by Diana Miller
Jillian felt a flicker of hope. If Paul or Ryan saw the rock, they’d know something was wrong. She had to delay to give them more time to notice. “How did you find the cave?”
“I happened to see Paul come in here the other day.” Sam leaned against the rock wall. “I’ve been trying to keep an eye on him, but it’s tough. He usually spots me, and I have to make up some excuse for being there and then scram. That day I managed to hide from him. When he left, I checked this place out.”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I didn’t. I came here to hide out until my reinforcements show up. I didn’t want to risk running into Paul on my own. To be honest, he scares the shit out of me. The stories I’ve heard…” Sam shook his head. “Do you have any idea what kind of man you’re involved with?”
“Does your wife?” Jillian immediately regretted it. Making nasty remarks to a man holding a gun on you wasn’t a good idea.
Sam chuckled. “Touché. I’d think you’d understand, since your background’s a hell of a lot like mine, with a dad who pulled a disappearing act and a mom who barely put food on the table. I like the FBI, but it pays shit, and that grinds on you. Especially when you see all those people earning big bucks doing nice, safe jobs in climate-controlled offices. Driven around in limos, drinking hundred-dollar bottles of wine, and eating in fancy restaurants, while you’re driving a ten-year-old Saturn and eating hot dogs and drinking Budweiser. When this opportunity knocked, I went for it.”
“Some things are more important than money.”
“Only if you’ve got money.” Sam snorted. “You should talk. You managed to snag one of the richest bastards in the country.”
“I didn’t even know about Paul’s money until yesterday.”
“Yeah, sure. Why else would a nice lady doctor like you get involved with a man like Paul Devlin? He can be charming, but that doesn’t change the kind of shit he does for a living, the kind of man he is. Not your type at all.”
“I didn’t—”
Sam held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing you. I actually admire the way you seized the opportunity, and I can’t make moral judgments about you. Just don’t go pretending you can make them about me.” He pointed his gun at the tunnel. “Start crawling.”
The flicker of hope fizzled out. A miraculous rescue wasn’t going to happen. Jillian managed to get onto her hands and knees and make her frozen body crawl, her breath coming in painful gasps. In no time at all, she wriggled into the blinding sunlight. Funny how much shorter the tunnel seemed when you were in no rush to leave its reassuring confines.
“Stand up.” Sam released her ankle and poked her calf with his gun.
She got to her feet. Everything was peaceful, no planes, bombs, or loud voices, not even any lingering smoke. The sky was a brilliant blue, the sun warm. Another day in paradise, but not for her.
“Call for Paul,” Sam said.
She kept her lips clenched shut. Sam clearly intended to use her to lure Paul. Otherwise, he would have killed her in the cave. She wasn’t about to cooperate.
“Do it.” He jammed the gun into her back.
On the other hand, this didn’t seem worth getting shot over, especially since she doubted Paul was anywhere around. She called his name a couple times.
Sam grasped her arm with his free hand, the gun still boring into her back. “Now we walk.”
“Where are we going?” Jillian asked.
“To find your boyfriend. You know, they call him the Devil.” Sam urged her forward with the barrel of his gun. “Damned appropriate, since he’s sure made your life a living hell.”
Chapter 28
Jillian struggled to keep her face expressionless as two men stepped out of the trees and onto the path, men she’d first seen a lifetime ago at a Colorado gas station.
Sometime during her walk from the cave, her initial frigid terror had subsided into an icy numbness, and her brain had resumed functioning. Too bad all she could think about was how stupid she’d been. Why hadn’t she killed Sam when she’d had the chance? If she’d followed Paul’s instructions to trust only him or Ryan, she’d still be safely in the cave, and Paul wouldn’t have her or Sam to worry about. Why hadn’t she done it?
Because she’d panicked at the thought that Paul might be hurt. Because she couldn’t shoot anyone after all. Because she’d blown it big time.
“I’m Vince Taurino.” The distinguished, gray-haired man she’d spilled coffee on extended his hand. “It’s a pleasure, Dr. Rodgers.”
