Deadly Promises Part 34

Her blood chilled at the thought. "Why do you think they have night-vision goggles?"

"I heard a vehicle, earlier, but there weren't any headlights, which means they were driving blind again. That's how you do it."

"And you know this because... ?"

"I've done it, running desert patrol. You mark the roof of your vehicle with glint tape so friendly planes don't mistake you for the enemy. Then you kill the lights and go."

Of course. Simple as a trip to the minimart.

Kelsey glanced around at the inky blackness, then edged closer to Gage. The warmth of his body was the only comforting thing in her universe right now. That and her Ruger. But the gun wasn't really that comforting because she couldn't see worth a d.a.m.n and her hands were shaking. She tucked it back into her holster, where at least she wouldn't accidentally shoot herself or Gage.

They trudged on through the darkness. He moved with confidence, as if he knew exactly which way to go, even though it was black as tar. Kelsey didn't talk. She didn't complain. She didn't say one word about the terror swamping her, but she knew Gage sensed it. He kept touching her hand, as if to rea.s.sure her, while he guided her every step.

She wouldn't think about it.

She wouldn't think about Dylan, her student. A young man she should have been responsible for.

She wouldn't think about Gage, who'd been shot at and had his truck stolen while trying to protect her.

And she wouldn't think about the memories those gunshots had triggered, memories she worked hard to keep locked away. She wouldn't think about the panic churning inside her, and how even now-probably an hour since the last sputter of gunfire-she still couldn't stop shaking.

Gage would understand, probably. He'd been in a war zone. But her nerves were raw, and her fear was choking. She couldn't talk about it now. All she could do was walk and hold on to him and hope that they'd make it out of this.

A brief flash, then a rumble of thunder. Kelsey glanced up at the sky. Not a star in sight. No moon either. At sunset, the clouds had been thick and ominous. She knew if their current luck held, at any moment the sky would open up.

Another flash of lightning, and then it did.

KELSEY WAS SOAKED to the skin and limping, and Gage's last offer to carry her had been met with a snarl. The woman was stubborn, and two hours of hiking through the rain on an injured ankle hadn't dampened her resolve. to the skin and limping, and Gage's last offer to carry her had been met with a snarl. The woman was stubborn, and two hours of hiking through the rain on an injured ankle hadn't dampened her resolve.

He stopped to look around and she b.u.mped into him. He checked his watch and, in the dim green glow of the dial, he glimpsed her face. She looked wet and ragged and in dire need of a hot shower. Plus, she was s.h.i.+vering, probably less from the rain than the still fresh fear of being chased by men with machine guns.

"I'm going to carry you now. No arguments."

Without waiting for a response, he gripped her waist and scooped her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

As expected she went ballistic.

"Stop it!" She pounded on his back. "Stop it right now! I can walk walk, d.a.m.n it!"

"We're going up a hill," he said, carefully balancing his load as he made his way up the steep terrain.

"Put me down down!"

"Quit squirming unless you want both of us to fall off this mountain."

She went still, thank G.o.d, and Gage adjusted her weight. He felt the backs of her knees under his hands, and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressing into his back was making it seriously hard for him to concentrate.

Finally they reached the top of the steep incline. A few more steps and they were under the protective shelter of a rock overhang.

Gage set her on her feet and her shoulders quivered.

"You okay?" he asked.

A shudder moved through her and he heard her teeth rattle.

"Here, you're freezing." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Even soggy and cold, she felt incredible, and he tried not to focus on her body as he shared his heat with her.

"This is so stupid," she muttered. "It's probably seventy degrees out." Her arms went around his waist.

"We're wet. And you're in shock. Getting shot at can do that to you."

"Does it happen to you?" She tilted her head back and he could feel her breath on his neck.

"I'm used to it."

"I thought I was used to it, too, but maybe I need more practice."

He took her by the shoulders and eased her away from him. "When have you ever been shot at before tonight?"

A quiet sigh. "In northern Iraq."

"That's one of the most dangerous places on the planet. What the h.e.l.l were you doing there?"

She drifted closer and her arms went back around him. "Excavating ma.s.s graves. Not everyone was glad for us to be there. We ended up needing an armed guard just to get our work done." She rested her forehead against his chest. "I still have nightmares."

