Third Half (22 page)

             
Once she heard a feminine voice and awoke with a start, only
to realize it had been her own voice she'd heard.  In the darkness she
could make out the shadow of her companion close by her side, his
deep tones, assuring her everything was okay, lulling her back to
sleep.

             
But after that, sleep was impossible.  She had never known
herself to talk in her sleep before.  But then with everything that had happened, with so much on her mind, she had no doubt it was
possible. 

             
If she was speaking her dreams aloud, she was afraid of what
truths she might reveal while in such a vulnerable state.

 
             
"You haven't been sleeping very long," Todd said when she sat
up on the side of the bed.  "You should try and get some more rest."

             
"I did, in the bathtub," she reminded him, happy it was still
dark enough in the room so that he couldn't see the rosy warmth that
was covering her cheeks. 

             
"A hard bathtub isn't exactly comparable to a soft bed for
getting rest," he continued.  "Really, we don't know what's ahead. 
You may regret not sleeping when you could."

             
"We all have to regret something sometime." She tried to put
humor into her words.

             
"Yes, I guess we do," Todd replied, and Liane was certain that
at the moment his main regret was having her working with him.

             
"What now?" she asked. 

             
"Now," Todd said as he turned on the light.  "I try again to
convince you to go home."

             
Liane shielded her eyes from the blinding light, then as they
adjusted she lowered her hands and looked up at her companion.  "I
thought we settled all that last night."

             
"I thought you may have been having second thoughts," he
replied, shrugging.  "Don't even say it," he continued before she could
reply to his statement. 

             
He ran his fingers roughly through his hair.  A habit, judging
by the five rows through his hair, she realized he did quite often.

             
"You have the same determined set of your jaw as your
brother.  I know that your mind is made up . . ." he continued.  "I've
only been around you a total of a few hours and already I feel I can
read your every expression."

             
Liane quickly looked away, not wanting him to be able to read
too much of her expressions. 
I'll have to be very careful with this
man.

             
"You're a lot like your brother.  Jack said the three of you had
a great deal in common.  Now, I see how much." Todd was shaking
his head as she looked back.  "Somehow I always got the impression
your sister was the crazy one, and you the level-headed one.  If that's
the case, thank goodness I don't have her to contend with too."

             
"Yes, you can be grateful for that." Remembering her role,
Liane got up from the bed and faced him.  "I doubt she'd be as easy to
get along with, especially considering she would be trying to clear her
name of a murder charge."

             
"But then, maybe she'd believe me when I say I'll take care of
that," Todd said almost sadly. 

             
"Yet you won't admit how you plan to do that."

             
Todd sighed.  "Some things have to be based on trust."

             
"How can I trust you when I don't even know you," she nearly
whispered.

             
"You better learn to trust me," Todd reminded her.  "Don't
forget, I'm the only person between you and Juanita's people.  And
don't even fool yourself into thinking they play by our rules.  They
make them up as they go along.  Only to suit their needs."

             
His words were so ominous Liane felt a chill run up her spine. 
But she wasn't going to turn back now.  "And what rules are we
playing by?"

             
Todd smiled grimly.  "Unfortunately, if we want to find Jack,
their rules."

             
"You said something last night about getting caught," Liane
reminded him.

             
Her bearded companion nodded.  "As soon as you're ready."

             
Liane squared her shoulders looked up at her new partner.  "I
guess now's as good a time as any."

CH-9

CH-8

CH-7

CHAPTER NINE

             
Todd called for a taxi which took them to a small airport
several miles outside the city.  He hadn't confided much of his plan,
and Liane had to wonder how much of a plan he actually had.  All she
did know, was that he had no doubts about where they were going.  It
was obvious he had been here before.

             
As they got out of the taxi she glanced up at her companion,
about to ask him about this place, but saw Todd's attention was
focused on the car that was slowly pulling into the parking area. 
"Who are they?"

             
"Probably the same two men we met the other night," he said,
calmly placing his arm behind her back to slowly guide her toward the
small airport hanger.

             
"How long have they been following us?"

             
"Since we left Juanita's."

             
"I didn't know that!  And we led them right to the Smith's . . .
And back to your room.  What if they . . ."

             
"Relax, it's us they want.  They don't want a lot of other people
in the way.  Especially people who would be missed, like the Smiths
and your priest friend."