She ignored it.
Sam jabbed her back with the gun.
Taurino simply looked amused. “Shaking hands is such a crude American custom, isn’t it?” He kissed her on each cheek.
She wouldn’t cringe. A man like Taurino would probably view any show of distaste as a challenge.
“Where did you find her?” Taurino had taken a step away, but was still standing close enough for Jillian to smell his cologne, something subtle and clearly expensive that had her fighting the urge to gag.
“After I took care of the guys at the house, I went to wait for you in a cave I saw Devlin go into a couple days ago,” Sam said. “He’d stashed her there for safekeeping.”
“His mistake,” Taurino said. “Now as soon as Walker and Peters arrive—”
Sam frowned. “They aren’t coming. We passed them on our way. They’d been blown to hell.”
“How unfortunate.” Taurino pursed his lips. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Dr. Rodgers, but perhaps as a physician, it didn’t distress you as much as it would have other women.”
Jillian’s reaction to the dead bodies had actually been relief, both that the worrisome noise hadn’t hurt Paul and Ryan and that the victims were so clearly dead even Hippocrates wouldn’t have tried to help them.
“Seeing the type of violence your lover is capable of is no doubt upsetting.” Taurino rested a hand on her arm.
Jillian forced herself not to jerk away.
“We had to check you out when you pointed at me,” he said. “Especially since you’d seen me close up. But we never expected to have to do more until we spotted you with Devlin. We had no choice but to target you since I couldn’t believe he’d be with an innocent woman and risk having her caught in the crossfire.” He shook his head. “Obviously, his reputation for chivalry is undeserved.”
Taurino moved his hand to Jillian’s loose hair, combing through it with his fingers. He gave her a look that had undoubtedly caused innumerable women to shiver, but made her skin crawl. “I can’t understand men who treat women callously.” His voice was as low and smooth as a slithering python. “I make it a practice to treat my women well. I have never caused a woman any pain.” A smile ruffled his lips. “Except, perhaps, when I said good-bye.” He threaded his fingers through Jillian’s hair again, this time pulling it toward him and examining it. “Is that your natural color?”
Sam’s gun prodded her back. She nodded.
Taurino ran a finger over her lips. “I would enjoy making certain.” His slow smile had Jillian suppressing a shudder. “I think you’d find me a much more satisfying lover than a man like Paul Devlin.” His smile turned rueful. “Pity I don’t have the time.”
He turned his dark eyes to Sam. “Have you seen Devlin?”
Sam shook his head. “He’s probably at the house or in the office.”
“I agree. By the way, thanks for sending the location and layout of the island.”
“I overheard Harry giving the coordinates when he called about a sailboat that came too close,” Sam said. “Once I figured out how to get around the security features, getting the information out was easy. I’ve always been a computer geek, not that anyone at the bureau would give a damn since I don’t have a fancy degree.”
Taurino nodded, the silver in his hair glinting in the bright sunlight. “I assume you’ve dealt with all the others at the compound.”
“If Paul’s there, he’s alone.”
“Thanks to you, we also have a bargaining chip.” Taurino trailed his finger down Jillian’s cheek. “Not that we need one, but it will be nice to end this thing quickly and cleanly.”
* * * *
Leaving Mac in the office with one of the two-way radios and instructions to watch the monitors, Paul and Ryan returned to the house.
Five minutes later Mac called. “Someone’s coming down the path.”
“Taurino?” Paul asked.
“No, Sam,” Mac said. “And Jillian.”
Paul felt like he’d been knifed in the gut. “Is she all right?”
Mac was silent for what seemed hours. “She doesn’t look hurt. She’s walking beside Sam. They’re on the road leading to the house. Taurino stepped out of the trees with a guy with a black beard.”
Taurino was there, too. The knife twisted. “What’s happening now?”
“They’re talking to Taurino. Now Taurino’s kissing Jillian on the cheek.”
“What’s Jillian doing?”
