“What the hell are you talking about?” Max demanded.
Tess tensed and tried to tell herself that Max wouldn’t betray her like everyone else had, but it was an awful lot of money. And then there was her dream...Easing to the side, she aimed her gun midpoint between Max and the gunmen and flipped the safety off.
Number Two gestured at her with his chin. “There’s a half-million-dollar contract out on her. We’ll split it with you. Just turn her over and let us go.”
Something dark and feral flared in Max’s eyes. “You bastards! A bullet’s too good for you. Now, shut up and turn around. Put your hands on your head.”
He shoved Number Two up against the cave wall, frisked Number One, and pushed him over beside his friend. Then he glanced at Tess and quirked an eyebrow. “Are you going to shoot me or help me?” he asked, nodding at her gun.
Still stunned by his reaction to the thug’s offer, she blinked and switched her aim away from him. “Help, of course.”
“Good. Then find me something to tie these losers up with.”
She stuffed her gun in her waistband, put the coins in her backpack, and searched for some rope. The clothesline she’d used as a belt wasn’t long enough, so she scanned the cave. Nothing. “We don’t have anything that’ll work.”
“Then tear up some of your clothes.”
“Oh, yeah. Good idea.” She rummaged through the duffel bag and pulled out the tablecloth.
“Great,” Max said. “Cover them.”
Tess held her gun on Nick’s men while Max ripped the tablecloth in two and tore one-half into strips. He relieved the brutes of their radios, tied their hands behind their backs, and bound their ankles. Then, as she watched in fascination, he tied their wrist ropes to their ankle ropes and cinched them up so the men couldn’t stretch out their legs.
“That outta hold you,” he muttered. He took both the men’s radios out to the path, grabbed a rock, and pulverized them. “We’ll take the guns,” he said, coming back into the cave. “Well, except for the broken one, of course. But let’s put them in your pack for now.” As he reached for the one she was holding, a small grin flickered at the corners of his mouth. “Just in case you’re tempted to shoot me.”
She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t planning on it. Yet.”
“Good to know.”
“Why’d you destroy the radios?”
“Because my gut tells me they had tracking devices in them. If so, now they’re disabled.” He shoved her stuff back in the duffel bag, slung it over his shoulder, and handed her the backpack. “We’re done here. Let’s go.”
“Hey,” Number Two called. “You can’t just leave us here.”
“Oh yeah? Watch us.” With a hand on Tess’s back, Max steered her out of the cave.
“He’s right,” she said, as soon as they were out of earshot of the men. “We can’t let them starve to death.”
“I’m sure someone’ll come along soon enough and find them.”
“No, they won’t. This area’s so remote, people rarely come out here. It’ll be days, or even weeks, before someone finds them.”
“You’ve been this way, haven’t you?”
“That’s different. The first thing I do when I hole up somewhere is to check out all possible escape routes.”
“They were trying to kill you,” he reminded her. “For money. I’m finding it rather hard to feel much sympathy.”
“Look, if we let them die, we’re no better than they are.”
He huffed out a long breath. “What do you suggest we do?”
“We’ll have to tell someone they’re here.”
“Who? Is there someone you can trust not to tell anyone about us?”
She hesitated, hoping there might be another alternative. But she couldn’t think of one. “Only Pablo and his family—my neighbors. I guess one of the children could tell the local police after the parade. But we’ll have to hurry if we want to get there before they leave for town.” She started back the way they’d come. “Come on. We’ll have to backtrack to their farm. Up the coast from my cottage.”
Max grabbed her T-shirt and pulled her to a stop. “Backtrack?”
“Do you have a better idea?” she asked, her temper rising.
“No, but that doesn’t mean I like yours. We’ll be heading straight back into the danger zone.”
She shook her head. “I can’t continue on this trail now anyway. If Nick sent these guys after me, he’s probably waiting for us at the other end.”
“He may not even know it was you he sent them after. It’s possible he just had them follow our footprints without knowing whose they were.”
“I’m not willing to chance it,” she growled.
Why did he have to be so damned difficult? Frustration balled in her stomach, spiking her temper, along with the pain in her arm. She yanked her T-shirt out of his grasp then dug the aspirin and a bottle of water out of her backpack. She swallowed two pills, reconsidered, and downed two more.
“You don’t have to come with me, you know,” she said. “You can always go on into the village by yourself. Nick wouldn’t recognize you.” With what she thought was amazing patience, she pointed up the path. “If you follow this trail, it will take you to the main road. Turn north and after about half a mile, you’ll see a small dirt road heading west. There’s a sign with an arrow. It says ‘El Nopal.’ You can’t miss it.”
Max folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t be stupid. I’m not going to abandon you. Besides, whether you like it or not, you must know we’ll both last longer if we stick together.”
She cocked her head and sneered at him. “You mean you’ll last longer, don’t you? I’ve been on the run for over nine months and done just fine on my own.”
And she’d learned as a child she couldn’t depend on anyone but herself.
He held the duffle bag out of reach when she made a grab for it. “Fine, you want me to say it, I’ll say it. I don’t want to go off on my own. After all, you’re the only person I know in the whole world.”
