Bound by Danger (22 page)

Snakes, sharks, jelly fish, horseshoe crabs with wickedly barbed tails, alligators—she imagined everything swimming about her in the brackish water. Having lived here before, she knew every bit of the evil that lurked in the dark river.

***

Dave had every intention of staying near the vehicle and helping Deidre to safety, but the water quickly swept him away. With powerful strokes, he attempted to head back toward the SUV, hoping to reach Deidre. Knowing she swam well didn’t satisfy the worry plaguing him. Anyone could easily drown in the turbulent water, and he had to find and help her.

When he attempted to shout to her, something ran into his ribs, a tree limb, possibly. Sharp pain radiated through his body. He groaned in agony. Then he realized if he didn’t attempt to swim to shore, he’d lose the strength to make it.

“Deidre!” he yelled, his word drowned out by the rush of the water.

His ribs ached with every stroke he took. Had they broken this time? They felt as if they’d cracked in two.

“Deidre!” he hollered again, his voice already tired and drawn. His strength dwindled against the power of the river. He couldn’t give up, and he couldn’t let Deidre drown.

***

“Dave!” Deidre hollered, swallowing a mouthful of fishy-tasting water. Choking and coughing, she grabbed onto a floating tree, bobbing up and down in the torrent.

“Dave!” She thought she’d heard him call to her. But now there was no sound of his reassuring voice above the roar of the river.

The tree spirited her away from the shore. In desperation, she let go.

She swam a small ways across. Stroke, stroke, pause for air, stroke, stroke. But every second, the water carried her farther from the road and safety.

“Deidre!” Was it Dave calling her name? She couldn’t tell if it was so, or just her imagination playing tricks with her mind.

After struggling through the warm water for several minutes, she grabbed hold of a branch of a tree buried in the rushing current. “Dave!”

“Here, Deidre!”

Adding to her anxiety, pain tinged Dave’s voice. But the sound of his voice gave her strength. It sounded like it came from somewhere upstream. With renewed determination, she took a deep breath and then swam toward the shore. To her relief, the winds died down. The rain lessened to a light drizzle. A branch struck her shoulder, and she groaned in pain. Frustrated beyond measure, she clawed her way to the shore.

Finally, her fingers dug into the reed-covered mud on the shoreline. As soon as she dragged herself from the water, she yelled, “Where are the others?”

Tripping over debris to reach Dave, she could barely make out his outline as the morning dawned.

He held his chest as he hurried to join her as quickly as he could. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from them. But I’ve been searching for you forever.”

“Are you all right?” She tripped over an exposed tree root and stumbled to her knees. Exasperated, but not beaten, she clambered back to her feet.

“I think I bruised a few of the same ribs. And you?” He struggled through the thick vines separating them.

“Fine, though I don’t think my back is ever going to heal.”

He hurriedly wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace as soon as he met her at the edge of the broiling river. His skin in contact with hers warmed her. “You know being with you is kind of a dangerous proposition,” she said.

He chuckled and pulled her closer. “My ribs make it hurt to laugh.”

They rested for several minutes, holding each other close, their hearts nearly beating as one.

“Dave, are you sure you’re all right? Do you want me to try to find the road and get help?” Anxiety filled her. No way did she want to fight off an alligator at the shore’s edge. This time she had no plunger to tackle a poisonous snake. Torn between leaving him alone and finding help for him, Dave solved her dilemma.

“We stick together. I’ll be fine. My ribs just hurt some.”

Relieved he wished to proceed with her, she felt compelled to move quickly to safer ground. “I don’t want to sound like a worry wart or anything, but don’t you think we should try to find the others? Alligators and snakes and—”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

She slipped her hand around his waist while his hand tucked around hers. Trying to get her mind off her pain, she considered their predicament. “At least the bad guys won’t be looking for us here.”

He gritted his teeth and winced in agony. “Not likely. Though if the redhead came this way and his vehicle washed off the road, he might not be a threat any longer.”

“You’re sure you couldn’t find the other guy?”

“The police were going to search the area further. He might have crawled off to die somewhere else.”

“I’ve been trying to figure out what might have happened to the manuscript. Are you sure it wasn’t misdirected? Shoot, it might never get to where it’s supposed to be.”

