Unwitting Alliances - Hunter Blake Series

Chapter Twenty-five

  Hector and Hamilton were positioned at two front windows watching as a black helicopter appeared over the treetops and began circling overhead.

  “It’s armed,” Hector said as they watched it continue to circle. Suddenly a large private jet swooped in, barely missing treetops on their approach. “Not good,” he said. “But they’ll be lucky they don’t careen into the trees at the other end of the runway.” Hector ran to a back window to take a look.

  “Landing won’t be the problem as much as taking off,” Hamilton called back to him. “Like you say, the trees are close to both ends of the runway.” He paused. “If they take off. Depends on how this plays out.”

  The sleek white private jet managed to set down on the lengthy earthen runway with only feet to spare then carefully turned around and taxied back before parking near Hamilton’s helicopter. Moments later, two figures emerged.

  “Really not good,” Hector muttered, watching the plane slowly work its way back along the runway. He watched for the circling helicopter but it either landed out of view or took off.

  He rejoined Hamilton curiously watching the activity outside.

  “Now what?” Hector asked. “And I wonder where John is.” He watched the two men approach the cabin. “They’re practically asking us to shoot at them.”

  “Yeah,” Hamilton said thoughtfully. “Practically.” He looked up at the sky. “Where’d that chopper go?”

  “Haven’t seen it since the jet landed.”

  “Check in back again… in case we have more visitors.”

  Hector hurried to the back window, scanning the trees for any sign of movement while Hamilton kept watching from the front. He smiled. “It’s Davenport,” he called back to Hector, “but I can’t tell who the other guy is yet. He's keeping his head down.”

  Daniel Davenport was dressed in casual slacks and a buttoned shirt. He wore sunglasses and walked with a swagger, obviously confident and pleased with the situation. His companion, though, was husky looking, dressed in dark clothing, including a black baseball cap, and dark sunglasses.

  Hamilton studied them. “Over-confident, as usual. You see anything back there?” he called out to Hector.

  “Not a thing. But they may have more men on the plane,” he said.

  Hamilton merely nodded without a reply. A waiting game began. Eventually, Davenport yelled toward the cabin.

  “Hamilton! I know you’re in there! It’s just a matter of time. You might as well come out before anyone gets hurt!”

  Hamilton stayed quiet and watched. “He’s stalling.” He continued to watch then got an uneasy feeling. “Something’s wrong,” he said. “And, if I didn’t know better… that other guy reminds me of... Dirk.”

  “But you killed him,” Hector said, now back at the front.

  “Yeah. At least I thought I did.” He shook his head. “I messed up. I didn’t confirm the kill.” He took a deep breath and let it out.

  A moment later, John emerged from the cellar. “I heard the chopper and saw the jet. What’s going on?” he asked, joining them, then took a good look. “Is that Dirk?” he asked. “I thought...”

  “Yeah. So did I,” Hamilton said. “Damn.” He kept watching but asked, “Did our friends make it out okay?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t see them,” John said.

  “You didn’t pass them on the fire road?”

  “No.”

  Hamilton kept watching. “Okay, you both take the tunnel and get out. I’ll stay here and keep them distracted. See if you can find the others.”

  Hector hesitated with a frown.

  “Just do it,” Hamilton said.

  “But…” Hector reluctantly said, “Okay.” He motioned for John and they disappeared into the cellar.

  Daniel called out to Hamilton again. “Ham! There’s something I want you to see!” he yelled. Another man, also wearing black, appeared dragging a woman with him.

  Hamilton stiffened. “Janet,” he whispered.

  “You’ve got two minutes to come out here or she dies!” Daniel yelled. “Two minutes!”

  Janet bit her captor’s hand and screamed, “Don’t do it! Don’t do it!” She wriggled loose and began to run. A shot rang out and he feared the worst.

  “I’ve got five more waiting in line, Ham!” Daniel yelled. “Five more of your precious friends! It’s up to you or their deaths will be on your head! Do you hear me!”

  Hamilton said nothing.

  “Are you some kind of fool, Ham! You must be! You’re heartless! We’ll kill them all and then we’ll come get you and kill you too!” Daniel’s voice raised in pitch and he double-checked his automatic weapon.

  “He’s nervous,” Hamilton said to himself then smiled and looked up at the loft.

  “You got thirty seconds!”

  Hamilton reached for a wire above the front door jamb and attached it to an eye-bolt on the door itself. Next he grabbed the last clip of rounds and shoved it in a pocket before scurrying up the ladder to the loft. At the far end, he carefully slid a bolt, silently raised a trap door to the roof, and climbed out.

  Quietly lowering the trap door back into place, he flattened himself on the roof and shimmied to the ridge to take a look below.