15 Degrees Of Heat

15 Degrees of Heat

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Lucynda Storey

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15 Degrees Of Heat By

Lucynda Storey Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com

Published by Triskelion Publishing www.triskelionpublishing.com 15508 W. Bell Rd. #101, PMB #502, Surprise, AZ 85374 U.S.A. First e-published by Triskelion Publishing First e-publishing February 2004 ISBN 1-932866-63-9 Copyright © Lucynda Storey 2004 All rights reserved. Cover art by Triskelion Publishing PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Lucynda Storey

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Chapter One

“What do you mean I can’t see my sister, Señor?” California Evans hadn’t come all the way to the Retalhuleu Clinic on the edge of Retalhuleu, Guatemala to be told she couldn’t see her sister, Georgia. She tried to remain patient but the pad of her fingers, tipped with fake nails, drummed the marred wooden counter. Perhaps this was some sort of language or cultural barrier. Lord knew her Spanish speaking abilities were non-existent. “Señorita, you can not see her because she is not here.” The assistant began making notes and spoke no further, as if Cali had ceased to exist. “Not here? This has to be a mistake. The American Embassy called to let me know George was at the clinic in Retalhuleu. How can she not be here, Señor?” He moved to a cluttered desk and picked up another chart, flipping through the pages. “Ah, here she is. The Señorita you ask for, she was transferred a week ago. I drove her myself.” “Transferred? I was told she was seriously ill.” “Sí, the lady is ill. This is to transfer her to another facility.” “May I see that, please?” As an afterthought she added, “Por favor?” “No.” He snapped the silver metal cover shut. “That is against policy.” Cali tapped her foot on the bare floor. “But I am her sister.” “You claim to be her sister. You could be anyone. No, Señorita, I cannot allow you this information.” Cali fumbled through her purse and pulled out her blue American lifeline. “This proves who I am,” she said as she opened her passport. “Sí.” He reached for her passport. “I will just take this to the security department.” Cali snatched the document back across the counter. “I think not. There is no security here. I will keep my passport.” “As you wish, Señorita.” The volume of her voice went up a decibel. “I wish, Señor.” “Señor Cerezo, what is going on out there?” Cali and the attendant both turned toward the sound of a masculine voice. The man, dressed in blue jeans and a white lab coat over a cotton pullover, paused and glanced at Cali, and then at the passport in her hand. “Ah, a visitor.”

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His eyes were the color of melted chocolate and thick dark hair grazed the collar of his lab coat. An irrational overwhelming desire to run her fingers through his locks seized Cali and her breath quickened. The man pinpointed his dark eyes on Señor Cerezo. “You weren’t trying to hustle another tourist’s passport, were you?” “No, no, Doctor Masters.” Cali gave Señor Cerezo a hard stare. “Miguel, finish up with Señora Alvarado and her son then go home for the afternoon. You’ve had a long day. For working on the Jeep, mucho gracias.” Señor Cerezo hurried down the hall. “Don’t mind him.” Dr. Masters smiled at her. “He has hustling in his genes.” If his smile could be measured in kilowatts, Cali was sure he had enough wattage to power the Las Vegas gambling strip. “How can I assist you?” he asked in that deep, sexy voice. “I’ve come for my sister.” “American? You would be looking for–“ “Georgia Evans.” “You’re too late. Miguel took her to the Hospital Centro Médico last Monday.” He strolled behind the desk, sat in the worn chair, and began writing. “Why doesn’t the Embassy know George was transferred? The Embassy informed me this was George’s location.” Dr. Masters looked up at her. “You know what bureaucracy is like back home, don’t you?” Cali heard the exasperation in his voice. Rather than risk irritating him further, she nodded. He was good looking, but impatient. He leaned forward. She smelled the antibacterial soap he used mingled with his own unique scent. “The State department in the good ol’ USA is light years ahead of any government offices in Guatemala, including the American embassy.” “I didn’t come here on that horrid bus--” “You came down on the chicken bus?” “Yes, and I--”

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“Well, I’ll be... there won’t be another bus back to the city until tomorrow morning.” He rubbed his hand along the whiskers of his five o’clock shadow. “Look, Miss Evans--” “Cali, Dr. Masters. Miss Evans is reserved for my second graders.” She paused, waiting for him to offer her a similar courtesy. “And I can call you?” “Call me ‘Dr. Masters,’ Cali.” He lingered over her first name as if emphasizing a point. “Retalhuleu isn’t the best neighborhood to be a stranger in. Do you have a place to stay?” “No, I...” “You came here for your sick sister and don’t have accommodations? Just how were you planning to take care of George anyway?” “I was planning on seeing her tonight and signing her out tomorrow.” His unspoken accusation stung like salt in a scratch and Cali snapped back. “Why did you transfer George?” He shrugged. “I was unable to help her. Once I had her stabilized, I had Miguel take her to the city where there is better equipment. I planned to check on her on Saturday.” Slapping her hands on the counter, she couldn’t keep the indignation from her voice. “Saturday?” “Once a month I hold workshop classes for the med students in Guatemala City. Next one is in three days.” He set down the chart he was reading. “Look, I can recommend a place for you to stay the night, but past telling you to go back to Guatemala City, I can’t help you.” Glaring at the doctor, Cali paced across the small room and toward a wooden bench, and then back to the desk. She wasn’t going back to Guatemala City until she spoke with someone at the Embassy. “Dr. Masters, may I use the phone?” When he looked up at her, Cali was dumbstruck by the look he gave her. If she had been electrical wiring the plastic on her circuits would have melted from his irritated stare. She blinked, and when she looked again, he was the cool professional she had just met. “Who do you want to call?” “The Embassy. I want someone to check on George.” “Why don’t you call the hospital directly? It will be more efficient that way.” He reached into a roll-o-dex and yanked out a card. “This is the number for the Hospital Centro Médico.” He bent his head and went back to writing notes in his medical chart. She couldn’t argue with his logic. “Okay.” She examined the card. Would there be a person who spoke English on the other end of her call? She hesitated.

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“Is there something wrong, Miss Evans?” She felt childish trying to explain. “I, uh, I don’t speak Spanish. You know, no habla Español.” A moment later, Cali was aware of a chair scraping the floor. With three strides he reached Cali and took the phone from her. “I can’t believe you.” He dialed and held the receiver against her cheek and ear. The doctor’s nearness was as unsettling as this bizarre situation. Her pulse quickened. As she thought, the operator at the hospital spoke Spanish. The authority Cali heard in his voice was comforting. No doubt he could succeed in getting information about George where she would not. Comforting was not how she felt about the way he crowded her space. She stepped away from him, took a deep breath and listened to the conversation. His side of the dialogue was completely in Spanish. He hung up. “George is in stable condition at Hospital Centro Médico, although she has yet to regain consciousness.” “Thank God.” He nodded. “She was in pretty bad condition when she was brought in. She’s lucky to be alive.” “What happened to her?” “A native discovered George wandering in an incoherent daze in the forest. She was feverish, mumbling, suffering from shock and something else. I initially thought it was some sort of jungle fever or perhaps even a heat related illness.” He hesitated. “I couldn’t break the fever. Her symptoms didn’t make sense to me. I sent her to Guatemala City where she could get have the tests I couldn’t administer here in the clinic.” He ran a hand through his hair. Cali noticed the sudden stiffening of his jaw. “There is something else, isn’t there?” Cali hadn’t spent the past ten years in the classroom without picking up a thing or two on body language. “Why don’t we go sit down?” His words were probably meant to be gentle, a bedside manner that was supposed to have a calming effect, but his gruff tone was anything but relaxing. She followed him to the bench, unable to shake the feeling of apprehension filling her. “The hospital now has the results of George’s blood work.” Cali swallowed hard. The hair on her forearms stood on end in instinctive alarm, and her heart rate accelerated. “She had cocaine in her system.” Cali shook her head. “Oh, no. That’s impossible!” He frowned. “The test wouldn’t lie.”

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She lurched to her feet and began pacing again. “The test has to be wrong. George is allergic to cocaine.” “How do you know, Cali?” How did she know? Her drug-addled father had many home remedies he’d tried on her and her sister as children. “My dad used cocaine for medicinal purposes.” “And?” “She had an excruciating toothache. Dad put some into toothpaste for her. She went into cardiac arrhythmia. We nearly lost her. She’s terrified of medicines. I know she wouldn’t willingly get near the stuff.” “I don’t have a rational explanation. I do know she is receiving the medical attention her case deserves.” Her hands balled into fists, the nails digging into her palms. “This isn’t right,” she ground out. “Look, you’ve had a long, hot, uncomfortable afternoon on the bus. Rest a while in one of the exam rooms while I finish up here. I’ll see you to the home of my friends and, in the morning, you can return to Guatemala City and find out more about your sister.” His words left no room for argument. He made a suggestion and no doubt expected her to follow his decree without question. It burned that he ordered her about like a child. She was a capable, independent woman. She gave him one of her steely gazes. “If you give me directions, I’m sure I can find it on my own.” “It will be better, all around, if I get you there. You might be liberated in the States, but it doesn’t fly here.” “But--” “No ‘buts’, the second room on the right is the one I use for consultations. It has a couch in it.” He crossed his arms across a muscular chest. “Use it.” Cali sighed. This doctor wasn’t backing down. “Perhaps I should.” Her voice sounded hollow, but she wasn’t giving in, wasn’t about to admit he’d defeated her. More exhausted than she realized, she admitted, “It was a long ride on that bus.” Rob watched her as she moved hair out of her eyes and walked down the hall, back ramrod straight. Her pale yellow linen suit, of good quality, complemented her dark brown hair. Trendy strapped high-heeled sandals graced the ends of her shapely legs. A hell of an outfit to wear in this backwater outpost of civilization.

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Women of her ilk, generally too “refined” for the rough life of the less than civilized sections of Guatemala tended to start whining about their discomforts within hours of their arrival. Veronica, his ex, had started complaining within minutes of departing the plane the first, and last time she visited. Cali was out of her depth in Guatemala. Still, she was the hottest second grade teacher he’d ever seen! Thoughts of Cali Evans jumped around his brain like a playful monkey for the next hour. It was difficult to concentrate when his thoughts drifted back to those damn legs of hers. He rubbed his temples, trying to force from his mind the image of those legs wrapped around his waist as they made love. He chided himself. She was only going to be here a few days at the most. No use getting all worked up over those lovely legs and her feminine curves. He shouldn’t fantasize about kissing her, shouldn’t think about her full desirable lips, and the things they could do to the erection he now sported. She was easy on his eyes, and her effect on him was strictly physical he told himself. In an attempt to erase thoughts of the sexy brunette from his mind, Rob tried to concentrate on the new information he’d just received from the hospital regarding George. It didn’t make sense. He knew the signs of cocaine use. An unrelenting fever wasn’t one of them. Why would a person allergic to cocaine have it in their system? Something more was going on with Georgia Evans, and he was going to find out what it was. Once Cali was reunited with her sister, he was going to take a little trip into the hillside forest where George was found. Five files later Rob looked at the clock, suddenly aware it was late. Losing track of time was something he often did while he updated patients’ files. Now, he frowned. It was far past the time little Juan came to visit. “Damn, where is he?” Rob stepped outside the office door and scanned the horizon looking for the child he hoped to adopt. Where was Juan? Ready to cool off, head home, and relax he now had another concern. He reentered his office and grabbed his bag when he heard a quiet rap on the door. He released a long held breath, then slowly stood. Prepared to chide the child for his tardiness, he went to the door and opened it. Diego Montoya, a local troublemaker, stood there instead. A lit cigarette hung loosely from his mouth. Rob’s stomach clenched with anxiety. “What are you doing here?” His question was answered with a right fist to Rob’s jaw.

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“You know why I am here, Dr. Masters. Where is the woman with the man’s name? I know she was brought to you!” Blood flowed in Rob’s mouth. A couple of molars were jarred loose. “What woman?” The next punch landed on Rob’s nose, knocking him to the floor. Blood streamed from his nostrils onto his tee shirt. He looked up into the barrel of Diego’s gun. “Amigo, I have the boy.” He motioned Rob to his feet with a wave of his pistol. “Do not play stupid with me.” Looking Diego directly in the eyes, he lied. “What boy?” His gut twisted. He knew Diego meant Juan. Rob clenched his fist frustrated the other man had the upper hand. Juan had to be terrified. How dare he use a child to accomplish his illegal purposes! “You know which boy. Little Juan.” He shook his head sadly. “Such a fragile child, that one.” “Hurt him and I’ll kill you, Diego!” Rob spat. Diego shrugged negligently. “I do not want to hurt anyone, Amigo. Think of this as,” he paused, “a business transaction. The woman... find her... then you get the boy back. It is really quite simple, if you wish to see him again. The teacher has information I need.” Rob’s thoughts raced. What was he going to do? Making a choice between George and Juan was not an option, but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell that to Diego. “How do I know Juan is safe? Where is he?” “He is safe for now.” Diego shrugged again. “I cannot guarantee for how long.” “What does the American have?” Diego stared at Rob a few moments like he was considering not answering. “A friend lost something of value. I know the teacher is the last to have seen it.” “I have no idea where she is,” he lied. George was safe and hospitalized in Guatemala City. But that wouldn’t last long if Diego was determined to find her. For now, Juan was his first and foremost concern. He’d fought too long to get the malnourished child back to reasonable health. He wasn’t about to let Diego undo all the progress Juan had made. “Find her, amigo.” He laughed, and the sound was so insidious Rob knew both he and Juan were in deep trouble. Rob balled his hand into a fist and swung at Diego, hitting him on the jaw. As he stumbled, Diego’s half-burned cigarette fell into the full trash container next to the desk. Diego countered with a wild shot and Rob jumped behind the desk. His foot knocked the contents of the trashcan onto the floor near the curtained windows. Diego aimed the pistol at Rob again

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and fired. Rob scrambled from the desk to the back of the metal examination table searching for a way to keep out of Diego’s line of fire. Another bullet stuck the thin wooden wall behind him. Peeking around the corner Rob grabbed his stool, throwing it wildly toward Diego. The stool struck Diego just as the villain fired a second shot. “Mierda!” Rob’s office window shattered. Another shot hit the metal frame of the table, ricocheted into one of the cupboards, and splintered the wood. A thin line of smoke drifted into Rob’s line of vision. Diego laughed. “Señor, your clinic. It is on fire.” Rob heard the crackle of flame and smelled smoke. He risked a glance and saw the curtains across the room being eaten by flames. Another bullet sang past his head. “For God’s sake, man,” he choked out, “help me put out the flames.” Smoke began to fill the room. Another curtain whooshed as it ignited. “This clinic has helped even your family, Diego!” “Sí, Señor. This is true.” Rob could no longer see Diego, but he heard him move closer. “What am I doing shooting at you, amigo? How can you get me the information if you are dead?” Looking up and out the doorway Rob saw Cali in the hall, a surgical mask over her nose and mouth. He jerked his head to the side to signal her to get out. She seemed rooted to the spot. “Get out!” he yelled. That seemed to motivate her, but she ran the wrong direction. Thank God. Diego hadn’t seen Cali in the hall. He hoped she recognized her error and got out. It wouldn’t be long before the roof weakened to the point of collapse. “I will leave after I take care of you,” Diego said, obviously thinking Rob was speaking to him. “Striking me— that was a mistake, Señor.” Too late, Rob realized Diego was behind him. An instant of disabling pain on the back of his head registered as Rob began to slump into a world of gray quickly turning black. Rob could see bright orange flames greedily lick the curtains on the south wall. Embers fell onto the stack of files resting on top of his file cabinet. The room and hallway grew dark with smoke. He fought the blackness, the odor of wood burning on the edge of his consciousness. He couldn’t black out if he had any hope of saving Juan. Crash! Rob’s stomach lurched when Diego turned in the direction of the sound. The monster had heard Cali! “You lied, Doctor. The woman, she is here. It seems I don’t need you, after all.”

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Diego pointed the gun in Rob’s face as he attempted to stand. “To the desk, Doctor.” Cold steel slapped onto his right wrist when Diego handcuffed him to the crossbar between the front and rear desk legs. Rob rattled the chains, tried to loosen them. Diego laughed and left him in the thickening smoke. A scream followed. Cali’s. Muffled thumps, another crash, and then Rob glimpsed Diego with Cali slumped over his shoulder. The villain stopped in the doorway. With a leisurely look, he took in the conflagration that would soon consume the entire clinic. He tsked with mock sadness. “Such a shame you have to die, Doctor, but the clinic, I will make sure it is rebuilt, someday. Buenos dias, Señor.” Diego grinned and closed the door.

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Chapter Two

Rob shook the metal restraint ineffectively and then scanned the desk and counters for an object that could help him break free. He spotted Miguel’s tool bag on the counter, across the room from him. If he could overturn the desk and then drag it closer to the counter, he’d be able to find something to break his bond. Crouched next to the end of the old desk, he shoved. The nearly empty desk tipped over and yanked him with it, nearly dislocating his shoulder.

Intense pain ripped a wide path in several

directions. He paused to catch his breath and inhaled acrid smoke. Coughing wracked his body, stealing precious energy, searing him with pain as hot as the smoke he inhaled. Nausea churned in his stomach, the acid burning his throat. “Pull,” he muttered attempting to ignore the intense protest of his pain-wracked arm. “Just a few more feet.” Sweat, mingled with blood from Diego’s earlier blows, flowed heavily as he struggled to move. Smoke stung his eyes. Come on! One more pull, Masters, just one. You can’t leave Juan and Cali in Diego’s hands! With a punishing effort, he pulled again and nearly passed out from the pain. Finally, he reached his objective, the bag of tools. Blood, sweat, humidity conspired against him. His left hand grasped, then slid off a hammer. He dried his hand on his jeans then reached again, this time grasping the object. He slid the tip of the claw fork end into a link in the handcuff chain and twisted. The link held. Flames snaked closer. The heat intensified. Furiously, he smashed the side of the desk with the hammer with more success. The old wood splintered. He continued to pound the frame. The wood cracked. Two more hits, and the frame broke apart. The handcuff slipped off. Heavy smoke enveloped him. Eerie light from the fire guided him to the door. In the distance, he could hear people shouting. “I’m in here!” He tried to yell, but his voice couldn’t be heard above the crackling of the encroaching flames. Fire burned through the east wall of the examination room and roared out of control. The west wall was still flame free and had a solid glass window. He grabbed the stool he had thrown at Diego, pushed the curtains aside and swung at the window with his left arm. It took several hits but finally the window burst. Flames raced toward the new oxygen source the broken window

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created. He yanked down a curtain, layered it over the shards, and pulled himself through. Pieces of glass pierced the material and sliced into his thigh. Blood flowed, each step torturous. Step after step, he vowed equally excruciating reparation against the man who dared to take Juan, kidnap a stranger, and burn his clinic. He would find Juan and Cali... and then a way to make Diego pay. Into the growing darkness caused by twilight and smoke, he stumbled, moving toward the sound of voices. Arms reached out and grabbed him, dragging him away from the remnants of the burning clinic.

*****

The bouncing of her head, the smell of sweat, and the sensation of something tight against her legs brought Cali back to reality. A man had taken her from the clinic! She could feel panic rise within her as she saw the flames of the clinic recede. How could she find George if she was a captive, or if Rob Masters died in the flames set by her captor? What had she told her second graders to do when confronted with an abduction situation? Do everything in your power to get away. Make a scene. Draw attention to yourself. Now was the time to put her advice to the test. She needed to quickly formulate an idea and surprise the man holding her. Perched precariously on his shoulder, she felt as if she might fall at any moment. With a great deal of effort, she willed herself to stay relaxed. Any sign of tenseness in her body would surely alert him of her renewed consciousness. Mentally, she began relaxing her muscles the way she had been taught in her yoga class, becoming aware of each point of contact with the man holding her. Down her neck, through her dangling arms and into her torso, continuing on into her legs, she learned her exact position on the shoulder of this smelly male. She stifled a smile. Boy, was he going to be in for a surprise! One, two... three! Leaning forward she grabbed the back of his shorts with her hands and yanked as hard as she could. The wedgie forced her captor to release his hold on her, and she slid down his shoulder, screaming at the top of her lungs. With her feet on solid ground, she jammed her knee into his crotch, then made a grab for his family jewels and twisted as hard as she could. “Arrgghhh!” He made a weak grab for her, but doubled over in pain, he missed.

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Cali ran into the tall grass and then scurried deeper into the dark until she could no longer hear his grunted curses. She crouched as low as she could while winding her way back to the clinic, thankful for her good sense of direction and the last rays of guidance from the setting sun. Her dress was a mess, her shoes worthless. As she ran, her ankle turned out and caused her to stumble. Behind her she could hear the voice of her kidnapper calling out. “Señorita! I will find you.” She mentally high-fived herself. That man was most definitely hurting. His voice was receding as if she really was getting away from him. She took a deep breath, thankful for any distance she could put between herself and her assailant. How much time would she have before he recovered and began tracking her? In front of her, she could hear voices shouting, gradually getting louder. Who would find her first? Darkness descended quickly. Panic began to rise again. She didn’t know anything about the flora and fauna of this place, what was dangerous, what wasn’t, and more importantly what hunted at night. As though to reinforce her thoughts, Cali heard a rustling in the grass. Man? Animal? It didn’t matter. Either could be hunting her right now. Common sense told her to stay put. Fear egged her forward. Her high heels sank into vegetation, catching on roots. She stumbled and fell face first into the ground. Above her eye, she felt the first drops of blood flow. Behind her she could hear the swooshing sound again. Swallowing hard, she crept forward on her hands and knees. The runs in her nylons snaked up her legs, tickling her skin. More sounds. This time they were recognizable. Human. But friend or foe? How could she possibly know? She laid flat on her stomach, pushing back an irrational urge to laugh. Willpower kept her quiet. Questions occupied her mind. Who was the man who’d taken her from the clinic? How was he involved with Rob? Were they up to something illegal? Was the American Embassy aware of his dubious activities? Perhaps the Embassy was the best place for her to go once she got out of this pickle. She had little information and questions aplenty. With her limited Spanish, she badly needed a translator. She couldn’t count on the doctor to help her out.

Not where George was concerned, and her first

responsibility was to George. More voices. This time she heard English. If she could only be sure who was looking for her. “Cali! Cali where are you?”

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“I’m here.” Responding to Rob’s call, Cali was surprised at the weakness of her voice. Maybe it was just the way it carried in the dense air. She began to push herself up just as a pair of hiking boots arrived. She allowed her gaze to travel upward as the owner of the boots knelt. Dr. Rob Masters. One arm went around her as he helped her to her feet. “My god, are you alright?” Heat rushed through her at his contact, much like the iodine injection she once received for a kidney stone x-ray. In rapid, little gulps she managed, “I think so.” Blood trickled from her forehead, down her cheek, and fell onto her suit. He didn’t let go of her, his muscular arm tight around her as they walked. She felt safe, even though she knew she wasn’t. “Who was that awful man?” He stiffened. “Diego Montoya,” he muttered. “What did he want from you?” “Your sister.” “George? For heavens sake, why?” “I wish I knew Cali.” He paused. “I think George is in big trouble.” A clump of grass caught the heel of her shoe and Cali fell forward. Rob kept her from falling to the ground. He swept her up and cradled her against his chest. A painful groan followed. She gasped. “There’s no need to carry me.” Being carried in his arms was the most romantic thing to happen to her in her thirty some years of life, as if a shining knight had scooped her up onto his horse. Gingerly, he set her back on her feet. His next words came out in a low growl. “You’re bleeding.” “I must look awful.” “Considering he took you unconscious from the clinic, I’d say you look fine.” He paused. “Did he strike you?” “Not after he took me from the office.” She tentatively touched her forehead. “I did this on my own.” “It must have been difficult for you to get away.” Cali pushed back a large leaf that impeded their progress. “You’d be amazed at what a wedgie and a well placed knee can accomplish,” she said primly. He stopped dead in his tracks, before his laughter overcame him. “Well, well, Miss California Evans, aren’t you full of surprises? You come here looking like a beautiful, fragile hothouse flower,

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apparently unprepared for returning your sister home. Yet you manage to incapacitate, in the worst possible way, one of the nastiest guys in the district.” They came to a clearing at the edge of the village. Cali could see the glowing embers of what had once been the only medical facility in the area. The teasing laughter in Rob’s voice died away. “You lost everything, didn’t you?” Cali looked into his eyes as he nodded. “You can rebuild, can’t you?” “Not without going back to the States and begging for money. Right now, I’m not willing to do that.” He set her down gently, keeping an arm around her waist as they walked toward the edge of town. She stole a glance at him. “You’re bleeding too.” “The cost of escaping through a broken window. They’re not deep.” His brows furrowed. “We should get to the city as quick as possible.” “Why?” “Diego wanted George. He thought you were her. He’ll be back. You won’t be safe until you are under guard at the Embassy.” “I’m not going back there. What about George?” “The sooner the two of you get out of here, the better off we’ll all be.” The doctor’s tone was brusque and raised her hackles. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means you’re trouble lady, just like your sister.” She pushed away from him and felt an unexpected wave of nausea. She was so angry she refused to give in to her frailties. “I don’t need your help, Dr. Masters. I can handle this,” she waved her hand about her, “alone!” Gathering what was left of her dignity around her like a cloak, she stalked off. Her shaky heels wobbled as she made her way toward the buildings on the outskirts of the town in search of the bus stop. How dare he make an unsubstantiated accusation like that? He was the one involved in nefarious activity, not her sweet George. Reaching into the pocket of her skirt, she remembered that her purse and its contents had more than likely perished in the fire. How was she even going to purchase her bus fare? Behind her, she heard Rob stalking after her. “Hey!” His hand closed over her elbow. She stopped and spun around, ready to do battle, ignoring the thrill his touch sent through her. She used her authoritative voice now, the one that quelled the more stubborn of her second grade students. “What do you want?”

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They glared at each other for several moments. Both of them panting, from their exertions or pain, Cali didn’t know which. Then Rob smiled and shrugged. “Call me ‘Rob.’ Truce?” “Just like that?” “Yeah,” he replied. “We’ve both lost tonight.” Acrid smoke clung to the heavy night air. Eyeing him up and down, she responded. “Comfort of strangers and all that?” “Something like that.” “No, thank you.” “What?” “You know, I don’t really know you. Just because you happen to be the only person in this neighborhood who reminds me of home, doesn’t mean didly-squat.” He pulled her to him. “You talk too much.” Firm lips crushed hers. Involuntarily, she found her hands reaching in to stroke the hair she had wanted to touch earlier. The will to argue and fuss left her, and she leaned into him, her body surrendering to his for one brief, glorious moment. By the time she came up for air, she felt dazed. “What are you doing?” The look on his face reminded her of how a guilty puppy looked when caught with a shoe. “Silencing you.” He kissed her again and she responded that much more quickly. Did he know she wanted him to kiss her? That she wanted to kiss him? His kiss was everything she had hoped for and more. It was the kiss she had envisioned for years as she waited for Mr. Right to show up on her doorstep, on her transit bus, in her classroom. Too soon he pulled away from her. “You shouldn’t have done that,” she whispered as she tried on shaky legs to leave him again. His arm only enclosed her about the waist, and kept her next to his side as they walked away from where she remembered the bus station to be. “I wanted to. Seemed like a good time.” “Your timing was lousy. You’ve lost a clinic. I’ve got to find my sister, and we have to stay away from this Diego character.” They reached his Jeep. Someone had graciously moved it out of harm’s way. Rob held his hand out to help Cali into the vehicle, wincing as he did so. “What’s wrong with you?”

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Those chocolate brown eyes concealed his distress well, but not totally. “I almost dislocated my shoulder.” “Shouldn’t you see a doctor? Is that where we’re going?” “Mazatenago. I’ve friends there. I’ll get help. Then we can get cleaned up and get on the road to Guatemala City early in the morning.” “Rob, what will happen if Diego realizes I’m not George?” “He’ll eventually find out that George is hospitalized in the city.” “Then we have to get to her before he does.” “Yes.” He turned the ignition and the Jeep roared to life. “That’s the plan.”

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Chapter Three

Rob didn’t understand just what had made him kiss the schoolteacher. Maybe it was Cali’s fierce determination, perhaps her amazing escape. It could even have been the streak of dirt on her nose that complemented the grass, earth, and blood that now stained the front of her yellow suit coat and skirt. Her fancy clothes were ruined for sure. But her spirit hadn’t been broken by her close call with Diego, which impressed the hell out of Rob. She had a stubborn streak. He didn’t need her along for this particular ride though. It didn’t matter that their kiss was like that of long-lost lovers. It wasn’t relevant that he felt as comfortable holding her in his arms as his feet were in a well-worn pair of boots. It wasn’t important that her pliant lips sent fire straight to his loins and breached his well-entrenched defenses. In Mazatenago, he’d leave her in the care of his friends, and then go after Diego alone. He would intercept the bastard on the way to Guatemala City. Rob would rescue Juan, turn Diego over to the authorities, then come back and get Cali. She had to be exhausted after her ordeal he told himself righteously. He didn’t need her with him, complicating his search for Juan. She would be better off, safer too, if she didn’t accompany him. Once he’d recovered Juan, they’d go to Guatemala City and release George into Cali’s care. When that happened, he could say good-bye to the spirited woman and go back to his calm orderly life. If all went well they would be at the Martinez place before midnight. He could rest until dawn. When Maria and Pedro Martinez started their workday on the moderately sized coffee plantation they owned, he’d leave. And Cali would stay. Period. Glancing at her, he was pleased to see she’d fallen asleep. At least her body knew when to call a halt, even if her mind didn’t. The new climate, culture, and the worry she had about George were stress enough. Then to endure a fire and attempted kidnapping...yes, leaving her with Maria was the wisest course. That kiss, however, had not been one of his wisest impulses. True, he had pretty much led the life of a monk the past three years. But, that didn’t excuse him from breaking his own vow. He’d sworn off women for the duration. Women were pretty much the same no matter where he lived. Once they found out he was the son of a large Fortune One Hundred company owner, they tried to sink their claws into him.

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Here, there was a host of señoras more than willing to introduce their daughters to him. Thankfully none of the young ladies had interested him, even tempted him to do such a rash thing as he had with Cali. Man, he was in trouble. Strike that. He was leaving Cali at the first opportunity, within a few hours. There was no way he was going to be tempted by a woman who wore ‘relationship’ like a Versace suit and all the baggage it entailed. Besides, she was going back to the States and that was that. Now if he could stop thinking a tumble in bed with Cali would be oh so good, he’d have hit the bullseye. Thump, whump, thump, whump. He muttered a Spanish curse that would have done Miguel proud. A flat tire. When life got weird, it really went wild. He braked the Jeep and jumped out. The left back tire was as flat as an Arizona mesa. “What’s going on?” Silk. Her sleepy voice was like rare silk, soft, cool, smooth. It sure would be nice to fall asleep... He jerked himself back to reality. “We’ve got a flat. Stay in the car.” He retrieved the jack and spare, and knelt next to the tire, his body protesting in pain to each jarring of his shoulder. The pain killer he’d taken earlier only managed to slightly dull the agony. Seconds later, Cali’s badly beaten heels heralded her arrival. He’d never thought of ankles as sexy before, but hers were. “Shouldn’t you chock the wheels?” Chock the wheels? Where had she learned that? “I can handle this without you.” Forcing his eyes off her ankles, he began cranking the jack with his good arm. The end of the car began to lift. Miraculously, she left without a word and he began to feel guilty. It was damn embarrassing to be hampered with his injury and have a woman be around to witness his weakness and offer her suggestions. He hadn’t intended to be rude. But, as far back as he could remember he never really liked a woman telling him what to do. He’d hated the way his mother pushed and nagged his father to get things done. Sure, this was a new century and all, but he had rather old-fashioned ideas when it came to men and women, and the roles they played. The male chauvinism of Guatemala suited him just fine. It was one of the reasons why he’d come down here and stayed.

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He heard noises in the brush, and then she was back, kneeling next to him, revealing more of her shapely legs than he needed to see. “I’ve no doubt you are quite capable.” She placed a large piece of a log under the right rear tire. “But sometimes an extra hand makes things a little easier.” “Hold these.” He handed her the lug nuts he’d removed from the tire. For a brief moment, when their hands touched he felt a jolt of heat and electricity that reminded him of their first, and if he had his way, only kisses. He just had to hold on until he dumped the sexy schoolteacher. He was not going to let his libido drag him down that path. The tire pulled off easily, and he began to hoist the spare into place. Before he could ask, Cali helped lift and guide the tire onto the studs before handing him a lug nut. Okay, so perhaps the lady had learned to change a tire in the past. It shouldn’t have surprised him. After all, she did escape Diego’s grasp. There was another rustling in the brush, but Cali was beside him. Rob’s sense of danger went on full alert. “Shh,” he whispered. “We’ve got company.” To her credit, Cali didn’t say a word. When he reached out to draw her closer and pull her behind the vehicle she acquiesced. Damn, but she felt good next to him. A brief picture of her close to him in another way flitted through his mind. “Ahh!” She screamed at the same time that he felt the tip of a pistol jam into his back. Bandits! One of the bandits shouted. “Levántese! “Stand,” Rob whispered through clenched teeth, thoroughly angry with himself. He’d been careless, letting robbers get the drop on him while he was thinking about the way Cali felt against him. He didn’t think clearly when she was within his proximity. Grabbing her hand, Rob helped Cali up. “Déme su dinero o encenderé mi arma.” The bandit pushed the pistol deeper into Rob’s back. “He wants money, or he’ll shoot,” Rob translated. Slowly, Rob reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a waded up roll of quetzals. “Do you have anything?” Cali’s response was barely audible. “It burned in the fire.” “¡Prisa! Rob turned, his good arm outstretched, holding the money. He lifted the other arm slightly, the effort sending pain spiraling through his arm. In his peripheral vision, he saw Cali slowly turn. The light from a flashlight blinded him. His disadvantage was complete. “¿El Doctor Masters?

