Pearls (30 page)

“There’s no one there but my pilot. The attendant is sick.”

“Let us use your plane. I’ll give you the journal and sign the treasure over to you. Just don’t let him die.” She looked up, pleading, but the coldness in his eyes told her she’d get no help or sympathy.

“I’m sorry, Isabel, but you’ve made your choice. I could have given you anything you desired, but you wouldn’t have me. Now, I’m forced to leave you here with him.” He raised the gun and pointed it at Manuel’s head. “Give me the journal entries.”

“Raúl, please!”

“Give me the journal entries, or he dies.” He cocked the gun with a loud click.

With trembling hands, she pulled the papers from her pocket and handed them to Raúl.

He tucked them away, a sneer marring his handsome features. “Now find something I can use to tie you up.”

“If you ever loved me, Raúl, please don’t do this. Don’t leave him here to die.”

“I’m leaving you both, Isabel. I can’t have you warning the authorities before I have a chance to get away. Get the rope.”

She kept a tight hold on the panic building in her chest as she retrieved a length of cord. How would they get out of this situation alive? Manuel wouldn’t last long without medical help, and she wanted to collapse under the strain of the events she’d just witnessed. Her arms felt limp as she returned to Manuel’s side, carrying the rope in her listless fingers.

He snatched the rope from her hands. “Sit behind him, your backs together.”

Isabel did as he ordered, tenderly helping Manuel to sit and supporting him as much as she could with her body.

Raúl tied a loop in the end of the rope, somehow managing to keep the gun pointed in their general direction while he worked. When he moved in closer to tie their hands, he tucked the gun in his waistband behind his back, out of her reach. As he slid the loop over their hands and cinched it until the fibers dug into her skin painfully, her hope of escape was rapidly fading. The bindings were so tight that her hands tingled from loss of circulation. She could only imagine the pain Manuel was in. Isabel wanted to cry and beg for mercy as she watched Raúl stalk away. Knowing she’d get none, she gritted her teeth and prayed for a miracle.

Raúl jumped into the vehicle, and the engine roared to life. Without a second look in their direction, he drove away, abandoning them to a cruel fate.

When she heard the distant whir of the plane engines fading away, Isabel succumbed to the sobs that clawed at her throat.

Isabel could feel the blood seeping from Manuel’s shoulder and soaking into her shirt. His breathing was labored, and she wondered if the bullet had punctured his lung or damaged other vital tissues. “Manuel?” she whimpered. “Are you okay?”

“I love you, Isabel.” The effort to speak brought on a fit of coughing, and he moaned with pain.

“Don’t talk now. You’ll make it worse.” She glanced around, frantically searching for a way out of their dilemma.

“Isabel.”

“Shhh.”

“There’s a knife….” He coughed again.

Her pulse quickened. “Where?”

“My back pocket. It’s not big, but maybe….”

With their hands tied together, she could not move her arm without moving his too. She knew his injured shoulder hurt, and any movement on that side of his body would cause him pain. She opted to use the other arm to retrieve the knife.

“I’ll need you to work with me. Since you’re in pain, let me do most of the hard stuff. I’m going to move away from you if I can, okay? Ready?”

He grunted and she shifted her hips forward, trying to put some space between their lower backs. He sucked in a sharp breath, and she knew even that small movement had cost him dearly.

“Sorry,” she muttered. “I think there’s enough room between us now. I’ll do the work, but I need you to slide your hand along with mine as I try to reach the knife.”

Moving slowly, she flattened her hand and slid it into the gap between them. She felt him making a similar movement, and the tension on the rope binding their hands together eased just enough.

After a moment of fumbling, she managed to slide the knife from his back pocket. Moving her hands to one side, she studied the Swiss Army knife and selected a blade from the myriad attachments. Fumbling with one hand, she managed to flick the blade out with her thumb, slicing her finger in the process. She struggled for several minutes, trying to maneuver the blade to an angle that would cut through the rope, but doing it all by feel behind her back wasn’t working.

She blew out a frustrated breath. “I can’t see, and I can’t maneuver the knife in this position.”

“Keep trying,” Manuel gasped.

“I’m not giving up, but I need to shift around, try to get my body at an angle to yours so I can see and move my hands a little more.”

“Then do it.”

She knew the position would stretch his wounded shoulder and put him in excruciating pain. “Are you sure? Maybe I can think of another way.”

“No time. Do it.”

The thought of inflicting pain on him made her feel physically ill. But the alternative—sitting by and doing nothing while he slipped into unconsciousness then death—was unacceptable. She found a reservoir of strength somewhere deep inside.

“Ready? Go.” Her muscles shook with strain as she fought the resistance of the ropes and Manuel’s limp body. He gasped in pain as she wrestled into a better position so she could see and maneuver a little better.

Shaking with strain, she sawed through one of the ropes. The pressure on her wrist eased, and she shook her hand until the rope fell free. Shifting, she quickly loosened the bindings and unwound the ropes.

Once free, Manuel rolled to the ground and curled into a fetal position, favoring his injured shoulder. “Leave me, Isabel. Go for help.” His eyes rolled back in his head and his body went limp.

Isabel searched the sky, looking for the source of the hum that filled the air. She couldn’t see a plane approaching, but she was certain one was coming in for a landing. Maybe Raúl had grown a conscience and decided not to abandon them. Or maybe it was just the average delivery run or transport flying in. There was no way to be sure without walking the half-mile to the airstrip and checking. She wasn’t sure that was possible.

Manuel wasn’t doing well at all. She had managed to stop his bleeding and had given him some over-the-counter painkillers from the first aid kit once he woke up. Though conscious, he didn’t have the strength to walk to the airstrip to find help, and she didn’t intend to leave him.

