Nowhere to Hide (Delos Series Book 1)

by Lindsay McKenna

  Cav saw new light in her eyes. It was hope. If he’d been able to give her that with one kiss, listening to her story and then supporting her with his words, he was more than grateful. So much could have gone wrong today on that cliff as they shared and talked. But it hadn’t.

  He’d been able to thread the needle with Lia and their trust in one another was even more solid as a result. Lia’s sway of her hips did nothing but incite lust in Cav. Some day, he hoped that he could take her to bed and love her, truly love her, as she deserved. Then, and only then, would she honestly know how much he had fallen in love with her.

  As Cav took his shower in the men’s side of the building, scrubbing his hair with shampoo, he admitted to himself that he loved Lia. The idea of love, of loving a woman, had never extended beyond the bedroom before, but with Lia, he enjoyed listening to her thoughts and watching how her mind worked. He instinctively absorbed the rainbow of emotions she wore on her face.

  She was one of the most guileless women he’d ever met yet she had lured him in sweetly and quietly captured his heart. He saw her as a deep, quiet well of water that he wanted to jump into so he could discover what was at its depths.

  Cav had just finished tying his dry hiking boots and was standing when he heard a scream from the direction of the women’s shower room. It was on the other side of the men’s, with only a brick wall separating them.

  Instantly, he drew the Sig from his belt, racing out of the shower area. Tourists were screaming and running everywhere, and there were shouts as Cav skidded around the corner of the building. He spotted two men dragging Lia between them. She was fighting like a wildcat, kicking, screaming and trying to escape.

  His mind instantly went into SEAL mode. Both men were taller than Lia. Their destination was apparently a white van parked near the wall of the jungle.

  He held up his Sig, racing toward them. They appeared to be carrying no weapons, save for a knife in each of their belts. His focus centered on the knives as he checked out Lia’s body. Good, there was no blood and no marks on her from the rear view.

  Visitors to the caves were scattering, frightened, screaming. Women were gathering up their children. Men looked shocked. Cav knew he was alone in this kidnapping. No one had weapons and everyone feared for their own lives. They weren’t running toward trying to help Lia. They were running the opposite direction. Sonofabitch!

  All the noise went away as Cav halted fifty feet away from the van. He shouted at the men, and the tall, blond, white man wearing a red baseball cap jerked a look back across his shoulder. His blue eyes widened as he saw Cav lift the pistol in both hands, aiming it at him.

  “Let her go!” Cav roared, “Or I shoot!”

  The second man, a Latino, shorter with black hair and brown eyes, released Lia, turning and pulling a pistol out of his belt.

  Cav fired, the Sig bucking in his hands. The man flew back four feet; his arms pumping like windmills until he slammed into the ground.

  The blond man cursed, bared his teeth, and yanked a .45 from his belt.

  No way.

  Cav fired again, shooting to kill.

  Lia screamed and fell backward as the man, now being hurled to her left, released his hold around her wrist.

  People were racing around, screaming, and cars were taking off, spurting mud and dirt beneath their tires.

  Cav’s heart came back to a slow pound. Now, his only focus was on Lia as she got unsteadily to her hands and knees. He heard her sobbing, saw that her pale apricot tee was ripped at her shoulder. He snapped his head around, looking for other threats and listening for sounds of danger.

  He saw no one else at the white van they had been heading for.

  “Stay down,” Cav yelled to her, keeping his pistol up, now pointed at the vehicle. He was taking no chances.

  Lia instantly flattened against the ground, covering her head with her hands. Racing to the van, Cav moved his pistol from the front open window toward the back. He saw ropes in the rear and a sleeping bag. That was all. The two men had come alone.

  Allowing his pistol to drop to one hand, Cav quickly rounded the van and knelt down near Lia.

  “Are you hurt?” he rasped, his hand on her arm, helping her sit up. Lia’s face was smudged with dirt, the entire front of her tee dusty along with her jeans. She’d lost a sandal in the battle with the two men. Tears streaked down her dusty face.

  “Oh, God,” she cried, gripping Cav’s arm, “Those are the two who tried to rape me at Bagram! They’re the ones that sliced me up!” she sobbed.

