Part 16 (2/2)

Jeff forced himself to his knees. There was too much pain for him to locate any one place that hurt more than another. Every breath was agony, although he didn't think his ribs were broken.

”I said get up!”

Jeff braced his hands on his thigh and started to push up. When a bullet hit the sand next to him, he was so startled he almost collapsed.

”Thank goodness,” Andie breathed. She'd figured out how to use the pistol after all. Now she had to distract the men holding Jeff without hitting any of them. She pointed the muzzle toward the sand just to the left of them and fired again. The recoil didn't surprise her as much this time and she was able to keep her arms out in front of her.

She felt foolish, standing there, legs spread, knees bent, her arms stretched out like some actress playing a cop in a low-budget movie. All she needed was to yell some tacky line of dialogue like ”Freeze, sucker, or I'll blow your head off.”

Only, this wasn't a movie, it was frighteningly real. Her heart was pounding too hard, her palms were damp, the fear so overwhelming, she could taste it.

The men on the beach peered in her direction. She stood in the shadows of a large bush, next to a tree. If they started to fire back at her, she wanted to be able to duck. She didn't dare call out. She didn't want them to know who she was. Otherwise she would have ordered them to drop their weapons. She wondered if they would have listened to a woman, then thought the gun in her hand was a pretty decent equalizer.

”Where'd that shot come from?” one of the men asked the other.

”h.e.l.l if I know. How many are there?”

At least they thought she was dangerous. That was something. She knew how many bullets she had in her clip. She didn't want to waste any more than she had to. She might need them later. Or Jeff might.

Jeff. The light from the parking lot didn't reach onto the beach. She couldn't see much more than vague shapes. She prayed he was all right. She wanted him to be healthy enough to be able to yell at her when they got out of this trouble.

She should have run, she thought, even as she prepared to fire again. When he screamed her name, she'd grabbed Bobby and headed back for the Jeep. The explosion had knocked them both to their knees, but otherwise they'd been unhurt. She'd hidden her son in the back of the vehicle, but she couldn't leave. Not without knowing if Jeff had survived. She told herself it was because she was afraid they couldn't make it without him. Her heart told herher reasons for worrying about himwere much more personal.

She saw the men moving. They'd separated. She took aim between them, closed her eyes and squeezed.

”d.a.m.n, that was close,” one of them called out, sounding slightly panicked.

She smiled briefly,then sobered as she wondered how they were going to get out of this. She hadn't seen Jeff crawl out of the ocean. She hadn't been able to see anything until one of Kray's men had turned on his flashlight. She'd been standing on the dock staring into the blackness, praying for a sign. When it came, she'd been so startled, she'd almost cried out. Almost.

The men on the beach moved again. She took aim between them and fired.

”Got 'em,” one of the men called.

A bright light hit her full in the face, blinding her. Instinctively she turned away, but she couldn't see anything. She stumbled over something on the ground,then dropped down so she wouldn't be a target. She listened, wondering how long it would take them to find her. And where was Jeff in all this?

Someone swore. ”It's that woman. The one who took the kid. This is our lucky night, Monty.” She heard a metallic click. ”d.a.m.n fool, put your gun down. We can't shoot her. She's got his kid.”

”I don't see a kid.”

”That doesn't mean he's not there. If we hurt him, Kray will kill us himself.”

Andie kept blinking, trying to see something, anything. The bright light had blinded her. She could hear the men starting up after her. She turned and fired toward the noise. One of them yelped.

”The b.i.t.c.h winged me. Monty, get your b.u.t.t over here.” Slowly, shapes began to emerge from the muddy darkness. She could see the foamy surf, the lights from the parking lot. Andie peered around the brush. She could see the two men moving toward the broken bridge, but not a third. Where was Jeff?

She didn't ask her question aloud, but one of them read her mind.

”He's gone,” the one she'd shot said suddenly. ”The American. He got away.”

”We're in trouble,” Monty said.

She hoped so. If Jeff had a chance to get away, then he would- From behind her she heard the sound of an engine starting up.

”What's that?” Monty asked.

”Run,” Jeff ordered.

Andie took off toward the sound of his voice. As she reached the end of the broken bridge, the Jeep roared across the parking lot, slowing slightly so she could jump in.

”Mommy!”

”Get down,” Jeff said, his voice harsh. As Andie threw herself in the seat, Jeff stuck his hand in the back and pressed her son's head toward the floorboards. ”You, too.”

She heard cries from behind them. She dropped her head to her knees. Automatic gunfire hit the dirt parking lot around them.

”Are you crazy, Monty? You'll kill the kid.”

”They're getting away.”

”Let 'em go. Kray will find 'em soon enough.”

Jeff hit the gas and they sped out of the parking lot and onto the road. He slowed as they rounded the first curve,then stomped on the brakes. As the Jeep jerked to a stop, he grabbed her pistol and aimed it out the side. She looked up in time to see him firing into a vehicle's tires. The worn pickup truck s.h.i.+fted and settled onto the rims. Jeff handed her back the pistol, then pressed the gas. Gravel and dirt sprayed out behind them. Within minutes the beach was behind them and they were swallowed up in the night.

Andie sat in a corner of the sofa. The lamp in the corner cast a soft pool of light over half the long room. The rest was in shadows. Overhead, the ceiling fan circled lazily, stirring the tropical night air. She wrapped her arms around her waist and rocked slightly. There was no sound save for the faint crash of the waves and the steady footsteps of Jeff pacing back and forth on the front porch. He was furious at her. But at least they'd all made it back alive.

Images sprang to her mind. The fireball of the explosion, the complete darkness and silence afterward. The men on the beach. The spotlight they'd flashed in her eyes. She recalled her terror when she'd first thought Jeff was dead. She hadn't known what to do. He'd told her to run, to get Bobby away from there. She'd known he was right. She was no use to her son dead. And yet she'd stayed.

Because she couldn't stand to face it all alone. Without Jeff she had no way off the island. He was her only hope. She'd also stayed because the thought of leaving him behind had been unbearable. It wasn't just fear that had made her wait, it was her heart.

A tremor shook her. She clasped her waist more firmly, hunching her shoulders down and staring at her lap. The fear was still inside, a living being that sucked up her air, leaving her gasping and terrified.

What now? The question repeated itself. What now? What now? Kray's men had seen her. They knew she was still on the island and they knew she was with Jeff. Kray would be looking for them. When would he find them? What would he do to Jeff when he found him? She knew her own fate and refused to think about it. But she might be responsible for Jeff's death.

The front door opened. She glanced up and saw him standing in the doorway. ”Is Bobby asleep?” he asked.

She nodded. ”He finally calmed down.” They'd both been terrified. She'd stayed in the darkness listening to his steady breathing until her shaking had gotten so bad, she'd been afraid she couldn't stand upright.

Jeff stalked closer to her. He'd removed his cap, but he was still dressed in camouflage. The military clothing made him look dangerous. She didn't dare stare at his face. Instead, she kept her gaze on his broad chest.

”What the h.e.l.l were you thinking?” he asked. ”You could have been killed. I told you to get yourself and Bobby out. If you can't follow orders you're not going to stay alive very long.” Anger filled every word. His hands curled into fists as if he would like to strangle her himself.

”I know,” she whispered, barely able to force the words past her trembling lips.

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