Enticed by the Operative (Doctors in Danger, Book 1)

by Lara Lacombe

  “I won’t let myself be seen. I’ll follow you and stay hidden. If things go wrong, I’ll be there to pull you out of the fire.”

  Olivia chewed her thumbnail silently for a moment. “Okay,” she said slowly. “But I don’t think we can be seen leaving together. Maria said I was to come alone. If one of the cartel’s spies sees us taking the path together, they can call ahead and warn the others. We’ll have to go separately.”

  Logan nodded. He hadn’t noticed anyone following them when they went out for a meal or an errand, but that didn’t mean they weren’t being watched. When dealing with an organization like Fantasmas, it was best to assume the worst.

  “I’ll set out in the morning. Before the sun is up. I’ll hike up to the rendezvous point and find a spot nearby to hide. That way, I’ll be in position before you leave, and before the men arrive.” He made a mental note to fill his backpack with water before setting out. It was warm and humid in the jungle, and if he was going to sit outside all morning, he would need to stay hydrated.

  “What will I tell people when you don’t show up to the hospital with me? They’ll wonder where you are.”

  “Tell them I’m sick,” he suggested. “Nothing too terrible, since I’m going to recover quickly. Maybe food poisoning or something like that?”

  “That could work,” Olivia mused, tapping her finger against her chin. “Do you really think you’ll be okay waiting by yourself in the jungle all morning? It’s not like any forest you’ve ever hiked through before.”

  Logan shrugged. “I’ve done my fair share of camping. I’m not a total idiot when it comes to roughing it. I think I can handle myself for a few hours.”

  Olivia looked doubtful but she had the grace not to say anything. “I can’t believe it’s really happening,” she muttered, shuddering slightly.

  Logan closed the distance between them and drew her in, putting his arms around her in a loose embrace. His larger frame dwarfed hers by comparison, making her seem even more fragile. But he knew that under her delicate exterior lurked a core of steel. He’d caught a glimpse of it earlier when she’d delivered that baby. He had watched the emotions play across her face and had seen the exact moment she’d buried her fears and dug in her heels. It gave him goose bumps just to remember her fierce expression of determination and the way she’d forged ahead, her earlier doubts and worries banished. When Olivia Sandoval decided to do something, she followed through.

  And even though she might not realize it now, this assignment was no different.

  “I knew they weren’t going to forget about me,” she said softly. Her cheek rested against his chest, and her breath was warm through the fabric of his shirt. It was just the kind of close, personal contact that made his body sit up and take notice, and he pushed down the faint stirrings of desire to focus on her words. He was trying to comfort her, not put moves on her!

  “I guess I just hoped if I ignored it long enough, it wouldn’t happen. That maybe it wouldn’t be real.”

  Logan ran a hand down the thick cascade of her dark hair. “I know,” he said simply. “And I wish that was the case. But at least now we know what to expect.”

  She pulled back and met his gaze, her brown eyes sober. “Are you sure about that? They used a pregnant woman to deliver a message—hopefully she got paid to do it, rather than being forced or threatened.” Her lips drew down in a frown at the thought. “I get the feeling these are not rational people, and that scares me more than anything.”

  Logan debated for a moment on how to respond. He didn’t want to make her worry more, but neither did he want to deny her concerns. He’d seen enough of the aftermath of cartel violence to know that her instincts were correct.

  “They’re not rational,” he said, deciding to give her the truth. “They’re trigger-happy and quick to casual displays of violence. But they are motivated by money. If you do your part, they should leave you alone.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am.” He infused his voice with confidence, hoping it would reassure her. “Fear of Fantasmas runs deep. They have to know that crossing the organization would mean their death.”

  “I suppose that’s good,” she said, sounding a little steadier.

  “Just promise me one thing.” He touched the side of her face gently. “Don’t turn your back on these men. They’re like rattlesnakes. If they can find an opportunity to do harm without jeopardizing their deal as suppliers to Fantasmas, they will. Don’t give them an opening.”