He sagged against the pile of supplies Isabel had fashioned into a makeshift support. She watched his head droop and worried he might pass out again. “Manuel, are you okay?”

His eyelids opened with groggy slowness. “I’m tired.”

She moved closer. “You’re going into shock from losing blood.”

He nodded. “Probably.”

“Please, fight it, Manuel. I can’t lose you. I love you.”

His eyes were instantly alert. “Saving that information for a special occasion, were you?”

She smiled through her tears. “Just too stubborn to admit it before, and too foolish. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I should have known you’d never hurt me. You’ve risked your life several times to save me.”

“S’okay. Even I thought I looked suspicious.”

“Somehow I should have known. I should have listened to my heart.”

He shook his head. “You’re listening now. I love you, Isabel. I have for months. Since you’re feeling guilty and sympathetic, I’m thinking this might be a good time to ask you to marry me.”

If she hadn’t been kneeling, she would have fallen over from shock. “Are you serious?”

“I’ve been a fool, too. I was too proud to consider marrying you because of my financial problems. Now I realize the feelings I have for you are precious, more than money or anything else. If you’ll have me, Isabel, I want you for my wife.”

She leaned over, gave him a long, deep kiss, and found his wounds hadn’t hindered his ability to use his lips. “Swear you won’t die, and my answer is yes.”

His eyes twinkled. “I wouldn’t dream of leaving you now.”

Isabel laid a hand on his forehead. “You’re cold. I know I should keep you warm, but what else? Aren’t you supposed to prop your feet up or something?”

He smiled. “I don’t know, but it’s worth a try.”

“I’ll help you.” She jumped up. “I’ll get blankets from your bedroll.”

Isabel helped him change positions then ran to his tent. As she emerged, arms full of bedding, the rumble of a vehicle’s engine neared their location.

“Maybe this is someone who can help us.” She tucked the blanket around him and arranged the pillow beneath his head. She rushed to the side of the dirt road and waved her arms at the fast-approaching vehicle. The rusted truck skidded to a stop, spraying dirt and gravel.

Waving away the cloud of dust, Isabel ran toward the vehicle. “Thank you for stopping. My friend is hurt and he needs—”

Her plea froze on her lips as the man stepping out of the passenger door turned to face her.

Him.

The man from the police photos. The other doors opened and rough-looking men spilled out, waving guns and shouting. Isabel backed slowly toward Manuel, the thought of protecting him taking prominence in her mind.

The man she recognized leered at her, his eyes dark and cold. “Hello, Isabel. It’s good to see you again. You look healthy considering all you’ve been through; the swim in the well, a rockslide, that unfortunate incident with your boat, and a poisonous snake. You could have been hurt.” He laughed, a cruel, heartless sound.

She knelt by Manuel and took his hand, drawing comfort and courage from the touch. “Who are you? And why have you been following me?”

“We’re business associates of Raúl’s. He owes us some money, and we’re here to collect.”

“Sorry, you missed him. His plane flew out about an hour ago.”

“Yes, we figured that.” He glanced at Manuel. “Pity your friend was hurt.”

“Look, I don’t know where Raúl went, but being the resourceful person you obviously are, I’m sure you can find him. I’d love to stay and chat, but I need to get my friend to a doctor.” She grabbed up a few loose items and pretended to pack their gear, hoping they would pursue Raúl and leave her and Manuel to fend for themselves. They’d be safer that way.

A gun jabbed into her back.

“Not so fast, little lady. What I need, I can get from you.”

She waved a hand toward the camp. “Take whatever you want.”

“I want you. You’re going to lead me to the treasure.”

Isabel swallowed hard. They knew more than she suspected, but how much? She decided to force their hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Of course you do. The pearls your ancestor hid—we want them. Raúl was kind enough to tip us off about your project, and we’ve decided to take our share—all of it.” He laughed at her angry scowl.

The idea of cooperating with these men galled her, but to resist would be dangerous. Maybe she could strike a bargain with them, make a trade for Manuel’s sake. “I’ll give you the location of the pearls after you take my friend and I to a medical facility.”

“But if I set you free, you won’t have any reason to cooperate. Keeping you with me is my insurance policy.”

“Take me. Let her go.” Manuel’s weak voice interrupted their argument.

Isabel swung around and flashed Manuel a warning look. “I appreciate your gallantry, Manuel, but you’ve saved my life enough times on this trip. I owe you one. Besides, you’re in no condition to lead an expedition.”

“Isabel ….”

“Don’t argue, Manuel. Save your energy.”

He growled and tried to rise, but the pain stopped him. Isabel could see his agony at not being able to protect her, but she couldn’t afford to hide behind his strength this time. She turned back to her captor. “I’ll draw you a map, give you the best directions I can. In exchange you drop us at a hospital or clinic.”

“No deal. Men, put these two in our vehicle then check the camp. Take anything of value.”

Two men descended on Isabel and dragged her to the truck. She glanced over her shoulder and saw them yank Manuel from the ground. They showed no concern for his injured shoulder, jerking him around as they escorted him to his new transportation. He grimaced with pain, and Isabel wondered if his wounds would tear open and bleed again. One thing was certain. His body wouldn’t endure much more abuse. He needed help—fast.

Isabel stayed awake as long as she could, monitoring Manuel’s pulse rate and breathing. But as the adrenaline wore off, she found herself fighting heavy eyelids. The thugs had transported them to the small airstrip and boarded a waiting plane. She sat in a small cargo area with Manuel spread out beside her.

The hum of the engines lulled her, and she succumbed to sleep. Her nap brought fitful dreams, and she awakened at sunset covered in sweat. Manuel’s forehead glistened with perspiration from the fever that had settled over his body. His breathing had grown labored, and she couldn’t wake him.