No One to Trust (3 page)

A dog yapping, far away. Good.

But Gomez might have sent men ahead to guard the river crossing. Everyone knew that this was the only place shallow enough to cross the river for another forty miles. She had to be prepared to go around them. No, she was so tired she wasn’t thinking straight. Being prepared was only defensive. She had to attack. Her father had always told her that when hunted, the only thing to do was turn hunter and eliminate the threat entirely.

She closed her eyes. More death. More blood on her hands.

Stop whining. Chavez would agree perfectly with her father’s philosophy. He would think nothing of killing her after he got what he wanted. Had Chavez come back and joined that pack behind her? How that bastard would enjoy the hunt. The thought sent a thrill of pure rage through her that banished any regret. If it had to be done, then do it. Start thinking about where they would be planning to ambush her.

Her eyes flicked open and she pulled out the gun she’d taken from the guard. She started to crawl forward again, her elbows digging into the mud. Her gaze searched the woods near the river. Are you there? Are you waiting for me?

Turn hunter. Eliminate the threat
.

The house was a crumbling three-bedroom hacienda some five miles outside the town of Tomaco. After a preliminary search, Galen permitted Forbes to go inside.

“I’m not impressed. Not the greatest pad I’ve ever stayed at,” Galen said as he ran his finger over a dust-covered table. “I’m disappointed in you, Forbes. You should have at least provided maid service for a man of my consequences. This is where she said she’d meet you?”

Forbes nodded. “She didn’t want a chance of our arrival leaking to anyone in the village. She said no one has lived here for the past six years.”

“How does she know? This is pretty far from the hills where the rebels hang out.”

“I didn’t ask. Which bedroom do you want?”

“None of them. Neither do you.” He turned and headed for the door. “I told my guys to make sure to stash bedrolls in the jeep. We camp out in the forest and keep an eye on the house from there. My mum always told me that fresh air was good for me.”

“And you don’t trust Elena Kyler not to have lured me to this house as a trap.”

“Did I say that?” He went outside and climbed into the jeep. “Hop in and we’ll hide this fine vehicle in the brush before we unload and set up camp. As compensation for depriving you of a roof over your head, I’ll fix you the finest al fresco meal you’ve ever eaten. I’m an extraordinary cook.”

Forbes got into the passenger seat. “I suppose your mum told you that too.”

Galen started the jeep. “How did you guess?”

It was after midnight when Forbes jerked wide awake. Something was wrong. A sound?

Galen’s bedroll was empty. Shit.

He tossed his blankets aside and jumped to his feet. The house.

He ran through the woods. A branch slapped him in the face.

He could see the driveway of the house just ahead.

Two men struggling. Galen was on top. A gun was lying on the ground beside him.

Galen grunted, his head whipping back as the man’s fist lashed out and caught him on the chin.

The man took advantage of the temporary weakness to lunge up and over, bringing Galen with him. Then he was breaking free, scrambling for the gun.

Forbes stepped forward and kicked the gun away.

Galen took advantage of his opponent’s moment of distraction and chopped down on the side of his neck.

The man went limp.

Galen breathed a sigh of relief as he rose to his feet. “Fast.” He picked up the gun. “And tough. She almost broke my jaw.”

“She?” Forbes stiffened. “It’s a woman? You’re sure?”

“Believe me, even in extreme circumstances I can tell the difference.”

Forbes gave a low whistle. “Elena Kyler?”

“Presumably.”

Forbes took a step closer to get a better look. The woman was wearing black jeans, a dirty white shirt, and a leather jacket and was little more than a shadowy figure in the moonlight. She appeared to be of medium height with short dark hair.

“I felt something warm.… She’s bleeding.” Galen was kneeling, flipping open the leather jacket. The white shirt was stained with blood.

“For God’s sake, Galen. Did you have to do that?”

“I didn’t. It’s a knife wound. It’s been stitched, but it broke open. If we don’t do anything, she could bleed to death.” He glanced up at Forbes. “It’s your call.”

