Stalemate (33 page)

She thought it would take time for her to go to sleep but she dropped off almost immediately.

She woke to the sound of the ringing of the phone four hours later.

Diaz?

She scrambled to reach the phone on the nightstand. "Hello."

"You sound sleepy. Wake up, Eve. We have things to talk about."

"Galen?" She sat up straight in bed. "Where are you?"

"At the moment? I'm in a blind in an oak tree about a mile from Diaz's fancy castle and damned uncomfortable. I'm not accustomed to the rough life anymore."

"I imagine Joe's a little uncomfortable himself."

"Not my fault." Galen's voice was suddenly sober. "I couldn't do anything with him. I tried to stop him. I wanted to be the one to rush into the dragon's lair but he wasn't having any of it. He said it was more logical that he do it. Actually, he was right. Diaz wouldn't have much use for me except to use my handsome head to decorate his fireplace. Quinn was much more likely to stay alive until he could finish the job."

"Killing Diaz? For God's sake, Miguel said Joe was still unconscious while he was there. He'll be lucky not to bleed to death."

"He may be waking up about now. I've been using the audio spy equipment to monitor the castle and it's weird he's not come around yet. I'd bet he's playing possum. And he won't bleed to death unless Diaz opens his wounds. It's not likely. Diaz enjoys live entertainment. He'll ignore Quinn while he's out cold."

"What?"

"Quinn's not stupid. Stubborn. Not stupid. He knew he was too weak to function as he usually did. So he decided he had to avoid confrontation until he could slit the toad's throat. He wasn't in top form so he couldn't chance getting close to Diaz in the castle. So we decided to blow the bastard up. We planted a nice hefty stash of dynamite around the castle. We were going to set it off once we were in the woods but it turned out the whole area was crawling with Diaz's men."

"That's what Miguel said."

"Anyway we were cornered and Quinn tossed me the detonator and told me to do the job. Then he ran out of the shrubbery and drew them away from me. He knew we weren't both going to be able to get away and he was too weak to make it." He paused. "He's got guts, your Joe, luv."

"You don't have to tell me that."

"I couldn't blow the castle. That's where they took Quinn. Like I said, I've been hanging out listening in on what was happening inside the castle with some of this handy-dandy surveillance equipment and looking for an opportunity. I figured my best bet would be to know what was going on so that I could bring in some reinforcements."

"Tell me where you are. Tell me how I can help."

"I'll fill you in on the important agendas first. I don't know how long I can stay in this blind. They've been searching for me since they got their hands on Quinn. I may have to go on the run again."

"Then talk, dammit."

He laughed. "Okay, then it's time that I started shorthand. One, I'm going strictly against Quinn's orders. He didn't want you involved. But I saw them carry that boy Miguel out of the castle on that cross. I think we need a little outside involvement." His voice sobered and the next words came hard and quick. "The first thing you have to know is that Montalvo is being..."

Excitement was surging through Eve as she hung up the phone fifteen minutes later. Excitement? Or hope? For the first time since she'd found out Joe was gone she felt as if she might see a way through this fog of ugliness generated by Diaz.

She threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. Get dressed. Galen was on-site and ready to help. She had to make plans of her own.

She glanced at the phone. It had been hours since Diaz had called. Was he trying to make her apprehensive? A psychological ploy? Perhaps. How the hell did she know?

Go on. Call, Diaz. I'm ready for you.

"I'm not going," Miguel said. "If you put me on that helicopter to Bogota, I'll hijack it and come back."

"You won't try that kind of stupidity," Montalvo said. "I've taught you better."

"You've taught me loyalty and teamwork. I was stupid enough to get caught. I'm definitely stupid enough to force myself on you at a time like this."

"With two broken ribs and those hands?"

"Only the hands would bother me. I can get around the rest." He frowned. "And my fingers work. You could rig up something."

"Miguel..." Montalvo shrugged. "Let me think about it."

"She's not going to give you much time to think about anything," Miguel said. "When she was here, I could feel the impatience in her. She was hurting for me but she wants her man back."

He frowned. "He's not her man. Neither of them is that dependent on the other. It's not in their characters."

Miguel smiled. "You don't want it to be true. Interesting."

"Why should I care what--" Montalvo stopped. "No, I don't want it to be true, you perceptive rascal. You'd do well to concentrate on recovery and forget about my concerns."

"But your concerns are my concerns. I can't help being involved. It's your fault for saving me from having my head blown off."

Montalvo sighed. "I'm beginning to regret that moment."

Miguel shook his head. "It's no good you telling me that. I saw your face when you were taking me off that cross. You were as tender as Mary with Christ at Calvary."

"I believe I'm going to be ill. You're not Christ. I'm not Mary. You can't even get the sex right."

