“I’m here,” the young man said. His voice was shaky. No surprise there. He’d likely just come very close to being killed.
“Are you hurt?”
Bobby didn’t answer right away, causing Colin some uneasy moments. “I’m fine. Just shaken up a little. I was still a good twenty yards away from the explosive device when it went off.”
“He’s fine,” Colin relayed to Jerry. “I’ll check him out and call you back if he needs help.” Though with Boyd’s no-ambulance rule, it might be hard to get Bobby away from the estate.
Colin ended the call and handed Danielle the phone so he could help Bobby up the stairs. The young man was covered with a fine powdery dust, but Colin didn’t see any cuts or gashes. Thank God. Bobby had gotten lucky.
Bobby clicked off his flashlight and brushed off some of the dust. “I’m guessing Boyd did this?”
“Yeah. And there might be more explosives.”
With his breath gusting, Bobby carried his equipment back to the coffee table. “Guess I’ll have to settle for poor reception up here.”
Now that he was certain that Bobby was okay, Colin turned his attention to Danielle. Yep. She was still pale. Still trembling. And he didn’t think it was because of their near kiss. Either this stress was getting to her, or she was sick.
Colin took the phone from her. She had the cell clutched in a death grip. “Why don’t you get some rest? It could end up being a long day, and night.”
Danielle’s chin came up, a sign that she was about to argue with him. But she didn’t. She wearily pushed her hair away from her face. “I’ll pick up the things that the explosion knocked down.”
“I’ll do that later. Rest,” he insisted.
She looked around as if deciding what she should do. Rest obviously wasn’t something she planned to consider. “Jerry said they brought us a laptop. I think I’ll use it to see if I can figure out a way to contact Luke through the video game.”
“You can do that?” Colin asked.
“Maybe, if he’s playing online. But it’s a long shot. Most kids his age only play with their game system, but I know some parents who set up the game online so they can play with their kids even when they go away on trips. Besides, I doubt Boyd would let him go on the Internet, though.” She took the laptop from one of the equipment bags. “Still, I have to try.”
Danielle carried the laptop into the bedroom. She didn’t shut the door, and instead of sitting on the bed, where she might be able to take a nap, she took the straight-backed chair in the corner of the room.
“Nothing’s going on inside the estate,” Bobby relayed to Colin. “It sounds as if the boy’s still playing his video game.”
Good. So, Boyd hadn’t taken his anger out on Luke. That was something, at least. Colin sank down onto the sofa next to Bobby and called Jerry back. However, it wasn’t Jerry who answered. It was Dylan.
“Everything okay?” Colin asked.
“Maybe not. Jerry and I just checked the tunnel, and the one leading to the road is fine, but the others, well, it’s probably best if we don’t go back down for a while. I’m pretty sure some of the support beams are cracked. Plus, there was another trip wire leading off one of the side tunnels. There’s no telling how many explosives Boyd has set down here.”
Great. Just great. That tunnel could have been an escape route, and Colin was very much afraid he would need one for Danielle before this was over.
“I don’t think Boyd wants to blow up the place,” Dylan continued. “But he’s definitely trying to deter anyone from coming down here.”
Then that meant Colin had to do everything to make sure this standoff ended with the arrival of that helicopter tomorrow.
“We’re headed back to town now,” Dylan added. “But we’ll get an expert up here to check out the tunnels.”
“Thanks.” Colin hung up and made another call to Agent Tom Ryan for an update.
Tom answered right away. “Jerry Ortiz just called about the explosion. Is everyone okay?”
“For now.” He’d try to keep it that way. Colin considered mentioning that Danielle wasn’t feeling well, but he knew that would only rile her. Besides, he couldn’t get her out until the tunnels were checked, and that might take a while. “What’s the latest on the helicopter and ransom money?”
“The helicopter is firm, and we have an agent who can pilot it. Griffin Vaughn will have all the money together by tonight.” Tom paused, and Colin knew what that pause was all about. Just because Boyd might get his demands, it didn’t mean this would result in a smooth transfer.
“I’ll do whatever I need to do,” Colin promised. Paused. “Talk to me about Dylan and Jerry. Are they men you both trust?”
“I’d trust Dylan with my life.”
Well, that was a start. “And Jerry?”
Tom cleared his throat. “He used to be the best, but he’s had a tough time recently with a bad divorce.”
Ah, something Colin knew a little about. A divorce could certainly affect a man’s concentration. “Thanks for the info. And call me if there’s a hitch with either of Boyd’s demands.” Colin hung up in case Boyd phoned back. He had call-waiting on the cell, but he didn’t want any delays when it came to Luke.
Colin slipped the cell into his pocket and got up so he could pick up the pictures and other items that had fallen during the explosion. He started with the broken glasses and worked his way around the room. He had his hands full when he glanced in the bedroom at Danielle.
She was in the chair, computer on her lap. She’d unbuttoned her jacket. The top of her blouse, too. And she was asleep. Man, she looked exhausted.
He put the broken items into the trash and went back to the bedroom, quietly closing the door so that the transmission from Bobby’s equipment wouldn’t wake her. He eased the laptop aside and put it on the dresser. She didn’t wake up. Didn’t even flinch. So, he picked her up to move her to the bed.
