Jungle Inferno (16 page)

“You must feel very good about it.”

She nodded. “I do. And thank you again for all the help you’ve given me.”

“No problem. I gather there’s another one on the horizon and that’s why you’re here.”

“Yes, it is.” She set her cup down. “I’m actually here to ask you to use your influence a little, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Oh?” One eyebrow lifted.

“I’m deviating a little this time, taking a lot of the action out of Washington.” She composed her words carefully. “I have a very good friend who’s in the Delta Force, Mark Halloran and I thought in this book I’d like to make that the central theme. You know, kind of dedicate it to him.”

Trey cocked his head. “Delta Force? Isn’t that quite a departure for you?”

“Yes, it is.” She set her cup precisely in its saucer. “But as I say, Mark’s a good friend of mine and I’d like to know more about Special Ops. I guess I’d like to do this as a tribute to him and the men in his unit. There’s so much going on in the world now, so much danger these men are sent into. I thought it would be a good idea to give people a glimpse into what they actually do. Maybe even find out what their current mission is, if possible.”

Trey was silent for a moment but a tic had developed in his left eye. He rubbed at it absently. “Getting information isn’t going to be easy, even for me. Most of those missions are highly classified.”

“I know but I’m hoping you can at least open some doors for me.” She gave him her best smile, surprised by the sudden tension in his body. “Especially with your new appointment.”

He laughed, his polished political chuckle. “I’m still the new kid on the block there but why don’t you tell me what it is you want?”

Casual, Faith. Don’t make it seem unduly important.

“I’d really like to interview Mark’s commanding officer, a Major John Gregorio, at Fort Bragg. But I can’t even seem to get him to return my phone calls.”

“I’m not surprised.” Trey frowned. “This is a busy time for Special Ops. And exposure of any kind isn’t something they encourage.”

“I know. But you’ve had experience with me. You know I’m discreet and will accept whatever he chooses to give me.” She wet her lips. “I think there’s a good story to be told here.”
Careful, Faith.
“They must be aware that every mission has a great chance of failure. I’d like to show people how carefully planned everything is, the risks analyzed and so forth.”

He was silent for so long she wasn’t sure he’d even answer her. Finally he leaned forward, refilled his cup and stirred sweetener into it. “All right,” he said at last. “How long will you be in town?”

“Only until tomorrow. But it doesn’t matter. You can always reach me on my cell.

And wherever I am, if he’ll see me I’ll hop on the next plane.”

“Fine.” He rose, indicating the meeting was over. “Let me see what I can do. It will probably be tomorrow before I can get back to you.”

“Whenever,” she told him and held out her hand. “Thanks once again for coming to my rescue.”

“Any time. I’ll have the driver take you back to your hotel.” As she climbed into the limo, Faith had the distinct feeling that Trey Winslow had been very anxious to hustle her out the door.

* * * * *

Trey Winslow watched the limo move slowly down his driveway, eyes narrowed, muscle jumping in one cheek. Was Faith’s visit mere coincidence, or did she have a deeper motive?

No, impossible. Faith was too open, too easily read. Besides, how could she have gotten involved in any of this? Still, it didn’t hurt to be on the alert. He’d get her entry to Fort Bragg. No harm there. Gregorio wouldn’t give her anything. He knew better.

But it wouldn’t hurt to give everyone else a heads-up.

Back in his study, he opened the bar in the cabinet and poured an inch of Crown Royal into a shot glass and tossed it back. Then he picked up the phone and punched speed dial for a number he was growing more and more reluctant to call.

“Faith Wilding was just here. You should know she’s suddenly decided to write about Special Operations. Something completely different from all her other books.” There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Do you think she knows anything?”

“I don’t see how she could. But it seems Halloran’s a friend of hers, which makes me a little nervous. She says she wants to talk to his CO, maybe find out what his current mission is.”

“Well, shit. Isn’t that just dandy. Just how close is she to Halloran?” Winslow shrugged, even though no one could see him. “It can’t be much of a relationship if we don’t have it on our list.”

