Danger Zone (23 page)

She was just walking toward the door when it suddenly crashed inward, splintering the frame. She gasped, terrified, as three armed men burst into the room, holding their weapons at the ready and staring at her.

“Colter,” the first one said, in accented English. “Where is he?”

Chapter 8

Karen backed away, too frightened to speak, as Colter leapt up and took her by the shoulders. He shoved her behind him, placing his body between her and the intruders. He barked something harshly in a language she couldn’t understand.

The first man replied angrily, and Colter shouted in response, clearly ordering the men out of the house. They exchanged glances, debating what to do, and then the leader gestured roughly at the door, indicating that the others should follow him through it. Karen didn’t move until they were gone, then she whirled on Colter.

“What is it?” she demanded fearfully as he buckled his belt. “Who are they? What do they want?”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her forcefully toward the bedroom.

“Get in there and wait for me,” he said shortly. “Don’t come out—do you understand? I’ll deal with them.”

“But why are they here? What’s going on?”

He looked at her white face, the stark panic mirrored in her features, and put both his hands on her upper arms. He held her steady.

“Karen, do you trust me?”

“Yes,” she said in a small voice, swallowing.

“Then do as I say. Go into the bedroom and stay there. I’ll come in to you when I’m done. All right?”

Karen stared up at him, at the pale hair backlit by the fire, at the eyes the color of an Indian summer sky, at the mouth that had clung to hers as if fitted to it by a master craftsman. She nodded. She would do as he said.

“Good girl.” He ushered her inside and shut the door. Seconds later she heard him talking to the men, speaking in the same language he’d used when they arrived. They replied in angry voices. The heated exchanges seemed to go on forever while she sat on the edge of the bed, unable to think of anything but what might be happening in the next room. Finally the voices fell silent and Colter came through the door.

Karen stood, searching his face. When he put his arm around her she hid her face for a second against his shoulder.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I think so.”

He sighed. “God, I would have done anything rather than drag you into this,” he said resignedly.

“Drag me into what?” she asked anxiously. “What are we in?”

He sat her back down on the bed and moved next to her, taking her hands.

“Those men are from a separatist group in their country, an underground movement trying to overthrow the government.”

Karen nodded impatiently. She didn’t know enough to discuss the subject and she didn’t care. Her only concern was the threat they posed to Colter.

“Well,” he went on, “I did a job for them a couple of years ago and I botched it. It was especially hazardous work and I insisted on payment in advance. When the job went wrong, I offered to return part of the payment, but they didn’t want it. All they wanted was my promise to step in sometime when they needed me.” He paused. “They’ve come to collect.”

“They tracked you here?” Karen said incredulously.

“I have no doubt they’d find me anywhere,” he said bluntly.

“You didn’t know they were coming?”

He stared at her. “Of course not. Do you think I would have come here with you if I thought they’d follow?”

“I thought maybe that’s why you tried to get rid of me at the hospital,” she said.

He shook his head. “I just figured something would happen,” he said dully. “And I was right.”

“But you don’t have to go with them, do you?” Karen asked. “Can’t you send them away, tell them you’ll join them later?”

“No.”

“Why not?” she asked desperately. “We can run for it, get away. Surely there’s someplace we can go where they can’t find us.”

Colter stood and paced the room, shoving his hair back with his fingers. “First of all, you’re up to that ‘we’ stuff again. This is my problem and I’ll solve it. You’re getting out of this as soon as I can arrange it.”

“Wait a minute.”

He held up his hand and she stopped short.

“Second,” he went on, “there’s no place in the world where you can hide from a group like this. Believe me, I know. I’ve seen others try. All I can do is pay my debt and hope I get out of it with my skin intact.”

“But who are they? Where are they from?”

“It’s better you don’t know.”

Karen shook her head. “Steven, why do you know such terrible people?” she whispered despairingly.

“I tried to tell you,” he said quietly, not meeting her eyes.

She looked away. He had.