“What?”

“She was good. There’s an excellent chance Chavez sent her to take you out. Don’t ever let anyone tell you women can’t be as deadly as males.”

“You’re crazy. It was probably Chavez who did this to her.”

“Somebody stitched up that wound. Showing up here with a stab wound would make any story she told you much more believable. Hell, you want to believe her already. It’s only her bad luck that she ran into me before she found you. So you tell me, do we stop the blood?”

“Of course we stop it.”

“I thought that’s what you’d say. I hope you won’t regret it.” He unbuttoned the shirt and applied pressure to the wound. “Go back to the camp. I have a first-aid kit in my duffel, and bring those two lanterns. I’ll try to stop the bleeding. I don’t think any major organs were hit. The blood flow seems to be lessening.”

“Right.” Forbes hurried back toward the woods.

“You’re not out anymore. Open your eyes,” Galen said. “Talk to me.”

No response.

“Talk to me or I’ll open that wound another two inches before Forbes comes back, and then we won’t be able to save you. What a shame.”

Her eyes opened. Huge dark eyes, staring up at him warily.

“Good. That’s progress,” Galen said. “Elena Kyler?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s Rico Chavez?”

“I don’t know.”

He lifted the compress. “Oh, my, it must have slipped. Look at all that blood.”

“I tell you, I don’t know.” She glared at him. “I was at a prison in Belim. He may be near here. He may still be in Mexico City.”

“You have the prison story right. That deserves a reward.” He put the compress back. “Think about it. I’ll give you a couple minutes. I’m sure you’ll be able to pin his location down.”

“Was that Ben Forbes who just left?”

“You could have seen who he was if you’d chosen not to play possum.”

“No one was supposed to be here but him. It could have been a trap.”

“My thought exactly.”

“Who are you?”

“Sean Galen.”

“DEA?”

“Not in my worst nightmares.”

“I didn’t think so. I’ve seen your kind before. I’ve fought side by side with mercenaries from all over the world. My father was one. You all have the same edge.”

“Don’t generalize. I’m unique. I’m also supposed to be your savior. Superman incarnate. Faster than a speeding—”

“Here’s your first-aid kit. If you can call it that.” Forbes dumped the large kit down beside Galen. “Good God, it’s as complete as an EMT unit. And you have enough equipment in that jeep to withstand a siege. Talk about being prepared. What were you—oh, she’s awake.”

Galen nodded. “Wide awake. It is Elena Kyler.”

Elena was looking at Forbes. “You’re Ben Forbes? You were supposed to come alone.”

“I needed a little help. It may be a difficult situation. I kept my promise. He’s not a fed. Did you bring the evidence?”

“No, we’ll have to go together and get it. It’s nearby.”

“Why don’t you go and bring it to us?” Galen asked.

She ignored him. “I don’t know how much time we have. Chavez will know I crossed the river ten miles from here. He
may decide to call in more men and spread out over the countryside.”

“And how does Chavez know that?” Galen asked.

“I had to kill two of his men to get across the river.”

“My, my, that prison cell came very well equipped.”

She ignored Galen and turned to Forbes. “I stole some supplies from a pharmacy and some clothes in a village near the river. I don’t have time for this inquisition. Just bandage me up and we’ll get on the way.”

“Unfortunately, if we do that you might bleed to death,” Galen said. “I can stitch her up properly, Forbes. You can have a nice chat while I do it. It may distract her. Of course, it could hurt a bit.”

She bit her lower lip. “Do it.” She glanced at Forbes and then slowly held out her hand. “Will you stay with me until it’s over? I don’t want him to get too much pleasure out of this.”

He smiled and his hand closed on hers. “I’ll stay.”

Elena’s breath released in a relieved sigh. “Thank you.” Her gaze shifted to Galen. “Get it over with.”

Elena withstood the pain without a word but slumped into a faint as Galen finished the stitching.

