No One to Trust (4 page)

“He’s done it before, Elena,” Forbes said. “He got Katz away from the splinter rebel group.”

“Katz …” She frowned. “I heard about that. You blundered. Chavez caught you off guard.”

“He won’t this time.”

“He’d better not.” She started to get to her feet and then fell back down. She turned to Forbes. “Will you help me up?”

Forbes bent down and helped her to her feet. She swayed, holding tight to his arm to keep from falling.

“You’ve lost some blood,” Forbes said. “We can wait a little while.”

“No, we can’t. I’ve not come this far to be stopped now.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s go.”

“If you tell me where we’re going, I’ll be able to get us there if you pass out,” Galen said.

“I won’t pass out.” She moved haltingly toward the jeep. “I’ve had wounds worse than this. I’ll be fine.”

“Whatever. Put her in the passenger seat, Forbes.” Galen quickly folded up the bedrolls, tossed them in the back of the jeep, and climbed into the driver’s seat. “The roads aren’t great. It’s going to be a rough ride for you.”

“It’s all been a rough ride. But it’s almost over.…” She leaned her head back. “Go straight ahead. Turn right at the next fork in the road.”

Blood.

Chavez squatted and touched the spattering of dark red on the floor of the pharmacy. Elena’s blood.

She was hurt and trying to heal herself. Like an animal on the run, she was seeking a place to hide.

No, if that had been the case, she would have hidden in the hills near Belim. There was a reason why she had pressed forward. She had a purpose, a goal.

And he knew what that goal was.

He stood up and turned to Gomez. “Spread out. Cover every town and village in the area. Someone must have seen her. She’s hurt and she’s moving too fast to be cautious. She may be trying to reach Dominic. If you can’t locate her, try to find
him.” He smiled as he looked down at the blood on his fingertips. First blood, Elena. “No excuses. I want her found within the next twenty-four hours.”

The headlights skewering the black road ahead were wavering, darkening, and blurring.

Don’t faint, Elena told herself. Hold on. Only a little longer. After all these years, only a few miles more. The huge palm tree … “Turn left here.”

“I thought you’d left us,” Galen said as he made the turn. “You’re sure you don’t want—”

“Be quiet.” She couldn’t cope with him right now. From the moment she had opened her eyes and looked at Galen, she knew he was a man to be reckoned with. God, she wished Forbes hadn’t brought him. She only hoped that he wasn’t on the take. Forbes trusted him, but that didn’t mean she could afford to. When she’d realized she had to leave, she waited months before choosing Forbes. She had investigated, asked questions, listened to every story about him. She now knew that he was a solid and honest man and suspected that he had his own thread of desperation. She knew about desperation. She had lived with it for years.

Galen was not a desperate man. He was hard and tough and glittered with a mirrorlike surface. He would be difficult to fathom and more difficult to handle.

Maybe she wouldn’t have to do either, she thought wearily. Let him get them out and then she’d be through with him. “The next right.”

“This place is hidden well enough,” Forbes said. “But the road curves like a snake around the side of this mountain. Will we be able to get a helicopter in, Galen?”

“I’ll take care of it.”

The house.

Her heart leaped in her breast as the headlights gleamed on the glass of the windows. “Here. Stop here.”

Galen stopped the jeep a hundred yards from the small adobe house.

“Wait here.” She started to get out of the jeep. “I’ll be right—”

“I don’t think so.” The muzzle of Galen’s .45 pistol was suddenly pressed to her temple. “Let’s wait and see if anything unpleasant happens.”

“Nothing’s going to happen.” Her voice was shaking. “And you’re going to have to shoot me to keep me from going into that house. I’ve waited too long—”

“Elena?” A man was standing in the doorway of the house, his hand shading his eyes from the glare of the headlights. “I was worried. I expected you days ago.”

“I had a few problems.” She gave Galen a cold glance as she got out of the car and walked toward the man. “They’re not over.”

“You’re here. We’ll take care of the rest.” He enfolded her in his arms and gave her a hug before looking beyond her to the jeep. “They’re safe?”

She nodded. “DEA. They’re going to get us out of here.” She turned to Forbes. “You can get out of the jeep. No one is going to hurt you. This is Father Dominic.”

“A priest?” Galen got out of the driver’s seat.