  Stunned, Cav looked around. He saw the owner hurrying toward them, a cell phone in hand. He was probably calling the policia and an ambulance.

  Glancing to his right, he saw the Latino he’d shot begin to move. The blond man was dead. “Stay here,” he ordered Lia harshly, rising. Pulling out the flex cuffs he always carried, he walked over to the Latino, who was now groaning in pain. Cav saw blood on the man’s chest and jerked him over on his back.

  “You sonofabitch,” he snarled, keeping the pistol in his face. “Move and you’re dead.”

  The man gasped, clearly terrified. Cav knew he’d punctured his right lung. Looking up, he called in Spanish to the owner, “Get me some aluminum foil or some plastic wrap. Pronto!”

  The man halted, nodding. He spun around and ran for the small ticket house.

  Cav knelt down, yanking him up by his shirt, snarling in Spanish, “Who the hell are you?”

  “D-don’t kill me!” the man gasped, throwing up his left hand.

  “Tell me who you’re working for or I will,” he hissed, tightening his grip on the collar, choking the Latino. Cav figured it was the drug lord, Medina and these two were hit men, but he wanted to be sure, to know fully what he was up against.

  “M-medina! Dante Medina,” he screamed. “I’m dying! I’m dying! Help me!”

  Cursing him, Cav released him, allowing him to drop to the ground. “Move and you die.”

  He stood, watching the owner come running back with foil waving in his hand.

  Cav jerked the Latino into a sitting position, flex-cuffing his hands behind him. He shoved the Sig into his belt and grabbed the foil. In a matter of moments, he had the foil flush with the bullet wound in the Latino’s chest. Almost instantly, the man started to breathe better, his eyes round with terror.

  “I called the policia,” the owner panted. “What else can I do, Senor?”

  “Watch him,” Cav growled, straightening. “You called an ambulance?”

  “Si, si, they are on their way…”

  “If he moves, tell me,” Cav told him, walking to Lia.

  Leaning down, Cav placed his hands on Lia’s upper arms. “You’re okay now,” he told her quietly, holding her tearful gaze. “It’s over. You’re safe, baby. Safe. Do you hear me? No one’s going to hurt you any more.”

  His voice thickened as he fought to keep his emotions at bay. It was easy with the two kidnappers. But with Lia? She was shaking her arms wrapped around herself, sitting on the ground, whimpers tearing out between her contorted lips.

  “T-they grabbed me as I was coming out of the showers,” she babbled. “I-I didn’t expect—Oh, God, Cav, they were trying to kidnap me!”

  Whispering her name, he hauled Lia into his arms, holding her tightly against him, trying to give her a sense of safety. The sobs ripping out of her sounded like those of a wounded animal caught in a trap.

  Turning his head, he watched the Latino on the ground. The owner was watching him, his hand on his hips, anger on his face. The whole parking area was now devoid of vans and cars. Everyone had rushed to their vehicles, getting out of the line of fire. Cav couldn’t blame them. Tourists were hurriedly running to the busses awaiting them, wanting to get away as well.

  He returned his focus to Lia, gently massaging her shoulders, wanting her to cry until her terror had been fully released. He kept whispering words of solace to her. She clung to him, her fingers digging into the fabric across his chest, h
er face pressed hard against him, the front of his t-shirt damp with her tears.

  This time, Cav knew she was crying for herself. He kissed her hair, her damp temples, letting her know that she was safe.

  Angry with himself, Cav knew he’d let down his guard. He should have stood outside Lia’s shower stall area and waited for her. Dammit, anyway! But Lia had insisted she’d be fine and insisted he go get his shower.

  And she’d almost been kidnapped. Sonofabitch! He stilled the anger and stuffed it into his “kill box” deep down inside him. He’d be writing a report to Robert Culver later on this incident, and he knew his boss would chew him a new ass, for sure. He’d allowed Lia to dissuade him and he shouldn’t have.

  Now, he took stock of Lia. Except for some bruises around her wrists where they’d grabbed her, Cav couldn’t see any other marks. Had they threatened her with those knives again? Were the knives they wore now the same ones that they’d used to cut her five years earlier?