“Just the same, we need to check it out. You know how that stuff can sometimes slip through if it’s way under the radar. This is an anomaly and you know how I hate that. What did she want with you, anyway?”

“An appointment with John Gregorio.”

The voice on the other end barked a sharp laugh. “I don’t like the sound of that.

Why Halloran’s CO? Why not just any Delta Force officer?”

“That’s why I called you. I got the same reaction.”

“She’ll get nothing out of Gregorio. Even we can’t get him to open his mouth.”

“But we certainly can’t have her running around asking questions willy-nilly. That wouldn’t be good for either side of the fence we’re sitting on. That’s the only reason I’m doing it. Maybe if she hits a wall she’ll give it up.”

“Just the same, have someone look into it. You have better resources than I do.

Check her out thoroughly.”

“Fine. Let me know what you find out.”

* * * * *

Mr. Green didn’t enjoy the telephone call he got, either.

“Not one trace,” he repeated. “We questioned everyone in the area. A few people vaguely remembered a black panel van but no one paid attention to the license plates, or even which direction the van went.”

“Damn.” The voice on the other end was harsh. “There’ll be hell to pay over this.

Don’t think you won’t come in for your share.”

Mr. Green knew an apology was useless. He was not expected to make mistakes.

When he did the focus of his world shifted in a bad direction.

“I’ll keep looking.”

“No.” Sharp. Cutting. “Any more questions and you’ll call too much attention to the situation. Go home and wait for my call. I’ll have someone do a more thorough check on Latrobe and see if we turn anything up there.”

“What about the brother?” Mr. Green asked.

“That’s where we’ll start. He supposedly works for a consulting firm called Phoenix. I think that’s where we’ll start.”

“You’ll call me?”

“When I have something.”

Mr. Green disconnected the call.

“What did he say?” Mr. Brown stood nervously to the side.

“Nothing good.”

She hadn’t eaten much of her lunch and although her appetite lagged her stomach was grumbling. Tossing her purse on the table and kicking off her shoes, Faith ordered a light supper from room service. Then she headed for the shower, pulling her clothes off as she went.

She had just reached to turn on the water when the pain hit her, doubling her over.

Just like the other day, searing and sharp, like a thousand fire ants burrowing into her skin. She gasped, trying to suck air into her lungs and ride it out. Consumed by it, she sank to the tiled floor, leaning against the tub.

Help me.

Mark!
I’m here.

Don’t…name…

What?
She could barely focus her mind over the racking pain.

Name…who you are…

Sweat covered her body as she tried for deep breaths, willing the pain to subside.

Whatever hell Mark was in must be worse than anything she could imagine. She gritted her teeth and at last the intense agony eased, allowing her to concentrate on the messages.

Names. What did he mean? Whose name? Hers?

Of course. She couldn’t believe she was so dense. Whoever the telepath was in the group was trying to intercept their messages and discover her identity.

I get it.

A long silence. Then
Good.

She was awed at the inner strength he had that allowed him to hang on through whatever torture he was being subjected to. God, she had to move faster. But how?

Hang on, Mark. I promise I’ll get you out of there.

And then, just like before, the presence of a dark evil rolled over her, almost choking her. She closed her eyes and huddled against the tub until at last the feeling dissipated. Then she hauled herself into the shower and stood under the water for a long time. By the time she’d dried off, pulled on her robe and admitted the room service waiter she was feeling halfway to normal again.

Except, of course, for the sickening feeling of dread lodged in her stomach. Before she sat down to eat, she pulled out her cell phone and punched in the number for Phoenix again.

“I’m still trying to reach Eric Latrobe. Please call me at any time. It’s urgent.” And tomorrow, with or without Trey Winslow, she’d make John Gregorio talk to her.

* * * * *

If I get out of here, I’m going to take each of these bastards and skin them alive.

Mark kept himself together by repeating this to himself over and over. Nothing he’d been through in all his years in the Army could even come close to this and he’d been helpless at the hands of some real badass people during that time.

He was sure the multiple cuts on his body were infected. It was impossible for them not to be, as dirty as he was. It was a miracle the cut on his leg wasn’t worse than it was.

