“Let’s give it just a little more time.”
“He said he’d call yesterday and he didn’t do it.” Her hand clutched the curtain so tightly that her knuckles turned white. “He’s made his deal with Chavez and he’s going to turn over Barry. We have to stop him.”
“Wait until noon and then we’ll take off. We may be in a better position here to intercept him. He or Barry may drop—”
“No.” She turned and headed for the front door. “He can call us on the road. I’m too frightened to—”
The house phone rang.
She jumped for it. “Hello.”
“Is Galen on the line?” Judd asked.
“He will be in a minute. Let me talk to Barry.”
“After we finish. He’s fine.”
“How do I know that? You promised Chavez you’d send him a picture of a dead boy.”
“He told you that? He’ll evidently do anything to hurt you.”
“Was it a lie?”
He didn’t answer immediately. “No.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“At times,” Judd said. “But it’s not kind of you to say so when I’m calling to give you an opportunity.”
“What kind of opportunity?” Galen had picked up the extension.
“To get her son back.”
Elena stiffened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’ve made a deal with Chavez. I get my money. He gets Barry. But the terms of delivery are in my court.”
“Go on.”
“I’ve told Chavez that he has to do the delivery himself. He brings the money, I turn over Barry. No escort or I don’t deal.”
“And you think he’ll abide by it?”
“Probably not. I’ll do a little scouting ahead of time to make sure I’m safe.”
“And where do we come in?”
“I’ll tell you where and when. You come after I’ve got my money and take Barry away from him. Simple.”
“Too simple,” Galen said. “It smells like a trap.”
“Or a bad conscience trying to do the right thing,” Judd said. “You take your choice.”
“Trap,” Elena said.
“I’ll call you tonight with the time and place. Barry will be there. I’m sure he’ll hope to see you.” He called, “Barry, your mother wants to talk to you.”
“Galen, it’s a trap, isn’t it?” She hung up after talking to Barry and walked into the kitchen. “That tricky bastard.”
“Probably.” He hung up the extension. “But it’s also an opportunity, just as Judd said. I don’t doubt Barry will be there. It’s the only bait that would work.”
“And Chavez will have his men there.”
“Almost certainly. It’s very risky.” He smiled faintly. “But it’s not going to stop you from going, is it?”
Even the slimmest chance to get Barry back? “Hell, no.”
“Then we wait for Judd to tell us where and when.”
Judd called at nine-forty that evening.
“Tomorrow night. In the glade at the top of Blackjack Mountain. One A.M.”
“If this is the trap I think it is, I’m going to hunt you down and draw and quarter you,” Galen said.
“Don’t you think I know that? You have to do what you have to do. I can’t guarantee the unpredictable, and everything about this delivery is unpredictable.”
“Including you.”
“Including me.” Judd hung up.
“That sounded like a warning,” Elena said.
“Who the hell knows?” Galen moved toward the desk in the living room. “We need to take a look at a state map and find Blackjack Mountain. We have some reconnoitering to do before tomorrow night.”
She followed him and watched as he took out the map and looked up Blackjack Mountain. “It’s about forty-five miles north of the city off Highway 76. I don’t see any nearby towns. Evidently Judd wanted his meeting isolated enough not to disturb the neighbors.”
She nodded. “We’re not going to have much time to familiarize ourselves with the area.”
“Time enough. I don’t think either of us is going to sleep tonight anyway.” He headed for the door. “Let’s get on the road.”
“Galen.”
“What?”
“I just want this very clear. This is my son. We both have to go all out. You’re not going to try to close me out or protect me.”
He hesitated. “It’s going to be hard for me not to do it.”
“But you’ll do it because you made me a promise.”
He grimaced. “And I’ll keep it. We go in together and we do the job together. Okay?”
She nodded and followed him to the door. “Just so you understand.”
“I told you once I was chock-full of understanding. Since then I’ve begun to regret that particular talent.”
They didn’t get back from Blackjack Mountain until after noon the next day. They were both sweaty, dirty, and scratched from brush.
“Get a shower and try to nap,” Galen said. “I’ve got to get a few weapons and some infrared night glasses from Hughes.”
“You should sleep too.”
“I will.” He paused. “We’ll draft several of Hughes’s security guys to take out Chavez’s men near the road and stand by for an alert from us. But if we go up that mountain like a SWAT team, there’s a greater chance of Barry being hurt. We don’t know what Chavez will do if he’s cornered.”
“I know that.”
“And we can’t be sure how many of Chavez’s men will be guarding the way up to that glade. We’ll have to pick them off one by one on the way to him. We can’t afford noise.”
She nodded. “Knives and hands.”
“Right.”
She heard the door close behind him as she headed for her bedroom. A few minutes later she was under the shower and the hot water was washing away the dirt, but not the cold anxiety that had gripped her all night. Christ, she was scared.
They had gone over that mountain until she was familiar enough with it to feel fairly certain she wouldn’t blunder into unknown dangers. The dangers she knew about were bad enough.