  His eyes narrowed as he inspected the blond kidnapper who laid dead, a long combat knife in the sheath on his right side. Despite his mistakes, he felt deeply satisfied that he’d been there to kill the bastard and sorry he hadn’t killed his partner. But one of them needed to be alive to talk. And talk he would—or else, Cav grimly thought.

  “Can you stand?” he asked Lia gently.

  Sniffing, Lia gave a jerky nod. “I-I’m so dirty…”

  He smiled a little as he lifted her easily to her feet, keeping his arm around her waist, holding her against him.

  “Want to take another shower?”

  Lia looked at the men to the right and left of her, and Cav felt her shrinking into his embrace. Wanting to get her away from the scene, he said, “Come on, let’s get you to the shower. I’ll stand guard while you get clean. And I’ll shake out your clothes and try to get rid of some of the dirt on them.”

  “O-okay,” Lia said, looking around for the first time. Her knees felt wobbly and she was still shaking from the assault. Cav patiently led her across the parking lot and back to the showers. He guided her into one and helped her sit down on the stone bench.

  “The policia will be here soon,” he told her, his hand on the curtain above. “Take your time, okay? I’ll be right outside this curtain.”

  CHAPTER 15

  Everything was a blur for Lia. She sat in the office with two policia who took her statement. Cav never left her side. The desire to run still tunneled through her, but Cav’s calm presence helped her focus as she related exactly what had happened. Sometimes, she broke into English instead of Spanish, and then Cav would interpret for her, noting that Lia’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking.

  Everything was in chaos. The policia were trying to put together the pieces of three criminal acts. There was Lia’s aborted kidnapping, Cav’s fatal shooting of Schaefer, and his serious wounding of Dominguez, who was now in the hospital. The word was that he would live.

  Lia would never forget the murderous look in Cav’s eyes as they took the injured Dominguez into the ambulance. In that split second, she’d seen Cav, the SEAL, on full alert, protecting her with his life. He wanted to move his fingers across her tight, drawn up shoulders as the policia questioned her. But he couldn’t. Not as a professional security contractor. Besides it would confuse the policia. He did give her bottled water, urging her to drink and remain hydrated during the long interview session.

  Finally, Cav called a halt to it, telling the two officers that he needed to get Lia to a doctor because she was injured, too. The men immediately agreed. They told Cav he needed to visit the La Fortuna police headquarters to issue his report on the situation. Cav knew that because he had permission to carry a pistol here, he wouldn’t get jail time. He promised he would go to the police precinct office and talk to the detectives about his role in the shootings after he dropped Lia off at her home.

  Cav came and pulled over a stool in front of Lia’s chair after the policia left the interrogation room. There were no cameras in it, the blinds drawn. It was private for the moment and he took advantage of it for her sake. “Tell me what you need,” he asked gently, holding her hands in his.

  So powerful were her feelings for Cal at that moment that she was at a loss for words. Finally, she said, “I just want to go home.”

  “Okay, then, let’s do it.” He leaned forward and kissed her brow. “Come on, let’s go,” he said, standing up and drawing her into his arms.

  Lia crumpled against him, her arms going around his waist, pressing her cheek into his chest, feeling safe at last.

  Cav had saved her life today. Saved her! She didn’t even want to think what those two were going to do to her this time. Cav’s hand moved comfortingly against her back, skating across her hips and then coming back to her shoulders, she felt as if he were magically removing all the terror and tension still inhabiting her.

  Lia pulled away, looking up into his green and gold eyes. He looked like the operator he was, his mask still in place. “My clothes smell dusty and I need to go home and change into something clean.”

  Cav held her gaze, “So let’s make it happen.”

  The day had started out so beautifully for Lia. The talk she’d had with Cav up on the cliff near the cave had made her heart sing, and their kiss…their kiss had melted her soul and removed that armor she’d hidden behind for so long.

  She’d stepped out of the shower, dressed and was leaving when her whole world upended. Lia had frozen, shocked at suddenly seeing not one, but two of her previous assailants from the motor pool. What on earth were Schaefer and Dominguez doing here? Only when they’d dragged her out had she screamed and started to fight back.

