Third Half (24 page)

             
Her eyes filled with tears as she put her hand to her mouth,
feeling sick.

             
"Here, let me help you,"  Todd said quietly as he reached for
Liane's hand.  She went willingly to his arms, seeking comfort as she
tried to regain her composure.

  
             
"I'm . . .I'm sorry,"  she mumbled when she finally pulled
away.  "I . . .I."

             
"Don't worry about it.  It's not a pretty sight for anyone."

 
             
"I almost pity the man."  Then she remembered that being
M.C.  she should say a prayer for him or something.  "I suppose I
really should . . ."

             
"That's up to you.  He is probably Catholic.  But the decision is
yours."

             
"I'll say a prayer for him."  She turned to look for her bag.  "Oh
what a mess."  She looked around the wreckage.  "I suppose we
should consider ourselves lucky."

             
"Maybe . . ."  Todd said dryly, as he took a tarp from the debris
and covered the body.  "That will have to do for now."

             
She found her case and took out her sister's Bible.  Then she
looked at Todd as he opened the hatch.   "Where are you going?"

             
"I have to look around and make sure the plane is safe here. 
Then I may have to check out the surrounding area.  I'll be back."  He
started out the door.

             
"Here,"  she went to the front of the plane to retrieve the dead
man's machine gun.  "It looks all right.   Take it with you."

             
Todd checked it, then handed it back to her.  "You keep it. 
Just in case.  I have my gun.  I got it off him."   He patted the shoulder
holster beneath his flight jacket.    

             
When Todd had gone, Liane knelt down and opened the Bible
to the Twenty-Third Psalm.  At the moment it was the most
appropriate thing she could think of reading for the man lying lifeless
beneath the tarp.

             
In silence she wondered what would happen to them now. 
Because of this new turn of events, she knew that there would have to
be another change of plans.  A drastic change. 
Just when I thought I
was getting close to you, Jack.

             
It was late afternoon when Todd finally returned wearing a
grim expression.

             
"Did you find a village or anything?"

             
"Nothing but jungle.  I didn't see any signs of human life.  But
I don't think we can be too far.  Our friend wanted us to try and make
it.  We had to be close to our destination."

             
"Maybe someone will send out a search party or something."

             
Todd frowned and shook his head.  "M.C., we didn't exactly
leave a flight plan.  And we were flying way below radar.  Have you forgotten we aren't exactly looked upon with friendly enthusiasm by
the authorities.

             
She made a face.  "Smuggling and gun running are illegal.  I
forgot."

             
"Well, don't ever forget again.  Prison down here isn't exactly a
picnic."

             
She remembered his telling her he'd met her brother there. 
"You were in prison before."

             
"That was in the States."

             
"What for?  I mean . . .you met my brother there."    

             
"Interstate transport of stolen property."

             
"I see.  This plane really gets around."  She tried to laugh. 
             
"It
did.  But not anymore, I'm afraid."

             
"Why was my brother in jail?"  She had to know.  It had been
eating at her since Todd told her.

             
"He got in a little too deep with some gambling debts.  He had
to do a few favors for certain people, to make up for it.  When he got
caught, he did them another favor, and took the wrap alone."

             
"And when you both got out of prison, you decided to go into
business together."

             
"Not exactly . . .Look M.C., instead of asking a lot of
questions, why not wait until we get out of this mess.  Then let Jack
explain everything."

             
"Okay . . .but . . .will we get out of this mess?"

             
For the first time since the crash she saw him smile.  "Of
course we will."  He rubbed the sleeve of his brown leather flight
jacket.  "I'm wearing my lucky jacket."

             
"Considering everything that's happened, is it really lucky?"

             
"We're alive."  He laughed, crossing the small compartment in
the plane.  "And if we hope to stay alive, we'll have to keep up our
strength.  Are you hungry?"

             
"Do you have food?"  she asked, eyes wide.

             
"Of sorts,"  He tossed her paper container.  "MREs
–
Meals
Ready to Eat.  Or in our case, maybe we should call them jungle
rations."

             
She watched as he opened his, eyeing it distastefully.  "Is it
any good?"

             
"Eat some and find out."

             
"I'd rather just taste yours first.  There's no sense my wasting it
if I decide not to have any."

             
"You should eat.  It's been quite a while."

             
"I have a confession.  I ate when I went back for my clothing. 
That's why I took so long.  Writing the letter was only part of it."

