Love Inspired Suspense December 2013 Bundle: Christmas Cover-Up\Force of Nature\Yuletide Jeopardy\Wilderness Peril (67 page)

Confirming Rick's thought, Kemp cut a sliver-eyed gaze Rick's way. “Let's go.”

Before he made a move, though, he headed for the table and grabbed the abandoned submachine gun. He glanced at the other men to see who it belonged to, then scowled and took the weapon for his own, slinging it across his shoulder. He thrust Rick's gun into his pocket, then turned his attention on Rick.

Rick got the message loud and clear.
Mess with me and I'll kill you myself.

Rick finally decided how to read Kemp. He had put on a subtle but warm and friendly demeanor in his office, making sure to season that with warnings about the other men—the men he'd promised to keep in check if Rick and Shay would do their parts—but it was all for show. He was really a brute himself, just like the rest of these guys, or else he couldn't hope to have any measure of control over them. With their accents and mannerisms, they reminded Rick of mobsters. He wondered if he'd eventually hear mention of a familiar crime-family name. Gambini, Stefazzi, Feroli?

“You coming?”

A cool blast of air accompanied Kemp's voice and yanked Rick from his thoughts. Kemp stood in the jamb of the opened door, staring at Rick. Waiting on Shay, who hadn't left his side.

Rick and Shay followed him through the door, leaving behind the unconscious gunshot victim. Guilt threaded his thoughts. He'd already assessed the situation. He'd prayed. Other than that, it was out of his hands.

As they stepped outside again, Rick noted that the temperature had warmed up a little with the sun. Depending on what sort of labor he was made to do, he might even work up a sweat. He could probably go without a coat for a few hours. But he wondered how long it would last. If they made an escape, they needed the weather to cooperate. Interior Alaska wasn't the place to get caught unprepared, and they were already in the middle of autumn. Could probably expect a few prewinter warning storms. If they were going to get away, their timing would have to be perfect. And they
had
to get away as soon as possible.

They were caught in the middle of a battle between the ranks over an unproved gold claim. Was there really enough gold here to satisfy these greedy, murderous men? Rick considered what it might feel like to discover gold in whatever form—dust or nuggets. Unbidden, a chill of anticipation ran through him.

Hinting at much cooler weather to come, a gusty breeze slapped across Rick's face, startling him. Realization gripped his insides. What was he thinking? He wasn't here for the gold. He shook off the craziness. He couldn't possibly succumb to the frenzy of finding gold.

The group approached another building and Kemp shoved through the door, followed by Shay and Rick and a weapon-toting guard dog. If they had to live like this—followed around by men carrying deadly weapons—it wouldn't be much of an existence. But he had no intention of staying that long.

Kemp escorted them into another building. “This is our mess hall, as we call it. But the cook's out for the moment.” Kemp's eyes crinkled around the corners when he looked at Shay.

Rick's gut burned at the reference to this place as the mess hall—a term usually used to denote the meal space used by military men, police officers or firemen. Heroes.

These men at the mining camp were anything but that. Nor did Rick like the warm fuzzy looks that Kemp had given Shay so far, though she pretended not to notice.

“Have a seat and I'll see what I can find for you to eat. I don't want to cook anything I don't have to. We need to conserve our energy.” Kemp opened the pantry and stared inside.

Rick's guard dog stood near the door and didn't take his eyes off Rick. Shay slipped out of her coat and sat in a folding chair at the long table. Kemp's grandfather had a decent setup here, or had Kemp brought all this in for these men? But while everything seemed well situated, Rick's doubt grew that Kemp would be able to deliver on his repayment plan, considering the cost to run this operation—it would take a whole lot of gold to see any sort of profit.

Especially at a few ounces at a time.

“How about a can of chili? Quicker than frozen burritos.”

“Sounds good,” Shay said.

Sitting across from Rick, she slid her hand over the table, then stopped just before reaching his. Rick found himself wishing she'd gone the whole distance. Though he wasn't sure why, since he couldn't find it in himself to meet her halfway.

“Is he going to be all right? The man who got shot?” Though she whispered the question, it was easily heard in the quiet room, only big enough to seat twenty or so people comfortably at the long tables.

Rick shook his head and frowned. He'd done all he could, but the man needed the kind of medical attention he could get from a doctor with more equipment at hand. Rick held on to hope they would send the wounded man to a hospital but knew that that would raise questions. Unfortunately, that was the exact reason they probably wouldn't get the man help.

Kemp served bowls of chili and glasses of water. Oddly enough, he remained at the other end of the table looking over papers that someone had brought in to him. Next to him rested a case containing a satellite phone. His posture spoke of a man who had work to do and couldn't waste any more time on them. If Rick had his way, Kemp would simply forget about them. By biding their time, avoiding attention and persuading Kemp and his men they were anxious to see gold, too, they might gain their greatest chance of escape. Rick would have time to learn where his brother was being kept, as well. He hoped.