“You never know. The title to my house was lost in the mail. Six months and many phone calls later, I received it. I still don’t know how in the world it managed to be delayed so long.”

“You own your own house?”

“Condo. I didn’t want to have yard work when I’m gallivanting about the country saving damsels in distress.”

She smiled. “It appears I’m rescuing you.”

He laughed. “Ohhh,” he groaned. “It hurts to laugh, Deidre.”

“Sorry.”

Their hearts raced like the wind. Shots rang out. They dropped to the ground.

For several minutes, they listened. With no further noise other than the raucous sound of crickets and cicadas singing their mating dance, Dave said, “Come on. Let’s head back to the road. The shots were fired from the other side of the river.”

They helped each other to stand, and they both groaned and chuckled. “Sorry, Dave, we’re some pair.”

“How would you like to go to Hawaii with me?”

She stared at him as the morning’s early light gave him a slight halo. “I’ve always wanted to visit Hawaii. Sugar white sand beaches, crystal clear aqua waters, colorful umbrellas dotting the sand, but it’s not happening anytime soon.”

“Sure. We could rent a couple of rooms at the Hale Koa. Use your military ID. Charlie and Marilyn could go along.”

“Marilyn and I wouldn’t make very compatible bunkmates.”

He chuckled. “Really, Deidre, it hurts to laugh.”

“I’m serious. I imagine the first night I’d break one of those fake nails of hers, just for the fun of it. And I’m not normally a violent person.”

Groaning, he squeezed her shoulder. “Just think all you would miss, luaus on the beach with torches blowing in the ocean breeze, gals dancing in their skimpy grass skirts—”

“That’s what interests you, not me. Now the guys in their short skirts—”

Dave leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Wouldn’t you like to dance the hula with me?”

“Heavens no. I’m really quite shy, didn’t Charlie tell you? But now I wouldn’t mind another night at a dance club—”

“We’ll have to arrange it sometime soon. Still I’m not giving up on Hawaii yet. I think you’re the kind of girl who has to think on something for a time. After a few more days, you’ll be ready to go.”

She squeezed his waist. “If we could flick a wand and be there in a heartbeat, I’d go right now. But when I’m back to my senses, sitting at my desk at Fort Hood, I’d say absolutely not.”

“Shh.”

They stopped walking. Voices ahead made them quicken their step over the gnarled underbrush. Drawing close, they saw the redheaded man speaking to someone else.

Deidre and Dave crouched low.

The redhead said, “Yeah, two of the vehicles were swept away. The rest of them are searching for the others.”

“What of our men?”

“Cross is dead. Couldn’t find any sign of Laston.”

“And the shooting?”

“Unless they’re shooting at Laston or he’s shooting at them, I don’t have a clue.”

“You know what the boss says. If we don’t kill those two—”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And if we don’t find that manuscript—”

“Maybe the author didn’t send out a copy like we thought.”

“The literary agent’s log showed it was sent in. Aren’t you going to get that leg of yours looked after? It’s swelling and looking pretty nasty.”

“Yeah, but I got another hour before I really have to worry about anything.” He threw a cigarette butt on the ground, then limped to an SUV parked nearby.

“I’ll hang around here a while longer.”

The redhead grunted, then climbed into his car and drove off.

“Hey!” Ricky shouted, but still not in their line of sight. He must have heard voices and thought it was some of his team.

The man pulled out his gun. Dave struggled with his safety catch. Deidre grabbed his gun when it cleared the holster. Before he could stop her, she sprinted toward the man.

“Hold it there, mister!” she shouted, trying to give Ricky time to shoot him.

She had to let him know he was headed for danger. That’s all she intended to do. She anchored her feet to the ground just as if she’d been doing weapon’s training. She couldn’t shoot the man in cold blood, and her hands shook slightly with the notion.

Dave crashed through the underbrush behind her, still some ways away.

The man turned to her and smiled. “FBI?”

“Assistant G-1!”

“What?”

“And combat ready!”

“Hold it right there!” Ricky yelled as he came up behind him. The man whirled around and fired a shot. Ricky crumpled, but he got off a shot. Deidre squeezed the trigger, once, twice. No response. The killer held his chest and turned to shoot her.

Crouched on the road, his left arm dangling, Ricky fired again. The killer collapsed to the pavement.