“Standing there, letting him kiss her,” Mac said. “Now Taurino’s talking to her. He’s touching her hair, and she’s still just standing there. She doesn’t seem upset. Are you sure they didn’t get to her?”
“Think about it, Paul,” Ryan said from beside him. “Maybe Sam got to her before, or maybe she went looking for them, figuring she’d have a better chance of being on the winning side. How else would they have found her?”
“She isn’t in on it.”
If Paul’s certainty didn’t convince Ryan, his harsh tone and expression at least convinced him to drop it. Ryan silently walked over to one of the arched windows, separated the gold silk drapes a few inches, and peered out.
“They’re walking toward the front gate,” Mac said. “Oh, sorry I questioned Jillian. Sam’s got a gun stuck in her back. That’s why she’s being so cooperative.”
Paul forced away a sudden vivid picture of Sam tripping, the gun accidentally firing, Jillian falling. He had to keep his cool if he was going to get her out of there alive. “I’m locking the gate.”
Ryan turned from the window. “Are you sure? They’ll know we’re here.”
“They have Jillian. And they’ll only know I’m here. They assume Mac’s dead, and you’re gone.”
“You think they’ll use her to lure you out?”
“They’d damn well better.” Paul walked over to the control panel and locked the front gate. “What’s happening now?” he asked Mac.
“Taurino, Sam, Jillian, and the bearded guy are at the front gate,” Mac said. “Sam tried to open the gate and couldn’t. Now he and Taurino are talking.”
“Is Jillian okay?” Paul asked.
“Looks like it,” Mac said. “Sam doesn’t have a gun poking her back anymore.”
“Devlin.” A voice blared through the living room intercom.
“Taurino’s talking on the intercom,” Mac said through the radio.
“Mr. Devlin, I know you’re in there since Sam left the gate unlocked.”
“Shouldn’t you answer?” Ryan asked.
“He’s not leaving,” Paul said. “Take the tunnel to the office.”
“I assume this means you have a plan.”
Paul nodded. Unfortunately, he hadn’t come up with any alternative plans, so this one had to work.
“Give Mac a gun and have him hide in those bushes.” Paul pointed to a cluster of leafy bushes about fifteen feet in front of the house. “You can figure out your own position, but keep hidden. Once you two are set, I’ll have everyone come inside the fence and get Taurino to agree to trade me for Jillian. When he’s released her, you and Mac take them out.”
Ryan looked at him in disbelief. “And have you end up dead? No way.”
“I think I can convince Taurino to send the bearded guy to their get-away boat,” Paul said. “That way only Sam and Taurino will be inside, so you and Mac will only have one each to kill.”
“Mr. Devlin?” Taurino’s voice blared through the intercom. “Do me the courtesy of answering.”
“Vince Taurino, I presume,” Paul said, then switched off the intercom and focused on Ryan. This was going to be a hard sell, but Ryan was going to have to accept it. It was the only way. “When they come inside, Taurino will most likely be holding a gun on Jillian so I won’t shoot him. Since his primary goal is to kill me, it should be simple to get him to trade her for me. I’ll let him know Mac’s alive and will shoot him if he doesn’t release her, but I won’t tell him you’re here.”
“But—”
“Have Mac shoot Sam and you take out Taurino.” Paul didn’t have time for Ryan’s objections. “I trust you not to shoot too soon.”
“What do you consider too soon?”
“Before Jillian’s out of the way.”
“We need to talk, Mr. Devlin.” Taurino’s tone was tinged with impatience.
Ryan shook his head vehemently. “I’m not about to agree to a plan like that. If I wait to shoot Taurino until Jillian’s in the clear, you’ll be dead.”
“I’ll tell them I’ve summoned help. Maybe Taurino will decide to keep me alive until he’s sure he doesn’t need a hostage. That will give me time to escape.”
“You won’t be able to escape,” Ryan said. “You’re still a dead man. And I’ll bet he’ll kill you right away and take his chances.”