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The light was lowered abruptly from his face. Rob blinked, trying to get his eyes readjusted to the night. He recognized that voice! “Raoul?” “Sí, sí.” Fat, pudgy fingers clasped Rob on the shoulder. “You know this rogue?” Cali’s question, laced with astonishment, brought a half-smile to his lips. “I treated him about a year ago.” The gunshot wound was infected and spreading when Raoul’s men brought him in. Rob lowered his arms and sighed. “What are you doing, Raoul?” He glanced around, noting three other men with the leader of the bandits. Raoul turned and ordered his men away. “I should ask the same of you, Doctor. Do you not know the dangers of the road once the sun has set?” “The lady and I are in a hurry to get to Mazatenago.” Raoul tsked, shaking his lank black hair back from his face. “Worth risking your life?” “We had an unfortunate encounter with Diego Montoya.” Raoul nodded. “The word has spread he is looking for the teacher.” Cali interrupted. “Has the word spread he burned Dr. Masters’ clinic?” “No! Señorita, if this is true, Diego made many enemies this day. The doctor has saved many lives.” Raoul looked at Rob, twisting the corner of his mustache in a thoughtful gesture. “Is this the woman he seeks?” “No, this is her sister.” “It has also come to my ears he has the company of a small child, not his own.” Cali gasped. “A child! Are you implying he kidnapped a child?” “Señorita, he is a very bad man.” Rob knew just how bad Diego could be and worried about Juan’s safety. “Have you heard of the boy’s whereabouts, Raoul?” “Diego was headed to Sololá last I heard.” “The mountains?” Why would Diego be headed there? Was he reporting to the ‘friend’ who had lost something of value? Rob decided to push Raoul for a little more information. “Do you know where the lady’s sister is?” “This is the same question Diego would ask of me if he could. I am careful to stay out of his way.”

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Rob caught Cali’s questioning look and subtly shook his head. She was smart. She should get the hint to keep her mouth shut. Diego had eyes and ears in unexpected places and Rob wasn’t sure how far they could trust anyone. For now, George was safe in Guatemala City, but Rob needed to know if Diego had learned of her whereabouts. “No, but I know where she is not, Señor.” Raoul laughed. “She is not in Sololá.” “You mislead him? Why?” Cali looked as mystified as Rob felt. Raoul’s bright teeth flashed in the darkness. “To mislead Diego is great fun. A just payment for a man who refuses to use his brain. If the teacher is not at the clinic, there is logically only one other place a lady as ill as she could be. Diego should have to figure it out on his own. My men are only too happy to spread the word that the teacher was seen on the road to Sololá.” “Thank you, Raoul.” Rob shook the bandit’s hand. “Doctor Masters, even the banditos among us know the importance of the work you have done here. Diego’s burning of the clinic is a great evil the patriots will not stand.” “I think it time the lady and I continued our journey.” Rob knelt and began winding the jack to lower the car. Tossing the jack and flat into the back of the Jeep, Rob gave Cali a hand in, then rounded the front. “Gracías, Raoul, for the information about the child.” “Sí.” Raoul laughed as he shook Rob’s hand. “Beware the dangers of the road, Doctor.” Rob nodded as he restarted the Jeep. If it hadn’t been Raoul leading the ragtag band of peasants, both Cali and he could have been lying on the edge of the road wounded, or worse. He stole a look at Cali. “We were lucky, weren’t we?” she asked as if reading his mind. “More than you know,” he responded harshly as the vehicle picked up speed on the dark road. Rob gripped the steering wheel turning the knuckles on his good arm white. He didn’t relax until he pulled up in front of a stuccoed wall sometime later. The midnight darkness was tempered by the sprinkling of stars in the sky. An iron gate swung open as he helped Cali from the Jeep. Maria smiled when she saw them. “Señor Masters! You are okay! A neighbor came by with news of the fire. I had hoped you would seek refuge here.” Maria hugged Cali warmly. “The doctor saved my life, and that of my child. He and his friends will always be welcome in our home.” Rob placed his hand at the small of Cali’s back as he propelled her forward. They followed Maria through an open courtyard and into the house. Rob liked the cool, simple home.

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“You two are a sight. You must clean up, eat and rest. Please.” She clapped her hands and a young girl appeared. “Prepare a bath for the Señorita.” “Señora, it is so late. Please don’t let us inconvenience you any further. “This is not an inconvenience but an honor.” Rob leaned toward Cali’s ear. “Go,” he whispered. “You do not want to risk offending our hostess.” Cali sighed and let the girl led her away. Rob let out a sigh of his own. This day had been one of the longest in his recent memory. Maria poured him a whiskey from a bottle on the sideboard. “What is going on, my friend?” Rob tossed the burning liquid back in one swallow. “It was Diego who burned the clinic.” “Diego?” Maria made the sign of the cross even as she called Diego a vile name that Rob didn’t need to translate. She looked at Rob, then reached for his hand. “There is more?” “Sí. Diego has taken Juan.” Maria’s face looked as stricken as Rob felt. Juan had come to mean a lot to him over the past few years. The boy had been living on the street and ill, when Rob found him. Now the child was healthy and learning to read. The successes he’d had with Juan mirrored the positive effect he was having in the community. “And your woman? What has she to do with this?” “Cali is not my woman, Maria.” Rob turned away from Maria and paced. “She has come to take her sister home.” “Ah, the teacher, Señorita George.” “Sí, but Diego is searching for the teacher.” “Why?” In frustration, Rob ran his hands over his neck massaging it. “I wish I knew. He says George has information he needs. Whatever it is, he must want it desperately.” Maria took Rob’s glass, refilled and returned it to Rob. “Why do you think this?” “He thought Cali was George and tried to kidnap her after he started the fire.” “Clearly, he did not succeed in keeping her.” Rob laughed. “No. From the sound of it, Cali left him in a good deal of pain.” He paused. “Diego won’t be happy the woman he thinks is George has escaped his custody, or to find out that George is not in Sololá as Raoul’s men led him to believe. I only hope he has not taken out his displeasure on Juan.”

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She wrung her hands. “This is not good, Señor.” “Maria,” he paused and tossed back the whiskey letting it burn a path down his throat. “I cannot take Cali with me. It is too dangerous. Too many questions remain and the risk to Juan is too great. I believe her sister is safe for the time being. Please keep Cali here until I return?” Without hesitation, Maria responded. “Sí. She will be safe within these walls. My Pedro will see to that.”

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Chapter Four Warm, damp sand squeezed between her toes. She ran the length of the empty beach and back again, searching. There, in the water. The man, her man, waving, beckoning her to join him. The water lapped her ankles, slapped against her shin, and slowed her once she was thigh deep. The smell of salt tinged the humid air. She ducked under the waves that stripped the heat from her body, surfacing closer to him in shoulder-high water. Dark hair, sexy brown eyes caught her breath. His face highlighted by the moonlight that reflected off the water. Joy radiated from his eyes. Rob grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer to him. “You look sexy wet,” he said before he kissed her. Excitement coursed through her veins. When he looked at her like he would devour her whole, her heart beat in a syncopated rhythm. Escaping his arms, Cali bent her wrist at a ninety-degree angle and pushed her upright hand through the blue-green water, splashing it onto his chest. “Water looks good on you, too.” The surf washed upon the beach in hypnotic sounds. A giggle of euphoria bubbled forth as she watched droplets roll down his chest and disappear into the water once again. “Vixen,” he teased, returning her to his arms. Rob kissed her again, and this time plundered her mouth, staking a claim on her very soul. Sighing heavily, she surrendered to that kiss. His velvet tongue stroked her inner lip, explored the roof of her mouth, danced with her tongue. Longing raced through her nerves, igniting every inch of her skin to his touch. Reaching up, Cali cupped his head between her hands and forced him to look at her. “Make love to me.” At first, she thought he ignored her. Then he drew her fully against him, and she felt his hard length against her thigh, caressed by the gentle undulations of the ocean. His hands moved from her waist, to her shoulder, then slipped under the band of her bikini halter. The feather light touch of his fingers on her flesh sent shivers throughout her. Those same fingers glided beneath the ties back toward the knot. “Are you sure?” Mesmerized by his touch, she nodded with a nervous lick of her tongue. Around her ribcage, she felt the tie loosen. This was it, the moment she was waiting for. His focus narrowed, and she realized he was intently watching the thin strings around her neck that kept the halter in place, as if he were unwrapping the last Christmas present under the tree.

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Above them, a lone gull circled, cried, and then landed on a stony outcropping. A larger wave lifted her and then dropped her as the neon swimsuit top floated away from her breasts. “My god,” he exclaimed cupping her breasts, “you’re beautiful.” The words of acceptance warmed her. Another wave tickled her puckered nipples. His lips grazed the swell of her breast. His fingers swept over the aroused peak, lightly pinching, eliciting a moan of pleasure. Abruptly, his hands left her chest and reached lower. With a deft motion, her bikini panties were removed to join the brilliant orange halter-top on the waves. His hands cupped her cheeks, lifting her halfway out of the water and closer to him. Salt water slid between her thighs. The ocean breeze chilled the rivulets that ran down her legs cooling her skin, but not her ardor. Goosebumps raised on her arms, not from the light wind but from anticipation of what else he would do, a visible Braille of her sexual need. “You’re cold.” Simply stated, he didn’t understand how hot she really was, for him, for his possession of her body. Before she responded, he began walking, never stumbling with the force of the waves hitting his calves. The water splashed, receded, splashed again, lulling in its consistent swish. Their blanket spread out over the white sands. He placed her on the red coverlet like a priceless gem nestled in a jeweler’s case. Warm, wet hands skimmed her ribs, waist, thighs, and moved to her feet. He lifted a foot, kissed each toe, and then began a gentle assault on her feet, massaging the ball, the pad, the top of her foot, repeating the process five minutes later on the other foot. If she’d been afraid, this sensual gesture would have whisked her mind from those concerns. His hands caressed each calf, moved to her thighs, spread her legs for his perusal. “Your desire glistens like diamonds,” he whispered. His head dipped into the v of her legs. The tongue he’d used so expertly on her before now licked, sucked, and nibbled her clitoris. Cali inhaled deeply, quickly. Rob’s talented tongue danced around and through her desire-dampened folds. Sexual heat flooded the area, increasing the natural lubrication of her body. He licked and sucked her harder. Cali grasped the edges of the blanket as his tempo increased. With each pass of his tongue, the pressure to cry out in satisfaction amplified. With shocking speed, her climax ripped through her body, splintering her into a thousand pieces before pulling her back together in order to shout out his name to the deserted beach. His lips bent into a smirk as he lifted himself from between her legs and sensuously crawled over her, preparing to plunder the offering of her body for his pleasure.

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On the rocks, the gull screeched out, lifted its wings, and departed. Cali barely registered the thrumming sound drifting across the waves and entering their cove. The sputtering cough of a motor awakened Cali. She groaned as she forced her overworked muscles back in to action and looked out the window. She thought she’d only been asleep a few minutes at most, but night was giving way to day. The outline of Rob, bent under the hood of the Jeep, caught her attention. She sighed when he moved from the engine back to the door and tried the motor again. The man had a great rear, tight and muscular. But why was he working on the Jeep? And why hadn’t he woken her? She grabbed the clothes left for her by Maria and began dressing. A simple peasant style blouse paired with a long skirt went on hurriedly, as did the sturdy sandals. A colorful sash went around her waist and she tied it forcefully, yanking on the ends. “How dare you think of leaving without me,” she said in exasperation as she glanced out the window again. She was just in time to see Rob head back to the house. “No way are you leaving me behind!” Not when her sister's life was at stake! She’d show him she was more than capable of taking care of George and herself. A plan formulated in the span of a heartbeat. All she had to do was get under the tarp she’d spied earlier in the back of the Jeep. Hiding would be easier than confronting him. He’d only talk her to death with his meticulously reasoned logic while wasting precious time. No, it was much better to let him think he had gotten away with this low-down, sneaky tactic, and then spring her surprise on him. Opening the bedroom door, she heard soft voices in the kitchen. Rob was speaking, his deep timbre soothing despite the anger she felt toward him at the moment. “Aren’t you going to be in for a shock, Mr. Know-it-all?” she whispered. On tiptoe, she crossed the hallway to the stairs. Down each of the twelve steps she went carefully, not making a sound. She could not, would not be caught. The front door was trickier. The latch had closed the door tight. She held her breath and painstakingly turned the knob, and then pulled. The door swung open a few inches. She tugged it open a little more, enough to ease her body backward through the narrow opening she’d created. The door creaked as it shut, obscenely loud in the early morning. Their voices stopped. Fear stopped her breathing for a long drawn out moment. Cali froze, pressing her body against the stucco wall. Her second graders would have thought she was playing a great game of freeze tag. Only this was for real.

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Footsteps. Their voices resumed, drifting through an open window. “Just a branch in the wind, Señor.” She turned her head from side to side to check the yard, and then ran to the half-closed gate. With little effort, she swung it toward her, squeezed through, and then her objective, the rear of the Jeep was in sight. The front door hadn’t fully opened yet. She scanned the bed of the Jeep for tools, and then took a few steps to look into the passenger side. Several automotive implements were on both the passenger and driver seats. She scurried to the back and climbed in, and then peeked back at the door in time to see it open, revealing Rob and Maria standing in the doorway talking. Ducking under the heavy tarp, she curled into a fetal position next to the flat tire, and listened to their final good-byes. Boots crunched on the ground. There were metallic noises, and then the vehicle sank as though additional weight had been added. A moment later, she felt the rumble of the engine vibrating and the rough sound of the gearshift. The initial lurch of the Jeep assured her they were on the way. Potholes, ruts and large rocks were frequent. Cali winced. By the time this trip was over she’d be badly bruised. The strong plastic odor nearly made her gag. In next to no time at all, the air beneath the plastic became hot and humid. It was just another in a long list of prices she had to pay in order to bring George home. And she hadn’t even seen George yet. All through their lives, it had been George she’d turned to for help, advice, and companionship after the death of their parents. George had helped Cali through school, and once Cali had been established in her educational career, George had opted to help the children of Guatemala. It was her turn to help George, Cali thought, as she tried to find a comfortable position without alerting Rob to her presence. Mile after mile, Cali endured. Perspiration dampened her hair, trickled down her neck. This ride would make a great story to tell her children and grandchildren some day, the non-existent ones she’d never have now that she and Michael were no longer an item. Oh, who the heck was she kidding? She couldn’t have kids or grandbabies without having a man in her life. At the rate she was going children were not in her foreseeable future. Rob was the first man to kiss her in over a year. Her last boyfriend, Michael, had deserted her for a cocktail waitress named Wilma from their favorite restaurant. The gum-snapping blonde only had one thing on Cali as far as she could tell. Her chest was the size of a pair of watermelons. Cali had been around Wilma enough to know the woman

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had no desire to complete a high school education and any aspirations for a better life. How ironic that Michael, a member of MENSA, had been attracted to her! Cali slowly moved a hand to her damp forehead.

She was developing the mother of all

headaches, no doubt brought on by all the jostling in the Jeep. She couldn’t complain though. Not even make a sound. To do so would give her away, and she wasn’t about to let Rob leave her behind. What was he thinking anyway? George was her sister, and she had a right to know what was going on. She hadn’t traveled all the way to Guatemala to be kept in the dark now. Dear God, now she had a cramp in her calf! She moved her foot, trying to point her toe down, and then back up again toward her ankle. Trying to stretch it slowly was a difficult task. Maybe being rolled up in the back of a Jeep wasn’t such a good idea after all. The rumble of the tires on the rough road was irritating. Where was Rob going? Surely they should have hit some road that was paved by now, something better than a rutted cattle path? She clenched her teeth. She wasn’t going to know where they were going until they got there, so she might as well get as comfortable as she could. Every inch of her skin dripped with sweat. Under the tarp it was hotter than any sauna she’d been in. Sighing, she thought of the whirlpool and sauna she visited regularly at her gym. Those eased her muscle aches after a strenuous workout. In the back of the Jeep, the high temperature and moist air seemed to make her arms and legs ache more. Inhaling deeply, she was struck by a wave of nausea. Breathing in the fumes of the Jeep and the odor of the flat tire turned her stomach inside out. There was no relief from the sensation of feeling as if she’d vomit at any moment. Thirst assaulted her, but Cali didn’t have water with her. That hadn’t been too bright. It didn’t matter though. The way her stomach was heaving she wouldn’t have been able to keep it down. She might as well have been on a sailboat getting seasick, or better yet one of those giant swing rides they had at Great America. That’s what this whole doctor adventure was anyway, one giant, never-ending swing ride making her ill. Where the hell was George? The strong plastic odor nearly made her gag. In no time at all, the air beneath the plastic became hot, and humid. She closed her eyes, nausea was replaced by a wave of fatigue. Maybe if she rested for a little while, thought about something pleasant like all those babies she wanted to have someday...

*****

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Rob parked the Jeep on the side of the road and got out. It had been a long ride and he badly needed to stretch. Some days, his six-foot plus frame was a bonus. In the confines of the Jeep, it was a cramped curse. As the crow flew, Sololá wasn’t that far, a nearly straight shot from Mazatenago. By a wellpaved road, the trip would be noticeably longer due to the switchback turns as he wound his way into the mountains. This was not a well-paved road. It was immensely more uncomfortable, as the ache in the small of his back reminded him. The subtle increase in altitude didn’t make it noticeably cooler either, although a creek tumbled over rocks in a slight valley just on the far side of the road. It would be a good place to sit and evaluate the crazy turn his life had taken in the past twenty-four hours. It could have been worse, he thought, as he hiked through the pines with his backpack. She could have been there, all doe-eyed and innocent looking, believing in the best, not even remotely prepared for the worst. Any woman would have slowed him down, but Cali would have been distracting as well. That kiss. The way she kissed him. No, he never should have kissed her. Like a fine merlot, her taste lingered in his mind. Her lips were soft and pliable and willing, and he wanted more. Another time and place, and the ending to that kiss would have been different. She’d felt good against him. So right. A large rock with a nearly flat surface beckoned him to sit and listen to the running stream babbling on its journey down the mountain. The sounds should have been calming, but they only echoed the tumult that twisted his logic and instinct. He couldn’t get involved with Cali. She was stubborn and feisty. She liked expensive clothes, sported fake fingernails, and was far too classy to spend a life in the jungles of the world as he’d chosen for himself. Her sister, George, was far more his type of woman. George worked among the poor, teaching them to read and write. She was a woman who didn’t mind getting involved in the deprivation of Champerico and the Retalhuleu areas. Dropping his head into his hands, he groaned. George was a problem, too. She was mixed up in something that could turn deadly. With the cartels of South America using Guatemala as a major thoroughfare to Mexico and the States, she had probably ticked off a major player. Somehow Diego was connected to that player, and Diego had Juan. He shook his head. This maze would get a whole lot worse before it got better.

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He watched the water move rapidly over the rocks. It looked clear, inviting, and pure. But he knew better. The clarity was an illusion and it was far from pure. Contained within the water were all sorts of bacteria and toxins. Enough to make a grown man seriously ill, enough to kill a small child under the right circumstances. He dropped his purification tablet into his canteen. The tablets were something he carried with him wherever he went. He’d been stranded enough with his unreliable vehicle that he never knew when he might need them. Standing, he took a final look at this part of the creek. The water was deceptive, but so were people. He’d never figured Diego for a kidnapper or George to be involved with cocaine. It shouldn’t have surprised him. He’d been wrong about people before. Walking back to the Jeep, he heard a noise coming from the back. He peered over the tailgate. Something moved beneath the tarp. Some animal must have crawled into the back of his vehicle and more than likely was trapped in the folds of the sturdy plastic. He found a branch from a dead tree and tested its length. He approached cautiously. A frightened, trapped animal was something to face carefully, and from a distance if at all possible. For long moments, he waited. He held the branch like a long sword and gently prodded. The tip pushed into something soft, yet solid. There was a slight movement. He probed further to the right. Again something moved, nearly imperceptibly and made a sound much like a human groan. He frowned. What animal did that? Carefully, Rob used the end of the stick to begin lift one corner of the canvas. No animal scurried forth. Sucking in a deep breath and prepared to jump back if necessary, he moved closer to the covering, tentatively reaching a hand toward it. With a quick motion, he yanked the cloth off. “Cali?” She mumbled. He put a hand on her forehead. Her skin was clammy and pale. “...my baby, save my baby.” His eyes narrowed. Cali was pregnant? His medical training automatically kicked in. “Cali! Cali!” He tried to calculate how far along she was. She wasn’t showing. Probably still in her first trimester. Her eyes fluttered open. “I’m tired.” “Of course, you are.” “The baby?” Hazel eyes looked into his without seeing him. They were wide with a fear he could feel.

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From the front of the vehicle, he grabbed the backpack that served as his doctor’s bag. “I’m taking you out of here.” “No pictures. Don’t let them take pictures.” He checked the pupils of her fever-glazed eyes. “Who, Cali? No one is here.” “Promise me, promise!” What could he do? “I won’t let them, Cali.” “Don’t leave our baby!” Our baby? A picture of a family with Cali flashed through his brain cells. The image lasted a moment before disappearing. Their was no “our” baby. Though his body lusted for it, they hadn’t had sex. She was delirious. Far too close to heat stroke if his initial examination was correct. An infection or a bite could just as easily cause the fever, but he didn’t think so. A few hours ago she’d been an extremely healthy female. Whatever the diagnosis, he couldn’t leave her sweltering in the Jeep, and vast amounts of water were needed to bring the temperature of her body down. He glanced over his shoulder at the creek he’d just left, and slid one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees. “On the count of three,” he told himself, preparing for the blinding pain that was sure to follow. “One,” he inhaled deeply. “Two,” he exhaled slightly to steady himself. “Three.” Picking her up, he let the bulk of her weight rest against his left shoulder. The skirt Maria had provided her slapped against his legs as he carried her to water’s edge. Neither one of them were going to be very happy about the next step. With her in his arms, he boldly stepped into the cold mountain water, and then sat in an eddy near the edge. It was the quickest way to get her cooled down. The shock of the water jolted him. He splashed water onto her face. Water saturated her skirt, outlined her legs. It plastered her blouse to her breasts, the cold causing her nipples to harden. He swallowed, unable to look away. Sputtering, she struggled to free herself from his arms. “Help me! Help! I’m drowning!” “Quiet, Cali!” She stilled in his arms. “Rob?” “I’m here.” “I’m in water?” Vulnerability filled those three words. He kept his tone easy. “Cooling down.” “I can’t swim.”

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He held her tighter. “I won’t let you go.” She relaxed, closing her eyes. Just for a moment, he stared down at her. Lacking make-up, her hair a mass of tangles, she still managed to exude a devastating beauty. Rounded hips accentuated Cali’s narrow waist. Strong thighs and calves created beautiful legs. Hell, he already knew she had sexy ankles and nice legs, but this was so much more. She was hot. And she’s pregnant, he reminded himself, with another man’s child. With trembling hands, he dipped her deeper into the stream and implored the water to cool his libido as well. Her eyes flew open once more. “Don’t worry. You’re safe.” I won’t eat you alive. His thoughts were out of control in direct proportion to his physical desire for her. It was impossible to ignore her luscious curves. Her body was muscular, yet soft, reminding him it had been far to long since he had been with a woman. Kissing a teacher, and more, had been a recurring fantasy once he’d hit high school. Now the reality was in his arms and she was more beautiful than any possibility he’d ever conjured. All the lessons he’d learned in med school about distancing himself from his patients hadn’t prepared him for his acute reaction to Cali. He’d seen many women partially clad in exam rooms, sexy, beautiful women, and not one had ever affected him like this woman did. Get a grip, man! Loosening his hold on the skirt, he laid her further back. The blouse and skirt were tantalizingly transparent. He licked his lips. She looked like a centerfold, worthy of her own month. “How could you be so stupid, risking yourself this way?” he whispered, looking at her flushed skin. Weak and dehydrated, she exhibited several of the symptoms of heat exhaustion, and hovered dangerously close to heat stroke. Her life was in his hands, a life whose impact on him he didn’t understand, couldn’t reason out. Hell, he had two lives to save here. The heat exhaustion episode really complicated things. His plan had been clear. He was going to Sololá to get Juan. Then he’d return for Cali. Together they would all go to Guatemala City and get George. He and Juan would see the women off at the airport, Cali and George would go back to the States, and all would be right in his tiny corner of the world again. Her eyes looked past him. “My head is killing me.” Suddenly, he was furious with Cali. “You could be dead! Deal with your headache.” “Dead?” She looked into his eyes.

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Damn it, she was too beautiful to be here in one of the outposts of civilization. Righteous anger needed to be his ally if he were to control the reawakening of his sexual needs. “Where am I?” “Guatemala.” “Oh.” “Don’t you remember? You were hiding in the back of my Jeep.” He dipped an ace bandage from his backpack into the stream and ran it down her arms and across her forehead. “We’re on the road to Sololá.” Rummaging through his bag he found a plastic bottle of penicillin, one of aspirin, and another of quinine. He pulled his canteen out and held it to her lips. “Take a sip.” Several drops managed to find their way into her mouth and he watched as others coursed their way down her throat and lower. He winced. How on earth had he gotten into this position? He didn’t have the patience or time for an affair. He specialized in one-night stands, and Cali could never be that kind of woman. She was charity balls, high society, sable furs, and limousines. “Why are you looking at me like that?” “Like what?” “I did something wrong. You’re angry with me.” “Drink some more water.” He held the container to her lips again. Anger? It was a poor cover for his private thoughts. If she knew that he was thinking of her as a centerfold, she’d be the angry party, probably good and embarrassed, too. Right now he was a hungry wolf and it wouldn’t take much for him to devour the woman in his arms. Forcing his voice to be harsh, he answered her, “You’re in my way, Cali. You’re slowing me down.” He ran the damp bandage down her arms again. “Slowing you down?” “I’m going to lose a day, or more, attending to you! What possessed you to hide in the rear of my Jeep?” She pursed her lips, and her forehead crinkled. “You. You were leaving me. Why?” Time to change the subject. “I want you to try and stand.” He put an arm around her, and eased her to her feet. “God, my legs hurt.” She took a few steps, then stumbled. He swung her into his arms, shouldering her against his left side as he had before. “Let’s get to the Jeep.” He should have carried her from the onset and he knew why he didn’t. He didn’t want to

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carry her, and it had nothing to do with the physical pain of his shoulder. Hell, he was fighting his urges with her in his arms. Holding her so close fired the nerve endings in his body everywhere they made contact. He wasn’t going to calm his hard-on with her in his arms. Cali had a man in her life and a baby on the way. Touching her made him want her, made him hunger for physical satisfaction. It wasn’t right, no matter how good she felt, no matter how much he desired her. He deposited her carefully in the passenger seat. “Take another sip. Don’t move. I have to retrieve my pack.” He ran his fingers through his hair as he returned to the creek. How was he going to get Juan plus take care of Cali and her unborn child? If he built her a shelter and stayed with her until she regained her strength, and then deposited her at a hotel he’d be able to continue his search for Diego. Frustrated, he rubbed his forehead. He couldn’t leave a pregnant woman stranded alone in the highlands of Guatemala, even in a hotel. He had to stay with her until he could get her out of harm’s way, which meant getting her to the American Embassy. Reaching into the rear of the Jeep, he pulled out the tarp. It would do as the base of a lean-to. He’d build something to keep her out of the sun and in the shade. “You were going to leave me behind,” she accused angrily. “Cali, don’t get worked up. You need to stay calm so your body can do what it needs to regulate your temperature correctly, for everyone’s sake.” He watched her take a deep breath. “Good. I’m making you a shelter, some shade so you can stretch out and rest.” “Why?” The single word came out as a soft sigh. He couldn’t tell her the truth. He was angry with her and himself. If he didn’t expend the energy for something good, to some purpose, he’d either strangle her or seduce her into wild sex in the wide outdoors, with no pretenses, no romance, just raw need and desire. It was, in short, the question he least wanted to answer.

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Chapter Five

The birds in the trees sang away as if they hadn’t a care in the world, unlike her. Cali sat fuming under the lean-to Rob created. “Why can’t you get it through your head that Diego Montoya has something to do with George and her hospitalization?” Rob joined her under the shelter. “Diego might be an indirect cause of your sister’s illness, but my business with him doesn’t involve her. He’s none of your concern, Cali.” “If you think I am about to let you leave me here, you’re dead wrong, Doctor. All the clues put Diego right in the middle of this episode with George. He might not be the most important character on this stage, but everything leads back to him, every single thread.” “I’m not leaving you here!” He lowered his voice and continued his arguments. “You’re still upset. The man mistakenly tried to carry you off.” “Precisely, then you agree. He thought I was George,” Cali interrupted. “Obviously, he’s looking for her, and willing to go to any lengths to get her.” Rob ran a hand through his dark hair, the same beautiful head of hair Cali had her fingers entwined in last night when he had kissed her and she had oh, so willingly, kissed him back. He might be a handsome, well-respected third-world doctor, but it was his humanitarianism that added to his incredible allure for Cali. “Diego is frying bigger fish right now. He’s degenerated to kidnapping real children.” “Don’t you think that the authorities have been alerted by now? Everyone in Retalhuleu knows who took this child.” Cali thought of all the warnings she had read about photographing children in Guatemala. The natives were extremely protective of their children, fearing they would be kidnapped and taken to childless families in other countries. “You’ll slow me down.” “How? It’s obvious to me you need at least one other arm. I have two.” “Cali, you were just dangerously close to heat stroke. You might feel better, but your body needs to rest and recover. As a doctor, I cannot allow you to overexert yourself.” Sunlight filtered through the branches Rob had used for the shelter. The trilling of the birds became louder. The noise aggravated her headache. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. “Drink some more water. Your head still hurts, doesn’t it?”

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God, why did he have to sound like he cared? Nodding, she continued her questions. “Just how does this kidnapping involve you, Rob?” Screeching filled the air. The song of the birds, which just a while ago had been melodic, changed to a noise that reminded Cali of animals in intense pain. It took a great deal of effort to keep from clasping her hands over her ears. She looked up at Rob. He put a finger to his lips, the universal sign for silence. Good, he had noticed too. What could be out there causing the birds such agitation? Silently, Rob moved out from beneath the canopy. Alone, she felt a momentary panic. Her mouth became as dry as Death Valley and her heart raced like a formula racecar engine. Silly, Rob is standing right there. You can see his legs, for Pete’s sake. Vertigo attacked. The trees began rustling, the sound increasing in volume. The splitting crack of wood breaking joined in. Together the discordant symphony of nature crescendoed, the noise so loud that Cali was forced to cover her ears. Tiny hairs on her arms stood on end, but she wasn’t chilly. Her body was giving her a warning. Cali crawled from the lean-to as the leaves on the trees began to sway erratically, creating eerie shadows and making a violent brushing noise. External energy raced through Cali’s legs beginning at her feet.

Her body thrummed,

reminiscent of an electrical shock. Her arms and legs began to shake uncontrollably. Rob reached out, grabbed her, and lifted her off the ground as if she were a child’s toy. “Earthquake! We need to get away from these trees!” His solid chest heaving, he moved fast, running for the open road. Over his shoulder, she saw the shelter shimmy, then lost sight of it when a tree crushed its fragile frame. Rob ran with her to the center of the road where he set her on her feet. Then she heard him shout, “Get down!” Cali twisted around to see what was happening and saw another tree fall just before Rob pushed her down onto the road, covering her body with his. His breathing came in rapid spurts, but hers was faster. Shallow gulps of air sped in and out of her lungs. She couldn’t talk. In her peripheral vision, she could see the split branches of another tree barely a few feet away from their new location. Quiet descended as rapidly as the noise had started.

Green tree branches were scattered

everywhere. Some covered them. Rob slightly lifted his head and looked around, then down at Cali. “Are you all right?” Concern tinged his voice, tinted his eyes. This wonder of male creation was on top of her in a way so familiar that the natives, her peers, and her family would be scandalized and he was asking about

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her welfare. Rob’s wet clothes were plastered against him. With her body she could feel the nuances of his musculature, the contours of his chest, the strength of his legs. He might as well have been naked. No, she wasn’t all right! “I think so,” she managed to say. Beads of perspiration dotted her forehead, formed on the nape of her neck and ran in rivulets, dampening the hollow of her breasts and the groove of her spine. Belatedly, she realized her clothing had probably been as revealing to Rob while she was under the shelter. Part of her wanted to push him off. Another wanted him to continue clinging tightly to her. “Is it over?” Was that her husky voice? “Probably not. There always seems to be more than one.” “What do we do?” She knew what she wanted to do and it had to do with creating earthquakes, not avoiding them. Rob’s mouth quirked into a smile. “Stay away from things that fall?” Her hand reached up, as if it had a will of its own, to stroke his cheek, then climbed behind his neck and pulled him closer. His lips were so close she could feel his erratic breath against her mouth. Last night, his kisses had been more promising than Michael’s. More addictive. “What are you doing, Cali?” She lifted her head, and brushed her lips against his. “Celebrating our survival.” A groan escaped Rob and she felt the feminine power authors of ages past had detailed. It was intoxicating knowing she had this effect on him. She licked his lower lip, traced its fullness with her tongue. His lips parted, and she took it as his silent approval to take what she wanted. Her tongue slipped into his mouth and she explored its contours as she felt him kiss her back. The earth shook again, and it had nothing to do with plate tectonics. Rob slipped his good arm around her and yanked her tight against him. His mouth plundered hers as his hands began roaming her body. “Is this what you want?” His voice was a low growl in her ears. “Yes.” The words came out in a whisper. Her hormones carried her into a new world where the sensations were heady. Rob’s lips crushed hers again, and this time he took her mouth with an insistent, nearly violent probing of his tongue. No, this wasn’t what she wanted at all! This wasn’t like the soul-stirring kiss she shared with him last night. “Stop!” “Enough celebrating already?” Rob’s question cut deeply.