  Olivia’s eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “I’ll do my best.”

  “I know you will.” He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. It was a few inches north of where he really wanted to kiss her, but he had to keep things affectionate, not passionate. For now.

  “I’ll be there the whole time,” he said, pulling her close again. “I won’t let any harm come to you.”

  “I know,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling closer. Her simple declaration of trust hit him right in the gut, and he felt himself slip a little deeper under her spell. A tiny voice in the back of his mind warned that he was getting too close, too soon, but he ignored it. Now was not the time to worry about protecting his bruised heart. Not when Olivia’s life was at stake.

  * * *

  Olivia pushed a strand of hair out of her face and adjusted the backpack, hoping in vain for a breeze. The air was thick and muggy, and the sounds of the jungle surrounded her, making her very aware of the fact that she was a lone human in a vast, untamed wilderness.

  No, not alone. Logan was out there, waiting for her. The thought brought her some measure of comfort and she held on to the knowledge like a lucky penny, keeping it in the forefront of her mind.

  A bright yellow spider rested on a wide green leaf and she shuddered, giving the arachnid a wide berth. How many creepy-crawlies were out there that she couldn’t see? It was enough to trigger paranoia in even the staunchest of outdoorsmen. Her skin itched as she felt the imaginary sensation of thousands of tiny legs crawling up her neck, and she took a deep breath to dispel her rising disgust.

  Poor Logan! He was sitting out there somewhere, probably making a fine meal for the many blood-sucking insects in the forest. Oh, God, what if something venomous bit him? It wasn’t just insects that posed a threat—there were any number of snakes that could kill. And tree frogs too—all he had to do was inadvertently touch one, and...

  Her heart pounded against her breastbone as her mind raced with a thousand scenarios, each one ending with Logan dead or dying alone in the jungle. And it was all her fault. She should have never agreed to let him scout ahead. He had no knowledge of the wildlife in this area, no idea of what was safe and what was dangerous. How could she have thought this was a good idea? It was her own selfish need to feel safe that had led her to agree to his crazy plan. And now he was out there, facing a threat that was more immediate than the cartel. She had every confidence he could handle himself when it came to the dangers posed by humans, but did he know the first thing about surviving in the rain forest, even if only for a few hours?

  She felt the sting of tears as her panic threatened to overwhelm her. It was all she could do to keep from running ahead, yelling out his name in the hopes he would respond. But that would be suicide. It was very nearly midday, and the men were probably already close by. If she gave in to her hysteria, they would know she had not followed instructions. Logan had told her they would look for any excuse to do violence, and she couldn’t give them one. Besides, she told herself sternly. He’s a smart man. He’s probably just fine.

  Right?

  She stopped and took several deep breaths, forcing herself to calm down. If she walked into this meeting with her head filled with worries about Logan, she was as good as dead. He hadn’t let her down yet. She simply had to trust that he was out there, safe and whole.

  After a moment her heart began to slow its pounding, and the tightness in her chest eased. She wiped
the sweat off her forehead and moved on, determined to get this over with. The sooner she and Logan were back in the safety of their apartment, the better.

  Just as Maria had said, the trail opened up into a small clearing. Olivia stepped forward, feeling suddenly exposed after the relative claustrophobia of the dense foliage that had lined the trail. She scanned the tree line opposite her, but saw no movement other than the swaying branches at the top of the canopy. She glanced at her watch. Was she early?

  She stood there for several moments, brushing away the questing insects that buzzed around her face. There was no sign of anyone else, and she began to worry. Was she supposed to give some sort of signal? Maria hadn’t given her any kind of instructions on what to do once she arrived, but then again, the woman had just given birth unexpectedly. Perhaps she had forgotten some of the message in the heat of the moment.

