Without a Trace

by Velvet Vaughn

  They waited until he was out of sight before they huddled together.

  “That was your favorite hat, wasn’t it?” Amelia asked.

  “Yeah, but I can always get another.” It would mean a trip home to Sydney and he couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do than introduce Amelia to his mum.

  It was a dream that he’d save for later. Right now, they had to concentrate on getting the hell out of Santigo. “The gang didn’t invade Cosi’s village which tells me one of two things,” Wyatt said. “One, they headed in a different direction.”

  “But you don’t believe that,” Ryan said, making it a statement instead of a question.

  Wyatt’s nod confirmed Ryan’s guess. “More likely, they thought they were close enough to the hospital that they didn’t need to scope the village.”

  “What do we do?” Amelia asked.

  “First, we sit and watch the hospital for any activity.” He held up a hand when she started to protest. “I know we’re close and we all want to be out of this God-forsaken country yesterday, but we need to be careful and make sure no one is around before we make a move.”

  Amelia reluctantly agreed. “Then what?”

  “Then I go get the thumb drive.”

  “You don’t know where it is,” she pointed out. “I should be the one to retrieve it.”

  Wyatt leaned down until his narrowed eyes met hers. His voice was a low, lethal rumble. “No way in hell. You’ll stay hidden with Ryan. You are not to go in there under any circumstances. If the gang is here, they’ll deal with me while Ryan whisks you away—ow!” Wyatt rubbed his arm. “Quit hitting me.”

  Amelia crossed her arms “Quit saying stupid things.”

  “I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are,” she argued. “You don’t want me going in there? Well, guess what, Aussie, I don’t want you going in there either, so there.”

  “Uh, guys?”

  “What?” They both barked, never taking their eyes from each other.

  “I’ve got the perfect solution. I’ll go.”

  #

  Amelia jerked her head to Ryan. “What? No. You’re in no shape to do it.”

  “I beg your pardon,” he said, affronted. “I’ve hiked through the jungle with a head that pounded so hard, I couldn’t hear the damn monkeys chattering overhead, on legs that turned to jelly hours ago and feet that felt like cement shoes. I can handle retrieving one small flash drive.”

  Wyatt slashed a hand through the air. “There’s no discussion. I’m going in. Period. Now, I’d prefer to reconnoiter before I go traipsing in, but if you two keep giving me shit, I’ll go in now unprepared. Is that what you want?”

  Amelia couldn’t help it—she slugged him again. What was wrong with her?

  “Bloody hell, woman, what’s wrong with you?”

  Honestly, she had no idea. Only Wyatt provoked this intense reaction from her. “You’re what’s wrong with me, Hollister. If you think you’re going in without any surveillance, you’ve got a bloody screw loose.”

  Great, now she was sounding like him. She was pretty sure she’d never used bloody before outside of a hospital triage situation.

  “My screws are fine,” he leaned close and whispered so Ryan couldn’t hear, “as you well know.”

  She almost…almost slugged him again. Bringing up their nocturnal activities was a low blow. She opened her mouth to tell him, but tears formed instead, blurring her vision. To her immense horror, they overflowed and poured down her cheeks.

  “Oh, hell, babe.” Wyatt reached out and jerked her against him, his strong arms wrapping around her. She huddled against him. “I’m sorry. You can hit me anytime, but please don’t cry. You’re killing me.”

  She was not a crier. Never had been. This sneak attack surprised her as much as him. Too many things conspired to break down her defenses. Being kidnapped. The cold, dingy cell. The German who almost choked her to death. Befriending Manuel Perez and then having him disappear. Listening to a woman being brutally raped and killed without being able to stop the attack. Wyatt being tossed in the cell with her and then getting shot. Finding out Ieshia and Jody had been murdered. The escape and trek with Ryan through the jungle. Father Juan’s slaying. It was all too much and she couldn’t hold in her emotions any longer.

  “I’m just tired,” she gasped against his chest, sobs racking her body. One big hand was anchoring her head against him, the other stroked her back comfortingly.

