by Lara Lacombe
“Dr. Sandoval?”
They both turned to see Daniela standing at the end of the hall. She held up a paper bag with a smile. “Ready for lunch?”
Olivia smiled and nodded. “We’ll be right there. Thank you.”
She turned and met his eyes, determination settling over her face. “Let’s go get something to eat. You can tell me about your conversation later. I could use a distraction now.”
* * *
A few days later, Olivia and Logan shared a meal at a small restaurant. Olivia took a bite of fish and glanced around, checking to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Then she leaned forward and caught Logan’s eye.
“Do you think we should tell Carlos the drugs were stolen?”
He lifted one brow and took a sip of guarapo, a ubiquitous fruit juice concoction served with most meals. He appeared to consider the question. “Why would you want to do that?”
She shrugged. “I just thought if they knew about the theft, they might have some of their people look into it. I can’t imagine they’d take too kindly to the loss of their property.”
“They don’t,” he confirmed, cutting off another bite of tamale. “But you have to remember, the only thing keeping you and your friends alive right now is the fact they think you have their merchandise. If you let them know that’s no longer the case, they won’t hesitate to kill the three of you as they’re tying up loose ends.”
Olivia’s shoulders slumped. “I suspected as much. But I had hoped they’d be so busy trying to track down their stuff they would forget all about me.”
Logan gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way.”
She took another bite, but the meal had lost its flavor. “What are our options now? I don’t have their stuff, which they will discover as soon as we get home. How am I going to get them away from Avery and Mallory when I can’t deliver on the one thing they wanted?”
Logan polished off his tamale and eyed her plate. She shoved it forward without a word, and he shot her a grateful smile.
“We’re going to do a little switcheroo,” he said, digging into the remains of her dinner. “My colleagues and I have access to a lot of product, given the nature of our work.”
“And you’re going to give me some of it, to deliver as promised,” she finished, nodding as the pieces fell into place.
“Basically,” Logan confirmed. “This fish is fantastic,” he said, closing his eyes in pleasure.
Olivia couldn’t help but smile. “I’m glad you like it,” she murmured. “But back to the matter at hand. Is that even legal?”
He dismissed this concern with a wave of his hand. “We do it all the time. Besides, we’re going to take it back right after the exchange when we move in to arrest everyone.”
“I see.” It was a straightforward plan, one that should be easy enough to execute. The knots that had been in her stomach ever since they’d discovered the drugs were gone started to unravel, and for the first time in days she felt like she could breathe easier.
“So we just have to pretend like everything is fine until we get back?”
Logan nodded, scraping the plate with the edge of his fork. “Exactly. So try to relax and enjoy the last few days you have here.”
She laughed softly. “I’d love to, but I still can’t figure out who broke into the apartment.”
Logan’s eyes narrowed briefly. “You let me worry about that.” He stretched his arm across the table, palm up in invitation. She slid her hand into his and was rewarded by a gentle squeeze. “I said I’d keep you safe, remember?”
She nodded. “I do.”
“I meant it.”
Her stomach fluttered at his words and a warm pulse spread from their joined hands, flowing up her arm and settling in her chest. “I know.”
CHAPTER 15
The next few days seemed almost normal as Olivia settled back into a routine of seeing patients and conducting surgeries. Logan walked her to the hospital every morning in time for her first appointment of the day and was waiting for her when she wrapped things up for lunch. According to Daniela, while Olivia conducted surgery, Logan hadn’t hesitated to step up and volunteer for all the small, menial tasks that mounted up in the department, earning him the admiration and gratitude of the nursing staff.
“He is quite nice to have around,” Daniela confessed one morning during surgical prep. “He doesn’t mind changing sheets, taking out the trash or cleaning. It’s remarkable!”
Olivia smiled, happy to hear that Logan had fit in so well with the rest of the team. His willingness to help with the traditionally “female” chores had earned him a place in Daniela’s good books, which was a coveted spot. “I’m glad he’s making himself useful.”
“Oh, yes,” Daniela said. “We will be sad to see him go.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” Olivia teased.
Daniela laughed. “You know what I mean. I had my doubts about him when you first arrived, but I am glad to be proven wrong.”
“I understand.” And she did. There was something about Logan that made the people around him feel comfortable. She had felt her own resistance start to crumble as she spent more time with him, and she was beginning to question all her reasons for keeping him at arm’s length. Maybe he was worth the risk to her heart after all...
She pulled off her scrub cap and stepped into the hall, glancing around for Logan. She had finished up surgery a little early today, so he might not be here yet... No, there he was, standing at the end of the hall. She started for him, anticipation building as she approached. Spending time with him was the best part of her day, and she intended to enjoy it as long as she could.
She opened her mouth to call out to him, but before she could say anything, his whole body stiffened in shock. That was odd. Maybe he’d been stung by something? She didn’t see any bugs, but the hospital had its fair share of insects, being so close to the forest.
In the next instant, Logan started walking, his steps jerky and reluctant. He glanced down the hall and his eyes widened when he saw her. His expression shifted to one of horror, and he mouthed the word No!