             
She pushed aside the thought that neither she nor her
companion would be missed if something were to happen to them. 
She didn't know about him, but she knew she'd be missed. She
thought about her sister, then remembered something.  "Yes, but I . . ."

             
"You what?"

             
"I gave Father Barndt a letter to send to my sister."

             
The man stopped and turned to face her.  "Your sister."

             
Liane suddenly remembered she wasn't supposed to know
where her sister was.  "Yes, to her apartment.  In case she somehow
manages to get her mail."

             
"Let's hope she does." He seemed to accept her answer. 
"She'll be better off than we are."

             
She didn't ask what he meant as he stopped to talk to a man
dressed in a dark blue uniform, she assumed was a security guard.
Soon Todd was guiding her to the small building.  "Is this where you
keep your plane?"

             
"Yes."  He opened the door.  "And if I'm right, very soon we'll
have company.  Don't look!"  he ordered as she was about to glance
over her shoulder.

             
"I hope this works," she whispered as she heard footsteps
approaching.    

             
"So we meet again," she heard the familiar woman's voice.  "It
seems the two of you have decided to go someplace."

             
"Home . . .since we can't do business here,"  he replied coolly.

             
"Ah, but that might not be wise."  The auburn-haired Juanita
came closer.  "You see, we need to know a few things."

             
"I was afraid of that."  The bearded man glanced down at
Liane, then stroked his beard.  "Tell me how much will it take?"

             
"Take . . .?  I don't understand."

             
"To buy our safety home.  You do understand that, am I right? 
I find that it usually pays to have a little extra cash on hand for these
things."  His eyes remained keenly focused on the woman.  He
squeezed Liane's arm to cue her.

             
She was glad she had taken the money out of the Bible before
leaving the Smith's home.  Now she slowly unzipped her case.

             
She saw the men with Juanita quickly pull out their hand guns. 
"I'm . . .I'm only getting this."  She lifted out the wad of money and
handed it to her companion.

             
"Now, how much was that?"  he asked, turning again to the
attractive older woman.

             
"You seem to have given up very easily."

             
"Not given up."  He smiled.  "We've decided to go about
things from a different route.  We know we can do business with our
fellow countrymen."

             
"But they can't get you your partner . . .your brother."  The
woman looked from Todd to Liane shrewdly.  "Isn't that why you
came here?"

   
             
"Indeed, but without them you can hardly obtain what you
need,"  Todd went on.

             
Liane waited what seemed like a lengthy time for the woman
to speak.  Would she sell out for the money he offered?  Or, like Todd
thought, would she agree to take them to Jack?

             
"I have been in contact with my employer again, Mr. Marshal," 
Juanita began, watching their reaction through narrowed eyes.  "He
has agreed to allow the Sister to see her brother.  But you will have to
fulfill your original agreement."

             
"I'm sorry, but we stay together now,"  Liane said with false
bravado.  "Either we both see Spence, or we both leave."

             
"You see, what it boils down to is that I want to see my partner
as much as she wants to see her brother.  Since they are one and the
same, we can both make certain he's all right.  Plus, you may have
forgotten, I need him to complete our end of the bargain."

             
"What you don't seem to understand is that neither of you
hardly has a choice,"  Juanita said as she motioned her men forward.

             
Todd attempted to reach for the pistol he carried beneath his
leather jacket, but the barrel-chested man hit him with his own
weapon before he could reach it.

             
"Todd!"  Liane gasped as she stooped over the fallen man.

             
"Very foolish,"  Juanita said, clicking her tongue to the roof of
her mouth.  "Now why don't you relax while we wait."

             
"Wait?"  Liane looked up.  "For what?"

             
"Let's just say for your navigator,"  Juanita said with a
malicious grin.  "Sit him in that chair,"  She ordered her companions. 
"Then give him some cold water or something.  I want him ready as
soon as Enrico gets here."

             
Liane watched in silence as the men obeyed Juanita's every
order.  Then she saw Todd opening his eyes slightly.  "Are you all
right?"

             
"Yeah, perfect,"  Todd said as he rubbed the side of his face
where he had been hit.

             
"Perfect?  I don't understand what went wrong."

             
"Nothing went wrong,"  he said.  "We're being captured, just
like I planned."

             
"But she said I was to be taken to Jack.  I won't be able to get
him out alone."