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Cali stammered. “This isn’t right.” “I’m only a man, Cali, this is what I am.” He pushed away from her, and stood. “Decide what you want. I’m about one night stands and lust-filled sex,” he said, anger tainting his words, burning into her heart. “I don’t fall in love.” Pride made her get to her feet. Tears stung her eyes, but she wasn’t going to let one of them fall. She had been so sure he was attracted to her. How could she have humiliated herself this way? Crossing her arms protectively over her chest, she began to walk down the road toward the Jeep. A hangover would have been kinder than the headache she had. Each step felt as if someone were using her head as a rock band’s drum. Her muscles ached too, but she was not going to break down into some simpering female, no matter how slowly the aches made her move. Already she missed Rob’s warmth. The ice in his voice, however, was something she wished she’d never experienced. “You shouldn’t be walking, Cali.” She strove to keep her voice from quaking. “Why not?” He shuffled his feet and didn’t look her in the eye when he answered. “It’s too soon given your condition.” She had embarrassed him, too. Her mistake couldn’t have been more colossal. The birds began their raucous calls again. Cali looked down at her feet, confused by an odd sensation of floating. She felt like she was on a Lake Michigan sailboat. “Oh, no, not again!” The second tremor hit harder than the first. Branches swayed faster. More trees fell, toppling like dominoes along the road. Cali quickly got to the center, laid down on her stomach, and covered her head with her hands. As before, Rob covered her body with his. Dear lord, couldn’t he let her alone? She could protect herself! Another cracking sound as loud as a near lightning strike screamed through the area. Her skin was alive with energy like a live wire. Falling branches and trees made a noise similar to the roar of a hurricane, then all of it abruptly stopped. Several seconds passed and she held her breath, waiting for the next tremor. The forest was deathly silent, as if someone had taken a photograph of this moment in time and frozen it. The earth didn’t move again. In the midst of the tingling, she became more aware of the man lying on top of her. She had been right. She did have the power to arouse him. She could feel the evidence grazing her behind. How could she keep her distance from him when she knew he was aware of her as a woman and his

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voice melted her insides? Its warmth poured over and enveloped her in a way she hadn’t felt since her father held her as a child in his arms. “We’ve got to get you out of here.” Genuine concern replaced the anger she’d heard earlier. “The sooner, the better.” Rob had a point. Her stomach hadn’t returned to normal. A hot bath in a decent hotel would help her aches and restore her sense of equilibrium. He could use help in the pain department too. His arm had to be nearly crippling him with pain. She turned her head. “The Jeep will get us...” He pointed at the vehicle, cutting off her words. A tree, with branches as wide as Rob, had fallen onto it. The hood was smashed in, the steering column broken. The remainder of the vehicle covered in wood and leaves. It wasn’t going anywhere for a long, long time. Rob groaned. “Are you all right?” “Will be once I get this tree branch off my back.” He took a deep breath. “Let’s salvage what we can.” He shoved the large bough off him enough to turn sideways. Rolling off Cali, he laid still, his breathing erratic. Was it because of his injury, her, or the close calls they had just endured? Cali turned over and inhaled deeply, thankful her good fortune had gotten her through two earthquakes and a medical emergency. How much luck did she have left? A thought ran though her mind, as much as you need if you stay with Rob. Standing slowly, Cali was surprised by the dizziness she experienced. Her legs wobbled and the world had a strange tilt. It didn’t take long for the feeling to pass and she moved toward the Jeep. Rob was already there. Sifting through the remnants of the Jeep, Cali pulled out a netted material. “Mosquito netting?” He nodded. “We’ll need it if we don’t make town by nightfall.” Carefully Cali folded the netting and placed it in the backpack that doubled as Rob’s medical kit. Reaching through the branches, she slid the rear view mirror off its mount. In movies, mirrors had multiple uses. Maybe they might need it on their trek. Watching Rob lean into the passenger side of the Jeep was difficult to ignore. The man didn’t have a spare pound on him. His legs were muscular and led to a nicely toned... umm, best not go there since he was definitely not interested in acknowledging their attraction. He pulled some items from the glove box and tucked them into the backpack, and then moved to what was left of the lean-to. He took a pair of scissors from his pack and cut lose what he could of the

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battered tarp. He straightened slowly, zipped it into his backpack, and slipped the bulky tote onto his shoulders with a soft groan. “I think that’s the best we can do.” Running a hand through his dark hair he continued. “I’ll be busy if the epicenter of those quakes was between here and Sololá. There will be casualties. She nodded. The concern he voiced left no doubt he knew his priorities, and the need of the people in the area would come first. “It’s important we take this easy, given your condition. We’ll stay as close to the stream as practical. Drink plenty of water.” He turned from the vehicle and waited for her to join him. Thankfully, Rob stopped frequently. Her head still hurt and her muscles ached as if she had run a marathon without training. The sun eventually dipped closer to the horizon, and she relished the slight drop in temperature and the knowledge that they would soon stop. Perhaps she could sleep off her pains with the help of an aspirin or two. Surely, Rob had to have something like that in his bag. He stayed close to her through the afternoon, but not too close. Cali was alternately grateful he kept his distance, then disappointed he didn’t stay closer. They walked in a neutral silence. Oh, how she wished he would say something, anything to break the undercurrent of tension she felt! “How are you feeling, Cali?” Could a voice be any sexier? His worry for her welfare spread through her anew. Rob had every reason to be chagrinned with her actions of the past twenty-four hours yet he remained calm and steady. “I have a headache and I’m whipped. I usually have more stamina than this.” “With all your body has gone through, you’ve done remarkably well.” He smiled at her then, and she knew she was hopelessly infatuated. His entire face seemed to brighten when he raised those oh-so-kissable lips. The muscles of his cheeks raised, and the skin around his eyes crinkled. She could almost see a practical joker lurking under his professional countenance. “You should smile more, Rob.” She reached out a hand and tentatively touched his cheek. “I haven’t done much of that around you.” He covered her hand with his and removed it from his face. They walked further, silent again. What did that comment imply? Was he normally happier than this? Probably. After all, he was worried about the kidnapping. This could be a real possibility since he’d already accused her delaying his recovery of the child. Was he truly unhappy because of her presence? Did he really view her as nothing more than a nuisance? This man was a mystery, and seemed to keep his own counsel. Didn’t he have anyone to share his burdens with?

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His question a few minutes later startled her. “Like fish?” She looked at him in confusion. “Uh, no, I’ve never fished.” “Do you eat fish?” “Well, sure. Just about everyone in Chicago eats walleye or perch.” The hint of amusement she thought she had detected earlier was gone. “What’s wrong?” Ignoring her question, he nodded toward a small clearing. “I think we can make a camp of sorts on the other side of the creek. “Then we’ll have fish for dinner.”

*****

Rob cooked the fish he’d caught, and thought about Cali’s innocent statement. Walleye and perch were common Lake Michigan fare. He sighed. Not everyone paid the same price for the pleasure of catching and eating it though. Thinking of Lake Michigan and fishing there put him into a funk. The squall that swamped the boat he was on the summer of his freshman year in high school was responsible for one of the worst nightmares of his life. He shoved the memories back into the prison he’d created for them. “This one’s about finished.” “Great, I’m starved.” He removed the branch that served as a spit from the forked tree limbs on each end of the fire. “Eat up, but carefully. You don’t want to burn your fingers.” He handed her the branch as she sat on the stump of a long dead tree. “I’m sorry, Rob.” “Sorry? For what?” “You wouldn’t be here now if I hadn’t been so foolish.” “Cali,” he moved closer to her, “you did what you thought best. If I had taken more time to address your concerns...” With a wave of her hand she said, “You’re saying this is your fault?” He nodded. “I should have been prepared.” “Are you clairvoyant? Just how are you supposed to know that your Jeep would be destroyed in an earthquake, or that you would have to traipse around the Guatemalan countryside with a spoiled American?”

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“That’s just it. I know this place, the events that can occur. I should have been ready. I wasn’t. I’m responsible for putting you at risk.” Guilt ate into his stomach like a perforated ulcer. It came down to life and death and he was always responsible, especially for the deaths. “Maybe you should have been more prepared given your knowledge of the region. But, I will not let you accept responsibility for my being here, nor will I let you think you have risked my life in some fashion. It’s just not true.” “Cali, I...” She stood and placed her hands on her hips, interrupting him. “Rob Masters, I willingly came to Guatemala, and I willingly put myself under the tarp in your Jeep. There is no way you could know what I was going to do. You aren’t God.” The stern look she gave him cut off any potential reply. No, he wasn’t God. Just expected to act like Him, make miracles out of the dust of Guatemala. “And I don’t want to hear another word about it. Have I made myself clear?” He didn’t know about her teaching credentials, but he had no doubt her class was well disciplined. He nodded and sat on a log to impale another fish for the fire. If only it were as simple to skewer the past. She sat back down, but not on the stump. She sat closer to him. The woman had nerve to sit so close given the way he had treated her after she kissed him. Right now, he’d welcome one of her kisses. Getting lost in her physically would help him dispel personal demons, if only for a short while. For him though, none of those mind-blowing kisses would be forthcoming. “Since we are clearing the air, there is another subject we need to discuss.” The steel in her voice had all but disappeared. It was soothing and soft. Her temptress voice led him to believe that they only needed to discuss their current repressed sexual situation. Grit coated his tongue, drying his mouth like Death Valley at noon. “What else do you want to talk about?” She gave him a piercing gaze. Childhood memories floated back. The day he’d broken the neighbors window with his baseball and he had to fess up and catch the due punishment. He shifted uncomfortably. He’d had the feeling he knew what the topic of conversation was going to be, but now he wasn’t sure. “I don’t know how to begin this.” Face the music, son. Be a man.

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The best choice was to be direct. “Spit it out.” Cupping his face between her hands, she forced him to see her fears, hopes, questions. Those delicate hands stroked the side of his face, igniting need for more than just sex from her. They could coax him to sell his soul to her. Her gaze didn’t waver, wouldn’t let him avoid her words.

“I want to know about your

relationship to the boy kidnapped by Diego.” He sat silent for a long time, trying to figure out what she knew. “How do you know Diego kidnapped a boy.” She stood and shook a finger at him. “You. I know from you. You asked Raoul about the ‘boy’. Who is he, Rob, and what does he mean to you, personally?” There was no escaping her deductions. “Diego has taken a child named Juan.” He stood and walked to the other side of the fire, trying to escape Cali’s penetrating gaze. He pulled the mosquito netting and tarp from his backpack, and began fashioning a hammock between two sturdy trees. “And?” “Diego knows I intend to adopt Juan.” “Oh, dear lord.” She plopped heavily onto the log and closed her eyes. “I had no idea.” The conversation ceased. He finished stringing up the makeshift hammock and then tested it to see if it would hold his weight. “I’ve rigged this up so we won’t have to sleep on the ground with the insects.” She didn’t answer. Eventually, the silence gave way to tiny sobs. The sound of a woman crying had always been a weakness for Rob. His ex, Veronica, had used tears to manipulate. Cali was crying for another reason. She was crying for him. Damn, why did she have to be so beautiful, inside and out? Rob went to her and pulled her to her feet. His hands gripped her arms. “Don’t cry for me, Cali. It’s a waste of your time and energy.” “I’m so sorry! I am slowing you down. I’m keeping you from rescuing your son.” Tears soaked into his shirt, burned through his chest, branded his heart. “Stop it, Cali,” he ordered feigning a harshness he didn’t feel. “I shouldn’t have told you. You need to calm down, for everyone’s sake.” “Oh, Rob. I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to your little boy.” Life, death. Hers and her unborn baby. Juan. Death, it always came back to death. He wasn’t God, but he had to decide life and death. His hands gripped her tighter and he shook her. “How do you think I feel?” He abruptly released her, angered by the intensity of his helplessness.

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He picked up the remains of their meager meal, and buried it several yards away from the hammock. It gave him a chance to regain his composure. There was no dishonesty in his voice when he spoke, no deception in his concern when he held out his hand to her. “It’s time you got some rest.” His heart hammered when she slipped her hand into his and he led her to their improvised bed. From the hammock, he picked up the mosquito netting, shook it out, and waited for her to get settled. Tossing the netting over the two of them, he laid back. Contact was unavoidable. He turned on his side. Nestled against his shoulder, she was a perfect fit. Her silky hair tickled his chin, and he stroked it in an attempt to calm her as well as himself. He relaxed when he heard the steady rhythm of her breathing. She’d fallen asleep in his arms. Sweet angel and sexual temptress. She was both and for this short time he would relish holding her as if she really were his lover. Too bad it was nothing but an illusion.

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Chapter Six

Cali would have been appalled to find herself on another chicken bus if she wasn’t so tired. Rob had spotted this one on the road, hailed it, and for a few quetzals apiece they were wedged into a small seat. Riding instead of walking, they would now be in Sololá in a short time. “Stay close, Cali. It’s market day.” “Shouldn’t that make things safer?” He shrugged, but it wasn’t nonchalant and it sent her a mixed message. “Maybe. Maybe not. If the earthquake didn’t do much damage in Sololá, it will be one of the larger gatherings of people you will see outside of Guatemala City. The market will astonish you. The ladies wear colorful outfits, and the men strive to compete with their wildly embroidered trousers.” She laughed softly. “Really?” “However, before you know it, your head will be turned, and you will have lost sight of me, and that’s when he will pounce.” Rob lunged and grabbed her by the shoulders, demonstrating his real concern. “Ah!” she responded without thinking. “With all the market day noise, no one will ever hear you scream.” He dropped his hands. A few people nearby stared at them, then turned away. On the bus, in this man’s company, it was easy to forget she was in physical danger. “Do you really think Diego will still be in Sololá?” “Never underestimate your opponent, Cali. With people like Diego, you have to consider every possibility, as if you were playing a game of chess.” “He has the advantage, doesn’t he?” Rob’s eyes narrowed alarmingly. “He has Juan. It’s all the advantage he needs.” The bus made its way into the plaza of Sololá and, as Rob had said, it was a sea of color. “It’s breathtaking.” “Market days are like a weekly county fair. Think Navy Pier on a hyped weekend. The market has served as an important trading center between the hot lower climates and the chilly highlands for ages. Very little has disrupted it over the years. Exiting the bus, Rob took her hand and started to lead her across the plaza. “There’s a small hotel just off the plaza. Once we have a room, I can check you out. Then we can get to a comedores and get some real food into you.”

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“Check me out?” Cali dug in her heels and gave her best imitation of a passive protester. “What does that mean?” “In your condition,” his lips thinned into a frown, “I would be remiss if I didn’t thoroughly examine you. Heat exhaustion is not something to be taken lightly.” “Don’t you think there is a conflict of interest here, Doctor?” “We don’t have time for this, Cali.” He ground the words out and moved closer to her. “Just what do you think you are going to do to make me go with you?” She held her ground. There was no way he was going to examine her as a physician. “Watch and learn.” Two steps. That was all it took for him to reach her and drag her into his arms. She struggled against him, but he held her as tightly as a wood vice. Her heart shifted into overdrive and began beating wildly. She opened her mouth to yell at him. “Make a scene,” he warned in a low hiss, “and I’ll throw you over my shoulder and paddle you.” “You wouldn’t dare!” “Try me. As your doctor, I’ll treat you the way I see fit.” Oh, he would pay dearly for this! Male chauvinism might be alive and well in Guatemala, but it was not the way an American woman expected to be treated by an American male, no matter what corner of the world they were in. She pounded a fist against Rob’s chest. He grinned. “Resorting to violence?” He began walking with her nestled tightly against him. She glared at him, but he didn’t seem phased. “You, you, threatened me!” His bottomless brown eyes looked at her and he whispered. “Just what do you think Diego would do with you?” At that, she stilled. If Diego was kidnapping children, then he might do anything to her. He’d tried once to carry her off. If she hadn’t succeeded in escaping...a shudder ran through her. Rob loosened his hold somewhat and his demeanor softened. “Use some common sense, Cali, and we’ll all come out of this in one piece.” They crossed the threshold of a hotel a block or so off the plaza. “It doesn’t appear there was much damage from the earthquake. I’ll get the room, and make a few inquiries. Stay put, and stay out of trouble.” Apprehension wrapped around her like clinging ivy. She reached out an arm. He turned, irritation drawn on his features. “What?”

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She could see he expected an argument. She swallowed, before she replied. “Never mind, it’s not important.” Rob searched her face and the intensity in his changed. His large hand covered hers. “Don’t worry.” Cali gave him a wan smile, moved from the doorway into the lobby, and sat across from the window. The couch was old, but serviceable, and felt heavenly after the bus’s close quarters. It would feel good to get clean again, too. Rob returned jingling a key in his hand. “Let’s go. We’re on the second floor, near the rear of the building.” She stood. “The rear?” “It’s near the toilet and the fire ladder. It never hurts to have a back door.” He crossed the lobby and began climbing the stairs. Her calves and thighs throbbed as she ascended the steps next to him. It wasn’t fair. She’d done her time at the gym and her body was rebelling. He, on the other hand, didn’t appear to have a sore muscle in his body. “This is our room.” He opened the door. “The bath is at the end of the hall.” It wasn’t a grand place but looked clean and orderly. Rob dropped the backpack onto a chair near the bed. Yanking the coverlet from the bed he began to strip the sheets. “What are you doing?” “Bugs,” he groaned as he tried to tip the mattress. He closed his eyes a moment. The pain of his shoulder had to be horrible. “Help me with this?” Cali had already crossed the room. Together they got the mattress on its side. “Now what?” “Beat it.” Weariness oozed through each word. “Excuse me?” “The fan...on the desk. Beat the mattress.” She grabbed the fan and swung at the mattress. Thankfully, nothing but dust flew into the air. “Nothing, Rob.” “Great.” The mattress fell back to the frame with a loud thump. Cali picked up the bottom sheet and shook it. This too, was free of creatures. She replaced the sheet, and then did the same with the rest of the bed clothing. Once the bed was remade, Rob sank down on the mattress, lying on his side. He kicked off his shoes without bothering to untie them.

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Traces of blood stained the back of his shirt. “Take off your shirt, Rob.” “Why?” “I need to see if your back is still bleeding.” “I can take care of myself.” “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It’s okay to ask for help.” She came closer and tentatively stroked the area near his injury. He flinched. “Just how did you plan on seeing and reaching those injuries at the same time?” Rob sat up and began to lift the tee shirt off his body. “Here, let me help.” Cali held the front hem in her hands and lifted the shirt over his head, reaching around his back to make sure it didn’t stick to the injuries she’d discovered. The steady beat of her heart began a new rhythm. The muscles of his chest and stomach were well defined without having the over-muscled look of a weight lifter. His body was solid, strong and reliable while his arms announced safety and protection to the woman he offered them to. For a fleeting moment she wished it could be her. Somehow she found her voice. “Turn around.” Rob swung his feet toward the far side of the bed so his back would be to her. “Dear Lord,” she gasped, then reached for his medical pack. “What is it?” “You’re back is one huge bruise, with all sorts of cuts and welts!” Pulling the antiseptic out of the bag she continued, “This must have really hurt like the devil last night.” She remembered how he held her through the night, never once complaining or even groaning. When she woke, she was laying against his left shoulder, his arm possessively around her waist. “You should have told me, Rob. You didn’t need to pillow me against your chest last night.” There was a thoughtful tone to his voice. “It didn’t hurt, Cali.” He paused. “As long as we didn’t move.” She tore open the foil. “This will sting.” She dabbed the antiseptic cotton on his cuts. Rob didn’t make a sound although his muscles tensed. Cali found some large gauze bandages. “I think it best to cover these lightly until the wounds start to scab over. Lay on your stomach, doctor.” “This isn’t necessary, Cali.” “You don’t see what I do. Don’t be childish. Now lie down and stop fussing.” Rob lowered his body face-first onto the bed.

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“Given all we’ve done since the earthquake, Rob, you’re lucky these things aren’t oozing right now.” She began the process of bandaging his back. “We’ll have to be sure to keep these cuts extra clean.” He grumbled. “Where did you go to med school?” “Chicago School of Hard Knocks. You learn a lot about ‘contusions and abrasions’ in an elementary school, out of sheer necessity.” She heard him sigh. It was the first time in their trek she’d seen him relax. She moved to a worn chair and enjoyed the silence while she continued to watch him until his breathing became regular. Once he was asleep she slipped out of the room. Luxuriating in the warm shower felt great. It didn’t stop her mind from trying to puzzle out the mystery of Rob and Diego. She still didn’t know why Diego kidnapped Juan and it would be hard to push Rob for further information. The information he’d divulged had been given reluctantly. Rob had something Diego wanted badly enough to take the little boy. What could it be? With a hand-held shower she washed and rinsed her hair before she pushed aside the shower curtain surrounding the old fashioned tub and got out. She stared with distaste at her filthy clothing. She’d have to get new clothes. The ones Maria had given her were ruined. Near the plaza, she’d seen a bank when the chicken bus pulled into town. She could walk there easily enough. Contacting her bank would help provide the funds she needed to get back to Guatemala City and bring George home. It would also help her replace Maria’s damaged clothing. The plan was beautiful in its simplicity and, with any luck she’d be back to the hotel before Rob woke

*****

Rob awoke with a start alarmed he had slept so long. He’d learned the secret of the power nap when he was in med school but today it failed him. The sun was on its downward trek toward the horizon. The hotel room was in the shadows and it took a moment before his eyes adjusted to the lack of light. A cursory glance told him he was alone. Where the hell was Cali? He jumped to his feet and raced down the hallway. The bathroom was empty. Where was she? He ran back to the room and jammed his feet into his tied shoes, threw on his filthy tee shirt, grabbed the room key, and bolted out the door. Halfway down the hall, he remembered he hadn’t locked their room. It wouldn’t do to have what was left of his meager supplies disappear, too. “Damn. Where’d you go, woman?”

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Attempting to lock the door, he dropped the key. When he bent to retrieve it, he groaned, acutely aware of sharp pain lancing up his spine. He grabbed the key and shoved it into the lock, pushing against the door to make sure it was closed. “I’m too old for this,” he mumbled, then raced toward the stairs once again. He would have taken them two at a time if his back hadn’t been screaming in pain. The bus, the hammock, the tree had all taken their toll on his body. The tree had been the worst. He was sure he received the lacerations and mind-blowing bruising Cali described from the hit he took protecting her. None of that mattered. If Diego was here...he’d have to move fast, hope when he found her she was safe. Once he got hold of her ‘safe’ was the last thing she’d be. That paddling he’d promised her earlier was looking more certain. “Think like a woman,” he told himself. “No, think like Cali.” Mentally he recounted the steps she would have gone through in the bathroom. She would have taken care of her personal needs, then cleaned up. “Ah,” he shouted as he snapped his fingers. She never would have willingly put back on dirty clothes. “She’s shopping.” Money would be the thing she needed in order to get something to wear. He pulled his wallet from his trouser pocket and checked his quetzals. She hadn’t taken any from him. Rob headed to the Banco G & T Continental, the only bank in town. As he suspected, a woman of Cali’s description had been there, trying to have money wired to her. “Did the Señorita tell you where she was going next?” The teller shook his head and Rob left. Okay, she had no money, so shopping was out of the question. Where to now? Rob made his way to the plaza. Maybe she was window-shopping in the open-air market. He chuckled. Only an American would think of window-shopping where there were no windows. Moving slowly, he scanned each row of stalls. Women in red striped skirts seemed to be everywhere. The produce being hawked looked good. He stopped at a vendor selling the tasseled, festive head coverings. “Yes, a young American lady looked at the tocoyals, but she did not buy.” Several others natives had attempted to speak with her, but the language barrier had proven too great. All indications pointed him back in the general direction of their hotel. Perhaps she’d gone back and was waiting for him. He started across the plaza retracing his steps. Frustration pounced on him. The emotional jaguar had him by the throat. Unable to fight it, the animal ripped and clawed, tearing him to bloody shreds. It was bad enough he couldn’t keep Juan safe.

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Now this woman, who had invaded his orderly life and unsettled him in a primitive way, was missing. If ever there had been a week from hell, this was it. Why did he even care? She was a nuisance. Maybe not the spoiled American she called herself, but she sure was in the way. The physical effect she had on him was disquieting, taking his focus off Juan. Juan was the one least able to help himself, the one most at risk. No, that wasn’t true. There was Cali’s unborn child. Damn her! Why did she have to come into his life now? Why wouldn’t she listen to him? Rob walked the perimeter of the streets a block off the plaza, passing the hotel. He looked through the lobby window. Cali wasn’t there. He continued his excursion without a Cali sighting and returned to the hotel. She wasn’t in the lobby waiting for him either. Fear and disappointment filled him, along with a gnawing sense of foreboding as he climbed the stairs to their room. How was it possible for her to have gotten under his skin in such a short time? “Rob!” Never before had his name sounded so good coming from someone else’s lips. His head snapped up and he saw her, sitting outside their door. He rocketed down the hallway to her ignoring the painful protests of his back and shoulder. He could barely contain his joy or his fury, but damn her she had everything coming he could dish out and maybe more. “How dare you disobey me!” “Rob, what is it? What’s wrong?” she asked as she scrambled to her feet. “Don’t you understand where you are? The danger you could be in? Never go out anywhere without me! You could have been raped, robbed, or murdered!” Her faced paled. “I didn’t think--” “Damn right, you didn’t. That’s why women like you don’t belong in places like this. It’s dangerous!” Scarlet flooded her face but he ignored it. “Where the hell have you been?” Her voice was barely audible and she didn’t look him in the eye. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” Tipping her face back to his, he couldn’t help but think she was the most beautiful woman he’d known. And the most infuriating. The anger flooding him moments ago gave way to relief. He let go of her long enough to cup her face in his hands, and then he kissed her. Kissing her was a mistake. It would always be a mistake. She numbed his brain so he couldn’t think, just react. Her lips were as soft as rose petals and tasted like forbidden wine. He wanted her more than he had any woman. He fumbled for the key in his pocket and managed to open the door, pulling her with him, still kissing her senseless.

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“Rob,” she whispered against his lips. Fire and ice. Her lips made him burn, but her mouth was cool and sweet. The sensations threatened to drive him crazy, and his body responded to her of its own accord. It was amazing how well she fit against him, as if she were tailor-made just for him. He groaned when her hand reached under his shirt and grazed his nipple. He was dying with her exquisite torture. “I want you.” Her voice trembled. “Do you want me?” He pulled her tight against him. “Is there any doubt?”

*****

No, there was no doubt at all given the way his arousal pressed into her. Rob kicked the door shut. Uninhibited, she kissed him, learning the contours of his body by touch. So much strength. Too much pride. Even more need. Cali guided the shirt off his back, and over his arms, careful to avoid pulling it against his injuries. As soon as he was freed from the material, he pulled her back to him and began to unknot the sash around her waist. It fell to the floor, followed a moment later by the blouse Maria had given her. Whispered words caressed her skin. “You look like an exotic dancer.” Spinning away, she twirled, the bright print skirt lifting and twisting. She halted long enough to release the material and let it pool at her feet. Heat flared in his eyes, and she recognized the longing they contained. He balled his left hand into a fist, clutching something tightly. Shifting, Cali let her hips sway first one way, then another as she sashayed closer. Please, let him want me enough to touch me, she prayed. She didn’t wait long for her answer. His gaze never left her eyes as he took those final steps to reach her. He tossed a small foil packet to the nightstand and then nuzzled her neck, sending shivers of delight cascading over every nerve ending in her body. Her hands fumbled with the zipper of his trousers as he unhooked her bra. God, his touch felt good. “Are you sure about this, Cali?” he murmured against her throat. Sure? She’d never been so sure of anything in her life. She wanted him in her, each and every powerful, thrusting inch. Cali wasn’t naive, didn’t have plans to entrap him in a relationship he couldn’t support. She was hot, for Rob. “I’m not a virgin if that’s what concerns you.” He brought his hand up to her face, stroked her cheek, and then tangled her hair between his fingers. “I can’t imagine anyone letting you out of their eyesight. But,” he paused. “I have to know that I’m not trespassing on another man’s territory.”

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Like a laser scalpel, he focused on her eyes. She didn’t blink, didn’t break the magnetic connection. “No, Rob. There isn’t another man.” A moment later his chinos were around his ankles, and he’d stepped out of the shoes and pants. His erection strained against his paisley boxers. With one hand, he stroked her breast and rekindled a flame she thought burned out long ago. With the other, he slipped beneath the waistband of her silk panties and into her heat. Her breath quickened as his strong fingers rolled back and forth over her clitoris and through her welcoming folds. “God, yes,” she panted. “Touch me,” he countered. Silk. Her fingers glided over silk boxers that covered his hard length. A low moan slipped from his closed mouth. The sound, a half-strangled sigh, emboldened her. She reached under the waistband, slid the boxers over his hips, and released his erection for her perusal. Her breath hitched. The way Rob stroked her heat, his arousal for her...she swallowed the dry lump in her throat. It had been far too long since she’d let a man get to her like this. Stepping closer, she pressed her thighs against his muscular legs and caressed his penis, growing bolder with each pass. She cupped and squeezed working her way up his hardened length. It was difficult to concentrate. Rob was teasing her nether regions with a sure touch. She peered into his face, tight with the need for release. Encroaching on her space, he moved her toward the bed, kissing her as if she were the only woman he’d ever wanted. Hope leapt like a doe jumping a fallen log. Was it possible she’d journeyed thousands of miles from home to an amazing discovery like Rob? “Are you absolutely sure?” In response, she kissed him back. She ventured into his mouth with her tongue, delighted by the sinuous dance she experienced there. A low moan built deep within and erupted as she pulled her lips from his, “Absolutely.” Breaking free of his hold, she snapped back the coverlet and flopped onto the bed. The speed of her motion caught him off-balance and he fell on top of her. Each glorious inch of his oh-so-masculine body had her pinned to the mattress. Cali slid her hand over his muscular chest. Every angle, plane, and contour was hers to explore unimpeded. Rob devoured her lips with intense passion. It felt so good to be wanted. A small sigh took flight from her weary heart. He lifted his head and peered at her. The question in his eyes was as easy to decipher as one of her student’s readers. “Make love to me, Rob.”

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With a sweep of his hand, he removed her panties and resumed his carnal torment, first with his fingers, and then, once he’d covered it with a condom, with his penis. Wave after wave of heat surged throughout her body. Aware of his injuries, Cali forced her hands to stay on his chest. Her nails raked his nipples, scraped down his chest to his solid stomach. Inch by delicious inch, she was aware of how he physically filled her. His big hands gripped her hips, guiding her movements. Adjusted to his size, he began to slide in and out of her. He lifted his hips, driving more fully into her. She gasped, his motion bringing her a surge of pleasure. The dance of hot, needy sex went on and on. Each movement sent electricity surging through her nervous system. The currents all led to one place, one spot where the energy was collecting for an explosive climax. Sweat dripped from his forehead, ran in rivulets down his torso. The valley of her breasts beaded with perspiration. Tremors shook her body. “Oh, god, I’m coming,” she moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Harder.” Fierce concentration masked his emotions. His balls slapped against her as he drove into her heat. He thrust with vigorous strokes that went hard and deep, nearly splitting her in two. His erection swelled even more, filling her tightly and still she lifted her hips to bring him into her more fully. “Oh, babe,” he groaned. The heat of his orgasm filling the condom sent her over the precipice. Cali throbbed around him as her muscles milked his penis with rhythmic squeezes. She relaxed her hold around his waist, suddenly realizing just how forcefully she’d been gripping him. Her legs had turned to shapeless rubber. “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” The softly spoken apology was heartfelt. He collapsed on top of her then rolled to the side, holding her close. He moved to touch her face, but only managed to groan, “You didn’t.” “You’re hurt,” she said, her voice filled with shame. “I took advantage of you.” “There aren’t many men in the world that would refuse to be taken advantage of like that,” he replied with a laugh. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t do more for you. I’m not up to my usual standards.” The lump returned bigger and harder to swallow. Of course, for Rob, there would have been others, lots of them. She wrapped her heart in a steel band. She couldn’t afford to fall for a man whose life was in Guatemala and not the States. A man, who was used to women swooning at his feet, falling into bed with him, no strings attached. A solitary tear escaped her lids. She knew when she begged him to make love with her she was playing with matches. Who wouldn’t want to snag a successful, handsome doctor? “What are those standards, Doctor?” she managed to choke out.

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He traced the swell of her breast with a finger. Narrowing his eyelids, Cali could see he tried to hide the pain the simple movement caused. “The women I make love to usually come at least three of four times.” Her eyes widened. “Oh.” “By my count, we have some catching up to do.” The jealous thoughts disappeared. He was offering to give her more pleasure. “You’re hurt,” she whispered again, her head nestled against his chest. “I’ll take a rain check.”

*****

He was a cad, Rob thought, waking next to Cali later. Every pore in his body convicted him of a grievous sin. There was no turning back the clock. There was no retrieval of his actions. In short, there was absolutely nothing he could do to erase the past. It didn’t change things though. He knew what he had to do. He had to cut her loose before she became attached to him. A clean scalpel cut would have been easier. He shook his head, realizing he was already infatuated with Cali as it was. This self-inflicted wound would be a deep one. Cali murmured in her sleep, shifting in the bed. He inhaled deeply and braced himself for what he had to do. He couldn’t have sex with her again, no matter how much he wanted to. As if to test his resolve, Cali began to caress him. His cock immediately sprang to life with her touch. He’d always been able to temper his libido, but with Cali something was different. It was as if he’d lost total control of his physical responses. Somewhere his conscious screamed at him to stop and he did. He pushed her away from him. “Time is running out for Juan,” he ground out. Color drained from her face. Her silence gave him the strength to go on, to deny his need for her body. “I don’t have time for this.” Not now, not with you, he continued telling himself. “I understand, Rob.” He saw the tears well up in her eyes just before she turned from him. “It’s okay. Really.” No, it wasn’t. He could see that. But he could not allow her pain to dissuade him from his path of action. Shudders ran through her body. It wasn’t hard to imagine her damming her tears by stuffing a fist in her mouth, but he didn’t hear a sound.

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He waited, until he couldn’t stand it any longer. He couldn’t resist the temptation to kiss her one last time. “Sleep well, California Evans,” he whispered, then walked out of the room. Cali belonged to someone else, not him. Despite her words to the contrary, she was pregnant with another man’s child. He had no right to make love to her no matter how much they both wanted it. He had to keep telling himself that. It was the crux of the situation. No matter how perfectly she fit him, no matter how her kisses had power to arouse him beyond sanity. She belonged in the States with her man where she could be safe. Where she could have the advantages of a civilized, advanced culture It was more though. A fierce protectiveness enveloped him. Would the unknown man in her life take care of her, and the child the way she deserved? Would the father of her baby keep them safe, keep a roof over their heads? What kind of man would let her, pregnant, come to Guatemala alone? The strain of jealousy began growing in him like a virulent virus. Damn, he knew better. He knew better than to act with lust clouding his mind. Knew how vulnerable she was trekking through the country searching for her sister. Cad probably wasn’t a strong enough word to describe the way he had just dumped her. She had his respect. She hadn’t complained once, hadn’t used her pregnancy as an excuse for preferential treatment. He owed it to her to get her out of Guatemala as fast as possible. The best way to start was to make inquiries about Diego and Juan. Then maybe he could make himself say “good-bye”.