Olivia froze, her stomach cramping as she realized that something was terribly wrong. She ducked into a doorway and waited a beat, then poked her head out in time to see Logan disappear, a shorter dark-haired man close on his heels. It looked like Juan Pablo, but why would he be going anywhere with Logan?
She stood there for a few seconds, indecision paralyzing her muscles. Whatever was going on, Logan plainly wanted her to stay out of it. But if he was in danger, could she really leave him to face it alone?
No, she decided firmly. After all he’d done for her, she wasn’t about to turn her head and hope for the best. He wasn’t going to like it, but she was going after him.
Her mind made up, she slipped out of the doorway and moved down the hall, then turned and followed the men.
* * *
Logan gritted his teeth as Juan Pablo herded him out of the hospital and down the sidewalk, keeping the gun pressed to his side. They made it to the end of the block before Logan decided to try to get some answers. There was more going on here than Juan Pablo’s bruised pride, and he wanted to know what he was up against.
“What’s your plan?” Logan kept his voice level and his movements easy, tamping down the urge to fight back. He didn’t want to startle Juan Pablo, not while the man was pointing a gun at him. It was clear from the way Juan Pablo held the weapon that he wasn’t comfortable with it, and the last thing Logan wanted was to get shot by accident.
“I’m getting rid of you,” Juan Pablo said, his voice oozing with satisfaction.
“How do you figure that? Are you just going to take me into the forest and shoot me?” They were approaching the entrance to the trail he and Olivia had used earlier, and his brain came up with a hastily concocted plan: he’d wait until they were a few feet into the forest, away from innocent bystanders, and then he’d take Juan Pablo down. His muscles ten
sed in anticipation as they got closer to the tree line. Just a few more steps...
Juan Pablo let out a short laugh. “Nothing so predictable. Violence is not my specialty.”
“I suppose you prefer forcing yourself on unwilling women?”
That earned him a sharp poke in the back with the muzzle of the gun. The unexpected pain caught Logan off guard and he let out a grunt, which made Juan Pablo laugh again.
“Bastard,” Logan muttered. He was going to enjoy turning the tables on this guy.
They entered the forest, stepping into the shade of the canopy. Logan stopped walking and set his feet, preparing himself to attack. He left his arms loose at his sides, not wanting to telegraph his intentions. He was confident he could handle Juan Pablo, but he didn’t want to give the other man any advantage.
Juan Pablo moved to stand next to him, but remained just out of arm’s reach. No matter. Logan would have the gun out of the other man’s hand and slam him on the forest floor before he knew what hit him.
Logan braced himself, adrenaline flooding his system. It was now or never. He started forward...
“Here he is. As promised.”
A sound from the undergrowth drew his attention and Logan converted his movement toward Juan Pablo, twisting to the side so he could see this new threat.
Three men appeared on the path, their faces grim and their hands gripping guns. Logan realized with a small shock they were part of the group that had met Olivia before to hand over the drugs. Had Juan Pablo been the thief all along? But why?
“Excellent.” The leader eyed him with undisguised malice. “We will have some fun with this one.”
“No, you won’t,” Logan muttered. It was clear these men wanted to kill him, but he wasn’t going down without a fight. Better to die on his feet here than at the hands of these men.
Before anyone could make a move, Logan darted to the side and grabbed Juan Pablo. He shoved the other man in front of him and wrenched the gun from his hand, then pressed it to his temple.
“Stay back,” he said, keeping his arm around Juan Pablo’s neck to lock him in place. Juan Pablo clawed at his arm, his nails raking into Logan’s skin in painful drags. Ignoring this, Logan took a step back, pulling his human shield along with him.
The leader’s mouth curved up in a cruel smile. “Do you really think he will protect you?”
“Maybe. Or maybe the threat of Fantasmas will. I work for them. If you kill me, you will face their wrath.”
To his surprise, the leader laughed. “I doubt it, since they’re the ones who want you dead. Mr. DEA Agent,” he finished, his eyes lighting with glee.
Logan’s mind went blank as the man’s taunt registered. His cover had been blown. But how? They’d been so careful...
In the next instant, his questions were dwarfed by a sudden, horrible realization: Olivia. If they knew he was a DEA agent, she was in danger. He had to get back to her before it was too late.
“You’re not even going to deny it?”
“Would you believe me if I did?” he replied, taking another step back. Three against one wasn’t great odds, but if he could increase the distance between them, he might have a chance. He could squeeze off a few shots, then duck into the forest and lose them in the vegetation.
The leader shrugged. “Not really. Besides, Fantasmas wants you dead. That’s good enough for us.”
Logan tightened his grip on Juan Pablo. “You’ll have to go through him first.”
“Very well.” The leader made a quick gesture with his hand, and one of the men shot Juan Pablo. The man crumpled in his arms just as Logan felt a searing flash along his ribs.
Logan dropped Juan Pablo and fired in the direction of the men, not taking the time to aim. There was a split second of stunned silence, as if the men couldn’t believe he’d shot at them. A short, sharp cry told him at least one of his bullets had found its mark, but he didn’t stick around to view the damage.