She got out of the shower and toweled off. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done this before, she told herself. She would just do what she had been taught all those years ago. It would be fine.
But it was Barry who was at stake.
Fear stabbed her and she had to push down the panic that followed. She mustn’t be frightened. Think of something that would give her strength.
Galen. Some of the fear eased. Yes, Galen would be with her this time. Together they would be able to do it. Together they would be able to save her son.
Take care of our boy.
That was the last line of the letter Dominic had written her.
“I’m trying, Dominic,” she whispered. “But everything is going wrong and I’m scared. If you’re around somewhere, I could use a little help.”
12:05 A.M.
Blackjack Mountain
Where was the bastard? Chavez wondered impatiently as his gaze searched the trees surrounding the glade.
“Chavez, I presume.”
Chavez whirled to face the man standing in the shadows of a huge oak tree. “Morgan?”
“Yes.”
“You kept me waiting,” Chavez said. “Come out where I can see you.”
“I’m afraid not. I’d be too good a target. Not that I believe you’d double-cross me. Is the money in that suitcase?”
“Yes, come and get it.”
“You come to me.”
“Where’s my son?”
“He’s here behind this tree. He’s sound asleep. I slipped him a Mickey and he should be out for a few hours.”
Chavez moved slowly forward until he was facing Morgan.
“No unfriendly moves.” Morgan was pointing a gun at him. “I hear you’re very good at hand-to-hand. Put the case on the ground and open it.”
Chavez unlatched the case. “It’s in
large bills. That’s a lot of money to be crammed into a case.”
“I’ve no objection.” Morgan shone a penlight on the bills and then picked up several stacks and leafed through them one by one. “It seems to be in order.” He latched the suitcase and shone the light on Barry, who was sleeping behind the tree. “Your merchandise.”
Chavez glanced at the boy. “Where’s Elena?”
“She’ll be here in forty minutes or so. I wanted to conclude my primary business first and get out.”
“And I’m to trust you that she’ll come?”
“She knows the boy is here. Think what she’s gone through already to save him from your clutches. She’s desperate now.”
“You’re going to stay right here.”
“I beg to disagree. Don’t worry, I know if I left you with egg on your face you’d never stop hunting me. I don’t have the slightest doubt you’ll put a contract out on me anyway, but I understand contracts and can deal with them.” He started to back into the forest. “She’ll be here.”
“Did you believe I’d let you leave this mountain alive?”
“Perish the thought. But I’m going to do it just the same. My former occupation gave me unique experience in escape and evasion. I know you have this mountain crawling with your people. I had to take out one to safeguard my chosen exit trail. I’m sure you won’t mind. He was clumsy anyway.…”
He was gone.
“Gomez!”
The man ran from the trees on the other side of the glade. “I couldn’t get a clear shot. Should I go after him?”
“Yes. No. Elena may be on her way. I don’t want her scared off by any search parties crashing through the brush. We’ll get him later. Give me your flashlight.” He shone the light down on the boy. It was definitely the boy he’d seen in the picture, and he still appeared to be in a deep sleep. “I have my son and I’ll soon have the woman.” He added, “If she does make it this far, I want you to leave her to me. Don’t interfere. Now get back to your position.”
“Are you ready?” Galen whispered.
Elena nodded and adjusted her infrared night glasses. “I counted five. There could be more.”
“Probably are. They may be on the move. You take the trail to the left; I’ll take the right. We meet at the glade at the top.”
“Right. Chavez is bound to have a man or two in the woods around the glade. Will you take them out?”
“And what will you be doing?”
She didn’t answer. “Will you take them out?”
He muttered an oath. “Yes, dammit. You can trust me. I’ll make sure there aren’t any surprises. Satisfied?” She nodded, her gaze on the top of the mountain.
Barry.
“Elena, just meet me there. Don’t go in without me. Do you hear me?”
“I heard you. Be careful.” She bent low and darted to the left.
Clear the way, her father had told her. Be silent but take them out. Clear the way.
Clear the way to Barry.
Two down.
Galen rolled the body into the bushes and jammed his knife back into its calf sheath.
No noise. No alert.
He paused a moment to get his bearings and the next target. A guard a hundred yards farther up on the trail.
He continued to carefully crawl his way up the side of the trail.
The man’s neck broke as she twisted it from behind. Elena let him fall and kept going.
Don’t stop.
Move faster.
More of Chavez’s men on the trail ahead.
But beyond them was the glade.
Beyond them was Barry.
Clear the way.
Panic surged through Elena when she saw there was no one in the glade.
Not Chavez. Not her son.
“Chavez!”
No answer.
Her gaze searched the trees. “Chavez, I know you’re there. Come out and face me.”
“I was just making sure you had no company. Where’s Galen?”
Elena’s gaze flew across the glade to where the voice had come from. She’d discarded her night glasses and could only see by the fitful moonlight. Where was he? “Hopefully wreaking havoc on your men.”
“Then he’s probably dead by now. I hope you weren’t fond of him.”
