Ghost's Treasure

by Cheyenne Meadows

  She nodded and swallowed, her dry mouth making conversation difficult at the moment. "How did they find us so soon?" The words croaked out. "I thought this was a safe house."

  He stared at her a long moment with a calculated, stoic expression. Those light blue eyes remained lifeless. "Get your purse."

  Bewildered by his request, she returned to the bedroom, grabbed her purse from the dresser, and returned.

  "Now empty it."

  "What? Why?" Completely confused, she kicked her rattled brain into gear.

  "Just do it, lady. There's nothing in there I haven't seen before. So dump it."

  Grasping her purse, she flipped it upside down, allowing the contents to fall onto the wide end table with a thump and clang. Ghost stepped away for a second only to return with a rolled up magazine in hand. Using the paper as a tool, he nudged the belongings here and there until everything lay spread out before them. "Do you see anything different?"

  Carefully, she surveyed each item. Her gaze landed on a simple white ink pen. Frowning, she reached out to pick it up for further appraisal, only for Ghost to bracelet her wrist with his strong hand, sending a zing of energy through her body.

  "Don't touch. Fingerprints."

  With a slight bob of her head, she pulled her hand back, quickly earning her release. "The white pen. I don't remember seeing it before." Glancing up, she met his gaze.

  He cussed once more. "Tracking device."

  "But how?" She couldn't imagine how someone would, first of all, put a GPS tracker into a regular writing implement and secondly, be able to drop the thing into her bag.

  "You'd be amazed what modern technology offers." Palming his phone, he called Ryan and updated him on the situation.

  Josie stared at the tracer as she halfway listened to the conversation between the two men. A shudder washed over her as reality took hold. The people responsible for scaring the wits out of her in their desperate bid for the jewels knew her location all along. They could have moved faster, caught them completely off guard, even made a reckless attempt on their lives along the road. Good thing they needed her alive or they might have done just that.

  Ghost's expression firmed all the more, bordering on a scowl. He encouraged Ryan to make haste and punched the phone to end the call. "We'll put that little surprise in a plastic bag and take it with us for the time being."

  "Why?" She blinked, unable to figure out his logic. To her way of thinking, their first step would be to crush the thing with a heavy boot. Surely, the FBI could still get fingerprints off a squished pen?

  "It fits into the plan Ryan laid out to move things along a bit faster."

  "Why do I think this part isn't going to make me happy?"

  "Because it involves bait."

  "Let me guess. I'm the bait."

  "Yeah."

  She sighed, then straightened her back. Ryan mentioned this as something they might need to do. Even if she disliked being in the line of fire, life would never be normal again until they found a way to corral all the hoodlums after her.

  "Bring it on."

  Chapter 17

  Ghost turned the engine off and took a moment to absorb the sight of Josie still sleeping. She'd drifted off not too long after he started the long four hour drive to the second safe house, this one located in the rural backwoods of the Rocky Mountains. They could hide there indefinitely, but that wasn't the plan. Instead, Ryan set him up with the perfect environment to protect Josie while drawing on his considerable skills to hunt and eradicate anyone who dared show up unexpectedly with kidnapping on their mind. They still carried the tracer pen to lure the criminals to their new location. Hiding wasn't the goal as much as laying in wait while luring the bad guys in.

  As he watched, Josie's eyes fluttered open, peace and security reflected in the still sleepy orbs, like a cute kitten rising from a long winter's nap. His gut clenched as his cock sat up and took notice. Her petite frame held all the mouthwatering curves men appreciated. Add in her personality and the way she'd held up under serious strain thus far and he couldn't help but wonder if she tasted as sweet as he imagined.

  She blinked, yawned, then met his gaze.

  Bedroom eyes. Sexy as hell and something he'd only dream about with the woman under his care. Haven't I learned my lesson already the hard way? He called himself three kinds of fool and shoved all sensual ideas aside.