“I’ve gotten them to agree to let me take you to a safe place,” he said flatly. “But they’re coming along.”

“Why?” she said, startled.

“They don’t trust me,” he replied grimly.

“Oh, no,” she murmured, as the full implication of what he was saying hit her. “Isn’t there any way out, anything we can do?”

He sat down again and made her look at him. “Karen, listen to me. You have to understand. They’ve seen you now. They know who you are. If I don’t do what they want, they’ll hurt you.”

Karen froze. “What do you mean?”

He closed his eyes in pain. “Do I have to draw you a picture? You’re a hostage. They’ll let me take you to a safe place, but only if I go with them afterward. If I renege on this you’ll pay the price.”

Karen didn’t know what to say. He looked so miserable that she took refuge in a nonjudgmental silence.

“I’m sorry, Karen,” he finally said. His voice broke on her name.

“It’s all right,” she replied, pulling herself together. “I’ll be fine. Where am I supposed to go?”

He shrugged hopelessly. “I don’t know.”

“To my sister’s house? They’d find out about the rest of my family.”

“Your people would be in no danger, but that’s out,” he said flatly. “These guys can’t get into the U.S.”

Karen looked at him inquiringly.

“Revoked visas,” he explained.

She glanced away. “I can see where they might not be desirable visitors,” she commented softly.

He said nothing.

“What about Linda?” Karen asked suddenly.

He looked at her. “In England?”

“Yes. She’s asked me several times to come and visit. Maybe I could go there. Would that be all right?”

He thought about it. “These guys can travel in Europe, I know. That shouldn’t be a problem. She’s in London?”

“I’m not sure. Her family has two houses. I’d have to find out.”

She could see that he was considering it.

“Steven?”

“Yeah?” 

“Are you sure they wouldn’t hurt her?”

He shook his head. “No. There’s no reason.” He smiled humorlessly. “They’re very practical,” he added dryly. “Their violence is always methodical, goal directed. It would be you they’d want, to get to me.”

Karen tried not to show her reaction to that statement. She touched his arm and he turned to her.

“Couldn’t I just stay here?” she asked quietly. “Stay here and wait for you to come back?”

He took her hand. “I want you to be with someone else, a friend, with other people around you.”

Karen tightened her grip on him. “Steven, how do they know to use me as leverage? I mean, why are they sure I’m not just someone you picked up for the night?”

He looked down at their intertwined fingers. “They tracked me through the hospital and found out you were there. They know we’ve been together all this time, that you’re important to me.”

Karen didn’t answer. He’d said what she wanted to hear, but now it might be too late.

They heard a sound in the next room and both of them started.

“So what happens now?” Karen asked.

“You dress and pack your things. We’ll get in touch with Linda and see if you can go there. Then we’ll catch the next plane to London.”

“And they’ll go with us?” Karen said unhappily.

He was silent for a moment, then said, “Karen, if it were just me I’d tell them to go to hell and take my chances. But I’m not fooling around with your safety. I’m going to do what they say.”

“I wish I weren’t such a problem for you,” Karen said quietly.

He caressed her hair. “You’re not the problem, sweetie, I am. This is just my past catching up with me, and I knew it would. I should never have stayed with you, taken the chance on something like this happening. But...”

“But?” Karen prompted.

“I wanted to be with you,” he said simply.

She reached up to touch his face but he disengaged himself and stood.

“Selfish,” he said savagely. “I’ve been so selfish.”

Karen stared at him, bewildered. “But how?”

He shook his head dismissively. “You don’t understand.”

“I understand that the past month was worth anything,” Karen said firmly. “I don’t regret a moment of it—do you?”

He glanced back at her and his expression softened. “No, baby. Not a moment.” He looked toward the door and reached down to pull her to him. “Come on. They’re not going to wait forever. You’d better get packed.”

Karen nodded.

“I’ll go out there and keep them at bay,” Colter said. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m all right. Go on.”