Don’t think about his words. He only wanted to shake her, weaken her. “Where’s my son?”
“Here.” Chavez’s voice was farther left, Elena noticed. He must be moving.
She started moving herself. “Where?”
“Why should I tell you? It’s no longer important. Your status as his mother is at an end.”
“Bullshit.”
“I’ve heard that maternal love makes idiots of women, and you’ve proved it tonight. I was doubtful you’d walk into Morgan’s trap.”
“I walked in and I’m walking out. I’m taking my son with me. You’ve moved five yards to the left. You’re trying to get behind me. Do you really want to attack me from the rear? Are you afraid to look me in the eyes?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I believe that lie about you just pretending I’d beaten you? I beat you then. I’ll beat you now.”
“You know in your heart I was telling the truth. It must be a terrible blow to your pride. Are you afraid you’ll fail again if you face me?”
“I won’t be taunted into doing something stupid, Elena.”
“Will you remember this later and regret it, Chavez? Oh, I know you probably wanted me helpless and unable to defend myself, but that would just prove how ineffectual you are.”
“You didn’t find me ineffectual when I was driving between your legs.”
Don’t let him shake you. Memories were also a weapon.
“The only way you could beat me was to tie me down. What kind of victory is that?”
Silence. “You bitch. Knife?”
She drew a deep, relieved breath. “Knife, hands, feet. Throw your other weapons out into the clearing. I’ll do the same.”
“The knife at last. Not that I didn’t enjoy our less lethal bouts. Do you remember lying on the mat and—”
“Throw out your weapons.”
“You first.”
“And chance getting shot by one of your men in the forest?”
“You have to take your chances. Maybe I told them to leave you to me. Maybe I didn’t. You’re so sure I want to redeem myself. Are you certain enough to throw out your guns?”
She had hoped to place him in a position of weakness. She wasn’t sure if she’d shoot him when he stepped out into the clearing, but it was definitely a possibility. Hand-to-hand was always a risk, and she had to think of Barry. Now she had no choice. If there was another man in the forest, she had to trust that Galen would take him down. She felt a sudden surge of confidence. Yes, he wouldn’t fail her. She could trust Galen.
She threw her rifle and pistol out into the glade. “Now you.”
Would he do it?
He stepped out of the forest into the moonlight and threw a rifle and handgun down. “Come, Elena.” His tone was mocking. “Show me how you beat me all those years ago.”
Elena and Chavez circled each other, knives drawn.
Elena sprang forward. Chavez ducked aside and his knife darted out and raked her. She spun away before he could follow through.
“First blood, Elena,” he murmured. “You should have expected that.”
She whirled and gave him a roundhouse kick to the stomach. “I did.”
He grunted in pain and sank to his knees.
She knew better than to close in on him. She had seen him fake weakness too many times and then take advantage of an unguarded moment.
He lunged to one side and regained his feet. “Good move. Now let’s see you counter.” He made a series of lightning-quick karate moves she was barely able to counter. God, he was fast. Too fast. The attacks had brought him close enough to her that he got in a punch to the chin.
Darkness.
Hot pain
in her arm as his knife lunged forward.
She staggered back.
Clear your head.
She had only seconds before he would be on top of her.
Buy time.
She kicked and connected with his groin. She was vaguely aware of his grunt of pain as she fought off faintness.
Chavez didn’t fall, but she was in no shape to follow through.
Dammit, she had to follow through. Now. Ignore the dizziness. She would never have a better chance.
She did a sidekick to his throat and he fell to the ground. She stepped forward to stomp on the side of his head, but he grabbed her ankle.
She was down.
She rolled over and straddled him, her knee pinning his knife hand while her own knife hovered over his throat.
“Very good,” he whispered. “But you can’t do it, Elena. You’ll never be able to do it.”
“The hell I won’t.”
“No, you won’t. Do you know why? Because I’ve told my man if he sees me down, he’s to slit your son’s throat.”
“You’re lying.”
“Can’t you see the blood spurting? I can—” He spat in her face.
She instinctively flinched and his pinned arm broke free. His knife thrust toward her.
She was able to escape it by inches as she rolled over and away from him.
“I almost had you. You could have killed me then, but that convenient maternal instinct raised its head again.” He was on his feet and coming toward her. His foot lashed out, connecting with her wrist, and her knife fell to the ground. She scissored his ankles between her legs and brought him down again.
He recovered and was on top of her, his knife coming toward her chest. She quickly brought her arm up to block it.
A bullet skimmed his cheek.
He stiffened. “What the—”
Elena rolled, grabbing his wrist and pressing the nerve at the same time. The knife fell from his numbed hand, and she scrambled sideways and took possession of it.
Chavez tackled her. She twisted under his body and lunged upward with the knife.
He froze on top of her. “Elena?”
She pushed him off her and sat up.
Blood was gushing from the wound in his chest and he was looking down at it in disbelief.
“I told you I’d do it.” Jesus, she was shaking. “Where’s my son?”