Chapter1 (31 page)

“You’re crazy,” he whispered hoarsely and wobbled to the chair.
 
“You’ll never leave here alive.”

“You’re not the first to tell me I’m crazy.
 
I doubt you’ll be the last.
 
Getting out of here is my worry, not yours.”
 
She kept her eyes on him and opened a drawer with her free hand.
 
Duct tape–no home should be without it.
 
She unrolled a large piece and secured it around the open drawer.
 

“Hands behind the chair.”
 
She made several circles around his chest, taping him to the chair before taping his wrists together.
 
Bringing the tape around the front of the chair she made six loops around his feet before wrapping it around the leg of the chair.
 
For good measure she ripped a piece off and put it across his mouth.
 
Satisfied with the result, she left the room, locked the door and continued down the hall.

She arrived in the dining room and hurried to the door Maria had used during the evening meal.
 
It brought her to the kitchen.
 
A nightlight over the sink enabled her to scout for another weapon.
 
A quiet one.
 
From the drawer that held a wide assortment of knives, she chose a fierce-looking carving blade.

At the far end of the room she found a door that led outdoors.
 
She opened it just wide enough to squeeze through and moved into the night.
 
No guards were visible in the immediate vicinity.
 
She sniffed, but the night air held no smells.
 
All was quiet.
 
With the bright moon, visibility wasn’t a problem.
 
She’d be more comfortable if her blouse wasn’t white.
 

With her back against the building, she sidestepped toward one end of the hacienda.
 
She needed to know how many guards were posted around the building, before she chose her escape route.
 

She stopped under her bedroom window at the back of the house.
 
From her room window, she’d seen what looked like a drop off at the end of the lawn.
 
Scratch that as an escape route.
 
She inched along, listening for danger.
 

The carving knife poised in striking position, she stepped around the end of the stucco structure into a professionally landscaped garden.
 
Jesus.
 
The nooks and crannies on the outside were as confusing as the inside.
 
Staying low, she crept through the ornamental bushes and plants until she reached another outside wall of the hacienda.

Cigar smoke carried by a breeze slid under her nose.
 
A guard enjoying a smoke while on duty?
 
As the scent became stronger, so did her vigilance.
 
The smoker must be close.
 

At the end of the side wall Kat turned, placing the front of her body against the hacienda.
 
She hugged the building and continued inching along to the end.
 
She cautiously peered around the corner.
 
Her luck held.
 
A lone guard stood with his back to her.
 
He leaned against the hacienda, enjoying a cigar.
 
As if he sensed her presence, he turned, saw her and immediately raised his rifle.
 
She leaped forward and plowed into knees, knocking him to the ground.
 
For a large man, he was quick.
 
He rolled and grabbed a handful of her hair, dragging her upwards.
 
She pressed the knife blade against his stomach, hoping to convince him to let go of her hair.

Instead, he twisted his fist in her hair, yanking her head back.
 
She pushed the knife into his lung.
 
He dropped to the ground.
 
She withdrew the knife and wiped the blood on his shirt.
 

Adrenaline pumped through her blood.
 
Would this nightmare ever end?
 
Even though she was in a kill or be killed situation, thoughts of this man’s family already haunted her.
 
Did he leave a wife to grieve?
 
Children?
 

The sound of voices raised the hair on her arms.
 
The front of the hacienda must be around the next corner.
 

“Is everything in place?”
 
The voice seemed vaguely familiar.

“Yeah, but the boss isn’t answering his cell.”

“What?
 
He knows the shipment’s arriving at four o’clock tomorrow morning.”

She’d shut Carl’s cell phone off and left it in his office.
 
She ditched the knife, and untied the knot in her skirt.
 
Then she pulled her blouse over the waistband, concealing the Glock.
 
What should she do with the key to the desk?
 
She heaved it into the bushes.
 

She messed up her hair and pinched her cheeks hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.
 
Gulping several deep breaths, she rushed around the corner straight into the two men standing at the front entrance to the hacienda.

“Help me.
 
Please.”
 
She panted, sounding out-of-breath and grabbed the arm of the nearest guard.
 
“Carl’s been attacked.
 
I barely managed to escape.
 
I think…I think the intruders are still in my room.”

The guard seized her by both arms, dragging her towards him.
 
The smell of sweat and nicotine oozed from his skin.
 
“What are you talking about?
 
What are you doing running around the grounds?”

“I told you,” she stammered breathlessly, “two men burst into my room.
 
Carl and I were…”
 
She dropped her eyes as if in embarrassed.
 
“They seized him and beat on…it was terrible…I ran to find help.”

“You’re coming with me.”
 
The grip on her arm tightened, giving her no choice but to either walk or be dragged along.
 

As they entered the foyer, she slumped against her captor.
 
“Oh no, I’m going to be sick.”
 
She gagged and slid toward the floor.
 
“Help me.”

“Stupid puta,” he spat the words and roughly pushed her.
 
“Come,” he ordered his cohort.
 
“We must find Mr. Winter.”
 
Turning abruptly, the two men hurried down the hall.

The moment they rounded the corner, Kat sprang to her feet.
 