Colin only made it one step.
Her eyes fluttered open, slowly, and her gaze drifted to him. She shook her head as if trying to fight off the effects of sleep. Wait. Not sleep. Her eyes widened. Her breath went thin. And because he was holding her, he felt her body go soft and warm.
She was fighting it, he could feel that, but she slid her arm around his neck. Her mouth came to his. Not willingly. This seemed to be the last thing on earth she wanted to do, but she didn’t stop.
That kiss jolted through him.
She made a sound of utter frustration and deepened the kiss. She tasted as good as she always had. Maybe better. Because Colin suddenly felt starved for her.
And that meant this had to stop.
“Danielle,” he warned.
She made another of those frustrated sounds and turned slightly so that her left breast was pressed right against him.
“Colin,” she warned back.
But then, her eyes widened. And widened some more before she groaned and forced herself to move away from him.
“Don’t read too much into that,” she said, as if that explained everything. She wiggled out of his arms, and in doing so wiggled against him.
He was toast.
She stood, fixed her clothes that in no way needed fixing. Fixed her hair, too. And tried to look indignant and unaffected by that kiss.
“I’m sorry,” she added, turning.
But because he was aroused and apparently stupid, he caught on to her and stopped her from putting any distance between them. “I’m not sorry.” Though he should be. Obviously, being aroused made him say dumb things in addition to doing them.
She drew in a shallow breath. “Colin…”
Uh-oh. He felt another lecture coming on, and since that wasn’t going to make him want to kiss her less, he decided to nip the lecture in the bud. “I know you don’t want to be married to me, but that doesn’t kill the attraction. You’ve already admitted it’s still there.”
She didn’t say anything, but she did concede he was right with a shrug. St
ill, that didn’t stop her from turning away and starting for the bathroom.
Colin saw it then.
Because her jacket was open and the top three buttons of her blouse were undone, he saw the gold chain. And the wedding and engagement rings that hung on the chain.
She followed his gaze, and her hand flew to cover the rings. It was too late.
He reached out and caught on to the rings. Despite the gold and diamonds, they were warm because they’d been next to her skin.
“Don’t read too much into this, either,” Danielle said. She pushed his hand away and went into the bathroom.
But he did read a lot into it. Why was Danielle wearing her rings around her neck? Did that mean she hadn’t given up on their marriage?
Colin intended to find out.
He went after her and grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her back around so she was facing him. Yeah, it was stupid. But he didn’t care. He had to know why she was still wearing the rings he’d given her. Rings that symbolized their marriage.
“Why?” But that was as far as he got with his question.
Their eyes met. The fire that was always there between them went off like a powder keg. Colin shoved his hand into her hair, hauled her to him.
And he kissed her.
There was nothing dreamy and sleepy about this one. It was hot, hungry and filled with months of longing and need. His need. And hers. Danielle proved that need when her arms went around him, and she kissed him back.
Just like every other kiss they’d shared, this one quickly got out of control. Her hands were on him. Touching his chest. Something that couldn’t happen because her touches made him crazy, so he grabbed both of her wrists in one hand and pinned them against the doorframe.
That didn’t stop her. She fought to get closer and played dirty. She ground against him. Her sex against his. While they played that crazy erotic dance with their mouths. It didn’t take long before Colin knew he was out of control.
Did that stop him?
No.
He caught her leg, lifting it so that it slid along the outside of his thigh. The sliding created some interesting sensations, but they were paltry compared to the hard contact that happened with her sex against his. That’s because, with their new sex-against-the-doorframe stance, her skirt hiked up.
Nearly all the way up her thigh.
And those silky red panties skimmed right against his zipper.
Oh, man. He wanted her bad. And that couldn’t happen. He repeated that to himself several times. Managed to regain a little control. But that control went south when Danielle shifted her body. He reacted to that shift and his hand went from her leg to her thigh.
His fingers curved along the inside of her thigh.
So close to those red panties that he stood no chance of resisting. He touched her. Barely. His fingers skimmed over that warm, damp silk, and he felt her respond. She responded in other ways, too. Her breath raced. Her hips arched forward and his skimming fingers turned into a full-fledged touch.
He couldn’t have sex with her. His brain knew that, though this was such familiar ground for his body that he had a hard time convincing certain parts of himself. Well, one part anyway. No sex. But he could give her a little relief from this pressure cooker that their kisses had created.
Colin adjusted and slid his hand up, so he could move his finger down her stomach and into her panties. But she stopped with his fingertips nearly touching her skin.
Actually, she froze.
And she latched on to his wrist and pushed his hand away.
“I can’t,” Danielle said through rough gusts of breath.
She drew down her leg, as well, and shoved her skirt back in place.
He mentally skidded to a halt, and Colin stared at her. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts. More moments before he managed to speak. “You’re right.”
And she was. They had to stop, but what he couldn’t figure out was why it’d come at that exact moment. She’d been fine—translation: she’d been on fire—until the kiss had turned to more intimate touching.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. She looked away. Frowned. Sighed. And generally looked as uncomfortable as she could possibly look. “We need to talk. After Luke is rescued.”