  “I know. We all are. I’m not going to risk going in without surveillance. I shouldn’t had said I would. I’d never do anything to put you in harm’s way.”

  “I-I-I know,” she wailed. She did know that. He’d do anything to protect her, which pissed her off. She didn’t want him to risk his safety for her. He’d been battered and broken not long ago and that had wrecked her. If something else happened to him, she wasn’t sure she’d survive it.

  Wyatt eased them to the ground and settled her on his lap as he leaned against a tree. He kept her wrapped in his arms until the light faded and the forest went dark. She didn’t know how long they stayed that way, but it felt like hours. Her tears had long since dried, but she’d been unable to tear herself away from him.

  He leaned back and peered into her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. “You okay, babe?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Sorry.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for. Come-on let’s get some rest. Everything will look better in the morning.”

  He led her to a shelter constructed of vines and branches, with a roof composed of large leaves, much like the one they’d shared during the rainstorm. She glanced around as she settled on the blanket. “Where did this come from?”

  “Ryan. He put it together.” While you were babbling like a baby was left unsaid. Maybe Wyatt hadn’t been thinking it, but she had.

  “Lie down and rest. Ryan and I will take turns keeping guard.”

  “I want a turn,” she protested, but all the crying had depleted her, and her system crashed when she fell against the blanket.

  #

  Wyatt watched Amelia’s eyes close and her breathing even out. He let out a sigh and rubbed at his chest. She’d terrified the living daylights out of him earlier when she started bawling. He’d never seen her cry. Really cry. She was the strongest woman he knew. To know that the ordeal she’d been through reduced her to tears was almost too much to handle. He never wanted her to feel any pain. He’d take every bit for her if he could.

  He hadn’t meant to upset her, and he certainly didn’t want to come off all caveman, but he absolutely refused to let her go after the flash drive. There’d been no signs of the gang since the village where they burned down the old man’s hut. That they hadn’t approached the nearest one should mean they weren’t close, but Wyatt’s Spidey sense was tingling something fierce. Danger hung in the air, almost tangible.

  All he wanted was to grab the disk, dash the few miles to the airport and fly Amelia the hell out of here. He hadn’t slept much in days so technically, he shouldn’t be operating heavy machinery, but when her life was at stake, all bets were off. He’d fly them to safety if it was the last thing he did.

  He glanced around, impressed with the makeshift shelter Ryan constructed on his own. He’d seen the panic in the other man’s eye when Amelia started to cry—it was the same look on his face, he was sure. But while he couldn’t walk away, Ryan had gone off and constructed a refuge for them to spend the night while they surveilled the hospital. If there was no sign of the gang before dawn broke, he’d slink inside.

  He caught a couple hours of sleep while Ryan took first shift. When it was his turn, he found the other man and relieved him. Two hours later, Ryan was back, but Wyatt was too keyed up to sleep. “Keep an eye out on Amelia. I’m going to do some recon.”

  As quietly as possible, he moved through the trees surrounding the hospital, using what little moonlight filtered through the canopy and his excellent night vision to guide him. He almost let
out a very unmanly shriek when he stumbled upon a puma, but it’d been as scared of him and took off running.

  It’d probably been drawn to the smell of death that permeated the air. Apparently, no one had been around to discover the bodies of Amelia’s slain coworkers. Another reason why she would absolutely not go inside. He knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn’t help it. Being a doctor, she’d probably seen death ten times more than him during his military days. Didn’t matter. The overwhelming desire to protect her fueled his determination. Plus, she knew these women. Granted, they’d just met, but it would still hurt her to see their mutilated bodies.

  Unless the gang was hiding on the other side of the forest where it’d be impossible to check without crossing the clearing—or inside with the bodies—he saw no sign of them. He made his way back to the shelter. Amelia was still asleep, but Ryan was alert and keeping watch with his one good eye.

  “Anything?”

  “Just a puma that scared the hell out of me.”

  Ryan chuckled and then sobered. “Every once in a while, I get a whiff of decomp.”

