“It’s okay, it’s me. Just keep quiet.”
She twisted her head, staring at him with wild eyes, the light from the moon revealing her terror, and her identity. He had to admit he was disappointed it was the hateful girl who had managed to escape, there others more deserving.
He stared her in the eyes. “Are you going to keep quiet?”
She nodded.
He slowly removed his hand.
“They killed him!”
He slapped his hand over her mouth again, glaring at her. “They’ll kill both of us if you don’t keep your voice down. Now, are you going to keep quiet? Last chance.”
She nodded again, and this time, as he removed his hand, kept her mouth shut.
A good thing, since the only other option he could think of was a sleeper hold.
“How many are there?”
She shook her head. “I-I don’t know. At least ten, maybe more.”
“Who did they kill?”
“Dyson. My boyfriend.”
Acton frowned. He was a punk, though so were most early-twenties boys trying to be men. “Why?”
“I think because the driver died.”
Acton cursed. Sipho was a good man, a man he could see as a friend if there had been enough time, but now he was dead. All because of greed. And if it was his brother that had attacked them, he’d be feeling guilty over Sipho’s death.
And that made him unpredictable.
“Did they say anything else?”
Another headshake. “No, I-I just ran.”
“Okay, I need to get closer to hear what’s going on.”
“Closer!” She slapped two hands over her own mouth before removing them slowly. “Closer?” she whispered. “Are you insane?”
“Certifiable, but that’s my wife out there, and I’m going to save her, even if I have to kill every single one of those bastards. And in order to do that, I need intel.” He looked at her, shaking like the grass around her. “You stay here. I’ll come back for you. If something happens to me, wait until they leave, then keep going down this road until you get to the lodge.”
“B-but what about animals?”
He handed her the gun, never having lost his grip on it despite his fall. “Do you know how to use this?”
“I’ve done some skeet shooting with my daddy.”
He emptied his pockets of the remaining ammo, handing it to her. “If anything gets close, be big, be loud, and if that doesn’t work, then blast this at it. It should scare pretty much anything away.”
“A-are you going to save my friends?”
He looked at her. “I’m going to try and save everyone. Now wait here, and try not to shoot me when I come back.”
“Umm, shouldn’t we have a code word or something, you know, like in the movies?”
Acton smiled slightly, it a good idea. And he decided it would be best if the panicking young woman chose it. “Any suggestions?”
“Umm, how about Talia and Deavon?”
Acton’s eyes narrowed. “Who are they?”
“Lil’ Bratz dolls.”
Oy!
“Fine. I’ll be back as soon as I can, but don’t be alarmed if it takes a while. I might not be able to move very quickly. Just keep your head down and keep quiet until I get back or they leave.”
“Okay.”
He turned to leave when she reached out and grabbed his arm.
“I-I’m sorry for the way I acted.”
He looked into her eyes, eyes that darted away with embarrassment and shame, then met his with an earnestness that had him believing her. He patted her hand. “We were all young once. Don’t worry about it.”
She lunged forward, dropping the gun and wrapping her arms around him, her shoulders heaving. “Be careful,” she gasped.
“I will.” He patted her back and gently pushed her away, turning and rapidly moving through the tall grass before she could delay him any further. He had to hear what they were planning.
Laura’s life might just depend on it.
“Where’s the gold?”
Laura glared at Tladi. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Tladi pointed at the others. “Perhaps if I kill some more of your friends, you might be more willing to talk.”
Laura decided their best chance of survival was to make him think they truly did know nothing for now, the longer she could delay their leaving this location, the more chance Reading would have to get the local authorities here. “You can kill everyone, it won’t change the fact I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you let us go now, nothing will happen to you. We don’t know who you are, so there’s nothing we can tell the authorities.”
Tladi smiled slightly, pointing his weapon at Sipho. “That was my brother, and you know that. If I let you go, you will tell them this, and they will find me.” He wagged the gun at her. “You think I’m stupid, don’t you? A dumb kaffir that you can outwit?”
Laura tensed, it clear there would be no tricking this man. She had been hoping for an idiot, not because of the color of his skin, but because he was a criminal.
No such luck.
And these men would kill them all to save themselves unless they had some reason to keep them alive. And right now, she could think of only two reasons to do so—information that might lead them to the gold, or the far more terrifying reason, the satisfaction of the carnal lust in the eyes of the men around her, three women here they might have their way with before ultimately killing them.
She had to protect herself and the others from that fate, and there was only one way she could think of.
Leverage the little bit of knowledge they had.
She stared at him. “Why do you think we’ve got the gold?”
He reached forward, ripping the medallion off her chest. He held up the imprint of the Kruger coin. “Because of this. I know the old man found it in the field.”
Laura’s mouth went dry, there no way he should be privy to that information, unless—the thought turned her stomach. “H-how do you know that?”
“Because Florence told me.”
Laura’s chest tightened with trepidation and rage. She glared at him, her fists clenching. “What did you do to her?”