  "Rise and shine, lady. I might be your bodyguard, but I'll be damned if I'll be your pack mule." His words came out rougher than he intended, yet he didn't wish them back. The sooner he gained space from the pretty lady, the happier he'd be. He'd seen the curiosity in her eyes, noted the thoughtful and tender glances aimed his way. A lifetime ago he could accept and appreciate her gestures and caring. Not now. She'd be better off turning her marshmallow heart and thoughts away from him and to someone able to return the same sentiments.

  But damn if he didn't soak up each and every look like a thirsty cactus drank in the rain after a decade long drought.

  "I'll pull my own weight, thank you very much." Her husky voice rubbed over him like hot massage oil. She straightened up, unsnapped her seat belt, and jumped to the ground.

  Mentally kicking himself for allowing such thoughts, he slid out of the driver's seat, opened the rear door and began gathering their supplies.

  The last thing he needed was the woman getting the wrong idea about him and his future. He was her bodyguard for a few days. End of story. Thus keeping her an arm's length could only benefit him.

  He grabbed his personal duffle bags, spun around, and headed for the small cabin. Josie followed, her arms loaded with backpacks and a couple of plastic bags brimming with clothes and food stuff. Shoving the key in the lock, he quickly opened the front door, then stepped inside to punch a code into the security system.

  "Wait here. Let me check it out first." He set his bags down in the kitchen floor and made a quick scan of the house. The tiled kitchen opened into a cozy living room with a decent-sized window, which caught the dramatic view of the wilderness surrounding them. He couldn't miss the tall treadmill waiting near the far wall. He snorted in dry amusement. Guess Ryan didn't want to drag his ass up here for another express delivery.

  Making his way farther, he entered a short hallway that led to a single bedroom with a decent-sized bathroom across the hall.

  He clenched his jaw. Of course there'd be only one bedroom with an oversized bed. If he needed sleep, he'd simply take the couch. No way would he crawl into bed with Josie, even if they both donned their day clothes. He needed her at a safe distance, not cuddled against his side, sharing body heat against the night's chill.

  He hadn't held a woman like that since Lindsay. Sweet Lindsay. After their passion cooled, she'd snuggle up against him, rest her head on his shoulder. They'd chat, touch with tenderness. The last time, he rested his hand over the bump of her belly, wondering if their love created a boy or a girl. She had kissed him, laid her hand over his, and teased him about learning to change diapers.

  The memory crept up on him but didn't produce the horrible pain as it had in the past. More like a warming sensation rather than a fiery case of heartburn. Why he could suddenly remember the good times without experiencing the negative side effects now, he didn't have a clue.

  With a mental shake of his head, he retraced his steps. "It's safe."

  Josie nodded, shut the door behind her, and began unloading the plastic bags of food stuff after setting her duffle aside.

  "I need to show you something first." He gestured for her to follow him. "Ryan shared a little secret." Walking into the bedroom, he opened the door of the walk-in closet. Reaching the back wall, he found a small keyed box near the ceiling. "See this?" He edged around so she could have a direct view.

  "Yes. What is it?" Her head tilted in puzzlement.

  "A secret exit. You enter in the code and the door will open. According to Ryan, there's a tunnel that leads to a cave, which ends down the hill a little way."


  Her eyebrows lifted in surprise. "What's the code?"

  "It's numbers. Five-six-five-four-three-eight-nine." Ghost hit the numbers as he spoke. Slowly the wall rotated, revealing a dark tunnel. "Memorize those. Your life might depend upon it."

  She nodded and spoke them in order. "Got it." She craned her neck to peek around him. "Can we check it out?"

  "Sure." He stepped into the corridor and led the way. The dim lighting provided just enough illumination for him to navigate his way without too much difficulty. He heard Josie right on his heels, the crunch of pebbles giving her away. Before too long, he felt the cool air from the cave. Stepping on a large rock, he jumped down to the sandy floor. Automatically, he turned, reaching for Josie, held her hand tight as she gracefully sprung down beside him, not breathing hard despite the challenging terrain.