Tidbit!

He had to keep himself from thinking her name but at least he could call up her face. And the memories of that unbelievable weekend. Why had he been such an egotistical ass, thinking his career came before anything else? Thinking he had all the time in the world to tell Faith how he felt about her? To think about a life together? If he got out of this hellhole in one piece, the first thing he planned to do was put a ring on her finger.

He closed his eyes and at once her image came to him. The lushness of her naked body. The dusky nipples tipping the firm, round breasts. And the scent of her arousal.

This time he imagined her spread out on a bed, her arms pulled back over her head and her wrists bound to the headboard with soft, silk scarves. He was kneeling between her legs, a bowl of warm water braced with a towel beside him. Heat poured out of him like liquid lust as his eyes quite literally ate her up.

“I’ve dreamed about seeing this gorgeous pussy stark naked,” he told her, carefully spraying thick shaving cream over her pubic curls. “Some nights I got so horny just thinking about it I could only get relief by jacking off.” And that was no lie. Sometimes, hiding out in the worst places, he pushed away the rest of the world by fantasizing about just this very thing, wanting her so badly it was almost painful.

The flush spreading over her body told him how much his words aroused her.

“Your skin will be so sensitive once it’s all shaved,” he went on. “I’ll bet I can make you come just by lapping you once with my tongue.”

Dipping his razor in the bowl of water, he drew it through the curls in long, smooth glides. One stroke, then another, dipping his razor in the water and rinsing it after each one. With thumb and forefinger he pulled each out lip taut to get at every strand of hair, working carefully so he didn’t miss even one tiny area. And as he worked he told her in his soft Texas drawl exactly what he was going to do to her. With her.

“You know, darlin’, I was in Hong Kong one weekend, between assignments, and I passed by this interesting little shop.”

“Oh?” The word was barely a whisper.

“Uh-huh. I couldn’t believe they actually displayed all this stuff in the window. I just had to go inside.”

“What kind of stuff?” she asked when he paused.

His mouth curved in a slow grin. “Every kind of sex toy you can imagine. Stuff even I hadn’t heard of, and I gotta tell you, I thought I’d heard of everything.” He bit down on the tip of his tongue to concentrate on the delicate nature of his work. “I mean, besides all the dildoes and vibrators and nipple rings and stuff like that. You know what a spreader bar is?”

She shook her head, eyes wide.

“It’s a steel rod about three feet long, with cuffs at each end. You can get them to fit around the ankles or the thighs.” He heard the sharp intake of her breath. “It braces your legs wide open so I can play with your pussy, tease it, watch it suck up a dildo or shimmy from a vibrator. And I can see the whole thing. Every inch of your pussy while I make you come.”

He’d removed enough of her hair now that he could see the trickle of cream his words caused, shining against the pink flesh of her cunt.

“You like that? I thought you would.” He shook the razor in the water then rubbed it against the towel before going back to work on the tiny bits of hair still remaining.

“God, it makes me so hard just thinking about it I could pound nails with my dick. So while I was there I bought some.” He grinned. “Had a hell of a time getting that stuff back into the States. Good thing they don’t check our duffel bags when we head home.”

“You have them here?”

“Uh-huh. Not the spreader. Too big to carry. But darlin’, I’ve got a dildo that will stretch that little pussy like… Well, just a minute and I’ll show you.” He picked up the washcloth he’d carried in with everything else and slowly and gently wiped every area of her now naked cunt. Leaning forward he gently licked the entire surface he’d just shaved so clean. Faith jerked at the touch, then hitched her hips at him.

He lifted his eyes to her without raising his mouth. “See?” he murmured against her skin. “I told you how great this would be. Hold on. I’m going to get out some of those toys.”

He took the bowl and everything else he’d been using into the bathroom, dumped it all in the sink and padded back into the bedroom. Opening the door of the closet, he pulled out the box he’d been saving since he got back from his last mission. He set it on the nightstand and opened it, taking out the large, lifelike dildo with the broad head.

“Think this looks enough like me?” he chuckled.