She shuddered again and his grip tightened instinctively. His few objective brain cells were screaming for him to let go of her, but she felt too good. And she smelled too good. And the realization that she wanted wanted this kind of comfort from him was a perverse turn-on. This was the one woman he could this kind of comfort from him was a perverse turn-on. This was the one woman he could not not have, and yet he'd never wanted anyone more. What the h.e.l.l was wrong with him? have, and yet he'd never wanted anyone more. What the h.e.l.l was wrong with him?

She tipped her head back. "Where are we?" she whispered.

"At the petroglyphs."

She pulled away and glanced around. "I didn't realize we were so close to camp. Why'd we stop? Let's just go."

He pulled her behind a rock before switching on his flashlight. No sense broadcasting their whereabouts with a lantern. "I want to look at this ankle." He shrugged out of his rucksack and crouched at her feet. "What'd you do, sprain it?"

"Cut it, going through that hole. Then landed on it wrong."

He s.h.i.+ned his flashlight on her leg and pushed her sock down.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry." The swelling wasn't bad. The sock was saturated with blood, though, and he gently pulled it away from her skin. He reached into his pack for a water bottle and doused the cut. It was about three inches long but not too deep.

"We need to get this cleaned up back at the lodge," he said.

"Do you have any alcohol in your pack? Maybe some hand sanitizer?"

"I've got some Super Glue for emergencies," he said. "But a b.u.t.terfly bandage should do it for something this shallow. You had a teta.n.u.s shot recently?"

She didn't answer. He s.h.i.+ned the flashlight up at her and he saw she was gazing down at him with the strangest expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she whispered. "Nothing, I just..." She lifted her hand and combed her fingers into his hair and the jolt of l.u.s.t nearly knocked him over. He switched off the flashlight and rose to his feet. Another hand in his hair, then his heart gave a kick as her cool fingers curled against his scalp.

"Kelsey-"

She pulled his head down and kissed him.

SHE FELT HIM hesitate for maybe a half a second. And then his arms wrapped around her and he melded her body against him as his tongue swept into her mouth. For days, she'd had romantic fantasies about kissing him, but she'd been wrong. There was no romance here, just a fierce hunger that thrilled her right down to her toes. hesitate for maybe a half a second. And then his arms wrapped around her and he melded her body against him as his tongue swept into her mouth. For days, she'd had romantic fantasies about kissing him, but she'd been wrong. There was no romance here, just a fierce hunger that thrilled her right down to her toes.

An ache spread through her and she pressed against him, loving the taste of his tongue and the hardness of his body and the surprising softness of his hair between her fingers. He eased her back against a rock, protecting her head with his hand as he held her in place and continued to kiss her as if he'd never get enough, as if he couldn't stop. Something had snapped in him. And she realized that cool disinterest he'd shown her these past few days had been an act. He'd been burning, just like she had. She wished she'd known. She wished she could see his face. She wanted to see the fire in his eyes as he finally let her in on this secret he'd been hiding.

She slipped her hands into the pockets of his jeans and pulled him closer, as close as she could get him. She ground her hips against him and heard the low groan deep in his chest.

He pulled back. "Kelsey-"

She rose up and kissed him again, just in case he was crazy enough to put the brakes on. Something about her uncle. Or her honor. Or some other such bulls.h.i.+t that she didn't want to hear right now.

He pulled back again. "Kelsey, we can't." His voice sounded strained.

"Why can't we?"

He slipped her hands out of his pockets and eased back. "Look... I like you."

Her blood went cold. "Don't say it." She turned away. G.o.d, if he used the word "friend" she was going to scream.

"If circ.u.mstances were different-"

"Let's just go."

He took her arm and she shook him off. Then she walked away from him, as far as she felt comfortable. It would be just her luck to take a wrong step and tumble off the cliff. She felt mortified. Look, I like you Look, I like you. Who was he trying to convince?

"Can we get back, please?" she asked. "I'm freezing here."

In the darkness, he muttered a curse. He walked over to her, hooked her hand onto his belt as it had been before, and set out for camp.

KELSEY WAS STILL shaking when she whipped her battered Chevy Suburban into the parking lot of the Madrone Hunting Lodge. Fear, embarra.s.sment, anxiety-plus a major dose of adrenaline-were knocking around in her system, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on the task at hand. After enduring an extremely awkward car ride, she now had to relay tonight's discoveries to the sheriff. What had she been thinking? She couldn't have come up with a worse, more inappropriate time to throw herself at a man. shaking when she whipped her battered Chevy Suburban into the parking lot of the Madrone Hunting Lodge. Fear, embarra.s.sment, anxiety-plus a major dose of adrenaline-were knocking around in her system, making it nearly impossible for her to focus on the task at hand. After enduring an extremely awkward car ride, she now had to relay tonight's discoveries to the sheriff. What had she been thinking? She couldn't have come up with a worse, more inappropriate time to throw herself at a man.