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Chapter Seven

Rob approached the street vendors beginning to pack up their wares and asked about Juan and Diego. Yes, a man and a child resembling his descriptions had been in the town on Tuesday. They were last seen headed to a village a short distance from Sololá. Another villager told him the man seemed upset, while another told Rob the man had no vehicle. The news was bad and good. They were three days behind Diego, but he was walking. He purchased clothing from the vendor closest to the hotel without haggling. A white woven huipil, a light long-sleeved blouse, would protect her from sunburn. A perraj would serve as a shawl for the cooler mountain evenings. The refago, a skirt that would wrap around her body, and serve to help her blend in with the locals better was last. The least Cali deserved from him was some decent, clean clothes. For himself he bought a white cotton shirt and a light pair of trousers. No need for him to stand out as a sore thumb next to Cali. She was sleeping when he returned. First trimesters were often hard on mothers he knew. With her hands folded under her cheek and her body in a state of relaxation he suddenly wished he were a painter. He sat down on the bed, hating to break the moment. “Hey, Sleepyhead.” Her eyes opened and she smiled at him. “Hi.” “I went to the plaza, and picked up a few things.” He held up her new clothing. “You didn’t need to do that. Keep your money for Juan.” “I could hardly let you put back on your tattered camping clothes. Besides, your money isn’t going to make it here. It will take at least two days for a wire, and you don’t have any papers on you. You aren’t going to be able to prove who you are. If you’re lucky, someone at the embassy will be able to help you through your cash crunch.” “You know I went to the bank?” “I was,” he paused, “concerned when I couldn’t find you before. I made inquiries.” Scared Diego found you and I wouldn’t know it. “I, I just wanted to take care of myself. Not add another straw to your back.” “Don’t do it again, Cali.” He couldn’t resist touching her again. He put his hands on her shoulders and began massaging them. “Finding you a second time won’t be so easy.” “I’m sorry.”

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“Stop saying that. You apologize far too much.” “I’m sor...” He glared at her. “How are you feeling?” “Fine.” It was a lie and he knew it, but didn’t pursue it further. What good would insisting on the truth accomplish? She rapidly donned her new attire as he shed his clothes and got into native dress. As a disguise it wasn’t perfect but it would do. It wasn’t right. Just because he couldn’t control his physical reactions to her, he didn’t have to treat her poorly. “You look wonderful, Cali.” It was an apology, but it was the truth, too. He was rewarded with a half-shy smile. He fought against taking her into his arms. How was he ever going to resist her charms when she looked at him that way? Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde had it easier. It seemed he had no control over his reactions to her. He had to build a wall to distance himself from her. Just when he thought he’d succeeded guilt assuaged him. Culpability turned into anger, escaping in little snaps and nasty comments. Drives women away he’d been told by more than one of his buddies back in college. But not Cali. Instead of sniping back at him, she’d do something nice or suggestive, carving divots out of his wall, weakening him and his resolve. If he caved in again, he’d never forgive himself for ruining her future. A future he was sure didn’t include him. Making matters worse, every nuance and innuendo she imparted was being seared in his memory banks. She sashayed toward him, swirling the skirt. Like a movie, the last time she twirled her skirt reran in his mind. The incredibly hot sex that sexy movement led to. “Think so?” Then her arms went round his neck and she kissed him. “Thank you, Rob.” Which would he be? Jeckle or Hyde? Gently he removed her arms from his neck. “We better get going before we lose the light.”

*****

Since making love in the room, Rob had distanced himself from her. He’d become more of a stranger in the past few hours than he had been when she first met him. “Why are we headed to San José Chacayá?” This was their destination, a forty-five minute hike from Sololá.

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“A villager positively identified Juan and Diego, and they were headed this way.” She surveyed the surroundings. Trampled grass and rock provided the pathway. Small forests dotted the otherwise open view. “It doesn’t look like there is much around here.” “No, not much. According to the desk clerk there is an old colonial church, and a few scattered homes.” “It sounds like a ghost town.” “Let’s hope not.” Fear for Juan was eating at him, Cali realized. He wasn’t upset with her, just himself. Dusk descended rapidly. The odd assortment of oaks and pines cast lengthening shadows. “It’s getting dark, Rob. Why don’t we split up and meet on the other side of the village. We can search a larger area that way.” A feral growl issued low and threatening from his throat. “It’s not safe.” She had hoped a few moments of time to himself might improve his mood. They hadn’t had a break from one another’s company in three days. I know I need time to get my goals back on track and my head together. If they could get back on Diego’s trail and recover Juan, the sooner she could get to George. Rob told her earlier that he’d made an inquiry regarding George and confirmed she was still hospitalized in Guatemala City. He also told her he’d alerted the hospital staff about Diego. It was generous of him to think of her when she knew he was burdened with worry about Juan. “Why don’t you wait right there, Cali, on that stump.” Rob looked at his watch. “It shouldn’t take me too long, fifteen minutes at most.” Cali grabbed his hand and squeezed. Every time she touched him her heart lurched. “We’ll find him.” He gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll go this way,” he said nodding in the direction of the church. “I’ll see you in about fifteen minutes.” She sat, her heart aching. Rob’s grief weighed on her. There was no way she could alleviate his pain.

Even the intense lovemaking session they’d shared wouldn’t lessen the worry he endured.

Nothing could do that, short of finding Juan alive and well. Searching empty buildings in the deepening twilight would be eerie. So many structures had been abandoned and left to decay over the years. How many were in the woods? This area could be a great place to for Diego to hide with a child. How desperate could he be?

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Birds squawked and flew from their perches. A movement in the trees caught her eye. She hurried the few steps toward the area where she thought she had seen the motion. The woods had quieted. Someone or something had definitely been in the area. At her feet, Cali could see the faint outline of a narrow trail. Rob had told her to stay put, but what if this were a lead to Juan? She looked back at the stump she had vacated. It couldn’t hurt to check out the cause of disturbance. If it were an animal, she’d come right back. She’d stay on the path and wouldn’t go far. The path might lead her to whatever it was she had seen. Carefully she treaded fallen branches and leaves, her skin tingling with awareness. Her ears were more alert, and as her eyes adjusted to the deepening dark, she thought she saw something again. Whatever she’d seen moved quickly. She hurried after it moving deeper into the woods. Just as suddenly, she halted. A sound, unlike any she’d heard before tore the silence asunder. It was a cry, a wail that was otherworldly. She spun around. The trees and the darkness had closed around her. There was nothing to do but go forward, toward the noise. The sounds became more distinct and at the same time more broken. Something was crying. No, sobbing. It sounded human. Her teacher instincts kicked in and she moved rapidly toward the sound. She stumbled on tree roots, and kept on, the volume of the racket increasing. Crashing through the underbrush, she suddenly spied the cause of the sounds. A child, no more than two, was sobbing. Why was this baby alone? Where were the child’s parents? She approached cautiously but to her surprise the little one reached toward her. Her stomach clenched. Something about this was not right.

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Chapter Eight

Nothing seemed to be simple or easy where Cali was involved, thought Rob as he searched the grounds on the far side of the church. Circling back, he covered the area he’d skipped before, looking for some clue of Juan’s whereabouts. If Diego had Juan in this area, he’d left no sign. An overgrown cattle path led from one of the dilapidated buildings near Cali’s spot. He’d just let her know he was checking it out. He glanced up to call to her, but she wasn’t there. He felt his eyebrows furrow and his lips turn down. Why couldn’t she stay put! Would she have gone down the footpath? Of course she would. Rob started down the trail. “Cali! Cali!” The forest was darker than he’d anticipated. It wouldn’t do to get lost himself, so he began breaking branches along the path, a real modern day Hansel. Anything to help point him back in the right direction once he found Cali. He hadn’t gone far when he heard a wailing. Some of the townsfolk had told him the land around the old church was haunted, but he hadn’t believed them. He understood the cause for their alarm now. The source of the latest superstition would be discovered soon enough. He jogged toward the din, ducking under branches, jumping over tree roots. Abruptly the sound stopped. No wonder people thought the place was cursed. He paused to take a look at his surroundings and get his bearing. Without warning, he heard a violent crashing in the brush. He moved back into the cover of a tree seconds before the cause of the noise became apparent. A male, about Rob’s height and wearing a safari-style tan jacket and jeans rushed into the area. He appeared to be frantically searching for something, yet there was an aura about him that made Rob hold back. As the man retreated in the distance, his pale jacket gave off a ghost-like shimmer. So much for the physical manifestations of the other world. That didn’t explain the crying sound though. The visitor was not making those bellows. But if he were looking for the cause of the sounds...he muttered, “Cali. Damn it!” She would be trying to locate those bawls too. He closed his eyes, trying to remember the location where the plaintive wail originated. Adrenaline flooded him as he broke into a sprint of his own.

*****

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Cali approached the child cautiously. She had read stories about people who used children as booby-traps. Was she in such a place? The baby pushed its arms into the dirt, stood, and began walking toward her. The face of this little one was tear-streaked, smudges of dirt marring the baby’s smooth skin. Little hands reached out and fastened onto her skirt. Cali bent down, pried loose the tiny fingers, and picked up the child. The baby nestled against her neck. She had to get back to Rob, before whatever it was she saw came back. She looked over her shoulder in the direction she’d come from. Daylight had all but disappeared in the woods. Cautiously she moved, searching for any sign of the trail she had followed. Without a flashlight it was proving impossible. She took tentative steps, praying her sense of direction wouldn’t fail her. The forest seemed alive with creaks, groans and rustles. The place was creepy. Her breathing quickened. They had to get out of here and back to Rob at the church. A movement caught her eye, something pale and ethereal looking. Was it what she’d seen before? Was this creature stalking, looking for an easy kill in its hunt? She hurried her steps. Darkness surrounded her as branches slapped at her arms and face. Dear God, where was she? As if in answer to a prayer, she came into a small clearing. It was not a place she recognized, but a small stucco house was near its center. With the baby clutched tightly against her she hastened toward the building. A soft light glowed from a window and the baby began babbling. Could this be the tot’s home? At least someone was there. Nearing, she heard men’s voices. They were upset and shouting at one another so loudly they didn’t hear her approach the window. “I told you Diego, this child means nothing to me. This boy does not know where my shipment is.” The voice was deep and menacing. “Juan is the key to finding the teacher. The doctor will do anything to rescue him. He will trade the teacher for the boy.” “But you have lost the doctor, have you not?” Cali didn’t wait to hear any more. Rob was willing to trade George for Juan. This was a trade she could not be a party to. Other doubts and questions raised their heads like a Cobra swaying before a strike. Had he been in negotiations with Diego while she slept? Was this the lead he referred to? The emotional scene in the hall, the passionate kisses, the seduction were all an act. It wasn’t hard to understand really. Rob had sensed her attraction to him and used it to his advantage. The only reason he’d cared she was gone from the room was because of her connection to George.

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What else did he fake? Maybe he wasn’t a doctor at all, or perhaps one without a license in the States. Could he be a part of some illegal operation? An adoption ring, a clearinghouse for drugs, or a means of laundering illegal money? With the baby, she was seriously hampered. She had to get out of the forest, and get to the authorities. Above all else, she had to avoid Rob Masters. Clinging to the shadows of the house, she edged her way back into the woods. Getting back to the woods was the easy part. Getting out of them, near the deserted town was another thing altogether. She looked down at the toddler. The little boy or girl had fallen fast asleep, grubby thumb in its mouth. Now all she had to worry about was making noise and giving away her location to the man she thought was Dr. Right.

*****

The “ghost” Rob had been following broke into an open space and ran toward a stucco house. An alarm bell went off in Rob’s mind. If the area were deserted, why would there be a light coming from this isolated home in the forest? The man entered and moments later Rob could see him standing near the window. Trying to stay out of the pool of light pouring from the window, Rob approached the home. When he heard animated talking, he stopped. Eavesdropping could be advantageous. “Has the missing child been located?” Ghost spoke. “No.” “Did you follow her trail? How difficult can it be to find a two-year-old? That girl is worth twenty-five thousand dollars American to me!” Rob peeked through the window. The man who stood to lose the big bucks sat in a cane chair like he was a king. Rob was sure he was king, but king of what? “The crying stopped, Señor. The woods, they have no light.” “Then take a light with you, fool!” As if adding an afterthought, he continued. “Did you give the child the medication?” “Yes, Señor.” Ghost visibly cowered. Rob turned back against the wall, blending into the shadows. Child smuggling was not tolerated in Guatemala, although the numbers of children missing increased daily, as did the numbers of children on the streets.

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“There is something else, Señor.” There was a long pause. Ghost spoke again. “The doctor Diego seeks...” “Sí, what about him?” “He is in Sololá.” “Ah, that is good news. Is there anything more?” “Sí, Señor. He has a woman with him.” Euphoria bubbled forth. “The teacher! Even better. Well done, Esteban.” There was another moment of silence. The voice of elation now turned harsh. “Now, find the girl, or I take the money I lose out of your miserable hide!” A shadow moved across the window, and Rob scooted around the far corner of the house. Ghost, Esteban, would be back in the woods, this time presumably with a flashlight. Rob would have to find the urchin first. Then he had to make sure all of them got the hell out of Dodge before dawn.

*****

The fates were with her, Cali thought, as she spied another broken branch. The moon cast a faint light, enough to see that someone had marked the trail with broken branches. Cali was grateful for every piece of luck she got. It stunned her yet. The information she’d overheard about Rob. He didn’t seem deceptive and her instincts about people were usually right on the money. This development rocked her trust, in him, in herself. How could she have been so naive? With no money, she was in trouble. While her soul screamed at her to run away fast, she knew she had nowhere to go without money or her passport. She would have to play it smart to get to Guatemala City and the American Embassy. Walking was an option, but it would be difficult. She still felt some of the after-effects of her ordeal in Rob’s Jeep. She was ill equipped to travel far on foot. The chicken bus was out of the question. She didn’t have a quetzal to her name. The baby continued sleeping.

It wouldn’t hurt to rest a moment.

Mentally, physically,

emotionally, she was exhausted. She would rest just a moment. A moment or two she could use to figure out what her next step would be. She moved behind one of the trees with a broken branch. She could lean against the trunk and catch her breath.

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The baby started fidgeting a few minutes after they sat down. Cali felt remarkably refreshed. The baby was fresh, too. Cali didn’t remember the last time she had smelled the pungent odor of a dirty diaper. Most babies cried when they soiled their diaper, but this one didn’t. Cali took the baby several yards away from the tree. She couldn’t do much about the wetness, but she emptied the solids, and threw dirt and leaves over the top of them. She wiped the little girl’s underside with leaves, then stuffed other, larger leaves into the diaper in an attempt to keep the wet cloth away from her bottom. The woods were still dark. Cali remembered she had the branch trail to lead her. Any place away from the men she’d heard plotting was a good place to be. Once she found her way back to that dilapidated church, she could easily find her way to Sololá. Once there, she could alert the authorities to the illegal activities occurring in the forest just outside of town. Somewhere a mother was grieving for her missing daughter. Cali could only imagine the heartache the experience would create in her own soul. Gradually the trail gave way to the forsaken village. There were a few stars peeking through the overcast sky. The road back to Sololá would be difficult alone. With the little girl, she didn’t want to risk it. Anyone could be on that narrow street. Best wait until daylight on an old pew in the church than risk the dangers of the road. She opened the church door and entered. She pushed aside cobwebs. Small clouds of dust rose with each step she took. Once the dust settled no one would be able to tell she had been in the church until sunrise. By then, she planned to be on her way. At the front of the sanctuary was a partially curtained door behind the lectern. With her elbow, she pushed aside enough of the heavy velvet to reach the handle. She shoved the door open with her hip relieved to see an old wooden chair. The padding was crushed thin in places, and the upholstery was far from perfect, but that chair looked exceedingly comfortable. She would rest in that chair, cuddling the baby. In the morning, they would look for something to replace the nasty diaper.

*****

Rob searched several hours for Cali. How could she have disappeared so completely? The beam from Esteban’s flashlight slashed the dark. Ghost hadn’t found the child or Cali, and had been criss­ crossing the area as long as Rob.

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The man running the child ring was not happy. When his men found Cali, she would be in deep shit. If she had the little girl with her, it would be worse. The criminal element in Guatemala was violent. More than one victim of a crime had been found either shot dead or with their throat slashed. He came upon one of the branches he had broken when he first began his trek into the woods. The bough was hanging at an angle much more severe than what he had left. Kneeling, he looked at the ground under the leaves of the traumatized branch. Nothing. A light pierced the darkness. Ghost was back. Rob scurried to the other side of the tree, holding his breath. He exhaled when the light continued on. It was with his next breath that he realized he had discovered something. The unmistakable odor of feces. Using the scent to lead him, it didn’t take long for him to figure out Cali had been here, with the baby, leaving the evidence behind. Rob scrambled to his feet. Would Cali have noticed the damaged branches and followed them? With her intelligence, he had no doubt she had followed his trail back to the head of the cattle path. When he found her, though, he was going to throttle her for not listening to his directions and staying put. In the distance, he could see Esteban’s light. Esteban would be back this way soon. It would take him a couple of passes before he noticed the broken tree limbs. Rob had to get to Cali and get her somewhere safe. Following his trail, he made it back to the deserted village in quick time. Where would she be? He hoped she was smart enough to stay in the village. The church, with its solid foundation, would be the best place to stay and to hide, if she knew she was being pursued. Few clouds blocked the light cast by the stars and moon. It would make Rob’s search for Cali easier, but also Esteban’s. His adrenaline surged again. Time was short. The doors to the old sanctuary opened easily. Pale swathes of moonlight fell on the floor in rectangles, illuminating row after row of wooden pews. Rob walked down the center aisle looking down each row for signs of the impetuous woman. There wasn’t a trace. He continued on into the altar area. There behind the lectern was a heavy curtain. Cautiously, he pushed it aside, revealing an open door. Cali’s legs were over the arm of a well-worn chair, her skirt flared out in a nearly regal fashion. Her back was wedged into the opposite corner. In her arms, a child slept. This was Cali in her element, a nurturing, caring woman. Their natural repose showed no sign of fear or agitation, just total relaxation and peace.

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Peace he had to destroy. The child in Cali’s arms had to be the one Esteban searched for so doggedly, the child that was worth twenty-five thousand dollars to the man selling her. Quietly, he went to her and placed a hand over her mouth. “Cali.” Her eyes flew open, radiating fear. Rob clamped his hand harder against her lips. “Shh. Someone is trying to find the baby.” She nodded and he removed his hand. “Is it her parents?” “No,” he whispered. “Who then?” He extended her his hand. “A big guy, named Esteban.” She took his hand and a jolt went through his arm. He pulled her up and noticed she quickly withdrew her hand, as if his touch repulsed her. “How close?” she whispered. “Very. We’ve got to get back to Sololá A.S.A.P.” “I can take her to the police.” He seized her upper arms. “You can’t go to the police.” Cali jerked away. “Why not?” “They’ll think you took the child. Without papers they’ll jail you without hesitation.” “I can’t keep the baby. She’s not mine.” “Our best bet is to get to Guatemala City as soon as we can. We’ll get the two of you to the Embassy. They can keep you out of custody once we get there.” Rob moved to the doorway. “We don’t have much time. Esteban wasn’t far behind me.” Cali nodded. “I don’t think the baby is well. She seems listless.” He put a hand on the baby’s forehead. “Fever. The sooner we get back to the hotel the safer we’ll be.” Holding aside the velvet curtain he let Cali pass. A sick child complicated their situation further. With each passing hour, their situation was increasingly dangerous. Rob had to keep Cali from going to the authorities. In these small backwaters, it was difficult to tell whose pocket the police resided in. “King” sounded like a big pocket. There were probably several members of the local force on his payroll. It wouldn’t take long for “King” to hear about a fair-skinned woman with a toddler and he would know it was his missing bankroll. Several times Rob stopped to look at the child, alternately switching the carrying duties with Cali. Bright red cheeks were indicative of a nasty fever that could be anything. The sooner they could

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get the little girl cooled down, the better she’d feel. The sooner they got to Guatemala City, the better he’d feel. Rob kept to the side of the road where they could duck behind trees for cover if necessary. Fortunately, they didn’t encounter the tell-tell beam of a flashlight aimed their direction. They should be able to make it back to their hotel room well before sunrise and get a decent night’s sleep. Later, when the stores opened he could look for baby supplies. At least the baby would help him keep track of Cali. She wouldn’t go anywhere if it would risk the child being returned to an adoption ring. Reaching the hotel, they immediately went to the bathroom at the end of the hall, Rob holding the child. “Turn on the tub, Cali. Let’s get her cleaned up and cooled down.” Cali obeyed silently, turning off the water after the tub filled just a few inches. “Here, I’ll take her now.” Rob handed the little girl to Cali. She was a natural mother, holding the baby’s back in the crook of her arm to make sure she didn’t topple. If the baby had been well, he doubted she would fall, but with her fever, she was lethargic. He appreciated Cali’s concern for the girl’s welfare. “You finish up with her and I’ll get some of the things we need to take care of her. Use a towel as a makeshift diaper.” He had acetaminophen in his backpack. He paused, then patted Cali on the shoulder. “Go back to the room and stay there.” She tensed when he touched her. It seemed as if she were ready to engage in a war with him. She let out a breath and her muscles relaxed as she nodded. Maybe she had learned her lesson after all. But, what lesson was it?

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Chapter Nine

Cali finished cleaning the baby and headed back to the room. The baby was cooler than before but still quite warm. She pulled back the coverlet and top sheet and laid the girl in bed. Above the bed was an overhead fan, which Cali turned on. Cali lay on her side next to the child. Bright spots still highlighted the toddler’s cheeks, but she had fallen asleep, an angelic looking innocent. Cali turned onto her back and watched the whir of the fan. In the past few days her life had begun spinning out of her control... right into the hands of a bossy, know-it-all doctor with kisses that could sidetrack her easily. His touch burned a path to the pit of her femininity, making her want him to fulfill her most basic biological urges. She had to resist him. If she gave way to the instincts plaguing her, she’d not be able to get to George before Rob. Rob Masters was the enemy. He would win. He would trade George for the little boy he loved. There had to be a solution, a way to retrieve Juan, and get George back to the States. The answer however, eluded her. Closing her eyes, she wondered just how this whole doctor adventure was going to turn out. When she woke, Rob was sitting in a chair, watching her. She swallowed. Why did his chocolate brown eyes have to look at her so intently? The moment was heavy, like a dark cloud waiting to thunder rain down on them. “How long have you been back?” she whispered. He shrugged. “A couple hours. I got some acetaminophen, but I didn’t give it to her.” He held up a container holding a red liquid. Cali rubbed her eyes. “Why?” “She’s too inactive and quiet for her age. I believe she was drugged. I don’t know what she was given, so I don’t want to chance anything that might interact badly.” He’d recited to Cali the symptoms the child exhibited when he left. The realization that the baby could be drugged hit him like a hammer, and he’d forced a shopkeeper out of bed to get supplies for her. “Drugged?” He nodded. “I’ve also got drinks for her to help restore her electrolytes. And diapers.” He held up a package of disposable diapers. “Throwaways? Here?” She could hardly believe it.

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“It’s not the big city, but the town does try to cater to tourists with families. As a matter of fact, that may be our best way of getting to Guatemala City.” Her mind, still clouded from sleep, didn’t make sense of his words. “I don’t follow you.” He grinned. It was a little lopsided, but sexy as all get outs. Damn it, why did he have to look like that? “The three of us will be a family.” Blinking, she looked him in the eyes, as she sat up. “Are you serious?” “Why not? The rural population is fond of foreign families. Less of a threat to them if a couple already has children of their own.” “You’re talking about hiding in plain sight?” “Yes.” Cali tucked pillows on each side of the baby, stood, and wandered toward the curtained windows. “What about Diego? He’s looking for you.” “Esteban is looking for you,” he countered. Weariness slumped her shoulders. He hadn’t mentioned Juan. The trade. Dear God, her stomach ached as if she'd just been slammed in dodge ball. “Juan is here.” Rob leapt from his chair and spun her around. “What?” “In the woods, there was this house, I heard these men talking about Juan. I think one of them was Diego.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” She pinned him with her gaze, then ground out between clenched teeth, “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to exchange George for Juan?” Shock seemed to explode from his eyes. “What on earth are you talking about?” He kept his voice low, but Cali could tell he wanted to shout. “Diego said you would do anything for Juan, even exchange the teacher for him.” He inhaled a sharp breath, and then let it go, reminiscent of a balloon deflating. “Don’t you trust me, Cali? Diego’s wrong. I’ll get Juan back on my terms not his.” The situation was rampaging out of control. She returned his accusing stare and deflected his question with one of her own. “Why is Esteban looking for me?” “He thinks you’re George.” Her eyebrows arched. “Again?” Rob released her arms, and she rubbed them gingerly. His grip had left red marks on them.

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“You do bear an amazing likeness to her.” The scattered thoughts she had before began collecting like fall leaves being raked into a pile. “How fast can we get the baby to Guatemala City?” “We can catch a bus to Panajachel. Last bus leaves about six-thirty tonight, and then we can get another one to Chimaltenago." Her plan was formulating. “Is there going to be a lot of red tape about this little girl?” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “There’s always red tape here. A child will create even more.” “Rob, you’ve been in Guatemala a while. Do you, um, do you have any contacts?” “As in government?” She paused a moment in order to choose her words carefully. “As in American. Someone who could meet us say, halfway to Guatemala City, or even just outside it. Someone we could leave the baby with.” “You want her?” “No, not like that. She needs to be returned to her parents. Just by someone you trust. Someone that can handle all the red tape and see that she gets home.” With his hesitation, she thought he might not have a person he could turn to. How many people had he managed to alienate? His idea about getting to Guatemala City as a family had merit. If they could leave the baby somewhere safe until they had the time to deal with the red tape, they could slip out of Sololá and get back with no one the wiser. He spoke in slow, measured words. “There is someone I can call.” “Great. I think I have a plan that will get us out of this fix.” “Oh?” She sat back on the edge of the bed. The little girl appeared to be sleeping comfortably, her natural color returning. “Sit down, would you?” She tried to be polite. She didn’t want to have to argue her way into carrying out this plan. If she didn’t get his hackles raised before she even started, she had a chance of convincing him it would work. If he agreed, they would have lost little time in tracking Juan. Quickly, she outlined her strategy. “It will work Rob, I know it will.” “I don’t like it, Cali. Not a bit. But, we are woefully short on options. I’ll go along with it for now. I have to have your word though, that you will do as I tell you, no questions asked.” Oh, she’d do as he told her all right, as long as it fit in with her master plan. “Absolutely,” she lied through her teeth.

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Chapter Ten

Rob held out his hand for Cali and the child as he departed the red chicken bus late that afternoon.

Dave was waiting for them inside the bus station at Chimaltenago.

When Cali had

mentioned contacts, Rob’s mind immediately conjured up Dave. Although it had never come out publicly, Rob was fairly certain Dave was a member of the CIA. Dave nodded his head slightly to the left and walked off, leaving behind a satchel. Rob picked up the beaten leather bag and looked inside. “What’s that?” Cali’s whisper broke his perusal of the contents. “Papers for you, more money. A note. A key. We need to follow him.” He handed Cali the blurry driver’s identification he’d found, then pocketed the key and money. Rob saw Dave turn a corner and grabbed Cali’s elbow. “He’s around the corner already. Move!” Together they made their way around the corner in time to see Dave make another turn. Rob picked up the pace, putting his arm around Cali’s shoulder to propel her faster. He hoped the gesture looked like that of a dedicated husband. A few more blocks and he saw Dave enter a small non-descript hotel. He guided Cali through the door and took the room key from his pocket, heading them toward the stairs. Dave was waiting when they entered. “Rob, good mind.” Rob nodded. “What are we up against, Dave?” “If it’s child smuggling as you suspect, there are a couple of key players. None that like to lose.” Rob eyed the gear Dave brought. The backpack was well equipped. Among the items were a radio transmitter/receiver. “How’s this going to help?” “The radio set is half of a matched pair. If you should find yourself in over your head, and away from normal channels of communication, use it.” “Weapons?” Rob pulled a large pistol from the bag. “I’m not going to need this.” “If you are going to play with the big guys, you better have some of their toys.” Clearly Dave thought this business was going to get a lot rougher before it got resolved. Anything that involved Diego Montoya was bound to get nasty. The man had burned his clinic to the ground. “You really think there will be gunplay?” “Nothing here is as safe as it should be. Yeah, I think you’ll need it.”

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Rob let out a heavy breath. “I haven’t touched a gun since my dad died.” “Good, you have firing experience.” Rob nodded. “We used to hunt until he had a fatal heart attack in the field. After that it lost its appeal.” “As long as you aren’t afraid to use it,” Dave said. Cali’s voice broke in. “Surely, using a gun won’t be necessary.” Rob steeled himself. He didn’t want it to be necessary, but Dave was right. Civilized was not the back woods of Guatemala. “You heard the man.” Turning to Dave he continued, “Show us how this one works.” “This is a .45 automatic Glock 31. Each magazine holds thirteen rounds. This is the safety...” In no time at all Dave had shared with Rob the basic functions of the pistol. “Any questions, Cali, Rob? If Cali’s face was an indication, she was appalled at the possibility of using such a powerful weapon. She whispered, “No, I don’t think so.” Dave pushed her. “If someone is pointing a gun at Rob, can you fire this weapon?” Rob saw the quandary in her eyes. He knew the answer for himself. His mission was to save lives, not take them. It was the vow he had taken, and did his utmost to uphold. He would find another way to control the situation. He tried to rescue Cali from answering Dave’s question. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, Dave.” “I can answer, Rob.” She looked him in the eye, and then turned her gaze on Dave. “If I am in a situation where I have to shoot, I will.” “You will?” Rob’s voice rang in tandem with Dave’s. “I can do anything I need to when the time comes.” Her impetuousness scared the hell out of him. If Diego and Cali crossed because of Juan or George...there was no telling what sort of trouble there would be. He’d just make it his responsibility to see that they didn’t. The best way to do that was by staying close to one of them. Cali’s proximity made her the logical choice. Stubborn and prone to ignore his advice, she wouldn’t be easy to baby sit. It would be more difficult if Cali didn’t trust him. If she believed he had something to do with George’s disappearance, he didn’t have a chance. Keeping her safe would be problematic.

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She was easy on the eyes though, with her sorrel hair and nicely rounded figure. Dave looked from Rob to Cali, then back to Rob. “You’ve got yourself a live wire here, Masters.” Frowning, Rob nodded at Dave. “Don’t you know it.”

*****

Dave took the child from Cali. She was surprised at how attached she had become to the little girl. Dave impressed her with his seriousness. She felt confident he would make sure nothing happened to the young girl and that she would be reunited with her parents. With the keys Dave had given Rob for an ancient, white Land Rover, they were set to go back to Sololá in the morning. With luck, Diego and Esteban would not know they had ever been gone. Dave had given them disguises to wear. Cali rinsed her dark locks with peroxide. Rob lightened his as well. The highlights in his hair gave him a distinguished look. Cali felt like a clown. The clothes were even more ridiculous.

Her jeans flared at the hem like an old pair of

bellbottoms. A well-worn leather cowboy hat topped her head. The pink tee shirt she was wearing was so tight it revealed the stitching on her bra. Looking in the mirror, she saw a middle-aged woman pretending to be a teenager on the prowl. Rob, on the other hand, looked like a bevy of Hollywood starlets should be chasing him. He was also wearing jeans, and a tee shirt. The tee conformed to his upper body like a second skin, accentuating his muscular build. His upper arms looked as if he’d spent a lot of time lifting weights in a gym. Rob fished some quetzals out of his pocket and handed them to her, then eyed her as if he had spotted dessert. “You look great.” Cali ran a hand through her hair. “It’s not how I would describe it. Approaching her, he ran his fingers through her tresses. “You can fix it when you get home.” His nearness was unsettling. Magnetism emanated from him that made her long to be in his arms, a place that offered nothing more than a false sense of security. She moved away from him, her hair drifting through his fingers. “Easy for you to say. Peroxide is murder on hair.” Moving back into her space, he lifted another stand and twirled her bleached hair around his finger. “Are you sure you’re up to this? I can go back alone.” “I thought we agreed that rescuing Juan was something that would take teamwork.”

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“The first objective is to find Juan’s location.” He rubbed a hand across his forehead. “You’re safe here. I can’t let you do this.” “Rob, we both know we have a better chance at success if we work together.” Rob turned from her then and walked to the window. “It’s too risky.” Oh, no. He was not deserting her again. “Do you think I’m thrilled about this? But I won’t let you leave me behind again.” He still didn’t look convinced. “We had a deal,” she said with iron in her voice. “If you had stayed with Maria, I’d have Juan back by now.” Indignation filled her at his accusatory words. “Are you blaming me for Juan being with Diego?” “I lost precious time tending to you.” “Have you forgotten I was the one that found out Juan and Diego were in Sololá? Or that your buddy, Diego, got me involved when he tried to kidnap me? If you hadn’t tried to leave me behind...” she let the words trail off, hoping they would sink into his obstinate brain. He turned from the window and stared at her. “You complicated the situation by finding that child.” She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. “If you’re trying to tell me you would have left that baby to the mercy of Esteban, alone in the woods, I just won’t buy it.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care what you believe about me.” All this arguing was getting them nowhere. Cali had not been with a more stubborn male in all her life. “Are you hungry?” His sudden change of subject caught her by surprise. Had he seen they were getting nowhere too? That there was nothing he could say that would change her mind? “Yes.” “I’ll go get something.” He stormed past her as if she ceased to exist and walked out the door, slamming it behind him. Cali went to the window and watched him leave the hotel. She didn’t take her eyes off him until he rounded a corner. Picking up the room key Dave left behind, she walked out the door. She had to find a phone. Cali decided against using the one in the hotel lobby. She’d walk the block and see if there was a public area that might have a phone available. At the next corner was another small hotel. Entering, she spotted the payphone against a far wall.

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Punching in numbers, she charged the call to her home phone, then connected to the Hospital Centro Médico. The hospital was able to confirm George was still a patient, but would not release any more information about her condition. At least George was safe. She stole back to the room, frequently glancing over her shoulder for any sign of Rob. He would not be pleased to know that she had been out on her own once again. Oh well, he had no claim on her, and she was a bona fide citizen of the United States with rights of her own. She could go where she darn well pleased. Rob got back to the hotel room within five minutes of Cali’s return. That had been a close call, but she had gotten away with her own intelligence gathering. What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. The scent of the food made her mouth water. “What is that? It smells delicious.”