He studied her puzzling expression and nodded. “Okay. About what?” And he hoped to hell this wasn’t a confession that she’d found someone else.
But she didn’t answer. Danielle just stared at him with her mouth poised to say something apparently pretty darn important.
The knock cut off anything she’d been about to confess.
“Colin, you need to come out and listen to this,” Bobby said from the other side of the door.
Since Bobby’s request seemed more than a little urgent, Colin turned and went right away. Danielle was right behind him. Good thing, too, since this might involve her trying to keep Luke calm. However, it wasn’t Luke’s voice that Colin heard when he went back into the living room and walked closer to the eavesdropping device.
Boyd was talking to someone.
“You should have warned me that somebody was going into the tunnels,” Boyd said.
That got Colin’s full attention. “Who’s he talking to?” he asked Bobby.
“I don’t know. And we can’t hear the other side of the conversation. So far, Boyd hasn’t mentioned anyone’s name.”
No, but it was clear he was talking to someone who should have insider knowledge of the tunnels. And therefore, the estate.
Hell.
This meant they might have a mole after all. Or else Boyd had someone positioned near the estate. Someone he was relying on to do surveillance.
Colin really hoped it was the latter.
“That’s not an excuse,” Boyd snarled to the person on the other end of the line. “We pay you to help, and you’re not helping if you can’t or won’t tell me what’s going on.”
Colin moved even closer to the device. Danielle, too. And with her attention pinned to the conversation, she sank down onto the arm of the sofa.
“What about the helicopter?” Boyd snapped.
Colin wished he could hear what’d prompted that question. And what caused Boyd to pause. Maybe when the disk was sent to the lab and enhanced, they’d be able to figure out who this person was. One thing was for sure, Colin didn’t want the new lab assistant, Rusty Cepeda, to have anything to do with the disks.
And he wanted to make sure Jerry was on the up-and-up. From everything he’d heard about Dylan, the man was trustworthy, but he wasn’t so sure about Jerry.
“No,” Boyd said, his voice slightly calmer now. “Don’t worry about the negotiator and the doc. I’ve got plans to take care of them.”
Danielle raked her fingers over her eyebrow and shifted slightly. Colin had a slightly stronger reaction. Every muscle in his body knotted. Boyd’s comment sounded like a threat.
“I said I’d take care of them,” Boyd repeated. He paused. “No. I need them alive, for now, so they can do a few chores for me.”
And with that, Boyd laughed. “I hope they get a good night’s sleep because tomorrow…well, let me just say there’ll be hell to pay.”
“HELL TO PAY,” he repeated under his breath. He slapped the phone shut and cursed.
He hated to admit it but Boyd was on some kind of power trip. Or else he’d gone crazy. Maybe both. But it was clear that Boyd was working his own agenda.
Which could be dangerous.
He couldn’t afford for Boyd to start blabbing, and the man seemed way too close to doing just that.
The game plan had been simple. Find the fifty million dollars that Del Gardo had hidden, get out, and the two of them could split the generous “finder’s fee” that Nicky Wayne would give them. But had Boyd done that?
No.
Instead, Boyd had gotten himself into a half-assed situation where he had to take a kid hostage. Nothing like having agents and crime lab workers combing the estate and finding that money.
Yeah, Boyd had really screwed things up.
And he could do worse than that.
Boyd could give away the identity of the so-called “mole.”
He cursed again. That couldn’t happen. Because he was the mole, and one way or another, he had to stop Colin, Danielle and anyone else from finding out. And if he had to kill them, so be it. He would.
Hell to pay, indeed.
He took a moment to compose himself, wiped the concern off his face and went into the Kenner County Crime Unit so he could get to work.
Chapter Six
Hell to pay.
Boyd’s words went through Colin’s head as he poured Danielle and himself cups of coffee. So did the other part of that conversation.
I need them alive, for now…
That had kept Colin up for most of the night.
From the moment Boyd had ordered them from the van to the guesthouse, Colin had feared for Danielle’s safety. For her life. And Boyd had made it crystal clear that Danielle and he were mere pawns in this. Boyd would kill them—or at least try—if and when he decided they were expendable.
Colin grabbed the two mugs of black coffee and walked past Bobby, who was essentially monitoring silence. Luke had gone to bed around nine, and other than Boyd rattling around in the estate, there’d been no other sounds. Definitely no other phone conversations. It’d made for a quiet night. Too bad none of them had managed to get much sleep despite the uneventful hours.
Bobby had stayed in the living room, with the monitoring equipment on so he wouldn’t miss anything. Danielle had taken the bed, and Colin had ended up on the floor. He didn’t mind the discomfort, because he knew he would just toss and turn anyway. And besides, it hadn’t seemed a smart idea to climb onto that king-size bed with her. His brain was on autopilot when it came to Danielle.
The kiss had proven that.
Colin went back into the bedroom where Danielle was sitting with the laptop. She’d showered earlier, and even though she’d had no choice but to put back on the same clothes, she now smelled like strawberry shampoo.
“No luck with the video game,” she told him. “Luke didn’t play any of it online.”
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