The men opened fire, but Logan had already ducked into the forest, and the dense growth shielded him from view. He kept his head down and moved quickly, trying to get out of the path of the bullets. Loud, solid thunks sounded as nearby tree trunks were hit, and the near misses spurred him on. He ignored the burning pain in his side—if he stopped now, he was as good as dead.
Someone barked out a loud command and the shooting stopped. The sudden silence was almost as deafening as the gunshots and Logan slowed his pace. If he went crashing through the jungle, he’d lead them right to him, something he figured the men were counting on. His body screamed at him to go faster, to run, but he forced himself to creep along, trying to keep his sounds to a minimum. He had a head start and a few bullets left, but he wasn’t naive. The men who were chasing him knew this forest, probably lived in it. It was only a matter of time until they found him.
But maybe, just maybe, he could get back to the village before that happened. They weren’t that deep in the forest—at least, they hadn’t been when they’d stood on the path. Now that he’d wandered off, though, who could say? There were no landmarks here, no helpful signs to point him in the right direction. He was lost.
Or was he? He glanced up at the sky, searching for the position of the sun. He knew the village was to the east of the forest. If he could find the sun, he could orient himself and start heading in the right direction.
Dappled light shone all around him, but it was almost impossible to see the sky, thanks to the thick canopy of branches that loomed overhead. Panic knotted his lungs as he searched for a break in the cover, to no avail. Dammit, now what?
He started moving again, careful to keep his steps soft. The spongy forest floor helped absorb sounds, but he didn’t want to give the men chasing him any clues. He had to find some way to get back to the village. He stepped over an old, rotten tree trunk, slippery with moss. The sight of it tugged at something in his memory, and he frowned.
Moss on tree trunks... He closed his eyes briefly, trying to grab hold of the memory. Camping with his dad and grandpa, lying out under the stars...
“You can always tell direction by looking at the trees,” his grandpa had said. “Moss usually grows on the north side of the trunk.”
Logan opened his eyes and stared at the tree. Moss usually grows on the north side... Was that true here, as well? Or was it the opposite, since he was below the equator?
“I’ve got a fifty-fifty shot of getting this right,” he muttered. He did a mental coin-flip and made his choice, then turned and set off again. His side protested every step, but he ignored the pain. If the wound was really serious, he’d be dead by now. Since he wasn’t, it could obviously wait.
He had to get to Olivia.
CHAPTER 16
Olivia hurried forward, her heart in her throat. Once she’d realized the men were headed into the forest, she’d hung back a little, letting them get far ahead of her. But now that they were out of sight her nerves took over. What if they loaded Logan into a vehicle and took off into the jungle? She’d never find him again. And even though she had no idea how she could help him, she still wanted to keep an eye on him. It was silly, she knew, but part of her thought that as long as she could see Logan he would be okay.
She picked up the pace, anxiety propelling her forward. A series of sharp pops split the air, and her heart jumped into her throat.
Gunshots.
She moved to the edge of the path, uncertain of how to proceed. If she just waltzed up with no warning, she was likely to get shot for her troubles. But she didn’t want to let anyone know she was here, either. Maybe she could creep ahead and get a view of what was happening, then go for help. That was probably the best thing to do, even though her mind screamed at her to rush in and make sure Logan was okay.
“You can’t help him if you’re dead,” she muttered to herself.
Moving cautiously, she inched forward. The gunshots had stopped, and based on the loud crashing sounds now drifting back, someone—or someones—had headed into the jung
le. Please be Logan. Let him be alive still!
An eerie stillness fell over the rain forest, and Olivia got the sense that the path ahead was deserted. Had the men headed into the vegetation for a deadly game of hide-and-seek?
Feeling brave, she sped up a bit and came to a bend in the path. She stepped into the trees and used a large trunk for cover, peering around it to see what was ahead.
Two men were on the ground, their blood staining the leaves on the forest path. Her first instinct was to rush forward to see if she could help, but she held the urge in check, glancing around to make sure they were truly alone. No one else was on the path, and the lush greenery surrounding them didn’t stir. Evidently, they all had run into the forest.
She jumped back on the path and scurried forward, her nerves jumping at the exposure. If someone came back, they’d see her right away... But she couldn’t just leave these men. They were clearly injured, and she took her oath as a doctor seriously. It was her duty to try to help them, if she could.
She knelt down by the closest man and recognized him as one of the group who had been at the exchange. Unfortunately, he was beyond saving. The bullet had hit him in the head, and he’d likely died immediately. Olivia shifted to go to the second man but something on the ground caught her eye. It was a gun, and it had probably belonged to the dead man. She reached for it and tucked it into the waistband of her scrubs. She didn’t really know how to handle a gun, but just having it close made her feel better.
It was a few steps to the other man, and as she lowered herself next to him she caught a glimpse of his face. Shock hit her like a bolt of lightning as she realized it was Juan Pablo.
Tears burned her eyes as she assessed his injury. He’d taken a bullet to the chest, and while he was still alive, his breathing was shallow and his color was pale, indicating he’d lost a lot of blood.