"Aw, s.h.i.+t," Gage said-his first words in half an hour.

The night manager was just switching off the light above the reception desk as Kelsey pulled into a s.p.a.ce. Before she'd even parked Gage jumped out of the Suburban and rushed for the door.

Kelsey collected her overnight bag from the backseat and cast a worried look around the full parking lot. Dr. Robles had left a note saying he'd be staying here, and she hoped to h.e.l.l he hadn't gotten the last room.

A black Explorer on the far end of the lot caught her eye. In the back window was a university parking sticker. Kelsey slammed her door and walked toward the vehicle, a dizzying combination of relief and anger flooding through her. She stopped in front of room 109 and pounded on the door.

A light went on. Shuffling. A curse as someone stumbled over something. Then the blinds parted and Jeannie peered through the gap. She unlatched the door.

"Dr. Quinn." Her eyes widened as they took in Kelsey's sodden clothes. "Oh my G.o.d you're bleeding."

Kelsey nodded at the man sprawled out on the bed amid the rumpled sheets. Dylan didn't even stir. "Where's he been all night?" Kelsey demanded.

"Here with me. And everyone." Jeannie looked sheepish. "See, after our fight? He drove into Marathon to shoot some pool. He came back, though." She smiled apologetically. "We tried to call you but you didn't pick up, so-"

"The next person to leave the dig site without signing out will receive an F for the summer. Do you understand?"

She nodded silently.

"Tell your boyfriend."

Kelsey turned and strode back to the lobby, practically vibrating with fury. If anyone so much as looked at her crosswise she was going to explode.

Gage stepped through the front door of the motel and spotted her. Then his gaze s.h.i.+fted over her shoulder and he no doubt spotted the black Explorer.

"Dylan's back," she said crisply. "Guess it was someone else's SUV I saw earlier."

He handed her a room key and frowned. "You okay?"

"Fine."

"Mind if I borrow your car? I need to run an errand."

"Knock yourself out. Good night." She tossed the car keys at him. He caught them one-handed and she stormed off. The clunky wooden key chain was shaped like a deer and had the number 102 painted on it. Terrific. Right by the lobby, where she'd be sure to get plenty of traffic noise at six a.m.

Kelsey let herself into the room. It smelled like must and pineapple, of all things. She switched on a lamp and threw her bag on the ugly yellow bedspread.

At least Dylan was safe. One potential heart attack down, one to go. Kelsey rummaged through her bag until she found her cell phone. Of course, it had no charge from sitting useless for weeks on end. She jammed the charger into an outlet by the bed and dialed Sattler's number with the cord plugged in. Four rings. Five. Kelsey toed off her Nikes and kicked them across the room. Finally, on the seventh ring, a deputy picked up. After a brief hesitation, he gave her Sattler's home phone number, along with the warning that the sheriff didn't like to be bothered at home unless it was an emergency.

Kelsey stripped off her soggy T-s.h.i.+rt and tossed it on the chair. She dialed Sattler with one hand while searching through her bag for some dry clothes. She still had the shakes, and she wondered whether discovering a covert border crossing and having her a.s.s nearly shot off by men with machine guns const.i.tuted an emergency in Seco County. Apparently it did.

"I'll get out there first thing in the morning, have a look around."

The sheriff's patient drawl grated on her nerves.

"Are you sure that's the best approach?" she asked him. "I mean, shouldn't you call Customs and Border Protection or something?" She pulled off a b.l.o.o.d.y sock and tossed it in the trash can, along with its nonb.l.o.o.d.y mate. "It seems evident that these roadside deaths might be related and-"

"Why don't you let us worry 'bout that? You stick to your bones."

Kelsey managed not to hurl the phone across the room. "I'm only suggesting suggesting that-" that-"

She heard a noise and turned around to see the door opening. Her pulse leapt as Gage stepped into the room, pulling a key from the lock.

"We'll take care of it, Dr. Quinn. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

The phone went silent in her hand. Gage tossed her car keys on the table and leaned back against the door. His gaze met hers across the king-size bed.

"That was Sattler." Her pulse pounded as she clicked off the phone and put it on the nightstand. "He's going to check out the tunnel tomorrow morning."