*****

If Miss California Evans thought she had gone out undetected she was in for a big surprise. In fact, Rob was so angry at her leaving the room again it was all he could do to keep from throttling her. He’d seen her enter the hotel as he came back bearing their dinner. What could have been so important that she had to risk being discovered again? This time he forced himself to remain calm. Let her think she had gotten away with something. Because there was no way in hell he was going to trust her to stay put. She obviously had no regard for her own safety, and he couldn’t worry about her while he was out looking for Juan. He could just put a little something in the cola he’d bought for dinner. Something that wouldn’t hurt the baby and give her a solid night of uninterrupted sleep. He entered the room, deposited the dinner on the low dresser, and went to his backpack. “What are you looking for?” Her question was innocent enough, but her duplicity made him wonder about her motives. “Utensils. I should have something in here...ah, here.” He palmed a small packet in one hand while retrieving a spoon. Turning his back on her, he opened the bottle of cola and almost deposited the contents of the sleeping aid. He just couldn’t bring himself to drug her. He brought her the drink, and her dinner. “Eat your fill,” he commanded. For some reason she didn’t argue. He wasn’t proud of his near treachery. It still seemed the best way he could protect her from Diego and herself, and get to Juan.

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“This chicken is really good.” She smiled. “Why aren’t you eating?” Even seemingly normal conversation felt odd to him. “In your condition...” Cali interrupted him. “You can stop with all that “in your condition” nonsense. I’ve a few muscles aches brought on, no doubt, by all this hiking we’ve been doing. Otherwise, I feel just fine.” He let out a pent up breath. Okay. If she was sensitive about the pregnancy, he wouldn’t mention it. “Taking care of my patient.” “I’m not your patient any more. In my opinion, I am quite fully recovered from my heat exhaustion fiasco.” She took a swallow of cola. She could think whatever she wanted. It didn’t change the fact that she was his pregnant patient. “And what about your baby?” Cali’s face went white. “My baby?” Rob nodded. “I, I’m, uh...” He watched the muscles in her throat work while words didn’t come out. “Irresponsible when it comes to the life you are carrying in your womb. Your man should never have let you come to this country in your condition if you didn’t have the sense to figure it out yourself." The confusion he saw in her eyes was replaced with white-hot anger. “I am not pregnant! How dare you call me irresponsible.” She poked him in the chest. “And since when is it your business to decide what I should or shouldn’t do, with or without ‘my man’?” He imprisoned her hand in his, locking his gaze onto her. “Since you walked into my clinic, since you found it necessary to hide in my Jeep and develop heat exhaustion. That’s when you made it my business.” She turned to walk away. “It’s not.” He trapped her in his arms, forcing her to face him. She was not running away before he had answers. “What are you telling me, Cali? That I shouldn’t care about my patient and her unborn child?” “I’m telling you Rob Masters, that you are wrong. I’m not pregnant. There is no man in my life.” His eyes narrowed. “You’re not pregnant?” “No.” “Then what in hell were you talking about?” Her eyes went wide with surprise. “I told you I was pregnant?”

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Rob nodded. “You asked me to keep you and the baby safe. That you didn’t want pictures taken of the infant.” He watched her scramble for an explanation that wasn’t coming. Now her eyes narrowed, piercing him with razor sharpness. “When did I do this?” “When I found you in my car, you were--.” “Hallucinating?” “Yes, about losing the baby.” She felt her face flush as she figured out what had happened and the memory of that hot trip returned. She’d been thinking about having children while she was in the back of that Jeep. “No, Rob, I was hallucinating about having one.” “Then you really aren’t pregnant.” She looked up into his eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s what I’ve been saying for a while now.” There was a smolder in his eyes, replacing the righteous indignation he had expressed to her moments ago. Impetuously, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. “It was very sweet of you to be thinking of me, of us,” she giggled, “like that.” Warmth seeped into her. She liked being in Rob’s arms. At least now, she knew why he’d fought his attraction to her. Belatedly, she realized his misconception could have helped her keep her distance from him. Would have kept her out of those protective arms. It would have kept those searing kisses far from her. She felt him pull her tighter against him. When she looked into his coffee-colored eyes she saw his need, knew his intention. “I’m going to kiss you.” She whispered, “Do it.” His lips covered hers and she gave in to the heady sensation. Sparks like static electricity jumped through her skin, sent her heart racing. Goosebumps raised on her arms. Desire ran through her veins faster than a jet car on the Bonneville salt flats. He explored the edge of her mouth with his tongue. Surely there was no way her heart could beat any faster. Cali wanted more and knew she couldn’t have it. She’d let him kiss her, but no more than that. More would risk what she had come to Guatemala for. She couldn’t do that to George. Rob Masters was the enemy, she reminded herself again. If he’d be willing to trade George to regain Juan, what would he be willing to trade her for? Cali pulled out of his arms and popped open the cap on the another bottle of cola. She had to change the atmosphere before she tumbled into something she would later regret. “Like another?”

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He moved closer. “Absolutely.” She needed to diffuse this sexual bantering. She opted for playful. “Not that, handsome. This.” She extended the bottle toward him. The embers of heat she saw in his eyes threatened to engulf her in flame. “Chicken.” “Pretty much,” she replied. The moment had passed. Cali had managed to halt the rush to the place those kisses would lead once she escaped his arms. She spared a glance at his face. The desire he’d worn openly was hidden. Deep down she wanted to continue the sexual banter and see if would lead back to bed. Too bad. “Have you always lived in Chicago?” Yes, the moment had definitely passed. “For the most part. What about you?” “It used to be home.” The words were spoken with a sadness she didn’t understand. She sat next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Not anymore?” “Nope, Guatemala is home to me now.” “Why?” He took a swig from his bottle, and then rubbed the cool glass across his forehead. “Why what?” Cali took a bite of the spicy pollo. “Why isn’t Chicago home any more?” “Nothing’s there for me.” It was a simple answer and seemed forlorn. Did he accept being alone as his fate? “Nothing?” “Not a thing. Figured I could be of more use here.” She took another drink. “Why Guatemala?” “Why not?” he countered. “It’s so different from the United States.” “Look at your hands. Your expensive manicure is ruined. Your kind doesn’t fit in here. Guatemala suits me.” Anger at his prejudice boiled in her veins. The fake nails, the stupid shoes, the best outfit of her closet had all been sacrificed in her ‘power suit” attempt to get George home. She snapped. “So you can be macho?” “So I can be useful, Cali. Haven’t you ever wanted to know you made a difference?” She frowned. “I teach, remember? I make a difference every day I’m in the classroom teaching children to read, helping them to see more of the world around them. In my own way, I save lives too.”

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“I wasn’t implying that your work was unimportant. Just wondering about you wanting to know you made a difference in people’s lives.” “I believe I am. I won’t know, until one of those children return to me in the future and tells me I influenced them. You can know. You have evidence when you fail and when you succeed.” The fight she’d seen a moment ago fled. Disillusionment settled around his shoulders like a heavy cloak. “Juan is my proof. It’s part of the reason I have to find him.” Softening her voice she asked, “What’s the rest of the reason?” He stood, stalked to the curtained window, and kept his military-straight back to her. “I love him.” So, the tough doctor had feelings after all, Cali thought. She didn’t think she’d hear him admit it, but he did. It made her all the more concerned that somehow he would find a way to disrupt their plan. If everyone thought she looked like George, then she would be. “We’ll go back to Sololá and begin looking for clues about Diego. Once we’ve found him, we figure out where Juan is,” Rob said. “Yes, then I will create a distraction. Part of that will be making Diego believe I am George.” “Then I grab, Juan, meet up with you, and we get out of there.” There was an underlying tension in his voice. “Rob, what has you so worried? This plan is too simple to go wrong.” “Too many factors that we have no control over.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Trust me.” He snapped back. “I don’t trust anyone.” “Maybe that’s part of your problem. You’re being unreasonable. I can help you get Juan back.” “And how are we going to get you back, Cali?” “I don’t plan on being captured.” She sighed. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” “And your way is?” She put her hands on her hips, trying to quell his concerns with her no-nonsense attitude. “The easy way.” He ran a hand through his bleached hair. “And the hard way?” She gave him her brightest smile. He wouldn’t like the choice; he would consider it nothing short of blackmail. “I do it without you.” “Have you given any thought to what could happen to you if Diego captures you?”

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“Of course, I have. Have you given any consideration to who is better able to deal with Diego? An adult, or a frightened child?” Rob paced the length of the room. “You still haven’t answered my question. How are we going to get you back?” “I’ll just lead Diego to his stash. The cavalry can ride to the rescue once I’m out of his lair.” “There might not be a cavalry, Cali. What will you do if I can’t get back to you?” She smiled slyly. “I read Hansel and Gretel. I’ll leave a trail.” “This is serious! This isn’t some happily-ever-after fairy tale, Cali! This is real life. Real people disappear, real people die!” Determination laced her next words. “Are you coming or not?”

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Chapter Eleven

The night was never-ending, Rob thought, as he packed their gear in the Land Rover the next morning. His body had wanted to toss and turn in the double bed he shared with Cali, as he thought of her going after Diego alone. She, on the other hand, had given him her ultimatum both in regard to Juan and the bed. If he slept on the floor, so would she. Blackmailed again. He wouldn’t allow that, so he’d lain next to her, knowing she was nearly naked. And didn’t sleep. The woman was too stubborn for his sanity. She was too sexy for his body. The two drove him to distraction, even as he willed his body not to move so he wouldn’t wake her. One thought replayed in his mind over and over. He couldn’t let her face Diego alone. She might act light-hearted about the role she was about to play, but Rob knew Diego would remember what Cali had done to him in the woods and see to it she paid for her attack. He also had no doubt Cali would do as she said which left Rob her sole protector. The last time he’d faced Diego, he had failed miserably. He couldn’t afford to screw up this time. Not when Cali and Juan needed him. Swaying those delectable hips, she came to the truck wearing the clothes Dave had brought her yesterday. They fit her like shrunken leather, revealing every trace of her figure. Sweat broke out on his forehead, beneath his arms. He knew every nuance, irrationally wanted every inch of her to be his. With her hair lightened, she looked even more like George. Fear settled hard in the pit of Rob’s stomach. Cali hopped into the vehicle. “Let’s get this show on the road.” “You don’t have to do this, Cali.” She rolled her eyes. “Do we really need to rehash this?” “No, I was just--” “Hoping I’d change my mind?” He climbed into the Land Rover. “Yeah, something like that.” She turned and looked him directly in the eye. “When hell freezes over, buster.” He scowled. He hated being in this position. One last time he checked the pack Dave had brought them. The pistol was positioned near the top for easy access. “If all goes well,” she said, “we won’t need that.”

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Shifting the car into gear, he responded. “If it doesn’t, we will.” They made the trip to Sololá in good time. A kilometer from San José Chacayá he pulled the Land Rover off the road, and covered it with brush. They would finish the rest of the journey by foot. The chances of someone spotting the vehicle during the night were slim, but it wasn’t dark and if he had to err, it would be on the side of caution. He pulled the Glock 31 from the backpack and tucked it into the waistband of his trousers. With daylight, it wasn’t difficult to find the cattle path they had each wandered before. The bent branches guided him in the direction of the plaster house. They walked without so much as a word, but Rob had Cali by the hand. No way was she getting away from him in this place again. The events of his search for Cali and the discovery of the home were too easy to recall. All around him were reminders. He came upon the clearing sooner than he thought they would. He skirted it by staying in the brush, in an attempt to determine if it was occupied, and by whom. From within the building, there were no sounds. “How did you know this place was here?” Cali spoke in a subdued voice. “I found it looking for you.” He squeezed her hand. “These guys are dangerous.” Quietly, they made their way to the window where he had heard Esteban relate to “King” the information he had about Cali and Rob. A peek into the window confirmed his suspicions. No one was there. Once inside the home, Rob nearly gagged. The putrid stench of garbage mixed with urine and feces assailed him as he attempted to search for clues to Juan’s whereabouts. Dirty diapers were pushed into one corner of the large room. Remnants of food were shoved next to them. A large number of small children had been held in the house. “Dear Lord,” she whispered. “This is awful.” A noise behind a wooden door startled him. “Let’s have a look at what’s behind door number three.” Holding the Glock Dave had given him in his right hand, he threw the door open with his other. A small howler monkey leapt out. Cali laughed, releasing nervous pent-up energy. He allowed himself a moment to chuckle, as they looked through the trash for some sign of Juan. His chuckle ended abruptly when he glanced out the window and saw Esteban and another man just stepping into the glade. He swore. “We’ve got to go!” He pulled her up and dragged her out the door. “Run!”

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Like greyhounds after a rabbit, Rob raced across the glade hanging onto Cali. They weren’t fast enough. He heard Esteban yell in Spanish. The criminal had spotted them. Scurrying, they gained the cover of the woods. Together they inched their way back to the bough trail in a near total silence. Then they sped through the ghost town toward the Land Rover. They slowed down just enough to catch their breath, and then ran again. Rob could still hear their pursuers behind them. They hadn’t gained any ground on Esteban and his accomplice. Finally, they reached their destination. Rob began to clear off the brush. Cali’s hands feverishly knocked branches to the ground. “Hurry, Cali!” “I am!” She shoved the last of the foliage off the vehicle and climbed in. Bang! The first bullet shattered the glass of the rear window. “Get down, Cali!” Rob twisted the key in the ignition. The vehicle sputtered. He tried again, “Come on you.” The engine roared into life as another bullet hit the passenger window. Rob shoved the gear into position, and left a cloud of debris in his wake. As his speed increased, the tires began sliding on the dirt. Behind him all he could see was a curtain of dust. All he could hear were stones flying and colliding with one another. They reached Sololá and slowed down. Just a few turns to the road to Panajachel. They’d be home free once they hit that intersection. Five minutes later, he allowed himself to relax. A minute after that he noticed a burning sensation in his right arm. He spared a glance at it and realized he was bleeding. He looked into Cali’s face. Her eyes were as big as Frisbees. “Are you okay?” “Better than you.” He found a small road leading toward a finca and drove down it a mile or so before pulling over. The radio was in the bag on the floor under Cali’s feet. Rob leaned over to open the backpack. His upper arm bulged. The pain intensified and he felt a fresh wave of blood run down his arm. “Sit back. I can get it out.” He didn’t argue. His arm stung as if he had been seared with a branding iron. She pulled the radio from the pack, turned it on then gave it to him. “Dave, are you there?” There was a sound like crumpling tin foil after he spoke. A static-filled voice answered. “What is it?” “Meet me at the hotel.” “What’s happened, Masters?”

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Rob glanced at his arm again. “I’m playing with the big boys, and they clipped one of my wings.” More static. A longer silence. Finally, “Is Cali with you?” “Yes. She’s safe.” “See you back at the ranch, doc. Over and out.” “Out.” Softly, Cali gasped. “You’re shot.” He managed a rueful smile. His right arm would never be the same again. “I am. You make a very astute doctor.” Damn, but her face was white. “I think it’s only a graze. All we’ll have to do is clean it out and bandage it up. Dave will be able to tell for sure.” The terror was still etched in her features. “I’ll be fine.” He tried to reassure her. “Dave’s on the way.” The color hadn’t returned to her face. If he gave her something to do she’d get through this turmoil. “Help me get this thing dressed.” She looked at his arm, then into his eyes. She sat up taller, her backbone returning. “What do I need to do?” “Get the gauze and antiseptic out of the backpack and soak the gauze with it.” Miracle of miracles, she did as he told her. But now wasn’t the time to rejoice in this minor victory over her obstinacy. “Now, clean the wound.” Her small hands trembled as she held the cloth to his injury. “This will probably--” “Son of a bitch, that stings!” “I was about to say that. Hold your arm away from your body and look out the window.” He frowned. “Look out the window?” “You’re a doctor, haven’t you ever told a patient to do something else while you injected them?” Rob did as she asked. “A few times.” She placed a cotton square over the wound and began wrapping a long narrow cloth around his arm. “I bet you did it more than a few times.” With a gentle tug she tightened the wrap and secured it with clips. “There you go, doctor. That should hold until we get to Chimaltenago. “Can you drive a stick?” She nodded, doubtfully. “It’s been a long time though.” Cali got out of the vehicle and went to the driver’s side. Rob put his arm around her as he pulled himself out. “Thanks. You make one hell of a nurse.” He didn’t let go. She felt too damn good. “I should thank you.”

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“For?” “I froze a minute ago. I’ve never been around that much blood before.” “If this is your first gunshot wound, I’d say you did just fine.” “I thought I was stronger.” An overwhelming need to comfort her overcame him. “You are strong, Cali. You’re the strongest woman I’ve met.” “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” He looked into her hazel eyes. “No, you really are. I don’t know another person who has taken on the responsibility of a sibling the way you have. To come all the way here and not back down is admirable. You have my respect.” As he spoke the words he realized it was the truth. Dave had called her a live wire, and she was. She was also so much more. He bent his head toward hers and their lips met. He hadn’t meant the kiss to be sensual, but it was. Her lips trembled slightly under his, and he felt her hesitation. He couldn’t let her go. He rubbed his lips against hers for long moments, and enjoyed her softness. He coaxed her to relax as he ran his tongue over the edge of her lips and explored just inside her mouth. He held her tighter against him. Her feather soft sigh against his mouth sent a landslide of sensations through his body. His groin tightened as his heart beat faster. He wanted this woman. Wanted to be in her, show her how desirable and special she really was. He broke the kiss, opened his mouth to speak. “You’re an amazing woman, California Evans. Don’t forget it.” She was breathless and he was glad. She wasn’t immune to the physical attraction that sparked between them. Before Cali had to leave for her life back in the States he would show her what she was capable of. Rob let go of her and ambled to the passenger side of the Land Rover, as she got into the driver’s seat. With an ear-splitting grind of the gears, Cali put the car into reverse and retraced his trail down the two-track road. A little later, he broke the silence. “Have you always wanted to teach?” “No. I didn’t have a lot of goals and aspirations when I was younger. I liked everything but not anything enough to follow as a vocation.” “Then how did you get into it?”

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“I volunteered at the library, read stories to little kids, got them interested in books, and I realized that I needed to help kids get excited about books and learning. By that time, George was in the classroom and I got to see the good and the ugly of teaching in an inner city school. I was hooked.” Cali didn’t say any more. She looked as if she were digesting their narrow escape. “Want to talk about what just happened?” She eased the Land Rover onto the main road, headed toward Chimaltenago. “Who were they?” “Esteban was the tall one. I didn’t recognize the other.” “Were they waiting for us?” It was a good question. “I don’t think so. They didn’t follow us in a vehicle.” But, Esteban and company had made the car and it wouldn’t be long until someone spotted them and tipped off the “King’s men” to their whereabouts. This was a situation Dave would have to handle with his buddies in the company. To all appearances it looked to Rob as if the baby ring had vacated the building. Dave and his friends had the resources and support to find small clues and go after them.

It could be major coupe and aid

relationships between the two countries. Cali was silent, apparently lost in thought. She ran her tongue over her lower lip, as if she were recalling the sensations their kiss had just released. Rob’s blood pressure escalated. A pothole jarred them, and she spoke. “They’ve spotted us now. They know we’ve located them. There’s no way they’ll go back to that house with kids.” “I’d agree.” “So, then, we have to go back to Sololá, once more, and this time make sure Diego, or Esteban or your “King” see George. It’s our last chance for a lead to Juan.” Rob rubbed his temple. Cali wasn’t going to let this plan of hers go. She continued. “But, you can’t go.” He swore under his breath. “Why not?” “If they figure out you’re the guy they fired on, they’ll know you came here looking for Juan and get spooked. They’ll disappear faster than Easter candy. Besides, you’re shot.” She had a point. Injured, he wouldn’t be up to one hundred percent capacity. There had to be another option. He wasn’t letting Cali go into the dragon’s lair alone. “I’ll stay hidden until the time comes for me to act.” “But--”

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“No buts. We do it my way or not at all. As soon as Dave looks over their handiwork, we’ll be back on the road.”

*****

Dave was waiting for them when they arrived at their hotel. “That will leave a nice scar, but it didn’t go deep and the bullet kept on traveling,” he commented. “I have more than one scar from this adventure already, Dave.” Cali spoke. “Is he going to be able to back me up with that injury?” “Can you shoot left-handed, Rob?” “I’m ambidextrous when it comes to weapons. Dad made sure all his boys were comfortable with pistols, rifles and using each hand to shoot with.” Forgive me, Pops. Cali glared at him. He could see it in her eyes that she didn’t buy the lie. He wouldn’t let her or Juan down. Not when they were this close. “Cali should wear a wire.” Cali looked taken aback. “A wire?” “If they are in another set-up like the one we saw outside San Jose Chacya, won’t it be too remote?” Rob asked. “Not if we set you up with a receiver, taping what is sent. Getting this down would provide evidence of the crime and help put these guys away.” Rob looked at Cali. It was almost as if he could read her mind. In this they were in agreement. If they could rescue Juan and put Diego away, they would have accomplished more than they had conceived. “I’m game,” Cali replied. “Are you serious, Cali?” Rob inquired. “People like Diego and his associates set a bad example for the kids here. It isn’t unlike the pushers in the cities who make kids believe their way is the best way to get ahead. Let’s get this creep handled.” He smiled at Cali, hoping that she saw in his eyes the pride he felt for her decision. “Give us the details, Dave.”

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Over the next hour, Dave reviewed with Cali and Rob their plans, and the operation of the listening/recording device. Rob was glad to have the distraction. It kept Cali’s mind off his capabilities, or lack of them. And it nearly kept his mind off Cali. She was intense in her study of the equipment Dave provided. Her eyes radiated a commitment to making this additional step work. Her dedication to a child she had never met affected him nearly as much as her mind shattering kisses. Would she give her all without hesitation if they surrendered to their mutual attraction again? Would her eyes reflect the pleasure he could give her?

The questions burrowed into his mind,

constricting his thoughts like a boa constrictor. Rob had already seen she was not easy to stonewall. When she believed something was the correct course of action she followed it, accepting the consequences without complaint. It was up to him to convince her that loving him was the correct course. Whoa! Loving him? No way. He just wanted to reexperience mutual pleasure with her. He didn’t want her love. Love with a woman like Cali, in a place like Guatemala, was not logical. She didn’t fit here and personal love most certainly didn’t fit into his equation of aiding humanity. That sort of love was self-involving, made one lose perspective. He just didn’t want to let her go without knowing what she looked like when he was buried deep within her and no worries clouded her mind. “Any questions, Rob?” Dave brought him back to reality. “Rob?” Damn, caught like a kid with his hands in the cookie jar. “Uh, no.” “Cali, I need to speak with Doc in the hall a minute. We’ll be right back.” Rob followed Dave out the door. “What is it, Dave?” “You, Masters. Your head was a long way from the intricacies of taping a radio transmission.” “I just don’t think this is the right course of action,” he covered. “What would you do?” “What if I took Cali to Diego and I wore the wire?” “I’d like it better. That gal is strong, but can she keep her cool if she knows everything she says is being recorded, especially once your buddy starts to lean on her?” Rob remembered her shock at realizing he’d been shot. “She’s strong, but sometimes it takes a moment for the strength to overcome the fear.” “That was all bullshit about your dad teaching you to shoot with both hands.”

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Deception was not his strength, and Dave saw through his lie too easily. Rob nodded, tilting his chin in defiance. “I can’t let Cali do this alone.” “I’d go in there with her, but the company has me on another assignment. I’m risking my career just being here with you.” “I appreciate all you’ve done for us, Dave. This is out of my depth, and even further out of hers. I learned a long time ago to consult the experts when I’m faced with a situation I don’t understand. In this, you’re my expert.” Dave clasped him on the shoulder. “Nice vote of confidence. Are you sure you can handle this?” “Sure. Why?” “’Cause man, your head isn’t in the game right now.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “You’ve lost your objectivity. I don’t blame you. Any American male in this hole would want to take ‘Beautiful’ to bed.” “Is it that obvious?” “That you want to get into her pants? Hell, yeah, it is.” Dave rubbed his fingernails on the shoulder of his shirt. “And that little lady is in need of some good ol’ fashioned lovin’.” Blood pounded into Rob’s temple. “You think so.” “No, man, I know so. If you aren’t gonna take it, ol’ Dave here will be glad to step in for you. She is one hot p.o.a.” P.O.A? Who the hell did Dave think he was? If anyone were taking Cali to bed it would be Rob— again. “Thanks for the warning. I can handle Miss Evans and her needs without your advice.” “You haven’t so far. Just want to make sure I’m not overstepping bounds if you’ve got a claim on her.” A bucket of ice water wouldn’t have shocked Rob more. He spoke through clenched teeth. “I’m much more to Miss Evans sophisticated tastes than the likes of you.” Dave shrugged. “So you do have a claim. Just don’t get a hole blown in her. It would be a damned awful waste.”

*****

“Don’t get a hole blown in her.”

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Dave’s warning reverberated throughout Rob’s brain.

Maybe he had lost his perspective.

Somehow this had gone from retrieving Juan to protecting Cali. There just had to be a way to do both. Thoughts plagued him as he walked the plaza with Cali, trying to be spotted by Esteban. The idea of Cali or Juan bruised, bloodied or maybe dead gave Rob no peace. “Rob? Are you okay?” The concern for him in her voice alarmed him. He couldn’t have her worried about him if she were to keep focused on their job. “Sure. Why shouldn’t I be?” “You seem jumpy.” God, it would feel so good to be in her arms right now. But he couldn’t allow her nurturing side to come forth. He needed the tenacious Cali, ready for battle. “You’re not? Don’t you have enough sense to be afraid, Cali?” She turned and put a hand on his sleeve. “It doesn’t matter. We have people depending on us to help. Worrying or being afraid doesn’t change our responsibility to them.” He squeezed her hand before letting it go. “This whole thing is surreal. None of it should be happening. You should be living a nice quiet life in Chicago and I should be practicing medicine among people who are in dire need of care. Neither of us should be trying to lure men like Diego into our little sphere of influence.” “You’re right, we shouldn’t, but we are. Diego took Juan and directly involved me when he tried that kidnapping stunt. We didn’t have a choice. It’s just the way things are.” “I’m worried about you, Cali.” There, he’d said it. She knew he cared about her. She moved ahead. “Don’t be. Our lives were meant to cross at this point and place in time to get this particular job done.” He shortened his stride to remain next to her. “You’re getting your wish.” Rob nodded toward the end of the plaza. “Diego sighting at noon.”

*****

A change had come over Rob since he’d been shot, thought Cali as she hurried toward Diego. Was it a tactic to keep her from playing her role as George? The nonchalant attitude she’d adopted since he’d been shot was an additional drain on her energy, but she had to do this in order to recover George. It also buffered her against her growing feelings for the dark-haired doctor.

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Diego looked as frightening as she remembered him. She hoped he didn’t remember the pain she’d inflicted on him, but she doubted it. Boldly, she walked up to him. It was easy to be bold with Rob at her side. “I hear you have been looking for me.” Diego spun around to look at her. “Sí.” “Hello, Diego.” “Dr. Masters. I see you have what I’ve requested.” The glare Rob gave Diego was nearly as frightening as Diego himself. His words came out as a throaty growl. “Where is Juan?” Diego stuck a cigarette in his mouth. “With some acquaintances of mine.” Rob yanked the cigarette from Diego’s mouth and threw it on the ground, grinding it into the dirt with his heel. “Listen up lowlife, this lady isn’t going anywhere with you until the boy is back in my care. Is that understood?” Diego laughed. “Virilidad comes forth. I wondered about you, if you were man enough to protect the boy and claim the woman.” Looking Cali up and down, Diego licked his lips. “She could bear a man many children I think.” The overtly sexual gesture and innuendo made Cali angry. What a slime ball! “My ability to bear children is none of your business,” she lingered over the word, “Señor.” “Spirited, too. She could bear me many children I think, should I decide to keep her.” Cali saw Rob clench his hands into tight fists. “This woman is not for sale, Diego. She will never be yours.” Diego laughed again, sending chills down Cali’s neck and arms. “That remains to be seen, doesn’t it, Doctor.” “What remains to be seen is if you have kept Juan safe.” “Sí, it comes back to the little one.” Diego snapped his fingers. “You will just have to follow me, Doctor.” Cali reached for Rob’s hand. Surely he could quell the trembling she felt throughout her body. No wonder he had been so concerned for Juan’s safety. Diego was a predator who knew no limits. He gave her hand a squeeze, and then released it. They followed Diego to the edge of the town, then onto a footpath. They walked in silence for what seemed an eternity before they stopped. Diego snapped his fingers and a man came running out of the woods. “Bring the child!” Diego commanded.

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The man hurried to obey Diego’s decree. Moments later, he returned pushing a little boy in front of him. Cali looked into Rob’s face. Recognition flared in his eyes before she saw grim determination take its place. Rob called out to Juan in Spanish. A childish voice replied, then the boy was shoved out of sight once again. “Satisfied, doctor?” “No.” Diego frowned. “He is well, is he not? He has not been harmed as I promised.” “A man would be a fool to accept the word of the likes of you,” Cali interjected. “Dr. Masters is clearly not a fool.” “Enough! The she-devil has a sharp tongue.” Diego raised a hand to caress Cali’s cheek. “Tell me, Masters, does she scream in the throes of her passion?” Cali jerked away. If this vile man touched her again, she wouldn’t be held responsible for what happened next. “Leave her alone, Diego.” Diego dropped his straying hand, the glower of Rob menacing. “For now, Doctor” A grunt issued forth from Rob. “I’m satisfied you have a live child, Diego. Nothing more.” Rob turned to leave, guiding Cali with him. “Where are you going, Dr. Masters?” “Diego, if you need the Señorita’s information as desperately as I suspect, you will follow us back to our hotel, with Juan.” They took several more steps back down the path. Around them, pine trees partially blocked the sunlight, making odd patterns on the trail. “No, Doctor, the boy is mine. You will do as I tell you. You will follow me.” Diego turned and walked off. Would Rob call his bluff? The man holding Juan was not in control of his faculties. Would he lose control so close to an apparent victory? Cali breathed a sigh of relief when Rob began to follow Diego. His minions fell in behind them. This didn’t fit in with his plans. She had blown that by approaching Diego in the first place. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. The scowl Rob gave Cali chilled her.

She was an intruder who had made a relatively

straightforward situation more complex. “Keep your mouth shut, Cali. This isn’t some game we can

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start over again if we lose.” Each word was hurled like a dagger, piercing her heart, as he stomped ahead. Cali froze to the spot. Rob had never spoken to her like that before, had never lost his temper so completely. His words cut her, his physical abandonment a salt in the open wound she’d just received. Did he think she was playing? Her sister’s life was just as important to her, as Juan’s life was to him. “Hey!” Cali yelled when one of Diego’s men pushed her. She swung around and hit him in the face with a resounding slap. The next thing she knew, the man had thrown her on the ground and she was kicking at her attacker. The man tried to grab her arm and she snapped at him, sinking her teeth into his hand. Her foot connected with the soft spot just under his kneecap, and as Diego’s lackey hobbled, she struck again with a blow to his genitals. She knew a moment of satisfaction when she heard his audible grunt. Cali heard people running toward her. Help was on the way if she could hold out a little longer. Her hair fell into her face so she couldn’t see. She struck out blindly toward anything that moved. No one hit her, dammit. No one. No one was taking her where she didn’t want to go. No slime bag like Diego was having sex with her without her consent, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to put up with the man she loved swearing at her. Hands grabbed her ankles and she continued to buck. Arms reached under hers to hold her still. “Let me go, you moron!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. Through her anger-induced haze, she heard one sentence repeated over and over. “It’s me.” She stopped to take a breath and opened eyes she hadn’t realized she’d shut. She was suspended above the ground. Rob held her under the arms, and Diego’s lackeys had her feet. “Put me down.” She was astounded by the strength she still had in her voice. “Not unless you promise to calm down, Miss Evans.” That was Rob’s voice, cool and professional sounding. How could he stay calm at a time like this? “I promise.” They were two of the hardest words she’d spoken in some time. “Back your men off, Diego,” Rob ordered. “Unless they want to end up like that one.” He leaned his head toward the man still crumpled on the ground. Diego snickered. “Let the she-devil go.” There were two men holding her ankles. Each moved to the side of her leg before they lowered her. Rob continued to hold her under the arms. “What the hell did you think you were doing, Cali?” he whispered. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

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“I don’t like being pushed around, Doctor.” She ground out each word as if she were pulverizing granite. “Miss Evans, you will pay for that,” Diego hissed, “as you will pay for the lack of respect you showed me some days ago.” “Tell your creeps to keep their hands off me,” Cali demanded. “No one, and I mean no one touches me without my permission.” “I am sorry to disappoint you, Señorita Evans. In Guatemala, women do not give the orders. They take them.” He gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his dark eyes. What was in his eyes was lust. “You will be so much fun to tame.” “Lay off, Diego! Your man shoved her, and she fell.” Diego sneered at Rob. “Tie her up. She will not hinder our journey any longer.” Rob took the length of rope handed him and secured her arms behind her back. Diego tested the knot’s security. “Keep your woman under control, Doctor.” “I am not his woman.” No man would push her around, no matter how good his intentions. “I hate you, Rob,” she said with a sneer.

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Chapter Twelve

As they trudged further along the path, Rob couldn’t help but think Diego was right. Cali was a she-devil, an independent, spirited, stubborn woman. He hadn’t been happy about tying her hands but, damn it, she had brought it on herself when she attacked Diego’s henchman. He smiled at that thought. She had hurt the man severely enough he couldn’t keep up with their party. His knee was swollen and bruised. Cali had damn near dislocated the man’s kneecap and initiated her own debilitating brand of birth control. It was disquieting that she hadn’t considered Juan in her outburst. The boy had been far enough ahead of them that he hadn’t seen most of it. He didn’t want Juan to be afraid of Cali. In an emergency situation, Juan had to be able to trust her. “We stop here for the night.” Diego had his men make camp and get a fire started for the evening meal. Rob led Cali to a large rock a short distance from where the men were setting up camp and sat her down. “I know you’re not happy with our predicament right now.” She glared at him. “Understatement of the year.” “You wouldn’t be tied up if you hadn’t lost your temper.” “I wouldn’t be tied up if you hadn’t lost your temper.” He knelt in front of her, commanding her with his eyes to look into his. “I didn’t lose my temper. I was merely pointing out your actions were getting us into deeper trouble.” “You yelled at me! Then stomped off. If you had stayed in control, that ape wouldn’t have shoved me and none of it would have happened.” “Cali, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Diego must be taking us to the exchange point. This whole thing will be over before sunset tomorrow.” “Maybe for you. I still have George to consider.” He brushed aside an errant lock of her hair. The silken strands begged him to play with them, but he dropped them like they were liquid nitrogen burning his skin. “With Diego out of your hair, and Juan back, helping George should be a lot simpler.” “Rob Masters, I could, I could--” “You still talk too much.” “And what are you going to do about it?”