She wasn’t in the mood to be confused with logic. Or facts. But before she could come up with an appropriate response, he caught her hand and brought it to his lips.
“Give me my duffel,” she snapped.
“You aren’t willing to let those men in the cave starve to death,” he said when she jerked her hand out of his and reached for the bag again. “But you’re fine with letting me fumble around out here on my own and probably get myself killed. And seeing how I’m on your side, do you really think that’s fair?”
Damn him, he had no right to use her compassion against her. “And just how do I know you’re really on my side?”
“I haven’t tried to kill you, have I?”
“Not yet, anyway.” Unable to help herself, she softened, her anger fizzling out. He was right. She could no more abandon him like this than she could let the men in the cave die. She sighed, knowing she was defeated. “Of all the men in Baja, how’d I get stuck with you?”
He looked stunned. “Baja? You never said this was Baja.”
“I thought you knew.”
“Oh.” His grin flickered again, sheepish this time. “I guess that’s a logical assumption.”
“Does it tell you anything about yourself?” She studied his face, looking for any sign of his memory returning. “Being in Baja, I mean.”
“Yeah. It tells me I’m in deep shit. I’m in a foreign country with a beautiful, fascinating woman, and I haven’t got a clue what I’m doing here.”
Terrific. Instead of answers, she got compliments. Not a lot of help. But they couldn’t stand there dithering much longer if they were going to get to Pablo’s in time. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back the way they’d come. “You left out running for our lives from a Mormon crime family.”
She saw his eyes widen and cursed herself for the slip, but it was too late to take it back.
“Mormon crime family? The Mormons aren’t into organized crime—
” He tilted his head and studied her. “Are they?”
“You’d be surprised—” What the hell was she doing? Then again, what did it matter? If he stayed with her, he’d have to know sooner or later anyway. Sighing, she held up a hand to stave off more questions. “I’ll explain on the way back to Pablo’s.”
***
1:26 p.m., Baja California Sur:
“That fat old bitch is going to pay for this,” Nick growled. “I’m going to shoot her right in front of her kids.” He stomped back and forth beside the Jeep. No one made a fool of him and got away with it. “She took my money and lied right to our faces.”
They’d found the shack the mother’d described. Just a shell, it had no windows, no doors, and only half a roof. Probably hadn’t been lived in for years.
“She did say the cabin was unfinished.” Tony’s voice held a hint of a grin. “Tess could’ve camped out here for a while.”
His attitude infuriated Nick, but it also made him think. He stopped pacing and studied Tony, who was leaning against the side of the jeep looking very pleased with himself.
“Okay,” Nick said. “What am I missing?”
“I know how to get Tess.”
“Oh, yeah, you mentioned you had a Plan B.”
“That’s right. And Plan B is, we take those kids hostage.”
Nick felt his eyebrows make a dash for his hairline. “The old bitch’s children? How will that help?”
“There were at least ten brats in that family, and you know how Tess feels about hurting kids. Plus, she made them a costume, so she must think they’re special. All we have to do is let the people in the village know we’ve got them and that if Tess doesn’t turn herself over, we’ll start knocking them off.” Tony grinned. “She’ll come. We may have to kill a few to make our point, but so what?”
Nick ran through it in his mind but couldn’t see a down side. So they had to shoot some rugrats. Big deal. Mexico had plenty—too many, in fact. They’d probably be doing the country a favor by reducing the number of poverty-stricken mouths to feed.
“Let’s do it. It’s a better payback than killing the fat old cunt herself.”
***
Tess knew what she risked by taking Max into her confidence. But when he’d had a chance to betray her, he hadn’t. And God knew, she needed to talk to someone.
“I guess you could say all this ‘started’ about four years ago,” she said, skirting a fishhook cactus loaded with pale yellow blossoms. Maybe if she worked up to it, the words would come a little easier.
She inhaled the sweet scent of early desert wildflowers, grateful Max didn’t press her with questions. “I was twenty-three, fresh out of college, and working a day job while trying to get my costume business started. A friend introduced me to Nick’s grandfather who wanted some custom Halloween costumes.”
As she walked, she fiddled with the strap on her backpack, trying to keep her nerves under control. “He’s a wonderful man,” she said, defensively. “We hit it off right away.”
She swallowed to ease the dryness in her throat. “Then one day, when I mentioned my mother’s people, we discovered we were distant cousins. And suddenly I had a family.” She paused, took a breath. “For someone who was raised in foster homes, that’s a big deal.”
“That’s fascinating, Tess,” Max muttered dryly. “But what the hell’s it got to do with why you’re on the run?”
“I’m getting there.” She grimaced, took another steadying breath, and cleared her throat. Unable to meet his eyes, she watched a lizard scuttle across the rocks at the side of the path. “I met Nick and after a few months we became engaged. And then last May, when he was taking me out to dinner, he made a pit stop—to murder a man, along with his wife and daughters.”
“Jesus.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. “And you were there? You must’ve been terrified.”