Tladi chuckled, exchanging a glance with his men. “Nothing that hasn’t been done before.”
“You bastard! She’s just a girl!”
His hand darted out, grabbing her between the legs. “And you’re a woman. Maybe I should show you what I did. It made her talk, maybe it will make you.”
“Just tell him, for God’s sake!”
Laura glanced at Angeline, her eyes wide with terror, her husband patting her head as he held her tight.
Tladi smiled, the fact there was a secret now revealed. “Yes, why don’t you tell me, for God’s sake?” He tapped the barrel of his gun against her chest. “And your own.”
Acton slithered through the tall grass until within earshot, not hearing much beyond demands to know where the gold was. Laura was taking the brunt of the questioning, the others saying nothing beyond a plea from Angeline to reveal the secret.
“Fine, I’ll tell you.”
Good girl, buy time.
“But I want you to let them go.”
There was a laugh, probably from Tladi, Acton crawling closer to see. He frowned at the sight, Tladi standing in front of Laura, his weapon pointed at her chest. “You’re in no position to bargain.” He cocked his head toward the others, huddled together near the rear of the overturned vehicle. “How about I let them live? Does that sound like a fair deal?”
Laura said nothing, her jaw squared as he knew she was evaluating her options.
Tladi pushed his gun into one of her breasts.
Bastard!
“Speak, or die.”
She sighed. “It’s in an old mine.”
Tladi smiled, removing the weapon from Laura’s chest. “That’s better. Where?”
Laura pointed at the body of Sipho. “Ask h
im.”
The gun shoved into Laura’s stomach and she doubled over with a gasp. Every muscle in Acton’s body tensed as he prepared to spring from the darkness, but he resisted the urge to tear the bastard’s throat out.
“Don’t get smart with me. What mine?”
Laura shrugged. “I don’t know. Sipho said he knew where it was.”
One of Tladi’s men stepped out of the shadows, glancing about nervously. “Boss, we gotta go before someone comes.”
Tladi peered down the road in both directions then up at the sky. “Okay, let’s move out. We’ll get the answers from her at the camp.” Tladi grabbed Laura by the arm, dragging her to one of their vehicles still idling nearby. Acton sat up slightly, trying to keep her in sight, desperate to call out to her, to let her know he was alive, that there was still hope.
But he couldn’t reveal his position.
He smiled.
Then executed a birdcall he had perfected in Peru, a fairly decent impression of a little blue heron, something not native to this area.
Laura’s head jerked in his direction for an instance before she feigned a neck spasm, his location secure.
She had received his message.
He was alive.
Now it was up to her to stay the same.
43
The Unit
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
“That’s Maggie’s car, isn’t it?”
Sweets looked to where Spock pointed then frowned. “Yeah, that’s definitely hers.” He cursed. “That means she never left.”
Spock agreed. “Or left with someone else.”
Sweets pulled into a vacant spot. “Or was abducted from here.”
Spock climbed out, his eyes on her car. “I think that’s probably a stretch. This is Bragg. It should be secure.”
Sweets closed his door, locking the car with his fob. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that, but you’d think someone would have seen something, at least. It’s fairly busy around here.”
Spock shook his head as they walked over to her vehicle. “Late on a Friday night? Not necessarily.” He peered through the passenger side window, Sweets doing the same on the other side. “I don’t see a purse or anything.”
“Me neither.”
Spock pulled out his phone, taking shots of the interior then a few of the exterior. “I’m sending these to BD, see if he notices anything odd.” He sighed. “Man, he’s going to freak.”
Sweets nodded. “Yup, this is why I’m staying single.”
Spock’s eyebrow popped as the photos transmitted. “Riiight, this is why.”
Sweets gave him a look. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying you’re undateable. Every relationship you’ve had has been whirlwind—fall for them hard, get too serious too quick.”
Sweets held a hand over his heart. “Ouch. And what’s wrong with that?”
“I don’t know. Why not ask all the women who’ve broken up with you? They oughta be able to give you some insight.” Sweets opened his mouth to defend himself when Spock spotted Red arriving, cutting him off with a raised finger. “Hold that thought.” He strode across the parking lot toward Red, Sweets following, muttering in protest as Red exited his vehicle.
“Is that Maggie’s car?”
“Yup,” replied Spock.
“Shit, something’s definitely wrong.” Red turned and limped quickly toward the Delta HQ, impatiently clearing security. “Is the Colonel here?”
“Not yet, Sergeant,” replied the corporal manning the front desk. “He’s fifteen minutes out.”
“I need access to his office immediately.”
“Sorry, Sergeant, I can’t allow that.”
Spock’s eyebrow rose at the balls the unfortunate corporal was displaying, following the book as he had been trained.
Red jabbed a finger at him. “Do you have access, Corporal?”
“Sergeant?”
“Someone needs to look in his office. Maggie Harris may be inside, injured.”