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He leaned forward, cupped her face between his hands. “You already know.”

*****

How dare he kiss her after what he had allowed to transpire! She turned her head, but he only used his hands to turn it back to him again as he continued to kiss her. Why did his kisses have to feel so good? Anger welled up inside her as she thought about how easily she capitulated to him. Without hesitation, she bit him on the lip. “Ouch! Why you little hellcat.” He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her again. The kiss was hard, fierce, and bruising. It was a kiss that overpowered her in every sense. It demanded her to surrender, to stop fighting the inevitable. Gradually, his lips softened on hers and she kissed him back, signaling her defeat at this moment in time. She darted her tongue into his mouth, taking over where he had left off. Laughter caused her to glance past him. Diego and his men were still occupied with setting up camp and having a good time in the process. “Don’t you ever do that again,” he whispered against her lips before he began another sensuous assault. His tongue danced with hers. She took and he gave. He took and she gave. Their breath mingled until Cali was unsure which one of them was breathing. Her heart hammered, and she wished she could place her palm on his chest. She couldn’t. Her hands were tied behind her back. “Rob,” she whispered breathlessly, aching to feel him touch her intimately. “Stop.” He pulled his mouth away from hers and inhaled deeply. “This isn’t finished, Cali. Not by a long shot.” Powerful lust filled his eyes as he stood. “I’ll see if I can’t convince Diego to let me take that rope off.” Cali watched him walk away. What on earth had she gotten herself into with this man? And how was she going to get out of it? She closed her eyes to think. It did no good. She still felt his kiss on her lips, in her mouth. Oh, how she wanted to make love to him again. To know what it would be like to be uninhibited in his arms with no misconceptions between them, to fall asleep and wake up satiated and safe with him. Before she went back to the States she would have one real night with him. A night she was sure would be like no other of her life.

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He came back bearing a tortilla with food as the sun began its descent. “Hungry?” He held out a morsel to her. She opened her mouth like a little bird waiting for its mother to drop in a worm. He didn’t drop it. Instead, he sat next to her and rubbed the morsel over her lips, popping in the warm flat bread when she parted her lips. “Mmm.” The moan escaped her as she rolled the tortilla bite around in her mouth. “You’d better stop that.” Licking her lips, she asked, “Stop what?” “That moaning. Someone is going to think more is going on than just me feeding you.” Cali looked into his face. His eyes reflected humor, and a warmth she hadn’t seen in quite some time. She couldn’t help but tease. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip and tried to sound sultry. “Would they be wrong, Doctor?” She watched his Adam’s apple move up and down. His eyes sought hers out as if he were trying to ascertain her seriousness. “Considering you’re not my woman...” he paused just long enough to make her regret those words, “No, not entirely.” She was pleased when he was unable to keep from focusing on her lips. She parted them slightly as he put a piece of roasted chicken in her mouth. Her tongue darted out and rolled around the bite before she drew it into her mouth. “Are you deliberately trying to get a rise out of me, Cali?” She looked below his waist and smiled. “Nope. I’ve already done that.” “Vixen.” She changed the subject. “What did he say about my hands?” His face took on a serious appearance. “Diego doesn’t trust you. Between what you did to him, and that last guy, I’d say he has good reason.” “So, what next?” “I finish feeding you. We cuddle for warmth, and see what the morning brings.” “If you expect me to believe that, I bet you have a bridge to sell me, too.” He popped another bite into her mouth. “Actually, I’ve been thinking. If I stay awake long enough to see our companions go to sleep, we could grab Juan and make our escape.” The pines around them would provide shelter and concealment. If they got out of range the forest floor would even absorb the sounds they made. “It’s not bad, Rob. It’s just too easy.” “Easy?”

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“There’s a reason you haven’t been tied up. I can’t see why they would leave you loose during the night, unless they were planning something, and having you free fit into that plan.” Cali watched Rob scrunch his face together thinking it through. “You are tied up because of your assault on Diego’s man. I’m not, and you wouldn’t be if that incident hadn’t happened. Why?” He snapped his fingers. “Juan.” “Diego will have that boy trussed up in such a way that you wouldn’t dare leave.” “There is another alternative, Cali.” She nodded. The alternative was on its way. Diego walked toward them with a heavy rope in his hands. “It is nice to see the two of you so cozy,” Diego said. “Let it not be known that I am adverse to a man being in love with his woman, and not wanting to leave her side.” “What are you blabbering about?” Cali inquired. Rob poked her in the ribs with his elbow as soon as the words were out. “You need to learn your place, teacher.” Diego motioned to Cali. “Sit in his lap.” Trying to position herself on Rob’s lap, she wiggled her bottom against him. Instantly, she felt his reaction. “Sorry.” “Your arms, doctor. Put them around her.” Rob did as requested, and Cali felt the sparks that had been flying between them leap into a single hot flame. Diego tied the rope around them, trussing them up together as tightly as two joined halves of a zipper. “Buenas noches.” Cali watched Diego and his men hunker down in their bedrolls near the fire. She snuggled closer to Rob and leaned her head into his shoulder. “If it weren’t for the fact we were tied up...” she started. He nodded. No one spoke for long moments as the last rays of the setting sun disappeared beneath the horizon. One by one, the stars popped out in the night sky. Minute by minute, the temperature slowly dropped. This was not the kind of night Cali had imagined spending in Rob’s arms. For now, though, it would have to do. “Cali,” Rob whispered against her ear. “Try to turn around so your hands are next to mine.” She moved against him, sucked in her stomach, and tried to make more room to move. She spread her knees and managed to straddle his thighs. Just a few more inches and she’d be straddling something else more primitively masculine. Her heart beat faster. Even in a situation as desperate as this, she couldn’t control her responses to him.

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Behind her, she could feel Rob working the knot of her rope. His hands were at an odd angle, but his fingers plucked away at the tangle of cord, finally loosening one. In short order, the rope slackened and she shook her wrists free. Cali scrambled off Rob. She brought her arms to her front and gently rubbed the spot the rope had chaffed. Then she set to work on Rob’s bonds. His arms dropped like they were encased in lead. “God,” she whispered realizing the pain he had endured, “Your arm...are you all right? “Thanks.” Returning to his lap, she wrapped her arms about his neck. His left arm held her tightly against his chest. “You have to tell me. Your right arm has gone through a lot the past few days.” She pressed her lips to his, swallowing back the heat that threatened to engulf her. “What next?” She leaned into his left side and placed her head in the hollow of his shoulder as she watched the fire burn low and begin its change into glowing embers. “We sit and wait, Sweetheart.” Waiting was always the hardest part for Cali. She’d been called impetuous, impatient, a creator of her own destiny. The truth was she just couldn’t stand doing absolutely nothing. Rather than dwell on what she couldn’t do at the moment, she put her energies into memorizing the texture and scents of this time with Rob. Even injured, there was a power in his physique that couldn’t be denied. She could feel the ripples of his chest and stomach muscles. She put a hand to his chest and felt his heartbeat steady and strong. There was strength in this man. Commitment, too. He had been relentless in his pursuit of Diego in order to find Juan. His steadfastness was soon to pay off. He and Juan would soon be a family. “It’s time.” Cali moved off his lap and stood. When Rob got to his feet and extended his hand, she took it. Together, they crouched in the starlit darkness and moved toward where Diego had Juan. The wall of man in front of her suddenly stopped, then pulled her after him behind a tree. “What is it?” “Diego has company.” Rob pointed to a light moving down the hillside toward their little camp. “We need to get closer to Juan.” Cali followed Rob’s lead as they inched their way closer to where the little boy slept. In the distance a twig snapped, the sound like a gunshot in the silence of the night. Diego jumped to his feet, grabbed Juan and, yelled for his men to get up.

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Blam! There was a spark of bright light from the gun of a man standing near the camp. The bullet found a target. One of Diego’s men went down like a felled tree. Blam! Another shot. Another man down. “Esteban! Why do you fire on my men?” Diego shouted. Diego’s answer was the deadly click of the pistol as the hammer was cocked back again. In a last ditch effort, Cali watched in horror as Diego pushed Juan at Esteban. In the same moment, Rob jumped toward the boy and shoved him aside before he covered him with his body. Another shot fired as Cali launched herself at their mutual enemy. Everything was arms, legs, screaming, and blood. Cali landed one knee on someone. In her peripheral vision, she saw Rob roll off Juan and jump onto Esteban. She scrambled to Juan, helped him up, and ran with him behind the rock she and Rob had leaned against earlier. Juan’s eyes were filled with the terror unfolding before him. She brushed her hand over his hair and ran back to help Rob. “Stay here.” Rob was astride Esteban and the two rolled in the grass struggling for supremacy. “Grab the gun! Diego!” Cali looked toward where Diego was lying, unmoving. A few feet away, she found the pistol. She cocked the hammer and screamed at the top of her lungs. “Stop or I’ll shoot!” The men continued their struggle. She shrieked again. “I mean it, I’ll shoot.” Her words had no effect. Esteban had Rob by the throat and Rob was pushing back with a hand in Esteban’s face. She pointed the gun with both hands, forty-five degrees away from them and fired. The recoil knocked her hands back, but she stood her ground. Both men froze. “I told you I’d shoot.” She leveled the gun at Esteban. He released Rob and slowly moved off him. It seemed weapons had a language all their own that transcended translation needs. “Where’s Juan?” “Behind our rock.” She managed to breathe. “Safe.” “Hand it over, Cali.” She was only too glad to give Rob the gun as he’d requested. She ran back to the rock and got Juan, and the length of rope Diego had used to tie them. Taking the rope from her, Rob tied Esteban, hand and foot, to a nearby tree. The quiet after the explosion of sound was eerie. Cali moved toward Diego. He hadn’t moved since she’d first noticed him in the grass. A dark splotch slowly spread under his chest. “Is he...?”

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“Dead?” Rob moved to Diego and turned him over. “He’s breathing. Get one of the bedrolls!” Rob placed his hand over a wound squirting blood with each beat of Diego’s heart. She hurried to obey him. “Tear it into strips. The bullet severed a major artery.” She tore the cloth as quickly as she could, trying to keep her eyes off the man. Diego raised a bloodied hand to Rob’s face. “Amigo.” He took a labored breath. “Seek Martín.” “Martín?” “Answers.” A soft whisper of exhaled air was Diego’s last breath. Cali felt her stomach lurch. Hastily, she ran toward the nearest tree and vomited. Rob was a few steps behind her. “Cali.” She whirled to face him. “What kind of a world do you live in? My God, the blood! He died, right in front of me, in front of Juan!” “It’s the way things are here.” “It’s ugly and violent and cruel. How can you just accept that? How can you let that be a part of your everyday life?” “I’m trying to change it.” “You aren’t. You are just patching up the holes. You’ve run away from something to this nightmare, and you accept it as a matter of course. He features grew steely hard. “You just saw a man die, Cali. I know it isn’t easy, and the way you saw him die didn’t help. Your reactions are those of any sane, civilized person.” “You’re not reacting. Are you that hardened to the violence and crime? Or are you just telling me you’ve lost your civility?” “You’re overwrought, emotional. I can’t reason with you in your current state.” He turned and began to walk away. “Coward,” she called after him. Cali couldn’t accept this was the sort of life Rob wanted. The gunfire, the blood, the needless waste of life, even one as twisted as Diego’s, was like something out of a bad Hollywood movie. To accept it was incomprehensible. George was a part of this world. It didn’t make sense that George accepted it without question. She stomped to another tree and slumped against the rough bark. With her head in her hands, she thought of George, who she was, and what she represented. In the long minutes of self-reflection, she

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came to a new realization regarding George. George did something dangerous in order to prevent greater tragedies.

*****

Rob went to Juan and held him. The scene that had unfolded in front of this child was something no child should ever have to see. “Juan, he was a bad man.” “Sí.” He stroked Juan’s dark hair, trying to comfort the terrorized boy. “Even bad men shouldn’t die the way Diego did.” “Am I bad, Señor?” The question, barely audible, shocked Rob. “No, of course not. You make mistakes and I make mistakes. That does not make us bad, Juan, just human.” “Do not bad things happen to bad people?” “They do. Bad things happen to good people, as well. You are a good person, Juan. A bad thing happened when Diego took you away.” The boy appeared to consider his words. “Do good things happen to bad people?” “They do. In my experience, the people who choose bad on a regular basis, end up unhappy, and their poor choices and illegal actions end up hurting them.” “Like Diego?” Rob squeezed the child’s shoulders. “Yes,” he whispered, “like Diego.” If he could have prevented the disease of violence with an immunization, he gladly would have vaccinated Juan. The truth was, there wasn’t a way of preventing outbreaks of violence, only attempts at containment. Some days, it worked. Other days, like today, it didn’t. Kids like Juan bore the scars, physically and mentally. Men like him picked up the pieces and tried to patch them back together. Cali once accused him of acting as if he were God. He knew better. If he were God, none of this business would happen, and there wouldn’t be a need for doctors. Clouding his mind were Cali’s accusations. He didn’t think he was God, and he wasn’t running away from anything. Even though violence was often a part of his current world, he didn’t embrace it. How could she be so wrong about him? The snapping of a twig brought the woman of his thoughts back into his presence. “Better now?” “I’ll never accept that life should be like this.”

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Her face mirrored her words. She’d never be able to accept the everyday violence that was daily life in Guatemala. “I don’t accept it, Cali, but it’s reality here.” She sat down next to Juan and ruffled his hair. “How’s this guy doing?” “All in all, I’d say okay. It’s not something I’d wish any kid to witness.” “They can be amazingly resilient. Just give him an opportunity to talk with you about it whenever he wants. Don’t let him allow what he’s seen tonight to fester.” He was tempted to tell her he knew all that. He realized, though, she was well intentioned, so he didn’t rebuff her. “Thanks, Cali.” “What do you think Diego meant about seeking Martín?” “I think it has something to do with the exchange he was brokering.” “Juan and George?” Rob nodded. “I want to get back to Sololá, get the Land Rover, then get Juan to Maria’s. Someplace I know he’ll be safe.” “And then?” “We go to Guatemala City and have George released for medical care in the States with you as her guardian.” “So, your “King” gets away with baby smuggling, and we don’t find out who gave George the cocaine.” She turned her back and walked away, head down in defeat. Abruptly, she halted and shouted at him over her shoulder. “I thought you were better than that, Rob Masters.” Disappointment saturated her words. Rob wouldn’t allow her words to dissuade him from the course of action he’d settled upon. He’d learned one important thing in the course of the evening. Cali didn’t belong here.

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Chapter Thirteen

In retrospect, the trip to Guatemala City was over almost over before it had begun. They began walking back to Sololá, away from the dead bodies of Diego and his men. Without a shovel, he had no choice but to cover them with the blankets of their bedrolls. Once they were back in the Land Rover with Juan, it was a relatively quick ride to Maria’s, where they put the child into her care. Esteban was another problem altogether. Cali had been for leaving him trussed up in the hotel room. Rob wanted Esteban turned over to Dave. Maybe the CIA could retrieve information from Esteban that might aid any number of ongoing investigations or covert operations. Rob won. It irritated Cali that he was willing to hand Esteban over to his friend, while there were still questions unanswered about the baby smuggling ring. It was time, however, that she was about the business she had come to Guatemala for originally. It was time to go see George. Over a week had passed since she had first shown up in Rob’s clinic. Dave took Esteban off their hands, promising them he would find out what he could from their prisoner, and turn that information, along with Esteban, over to the people who could use it to make a difference. Now, they were nearing the hospital. The end was at hand. She’d be happy to see George, glad to help her on her road to recovery, but despite the fact that her goal would soon be in sight, she felt disappointment shadow her success. It wasn’t difficult to figure out. The man next to her had brought her more excitement in the past week than she’d experienced in years. He would be hard to say good­ bye to. “Rob.” He arched an eyebrow at her as he pulled into the hospital parking lot. “I just wanted to say...” She faltered. What could she say? Thank you for leading her through the back roads of Guatemala? Thank you for letting her experience a gunfight? Or how about thank you for letting her witness a man’s death? “Well, Doctor,” she tried again. “It’s been quite the adventure with you.” She could feel her face flame with embarrassment. Rob turned the engine off. “Cali, you don’t have to leave. Guatemala needs more women like you, women who are willing to give of themselves, who stand up for what is right, who care about the future of the children.”

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She was already shaking her head. “I don’t belong in Guatemala. You know that.” She was out of her depth in a place that was this unrefined and uncivilized. “It’s a nice thought, Rob, but I’d never make it here. I’m not strong enough to handle the radical differences in attitude and culture.” “You’re stronger than you think.” “I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but I don’t see myself serving here the way you are and the way George has.” She opened the car door, got out and began walking away from the man she knew she would never forget. Rob joined her minutes later. “Hey, you didn’t think I was going to send you in there all alone did you?” Cali wasn’t thinking about going into the hospital alone. She had been thinking about being alone, in a life that wouldn’t include Rob, fighting the tears that threatened to erupt. “No, of course not.” “Anxious to see George?” She nodded. “I didn’t realize until just this moment how much on pins and needles I’ve been.” “I haven’t talked to her doctors in a couple days. It’s likely she is alert and talking.” Cali felt as if he’d left something out. Something like, “Now, that they know cocaine was involved,” or something similar. “That would be a relief. Maybe we can find out what Diego was so anxious to know.” Rob’s eyebrows furrowed. “It had to have been something important enough to lose his life over. We’ve mixed with some pretty nasty people this past week.” They stopped at the admissions desk. Rob spoke in rapid fire Spanish to the woman behind the desk. As the attendant answered him, the features of Rob’s face hardened. Anxiety gripped her stomach and squeezed. “What is it, Rob?” “Is Dr. Reynard in the building?” His tone left no doubt of his anger. “Sí.” The tone of Rob’s voice scared Cali from her bleached hair roots to her toes. “Call him immediately.” Cali laid a hand on his arm. “Rob?” When he looked at her, she felt a chill go through her, one that left her colder than a midwinter Arctic night. “George isn’t here, Cali.” She blinked her eyes twice, and then shut them. Her legs turned to rubber, refusing to support her. Rob’s hand cupped elbow as he led her to a chair in the reception area. “Oh, dear God.”

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“Lean over, Cali.” Breathing was difficult. Rob’s large hands stroked her back trying to calm her. “Reynard will be here soon and he can let us know what the hell is going on.” “Who is Dr. Reynard?” “Head physician here. I spoke with him several times regarding George’s condition.” “Where could she be?” “That’s what Reynard should be able to tell us.” At that moment a man dressed in the green uniform of a hospital surgeon approached. Rob jumped to his feet. “Reynard!” He pumped the doctor’s hand, and then embraced him. “Who is this beauty, Masters?” “Dr. Reynard, California Evans. Cali, this is Dr. Reynard who has been following George’s medical condition for me.” “Thank you, Dr. Reynard,” Cali responded. “Do you know what is going on with my sister?” Dr. Reynard looked as confused as Cali felt. “She regained consciousness yesterday afternoon. Other than that nothing is “going on” as Miss Evans puts it.” “Reynard, Georgia Evans is no longer a patient at this hospital.” Dr. Reynard’s voiced boomed. “By who’s authority? How long has she been gone?” Rob answered. “We were hoping you could tell us that.” Dr. Reynard covered the distance from the reception area to the admissions desk quickly. “Get me the files on Georgia Evans,” he demanded. “Amigo, she should not have been moved.” A male orderly arrived with the requested file. He skimmed through the pages. “Take a look at this.” He handed Rob the file. “That’s not my signature!” “No, amigo it is not. “But it is my name.” “Sí, it is.” “What is going on here!” Cali demanded. Silently, Rob, handed her the file, the pages already turned back. “Oh my.” Cali leaned against Rob. “I don’t understand it. If that isn’t your signature Rob, then who signed that release? And why?”

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“It’s dated today, and you’ve been with me for the past week. We must have stomped on someone’s toes this past week, Cali.” Cali looked into Rob’s face. In his eyes, she saw a flicker of anger. A thought fired in her brain. She looked back at Rob. In tandem they both said, “Martín.” “We have to go back, don’t we?” She knew the answer but hoped she would be wrong. “I think so, Cali. We need to get Esteban and have him take us to Martín.” “Would either of you care to inform me about what is happening?” Cali looked at Rob. It wasn’t her place to tell Dr. Reynard about the blackmail attempt Diego had used on Rob in order to get information.” “Long story, Reynard. Georgia Evans has important knowledge that certain individuals are willing to go to any lengths to get. We have a lead to one of those people. We can’t delay any longer.” “Godspeed, my friend.” Reynard clasped Rob on the shoulder. “In the meantime, I will contact the authorities and report Miss Evans as a kidnapping.” “Let’s go, Cali.” She had out her hand to the doctor. “Thank you for your help, Dr. Reynard.” He lifted her hand to his lips. “I wish the circumstances of our introduction had been more pleasant, Miss Evans.” Cali’s eyes met Rob’s, and a fluttering sensation tickled her stomach. If the glare he gave Dr. Reynard was any indication, the man was jealous. It was as though Rob tried to pin him with that look, like a wrestler taking down his opponent in the ring. She smiled to herself as they walked away. “What are you grinning about?” She giggled. “You. Just now.” “You thought that episode with Reynard was...?” “Sweet, Dr. Masters. Very sweet and charming.” He exploded as they picked their way through the parking lot’s potholes. “Sweet? You think all that hand kissing garbage is charming? When it comes to Reynard and the female species, the man is a shark. He’s bedded more women than— ” “Why Rob Masters, I do believe you are jealous.” “Jealous! Every man I’ve introduced you to has made a pass at you. I’m just trying to protect you.” “Why? Don’t you think I can handle them?”

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Rob just glared at her. Cali rubbed it in further as they got to the Land Rover. “I’ve never seen a more direct, unspoken challenge than the one you gave Dr. Reynard.” She fastened her seat belt as Rob started the motor. He was silent. Maybe she had carried her amusement a little too far. But, darn him, he had gone all Neanderthal on her in those few moments. Precious seconds in which she realized the doctor wasn’t immune to staking a claim on her. It warmed her inside. Now what was she going to do with this astounding revelation?

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Chapter Fourteen

Getting Dave to release Esteban was taxing all Rob’s interpersonal skills. Dave was reluctant to let the man out of his sight. “My employer doesn’t know anything about him,” he paused, “yet. They’ve been a little busy tracking shipments.” He rubbed his fingers on his chin. “This isn’t a good idea. Look at you two yahoos. He’ll run the first chance he gets.” “Then how are we going to get him to cooperate?” Cali asked. “I’ve gotten one thing out of him during his short visit. He’s afraid the boss will have him executed for having been caught.” Cali gasped. “You mean they would assume he talked, and then?” Dave nodded. “It’s the law of the jungle.” “She doesn’t care much for the jungle, Dave.” “Maybe, Rob, she hasn’t had the right person to show her the more refined facets of Guatemala.” Rob bristled. Dave lusted after Cali and made no bones about it. His reputation with the ladies was just as bad as Reynard’s. He couldn’t picture her in Dave’s arms, naked or otherwise. He couldn’t picture her with Reynard, either. “She’s seen what’s important.” Cali’s voice softened the tension. “This hasn’t exactly been a good-will tour, Dave.” She turned her hazel eyes on Rob. “We can’t take Esteban with us. It’s a death sentence.” “That’s right, Cali,” Dave responded. “It will be if his buddies catch him out in the open.” He gave Cali a lecherous grin. “Now, about the good will tour...once this is over, you think about coming to see me, and I’ll make sure you have a very good time before you leave.” Rob watched Dave eye Cali up and down, stripping her bare. The urge to pound Dave’s face into hamburger gripped him. The violence of his thought shocked him. What was Cali doing to him? What was Guatemala doing to him? Cali’s response marginally soothed his ire. “I’ll take it under advisement, Dave. Thank you.” Rob grabbed Cali’s elbow tighter than a wood clamp. “We better get going. No telling how far we’ll have to travel before dark.” “Still have your gear?” Rob nodded curtly. Iron girded Dave’s next words as he extended his hand to Rob. “Be sure to keep that pistol nearby. You’re being called up from the farm leagues to the big leagues. There’s no mercy there.”

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Rob hesitated slightly before he took it. “We know how they play hard ball.” “I’ll drive,” he told Cali as they left the hotel. He watched her get into the passenger seat as he stowed the backpack with their supplies and weapon on the floor. Rob put the car in gear and headed west. They passed whitewashed stucco buildings, and people on the street headed to the plaza. Another market day was about to start. “You’re quiet today, California Evans.” “Just thinking.” “About?” Rob saw her glance quickly at him. Her hazel eyes caught his gaze. “Is it as bad as all that?” “Rob, what if George, what if she...” Something was eating at her. “What if what, Cali? What if she got involved in something illegal?” He watched her throat work. “George would not have willingly gotten herself into something like that. I’ve been thinking, hard, about George’s commitment to Guatemala, and to children in particular. I think she got involved trying to prevent something.” “She sure pissed someone off. The evidence leads me to believe it may have had to do with drugs.” Cali nodded her head. “That’s what I’m thinking, too. With cocaine in her system, I’ll bet it was someone in one of those cartels we hear about on TV.” “It makes sense. Someone that didn’t know she was allergic to cocaine may have been trying to get her addicted so she would give up her information.” Rob looked out the window. They had long since left the city and passed several small villages on their way back to the hillside where Diego was killed. He slapped his hand on the dash. “Damn!” “What?” “A couple pieces just came together. Remember where I said George was before she was brought to me?” “A peasant brought her down from a hillside.” “Right, on a hillside. How much you want to bet it’s the same one we were on? I’d be willing to bet George had her “contact” with her cocaine supplier near there as well.” Cali’s mouth formed an “O” shape. “We were right there?” “Diego took us up a hillside thinking you were George. It’s a long shot, Cali, but without Esteban to confirm anything, it’s our most logical connection.

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“Seatbelt on? The shortcut I’m taking is going to get rough.”

*****

Initially, Cali was ticked Rob hadn’t let her drive more. His arm had stitches, was wrapped, and pained him if the grimaces she caught were any indication. What was it about men not wanting a woman to drive? Some sort of control issue? Later, though, she was glad she wasn’t the one navigating the large rocks and boulders of their “shortcut”. The jarring of her body assured her she would be seeing a chiropractor soon after she returned to Chicago. “Do you have to go so fast?” “Stop whining. The faster I get there, the faster we’ll have this resolved.” He didn’t have to say it she thought. He would be glad when this adventure into the Guatemalan wilderness would be over. Thrilled he could go back to life as normal, in his macho, violent, crimeridden world. She’d be happy, too. She would go back to her nice, sane life where all you had to worry about was white-collar crime, and gangs in the inner city. Where an exciting afternoon might consist of cutting your lawn, and complaining about how loud the neighbor’s weekend party was. Where she didn’t have to have some egotistical, know-it-all doctor telling her what to do. Her voice had an edge to it when she retorted, “What’s our plan?” “We go up on the hillside where I first saw Esteban’s light. We’ll hide the car and start searching for clues in the area.” “Clues? What are we going to find in a forest of conifers?” Rob shrugged as he navigated another rock path. “A trail, footprints. I’ll know it when I find it.” “’I’? Don’t you mean ‘us’?” His eyes darted to her face. Quickly, he returned his attention to another rock obstacle in the socalled road. “I am not staying put, Rob Masters. Haven’t you learned your lesson on that one yet?” She blew an errant bang from her forehead in emphasis. “Yes,” he slowly responded. “You don’t stay put.” “Good, glad to have that settled.” He swerved around a deep furrow. “You’re dangerous, Cali.”

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“Dangerous, me? It’s this place, this way of life. Back in the States it’s not like this.” “No, in the States people aren’t as violent. They steal money from retirement accounts, falsify information for illegal gain. They’re a bunch of users, cutthroats bleeding the life out of the general populace just as surely as the smuggling rings spill blood with their weapons, Cali. I couldn’t stand the hypocrisy anymore. Here at least it’s honest.” Pines seemed to whiz by, jumping up and down to the rocking of the car. She shook her head sadly. “There are hypocrites everywhere, Rob. People around the globe sell out their lives for material gain. It’s an unfortunate fact of human nature. Not everyone succumbs to the baser instincts. There are people who suppress their wants for the good of the many.” “I’ve met precious few, Cali. No one in the States. Here, for the most part, what you see is what you get. Yes, it’s ugly, and has more than its share of violence, but it’s real. People here don’t say one thing to your face and stab you in the back when you leave the board room.” Reality or illusions? What a choice to make. Rob opted for reality. Had she accepted illusions? She couldn’t make herself believe that all people were inherently selfish. George wasn’t. George had spent more than her fair share of life raising Cali. Had gone to Guatemala to educate children. “I’m sorry, Rob. Someone hurt you badly. So badly, that your philosophy is warped into the negative. There are people who give of themselves to try to make the lives of others easier, or better.” He pulled the Land Rover off the side of a trail he called a road and drove several yards into the woods. “We hike from here.” She got out and together they covered the car with pine branches. She hoped it was an effective screen. It wouldn’t do to have the vehicle missing should they need it in an emergency. Cali shuddered. “You okay?” “I have this feeling we are going into a snake pit like the one in that Indiana Jones movie.” Rob led Cali back to the trail they had been following in the Land Rover. The further they went, the fainter it became. After an hour of hiking, they ran out of anything remotely resembling a path. “What now, Rob?” He pointed to the top of a hill. “Let’s go to the top of that rise and assess our surroundings.” She began trudging up the hill, surprised by her shortness of breath. “Remind me not to become a mountain climber,” she joked between gasps. Rob turned his gaze upon her. His brown eyes could melt any woman’s heart, including hers. She wished she could replace the disappointment he felt with humankind with something more positive.

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Their viewpoints were polar opposites. She had always viewed the glass as half full, and he came across as the half empty supporter. “Look,” he suddenly whispered as he pointed. Ahead there was a broken branch, and underneath it an empty, crumpled cigarette package. “It might not be his brand.” “We’ve got to go for it, Rob. This is the only clue we’ve found so far.” Rob nodded, and she edged closer to him, scanning the landscape in front of them. A sparkle captured her attention, and she stared long at the spot after she’d noticed it. “Rob, I think I know where Esteban was going to take us.” “Where?” “See that edge of the woods to the right, about two-thirds of the way down the hill? I saw a glint, like sun bouncing off a mirror or window.” “It could be a body of water.” “It could be the light reflecting off anything. I believe that’s where we need to go.” “Okay, we’ll head in that direction. There might be confirmation of your hunch the closer we get." The terrain was steep, but the well-established forest had abundant roots for them to use as climbing aids. Gradually, they edged their way down the mountainside, closer to the area Cali had spotted, taking care to stay in the cover of the branches of the trees. “Damn,” Rob whispered. Panic threatened to rear its head like a snake about to strike. “What is it?” “You’re right.” He pointed. “If I’m not mistaken that’s razor wire on top of that stuccoed wall.” Cali surveyed the scene. “It’s huge. A big house, all sorts of storage buildings, a large garage, all surrounded by that six-foot cement barricade. How are we going to find George in there?” “We’ll have to get closer.” Rob began to crouch low in the boughs of the trees as he moved closer to the compound. What in God’s name had she gotten herself into? Cali followed Rob silently praying this was going to be an easy, straightforward rescue. “We need to navigate the perimeter and see how many men are guarding this place.” “I can go the other direction,” she volunteered, “and meet you on the far side.” “Been there, done that with you, lady. Not again. I don’t intend to lose you in a place I know is going to be dangerous.”

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Why did he have to be right? No way she was going to admit it. The last time they had separated she had unintentionally stumbled onto the hideout of the smuggling ring. If she hadn’t wandered, none of this would have happened and George wouldn’t be missing now. She would be back in the United States with her sister, swapping tales of their experiences in Guatemala. Rob extended his hand and she took it. Strength flowed from his grip and encouraged her. Together they would be safe. Together they could concoct a plan to free George. “We can do this, can’t we Rob?” She couldn’t keep the slight tremble out of her voice. He squeezed her hand. “You bet, Sweetheart.” Doubts continued to plague her. Different scenarios played out in her mind, as they wandered through the woods around the compound. Each scene more frightening than the last. The worst was the one in which she saw, George, Rob and then herself, gunned down, left for dead, bleeding on the dirty floor of a warehouse type building. “Over there,” Rob whispered. She looked where he pointed. A man lounged against a wooden building, near a door. “Guard?” “Yes. Let’s keep moving and see how many more we find.” They continued their surveillance. “Rob, is that the back of the building where we saw the guard?” “Why?” “It looks like a back door and isn’t guarded.” “You may be onto something, Cali.” As they returned to their starting point a half-hour later, Rob spoke. “I counted six visible guards.” “Same here. I wonder how many are inside.” “That wooden building looks about the right size to keep a number of children captive. A good place for George, too.” “Then we’ve got to get a look inside.” “There is no “we” to this. I’m going, Cali. There’s too much risk for both of us.” He got on his feet. “If I’m not back in an hour, get out of here, and find Dave.” She jumped to her feet. “Rob. Don’t go yet.” “Cali...” She rushed toward him, and threw her arms about his neck.

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His sexy lips turned downward. “What’s this about?” “For luck.” She melded her body against his hardened muscles, memorizing the feel of Rob against her. Her lips met his. His arms enclosed her tightly. Time stood still. She was safe, warm, and comfortable here. Their tongues mingled as he gently probed her mouth. Her heartbeat quickened. Her fingers wound into his hair. She felt his arousal when he pulled her tightly against him. “Oh, baby,” he groaned against her mouth. “What are you doing to me?” He gently pushed her away, continuing to hold her at arm’s length. It was hard to keep the quaking out of her voice. “Be careful, Rob. Come back.” “I will. Count on it. But you,” he stepped closer to her, cupped her chin and looked her directly in the eyes, “you stay put.” “I promise. Cross my heart.” Rob gave her a half-smile. “Why is it I find no comfort in that?” She thought through the past week. “I haven’t broken a promise to you, Rob.” “That may be, but what is important is right now. And now, I’m counting on you to keep your word.” He lifted the backpack and just before he disappeared into the forest left her with the parting comment, “Don’t you dare add ‘hope to die’.”

