Her captor half pushed, half dragged her out of the shadows and toward a nearby parking lot. Ben was close behind. She couldn’t see him, but heard the scuff of the gun-wielder’s shoes on the walkway as they followed. They passed no one on the way to the parking lot, where only a few cars were scattered. When she stepped off the pavement, gravel bit into the bottom of her bare feet.
“Listen, when you make that phone call, you can give your boss a message for me.” Though outwardly calm, Ben’s clipped words betrayed a hint of strain. “Tell him if he kills us, he’ll be making a mistake. I have a copy of that data. If I die, it’ll be found, and there’s some pretty powerful people who are going to have a lot to answer for.”
Was he bluffing? Nikki couldn’t see his face to be sure, but if so, it was a good bluff. And making a copy sounded like something Ben would do.
They were heading for a dirty white car parked at the far side of the lot. The skin on Nikki’s arm burned beneath the rough fingers of her captor as he shoved her forward. What would happen to them once they were in that car? Would they be taken into the miles and miles of bush that covered the island and shot? If so, their bodies would never be found.
Oh, Joshua, you’ll be an orphan.
She tried to walk lightly, but he forced her to move at an uncomfortable pace. A sharp rock sliced into her heel and sent a shaft of pain up her leg. Breath hissed through her teeth as tears stung in her eyes.
Behind her, wheels crunched on gravel. The man holding her glanced over his shoulder, and then jerked her to an abrupt halt.
Nikki turned. The sight that greeted her was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. A white car with a blue-and-red light bar across the top, and the words Policía in blue letters on the front fender.
Relief poured out of her in a grateful sob.
Thank You, God! Thank You.
Her captor’s grip lessened. He didn’t release her, but looped his hand casually through her arm, as though he was merely assisting her to the car. The other man swept the gun behind his back and stepped up beside Ben. From where she stood, Nikki saw the barrel still pointing in Ben’s direction, the man’s finger still on the trigger.
The window swept down, and the uniformed officer inside the car peered at them, suspicion heavy on his dark features. “¿Está bien aquí?”
Nikki held her body in a boardlike stiffness and tried to communicate her fear wordlessly, with her eyes. Help us!
The finger on the gun wavered as the Reynosa man answered. “Estamos bien, gracias.”
“Actually, officer, we’re glad you’re here.” Ben’s words, loud after the quiet response of his captor, dripped with an exaggerated southern drawl. He grabbed Nikki’s hand. “We’re tourists, staying in a time-share up in Cancun, you know? We rode the ferryboat over to hang out for the day, and wouldn’t you know it, we took a walk down the beach and got lost. Left our shoes, our clothes, everything, back there with our beach towels. Isn’t that right, honey?”
Even in the midst of her fight to control the hysterical tears that threatened to burst forth any second, Nikki admired Ben’s quick thinking. She squeezed his hand and nodded at the skeptical police officer.
Ben pulled her toward the car, out of their captors’ reach. “These here fellas offered to give us a ride back to the beach. What was the name of that beach again, honey?”
The officer looked at her, waiting for an answer.
Nikki’s mind blanked for a moment, then she spouted the first beach she could remember. “Sunset Beach, wasn’t it?”
Ben snapped his fingers. “That’s right. We walked a long way, I can tell you that.”
When he opened the patrol car’s rear door, the police officer twisted around in the seat, eyebrows high.
“Anyway, we sure appreciate you showing up when you did, ’cause now these men won’t have to be bothered with us. The people at our condo, they told us if we have any trouble at all, we should flag down a police officer, ’cause you guys are just great at helping tourists in trouble.” He assisted her into the car and kept up a running monologue while she slid across the vinyl. Before he joined her, he grinned toward the silent Reynosa operatives. “Thanks for the offer, fellas. We sure appreciate how nice everybody here in Mexico has been.”
He slid into the seat beside Nikki and slammed the door. She looked past him, though the window, where both Reynosa men stood watching with dumbfounded expressions, as though they couldn’t understand how they’d just lost their captives.