  Wyatt sighed. “Me, too. The bodies must still be inside.”

  “I’ve cleared buildings with rotting corpses before. I’ll get the disk.”

  “I have, too, and while I appreciate the offer, I’ll go. I’ve been in there before, so I know the layout. I’ll be in and out in seconds.” He checked to make sure Amelia was still asleep. “Before I go in, I need you to make me a promise.”

  “Anything,” Ryan said. “I wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t saved my life. I owe you more than I can ever repay.”

  “Just take care of this and we’ll be even.” He lowered his voice so Amelia couldn’t hear if she woke. “If something happens to me, I need to know that you’ll protect Amelia and get her to safety.”

  “Wyatt, you don’t even have to ask. I would’ve done that anyway. But you do have my word.”

  Wyatt nodded, one of his worries erased. He glanced at the horizon, trying to guestimate time. A faint smattering of yellow tinged the black sky, indicating dawn was near. “I’m going in.”

  “Please, Wyatt, I know exactly where the disk is located. I’ll go.”

  He turned to see Amelia wide awake, no sign of last night’s tears other than slightly puffy eyes. “I’m going, but before I do, let’s go over the plan. I’ll grab the disk and come back here. Then we need to get across the clearing and hike the rest of the way to the airport. I have a plane parked in the hangar. I won’t feel safe until we clear Santigo air space.”

  They fueled up on energy bars and shared the last bottle of water. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to take the time to grab more from the hospital or not. They were close, so close to getting out of the country. He could land in Brazil or somewhere they could replenish their stock—although another country might not be so lax in security measures as Santigo when he landed. They might demand passports and since he was the only one who currently possessed one, they’d be hurting. He’d locked his in a hidden compartment in the plane. Amelia and Ryan’s had been confiscated by their captors, which meant that they needed to head straight for the States. He’d call the office and have them clear the way for them to refuel in Miami, and to get paperwork started so Ryan could return home to Canada.

  Despite not knowing the man a few days ago, Wyatt trusted Ryan. With his life. Even battered and hurting, he’d proven to be a formidable ally, and he knew the other man would have his back. If something happened to him when he went in for the disk, Ryan would keep Amelia safe.

  He had no say in who Luke and Logan hired, though the bosses did seriously consider recommendations from their agents. If Ryan was interested in moving to the States and joining the company, Wyatt would furnish him with a glowing reference. He’d be an asset to the team and fit right in with the others.

  But now was not the time to think about the future. He needed to get through the next ten minutes first. “Tell me where to find the flash drive.”

  Amelia looked like she wanted to argue but finally relented, describing the wardrobe beside the cot where she’d stashed the device. He could picture the room in his head, so he should have no trouble finding it.

  “Okay, I’m going in.” He brushed a kiss across Amelia’s lips and stared into her eyes, memorizing her lovely features. Then he addressed Ryan. “Cover me.”

  He moved from their hiding place to sidle up against the side of the building. He waited for any movement from the surrounding forest, but all was quiet, maybe too quiet. His Spidey sense wouldn’t leave him alone. It was clamoring for attention, made more noticeable by the lack of monkeys chattering or birds squawking. He reached the corner and turned towards the entrance when a gun appeared forehead level.

  “Take one more step and your girlfriend dies.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Wyatt knew before the man rounded the corner it would be the thug who kidnapped them. The drug dealer Amelia identified as Donald Bainbridge’s supplier. Wyatt had only seen him from a distance but when he appeared, his lips contorted into a shark-like smile, he recognized the face. Four men came with him, all with weapons pointed at Wyatt’s head. He’d have been able to disable the first man with no problem, but if he tried now, they’d shoot him. Hell, they probably would anyway. He served no purpose to them.

  “Don’t even think about doing something stupid,” the drug dealer said, obviously reading his thoughts. “I’ve got shooters stationed on the roof who won’t hesitate to blow the head off your pretty little girlfriend.”