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Chapter Fifteen

Cali was in his blood, Rob thought as he neared the compound and spotted the wooden building. She was bad for him. She made him lose his focus. She challenged his perspectives, altered his conceptions. Life was satisfying before she entered it. His gut clenched at the thought he’d never be able to get rid of the effect she’d had on him. The sexy schoolteacher was a virus. He could build up immunity to her, but that would take some heavyduty exposure. How much carnage would that sort of exposure leave in its wake? There was no guard visible to Rob as he neared the wooden building. The razor wire on the wall had to be dealt with before he could begin. He checked his pack for something sharp to cut it with. Good ol’ Dave had packed tin snips. With luck and some time, he should be able to get through the wire. Dave was another problem. He’d hit on Cali, hard. Rob’s reaction to it wasn’t logical or reasonable. He’d have been happy to rearrange the man’s face free of charge. And Reynard, too. He’d made no bones about being attracted to Cali. Well, damn it, she was his. If anyone were going to sweep her off her feet, show her the sights of Guatemala, and have a good time with her, it would be him. Decision made, he attacked the razor wire with gusto. He made sure he was out of the wire’s way when it sprang apart with a twang. He looked carefully about him before he decided to climb the wall and get to the back of the building. Jumping down, he crouched in the shadow of the enclosure before running the few feet to the wooden wall next to the hinged side of the door. A scraggly pine helped provide some concealment. There were no windows to sneak a glance through. Cautiously, he reached across and tried the handle of the door. It turned without a sound. He moved to the other side and turned the knob once more, this time pushing it in slightly. Rob took a hasty look through the opening he’d created. The interior of the building was dark. He edged the door open a little further and met a slight resistance. Nothing moved. If the building was empty, why was there a guard on the front door? He pushed the door a little harder and saw a bale of hay impeding his entrance. He stepped through the opening, onto the top of the hay, and then jumped off. He needed to stay close to the interior wall while his eyes adjusted to the dimness.

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Gradually, he began making out details. It was one large rectangular room. On the sides of the room were bales of hay, laying helter-skelter, giving the place a feel similar to a well-used Illinois barn. The floor was made of planked wood, and covered with a layer of sawdust. He kept to the side and began a slow search of the interior.

*****

Cali couldn’t believe how idiotic she must have sounded, using a line from a child’s rhyme to promise Rob she’d keep her word. He’d noticed her slip too, with that parting comment, “Don’t you dare add, ‘hope to die’”. Well, of course, she didn’t hope to die. Not soon anyway. She had too much to accomplish in getting George back to the States and finding her the help she undoubtedly would need in dealing with the horrifying traumas she’d endured. Heck, she’d probably need a little professional help herself after the things she’d seen. Every time Cali checked her watch only a minute or two had dragged by. Why on earth had she promised Rob she’d stay put this time? Her relationship with Rob, if you could call it that, had already had more than its share of highs and lows. Being in his arms, making love, a definite, memorable high. Cali tried to remember the moment she had begun trusting him and couldn’t pinpoint it. Every time they had forged ahead, there was a moment or more of doubt. The trust came more from her intuitive senses combined with the intimacy they’d shared. In her heart, she knew she could trust Rob. Her mind just hadn’t completely caught up. So, here she was, waiting for the macho male to make his reappearance, thinking about his kisses, and the way he’d made love to her. She sucked in her breath. Those experiences were something. Whenever she initiated a kiss it was like breaking through a fortress. Once she was in, though, she’d feel him ignite. Rob was capable of a great deal of passion. It was those moments that encouraged her hope. His blatant jealousy fed it. “Ahh!” Someone prodded her from behind. She turned and looked at a dark-haired man with a bandana over his face, holding a large weapon that looked like a machine gun. With her heart in her throat, she didn’t bother to wait for a command. Cali put her hands on her head and slowly stood.

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The man with the gun motioned her to move, and she began walking, making as much noise with her feet as she could, trying to leave some sort of trail for Rob to follow. She smirked. He’d never believe she’d actually been sitting there waiting for him to return.

*****

Rob finished his inspection of the wooden building confused. He’d seen nothing in it to indicate it was worth guarding. He enlarged his search by moving away from the sides toward the center. In the silence, he heard an eerie whispering. He froze. Where were the voices coming from? He tried to pinpoint the area the sounds came from, and headed toward a bank of hay bales he’d been near earlier. He moved among them, pushing some aside so he could search further back. The voices were a little less muffled, a little louder. A narrow beam of light sliced the darkness, coming from between the planks in the floor. A trap door? He got down on his hands and knees and tried to peer through the seam. What he saw explained the guard on the door, the razor wire, the deceptive building, and most probably the valuable item George had last seen. There were men and women wearing surgical masks busy packaging large amounts of a white substance. Cocaine. Shit! They were in way over their heads.

*****

Cali crashed through the underbrush, happy with the amount of noise she was making. So far, they had traveled the same route she and Rob had explored earlier and it boosted her confidence. It wouldn’t be long, though, before they reached the stucco fence. She didn’t want to go into that fortress without Rob, but so far her attempts at drawing his attention had failed. Perhaps he’d heard her, hid in the cover of the tress and, was waiting for his chance to rescue her. No matter, he wasn’t with her, and she had no idea when he’d show. He’d be astounded she was taking everything so calmly, not fighting back somehow. Could that have thrown him off? Cali was suddenly sure Rob was nearby and waiting for her to create a distraction. What sort of distraction could she make? She was already rampaging through the woods, giving every animal in the vicinity the opportunity to run before they were cornered. Ahead of her, she saw a small break in the trees. If she could break loose there, then get to the other side unscathed, she’d be able to hide in the woods and give Rob the opportunity he needed to dispatch her captor.

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As they treaded another root step, Cali lurched backward, throwing her elbow into the man’s waist. He stumbled forward, and Cali broke into a run, headed for the glade she’d spotted. She ducked behind a tree as she heard the explosions of sound coming from her guard’s gun. Little puffs of dirt flew upward as the bullets hit the ground. The next bullets struck the ground at her feet. Her assailant had come out of the woods, brandishing his machine gun at her. She put up her hands. Why hadn’t Rob attacked the man?

*****

The staccato bursts of gunfire caused Rob to jump back and stumble against the bale of hay he’d moved. The hay fell with a dull thump against the trapdoor. Underneath him, he could hear the voices shouting. They were onto him. Outside the building, he could hear the sound of people yelling as they tried to find out what the gunfire was about. In the pit of his stomach, he thought he already knew. Someone was shooting at Cali. He had to get out of the building, before guards started checking the buildings and increasing security. He returned to the rear door, risked a glance out it, and then took off for the shadows of the building he’d earlier identified as a garage. Going over the fence was no longer an option. If Cali had been captured, guards would be checking the grounds and the fencing. He had to get away from the entry site fast. If he could get to the garage, he’d be able to find some place to hide. Maybe he could disable vehicles so they couldn’t be followed later, once they had George. He darted to the next building, a small shed of corrugated steel. The shouting was growing fainter. Good, his chances of going undetected had increased if everyone were moving away from him. A long, single story structure had more windows than any of the other buildings he’d seen. It was the next one to check. He risked a glance through a narrow pane of glass. The room was full of beds. Within, not a soul stirred. He’d found the bunkhouse and realized that the majority of the occupants were probably behind the din coming from the other end of the property. Across from the bunkhouse, a single story building was in view. Neatly trimmed hedges differentiated the owner of the property from where his lackeys lived. Rob raced to the corner and ducked between the hedge and the building. Another site to check for George or the children. He stole a glance around the corner. He’d found the garage.

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The garage was open, and held several luxury automobiles, including an antique Jaguar, and a late model Grand Cherokee. He tried the door on the Cherokee. The car was unlocked. He reached around the steering column. No keys. He tried the sun visor, as well as under the floor mat, with no luck. Rob opened the glove compartment, the change holder, and finally, the ashtray. He struck pay dirt in the ashtray and quickly pocketed the keys. Cautiously, he moved to the other end of the garage, checking each vehicle for keys, and tossing them into his pack as he found them. He grabbed Dave’s gun from the pack, and then stashed it in the corner of the garage. He stole into the shrubbery of the far end of the garage. In the distance, he could see the side of the main house, a massive mansion of stone and stucco. Walkways ran the length of the main floor, broken by several glass-paned double doors. On the upper story, window doors led to wide balconies. A nice place, except it had been built at the cost of the poor of Guatemala and their infants, along with the screwed-up drug users of North America. Prepared to dash across the grounds, Rob froze in mid-stride when he heard her voice. Cali was being led toward the front of the house, and wasn’t at all happy about it. He could hear her screaming. “I’m going to call the Embassy about this barbarous treatment. I’m an American! I’ve got rights! You can’t detain me without cause.” Shut up, Cali, Rob thought. Those comments don’t win any awards down here. Anti-American sentiment tended to run high among the macho Latinos in the district. A large man bellowed, “I spit on your rights!” Then he shoved her. “You’ll pay for that!” The man laughed at Cali’s threat. Cali had no idea how deep the trouble she landed in was. Rob was going to have to get her and her sister out of that hornet’s nest. It wouldn’t be easy, especially since she had them ready to lynch her. There was one possible advantage to Cali being held by these desperados. They might possibly cage her with George. If he watched and listened, he might be able to discover George’s location. The men disappeared with Cali. From the inside of the house, he heard her screaming at them through the open window, punctuated by an occasional sound of breaking glass. She was fighting tooth and nail. Suddenly it dawned on him. Cali was making all that noise for his benefit. She knew he was near the property and was trying her best to alert him. Crash! The sounds were louder. They were nearing his end of the house. “Take her upstairs. Put her with the other Americano.”

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Cali screamed.

“You are holding another American hostage?

The

American army is going to tear you to bits. The DEA is going to blow this place apart, and all of you are going to go to hell!” “DEA? You alerted the DEA to this place?” The deep voice, heavy with a Guatemalan accent sounded shocked. What had Cali just done? Signed her death warrant as well as George’s? The pandemonium from a few moments earlier intensified. “Begin eradication. We leave within thirty minutes. No evidence remains. Get her out of my sight.” The same voice spoke again. From his authoritative commands Rob thought this was Martín. The man who had sent Esteban to cold-bloodedly kill Diego. Rob had to get Cali and George out before Martín decided to do the same with them. He had to get inside. Already, members of Martín’s gang were pouring out the front of the house to carry out his orders. Every soldier on the grounds exponentially increased Rob’s chances of getting caught. “Señor Martín, perhaps we should consider using the women as hostages, in case the DEA catch up with us?” “Yes, excellent idea. Bring my car to the front and send some men to get the women.” “Sí, Señor.” Damn! Martín was escaping with Cali and George. Boom! An explosion ripped through the building he’d discovered the packaging operation in. The force of the concussion threw him to the ground. Wooden spikes flew through the air as the wooden structure erupted in black smoke and bright orange flames. Eradication had begun in a serious way. Time was running out. Rob spotted an open door, sprang back to his feet, and ran to the rear of the house. He hurried to the entrance relieved to find the empty kitchen. He edged around the cook’s island in the center and peered through the doorway leading to the dining room. That room wasn’t occupied either. The dining room led to a sitting room. Dark red velvet drapes hung clustered at each end of windows covered by a light, gauzy material. From somewhere in front of him, he could hear Cali and her threats again, and her words sounded as if she were moving closer. He jumped behind the velvet. Blood seeped into his bandage. He bit back the curse on his lips. Later, once the women were safe he could have Reynard stitch him up. “Just you wait,” she yelled. “When the consulate hears of the abominable way we’ve been treated. Well, I can assure you this will become an international incident!”

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“Shut up!” It was Martín’s voice. “Señor, the keys, they are gone.” “Missing? Then the DEA is already at hand. Get the spare set from the cook’s pantry. Run you imbecile, or we will never make it to the yacht in time!” Rob risked a look from behind the curtains. Martín had a gun pointed at Cali. Another man carried a lifeless looking George in his arms. Yet another vanished out the kitchen door. Looking through the glass doors, Rob didn’t see anyone on the veranda. He pushed the silver handle down and opened the door. Once again, he saw the back of the man commanded to get Martín’s automobile as he disappeared into the garage. Cali and company were still in the kitchen judging by the sounds he heard. Rob ran full tilt toward the garage, jumping behind the bushes before he took a quick look around the corner. God, his arm was killing him. The driver got into the Grand Cherokee. Rob’s backpack remained undiscovered. The Jeep backed out of the garage, and turned around. Out of site, Rob moved around the corner and grabbed his pack. He’d pocketed the Cherokee keys, but now they were useless. Crouched behind a narrow wall of the garage, he dug through the pack, looking for a Ford key that would fit the dark blue truck sandwiched between the wall and the Mercedes. Outside, he heard car doors slam. He had no doubt Cali and George were inside the Grand Cherokee, and headed to the coast. He jammed the keys into the ignition and thrust the truck into reverse. The tires spun as he shifted the Ford into first gear. He pulled down the sun visor and tipped it toward the driver’s window. A pair of dark sunglasses fell into his lap. He put them on. Anything to help hide his identity. Another detonation ripped through the house. The explosion rained glass down on the truck as he sped through the compound toward the main gate. In the rearview mirror, he saw flames eating away at the once grand house. Ahead of him, the Cherokee fishtailed down the barely visible dirt road. He’d follow it, at a reasonable distance, eat their dust if he had to. He’d already tangled with a bullet and wasn’t anxious for a repeat. With luck, Martín and friends would think he was just another member of the gang who’d gotten out before their whole world had disappeared in an out of control inferno. Damn her! Why hadn’t she stayed put this time? She was going to get more than an earful once he’d rescued her. He gripped the steering wheel harder, his knuckles turning white. There was no

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punishment he could inflict on her that was as bad as what she was going through right now, or as bad as what she was putting him through. Cali was just as dangerous as the other women he’d associated with were. She was willful, disobedient, lacking in wisdom enough to trust his advice. He was the one who’d lived here the past five years. He was the one who’d experienced civil disputes at their very worst. He’d seen the victims of the hurricanes, earthquakes, mudslides, and ethnic cleansing. Why couldn’t the woman get it through her head that he knew what was going on! Ahead of him, the Jeep turned onto a better-graded road. It wouldn’t be long until they reached the highway. After that two hours to the coast. Then Martín’s yacht. His steely resolve began to buckle. He had to stop them before they got to the water. If that boat left the dock, he wouldn’t be able to help the women. His fear of deep water was too great. Cali would be lost to him. In the open, it didn’t take long for Martín’s men to notice the Ford following them. Bullets hurtled past when they opened fire. Rob swerved and ducked, forced to slow the vehicle down. He had to keep them in sight or risk losing Cali. The thought of losing her to the likes of this drug lord settled like an anchor in his stomach. He’d lost one friend to the water. He couldn’t lose Cali that way. Out think them, Masters! Rob hadn’t spent the past five years in this part of Guatemala without learning the roads and trails. Where would they have moored their boat? Champerico had once been a busy port. With the decline of shipping in the area, the harbor had fallen into disuse. He was getting back on familiar ground. Just ahead was a trail he could use to get him to the beach area ahead of Martín. Rob floored the Expedition.

*****

When the men guarding her opened the windows and began firing their guns from them, Cali was positive Rob had gotten her message. As the Cherokee hit a rut, Cali exaggerated the jarring of her body and hit the gunman on her left with a full-body slam. His gun flew out the window. There wasn’t anything she could do to disarm the other shooter, the man in charge, Martín. He was sitting up front on the passenger side and Cali couldn’t pull the same maneuver. But at least Rob’s odds of survival had gotten better. “Control her,” Martín said as he fired another round.

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Next to her, the man she’d disarmed, reached behind her to the cargo bay, opened a wooden container, and pulled out an even bigger gun. The butt struck Cali in the back of her head. Retribution for her earlier stunt, no doubt. Unable to stay quiet, Cali responded, “You’ll pay for that, buster.” The man just grinned. Cali tried to stare him down, but she couldn’t. She broke eye contact and looked at her beautiful, older sister. George looked awful. Her hair was greasy, and hung in limp strands around her pale face. Somewhere since the hospital, someone had removed her hospital gown and put her into the clothes she now had on. They were filthy. Had those clothes ever been clean? George’s body tone was non-existent. Cali feared they had George on something far more potent than cocaine. “What did you do to her?” Cali demanded. The man who lost his gun laughed. “Nothing that we won’t do to you.” Cali took a deep breath, and tried to remain in control of her emotions. “Is she on drugs?” “Sí, Señorita. Very nice ones.” Cali doubted they were nice. These were the sort of drugs that destroyed the lives of countless people every day. She grabbed George’s arm. There were needle marks in the crook of her elbow. Who had put those there? What other abuse had her sister endured? What had George done to deserve this sort of treatment? Cali wrapped her arm around George’s shoulder, shocked when she felt the sharp corners of her shoulder blades. George, never big to begin with, had lost a good deal of weight. Cali had to get her away from these people. She couldn’t count on Rob for help. Cali assumed they were shooting at him, that he had managed to follow them somehow. The shooting had stopped long minutes ago, and when she stole a glance out the rear window, the vehicle following them could no longer be seen. Right now, Cali was in this alone. She prayed that whatever they had given George would wear off. George might have withdrawal symptoms, but if she were at least awake, she could at least move. In George’s current state, Cali wouldn’t be able to get the two of them anywhere. Waiting for a sign from George that she was snapping out of her drug-induced state, Cali watched for an opportunity to escape.

*****

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Rob spotted the yacht in the dilapidated harbor. With the gentle waves lapping against the ship it was an impressive boat in an empty bay. At least there would be no question where Martín was going with the women. He had to stop Martín before he got as far as the yacht. Many people had drowned in the dangerous undertow of this particular bay. Rob didn’t want to be included in the tally. Unbidden, memories from the past assailed him. The June squall seemed to come out of nowhere on Lake Michigan. His friend, Steve had been swept overboard by the tremendous waves that threatened to capsize their craft, and Rob had jumped in after him. Rob wasn’t able to save Steve, and nearly drowned himself. Since that time, the water held no appeal to Rob at all. He avoided it like the plague, and had successfully done so over the past twelve years. He was not going to lose his life in the undertow at the Champerico dock. He inhaled deeply, then took off at a run toward the pillars of the old wooden pier. He’d be able to see what Martín had in store for Juan, Cali, and George. Under the wooden planks of the pier he found an old fishing boat. Rob hopped in and laid flat on his stomach. Weathered oars lay under the seat planks. Rob slid one out and tested its strength, surprised to find it stronger than it appeared. He could use it as a weapon if need be. The pistol remained stuffed into his belt. The gun would be the absolute last resort. It had been a long time since he’d fired a weapon and his accuracy was sure to have suffered. He’d just make sure he didn’t have to use it. The sun began to set in the west, over the dark waters, orange, pink, and red slashing the horizon and reaching thin fingers toward the beach. Intercepting Martín would be more difficult in the dark, but Rob had no control over the man’s timing. So, he waited, surreptitiously watching the sunset and knowing that time for his woman was rapidly running out. The wait wasn’t as long as Rob had feared. From the north, he heard water churning. He closed his eyes, and put a hand to his head. When he opened his eyes, the sight before him hadn’t changed much. In the distance, he could see several people, one of them holding an arm around someone unconscious, another arm around a child. Dear God, someone had their arm around Juan! Cali and George were approaching the yacht in a vessel equipped with an outboard motor. The barrel of a gun pointed at Cali’s head.

*****

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Cali had never been a fan of large bodies of water. She wasn’t afraid of them. She respected their unpredictability, the hidden power that lay beneath a calm surface. So, she’d kept to swimming pools with their known depths, and left the Great Lakes and trips to the ocean to those bolder than she. On the little motorboat she had her first real glimpse of why. The boat rode the waves with little up and down jerks, setting her stomach at unease. She didn’t exactly feel sick, but she didn’t feel right either. Cali tried not to hold onto George and Juan any tighter than necessary, but unknown to them, they gave her a means of fighting her panic. George hadn’t come around as much as Cali had hoped. In her arms, George felt nearly lifeless. A shudder ran through her body on occasion giving Cali false encouragement that George was snapping out of her drug-induced state. The boat knocked up against a larger one and Cali watched as a chain ladder unrolled down the side. The gun she had been aware of behind her poked into her ribs. It was time to move. Cali gave Juan a tight hug. “Don’t be afraid,” she whispered to him as she let him go. The fear that radiated from his eyes didn’t dissipate. The boy scrambled up the ladder. Another man moved toward Cali, pulling George from her arms, and slinging her over his shoulder like a light sack of potatoes. “You be careful with her, or I’ll make you pay.” Behind her she heard a masculine chuckle. “Just how do you think you are going to do that when you are both food for the fish, heh? Cali whirled. “Martín!” “I see no introduction is necessary. Up the ladder now.” “What have you done to my sister?” The question went unanswered. “Will you go unassisted?” The tone of his voice left no room for argument. If she didn’t move, he’d have her carried. Reluctantly, she moved toward the ladder, feeling the boat sway beneath each step. The metal was warm underneath her palms as she climbed toward the deck of the yacht. Hands reached out to haul her over the rail. Juan stood to one side, his eyes wide as he stared into the barrel of a pistol. Good grief, these men thought nothing of terrorizing a child. “Put that thing away,” she screamed as she landed on her feet. “Have you no sense at all? You’re frightening that child.” Martín laughed. “Put it away.” Cali was relieved to see the man follow Martín’s orders without hesitation.

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Martín’s smooth voice whispered in her ear. “We were fortunate to intercept Doctor Masters’s son. Normally, we do not resort to taking children.” “Tell that to the parents of the little girl I found in the woods.” Martín’s voice spewed anger. “You!” “Yes, me. I know all about your sordid, cruel operation.” Martín moved to stand directly in front of her. “You cost me thousands of dollars.” “Money is nothing compared to the heartache and grief your illegal operation has caused.” Cali paused. “Is that why you have drugged George? Because she stumbled onto your child smuggling scheme?” Martin snarled. “Take them to the flag pole, all of them.”

*****

Rob sucked in a deep breath when he saw Cali get shoved by one of Martín’s henchmen. He’d kept focused on her as he rowed the wooden fishing boat toward the yacht. He’d seen her confront Martín, watched her climb the ladder, and viewed the push that sent Cali to her knees. He only had as much time as Martín had patience. Time was running out quickly. He rowed all the harder. Right now, Cali was the only person that stood between Juan and execution. She was keeping George alive as well. His wooden ship bumped against the motor boat he’d seen the captives leave earlier. He took a length of rope from the motorized vessel, and used it to tie the fishing boat to the motor boat. Carefully, he untied the motor boat, and taking the oars, rowed both to the port side of the prow, tying the sleeker Plexiglas vessel onto a mooring ring. Above him, he could hear a heated discussion regarding the fate of the prisoners onboard. Rob maneuvered the wooden vessel back to the ladder and quietly began climbing. The ascent was over in seconds, and as he prepared to board the ship, he cautiously looked around. No one seemed to be occupying this end of the craft. Scurrying for cover, Rob moved toward the sound of voices. The argument was coming from the prow of the ship. Skirting the engine room, he edged closer. “Señorita, you have cost me a great deal of money. I have lost product to both you and your sister, and I’ve been forced to relocate my business ventures. I have no choice but to declare you guilty

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of preventing my commerce, and guilty of costing me irreparable business losses. You are hereby sentenced to death.” Cali’s face paled, then flushed a bright red. Adrenaline surged through him as he heard Cali’s punishment. If the man thought he could kill Cali while Rob still drew breath he would soon realize his mistake. “How dare you.” Cali hissed with righteous indignation. “How dare I?” “Yes, how dare you sit in judgment of me and my sister when we have labored to improve the lives of children in our places of work. How dare you, a man who steals children from their parents to make his money, feign honor or justice or any sense of civility in this barbarian activity.” Cali spat at Martín’s feet. “You disgust me. You would dare feed us to the fish, yet you are not worthy even of the worms to digest!” “Enough! Your prattling sickens me.” Martín pulled a gun from beneath his suit jacket and pointed it in her direction, “Prepare to meet the end.” With his gun drawn, Martín forced Rob into action. He raced forward, an agonized, “No!” bursting from his lungs. He knocked Martín to the deck of the ship as an explosion issued from the gun. Rob was just in time to see Cali fly over the rails of the yacht with George, then hear their bodies hit the water.

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Chapter Sixteen

Cali lost her hold of George on the way down. She hit the water hard and went under trying to keep her eyes open. She mustn’t lose sight of George. Cali kicked her way back to the surface and began swimming toward the area she thought George had landed in. The bay was cooler than she’d expected for the tropics. Her clothing soaked up water and acted as an anchor when she didn’t need one. She had to get out of them if she had any chance of saving George. Tugging on the heavy skirt, she finally managed to get the garment over her hips and push it free. She shot to the top like a cork out of a wine bottle. George was nowhere to be seen. Cali took a deep breath and dove under, forcing her eyes to remain open. Nothing. Fighting against an undercurrent, Cali kicked her way to the top. Scanning the water, she sought for some sign of George’s whereabouts. What appeared to be the distance of half a pool’s length she spotted an area of white. Thrusting hard, she swam toward the location, praying it was George, halfafraid it was. Long tendrils of hair floated on the water. “Oh my God, George!” Cali, fueled by a new rush of adrenaline, hurried to her sister and turned her over. The ghostly pallor of George’s face shocked her. “Be alive, damn it.” Cali hooked her arm underneath George’s shoulders and leaned close to her face. She couldn’t tell if George were breathing or not. She maneuvered her body behind George’s head and grasped her beneath her armpits and began to swim toward the shore.

*****

Shivers ran up Rob’s arms as he heard the splash. Martín was giving him no time to think, however. The smuggler twisted underneath Rob and tried to point his pistol at him. Grabbing Martín’s arm, Rob smashed the wrist bearing the gun into the deck. Once. Twice. On the third slam, he heard the sounds of bone breaking, and the weapon firing. In the distance, Rob heard footsteps running, their beats louder with each passing second. How many were on the way to aid their boss? There had been two other henchmen with Martín when they loaded the captives onto the yacht. Another one or two had to have been left behind to watch over the vessel and its contents.

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Martín tried to raise the gun toward Rob again. This time when Rob slammed the man’s injured wrist into the floor, the pistol slid from his grasp. Martín’s resistance to Rob increased, and he smashed a left into Rob’s jaw, knocking him off his opponent. Rob felt the other man’s fury as Martín attempted another left.

Martín’s right hand was

unusable, but his current state of rage added to his strength. The blow staggered Rob. Martín used his disorientation to trap Rob against the deck. “Señor, give up. You cannot defeat me.” In his peripheral vision, Rob could see Martín’s help had arrived. One of them held a revolver against Juan’s head. Digging into his waist, he felt the barrel of the Glock. If he had any chance of getting the two of them out of here, he had to find a way to get to the pistol. “What is it you want, Martín?” The man’s laugh resounded loud and evilly in the calm Pacific air. “It is too late for deals, Doctor. You and your friends have cost me more than my missing twenty kilos of cocaine. You have cost me my entire operation!” “Not everything,” Rob wheezed. “You still smuggle children.” Martín raised his left fist. “Ah, yes, another place your damned interference has cost me, Doctor.” Rob watched as Martín’s fist arced toward his face. At the last moment, Rob jerked his head and Martín’s good hand hit the deck. Martín’s howl was all he needed. Rob pushed the man off him, pulled out the gun and grabbed Martín by the collar of his shirt. Rob placed the gun against Martin’s neck. “Call your compatriots off.” Martín nodded toward his men, and they backed away. The one holding Juan remained. “All of them, Martín. And the child stays.” Another nod. The man released Juan. He ran to Rob and threw his arms around his waist. Rob put an arm around the boy’s shoulder. “Are you okay, son?” “Sí, Sí.” Keeping an eye on Martín, Rob knelt next to Juan. “Do you know where the rope is?” Juan nodded. “Go get it. Bring it back here.” He gave Juan a squeeze. “Go now.” The boy took off, and returned moments later with a hefty length of hemp. “Do not think you will get away from me, Doctor. My reach is far.”

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Rob kept the pistol leveled at Martín as he shrugged into a bright orange life vest. “Not far enough. The people here are tired of their children disappearing, of the violence you bring to their already difficult lives.” “They want what my money can bring them.” “No, Martín, they want peace in their homes. They want to be safe in their villages. Your type can’t give them that.” Martín sneered. “And you can?” “Tie the rope to the rail, Juan.” Rob continued, “No, I can’t. All I can do is mend their wounds, teach them to be healthier.” “You fill them with the false hope of a better life, Doctor.” Juan pulled on Rob’s sleeve and he turned to face the child. “Padre, I am finished.” Rob tested the knot. “Good work, Juan. Put on the lifejacket. Then throw the rope over the side and climb down to the boat.” “Not so fast, Doctor.” Rob spun to face his antagonist, now holding a weapon in his left hand. “Do not think for a minute you will get away with destroying my livelihood. You are so pathetic, Padre, you cannot even protect your son,” Martín taunted. “I shall cut your heart out before I kill you.” Juan froze one leg already over the railing. Rob cursed as he realized he’d failed to retrieve the gun he had knocked from Martín’s hand earlier, and that the reprobate was planning on killing Juan first. “Go, Juan! Go! Get out of here!” Juan swung his other leg over the rail as Rob heard a bullet enter the chamber of Martín’s gun. He would not let Juan die! Rob leapt between Martín and his intended target as the bullet burst out of the firearm.

*****

Cali heard muted pops as she fought against the current that was quickly wearing her down. She assumed the gunshots had been directed at Rob or Juan and choked back a sob. Her sorrow served as an unusual catalyst. “I lost one person I love today, I won’t lose two.” She kicked harder, knowing she was taking two strokes forward and one back. “We will get out of this, George. We’ll come back here and find a way to make Martín pay for what he’s done.”

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As if in reply, George exhaled audibly. “Hang in there, sweetie,” Cali whispered. “We aren’t finished yet.” Time, however, was running out. Cali’s arms ached, and her thighs and calves burned from the exertion. The shore didn’t seem any closer, yet the yacht seemed further away. The undertow was pulling her away from her destination. The only sound Cali heard was the beating of her heart, a heart weighed down by grief. The rhythmic tugs of the tide didn’t soothe her. Already she missed Rob. She regretted all the times together she’d squandered. His death and sacrifice would be a source of constant reflection, would be on her conscious a long time. Now she had to make sure Rob’s demise would serve a useful service. Cali could go back to Dave and find a way to bring Martín down, and continue Rob’s work with the people of this region. First, she had to get George to shore. In the distance, Cali heard a rumbling. Great, a storm was brewing. No telling what that would do to her efforts at reaching the beach. Any time now there would be lightning and she and George would be natural lightning rods. The roar became ominously louder, with intensity like that of a hurricane. Waves slapped into her. Their size grew in proportion to the deafening wind. She clung to George tighter in her wait for the fearful shaft of light to strike. It happened a split second later, the bright streak blinding her. She squeezed shut her eyes against it, but it didn’t help. The light didn’t go away, it shone through her very lids. Good Lord, she thought, I’m dead. George was still in her arms. George is too. There was no time for regrets or revenge now. In all the darkness of death, there was just noise and a wide shaft of light. Cali felt the weight of George lifted from her, and then saw her ascend into the light and disappear into its bowels. Cali stopped fighting the inevitable. She let her legs relax and surrendered to her fate. Maybe she’d see Rob in the afterlife, tell him she was sorry for being so hard on him, tell him she loved him. Arms lifted her up, held her. Death was gentle, comforting despite the swirl of violent energy all around. Perhaps opposing forces were warring for her soul. No matter, it was over. She gave in to the floating sensation and let her body go.

*****

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The force of something akin to being struck by a baseball bat slammed into Rob and knocked him against the yacht’s rail. The burning pain came next. He looked down and saw his blood soaking into his shirt. He looked up and saw Martín stare at him with death in his eyes. Somehow the man had managed to get a shot off and hit Rob, despite his injured hand and wrist. Rob stole a glance over the side of the yacht. Juan waved up at him. For the moment, the child had been spared. He’d die knowing he’d at least saved him, as long as he could prevent Martín from going after Juan. “Vamous, Juan.” Martín edged closer. Rob lifted his pistol and pointed it once more at Martín. “Don’t come any closer.” The loss of blood made him weak. “Or you will shoot? You do not have the cajonas, Doctor. You are sworn to save life, not destroy it.” Martín laughed. “Do not fear. You will soon join your woman, and I will take the child as a small measure of compensation.” Rob had failed Juan when Diego kidnapped him. He would not fail him now. Forgive me. He pulled the trigger. The bullet left the chamber of the gun with a loud explosion. The odor of gunpowder filled the air. Martín crumpled to the deck. Glancing over the rail, Rob was rewarded with the sight of Juan moving away from the yacht in the outboard Rob had tied to the vessel. Juan hadn’t started the engine. With luck, he could heave himself over the side, and get to Juan. If he couldn’t, then the water could claim him like it should have all those years ago.

*****

“Hello, Cali.” A familiar voice called her name. She opened her eyes. “Dr. Reynard?” She was in a bed, surrounded by a green curtain. “I’m not dead? Where am I?” “Centro Medical, in Guatemala City.” Memories of the yacht assaulted her. Rob was dead. “How long have I been here?” “Just a few hours.” Cali couldn’t keep the panic out of her voice. “George?” “Holding her own right now.”

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She tried to sit up. “How did I get here?” Dr. Reynard gently pushed her back on the pillow. “The American Navy was conducting search and rescue drills. One of their helicopters spotted a pair of orange life vests, and then came across you.” Maybe they were able to retrieve Rob’s body. “Rob?” Dr. Reynard shook his head. “He lost a lot of blood, Cali.” A tear slid from her eye. Her lower lip trembled. Then another tear cascaded down her cheek, followed by another. Cali couldn’t stop the torrent once the floodgate had opened. “Cali, Rob isn’t dead. It’s touch and go, right now, but he’s still alive.” The curtain around her bed was too confining. She struggled for breath. The doctor took her hand. His white jacket and stethoscope were strangely comforting. “I saw him leap for Martín, heard shots fired.” Reynard’s words finally began to break through her memory’s haze. “Rob was shot. He would have died if it hadn’t been for the Navy.” Alive? Rob was alive. Her spirit soared. “Take me to see him, Dr. Reynard.” She paused. “I have something to tell him.” The doctor frowned, his words authoritative. “That will have to wait until he’s stabilized.” Cali pushed herself up on her elbows. “You don’t understand, doctor. I need to tell him I love him before it’s too late.” There seemed a moment of hesitation in Reynard’s eyes. He left the bedside, pushed the green curtain aside, and paused on his way out the door. Reynard glanced at her, and then shook his head. She sighed. She didn’t know where Rob was, and Reynard wasn’t going to help her get to him. She turned her head away from the door. A moment later, it creaked open. Reynard was there, pushing a wheelchair over to her bed. “You are fortunate the most serious of your injuries is exposure or I would not, under any circumstances be moving you.” He eased the bed rail down, then put his arm around her shoulder as he helped her into the chair. “Hold onto the pole.” Cali held tight to the IV pole as Reynard wheeled her toward the man she loved. Miraculously, she had been given a second chance. She was alive. George was alive. Rob was alive. She wasn’t going to ignore this golden opportunity. She had to tell Rob she loved him before she left Guatemala for good. Outside the door, an American Marine kept watch, along with another man who appeared to be a police officer of some sort. “This woman was with him,” Dr. Reynard told the guards.