The officer hesitated, his glance going from the two standing outside the car, to the rearview mirror and the two “tourists” in his backseat. Nikki held her breath. Would he buy Ben’s story, or would he demand more answers? She closed her eyes.
Go. Please, just go. Before the guy with the gun decides to do something foolish.
The car rolled slowly forward. Breath whooshed out of her lungs. Beside her, Ben wilted against the seat back. The officer made a wide circle through the gravelly lot, then pulled onto the main street. Nikki twisted around to look through the rear window. The two Reynosa men broke from their astonished trance and ran across the parking lot toward the white car.
She exchanged a glance with Ben. They would try to catch up, though the traffic here on Cozumel’s main road was heavy. Even if they didn’t overtake the police car, the men would head for Sunset Beach and try to recapture them there. Or maybe they would just call their Reynosa boss and someone else would be waiting for them at Sunset Beach. Like the scary men from the boat this afternoon.
A wave of hopelessness washed over her. Where could they go? Not long ago they could have called Cesar for help. If the Reynosa cartel thought they’d been eaten by sharks, the watch on his home and dive shop would have been called off. But now they’d be watched even more closely than before. A call to Cesar would be certain danger for a kind man to whom they’d already brought nothing but trouble.
Another thought struck her, and the force nearly made her weep with terror. The Reynosa cartel had her passport. They knew her name. If they had powerful contacts within the United States, like Senator Webb, they’d be able to find out where she lived. Would they discover that she had a son?
Oh, God, please protect Joshua.
The officer’s eyes became visible in the rearview mirror as he glanced toward them. “I don’t like to tell you this, my friends, but if you left your belongings on the beach, they are gone.”
Ben’s shoulders heaved with an embarrassed laugh. “I was thinking the same thing a while ago. Pretty stupid of us, huh? Is there an American Consulate here?”
“Sí, but it will not open until tomorrow afternoon.” The man shrugged. “We are a small island, and it is only an extension office. I suggest you call your resort in Cancun. Maybe they have another property here on Isla Cozumel where you can stay for the night. They can arrange to bring you back there tomorrow.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” Ben’s lack of enthusiasm sounded in his voice.
The officer peered at them in the mirror again. “You have a cell phone? If not, you can use the phone at the police station.”
Nikki stiffened in the seat. Wait a minute! She did know someone on Cozumel.
“No.” The word came out louder than she intended. She flashed a quick smile toward the officer’s reflection. “You’ve been very kind, and I hate to ask you to go out of your way, but could you take us somewhere else?”
There was one place in Cozumel where she had friends. Where she would feel safe. She flashed a quick glance at Ben before making her request.
“Could you take us to the church on Avenue 80?”
FOURTEEN
The church had hardly changed at all in the two-and-a-half years since Nikki’s last visit. The cinder block had faded to a paler yellow, and the arched, wooden door needed to be sanded and repainted, but those were the only visible changes. A light shone through the vertical blinds in the single window of the small converted house, in what Nikki knew was the
sanctuary. Strains of music drifted to them from inside, accompanying the sound of a female voice.
The police officer left them on the street in front of the church building. Ben stood, unmoving, and stared at the window. Salt had stiffened his curls into an unruly brown mop, and she fought the urge to brush them away from his forehead. His shoulders were stiff as rods, and he wore a look of absolute dread, as though he’d rather face Reynosa henchmen than a church service.
Nikki slipped a hand through his arm and pulled him toward the door. “Come on. They’ll help us.”
“They’ll help you.” His feet did not move. “They hate me.”
Astonished, Nikki stopped tugging on his arm. “What on earth would make you say that?”
“I know what they think of me. I’m the reprobate who lured you into a life of sin.” She almost wilted at the strength of his glare. “And they’re the ones who rescued you from me.”
She could hardly believe her ears. “Is that what you thought?”