Colter left her to go into the other room, and Karen got her things together hurriedly, tossing items into her two suitcases in random fashion and exchanging Colter’s shirt for slacks and a sweater. She put on her coat, picked up her bags and joined the men in the living room.

The rebels didn’t even look at her. All their attention was focused on Colter, as if he might explode into resistance at any moment. Karen got her first inkling of how dangerous he might be in such a situation by the cautious, watchful way they treated him.

They left immediately, disregarding the fact that it was the middle of the night, and drove north to Dublin. The leader sat in the back seat of Karen’s car with her as Colter drove, and when the man moved, she caught sight of a shoulder holster under his jacket. She was certain he would use the gun if Colter gave any sign of departing from the arranged plan, but they stuck to the main road and reached the capitol hours after the sun rose. A second car with the other two rebels in it followed them the whole time and pulled into a space next to theirs at the airport when they arrived.

Colter put the car in park and said something to their companion. The man grunted and got out, waiting for Karen to do the same.

“What did you say to him?” Karen asked.

“I told him we were going inside to call your friend in London. He’s going with us.”

What a surprise, Karen thought sourly. She clung to Colter’s arm as they threaded their way through the airport crowd to a bank of phones near the Aer Lingus ticket desk. Karen wondered if any of the people hurrying past them could guess at the human drama taking place before their eyes. She knew they looked like three casual companions strolling through the concourse at a leisurely pace, but she thought there must be some way her fear and anxiety would show. No one glanced at her twice, however, and when she looked longingly at a security guard they passed their companion eyed her meaningfully, opening his jacket. Karen bit her lip and kept on walking.

When they reached the phones Karen placed the call to Linda, using Colter’s credit card. At another time she might have been amused that he had such a thing, it being the hallmark of staid businessmen, but she was in no mood to appreciate the irony. She could see that it would be useful to him, considering the amount of traveling he did. As she gave the number to the operator she wondered what they were going to do if Linda couldn’t be reached.

The connection was made, and a second later she heard the shrill one-two European ring on the other end. It rang twice, and then was answered by a servant, who said that “Miss Linda” had guests and couldn’t be disturbed. He would take a message.

“I must speak with her now,” Karen insisted, trying to keep the rising note of hysteria out of her voice. “This is Miss Walsh from America. I worked with Linda in Almeria and I have to talk to her right away.”

The rebel was watching her impassively. She didn’t know how much English he spoke, but he seemed very alert to nuances and was aware of her every move.

“I received very strict instructions from madam...” the servant began.

“It’s an emergency,” Karen interjected hastily.

The rebel took a step forward and Colter blocked his path.

“Take it easy,” Colter said to him in English. “Keep your hands off the lady, or your troubles at home are going to seem mild by comparison with what I’ll do to you.”

The man stared at Colter defiantly for a moment, then subsided. On the other end of the phone, the butler, or the footman, or whatever he was, was still trying to decide whether to disobey his orders and summon his mistress.

“I’ll take full responsibility,” Karen said desperately. “Please, she’ll be very upset if she misses me.”

The man, convinced now that he would be in worse trouble for not calling Linda to the phone than for disregarding instructions, said, “Hold the line please, madam. I’ll see if Miss Linda will take your call.”

The trunk line crackled emptily for what seemed like days, and then miraculously Linda said, “Karen, is that you? I gave you up for dead.”

“Linda,” Karen sighed, closing her eyes in relief. She opened them to find Colter nodding at her encouragingly.

“I’ve been writing letters until my poor hand was turning blue. Have you vanished into the wilds of New Jersey?” Linda asked.

“No, I’ve just been, uh, busy,” Karen answered lamely. “I’m sorry to disturb you but I didn’t think that man was going to get you.”

“Oh, Field is useless. He’s about a hundred and ten, and my father keeps him on because he was born in the barn or something. He’s quite deaf and probably didn’t even know what you were saying.”

“He called you ‘Miss Linda.’ I always knew you had slaves,” Karen said, laughing nervously.

“Don’t be such an American,” Linda replied tartly.

Colter gestured for her to hurry it up.