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Cali was relieved when they moved aside to let them through. A nurse, dressed in crisp white was changing a bag on Rob’s IV pole. The bag had a clear liquid in it. On the other side of the pole, a bag of plasma dripped. The nurse spoke in hushed tones to Dr. Reynard, then left. Her white shoes made a squeaky noise that faded as she left the vicinity. Another guard sat in a chair in a darkened corner of the room. “Give us a few moments alone with the patient.” Reynard’s voice brooked no argument. “Wait outside the door.” He rolled her closer to Rob’s bed. Cali gasped. “Oh, my God. He’s so pale.” She reached a hand to stroke his forehead. His dark hair accented his pallor. “Don’t you die on me, Rob Masters. I want to tell you when you are conscious how much I love you.” She laid her head on his hand. “You see, he is alive,” Reynard soothed. If there was a way to will life into him, Cali would have. Instead, she sat there in her wheelchair, her cheek against Rob's hand. “We have to go now, Cali. You need to get back to bed.” She rolled closer to Rob’s head and leaned in toward his ear. “I love you.” Then she reached out, took his hand in hers, and kissed it. “Don’t you forget it.” She provided Dr. Reynard with George’s medical history, and described the symptoms she’d seen her sister exhibit while they were at Martín’s hacienda. Toxicology tests confirmed that George had been injected with high doses of pharmaceutical grade heroine. It was going to take some time to get the drug out of her system and break its addictive power. Cali spent the night at the hospital in observation. Her ordeal hadn’t left any physical damage. The clean check-up she’d been given didn’t dispel the nightmares she’d endured. Reynard informed her there was a doctor at the Embassy that could help her deal with the events she’d witnessed. Perhaps she’d talk to him. God, the things she’d been a part of. She shivered. Dave showed up the morning of her release. “What are you doing here?” “Is that anyway to talk to the man who engineered your rescue, darlin’?” Her brows furrowed. “You?” A large grin spread across his face. “You don’t think those Huey’s were just out there for fun do you?” She threw her arms around his neck. “You saved all our lives.” “And I’m gonna save yours again.” Cali let go of Dave. “What do you mean?”

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“CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, and a good dozen journalists are waiting for you to come out the front door of this place.” “What on earth for?” “To snap your photo and bombard you with questions about Martín’s operations and eventual death. It’s time for your fifteen minutes of fame.” The air conditioning of the hospital seemed to fail. “I can’t answer those questions.” “Nor should you.” He winked at her conspiratorially. “I can help you get out undetected.” “Can you get me back and forth to Reynard’s place? He’s offered to let me stay there until George is ready to go home. In the meantime, I’ll still need to check on her.” She wanted to include Rob but didn’t. There was some unresolved issue between the two men and she didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire, not when she was so close to meeting her goal of bringing George home. Dave reached out and took her hand. “Of course, I can, Cali. Now let’s get you into a disguise.” Dressed as a nurse, Cali wheeled Dave through the mob of reporters in the front lobby and through the main doors to a waiting taxi. She pretended to help him into the vehicle, pushed the wheelchair off to the side to join other chairs, and then climbed in after him. When the cab drove off, she sighed. “We walked right through that lion’s den, unscathed.” “Sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight.” Cali settled back into the cushion. “I don’t know what I would have done without the help you and Reynard have given me.” “The press is the only thing Reynard hates more than me.” Cali turned. “Reynard hates you?” Dave shrugged. “He’s a man that doesn’t like to lose when a lady is involved.” Curiosity gripped her. “And the lady?” “Reynard’s ex-wife.” Cali felt her eyes widen. “Oh.” “Ancient history, but Reynard’s pride was severely wounded. He’s never forgiven me.” The cab stopped in front of a commodores. Dave took money out of his wallet and paid the driver, then held the door for Cali. “Use this as your meeting place. Come in, get a bite to eat, a cup of coffee. Sit down at the third table and take off the nurses’ cap. Then watch the building across the street.” “The cap is a signal?”

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Dave nodded. “A light will go on upstairs, and a few moments later a man in a hat will come out the front door. He’ll stand near the door and have a smoke. If there is any danger he will drop the cigarette and grind it out. If he has not done this within five minutes, leave your seat and go to Reynard’s.” “Isn’t this a bit overkill?” He shrugged. “Perhaps.” “Then why?” He continued on as if her question hadn’t been voiced. “If at any time you feel uneasy put the cap back on and begin walking back the way we came. My man will follow you.” “You’re scaring me, Dave. What’s going on?” “Martín’s body wasn’t found.” He paused. “Let’s try out the hat thing, shall we?” Cali nodded, speechless at the information Dave had just revealed. Without a body how could they be sure Martín was dead? If he wasn’t dead, Dave obviously felt Martín was a threat. They played spy without incident and Cali was grateful to have some moments of solitude. She shuddered remembering Martín’s threat to make her into fish food. If he were alive, he’d do whatever was within his power to make his warning reality. Thank God, Juan was truly with Maria and Pedro, away from this unfinished business. Reynard’s hospitality seemed limitless. The doctor allowed her the use of a spare bedroom in his townhouse, gave her cab fare, and stocked the refrigerator with her favorites, including diet soft drinks and frozen pizza. Having a place to rest near the hospital saved her untold dollars. It even provided her a sense of security, however false. When she wasn’t thinking about getting George home, other thoughts intervened. What would it be like to make Rob laugh again? How would his lips feel on hers when they wouldn’t need to reign in their passions? Would he even want to see her? Cali had small tastes of what he’d offered and hungered for more. His attentions made her feel desired, sexy. He was her opportunity to give of herself freely in love to another, without expectations. There would be no demands placed on him from her. No, thoughts like this had no place in her planning. Cali would bring George home within a few days. Nothing else was going to get in her way. Especially the dark-haired doctor who’d captured her heart. She could give him her body one last time and go home, but Cali knew her heart would be left behind with him. Guatemala would leave its scars.

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It had almost been easier when she thought he’d died. She could resign herself to a life without him, knowing it could never be possible. With him alive, there would always be a doubt, always the lingering question, “What if?” A question without any possible answer. He’d made it clear she didn’t fit in with the rough life he led, and he didn’t want any part of going back to live in Chicago while there was work to be done in Guatemala. She couldn’t wish for happily ever after. He was needed here. Rob’s work made a difference in the lives of hundred’s of people. It was selfish to hope he’d want her more than helping the poor here. His value to mankind was greater than her worth to him. It was a fact of his life that she had to accept. Self-sacrifice had been something George was good at, too. George’s whole life had been built around the idea it was better to give than receive. Cali hadn’t been selfish. She’d just never taken the same opportunities to serve as George had. Cali knew what she had to do. She’d forfeit her heart and take George home, nurse her through her recovery, and be the dutiful younger sister to a woman who had already given up too much in her life. With her decision made, Cali’s life became simpler. She picked up her purse, and went outdoors to hail a cab. Reporters still lay siege to the lobby. She had the driver drop her at the emergency entrance and tipped him well. In the nurses’ uniform, she blended in with the surrounding staff and headed toward the elevators. The nurses’ station on George’s floor wasn’t far from the elevator bank. Cali approached the charge nurse. “How is my sister today?” The nurse consulted her chart. “She is stable and improving.” “Is she lucid?” The nurse shook her head. “Sedated.” Cali tiptoed into her sister’s room and pulled a chair near George’s bed. “I love you.” She balled her hand into a fist. “Snap out of this, George. Don’t let that bastard win. Whatever you did to him, it had to have been the right thing. I’m proud of you. Just don’t give up. We’re going home soon.” She stroked George’s fragile hand. A saline drip flowed through the IV tubing. Another bag allowed for a steady volume of glucose to supply George with necessary energy. Martín had done this to her. “I hope like hell, Martín you are out of our lives for good.” The niggling doubt remained. They hadn’t found his body. What did it really mean? She pondered the question as she left George’s room and headed toward Rob’s.

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She would keep a vigil as long as he needed her. Rob was recovering from the surgery necessary to repair the damage Martín’s bullet had perpetrated. Now that his fluid levels had steadied. And barring an infection or any renewed bleeding, it wouldn’t be long before Rob would be released. With all the tubes and wires running from his body, to this machine or that IV, he looked awful. They were a potent reminder of what she’d almost lost forever— the man who had taught her so much about herself and her heart. She’d whisper words of love and encouragement while she could, words that would allow her to express herself without obligating him to acknowledge the same in return. When she returned to the States, she would know she’d told him all that was in her heart. Placing a kiss on his bruised cheek, she sat and held his hand murmuring words of comfort. “No matter what happens, I’ll always love you. I wish things could have been different for us.”

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Chapter Seventeen

An hour or so later, Cali heard footsteps. Reynard entered. “I’ve good news for you, Señorita, your sister is alert.” “Alert? Oh, that’s wonderful, Dr. Reynard! Can I see her?” “Sí, that is why I’m here.” He picked up Rob’s chart. “I think your doctor will be awake soon as well.” Cali squeezed Rob’s hand gently. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, Darling.” Reynard escorted her to George’s room. “I must warn you, she still must not have too much excitement. She has suffered for some time from the effects of powerful drugs.” Cali nodded her understanding and walked into George’s room. “Cali!” She rushed to George’s outstretched arms. “George,” she whispered. “Thank God.” Tears coursed down her cheeks. It had taken so long to get to this point. She held George a long time, relishing the silence and the bond of sisterhood. After several blissful moments, she pulled away. “What happened, George?” George’s eyes darkened. “I was headed into the hills to visit a family with children old enough to come to school. A storm came up suddenly. The rain itself wasn’t bad, at least not until the wind started blowing it directly into my face. I tired to walk backwards but I was soon soaked.” A shiver rippled over George and Cali pulled the blanket up over her sister’s thin shoulders. “You don’t have to tell me anymore if you don’t want to.” “No, it’s alright. I took refuge in an old mine entrance I had seen on earlier treks. It was weird. Like the wind followed me into that shelter. It blew straight in behind me. I turned on the flashlight I kept in my backpack and went further in to escape the chill.” “Wasn’t that dangerous?” Cali tried to remember all she’d read or seen about mines. Nothing comforting came to mind. “I had my light and I searched carefully for any sign of rotted timbers, cave-ins, animals. There was nothing so I moved further back. “I’d gone twenty feet or so into the cave when I noticed something box-like covered with cloth. I pulled the cloth off and found a chest. I fiddled around with the lock and popped it open. Inside, were

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bundles of a hardened white substance. I assumed it to be cocaine. I covered it back up and sat on it trying to figure out what to do.” “Martín’s treasure?” Cali gasped. “Oh, George, what a horrible find.” “I thought so, at first. Then it made sense to me that I was meant to find it and destroy it, before it ruined countless lives.” George squeezed Cali’s hand. “It was a blessing.” There was a burning passion in her sister’s eyes. When it came to drugs George had been adamant about her responsibility to prevent abuse in whatever way she could. “What did you do with it?” George started to giggle, then laughed outright. “Cali, I did the best thing I could. I borrowed Rob’s jeep, loaded up that chest and brought it back to my place.” “No wonder Martín was after you. Then what did you do with the dope?” A particularly wicked grin spread across George’s features. “Remember when I found dad’s pot and flushed it down the toilet? I cut open every one of those bags and dumped them in the outhouse.” Cali laughed with her sister, picturing the drug in feces and urine. “You certainly made that cocaine unusable.” “Someone must have seen me in the area with the Jeep. Early the next morning, I had a visitor demanding to know where the merchandise was.” “Diego?” “I don’t think so, Cali. Diego was one of Martín’s men.” “A competitor? Of course, Diego said you were the last to have seen the valuables, and was looking for you. If Martín had you already, Diego wouldn’t have been sent.” Cali shook her head. “I never considered the possibility of another dealer.” “If I had gotten rid of that chest, I could have bluffed my way out of trouble. But it was sitting in my room, in plain sight, like a trophy.” “What happened next?” “I was injected with something. Then I found myself here.” “It was heroine, George. But you were sick, too. Rob couldn’t make sense of what was happening, and he sent you here for blood tests.” A sudden realization hit Cali. “This isn’t over yet.” “Why?” “The only person who could know about the existence of the chest would have had to have been with Martín. My guess is neither of them knew you spoiled the drugs. One or both of them might still be alive.” Cali stood, and moved to the door.

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“What are you doing?” “I’m going to get Dave and tell him what you told me. You’re a sitting duck and he can keep you safe until we get out of here.” Cali pulled the door shut behind her and leaned against the frame, her eyes darting back and forth searching for Dave. The sterile halls were silent, with an occasional nurse entering or exiting a room. Everything gave the impression of being as it should. Yet, her sister was still in danger, only this time there would be nothing to trade her life for. The cocaine had been destroyed and the owner would be out for vengeance. A muted ding and the elevator door opened. Dave stepped out and sauntered in her direction. “Good morning, gorgeous.” “That’s the woman in this room, not me.” “Don’t sell yourself short.” He cupped her chin and tipped her face toward him. “What is it, Cali? You look worried.” “George is still in danger.” His deep voice echoed in the tiled hallway. “Because?” “She flushed several packages of cocaine and the man who found her was not Diego or Martín.” “A third party.” Dave said it so flatly that Cali thought he didn’t catch the significance. “It was a traitor in Martin’s ranks.” “You’re both going to need round-the-clock protection.” “Not me, Dave, George. She destroyed it. If Martín is not dead, he’s gonna be ticked. So will his defector.” “They lost millions of dollars on the street.” “I just wish we could go home.” She ran a hand through her hair. “Nothing is going to get that garbage back.” “The loss of capital is a strong motivator. These guys are smart though.” Dave pulled a phone from his pocket. “If I were one of them, I’d be more concerned about what George saw. Martín’s “friend” will not want to be identified.” Cali clasped a hand over her mouth and leaned against the wall. “Dear Lord, won’t this ever be over?”

*****

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The first thing Rob thought when he woke up was that his shoulder hurt like hell. When he realized he couldn’t move it, he opened his eyes. Green walls that had poor copies of Mayan art hanging on them surrounded him. “Ah, Dr. Masters, I see you are awake.” “Reynard?” “Si, I have been most concerned about you, as have a number of people.” Confusion jailed his mind. “How did I get here?” “What is the last thing you remember, my friend?” Scrunching his eyes shut, he thought. “Martín. He shot me.” Memories rushed back. “Juan! Is he safe?” “Si, the child is safe. He is truly with Maria and Pedro. He is a brave one. To escape Martín and bring you help.” Rob sat up in alarm, groaning in pain. “Cali? George?” Reynard helped him lay back down. “Alive and recovering. The teacher you sought is even awake now.” Tension flowed out of Rob’s body like air being released from a balloon. Everyone safe, alive. Somehow a miracle had occurred. He didn’t know how, but he intended to make the most of it. “Do you remember any more?” Reynard gently queried. “I don’t even know where to begin. So much happened.” He paused. “What happened to Martín?” “It is hoped you can tell us. You were found not far from his yacht.” “He shot at Cali and George. Then he went after Juan. He wanted me to see Juan die. I couldn’t let him do that, let him kill Juan. I had to stop him.” Rob hesitated as he tried to reign in his emotions. “Reynard, I shot him.” “You did what you had to, my friend.” “Why don’t you know? Someone must have boarded the yacht.” “The police in Champerico only found a lot of blood.” Rob seized the tan blanket on his bed in his fist. “Then he is alive?” “All I know is Martín’s body has yet to be found.” Relief and fear warred within Rob. Fear won, strangling his heart. “No one is safe, Reynard. No one.” “Do not agitate yourself unnecessarily. Juan is safe. George is being monitored continually, has security in her room, and two guards on her door.”

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“And Cali?” “The lady spends her time between the rooms of her sister and you.” Rob watched a smile cross Reynard’s lips. “When I am able I persuade her to rest at my home.” Jealousy began a slow burn in Rob’s guts. “Is that often?” “Not as often as I would like.” Mustering as much control as he could, Rob tersely ordered, “Get me out of here, Reynard.” “You are not ready.” He knew he had to settle down, if Rob was going to convince Reynard to release him. “Where is she?” “Miss Evans?” Rob nodded as he closed his eyes. He had to calm himself. He’d given Reynard his warning, and soon he would give it to Cali as well. She wouldn’t listen, but maybe he could buy enough time to get Reynard to release him so he could protect her. She’d be too worried about George to protect herself. “I shall call for her, Dr. Masters, but remember, doctors make the worst patients.” Reynard moved to the door before he issued his final threat. “If you get yourself unduly worked up I shall have to order a sedative for you.” Again, Rob nodded. Despite the man’s obvious attraction to Cali, he had said what Rob might have under similar circumstances. He would have to have all his wits about him for the duration. He’d have to forego painkillers and sleeping agents. It was the only hope he had for keeping them all alive. When Reynard brought Cali back to Rob’s room it was as if a breath of fresh air had arrived. A strange, warm sensation stole over Rob as she rushed to his side and held his hand. “Rob, thank God you’re awake. I’ve been so worried.” His voice sounded uncommonly weak to him. “I’ve been worried about you, too. Still am.” Her bright smile faded some. “I know. Martín might still be alive.” “You have to be very careful, Cali. Martín will still want what George has. Now that he’s been wounded, he’ll hurt anyone in his way, just like a trapped animal.” Reynard moved into his line of vision, holding a hypodermic.

“Remember, do not get

overwrought, Doctor.” He placed the covered syringe on the nightstand near Rob’s IV pole. “I will use this without a moment’s hesitation, so whenever you see it, remember my threat, amigo.” “I won’t let him get distraught, Dr. Reynard.”

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Dr. Reynard. She’d called him doctor. The pain in his gut lessened. Rob watched as Reynard’s eyes focused first on him, then on Cali. “I trust you will both keep your emotions under control.” What did Reynard mean by that crack, Rob wondered as Cali pulled up a chair next to his bed? “I’m serious, Cali. Martín isn’t predictable.” “I thought he killed you,” she whispered as she lowered the hospital bed rail. “Me, too. I watched my blood saturate my shirt. There was so much. I looked over the side of the yacht and I could see Juan. I thought maybe I could climb down the rope and get to the rowboat. I remember being exceedingly pleased I’d gotten Juan out of Martín’s grasp, and then nothing.” She held his hand, entwining her fingers between his. Rob became aware of little electrical-like sensations darting through his digits. “The Navy found you in the boat with Juan.” “The Navy?” The corners of her kissable lips turned upwards. “Seems they were out on practice search and rescue maneuvers.” Rob was unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “Lucky us.” “I think so. You don’t?” Yeah, they were lucky. But it was too soon to celebrate their escape and survival. “All I know is I don’t like the fact that no one has found Martín, dead or alive. Some things just seem a little too convenient.” “And maybe you are looking the proverbial gift horse in the mouth. We should both be grateful to be alive.” The threat of Martín was serious. The danger wasn’t over. “Why, Cali? So we can be sitting targets for the next time Martín wants to try and kill us? Or kill someone we love? The man was practically drooling over the fact he was going to kill Juan in front of me.” “Martín is an aberration. He probably had a very disturbed childhood.” “I’d rest easier knowing Martín was dead and the people I care for are safe. I don’t want to spend the rest of my natural days looking over my shoulder to see if some crazed drug lord is after us.” “Nor will you have to, Señor.” The third voice was one Rob could not place. He lifted his head to look at the speaker. Cali twisted in her chair. He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice. The visitor wore a pale, shimmery jacket. Ghost. “Esteban.” Cali echoed him, shock registered on her face. “Esteban?”

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“Do not touch the call button, Doctor.” He pulled a gun from underneath his jacket as the room door closed softly behind him. He pointed the weapon at Cali. “You and your sister have cost me dearly.” The man sauntered nearer. “She will be my next visit.” “Why are you here, Esteban?” Rob heard the quaking in Cali’s voice as he struggled to sit up. “That should be obvious, Senorita. I am here to retrieve the cocaine your sister stole.” Cali sprung to her feet and moved toward Esteban, pointing a finger at him. “I am tired of all the accusations you and your boss have made about George and I. You stole that cocaine, Esteban.” A look of surprise crossed Esteban’s face, swiftly replaced by anger. He grabbed her offending hand, spun her around and twisted her arm behind her back. “You will tell me where my product is!” Rob kicked the moveable bed tray at Esteban, then rolled from the bed and grabbed the syringe. His movement startled both Esteban and Cali, but Cali recovered quicker, and elbowed the man with her free arm. Esteban released her and aimed the gun as Rob dove at the man’s knees. Esteban fell backward as the gun flew from his hand and skittered to a stop against the wall. “Grab the gun, Cali,” Rob yelled as he uncapped the syringe and injected the contents into Esteban’s thigh. Cali moved behind Rob, and knew she’d pushed the nurse’s call button when he heard static. “Get security in here! Reynard too!” “Quick thinking, Cali,” Rob mumbled. In his peripheral vision, he could see the barrel of Esteban’s weapon pointed toward their assailant. It wavered slightly. “It’s almost over, Sweetheart.” He looked down. Good thing. His hospital gown was getting soaked with his blood. The room exploded with noise as hospital personnel burst through the door. He pushed his free hand against his shoulder as he watched handcuffs go onto Esteban’s wrists. “Someone help me get him back to his bed.” It was Cali’s voice. The sound flowed over him like warm honey, thick, soothing, and infinity enjoyable when mixed with rum. He sighed as he felt professional hands examine him. God, was he tired. Reynard’s voice could be heard above the din. “Clear the room. Let’s see what damage this guy has done now.” Cali began to walk out with the others. Rob reached out his good hand toward her. “Stay.”

*****

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Relief flooded Cali when she was informed George was stable enough to be transferred back to the States. Her road to recovery was going to be a long one but at least they would be home. Methadone addiction wasn’t a whole lot better than that of heroine. Officials at the American Embassy had been instrumental in securing the proper documents both women would need and cutting through the ponderous red tape they faced. They would be leaving in the morning. Dave insisted Cali spend at least one day in a nice hotel. She smiled remembering his comment. “You have to have at least one good memory of Guatemala.” Creating a good memory included a room with a hot tub, which beckoned Cali like a lighthouse beacon. As she luxuriated in the hot bubbling water, massaged by the jets of the tub, she relaxed for the first time in days. She wasn’t going to particularly miss this place. She’d seen a seamy underside of humanity she had refused to believe existed. She’d come close to losing George, and her own life. The greed, corruption, and small regard for the value of life amazed her. As did one man’s dedication to changing things in one tiny part of the world, one person at a time. A tear slid from her eye. Rob Masters she would miss. The shrill ringing of the phone stabbed at her through the dull fog of her melancholy thoughts. “Damn.” By the time she had gotten out of the tub and into the thick terry robe provided by the hotel the phone had stopped its irritating noise. She continued to the desk and dialed the operator. What if George had had a relapse? Dread knotted her stomach as she waited for someone to pick up. “Was there a message just left for me?” The clerk answered in the negative and Cali hung up. If it were important, whoever called would do so again. She pulled out a straight back chair from the desk and plopped down in it. There was only one thing she had to do before she left. Cali opened the drawer and pulled out a pen and piece of hotel stationery and began to write. ‘Dear Rob...’ A dull thumping on her door stopped her from going any further. She laid down the pen, and moved the chair back in slow, deliberate movements. The pounding was insistent. “Take a deep breath, stay calm,” she admonished herself as she walked to the door. “George is fine.” Her eyes looked at the chain and dead bolt. Good, she had used it and thrown the bolt. “Who’s there?” The person on the other side of the door continued to hammer, unaware of her response. Cali peered through the peephole. The beating stopped. Her heart leapt into her throat. She opened the door a crack, confident of the chain’s ability to buy her time to stop a forced entry if Rob wasn’t alone.

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“California Evans, open this door, now.” She shoved the door shut to slid off the chain, then threw it open again just as quickly. “Rob!” His name fell from her lips like the long-awaited first flake of winter’s snow. “Are you letting me in?” Stepping behind the door she moved out of his way. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you still be...” The terseness of his words stopped her cold. “I’m here for you.” “Me?” “Yes, you.” She watched him take in the room. “You weren’t planning on leaving without saying good-bye.” He strode to her open suitcase. She should have closed it before she let him enter, but she had never dreamed he would be with her in a hotel room in Guatemala. He picked up a paperback novel she was reading. “Nice.” “Put that down.” “As you wish.” With a tilt of his hand, she watched the book slide back to its cushion on her clothes. He came closer to her, invading her space. It wasn’t menacing exactly, but it wasn’t comfortable either. Her heartbeat became erratic. His eyes were dark fathomless pools. Losing yourself in them would be easy. Had been easy. She licked her bottom lip, swallowed, and tried to make words come out of her mouth. Instead, she picked up the panties and bra she’d set out for the morning, sat down on the edge of the double bed, and crushed the undergarments in fingers that were turning white. “Why?” “Cali.” He picked up her hand and her lacy things fell softly to the floor. He lightly stroked her skin, trying to soothe her. “I know this is not what you were expecting when you came here. Hell, you weren’t expecting me, now, at all,” he rambled. Undeniable longing sprung from a hidden well within her. She had never known a man’s touch could show such tenderness, concern, and send pulses of heat all at the same time. She drank it in as if she had been in a desert and had found a refreshing oasis. She couldn’t meet his gaze, looked down at the floor and saw her lacy, black bra and panties near his feet instead. For a slip of a second, she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like if he had been responsible for putting them on the floor. A rush of heat hit her harder than the humid warmth of Guatemala. She quickly stood, knelt and grabbed them, and stuffed the garments into a corner of her suitcase.

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Hurrying to the dresser in an effort to hide her embarrassment she pulled open the top drawer to retrieve other items. It slid at an awkward angle and jammed. The bed groaned as its springs released the weight of the man who had overrun her room and life. His voice was whisper soft near her ear. He reached past her, deposited a tee-shirt, straightened the drawer, and then closed it. “Don’t go.” His near plaintive voice tugged at her heart. “George needs me.” Cali reopened and retrieved his deposit. The long, lean fingers of his hand reached toward her, and turned her to him. She had the feeling of being at the top of the first, ultra-steep hill on a roller coaster ride. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time and her stomach had a queasy sort of feeling. “I need you.” There was no mistaking the uncharacteristic pleading sound of his words. Under different circumstances she would be tempted to give in to him. “I’m sorry. This is my sister. She’s all the family I have left. I can’t abandon her.” Turning from her, he returned to the suitcase and picked up the lace set she had just packed. With her mouth agape, she stood there watching him. “Just what do you think you’re doing?” He returned the garments to her dresser, his eyes cloaking his thoughts. A clean blackboard would have been more revealing. “I’m helping you unpack.” “Rob Masters,” she said with as much dignity as she could muster, “Get your hands out of my panties!” His chest heaved as she watched him breathe. “If you insist.” He stepped close to her. Then the corners of his mouth slightly bent upward as he enveloped her with his good arm. “I don’t get asked to stop often.” There was no doubting he was telling the truth. The man was brilliant, handsome, charming and used to getting his way. She should resist him, but she didn’t want to. The sash of the robe fell to her side as he untied it. “I want you, Cali.” His large hand caressed the skin of her waist, then slid around her back as he pulled her tight. “You want me?” It was all she managed to get out. His hands caressed the skin over her rib cage, edged higher and palmed her breasts. “Oh yeah, as sure as I know the sun will rise tomorrow, Sweetheart.” His kiss, fierce and possessive was the beginning of her end. Everything she’d thought about in the past twenty-four hours, all she’d experienced with him during the past weeks came back with a rush. Fire, kidnapping, heat exhaust, earthquake, being shot at, all paled in comparison to the conflagration he

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ignited within her body and soul this very moment. Tentatively, she reached under his shirt, gingerly touching the bandage that covered his gunshot wound. The shoulder of the white robe slipped down and Rob used the opportunity to push the material from her body onto the carpeted floor. When he bent over to suckle a hardened nipple, heady sensations took over, freeing her mind to his exquisite touch. Abruptly he stopped and took a step away from her. His scrutiny made her blush. “My God, you’re beautiful.” Finally, she managed to speak. “You’re overdressed.” She began to unbutton his shirt. With trembling hands, she released the cloth from its bindings and exposed his chest underneath. With a mere shrug of his powerful shoulders the shirt fell to the floor. As if her hands had a mind of their own, they wandered over his chest, feeling the muscular ridges and flat planes. A man couldn’t have been made more perfect for her. She paused when she came to the tape and gauze. “Hurt much?” “Some.” “Let me try to make it better.” The rumble of his voice reminded her of thunder right before a storm broke. “Please.” Peppering light kisses near the edges of the bandages covering his wound Cali moved to his nipple and gently took it into her mouth. Rob made a sound somewhere between a pain-filled groan and undiluted desire. “Are you okay?” Rob pulled her tight against him, and she felt his arousal pressing hard into her. When he laid his lips against hers, and gently probed her mouth, she was swept away. Long moments later, he replied, “No.” His breath came in puffs. “I won’t be until I’m in you.” Somehow they got him out of the remainder of his clothes, and then Rob fell back onto the bed, pulling her on top of him. Cali felt his long fingers touch her intimately. She was ready for him. It seemed as if she’d always been ready for him. “Now, Sweetheart,” he breathed against her breast. “Now, I’m going to take you places you can only go with me.” When Rob entered her, she was reminded of how she’d never be the same again. They were made for one another, their bodies joining in a harmony no symphony could ever duplicate. Each thrusting crescendo took her higher than the last until there was one final explosion of her senses and then a calm she’d never received before.

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In his arms, she was safe from the likes of Diego, Esteban and Martín. Her heart, on the other hand, was a totally different matter.

*****

Rob held Cali as she slept, racking his brain trying to discover a way to make her stay. If he just asked, she’d turn him down flat. He could plead a need of having a woman in his home as a mother figure for Juan, and she might stay. For a while, and then she’d leave anyway, once she was immersed in the deprived circumstances he survived in. Or he could claim his injury was somehow her fault and she had to assist him, but he didn’t want her pity either. With George her primary concern, eventually she’d resent any tactics he employed to keep her bound to him. Which was why he couldn’t tell her he loved her. She’d only see the words as a ploy. Logically, there was only one choice he could make. He had to let her go. In the meantime, he would savor her, as one did a fine wine. After she was gone, he’d find a way to fight his desire and love for his she-devil.

*****

In the dark of the night, Cali got out of bed to deal with her breaking heart. Sobs she tried to muffle came from deep within her soul. He seemed unaffected by the intensity of their experience, not mentioning, not even alluding to in the minutest way any of what they’d shared. She’d given him her heart and body. To him, she was just another romp, a sexual conquest. She would take with her the bittersweet memory of his caresses, the way he had managed to sweep the terry robe from her body with his good hand. How his mouth burned a trail of kisses down her cheek to her lips, down her neck. Dawn would be here soon. She needed to finish packing, and lock her love for the humanitarian doctor in the deepest recesses of her heart.

*****

It didn’t make sense that he insisted on taking her to the airport, separately, while Dave took on the responsibility of George. Nor was it logical that he kept his arm wrapped around her as they

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negotiated the airport corridors. Every touch tripped her pulse into uneven beats. And there was even less reason for his actions when they called her flight for boarding and he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “Good-bye, California Evans.” Rob hastily freed her. She couldn’t look up at him and vowed not to look back. She pawed through her belongings searching for her paperwork as she joined the crowd moving onto the plane, blinded by the tears her aching heart demanded she release.

*****

Three weeks later, she was still as miserable as when she boarded the flight out of Guatemala City. George was recovering from the heroine addiction in a private rehab clinic and had the best of care. All Cali had been able to do was give her moral support. Dave had called to let Cali know Martín’s body had been recovered. Her doctor adventure was over, and most of her life was returning to normal. Most, but not all. The depth of her love for Rob amazed her. But he hadn’t reciprocated and she was not going to turn into one of those half-crazed stalkers. Cali just had to make the most of the memories she’d been given and get on with her life. Deciding to journal, she went upstairs to the desk in her bedroom and began to write about her last twenty-four hours in Guatemala. It helped to ease her grief as the words poured from her pen onto the pages of her spiral notebook. When the phone began ringing later, she was surprised at how much time had passed. She lifted the receiver to her ear. “Answer the door.” The line went dead as the caller hung up. Cali went to the window in George’s room and tried to look out. The large black oak blocked her view. She went to the rear door in the kitchen and peeked out between the curtained windows. No one. Pounding began to resonate throughout the first floor of her home. A memory teased the corner of her mind. “California Evans, open this door, now!” She ran to the door, threw it open and launched herself at Rob. His strong arms wrapped her against him. The corners of his sexy mouth turned up in a smile so bright she was sure it would like the Vegas strip. “Missed me, did you?” She felt the heat flood her face. “What are you doing here?”

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Cali tried to pull out of his arms, but he didn’t let her escape. “I thought it was obvious. I’m here for you.” Occasionally, the sound of a passing vehicle punctuated the afternoon. So quiet, so very still. The calm before the storm. ‘I’m here for you,’ finally filtered into her mind. “What?” “I’ve been wretched without you, Cali. I love you.” Those were the words she needed to hear. The balm for her grieving heart. They would find a way to make love work. “I love you, Rob.” Rob looked into her eyes and she felt herself drowning once again in their depths. “You make me human, Cali, you make me whole. Marry me.” There was a vulnerability she’d never seen in him before. She could see his love for her in his eyes as they searched hers for an answer. “Can you give me a minute?” “No,” he growled. His lips came down on hers with crushing passion, as if he were branding her as his. Weeks ago she knew she belonged to him. Together they would find a way to make their love work in the outposts of Guatemala. Thank God he had finally figured it out. “Then I’ll just have to say, ‘yes.’”

The End