“Well, what else was I supposed to think? Everything was going fine between us, and then you started coming here.” He stabbed a finger toward the building. “Next thing I knew, you were talking about marriage and starting a family.” He jerked around and turned his back toward the church. “My father was right about churches. He told me when I was ten years old that they’re full of people who stick their noses in other people’s business and accuse them of sinning.” Ben glared at her. “Their plan sure worked with you. You stopped sinning. You left me.”
Stunned, Nikki didn’t know how to respond to this barrage of bitterness. When she had made the decision to leave Cozumel, she’d known Ben would be upset. But she thought he would be angry with her. She had no idea he’d blame the church.
I was wrong not to tell him.
The realization hit her with force. All this time, she thought she had done the right thing by leaving with no explanation. By saving him from giving up the life he loved.
“Ben, it wasn’t like that. They never condemned you, or me, either. They just…loved me. More than that, they told me that Jesus loved me, no matter how much I’d messed up my life.”
“See, that’s what I mean.” He almost spat the bitter words, as though he couldn’t wait to get them out of his mouth. “I’m the one who messed up your life. You were responsible until you met me, a good girl who went to college and got a job and did everything right.”
“Responsible, maybe, but I wasn’t good.” If only she could make him understand. She laid a hand on his arm. “When I started coming to the services here, I was so unhappy. I had some serious decisions to make, and I had nowhere to turn. Denise and Pastor Thomas didn’t condemn me. They led me to realize how much I needed a Savior. But that need didn’t start when I moved in with you. My need started the moment I was born.”
Confusion drew deep creases between his eyes. “That’s crazy.”
“No, it’s not.” She was handling this badly. There were so many things she needed to tell him. About Jesus’s love and how He had changed her life, given her hope. About Joshua. But now was not the time, nor the place. They had to get off the street. “Just come inside. They’ll help us, I know they will.”
She tugged, and this time he came with her. Slowly, dragging his feet across the broken sidewalk, he allowed her to lead him to the church.
At the door, Nikki paused and glanced down at her wrinkled T-shirt, her filthy bare feet. They both looked awful. Her fingers couldn’t begin to tame the mangled mess of her hair.
She gave a nervous laugh. “This used to be a ‘come as you are’ church. I hope that hasn’t changed.”
“If you’re having second thoughts—”
Ben started to back away, but she held tight to his arm. With the other hand, she opened the door and pulled him inside.
The small sanctuary had not changed. A faded banner on the mint green walls proclaimed Jesús es el Señor. Three rows of white plastic chairs, not all of them occupied, formed a half circle around the battered music stand Pastor Thomas used to hold his notes when he preached. Beside it stood a young Mexican woman, strumming a guitar and singing. The worshipers sat with their backs to the door, but when the singer caught sight of them, she faltered and fell silent. A dozen heads turned their way. Nikki scanned the astonished faces, looking for a familiar one.
“Nikki!”
A woman on the front row hurried around the group of chairs toward her, a tall man in shorts and sandals close on her heels. A few more lines creased the face of the American woman who rushed to her, and the few strands of dark hair Nikki remembered joined the rest of gray, but there was no mistaking her friend’s identity.
“Denise! Oh, thank goodness.”
Nikki released Ben and threw herself into Denise’s arms. The tears she’d fought so hard to hold back for the past few hours poured down her cheeks. For a moment all she could do was cling to her friend and let them flow.
But there was no time for that.
She whispered, “Denise, we’re in trouble. Bad trouble. We need help.”
No hesitation. No questions. Denise cast a silent glance at her husband, Pastor Thomas, who turned toward the curious onlookers.
“Sigamos.” The pastor waved his hands in circles in the air. “Let’s continue.”
The singer strummed a chord on her guitar and picked up the song again. Pastor Thomas returned to his seat in the front row, while Denise guided Nikki out the front door. She nodded for Ben to follow and he did. Rather meekly, Nikki thought.