“Yes.”

“No,” Dominic said at the same time.

“Among other things,” Elena said. “He’s also a teacher. He takes good care of the people in these hills.”

“How do you do?” Dominic said to Galen and Forbes. “My name is Dominic Sanders.”

“Is everything all right?” Elena asked him.

He smiled. “Fine.” He turned and headed for the kitchen. “Introductions later. You all look like you could use some coffee.”

She nodded. “Call your helicopter, Galen. Have him here at first light.”

“I believe we have some business to transact first. You made a deal with Forbes.”

“Oh, yes, his pound of flesh. Don’t worry, it’s here.”

“Show me.”

She looked at him for a moment and then deliberately turned to Forbes. “I’ll show you. Come with me.”

“Go on, Forbes.” Galen followed them into the house. “You won’t mind if I just trail along?”

“I do mind.” She threw open a door down the short hall. “But you don’t care about that, do you?” She lit the oil lamp beside the door. “Don’t raise your voice or I’ll cut your heart out.” She moved toward the bed across the room. “It’s okay, Barry. Don’t be scared.”

“Mama?” The little boy threw himself into her arms. “Dominic didn’t tell me you were coming.”

Her arms tightened around him. God, he felt so good. Warm and safe and wonderful. “He didn’t know. How are you?”

“Fine. I’m learning to play Dominic’s keyboard. He says I’m old enough now. I know one song. I’ll play—” He pushed away from her and wrinkled his nose. “You don’t smell good.”

“I know.” She gently brushed the dark curls back from his forehead. “That’s why I tell you that you should take your bath every night. I haven’t gotten a chance to do that lately. But you really shouldn’t be so rude as to tell me about it.”

“I didn’t mean—” His brow furrowed. “I didn’t make you sad, did I?”

“No. You never make me sad.” She gave him a hug. “Go back to sleep, love.”

“You’ll be here in the morning?”

“Yes, and there may be a surprise for you.”

“A present?”

“An adventure.” She kissed him on the forehead. “A wonderful, splendid adventure like none you’ve ever dreamed of.”

“Who are they?” Barry was looking beyond her at Forbes and Galen.

“Friends.” She tucked him in and stood up. “You’ll meet them tomorrow. Good night.”

“G’night.” His eyes were already closing. “G’night, Mama.”

“Your child?” Forbes asked as she shut the bedroom door and led them outside the house. “How old is he?”

“Five.”

“He’s quite beautiful.”

“Yes, he is.” Her smile was radiant. “Inside and out.”

“You probably did some damage to your stitches hugging him like that,” Galen said.

“I didn’t feel a thing.”

“Oh, I think you were feeling all kinds of emotions in there,” Galen said. “I suppose you want me to take him with us?”

“There’s no question that he goes with us.” She paused. “He’s the prize. He’s the magnet that you wanted, Forbes.”

He frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Barry is Rico Chavez’s son.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Any blood or DNA test would prove it.”

“Wait a minute. You stole Chavez’s son?”

“I stole nothing. He’s
my
son. Chavez didn’t even know he was alive until two months ago.” Her lips tightened. “But that won’t stop him from trying to take him away from me.” She met Forbes’s gaze. “Or from coming after him.”

“I’ve heard he has a wife and children of his own,” Galen said.

“He does. Three beautiful little girls. His mistress in Bogotá also has a little girl. He was tested by a specialist after she was born and told that there was something wrong. That he might not be able to father sons. He was furious. It damaged his self-image. He sees himself as a conqueror, and a conqueror has to have sons.” She paused. “Then he found out he did have a son.”

“How?”

“It doesn’t matter. All that should concern you is that he’ll follow him to the United States. I’ve got something that he can’t get anywhere else.”

“We only have your word for that,” Galen said.

“What can you lose? You wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t intended to make a deal with me, Forbes. Take us to the United States, give us protection, and then wait and see. Chavez will come.”

“Maybe.”

“Wait.” Forbes frowned thoughtfully. “It makes sense that Chavez would want a son and heir, and he has an extraordinarily macho reputation. There may be something in what she says. If it’s the truth.”

“He’ll come,” Elena repeated.

“And what do you want out of this?”

“Protection. United States citizenship and enough money to keep us comfortable until I learn a trade to support us.”