“Ahh, Sergeant, I haven’t—”
Red’s hands balled into fists. “Corporal, either you open that door, or I’m kicking it down!”
The poor corporal appeared confused, and Spock had to feel for the young man, doing his job properly, flexibility to adapt to the situation at hand drummed out of soldiers at that age and rank. He was probably terrified of what the Colonel might do to him if he found out he allowed a lowly sergeant to access his office without permission.
And that meant this young corporal didn’t know the Colonel.
Red stormed past the corporal, limping toward Colonel Clancy’s office at the end of the hall, Spock and Sweets on his heels, the corporal rushing after them.
“Sergeant! I can’t allow you to do this!”
Spock turned, cutting him off, placing a finger on the corporal’s chest. “Then don’t make him do it. I guarantee you, the Colonel will want this door opened, regardless of what we find.”
The corporal tried to move around him though seemed reluctant to push Spock out of the way as Red and Sweets continued down the hall. Finally, he grabbed his radio. “I’m calling it in!”
Spock smiled. “You do that. Then call maintenance.”
The corporal’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Because there’s going to be a door to fix.”
44
Road to Sabi Sabi Bush Lodge
Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa
Acton watched helplessly as they pulled away, the small convoy leaving the road and heading northeast, away from the lodge and away from civilization. He was under no illusions of keeping up with them on foot, though he might be able to track them, all the vehicles equipped with large tires with thick, knobby treads. If he remembered his forecast, there was no rain in it, so any trail they left should still be there by morning.
For now, he just had to track them while Reading worked to get help into the area.
And there was no time to waste. He turned toward where Courtney should be hiding. “You can come out now!” He could hear her pushing through the grass toward him as he searched the overturned vehicle for supplies. He grabbed all the water and ammo he could find, a hunting knife off of Sipho’s belt, and an emergency kit stashed in the back, a quick inventory revealing some rations, a flashlight, a tent, sleeping bags, and a first aid kit.
Everything they should need to survive the night, though little to help them engage a dozen hostiles.
“How far is it to the lodge?” asked Courtney as she emerged from the grass.
He pointed down the road. “A couple of hours, I’d guess. Just keep walking that way and you’ll get there eventually.”
Courtney stared at him. “Aren’t you coming?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m going after them.”
“Are you nuts! They’ll kill you!”
Acton shoved all his scavenged supplies into a backpack that Gorman had been carrying, emptying out the man’s spare clothes, discovering a few chocolate bars tucked into the bottom.
So the belly’s from not being on dig sites, huh?
“You go back to the lodge and tell them what happened. Have them send help.”
Courtney shook her head. “I’ll be eaten by something before I get there.”
Acton pointed at the rifle in her hand. “Use that like I told you.”
She shook her head, vehemently. “No, we need to stick together.”
“You’ll just slow me down.”
She gave him a look. “I’m half your age. If anyone’s slowing anyone down, it’s you.”
Ouch!
The sad thing was she was probably right, though youth and stamina were one thing, experience another.
“She told them they were looking for the mine. If one of those guys knows where it is, they’ll head directly there, and once they find the gold, they’ll kill all the witnesses. I don’t have time to debate this.”
“There’s actually gold?”
> “Possibly. It doesn’t matter if there is or not, they think there is, and if they find it, or don’t find it, when they’ve decided my wife and the others aren’t worth anything, then they’ll kill them.”
Courtney’s hand darted to her chest. “You think so?”
He nodded toward the body of her boyfriend. “Ask him.” He slung the backpack over his shoulder, shrugging his other arm into the second strap, adjusting it so it would be snug to cut down on chafing. He tested the flashlight he had found in the emergency kit then aimed it toward the lodge. “That way. Now.”
“No way. I’m sticking with you.”
Acton suppressed the growl of frustration desperate to escape. “Fine.” He pointed to the horizon where the lights from the vehicles were still visible. “We need to get there as quickly as possible.”
Courtney held out a hand, presenting the vast distance as if it were his to enjoy. “Don’t let me stop you.”
He turned, breaking out into a jog with a frown on his face.
This isn’t going to work.
45
En Route to Heathrow Airport, London, England
Reading gripped the Oh Jesus! bar as the cabby followed his instructions, careening through traffic under the authority of an Interpol agent who had no authority. His flight left in less than an hour, and he couldn’t risk missing it, his friends in trouble. A quick call to Arthur Pleasance, someone he had worked with at Heathrow when he first investigated Acton for murder, secured a promise to smooth his way through security.
Though he had to get there first.
His desperate hope was that by the time he reached South Africa, all would be resolved, but he’d never be able to live with himself if he were to stay behind and let others, others who lacked the vested interest he had in the situation, deal with it at their leisure.
The wheels, however, were in motion. The moment his call had been cut off with Laura, he had called Interpol, his Director making certain the South African authorities were notified, as well as the Americans.
Wages of Sin (A James Acton Thriller, #17) (James Acton Thrillers) Page 10