A myriad of thoughts and emotions coursing through him, he and Shay finished up the meal in silence. From the other end of the table, Kemp suddenly stood, his chair scraping the floor.

“I haven't figured out where to put you in the workflow yet.” He looked at the guard and nodded.

The man standing like a sentinel at the door moved toward Rick. “Come with me.”

Reluctantly, Rick stood. “Where are we going?”

“He's taking you to your quarters, where you can wait until called upon. Get some rest while you're there. Don't forget you need to prove that you're an asset worth keeping alive to more than just me.”

Shay stood, too.

“No, you stay with me,” Kemp said.

TEN

H
er gaze locked with Rick's. When her mouth dropped open in silent protest, Rick filled in, “No, she doesn't.”

Heart pounding in her ears, she scraped her chair across the floor as she rushed to Rick's side. “Please, we need to stay together.”

Kemp gathered the papers on the table before he answered. “Don't worry. You'll be safer with me than with him. Plus, I don't need you two making big escape plans together.”

Rick grabbed Shay's hand and stepped in front of her to face off with Kemp as he approached them. “Look, I don't intend to leave without my brother. Per your proposal, if we help you, then we get to leave
with
Aiden when all of this is over. Why would I make any plans that would put that at risk? And if it's all the same to you, I'll be the one who's protecting her.”

The way he said those words, and his protective stance, almost made Shay's fear melt away. Big strong Rick, standing up for her. She could almost believe he felt
something
for her. But she was afraid for him, too. What would Kemp do to him for facing off with him like this?

“I don't have time to argue. If you're going to be a problem, I'll just lock you away from the light of day until this is over. But you can't protect her without a weapon, and you're not getting your hands on one.”

The fact that the bad guy was discussing with Rick how best to protect the lone woman in a mining camp full of criminals dawned on Shay. Her breaths started coming too fast.

Calm. Down.

Inhale.

Exhale.

“I could dispose of them for you,” the silent sentinel said, throwing in his opinion.

“That's something to consider if I can't get cooperation around here.” Kemp scowled at the guard when he passed Rick and Shay and headed to the exit. “We're running out of time, Savage. Gold-mining season is coming to a close. The weather is going to turn. Get some rest and we'll put you to work later today or tomorrow.”

Shay sucked in a breath to calm her haywire pulse. She could do this. For Rick. For them. Maybe everything would be all right. Maybe she would be safer with Kemp than with Rick, considering he was the man in charge. Sort of.

When she stepped from behind Rick to show Kemp she'd agree, Rick pressed her behind him again, squeezing her hand. His was strong and warm, and she wished she could keep hold of it, but she tugged herself free and pushed past him.

“It's okay, Rick.” She moved to Kemp and turned around to look at Rick. She hated what she saw in his eyes—he thought that she didn't believe he could protect her. That she didn't trust him. Believe in him. It was the same look she'd seen earlier today after he'd treated the wounded man. He'd looked at her when she'd stepped back into the corner. “If this will keep the peace, then this is how it has to be for now.”

Rick turned stone-faced and said nothing.

With her eyes, she begged for him to understand. This was for the best. For now.

The guard pressed the muzzle of his weapon against Rick's ribs. “You want me to tie him up?”

“Absolutely,” Kemp said. “Find him a cot and secure everything. Don't trust him for a second.”

“I won't,” the guard said, and ushered Rick through the door.

Before he exited, Rick gave her one last glance, regret and overwhelming concern flooding his eyes. It took her breath away even though she knew he'd show care and concern for anyone in this situation. She told herself that, and yet there was something else in his eyes. Didn't he understand she didn't want to leave him? It had taken everything in her to willingly step away from Rick and go to Kemp.

Then the door shut, and Shay was left alone with the man behind all their troubles.

“Now what?” she asked.

“I'll take you to your quarters and let you get some rest, too.” He raked a hand down his scruffy jowls and looked at her with tired red eyes. “When the time is right, I'll need you to fix that plane.”

“And then we'll all just fly away together like one happy family, right?”

“I like your spirit.” He grinned, but his eyes remained guarded, hiding the truth.

He opened the door and Shay grabbed her coat and stepped through, taking note that he hadn't exactly answered her question. But she didn't need him to. She knew how this was going to end if she and Rick couldn't get an advantage.

She walked with Kemp across the dried mud hole called a gold-mining camp toward the main house, which he explained served as his personal quarters. He went on again about keeping her safe from the men in the camp who'd been here for weeks without companionship. Though he claimed he'd protect her, a chill that wasn't from the Alaskan climate ran over her. She wrapped her arms around herself.

As they walked, men paused from whatever they were working on to watch her. She hated that. Hated that they knew exactly where she was going. Where she would stay. Probably tied up and helpless like Rick. Hated they would know where to find her in the night.

