No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [59]
“Things are changing.” He turned and started for the house. “Chavez is on the other side of the country. It will take him a little while to regroup and send out his search dogs. We probably have some breathing space. Why don’t you take a little time off and relax?”
It had taken them only five hours to get to this lovely, peaceful spot. If Chavez found out where they were, he’d be on them like a vulture. “I can’t.”
He glanced at her over his shoulder. “No, I can see you can’t,” he said sadly. “It’s too bad.”
“They’re not in the hills,” Gomez said. “But the man I sent to scout out the area reports that there’s a small airport about eighty miles from here. He’s questioning the personnel there now.”
“If Galen reached an airport, then we’ve lost him. He’s not going to let himself be traced.” Chavez glanced with frustration at the pile of papers on the desk. No leads. Nothing.
“We’ll continue to try,” Gomez said.
“You’re damn right you will,” Chavez said. “There’s no way I’m giving up. I still have a few cards to play.” He took out his phone and started to dial.
“Mama, look at me, I’m going to dive into the water!”
“I’m watching.”
Barry jumped onto the tire Judd had tied to a branch of the oak tree close to the lake. Then Judd pulled the tire back several yards and let it go. The tire swung out over the water, and a whooping Barry jumped from the tire into the lake.
He surfaced, sputtering. “Did you see me?”
“I would have had to be blind not to see you,” Elena shouted. “And deaf too.”
“I’m going to do it again.”
He swam to the edge of the lake and Dominic helped him onto the bank. “Watch me.”
“Only a couple more times. It will be dark soon.”
But it wasn’t dark yet, and the setting sun gilded the water with beauty. Jesus, it was peaceful here. In spite of her tension, she had not been able to ignore the sheer blessed tranquillity of the surroundings during the last three days.
“Pretty.” Galen dropped down beside her in the porch swing. “I like porch swings.”
“You have a hammock on your porch at the ranch.”
“Hammocks are for dozing. Porch swings are for socializing. I can imagine the two of us sitting here listening to the birds and the creak of the swing for the next fifty years or so.”
“I can’t.”
“Because you’re too tied up in knots to imagine anything.” He reached out and took her hand. “Don’t stiffen up. I just want to hold your hand. I’m not trying to lure you back into my bed.” His thumb rubbed the pulse point at her inner wrist. “I’m not sure you wouldn’t break into pieces if I made love to you.”
“I’m not that weak.”
“Heaven forbid I accuse you of that.” He started to play idly with her fingers. “No weakness. You won’t permit it.”
“I can’t permit it. I can’t concentrate on anything but Chavez now.” Her gaze shifted back to Barry in the water. “I was weak all those years ago. I was so afraid after he finished with me every day. I was tied up and helpless and I knew he’d be back the next day and it would start again. I wouldn’t let myself cry, but I couldn’t stop shaking. The only time I didn’t feel weak was when we were fighting. But I knew if I let the fear come to the surface then, I’d die.”
“We’re all afraid sometimes.”
“I can’t afford to be now. I have Barry.”
“And me.” He lifted her wrist to his lips. “Don’t forget me.”
There was no danger of her doing that. He was always there, talking, moving, disturbing her. He was disturbing her now.
“Your heart’s beating faster.” He brushed his lips back and forth on her wrist. “I have to point out that sex is known to be a great relaxer.”
“But I might break apart on you.”
“I’d risk it.”
“I can’t risk it.”
He looked at her. “If I kept on, you’d change your mind.”
“Possibly. But I’d resent it.”
“I know.” He kissed her wrist and then placed it back on her lap. “What a dilemma for a sex-starved man. I suppose we’ll just have to sit and swing and think about the next fifty years. Shh,” he said as she started to speak. “I said think, not talk. Don’t worry. You can’t commit if you don’t talk.”
The creak of the swing