No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [83]
“You’re going to stay right here.”
“I beg to disagree. Don’t worry, I know if I left you with egg on your face you’d never stop hunting me. I don’t have the slightest doubt you’ll put a contract out on me anyway, but I understand contracts and can deal with them.” He started to back into the forest. “She’ll be here.”
“Did you believe I’d let you leave this mountain alive?”
“Perish the thought. But I’m going to do it just the same. My former occupation gave me unique experience in escape and evasion. I know you have this mountain crawling with your people. I had to take out one to safeguard my chosen exit trail. I’m sure you won’t mind. He was clumsy anyway.…”
He was gone.
“Gomez!”
The man ran from the trees on the other side of the glade. “I couldn’t get a clear shot. Should I go after him?”
“Yes. No. Elena may be on her way. I don’t want her scared off by any search parties crashing through the brush. We’ll get him later. Give me your flashlight.” He shone the light down on the boy. It was definitely the boy he’d seen in the picture, and he still appeared to be in a deep sleep. “I have my son and I’ll soon have the woman.” He added, “If she does make it this far, I want you to leave her to me. Don’t interfere. Now get back to your position.”
“Are you ready?” Galen whispered.
Elena nodded and adjusted her infrared night glasses. “I counted five. There could be more.”
“Probably are. They may be on the move. You take the trail to the left; I’ll take the right. We meet at the glade at the top.”
“Right. Chavez is bound to have a man or two in the woods around the glade. Will you take them out?”
“And what will you be doing?”
She didn’t answer. “Will you take them out?”
He muttered an oath. “Yes, dammit. You can trust me. I’ll make sure there aren’t any surprises. Satisfied?” She nodded, her gaze on the top of the mountain.
Barry.
“Elena, just meet me there. Don’t go in without me. Do you hear me?”
“I heard you. Be careful.” She bent low and darted to the left.
Clear the way, her father had told her. Be silent but take them out. Clear the way.
Clear the way to Barry.
Two down.
Galen rolled the body into the bushes and jammed his knife back into its calf sheath.
No noise. No alert.
He paused a moment to get his bearings and the next target. A guard a hundred yards farther up on the trail.
He continued to carefully crawl his way up the side of the trail.
The man’s neck broke as she twisted it from behind. Elena let him fall and kept going.
Don’t stop.
Move faster.
More of Chavez’s men on the trail ahead.
But beyond them was the glade.
Beyond them was Barry.
Clear the way.
Panic surged through Elena when she saw there was no one in the glade.
Not Chavez. Not her son.
“Chavez!”
No answer.
Her gaze searched the trees. “Chavez, I know you’re there. Come out and face me.”
“I was just making sure you had no company. Where’s Galen?”
Elena’s gaze flew across the glade to where the voice had come from. She’d discarded her night glasses and could only see by the fitful moonlight. Where was he? “Hopefully wreaking havoc on your men.”
“Then he’s probably dead by now. I hope you weren’t fond of him.”
Don’t think about his words. He only wanted to shake her, weaken her. “Where’s my son?”
“Here.” Chavez’s voice was farther left, Elena noticed. He must be moving.
She started moving herself. “Where?”
“Why should I tell you? It’s no longer important. Your status as his mother is at an end.”
“Bullshit.”
“I’ve heard that maternal love makes idiots of women, and you’ve proved it tonight. I was doubtful you’d walk into Morgan’s trap.”
“I walked in and I’m walking out. I’m taking my son with me. You’ve moved five yards to the left. You’re trying to get behind me. Do you really want to attack me from the rear? Are you afraid to look me in the eyes?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I believe that lie about you just pretending I’d beaten you? I beat you then. I’ll beat you now.”
“You know in your heart I was telling the truth. It must be