“I’m glad that you can be so cool about it. I’m having a few problems doing that.”
“Oh, I’m not at all cool,” he said softly. “I’m imagining all kinds of ways that I can hurt him that will take a long, long time. I didn’t like the way he was playing you.”
She felt a ripple of shock as she glimpsed beneath that composure to the savagery that lay below. She looked away from him. “And you immediately started taking him apart and seeing how you could bend the situation to suit yourself.”
“To suit you, Catherine.”
She felt a warm melting deep inside her.
She still didn’t look at him. The moment was too fraught with raw emotion. “Then I appreciate the effort, but that’s what I should be doing.” She drew a deep breath. “Okay, it surprised me, too. Evidently, Santos’s revenge isn’t happening fast enough. He’s never been a patient man, and he hasn’t been able to move as quickly and efficiently as he’d like. His ego is probably hurt. That call might have been a sincere offer, or he might just have wanted to talk to me and vent his superiority.” She was trying to think clearly. “But there might be something that I can use, some way I can turn it against him.”
“I’m not liking the way you’re thinking,” Cameron said slowly.
“Why not?” She met his eyes. “That’s exactly how you think, Cameron.”
“That’s different. Santos’s offer was very personal and very deadly.”
“And depended on an emotional breakdown on my part to give him his chance to manipulate me and draw me into his lair.” She paused as possibilities began to occur to her. “Which could have a hell of a lot of advantages.”
“Catherine.”
“You know it could.” She held up her hand to stop him from speaking. “I have to take advantage of the fact that Santos is getting impatient. He’ll make mistakes.”
“Maybe.”
“Probably. He’s beginning to salivate at the thought of how he’s going to kill me. Couldn’t you tell?”
Silence. “Yes.”
“That was hard for you to admit.”
“Because I don’t want you to use yourself as bait to reel him in.”
“If I don’t, I’d have to use someone else I care about. In the end, this is all about me. Now it’s time I stepped up to the plate, as Santos said.” She was thinking. “And we’ll have Montez in place on the island. He might be able to help.”
“He’s not been much help in the past.”
“I told you, he’s changing.”
“And you’re willing to clutch desperately at that chance, aren’t you?” He studied her expression. “Maybe ‘desperate’ isn’t the word. You’re excited. I can almost feel the vibes.”
He was right; she could also feel the zing, the familiar breathlessness that always preceded action. “I won’t count on Montez, but he might be a plus.”
“He will be a plus,” Cameron said crisply. “And I’ll see that you can count on him. Now tell me what else you need to come out of this fiasco alive.”
“We’ve got to make sure it’s not a fiasco,” Catherine said. “Because if Santos suspects that he’s not in control, he’ll order a mass execution even if it’s a suicide mission. He can’t stand the thought that I might beat him.” She was nibbling at her lower lip. “And the only opportunity we’ll have is if Santos thinks he’s been able to force me to do what he wants me to do.”
“You mean if someone dies,” he said baldly.
“Oh, God, no.” She drew a shaky breath. “Look, I’ve got to think about this. Right now, let’s go rent a boat and locate that group of islands Luke and Kelly zeroed in on.”
“You’ll get no argument from me,” Cameron said. “I like the idea of an attack by sea much better than having you deliver yourself to that butcher’s block.” He reached for his cell phone. “A small motorboat, scuba equipment … I’ll supply a few sophisticated pieces of electronic equipment myself.”
“I almost forgot that your committee always keeps you supplied with the latest gadgets,” she said dryly. “Shades of 007.”
“His stuff’s not nearly as high-tech as what our young scientists are bringing out these days.” He smiled. “Microscopic but very effective.” He gestured for her to precede him. “Doesn’t that make you feel safe?”
“If your gadget can blow Santos to kingdom come before he can give the word to kill anyone else.”
“Possible but not foolproof unless the explosion is set off within twenty feet of the bastard. I may have to smuggle a rifle onto the island and pick him off.”
“Providing we find the island before Santos’s men find us.”
“Oh ye of little faith…”
* * *
“What are you looking at?” Catherine asked, her eyes narrowed on Cameron’s face. He’d been very quiet for the last ten minutes as they’d cut the motor and rowed silently among the dense, green islands. Twice he’d lifted the binoculars to his eyes. This last time he’d taken a long time before he had lowered them.
“Success,” Cameron murmured. “And it’s very sweet.” He pointed to a verdant jungle of palms and brush on a small, hilly island. “Too much brush and trees for a helicopter landing pad but that would also keep any houses or compounds from being seen from the air.” He paused. “Or any tombs that happened to be in the area.”
“We’ve only been coasting along these islands for the last fifteen minutes. We can’t be that lucky. That’s not the only island with that much shrubbery.”
“But it’s the right one.”
“Why?”
“Because Montez is there.”
She went still. “What? How do you know? Are you guessing? Are you managing to hone in on his mind or something?”
“I suppose I might try, but this seemed much easier.”
“What seemed easier? What the hell are you up to?”
“Nothing.” He smiled. “Montez is the one who’s doing it all. I’m just receiving.” He nodded down at the waterproof pocket of his scuba jacket. “And I’ve been receiving for the last five minutes.”
“What’s happening, Cameron,” she said through her teeth. “Or so help me, I’ll hit you with this oar.”
“So violent…” He raised the binoculars to his eyes again. “I planted a microchip GPS in Montez’s neck when I was examining him after you gave him that karate chop in the rain forest. It’s fairly powerful, and I knew I’d be able to detect his location from at least thirty miles.”
Her eyes widened in shock. “You bastard. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was feeling a little irritated about not being in control. I wasn’t entirely in agreement with your attitude with Montez, so I decided I’d do a little advance prep in case I decided to break free and go off on my own.” He lowered the binoculars again. “I almost did that a couple times, but I managed to be more patient than I thought I would.”
“Patient? I never asked for your patience. I’ve just been trying to survive and keep people alive.”
“I know that.” He tossed the binoculars aside. “And I left that part of it to you. I’ve been guarding and biding my time.” His eyes were glacier blue as they met her own. “But that’s all over. I know where you’re going with this, and I’m not trailing behind in your footsteps. We’re together; you’ll listen to me. If we argue, then I may go my own way, and you’ll have to adjust.”
“And if I don’t?”
“You will because I’m damn good, and you know it.” He slipped out of the boat and into the water. “Now stay here while I do a little reconnoitering on that island.”
“Orders?”
“You won’t argue about this one. If Santos caught you before you were ready to spring a trap, it would mean that he’d have Luke and the rest at his mercy.”
He was right, she thought reluctantly. “And what about you?”
“He doesn’t regard me as important in his plans.” He pushed away from the boat. “I’d deal with it. I’ll be back in forty-five minutes. If I’m not, go back to Port of Spain. I’ll join you there.”
“How will you—”
But he’d dove below the crystal aquamarine waters, and, minutes later, he was lost to view.