  On the way back to La Fortuna, Lia’s mind began to revive, but Cav was quiet as he drove the SUV. He’d already had several conversations over his mic with Tanner, who was still in the area. Most important to Lia was that when Cav had to give his statement at the police department, Tanner would remain as her guard in her home while he was absent.

  Next, Cav had picked up the satellite phone and called Dilara in Alexandria, Virginia at the Delos Charity Headquarters. He filled her in, as well, and Lia felt badly as she sat there, her clammy hands in her lap, hearing Cav tell Dilara that he had messed up. He knew he should have remained at the women’s shower entrance while she got cleaned up. Guilt ate at Lia because she’d persuaded Cav that it was all right. Yet, he’d accepted all the blame, never mentioning their conversation.

  She prayed that Dilara wouldn’t fire him. When Cav finished with the conversation and turned off the phone, she asked, “Will you get fired?”

  Cav smiled reassuringly. “No. It just goes on my record. That’s all.”

  “Why didn’t you tell her I had a part in that? I’m the one who pleaded with you to let me be and to go take your shower.”

  Cav said somberly, “Because it was my job, Lia. I shouldn’t have left you open to attack.”

  Rubbing her arm, feeling chilled, she whispered, “Is this over?”

  “I don’t know. We’ll know more when the police detectives interrogate Dominguez from his hospital bed.”

  “He said Dante Medina sent them to get me.” She saw Cav’s mouth draw downward. “Why were they kidnapping me? Did he order it? What was he going to do with me?”

  “Those are all good questions,” he said gently, reaching out, squeezing her hand in her lap for a moment. Returning his hand to the steering wheel, he said, “Right now, you’re safe. Focus on that. And Tanner will take good care of you while I talk to the police.”

  She nodded and closed her eyes, leaning back against the seat, her mind swirling with so many questions, but no answers. Had Medina been involved with her rape five years ago? She didn’t think so. At least, it hadn’t come out at the trial that put Schaefer and Dominguez away for four years in prison.

  She opened her eyes and again was struck by Cav’s strong, hard profile. He was still in operator mode; she could feel it and see it.

  “Medina is a ne
w player in this,” she offered. “His name was never brought up in the original trial against Schaefer and Dominguez. I wonder how long they’ve been down here? Did they know I was here? Did they find and follow me down here to get revenge?”

  “I know,” Cav admitted. “I’m asking myself the same questions. The fact it wasn’t brought up at their trial tells me this is new, but hopefully Dominguez is going to sing like a canary and spill everything he knows.”

  “I wish I could be there for that interrogation,” she muttered.

  “No, you don’t.” Cav didn’t know how the Costa Rican police operated, but he knew what he’d do to squeeze the truth out of that bastard, Dominguez. “I won’t be present, either. We’ll find out after they talk to him after surgery.”

  Looking out the window at the jungle on either side of the road, she muttered, “Why Medina? Do you think he knows about me putting those two soldiers in prison for attacking me?” She sent Cav a terrified look.

  “It’s possible,” Cav said, “that those two told Medina about you. More likely, though, Medina knew you drove Lupe to the San José airport so she could escape to her own country, free of Medina once and for all. He could be in this because he wants revenge on you for helping her escape.”

  “Yes,” she said wearily, rubbing her brow, “I thought of that angle, too.”

  “I think Schaefer and Dominguez were already working for Medina,” he said grimly. “And they may have told their boss you threw their asses in prison for attacking you earlier. Medina wants revenge against anyone who helped Lupe to freedom. I think that’s his whole modus operandi.”

  Opening his hands on the wheel for a moment, he added gently, “And I don’t think Medina cares if his two soldiers had crossed paths with you before. I think he’s focused on kidnapping you because of your role in Lupe’s escape. What he was going to do with you, I have no idea.”

  Cav had his own ideas about that, however. He knew Medina worked in the sex slave trade. And Cav would be damned if he thought he was going there with Lia.

  His own theory was that Medina would either keep her as his unwilling mistress, or would sell Lia to the highest bidder. Either way, it was a very troubling scenario. His mouth tightened. No way was he going to elaborate on those possibilities with Lia.