Surprised he hadn’t backed away from her, she gave in and let her head drop on his shoulder. Took some comfort. “No. Shocked. Angry—God, I’ve never been so pissed.” Or so helpless. Her stomach clenched as she remembered the rage and impotence. And the pain. “When he shot the parents, I couldn’t believe it. I tried to take the gun away from him. And he...” Ashamed, she let her words trail off.
“He what?” Max eased her back, studied her face, and stiffened. “That son of a bitch hit you, didn’t he? Bastard probably beat you senseless.”
She lowered her gaze, struggling to keep her voice steady and the words coming. “No, not exactly. He just punched me in the stomach, hard enough to knock the wind out of me.”
Placing a finger under her chin, Max lifted it until their gazes met. “So why in the hell are you blaming yourself? Because it’s obvious that you are.”
“I—” She closed her eyes a minute, struggling not to cry. “Those two little girls. I didn’t do anything to help them.” Unable to stop the tears, she broke away and started walking again. “I just lay there, curled in a ball, trying to get my breath back. While they screamed in terror—” She swallowed a fresh wave of shame. “—and he shot them.”
“What do you think you could’ve done? You were injured and every bit as helpless as those kids.”
Stunned by his attitude, she stared at him. “Then why do I feel so damn guilty?”
He didn’t speak for a moment and when he did, his voice was hard and tight, as if he were forcing it out between clenched teeth. “I imagine he worked it so you’d think it was your fault. Guys like that excel at manipulation.”
Closing her eyes, she rehashed the scene in her mind. It was obvious that Nick had intended for her to be there, but why? What was his motive? “I don’t understand. What did he possibly have to gain by bringing a witness?”
“Hard to say without more information. So what happened next?”
“After he got me back in the car, he told me if I breathed a word to anyone, I’d die, too.”
“So you ran.”
“Yes, but not right away. First, I went to the FBI.”
“Didn’t they believe you?”
“They said they did. They put me in a safe house while they investigated. But someone betrayed me to Nick. He and Tony showed up at the house. Two agents were killed, but I managed to escape by jumping out a second-story window.” She sighed. “There must be an FBI agent on the McKenzie family’s payroll—”
“McKenzie? As in Jonas McKenzie?”
The shock of recognition in Max’s voice sent a wave of panic crashing into Tess. Not knowing what else to do, she pulled one of the guns from her backpack and aimed it at his heart. “How do you know Jonas? Oh, God. He sent you after me, didn’t he?”
“Take it easy. Nobody sent me after you. At least, I don’t think they did. And even if they had, I wouldn’t turn on you now.”
“How can I be sure? You don’t even know who you are.”
“Just listen a minute—and give me this.” He snagged the gun out of her hand. Shoving it in his waistband, he gathered her close again. “We both know that someone could’ve sent me after you.” When she tried to pull away, he tightened his hold and pressed her head down on his shoulder. “But now I’ve heard your story, I’d like to think I’d do the right thing.”
Did she dare believe him? God, she wanted to. “But how could you know Jonas?”
“I don’t know. When you said ‘McKenzie,’ the name ‘Jonas’ just popped into my head.”
“If you know about him, then you must have some connection to Utah. Maybe you’re with the FBI. If so, you probably are after me.”
“I don’t care,” he murmured and touched his lips to her hair. “So, Jonas McKenzie is Nick’s grandfather?”
“Yes. But I don’t really think Jonas is involved with the murders. If he is...” Fear tickled her throat, making her swallow. “If he is, I’m as good as dead.”
If Jonas cared so little for her that he could condone having her killed, there was no place she’d ever be safe. More tears escaped on
to her cheeks.
“We’ll figure this out, Tess. And I’ll keep you safe until we do. I promise.”
It mortified her to let him see the depth of her pain, but she’d fought it for so long her strength was depleted. “Christ, I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to fall apart on you. I just—”
“Hush. Don’t be sorry. We all come apart once in a while.” With one arm holding her against him, he used his other hand to stroke her hair. “Take a minute and cry if you need to. I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.”
His compassion defeated her. She had no defense against it. Unable to hold back any longer, she buried her face in his shirt and wept—wondering how big a mistake she’d made by trusting him.
CHAPTER 8
2:46 p.m., Baja California Sur:
“How long are we going to wait?” Nick paced the tiny living room in the farmhouse, throwing up his hands in helpless frustration. “We’ve been in this dump for over an hour. It doesn’t look like they’re coming home. Do you think they went to warn Tess? If they did, she’ll be long gone before we have a chance to find her.”
Sprawled in a chair, Tony shook his head. “It seems unlikely that the whole family would’ve gone to warn Tess. So we’ll head into town and look for them there,” he added, getting to his feet.
“What if Tess has already left the area?”
“She hasn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“According to the flyers I saw in town, there’s a village parade tonight. Tess spent a lot of time on that costume, and I think she’ll hang around to see the parade.” Tony headed out the door. “Come on, we’re wasting time here. Let’s go get something to eat and check out the village.”
Nick followed him to the Jeep, pulling a cigarette out of the pack in his shirt pocket. “Once we take the kids hostage, we still have to let Tess know so we can set up the exchange. How do you plan to do that if we can’t even find her?”
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