  "Wow. This is neat." She bent over to peer out the cave's entrance. "All I see is trees."

  "That's the point. Keeps the cave hidden and covers anyone who might need to escape that way." He glanced at the rock walls, then at the mouth of the cave. If everything went to shit, this could make a good defensive position. He stored the information away for later use.

  Glancing at Josie, he noticed how small and delicate she appeared compared to him, to Mother Nature's surroundings. No, not delicate. Strong for her size. He recalled her muscular build as she ran on the treadmill. She'd need every bit of that power and mental toughness for this situation. Only someone with nerves of steel could sit like a tethered goat and wait for their enemies to rain down. When that moment came, he hoped she held up and proved her earlier words truthful, able to shoot and kill a man in order to protect herself.

  If they were lucky, Ryan would have his agents on the tails of the determined thugs after her. Unfortunately, his luck had leaned in one direction for the past several years. Bad.

  Time would tell. He just had to be ready for anything.

  Ducking under the overhang of rock, he stepped out of the cave and into the forest. He scanned the area, waiting for Josie to emerge from the dark cavern. She stood up next to him, rubbing her hands together as if to brush off dirt.

  "Get your bearings." They'd take a tour of the area before turning back for the cabin. His gut told him she needed to get the lay of the land, to be able to draw up images in her mind in the next few days.

  She glanced around, then shaded her eyes against the bright afternoon sun. Finally, she pointed to their left. "East?"

  Impressed, he nodded. "Yep." Gesturing in different directions, he finished the picture. "North. South. East. West."

  "What's at the bottom of this hill?"

  "Probably a dry creek bed, but let's go look. I want to see what this land offers."

  "For what?"

  He stared down at her for a beat. "Hunting and hiding."

  "Oh."

  He walked forward, casting a trail through the trees and brush, heading down the steep incline. Josie followed along, judging by the light footfalls and crunching leaves behind him.

  "I was wrong. There's flowing water." He nodded to the small stream ahead. Surveying the area, he noted the thick brush, the jagged rocks. If a person needed to hide, this area would do. Crawl under some bushes, melt into the landscape and wait for the quarry to top the hill.

  She pulled abreast. "Now what?"

  He scanned the area once more, noting large trees where he could perch, see a good distance, and pick off tangos as they approached. The thick cover would allow a person to become nearly invisible, yet, at the same time, give him a huge advantage with his sniper skills and experience. His kind of scenario in an environment he could easily adapt to his particular needs. "I'm going to check out the perimeter, set up an early warning system. There's only one gravel road in, so any visitors would have to travel at least partially up the road in order to reach us. Most criminals are lazy. They'd try to drive the rocky terrain as much as possible. I'll set up mechanical eyes along the road to give us as much as time as possible to prepare for their arrival."

  Worry crossed her face. "You don't think the FBI will find them." She made the words a statement.

  "No."

  "So they'll come. One way or another."

  He nodded. "They'll come. Not sure when, but they won't give up until they have you and the jewels in hand."

  She sucked in a breath, then collected herself with a put out expression. "The sooner, the better. I hate waiting."

  The corner of his mouth hitched up the tiniest bit. Give the woman kudos for guts.

  Ghost turned around and strode back toward the house.

  Chapter 18

  Josie stared at Ghost for a long moment, noting the small lines of fatigue showing on his normally expressionless face. His light blue eyes remained the same, flat and lifeless. He'd driven all night long to reach the cabin after the break-in and close call at the not-so-safe house. Doing a quick calculation in her head, she decided he had to have been awake for at least twenty-four hours. Maybe more. He had to be near exhausted by now.

  "Why don't you take the bed and get some rest?"

  He shook his head.

  She started gathering up the leftovers from their late lunch. "I slept most of the way here. I can stand watch. Besides, I doubt they'll make a play for us in the next few hours. Even thugs have to regroup and plan."

  "No."

  Exasperated, she plucked her plate from the table and carried the china to the sink. "Listen. You're more than tired. I know that. I'm not. So let me stay awake while you take a long nap."