“You could always join the Marines,” Galen suggested. “Or teach at a karate school.”

She ignored him. “I’m not asking much. If you handle it right, you could capture him. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

Forbes nodded. “That’s what I want.”

“Then take us with you.”

“I’ll have to think about it,” Forbes answered.

“Think fast. Chavez isn’t going to give you much time.”

“Elena.” Dominic was standing in the doorway. “Come in and eat a sandwich and get a cup of coffee.”

“Coming.” She turned, then started back. “Before I have anything to eat, I have to go and wash up and change. As
Barry said, I smell. Don’t you upset Dominic. He’s very sensitive to vibes and he’s getting concerned about me.”

“Misguided soul,” Galen murmured as he followed her into the house. “And a little confused about his calling. Is he a priest or isn’t he?”

“He says he’s not. He doesn’t want me to call him Father, but that’s how I first knew him. I can’t seem to think of him in any other way.” She gave Galen a cold glance. “He’s the kindest, gentlest man on this earth, and you will not hurt him in any way. Do you understand?”

Galen smiled. “Perfectly. I’ll try to restrain my innate brutality. I’m sure you’ll tell me if I offend.”

“You can bet on it.”

Dominic was a man in his late forties with graying hair and the brightest, most alert blue eyes Galen had ever seen. He was dressed in fatigues and army boots, and his conversation was as wide-ranging as it was witty. He was obviously well educated, and Galen could believe he was a teacher. However, he was like no priest Galen had ever met, he decided after being with Dominic for the next forty-five minutes.

“You’re confused.” Dominic smiled. “You’ve been studying me like a bug under a microscope and you don’t like not being able to identify the species.”

“I’m curious. It’s the bane of my existence. But I’ve been told I’m not to offend you on threat of God knows what.”

He sighed. “Elena. She’s a little overprotective.”

“Are you really a priest?” Forbes asked.

“I was when I was a younger man. I may still be considered a priest by the church. As far as I know, I’ve not been defrocked.” He shook his head. “But years ago I decided I couldn’t follow all the teachings blindly. I’m too willful. I have to do what I think is right, and that’s considered sin and vanity. So in my heart I’m no longer a priest, and it’s heart and soul that count.”

“But you were a priest when Elena and you first met?”

“Yes, I was working with the rebels in the hills. I came from Miami, all full of zeal and vigor, with the intention of taking on the entire world. There was a lot to take on down here. Poverty, death, drugs, war. Over the years I lost a good deal of the zeal.” He smiled. “But I managed to hold on. There were always the children like Elena.”

“You knew her as a child?”

“I knew all the rebels. She was ten when I came to Colombia. Her brother, Luis, was thirteen and her father, Frank Kyler, was still alive. Frank and I became friends. We didn’t often agree, but I liked him. It was difficult not to like him.” He grimaced. “Like me, he believed he was doing what was right, that he was needed. I respected that even if I felt he was wrong. You have to go where you’re needed.”

“And now you’re needed to take care of Elena’s son?”

“Elena took care of him herself for the first three years. She hunted and we grew our own vegetables and we just managed to survive. Then she decided this was no life for the boy, so she went to Medellín to earn a living and left him with me. It wasn’t easy for her, considering how she grew up. She had no one to help her, and she won’t even talk about those first
months in the city. She did everything from waiting on tables to telephone sales to support us and to gather a nest egg to get us out of the country. She came home as often as she could.” He poured more coffee into their cups. “And it was no chore for me to take care of Barry. He’s a very special child. There are some children who give off a kind of radiance. Barry is like that.” He sat down. “My only complaint is that he’s a bit too solemn and old for his years. I guess it’s natural since he rarely gets to play with other children. Elena was afraid it wouldn’t be safe.”

“You’re hundreds of miles from Chavez’s territory here.”

“It didn’t stop Elena from worrying. The boy is her whole life. She wouldn’t take the chance.”

“Why didn’t she leave the country before this?”

“She couldn’t risk earning money at the only profession she had been trained to do, and everything else paid a pittance. She had no money, no papers, and she would have had no way to protect Barry from his father if he’d discovered where he was. She was saving every peso she could get her hands on to get them away from here when Chavez found out about the boy. She had no choice but to move fast when that happened.”