tugged on the brim of the kid’s baseball cap. “We’ll find one here.”
Bobby’s smile was brilliant. And exactly like his mother’s. Jeff stared at the child, seeing instead another boy. J.J. had had Jeanne’s smile. The flash of pain was an explosion in his chest. Jeff swallowed hard and fought to keep his face expressionless. When this was over, when Andie and her kid were gone, he would remember one last time. He would recall the face of his wife and his child, remember their laughter; then he would have his vengeance. Maybe then he could lay his ghosts to rest.
Andie joined them. She settled her purse on her shoulder and took Bobby’s hand. “I’m ready,” she said.
Jeff pocketed the key, then led the way out of the alley.
Bright sunshine flooded the shopping district of St. Lucas. Cruise passengers jostled for position on the narrow sidewalks. Jeeps and buses filled the streets. The sound of horns, conversations and vendors filled the air. The scent of suntan lotion, expensive perfume and sweat mingled with tempting aromas from tiny restaurants. Jeff ignored it all as he carefully searched the crowd, looking for any of Kray’s men. So far, he hadn’t seen anyone suspicious. If Kray knew Andie hadn’t been able to get a private flight off the island, he knew she would be looking for another way out. How? What would his old enemy think a frightened woman would do?
The cruise ship? She could easily pass for one of the passengers. Perhaps a fishing vessel or a private boat. Maybe a commercial flight. Jeff doubted he would expect her to be in town. That was to their advantage.
Behind him, Bobby chatted with his mother. The boy took an interest in everything he saw, laughing at some of the funny hats people wore, gasping with delight as a native man walked by with a colorful parrot on his shoulder. Andie responded quietly, as if afraid to draw attention to herself. For the hundredth time Jeff wished she’d picked another day to rescue her son, or even another time. He’d only needed two more minutes to finish what he’d come to do.
The narrow street ended abruptly at a large, square, open-air market. The crowds were thicker here, the call of the vendors, louder. Jeff was jostled by a group of tourists, one of whom turned and smiled an apology.
“There’s a hot dog stand over here,” Jeff said, pointing. “Let’s feed Bobby first.”
“Good idea.”
Within ten minutes they’d bought several hot dogs, potato chips and icy cans of soda. Jeff paid for everything with American dollars, knowing most of the tourists wouldn’t bother to get any money exchanged for local currency. There were picnic tables set up under a woven grass awning. He led the way, then paused to pick a seat. A couple of tables were empty, although most were filled with cruise passengers. He spotted an older couple sitting by themselves and headed in their direction.
“Afternoon,” he said, as he took a seat on the vacant end of the bench.
“Hello,” the man replied and smiled. He was short, with gray hair and a ruddy complexion. His wife, also in her sixties, was dressed in a floral print sleeveless dress that fell loosely over her considerable bulk.
Andie gave Jeff a confused look, then urged Bobby to slide onto the bench. She took the seat next to him, directly across from Jeff.
He introduced them, being careful to avoid last names. The subtle implication was that they, too, were on the cruise ship. The Colemans were from Omaha. After a minute or so, Jeff got them to talk about the small town they lived in and their grandchildren. Conversation flowed around them. Jeff didn’t bother to do more than pretend to listen. He concentrated on watching the square. If one of Kray’s men came looking for a woman and child alone, or with a single man, he wouldn’t find them. Instead, he would see tables of happy cruise passengers all chatting together, including this one. For the moment, they were safe. But he still had to get her and kid off the island.
Mr. Coleman pointed to an ice-cream stand. Bobby shoved the last bite of hot dog in his mouth and nodded vigorously.
“Can I, Mom?” he asked, already scrambling out of his seat.
Mrs. Coleman rose also. “I think I’ll have an ice cream, too,” she said, leaving her purse on the table and smiling at Bobby. “Chocolate’s my favorite flavor. What’s yours?”
“Strawberry,” the boy said and smiled.
“Here.” Jeff dug a bill out of his shorts’ pocket.
“Nonsense,” Mr. Coleman said, placing a hand on Bobby’s shoulder. “We haven’t seen our own grandchildren the whole time we’ve been on the cruise. Let us treat the boy.”
“Be sure to say thank-you,” Andie called after her son. She’d pushed her sunglasses on to the top of her head. Jeff could see the worry in her eyes.
“He’ll be fine,” Jeff said. “Mrs. Coleman left her purse with us.” He pointed to the large straw bag in the center of the table. “Besides, they aren’t going to hurt him.”
“How do you know?
” she asked, giving him an angry glare before turning her attention back to the older couple.
“I can tell. They’ve never been out of Nebraska before. Mrs. Coleman’s idea of doing something wicked is putting walnuts in her chocolate-chip cookies.”
“So she’s not a really bad person, then. Nothing like me. That is what you’re saying, isn’t it?”
Once again he was surprised at how well she could read him. “We don’t have time for that now. I want to leave you here with the Colemans while I do some shopping. You need some clothes—so does Bobby—and we need supplies.”
The older couple and her son were having a discussion with the ice-cream vendor. Apparently the decision about which topping to put on the ice cream was not one to be made lightly. Jeff stared at the trio and felt a twinge of longing. Had he ever taken the time to buy his son ice cream?
There’d been so many months spent away from his family. That was one of the reasons Jeanne had come to Lebanon. She hadn’t liked the long separations. Jeff hadn’t enjoyed them, but they were a part of his job and he’d accepted them as such. It was only after Jeanne and J.J. were gone that he’d wondered about all he’d missed being apart from them.
“We don’t need supplies,” she said, looking at him. “We don’t need anything from you. I appreciate all you’ve done, but this is where we part company.”
Her wide blue eyes held his own. He studied the straight line of her nose, the shape of her mouth. She had the picture-perfect face of a model and the body to match. That was why she got to him. There was no other reason that being close to her made him want things. No other cause for his arousal. It wasn’t her.
“What are you going to do?” he asked, resting his elbows on the table.
“I’ll figure something out.” She glanced at Bobby, then glared at Jeff. “Don’t think I’m going to throw in with you, Rambo. You’ve made it perfectly clear what you think of me. Besides, I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t have a choice.” They were both speaking softly, whispering in the crowd of laughing tourists. “Besides, if you’d really wanted to get away from me, you would have brought your suitcase with you and slipped away in the crowd. I’m your only prayer of getting off of this damn island and we both know it.”
The Only Way Out Page 6