When the door closed behind them, Denise headed toward the house next door, where she and Pastor Thomas lived. Nikki’s knees wobbled, and her friend supported her with an arm around her waist.
“You poor thing, you’re shivering. And you’re not wearing any shoes. Do you have any fresh clothes?”
Nikki couldn’t squeeze a word past the relieved tears that clogged her throat. She shook her head.
“Well, I’m sure we can find something in the donation box. It might not be stylish, but it’ll be clean.” She looked at Ben, who trailed behind them. “We haven’t met. I’m Denise Evans. My husband Thomas and I serve at the church here.”
Nikki heard Ben’s mumbled response. “Ben Dearinger.”
Denise’s step faltered. She turned a loaded gaze on Nikki, her eyebrows arched high on her forehead. But her voice held nothing but welcome. “Nice to meet you, Ben. I’m sure we can find some clean clothes for you, too.”
Denise pushed open the front door of the house and entered. She closed the door behind them.
“I’m dying to hear what’s going on, but maybe it would be best if we wait until Thomas can join us. The service ends in another fifteen minutes, and I’m sure he’ll hurry home.” She folded her arms across her chest and swept a measuring glance over each of them. “In the meantime, let’s find you two some clothes.”
Nikki grabbed her hand. “Thank you, Denise. You’re a godsend. But before I do anything, I have to make a phone call to the States. May I use your phone? I’ll pay you back for the call, I promise.”
She laughed. “Oh, sweetie, I call my daughter in Denver every Friday and talk to my grandchildren for an hour. One more call won’t even be noticed on my phone bill.”
Nikki and Ben trailed her through the small living room into the kitchen, where Denise retrieved her cell phone from the kitchen counter. She unplugged the cord that dangled from it and handed the phone to Nikki. “There you go. Fully charged.”
Nikki clutched the phone in both hands. She glanced at Ben. Though he would hate being left alone with Denise, she couldn’t make this call in front of him. The news that he had a son needed to be delivered with a little more finesse than overhearing a frantic phone call.
“Uh, would you two excuse me?” She gave an apologetic half shrug.
Ben looked startled, but Denise pushed her gently toward the hallway. “There’s a chair in the spare bedroom. Ben and I will go out on the back porch and find you two some cloth
es and shoes.”
Nikki didn’t risk another look at Ben’s face, but made a hasty escape, punching numbers on the phone as she went.
In the bedroom, she sank onto the chair in a corner as the line rang.
Please pick up. Please pick up.
“Hello?”
Relief whooshed out of her in a loud sigh. “Allison, thank goodness you’re there. I’m in so much trouble, and I need your help.”
“Don’t tell me you got mugged again.”
“No. I’m stranded in Mexico with no passport and some really, really bad people are trying to kill me.”
Silence. “Nikki, if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny.”
“It’s no joke. I wish it were. It’s a long story, and I don’t have time to tell it in detail, but here’s what happened.”
She perched on the edge of the hard chair and sketched a quick summary of events since she had last talked to her friend. Only twenty-four hours before, but it seemed like weeks. About the contents of the thumb drive, she remained vague. No sense getting Allison any more involved than she had to be, for her own safety.
“And then Ben told them that he’d made a copy of the information, and if we died, it would surface and get a lot of important people in trouble. And right after he said that, a police officer pulled into the parking lot.” She heaved a sigh as she wrapped up the account. “We got away, but I know they’re looking for us.”
“Wow. I’m stunned. I hardly know what to say.”
Nikki closed her eyes and rubbed. They burned, from salt and exhaustion and too many pent-up tears. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I promise it’s true.”
“You know what I find hardest believe? You reconnected with Joshua’s father and didn’t tell me.”
Nikki ignored the tiny hint of accusation in her friend’s voice. One thing she’d learned about her friend in the months since they became close, Allison loved to know intimate details. “I was going to tell you all about it when I got back. He was sitting right beside me when we talked last night. So I wasn’t really free to dish any details. And I did have a few other pressing matters on my mind.”
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