Paul met Ryan’s eyes. “I’m officially in charge here. This is the plan, and you’ll follow it, no matter what you think of it.” He managed a faint smile. “I’ll be fine if you shoot Taurino before he gets a shot off. You’re always bragging you’re such a quick shot.”
“He’ll shoot at the same time he releases Jillian,” Ryan said. “No one’s that quick. You’re basically committing suicide here.”
“Not necessarily,” Paul said. “If you shoot Taurino before Jillian’s safely out of the way, I’ll kill you. Got it?”
Ryan scrutinized him.
Taurino’s voice came over the intercom again.
Paul ignored it, his gaze never leaving Ryan’s.
Ryan nodded once. “I’ve got it. You’d better answer him.” He left the living room.
Paul let out a relieved breath. Ryan wouldn’t let him down. He flipped the intercom switch again. “Excuse me, Mr. Taurino? You wanted something?”
Chapter 29
“I have a close friend of yours with me, Mr. Devlin,” Taurino said. “Dr. Jillian Rodgers.”
The smugness in Taurino’s voice, knowing he had his hands on Jillian, increased Paul’s determination to get her away from him ASAP. He opened his mouth.
“What I propose is a deal,” Taurino said. “I’ll trade the lady for you.”
Paul couldn’t have arranged this better if he’d sent Taurino a script. He didn’t want to seem too eager. “How do I know you really have her?”
“Check the monitors,” Sam said.
“It’s nice to know where you are, Sam,” Paul said. “I was wondering when you weren’t in the house.”
“I was busy tracking down Jillian. You should have been more careful when you checked out the cave the other day.”
Damn. He’d brought some weapons to the cave while Jillian was with Ryan and had been too distracted by jealousy to be alert. “I’m in the house. No monitors here. Let me talk to Jillian.”
“Say hello, Dr. Rodgers,” Taurino said.
“Stay inside, Paul,” Jillian said. “They know Harry and Mac are dead and you’re alone. They’ll kill you if—”
Paul’s gut constricted as her voice broke off. “What did you do to her?”
“Put a hand over her mouth,” Taurino said.
“He didn’t hurt her,” Mac said over the radio.
Thank God. Count on Jillian to realize the importance of confirming that Taurino didn’t know Ryan was on the island.
“So can we deal?” Taurino asked. “You for the lady.”<
br />
Ryan had left only two minutes ago. He’d need more time. “What makes you think I care what happens to her?”
“Reports are you enjoy her in your bed.”
Paul managed a derisive laugh. “Would you make that kind of deal for every woman you’ve enjoyed?”
“True,” Taurino responded. “She reportedly isn’t your usual type either. But you must feel guilty about involving her in this.”
“I didn’t involve her. You went after her because she pointed at you at a gas station.”
“If she hadn’t been with you, we’d have left her alone after a perfunctory check.” Taurino chuckled. “How’s that for a coincidence, that with all the women you had to choose from in Colorado, you happen to pick the one who made me suspicious? Although I was surprised you risked any woman’s safety like that. Given your reputation.”
“Given your reputation, it’s likely you’d have killed her even if she hadn’t come near me,” Paul said, more to stall than because it made any difference now.
“I guess you’ll never know,” Taurino said. “Dr. Rodgers will definitely die unless you agree to my deal. Think about that.”
“You’ll release her if I surrender to you?” Paul asked.
“Correct.”
“To be blunt, even if I’d consider your deal, why the hell would I believe you’d honor it?”
“I’ll give you my word as a gentleman.”
Paul snorted. “You’re no gentleman, Taurino.”
“Actually I am,” Taurino said. “That’s something we have in common, even though I lack your pedigree and privileged upbringing. My sources told me all about your prominent family. When I remodeled my new house in—let’s say a hospitable foreign venue—I put in all your family’s appliances. The high-end models, of course. How’s that for another coincidence?”
“Life’s full of them,” Paul said. “Apparently your sources didn’t inform you I’m not a fool. You’ll never let Jillian go now that she knows you’re alive.”