“Tough,” Galen murmured as he started bandaging the wound. “Very tough.”

“Is she going to be okay?” Forbes asked.

He shrugged. “Providing she doesn’t get an infection. If it’s any comfort to you, I think she did sew herself up. The stitches were pretty messy and uneven. We’d better get her back to camp before she wakes up.” He lifted her and started for the woods. “Be sure and bring my kit.”

“You’re pretty good at this. And that first-aid kit—do you always lug that thing around?”

“Sure. When I need first aid, it’s usually not for anything minor. Like the Boy Scouts, I’m always prepared.”

“You’re from Liverpool, aren’t you? Did they have Boy Scouts there?”

“Of a sort. But my mum never liked me to mix with those
rough-and-ready types.” He looked down at Elena. “Like this one. She’d be turning over in her grave if she knew I was associating with such a piranha.”

“I don’t believe you have anything to worry about,” Forbes said dryly. “A shark could gobble up a piranha.”

“Really? Must hurt.” They had reached the camp and Galen carefully laid Elena down on his blankets. “You know, she looks slight, but she’s very strong. See her shoulders …?”

“I think you’re still brooding about that right hook.”

“It’s possible. How old do you think she is?”

“Mid-twenties maybe.”

At the moment she looks younger, Galen thought. In sleep she had a childlike vulnerability. When Elena was awake, her expression had been so full of vitality and intensity that he had only been conscious of the character behind the face. Now he could see that the woman’s olive skin was perfect, her cheekbones high and her mouth wide and well shaped. The lashes lying on her cheeks were very long and as dark as her hair. “She must have learned a lot in those years. Some of those moves could have killed me if I hadn’t blocked them. She’s been trained very well.” He glanced at Forbes. “She could put you down in seconds.”

“I can hold my own. I’m no amateur.”

“You’re a policeman. But violence isn’t a way of life for you. You told me she’s been a guerrilla since she was a child. She’s a pro.”

He shrugged. “So are you. It’s a question of choice.”

“But she wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t made the choice before.”

“Neither would you.”

“You keep comparing us.”

“Because you make me feel like an outsider. It’s as if the two of you belong to a private club.”

Galen smiled. “I’d never be so rude as to exclude you.”

“The hell you wouldn’t.” He paused. “Give her a chance, Galen. She may be legitimate.”

“And she may be drawing you into a trap. She’s smart. She took one look at you and set out to appeal to every protective instinct in your body. I suddenly became the enemy, being cruel to a helpless woman.”

“Would you really have hurt her?”

“I might have been a little clumsy. I need to know more. We can’t afford to accept her at face value.”

“I believe you’ve made that clear to her.”

“Good. Then we may be—”

“We have to leave here.” They both looked down at Elena and saw that her eyes were open. “How long was I out?”

“Ten, fifteen minutes.”

“Not too bad.” She struggled to a sitting position. “I hope. Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“It’s not far. I’ll show you.”

“Where?” Galen repeated.

She glared at him. “You’ll know when we get there. Do you think I’d trust you?”

“You trust Forbes.”

“I had to trust him.” She whirled on Forbes. “We made a deal. I’ll give you what you want. Keep your part of it.”

“Galen knows what he’s doing.”

“He could have been bought. Chavez buys everyone.”

“He’ll get you out of here, Elena.”

Her hands clenched at her sides. “How?” she demanded, turning to Galen. “No village from here to Bogotá is going to be safe. Those who Chavez can’t buy will be afraid of him. You can’t trust the government, the paramilitaries, or the rebels.”

“Not even your own group?”

“Particularly not my group,” she said bitterly. “They’ve been funded by Chavez for years.”

“Then it seems like a good idea to avoid them,” agreed Galen.

“How?” she asked again.

“I have a team on standby in the area. When I call them, they’ll helicopter in and pick us up. There’s a jet waiting at an airport near Medellín.”

She was silent a moment. “It sounds simple.”

“It probably won’t be.”