  He couldn’t see the top of the building from his vantage point, but he didn’t doubt there were guns pointed at Amelia and Ryan right now. With Ryan’s training, he knew it too. It would be suicide to try to run now.

  “I knew if we waited here, you would eventually show up. But damn, it took you long enough.”

  Wyatt wanted to snip out a cutting remark. They couldn’t have beat them here by much. Their advantage had been knowing the jungle while he, Amelia and Ryan had been winging it.

  “Tell your friends to put down the weapons and join us now or I won’t hesitate to give the command to end their lives.” He smirked. “Just ask the priest.”

  The man wanted a reaction, but Wyatt refused to give him one. He would kill him for murdering Father Juan, but he would not call for Amelia.

  The man lowered his weapon and stepped back. “Shoot,” he instructed the others.

  “Wait! We’re coming out.”

  His heart stopped when Amelia and Ryan stepped through the leaves. Two of the goons rushed after them and prodded them forward with guns in their backs. One took out a roll of duct tape and bound first Ryan’s and then Amelia’s hands behind their backs.

  It was all he could do to keep calm when inside, his blood boiled, and fury raged like a hurricane. He turned back to the man. “Who are you?”

  “My name is Gustavo, but you can call me your executioner.”

  Cute. “What is it you want? Why did you kidnap us?”

  “I was hired to take the woman. She’s a very valuable commodity. You,” Gustavo raked his eyes down Wyatt’s body, “were supposed to bring in a hefty ransom. Who travels without identification, anyway?” He jerked his chin in Ryan’s direction. “He was taken for ransom, too, but it became personal when he killed my cousin.” He turned his icy gaze to Wyatt. “And you killed my men.”

  It wouldn’t do any good to point out that his men tried to kill them first. And Wyatt would kill these men, too. Somehow, someway, he would end them.

  It probably wasn’t a good sign that Gustavo was being honest about why he and Ryan were abducted. That meant that he had no plans to let them live.

  “As the Americans say, time to get this show on the road.” Gustavo smiled evilly. “Ah, right on time.”

  #

  Amelia didn’t care about the gun at her back, but the three currently aimed at Wyatt, not to mention the shooters on the roof, made her heart pound with fear. Gustavo
admitted that Wyatt and Ryan were abducted for the ransom they’d bring in, but now he wanted revenge. Amelia had to think of a way out of this before he killed them both. Maybe she could exchange her life for theirs. Gustavo said she was the valuable commodity, so she had room to bargain.

  “Ah, right on time.”

  She wasn’t the least bit surprised when Donald Bainbridge sauntered through the clearing to stop directly in front of her. He wore an olive-green safari jacket and blue jeans with hiking boots that looked like they’d never seen the woods. She could see the revulsion on her face reflected in his mirrored shades. He was even more disgusting than she remembered. If there weren’t guns pointed at her right now, she’d slug him in the gut.

  He removed the sunglasses and hooked them over a jacket pocket. “Where is it?”

  “If you’re talking about your bag, you’ll have to ask your friend over there.” She nodded towards the man holding a gun on Wyatt. It made her physically sick knowing the least bit of pressure on the trigger would put a bullet in his head, but she worked hard to keep her composure. “The last time I saw it was before he kidnapped me.”

  Donald took a menacing step forward until he invaded her personal space. His face was mere inches from hers, but she refused to back down. His breath smelled of coffee and tobacco. You’d think growing up in a family of doctors, he’d be more concerned about his health and the dangers of cigarettes.

  “Don’t play stupid with me, bitch. The thumb drive. The only reason you aren’t worm food right now. Where is it?”

  Unease crept down her spine. She hadn’t told anyone about witnessing the drug exchange or taking pictures of the journal detailing his crimes, yet he knew about the flash drive. She’d tried to be careful but finding both Jody and Marin standing behind her computer when she transferred the files had rattled her. Someone told him and since Jody was dead, that meant Marin sold her out. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She hadn’t been shocked to see Donald. She was, however, stunned when Jody strolled up beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. She was dressed in the same drab olive jacket, blue jeans and hiking boots. Date mates. How high school.