  Olivia turned slowly, scanning the clearing from one side to the other. Where was Logan? Hopefully someplace close. The vegetation was so thick it was impossible to see more than a few feet into the forest. He could be standing a few yards away and she wouldn’t be able to see him. But then again, she wasn’t used to this environment. Would the men who were meeting her find him through the jungle camouflage? One more worry added to the pile...

  A particularly persistent mosquito kept flying around her face, seeking an undefended spot to land. The high-pitched buzz was an annoying distraction, and as the time passed with no sign of human activity, Olivia felt her fears gradually morph into annoyance. She wanted to get this over with, and the sooner the better.

  Where are they?

  * * *

  Logan crouched in the shadows of a downed tree, his eyes glued to Olivia. She’d come charging into the clearing, her cheeks flushed and sweat-dampened tendrils of hair plastered to her neck and the side of her face. He’d caught her worried expression as she scanned the empty space, and he wanted so badly to signal her so that she would see him and know she wasn’t alone. But he couldn’t take the risk. The men could be anywhere, and he didn’t want to blow his cover unless it was absolutely necessary.

  He shifted a bit, trying to work out the kinks in his back. The hike in had been mostly flat and fairly easy, if hot. His shirt was soaked with sweat and plastered to his skin, but he didn’t stink. Not yet anyway.

  He poured a little water out onto the ground and used his finger to mix up some fresh mud. Moving slowly, he smeared it on his face and neck, patching over the exposed spots of skin left when his earlier application had dried and flaked off. It was an old trick he’d learned during his scouting days, and it was saving him from being eaten alive by bugs right now.

  Olivia was not so lucky. She swatted the air around her head, clearly irritated. He glanced down at his watch. Twenty past the hour. Unless Olivia had misunderstood Maria’s message—which was highly unlikely—these guys were late.

  Logan frowned, considering. Were they trying to intimidate her by taking their time? Or had something happened to spook them and they weren’t going to show? The politics in this region were fluid—it was possible the suppliers had decided to do business with a different cartel. If that was the case, he was going to have to come up with another plan quickly. He doubted Carlos would be very happy if Olivia came back without the drugs, even if it wasn’t her fault the exchange hadn’t taken place.

  The minutes ticked by and Logan had to stop himself from fidgeting. Any extraneous movement on his part would draw the eye and give his position away. He hadn’t spent hours camped here only to make such a rookie mistake at the very end. He wondered at what point Olivia was going to give up and go back to the hospital. Her absence would most definitely be noted if she stayed away for too much longer...

  A movement at the tree line caught his eye and he lifted his gun to peer through the sight. Was that...? Yes, that was a person, walking slowly forward into the clearing.

  Logan glanced over, but Olivia hadn’t noticed the other man yet. A few seconds later, her body stiffened as she realized she wasn’t alone. She watched the man approach with a wary eye, but her suspicion didn’t seem to faze him.

  Additional movement behind the newcomer revealed a group of men moving forward. They stepped into the clearing but made no move to come much closer—it was clear the first arrival was their leader.

  Logan took a deep breath and settled into position, keeping the man in his sights. Adrenaline surged in his body, and his fingertips tingled as he watched the man approach Olivia. He was short and stocky, and the scars on his face and hands made it clear he’d been in his share of fights. “If you touch one hair on her head...” he muttered, his protective instincts roaring to the surface. Intellectually, he’d known Olivia would have to conduct this meeting. But he hadn’t realized just how difficult it was going to be for him to watch her from afar while she put herself in danger.

  Olivia stayed where she was and let the man come to her. Smart move, he thought approvingly. If things went bad, she was close to the tree line and could quickly dart back into the cover of the jungle. But I won’t let it get that far.

  The new arrival stopped a few feet away from Olivia and looked her over, clearly taking her measure. If he was surprised to see a woman there, he didn’t show it. He took one final drag off his cigarette, then dropped it and ground out the embers with the toe of his boot.

  Showtime.