When she shuddered, Kemp slid a glance her way. “You ever been to Alaska before?”

“No. This is a first.”

“This isn't cold. If you're lucky, you won't be here to experience the cold. I don't plan to be here, either.”

Kemp unlocked the door to his mining-camp home. Strange that he'd keep it locked when there was no one here but his fellow workers. That told her more about their situation and his relationship with these men. He'd said that he'd protect her, and she knew that Rick would do whatever he could to keep her safe, but she had an eerie feeling that when it came down to it, she was on her own. Her father had tried to prepare her to be self-sufficient, to protect herself.

But would it be enough?

* * *

Rick woke up to a pounding headache. He wanted to find a new position on the cot but he'd been restrained and couldn't. Anger and frustration boiled inside.

Being held captive by a bunch of crazy men after gold went beyond ridiculous. That Aiden was still unaccounted for unsettled him, but even worse was being separated from Shay. Kemp claimed he'd protect her, but Rick didn't trust Kemp with her, either.

He wasn't any better.

An ache crawled over Rick's heart when he remembered the moment Shay had stepped from him to Kemp. He understood why she'd decided to pacify their keeper, but underneath the logic, Rick was afraid her actions meant that Shay couldn't really trust Rick. And under ordinary circumstances, he didn't want her to. He didn't deserve her, and she certainly didn't deserve a man she couldn't trust with her life.

A man she couldn't trust in her sleep, or rather in
his
sleep.

But right now their circumstances were anything but ordinary, and he needed them to be on the same page.

He was in the bunkhouse, where several of the men kept their belongings and cots. To get in as much work as possible before winter hit, they apparently worked around the clock and slept in shifts. There were sleeping forms in two of the cots around him—off-duty men grabbing their shut-eye.

The cot squeaked as Rick tried to find a comfortable position. Impossible. The space heater kicked in with a low hum, blocking out the backhoe and generator noises and the soft snores of the other two in the room.

Rick turned his thoughts to an escape plan.

He'd need to work the mining camp as if it were a reconnaissance mission.
Obtain information—everything he could gather about his enemy through visual and any other methods. Survey the geography.

Something Kemp had said kept playing through his thoughts
. We're running out of time.

The man clearly wanted the plane fixed in a hurry. That meant that Rick had maybe a day to figure things out, if that. Somehow he'd have to communicate his plans to Shay and pray she didn't go to Kemp for his protection. Rick growled under his breath and tossed in the cot, only to have his arms nearly jerked from their sockets. He had to shove her face from his thoughts or he'd never get any rest.

Sometime later pain shot through his side and Rick woke up. A foul-breathed grizzly of a man stood over him, jabbing him with his weapon. “Who can get any sleep around here with you?”

He tried to sit up but couldn't. “What do you mean?”

“You were screaming. Yelling at people. All in your sleep.”

Rick said nothing as the guy eyed him suspiciously. The others in the bunkhouse groaned, and most got up and dressed. Rick wanted to scrape his hand down his face but couldn't. How long had he slept? Sunlight didn't slip through cracks in the shades and the cots were filled with men.

“Sorry,” Rick finally said, but a small smile slid onto his lips. If they were exhausted, that could only help him.

“Do it again and I'll silence you.” The younger of the men—the one who'd given him the medical kit—tugged on his knit cap, grabbed a weapon and left the bunkhouse along with the rest, except for grizzly man.

“You might as well cut me loose,” Rick said. “I can't sleep, either.”

“I could care less if you sleep.”

“Come on, man,” Rick said. “Let me sit in a chair with my hands tied—anything but this.”

The guy scowled at Rick, but to Rick's surprise, he flipped open his knife to cut Rick free. He was halfway done when a scream ripped through the night.

A woman's scream.

The man paused, but he had already cut enough of the plastic ties for Rick to twist his way free of the rest. Rick bulldozed over him, pounding him in the head until he was unconscious. He tore the weapon from the man's grasp, grabbed another man's coat and knit cap and bounded for the door.

Running through the camp armed like this might earn him a death sentence. Rick didn't care.

Shay. I have to get to Shay.

As he raced across the way to the main house along with a couple of others, he knew this wasn't at all the way he'd planned to make an escape. It wasn't a plan at all.

He just wanted to get to Shay.

God, please let her be okay.

Almost there.

He pumped his arms, running faster than the others.

He tried to rush through the door but it was locked. Rick pounded on the steel frame. “Let us in. Shay!”

He'd definitely earned that death sentence from the guard he'd pulverized. He would likely be chained like a dog from now on. But he could deal with it once he saw that Shay was safe. He heard someone fumbling with the locks from the other side. So much for Kemp's plan to protect Shay.

Rick had a split second to make a decision. He handed his weapon off to the armed man next to him. “Here, take this.”

The guy's eyes widened in surprise but he had no time to react.

Red faced, Kemp swung open the door, light from the room behind illuminating the blood on his hands.