"Well, something like that."

"I can see you're going to hold that Jesus image up to me for the rest of your life."

"Possibly." His smile faded. "I told you what I had to do. Now set it up so that my mission paves the way for your mission."

"You've had your answer."

Miguel stared him in the eye. "And you've had your answer. I won't back down. I don't care if it complicates everything. Work it out."

Montalvo got to his feet. "Maybe. It all depends on Eve. I don't know what the hell is happening right now." He moved toward the door. "In the meantime go to sleep and stop thinking up things to torment me."

"It's my duty." Miguel closed his eyes. "I must keep you humble, Colonel. I embrace the task gladly."

"I'm sure you do," he said as he left the bedroom.

Blast the boy, he thought with exasperation. He was relieved that Miguel was progressing so rapidly but not that his will was gaining determination on a pace with his physical strength. He'd always had a power and mental ability far beyond his years but that episode at the castle had changed him. No, not changed, just made his character deepen, harden.

And why the hell shouldn't it have done that? An experience of that nature was enough to drive some men mad. He was lucky that it had only caused Miguel to toughen. The boy was totally remarkable.

And it was time Montalvo started to move against that slimeball of an informer who had betrayed Miguel, he thought grimly.

He headed downstairs to go pay a visit to Destando.

The call from Diaz to Eve came four hours later.

"Very well," he said. "I'll arrange a meeting in a place other than the castle to receive the skull if my informants tell me that Armandariz is not going to be a problem."

Eve felt a surge of relief. "He won't be a problem. Where?"

"The woods on the other side of the village."

"Where you could have thirty sharpshooters ready to pick us off after you have the skull? I don't think so."

"Take it or leave it."

"I'll leave it. I won't die for an affair that's run its course. I told you I wanted to live. You've given me no chance at all."

"Then I kill Quinn."

"If that's what you have to do. Call me back if you change your mind."

"Wait." Diaz hesitated before saying sourly, "Perhaps we can come to an agreement. What do you consider a safe exchange?"

"A helicopter pickup for Joe and me immediately after the exchange to whisk us both back to Bogota. I'm going to ask Venable with the CIA to send a copter to get us out. Where's your helicopter pad?"

"On the grounds in back of the castle."

"Too dangerous for me. Where else can he land?"

"There's a pad on the outskirts of the village near the cemetery."

She was silent. "The cemetery is too out in the open. I'd be a target. Anywhere else?"

"Maybe the church on the cemetery grounds."

Yes. She tried to sound uncertain. "I don't know..."

"I'm tired of fooling with you. It's the church or the deal is a wash."

She waited a few seconds and then said reluctantly, "I suppose the church would be safe enough. I won't have the skull with me but it will be close by. When I see that you're the only one in the church, I'll go and fetch it. And I'm going to ask the helicopter pilot to skim over those woods across from the cemetery and use infrared to make sure there's no one waiting to put a bullet in the copter's gas tank when we take off."

"My, how suspicious you are."

"I won't even deign to answer that one. I saw what you did to Miguel. You're a butcher."

"Montalvo likes the boy. I had an idea it would bother him."

"Then you'll be glad to know it did. He won't leave his side."

"And that should make it easier for you to deliver the skull," he said mockingly. "He won't miss you in his bed."

"Nothing about this is going to be easy. I'm dealing with a man who's plotting and planning how to get what he wants and still manage to kill me. Even when I get Joe safely to Bogota, I'm going to have to come back and face Montalvo, who is going to be mad as hell I spoiled his plans."

"That's true. He may kill you."

"He won't kill me. We're too good together. But I'm going to have to handle him carefully."

"Only for a little while. I told you I intended to arrange his death within the next few weeks. You'd do better to stay in Bogota."

"I'm touched by your concern," she said sarcastically. "But I'll manage my own business, thank you."

"I don't care about your shoddy little affairs. You and Quinn are nothing to me." His voice became cold. "I want the skull delivered by midnight tomorrow night. If it's not, I'll send Quinn back to you in a dozen separate baskets."

Don't let her voice show the terror that thought brought. "You're beginning to lack imagination. The crucifix was much more effective."

"Are you mocking me? You believe you're so strong and intelligent. I detest women who think they're as good as men. In the end they find out how weak they are."

"Like your mother, Diaz? It takes a real man to kill the woman who bore and raised him." Shut up. She had what she wanted. She didn't want to ruin everything because he infuriated her. "I'll be at the church tomorrow at midnight. If I have any trouble getting the skull, I'll--"

"No ifs," he said harshly. "You will do it." He paused. "You may be through with Quinn but you have a fondness for Jane MacGuire. Did you think you could hide her away from me forever?" He hung up.

He was bluffing.

Jane was safe.