She held up the skirt and raced down the driveway, oblivious to the rocks and pebbles bruising her bare feet.
 
Several hundred feet later, she ducked into the woods and ran parallel to the pea stone driveway.
 

Soon they’d begin searching for her.
 
Every second counted.
 
Her breathing was labored when she came to the main road.
 
She veered to the right into the woods, backtracked a short distance, and then walked briskly in the direction she believed to be parallel to the main road.
 
While walking, she searched for a secure place to hide and wait.
 
About a mile from the driveway and at least three hundred feet from the main road, she hunkered down under an old blow-down.
 
The tree had been huge, and its roots provided plenty of cover.
 

Moonlight spread a path in front of her.
 
Although hidden, she heard a vehicle heading toward the hacienda.
 
Jude and Cody should be arriving soon.
 
She prayed they’d come by the road and not by helicopter.
 
She huddled into herself and waited, the Glock readied in her hand.
 
Only ten shots, but she could hit her mark with each one if the need arose.

*****

Jude’s nerves were fried by the time the Jeep crossed onto Winter’s property.
 
He’d studied the topo map on the flight to
Fort
Bliss
.
 
The entrance to the hacienda would be coming up on the left.

Cody shut off the headlights.
 
“Are we approaching the hacienda on foot?
 
“
 

Jude laughed.
 
“I doubt we’d get a welcoming reception if we drove up and knocked on the door.”

Red had been content to sit in the back, hanging his head out the window.
 
Now he started to whine.
 
His whining turned to small yelps, and he paced back and forth on the seat.

“What got into him?”
 
Jude wondered aloud.

“Probably has to take a leak.
 
When’s the last time you gave him the opportunity?
 
You know, Callahan, you’re not the best dog sitter.”

“Pull over, and I’ll let him out.”
 

Jude stepped out of the vehicle.
 
Red jumped into the front seat and bolted out through the open door.
 

“Jesus.
 
Where’s he going?
 
Kat will have my head if I lose her dog.”
 
Jude chased Red through the thick brush into the dark woods.
 

*****

Fear raced through Kat at the sound of a vehicle slowing down on the road.
 
Muscles tensed when the headlights went out and a door slammed.
 
The sound of something running through the woods increased the hammering of her heart.
 
Had Carl’s men found her already?
 
She positioned her Glock, ready to open fire, wishing she had a night scope.
 
Her life would be over if she were recaptured.
 
Carl wouldn’t hesitate to kill her.

The rustle of leaves grew louder, and she heard panting.
 
Were they using dogs to find her?
 

Her finger on the trigger, she prepared to squeeze off a shot.
 
Then she identified her target.
 
“Red!” she whispered, the blood draining from her head.
 
The dog knocked her over and washed her face.
 
“Stop it.
 
Sit.”
 
Now was not the time for games.
 

The dog obeyed.
 
“Good boy.
 
Where’s the rest of the cavalry?”
 

Red whined, and looked back the way he’d come.
 
“Let’s go.”
 
Kat made the decision to follow him, rather than wait.
 
She trusted the dog.
 

They’d walked only a short distance before Red performed his tail-wagging dance.
 
He ran ahead, and she heard Jude talking to the dog.
 

“What are you trying to pull?
 
If we’re going to find Kat, we don’t have time to play games.”

“I’m right here.
 
What took you so long?”
 
She walked closer to him and bit the inside of her mouth to keep from laughing.
 
The astonishment on his face was priceless.
 
She moved closer, wanting to be in his arms, but a guarded expression replaced his astonishment warning her to keep her distance.
 

Didn’t he know she needed him?
 
She ached to bury her face in his neck, smell him and taste the saltiness of his skin.
 
Didn’t he feel the same way?
 
She waited for that special look, letting her know he loved her.
 
Her spirit plummeted.
 
What had happened to make him change his mind yet again?

*****

The eager, loving expression on Kat’s face made Jude feel small.
 
Those green eyes blazed in the moonlight with the love and hunger she’d never tried to hide.
 
Kat needed to hear his confession, but now was not the time.
 

“Are you okay?”
 
His voice was hoarse.
 
He looked her over closely and saw no injuries.
 
Rumpled and dirty, she still looked sexy.
 
His fingers itched to touch her.

“I’m fine, but I think we’d best move before they come looking for me.”

“Follow me.”
 
With a curt nod, he spun and started out of the woods.

Soon they arrived at the road.
 
Jude burned with jealously when Cody jumped out of the vehicle, picked up Kat and swung her in circles.
 
Spontaneous affection.
 
She’d wanted that from him, but he couldn’t give it to her until he confessed his sin.

“We’d best get moving.
 
I’ll radio the chopper to pick us up at the designated place.
 
We should be there in about three hours.”

“We should stay here.
 
You could make a bust.
 
There’s a shipment coming in at about four o’clock.”

“It’s all taken care of.”
 
Jude kept his voice matter-of-fact, pretending once again not to see the hurt and confusion on her face.
 
“This place soon will be crawling with Feds.”

“They’ll probably be expecting it since I escaped.”
 
She gave a shaky laugh.
 
“And I didn’t leave Carl in any condition to conduct business.”