  CHAPTER 11

  Olivia tried not to wince as the acrid stench of cigarette smoke burned the lining of her nose. She didn’t want to let this man know he affected her in any way. There was something about his cold, flat gaze that told her a show of weakness, no matter how small, would be a dangerous mistake. He was a predator, plain and simple.

  And she refused to be his prey.

  “You have something for me?” She spoke the question in English, wanting him to think she had no fluency in Spanish. Let him be the one to underestimate her—it might be her only advantage.

  He tilted his head to the side, openly studying her. She met his gaze, ignoring the ongoing insect harassment. A few bites were a small price to pay to make him think she wasn’t intimidated, even though her insides were quivering like jelly.

  After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke. “Where is the money?”

  “Where is the product?”

  He glanced at her shoulders where the straps of her backpack were plainly visible. His mouth twisted in a cruel smile. “I could just take it from you.”

  “You could,” she agreed. His eyebrows shot up—he clearly hadn’t expected her to display such sangfroid about the suggestion of assault. “But I think we both understand it would not be in your best interest to do so.”

  “What if you did not live to talk about it?” His voice was low and menacing and he took a half step forward. Olivia’s heart shot up into her throat, but she stood her ground.

  “Then you would not live long enough to spend it.”

  Hesitation flickered in his eyes, and she pressed her advantage. “They are expecting my call after I retrieve the product. If I do not contact them, well...” She let the suggestion hang in the air between them. In truth, she had no such arrangement with the cartel, but he didn’t know that. Given the fearsome reputation of Fantasmas del Mal, she was only too happy to let his imagination run wild. The theoretical consequences he conjured up were likely much more frightening than anything she could say.

  His lips flattened and he nodded once. “Very well.” He raised his hand, and the three men who had walked into the clearing behind him moved forward.

  They didn’t speak while they waited for his cronies to join them, and Olivia deliberately kept her gaze on him and off the tree line. If he suspected for even a second she was looking for someone else... She mentally shuddered, not wanting to imagine the bloodbath that would result if Logan’s presence was detected.

  The men fanned out behind their leader and didn’t speak, but they studied her with open curiosity. Olivia met their eyes and refused to flinch
in the face of their speculative perusal. One of the men licked his lips and leered suggestively, but she merely raised a brow and stared at him until he looked away.

  The leader held out his hand, and the man carrying a stained cloth bag withdrew a rectangular brown-wrapped package and passed it over.

  The leader lifted his brow, plainly expecting Olivia to show him the money. Instead, she reached into her backpack and pulled out a penknife and a small vial of liquid. She almost laughed at the man’s incredulous expression as she made a tiny incision in the package and used the blade to scoop out a bit of white powder, which she deposited in the vial.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, caught between astonishment and annoyance at this delay in the proceedings. Olivia didn’t respond as she used her finger to flick the vial, mixing the powder into the liquid. After a few seconds, she held the vial against a scrap of paper.

  “I’m checking the purity of your product,” she said finally, showing him the chart. Let him think the cartel was doing a bit of quality control. In reality, Logan had packed the tests before they’d set out, wanting her to confirm that she was actually receiving cocaine in exchange for the cartel’s money. Otherwise, the bad guys could claim she had merely picked up a brick of baking powder and switched it out for the drugs later, to falsely incriminate them.

  A murmur rose up from the men, and Olivia couldn’t tell if they were offended at her lack of trust or amazed the cartel would go to such lengths to ensure it was getting what it had paid for.

  “Are you satisfied?” His tone was huffy, but there was uncertainty in his eyes.

  She dug in the pack and tossed the stacks of bills at his feet. Then she held the bag open before her. “Put the rest in here,” she instructed. It’s almost done, she thought. Just a few more minutes and they’d be gone and she could give in to the shakes she was trying desperately to control.

  One of the men who’d stepped forward glared at her, not bothering to disguise his hostility. “She needs to be taught a lesson,” he said in Spanish. “No one treats us like this.”