  "No."

  She turned and frowned at him. "Even Superman had to sleep sometime." When he said nothing, only watched her with those eerie, yet pretty eyes, she returned to gather more dishes. "Lack of sleep makes one slow, less than efficient." She ought to know. Years of competition, jet-setting around the world during the ski season, taught her many lessons about the importance of a good night's sleep. Basically, she performed decently with sleep and hardly functioned without it. "You can't stay awake for a full week and still fend off any would-be attackers."

  "Worried about your longevity?"

  She picked up the condiments and walked to the refrigerator. "Yes and no. Only a fool would think my problems have been solved already. I can only hide for so long until someone stumbles across my trail. Let's not forget that little gem." She gestured toward the white pen sitting in a plastic bag on the kitchen cabinet like an ever present omen. "Hiding under the bed sheets won't make the boogey men go away." She shut the door and returned to her seat, sliding down across from him. "I hold no illusions that I'm not the tethered goat, and I will be until this thing is done. Sure, I worry about what is yet to come, but I can't let that same worry take over my life." Glancing down at her intertwined fingers, she tried to make her stubborn guard dog understand. "I need you. That's no secret. But we're in this together. As a team. If everything goes to hell, I'm sure you can survive, but you'll stay until the bitter end if you can't get me out." She raised her gaze.

  He sat unmoving, only watched her carefully as if trying to figure out a complex puzzle.

  "Ryan spoke very highly of you, assured me you were the best of the best. He also said you were a man of honor, dedication, and would go to the ends of the earth in order to fulfill an assignment." She slowly reached out to lightly place her hand on his. "From everything I've seen and heard, you won't leave me. I can't make it through alone. So we'll have to work together until the FBI does their job." She sucked in a breath. "Let me help you, Ghost."

  Ghost looked at her hand on top of his for a split second. Standing with quickness, he pulled out of her reach. Spinning on his heel, he strode from the kitchen and disappeared down the hall.

  * * * *

  Holy shit. His heart pounded like he just finished a ten kilometer run with a fast sprint to the finish. Her touch, the stirring words, those damn eyes. Memories flooded his mind, long lunches spent with Lindsay, talking about the future, planning on the arrival of their precious baby.
Her smiles, the way she lightly stroked his hands, her bright and cheerful expressions and outlook. Those treasured moments now only served to stab him in the heart, to remind him cruelly what a drunken moron took from him. His love. His life. His very soul.

  Now, he stood in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, with a woman who shared so many of the same qualities as his deceased wife. She wanted to be a team, to help him no less. If she only knew each movement, every look, cut into him like a bullwhip lashing deep into his bare back, leaving a searing agony in the leather's wake.

  Why didn't he leave her with Ryan when he had the chance? Because I'm an idiot.

  Ryan felt she would perish under another's watch. He trusted the man enough to believe his instincts and knowledge, but hell, what a convoluted mess. They'd arrived less than an hour ago, and already he nearly climbed the walls needing distance from her and her Lindsay-like characteristics.

  He swore years ago to put the past behind, to ban all memories, to ignore the deeply imbedded heartache. Yet here he stood, struggling with emotions he'd gladly forgotten existed in his goal-oriented life since the tragic night. He worked so hard to shove his past behind him, to become the best in the business unhampered by emotions, to discover the only way to move on. It worked until today. Until Josie began to unravel his tightly coiled life with a simple touch, a few words, and those damn eyes.

  Space. I need space. Physical and emotional distance between them. Lots of it. Beginning right now.

  Heading back to the main area, he spared her a glance. "I'm going outside to scout around. Stay here and lock the door behind me."

  Her mouth opened, then shut once more. "Okay."

  Without waiting for more response, he shoved out the front door and into the biting cold, relishing the stark conditions, soaking up the mountain atmosphere to try to forget his problems, letting the deep chill ease into his very bones, returning his frozen heart back to his comfort zone.