No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [56]
“It won’t stay that way.” He paused. “I was very angry at your interference and I wanted you punished. But I’m a reasonable man and I know how to cut my losses. I’m willing to pay to have my son turned over to me. Five million dollars. You set up the terms of the drop-off.”
“No way.”
“Ten million.”
“We’re not trading, Chavez.”
“I’ll go higher.”
“And you’ll get the same answer.”
“The bitch isn’t that good a lay.”
“I’m terminating this conversation.”
“Think about it. I’ll give you my phone number.”
Smother the anger. They might be able to use it. He took out his pen and pad. “What is it?”
Chavez rattled off a number. “Be reasonable. I’ll get him anyway. If you hand him over, you become a very rich man.”
“No deal.” He hung up.
“What did he want?”
He turned to see Elena and Judd standing behind him.
“What he’s wanted all along. Only he offered to pay for him.” His lips twisted. “The last offer was ten million, but he would have gone higher.”
Judd gave a low whistle. “That’s impressive money. It would cause a lot of men to turn traitor. You may have a tough time keeping the kid if he’s spreading that kind of money around.”
“You took his phone number down,” Elena said to Galen.
“Oh, for God’s sake, I thought we might need it. Did you think I was hedging my bets?”
“No.” She looked away. “I don’t know what to think.”
But she had doubted him for that moment. What else could he expect? From the moment she had learned Chavez was on his way, she had changed. She had gone back into the battle mode she had learned from childhood—wary, tense, trusting no one.
It hurt, dammit. “No, I’m not going to take the damn money.”
Judd glanced from one to the other and changed the subject. “Who takes first watch?”
“I do,” Galen said curtly. “I need some space.”
He walked away.
Elena could see only one guard circling the house.
She crawled slowly, silently, grasping the rifle with her left hand.
There wasn’t much brush in this level meadowland, and she had to keep low and move with painstaking care.
The lights in the office were burning. Chavez was probably trying to find a way to trace them.
Once she reached the barn, it would shelter her until she had a look around. She would have to take out the first guard, and she’d already spotted another man at the corral. If she took him out too, then she might be able to get to the house.
Her gaze was fixed on the window of the study as she crawled forward.
I’m coming, Chavez. Do you feel it?
She could imagine him in her sights, sitting at the desk shuffling papers. No, don’t think about it. Just do it. She had to distance herself, as her father had taught her. Just do the job and the—
A heavy weight dropped on her.
She struggled over onto her back, reaching for her pistol.
“No,” Galen whispered, pinning her down. “You shoot me and Chavez’s men will all run out here, and Barry won’t have a mother. Is that what you want?”
She froze. “What are you doing?”
“I’m trying to stop you from getting yourself killed.”
“Get off me. I’m not going to get myself killed. I know how to do this. My father sent me out to—”
“You’ve told me. But that doesn’t mean you can take down Chavez when he’s being guarded by fifteen men.”
“There are only eight men.”
“That’s what I thought. The others must have arrived after dark. Where were you headed? The study? There’s a man around the corner and one inside with Chavez. They’re all over the place, and they’re pretty good. I almost got caught when I was scouting the area.”
“Scouting? When?”
“When I was supposed to be on watch. Do you suppose you’re the only one who hoped we could end this thing with one bullet? It’s no good, Elena. I was going to tell you the chances were nil, but when I came back to camp you’d already left.”
“Let me go.”
“Not until you tell me you’ll go back to camp.”
“The only thing I’ll tell you is that if you don’t get off me, I’m going to break your ribs and then crush your nuts.”
“Oh.” He studied her face for a moment. “What a persuasive woman you are.” He released