             
"In that case, just have a taste."  He held out a spoonful of
food.  It looked like some kind of casserole.

             
She made a face, then swallowed.  "I think I'll pass for awhile. 
This might be the right time to go on a diet."

             
He eyed her skeptically as he took a few more spoonfuls from
his container.  "You're going to have to change out of those clothes," 
he finally said after he finished eating.  "You won't be able to get
around well enough in that."

             
"What will I wear?"

             
"Men's clothing," he replied drily.

             
"Do you have some extra?"  she said hopefully, knowing she'd
love to get into a pair of jeans again.

             
"Not me."  She watched as his eyes seemed drawn to the body
beneath the tarp.

             
"Oh no!  I won't wear a dead man's clothing."

             
"He won't mind . . .Really,"  Todd said, coming closer.  "M.C.,
come on.  Be reasonable.  You can't go traipsing about the jungle in
this."  He touched her black and white habit.

             
She swallowed hard.  "When?"

             
"Now.  I have to do some things outside while we have
daylight.  We can't leave him laying around in here, it's hot already,
and . . .never mind.  I think you understand.  I also have to check out
the surroundings for signs of life.  If there are none, we'll start in the
morning."

             
"I see your reasoning."  She looked up into his face and saw
the concern in his dark eyes.  It came as a sudden realization that she
had grown to respect this man.   To trust his opinion.  "Okay, I'll
change."  She squared her shoulders.

             
"You undress while I get his clothes off him,"  he ordered,
then turned away.

             
She slowly stripped from her sister's clothing, then waited in
her lace bra and bikini pants for him to bring her the rest.  She held
the hem of her skirt up in front of her modestly as he approached.

             
He held out the man's clothing, but all she could see were the
blood stains on the shirt.  Her face constricted as she again pictured
the dead man's face.

             
"It's all right,"  he said softly as he dropped the stained
clothing and pulled her gently into his arms.  "You've been through a
lot today.  Go ahead, let it out."

             
It felt good in his comforting arms, and Liane allowed herself
to give in to her unrelenting tears.  He held her close, stroking her
arms, her back, and shoulders, whispering soft words into her long
blonde hair.

             
She felt so natural being there, she didn't want it to stop.  But
when the tears subsided another feeling began, and she knew she had
to pull away.

             
He didn't try to stop her, but simply allowed his eyes to slowly
scan her near naked body.  "You're a beautiful woman,"  he said
huskily, locking her gaze.   "I've seen you as Kitty, and as Mary
Catherine, but I like you now the best.  Tell me who are you?  Who
am I looking at now?"

             
She wanted to tell him who she really was, but didn't.  She
couldn't.  What did she really know about this man?   Nothing.  She
couldn't let on that she was really Liane and not bound to the church.

             
"I . . .I think I better get dressed,"  she mumbled nervously as
she knelt for the dropped clothing.   "I . . .I'll be with you in a minute."

             
"Take your time,"  he said simply, turning to pick up a shovel
before leaving the aircraft.

             
She felt suddenly empty without him there.  It was a feeling
she couldn't understand.  I'm probably lightheaded from not eating. 
Remembering the rest of her chicken sandwich, she dug into her flight
bag, deciding it would be a good idea to eat something after all, before
going outside to help Todd.

CH-10

CHAPTER TEN

             
"You are going to mark a path," she said when she joined him
and saw how thick the jungle growth was.

             
"Yes, with this."  He held up a large hunting knife.  "It's the
best I have, but it serves the purpose."

             
Every few feet they would gorge a huge mark into a tree, then
go on again.  Liane wondered how they would find anything in this
dense dark-green mass.  Everything seemed to look the same, and
when she looked behind her, she couldn't even see the plane, yet she
was certain they hadn't gone very far.  Turning ahead again she found
she had lost sight of Todd, too.

             
Near-panic set in as she tried to see through the jungle ahead. 
"Todd!"  she yelled, then almost screamed when he came through the
bushes in front of her.

             
"Where the hell were you?"  he snapped.  "You were right
behind me a second ago."

             
"I stopped for a moment.  I didn't think you were going that
fast."

             
"I saw something."  He smiled again.  "Come on through
here."  She followed until they came out by a small stream of water.

             
"It's beautiful.  Like something out of a movie,"  she said.

             
"We aren't far from the mountains.  This stream must flow
down from them."