“Jeez, Deidre.” Dave grabbed the gun from her with one hand while still holding his ribs with the other as he made his way to the two men.

Deidre dashed to Ricky. “Are you going to be all right?” He nodded and gave her a toothy grin. She smiled back. “Okay, where are you hurt?”

“In the shoulder.”

“Guess you earned a vacation.” She turned to Dave. “Have you got anything to stop the bleeding?”

“I do!” Bill ran up the road. He yanked his shirt off, then tore it into strips.

Dave felt the killer’s wrist. “Where are the rest of our men?”

“Johnson was wrestling with an alligator, the last I saw.”

Dave frowned at him.

“He killed it. Johnson was pretty mad. The gator chewed up his boot. Tore a chunk out of his new denim pants, too. I think Johnson really wanted to skin it and make a pair of leather boots from the hide. He dragged the damn thing for nearly a quarter of a mile.”

“And the others?”

“No sign of them yet.”

“Charlie?”

“As far as I know, they’re still in the vehicle on the causeway.”

“They’re on the wrong side of the bridge. Anyone got a cell phone that works?”

Bill pulled his phone out and shook the water from it. He punched some buttons and shook his head. “Guess they’re not waterproof.”

“Is he dead?” Ricky pointed at the killer.

“Dead.” Dave frowned at Deidre.

“Yeah.” Ricky nodded. “She did all right, Boss.”

“She could’ve been shot.”

She wanted to tell Dave he couldn’t have moved fast enough with his bruised ribs, but she bit her tongue. She certainly didn’t want to put him down in front of his men. She also worried if he was too badly injured, would they remove him from the case? Most probably. Then what would she do? Go with him. Jeez, she was nuts. She had her career to think of, and he had his.

Bill looked back at the washed-out road. “What now?”

“See if there’s a vehicle somewhere up the road belonging to this yahoo.”

“Sure.” Bill dashed off.

Dave crouched beside Ricky. “Are you going to be all right, Bud?”

“Yeah, you know me, Boss. I’ve got to have one of these a year to keep me in my prime.”

Deidre held Ricky’s hand, then turned to Dave. “What about the dead man? Does he have a phone? A dry phone?”

***

Dave jerked the man’s jacket aside and smiled. He pulled a phone from his shirt pocket, then punched in the numbers on the killer’s cell phone for the driver of Charlie’s car. “It’s me. How’s it going with you?”

“Hey, Boss, we’ve got everyone from the other vehicle. Who all are we missing?”

“We’re gathering the crew this side of the wash out. We’re waiting on Johnson. You head back an alternate route. We’ll meet in Orlando.”

“Charlie wants to talk to you.”

Before Dave could say a word, Charlie broke in, “I want to speak to Deidre.”

“Sure, Charlie.”

Deidre cleared her throat. “Are you all right?” She took a deep breath.

“Yeah, well they didn’t want me out looking for you and getting myself killed,” Charlie said, sounding irritated that he couldn’t have searched for her. “But I’m fine.”

Dave touched her shoulder, intent on getting them on their way.

She nodded to him. “I need another good bath, Charlie. We’ll see you in Orlando soon. No Disney World for me. You can take Marilyn with you. Bye.”

Bill hollered to them from down the road, “Got a car, just need his keys, and we’re good to go!”

Dave took the phone from Deidre. “We’ve got a car. As soon as we round up Johnson, we’ll be out of here. See you in Orlando.” He clipped the phone to his belt. “Let’s get Ricky into the car. We’ll throw the other guy in the trunk.”

“Hey!” Johnson hollered.

Dave shook his head to see Johnson carrying the skin of the alligator over his back.

“Aren’t they on the endangered list?” Deidre asked.

“Not when they’re biting!” Johnson retorted.

Dave turned to Deidre. “Guy’s a hunter—big game, little game, you name it.” He waved at Johnson. “Okay, help me get this guy in the trunk.”

Johnson stared at the dead man. “Damn, who shot him dead? Aren’t we supposed to keep them alive for questioning?”

Chapter 16

Deidre smiled when Dave turned to look at her. She pointed to Johnson’s leathery, green-tinged, alligator mantel. “Guess it was a bit of overkill, kind of like your dead friend there.”

Ricky groaned as he climbed into the car. “If she hadn’t alerted me that he was one of the bad guys, he would have killed me for certain.”