"I'd be stupid to take out Quinn when I have you considering helping me. I've worked very hard to accomplish that coup. I don't want you angry with me. But he shouldn't have come after you. Accidents happen."
"Not to Joe."
"He's contacted you?"
She hesitated. "Yes."
"And you couldn't persuade him to let you make your own choice." He shrugged. "He's a stubborn man."
"He's not sure that you're not holding me against my will. He said that you could be forcing me to tell him everything's all right."
"A valid premise." He met her gaze. "Convince him. I can't keep him safe if he persists in getting in my way. My men are trained as soldiers. When attacked, they react instinctively."
"Then you can forget about my doing the reconstruction."
"Stalemate." He was silent a moment, thinking. "You want Quinn to leave. You don't want to be forced to make a decision, even by him. What can I do to help you get him away from here?"
Knock the stubborn idiot on the head and put him on a helicopter, she thought in frustration. "I need to see him face-to-face. He needs to know that I'm under no restrictions. I have to have time to talk to him and persuade him to leave. It's the only thing I can think of that might help."
"And what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to swear you won't follow me and that no one will hurt Joe while I'm meeting with him."
He studied her, his expression impassive. "And what if I give you my word and then you take off with him?"
"I'll promise I won't do that. If I go, it won't involve Joe."
He nodded slowly. "I believe you."
"Swear to me."
He smiled. "I swear on the grave of my wife that I'll not follow you or do harm to your Joe. When do you want to do this?"
"As soon as I can get in touch with him. Tonight."
"You want to go alone? The jungle's not safe at night."
"And I'd probably get lost. I'm not jungle-savvy. Give me Soldono."
"Miguel would be happy to-"
"Soldono."
"Very well. Understandable. Miguel is definitely loyal to me. Sometimes a little too much." He moved toward the door. "You make your call. I'll get Soldono for you."
She reached for her cell phone. She'd bought time for Joe. If she could convince him to go, then he might get away from here alive. Montalvo had not been reassuring.
She drew a deep breath and dialed Joe's number.
Please listen, Joe. Listen.
"It could be a trap," Soldono murmured as he guided her through the dense undergrowth. "Montalvo could rid himself of an encumbrance and still bank on forcing you to do the reconstruction."
"It wouldn't be his style." Her gaze was peering ahead into the darkness. She'd taken down the directions but she didn't even know how far they'd traveled in the last ten minutes. "And he could force me to do a job but not necessarily a good job."
"You appear to be getting to know him very well."
"I've had no choice. I need to-" She jumped as the bushes ahead parted.
"Take off, Soldono. I've got her."
Joe.
But not the Joe to whom she was accustomed. He was dressed in khakis and boots, his hair tied back by a bandanna. This was Joe the ex-SEAL, the man who could kill silently and efficiently. She had seen him like this before when they'd been together in the bayous of Louisiana.
"That's up to Eve," Soldono said. "I promised her I'd take her to you and then bring her back to the compound."
"Go wait at the turn of the trail," Eve told Soldono. "I'll be with you in ten minutes."
"The hell you will," Joe said as Soldono moved away. "You're out. You're going to stay out."
"I came for one reason and it wasn't to-"
"It's no use. He's turning a deaf ear." Galen appeared out of the darkness behind Joe. "Hello, Eve. Quinn's a bit upset. You really shouldn't have taken off like that."
"Shut up, Galen." Joe didn't look at him. "Go away. I don't need you."
"I was about to do that. I need to do a little reconnoitering to make sure that Montalvo's not planning a double-cross."
"I've already done that," Joe said impatiently.
"I believe I'll do a second round," Galen said. "I wouldn't want Quinn to be dead meat, Eve. I've grown accustomed to his endearing nastiness. I might miss it."
"Montalvo's not going to ambush him," Eve said.
"I'll just take a look…" Galen disappeared into the shrubbery.
Joe's hand closed on her wrist. "We're going."
"Let me go, Joe. I promised Montalvo I wouldn't run."
"And I didn't promise anything." He smiled recklessly. "So I clip you on the chin, just hard enough to put you out, and you've kept your word and I've gotten what I wanted."
"You wouldn't do that."
"Look at me. I'd do anything to keep you safe. Anything."
She was looking at him and she didn't like what she saw.
His eyes were glittering with savagery in his taut face. "You're enjoying this," she whispered.
"No, I'd enjoy it if I could get my hands on Montalvo. Are the juices flowing? Hell, yes. Do I knock you out or do you come with me?"
"Neither." She looked down at her arm held by his hand. "Don't threaten me, Joe. And you're bruising me. Every time I look at my arm, I'll remember those bruises came from you."
"Better bruised than dead." But his grasp loosened on her arm. "And I don't care if you remember me as a brutal son of a bitch. Not if you're still alive to remember."
He was just as hard and angry as she'd known he'd be. Don't argue. It wouldn't work. She'd come here to explain. Do it. "I have to stay, Joe. It's my chance. Will you listen to me? Montalvo gave me a report. It was about Bonnie and I didn't…"
Galen slid silently through the shrubbery, his gaze raking the trees and palmettos on either side. He could hear Eve's voice but couldn't make out any words. Her tone was urgent, persuasive, almost pleading as she talked to Quinn. He doubted if it was going to do any good. Quinn was on the edge and ready to fall off.
What the hell? Wouldn't he feel the same if it were Elena in the same spot? He could tell Quinn that he should handle Eve with diplomacy instead of reaching out and grabbing, but Quinn was a desperate man and primitive instinct was para- mount now. Galen could only strike a balance and hope that Quinn didn't-
Something was moving up ahead.
He froze, listening.
An animal?
If it was an animal, the sound of its passage through the shrubbery indicated it was as large as a man.
Shit, it probably was a man. The direction of the movement was changing, cutting toward the path where Quinn and Eve were talking.
Galen started forward, his ears straining to hear the slightest sound.
Move fast.
Move quiet.
He had a fix on the location.
But the rustling had stopped, he suddenly realized.
Christ.
Screw being quiet. He took off at a run.
"The report could have been an elaborate fake," Joe said.
"That's what you said about the Valdosta report on Marty," Eve said wearily. "It turned out to be authentic."
"You know the saying: when you're about to tell a big lie, you pad the way with small truths. This could be the big lie."
"And it could be the truth. It could be the break I've been looking for all these years."
"You have the names. Let me go after them. You don't need Montalvo."
"Montalvo didn't need to give me those names. He trusted me to keep my part of the bargain."
"And after he has what he wants, he won't care what happens to you. Don't be blind. If he doesn't kill you, Diaz will. Opt out now while you have-"
"Eve! Down!"
Galen!
She heard Joe muttering an oath and then he was jerking her toward the ground.
A shot.
Pain streaked through her temple.